Kingdom on Fire, Scott HowardCooper
Kingdom on Fire, Scott HowardCooper
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Kingdom on Fire
Kareem, Wooden, Walton, and the Turbulent Days of the UCLA Basketball Dynasty

Author: Scott Howard-Cooper

Narrator: Feodor Chin

Unabridged: 12 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/05/2024


Synopsis

In the tradition of Blood in the Garden and Three-Ring Circus comes a bold history of the iconic UCLA Bruins championship teams led by legendary coach John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Walton—set against the turmoil of American culture in the 1960s and ’70s.

Few basketball dynasties have reigned supreme like the UCLA Bruins did over college basketball from 1965–1975 (seven consecutive titles, three perfect records, an eighty-eight-game winning streak that remains unmatched). At the center of this legendary franchise were the now-iconic players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, naturally reserved personalities who became outspoken giants when it came to race and the Vietnam War. These generational talents were led by John Wooden, a conservative counterweight to his star players whose leadership skills would transcend the game after his retirement. But before the three of them became history, they would have to make it—together.

Los Angeles native and longtime sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times, Scott Howard-Cooper draws on more than a hundred interviews and extensive access to many of the principal figures, including Wooden’s family, to deliver a rich narrative that reveals the turmoil at the heart of this storied college basketball program.

Making the eye-opening connections between UCLA and the Nixon administration, Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, and others, Kingdom on Fire puts the UCLA basketball team’s political involvement and influence in full relief for the first time. “Perceptive and exciting, this is a slam dunk for college hoops fans” (Publishers Weekly).

About Scott Howard-Cooper

Scott Howard-Cooper has covered professional and college sports since the 1980s for some of the most prominent outlets in the country, including the Los Angeles TimesSports Illustrated, ESPN, and more. His work has earned multiple national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Professional Basketball Writers Association for projects, game coverage, features, and columns. He graduated from USC with a degree in political science and lives in northern California.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Umar on February 08, 2025

Good book on the Golden Era of UCLA basketball under Coach John Wooden. The book could've been better if the author would've gone into more depth about the lives, study, and politics of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. We mostly get vague references.......more

Goodreads review by MARK on November 21, 2023

I’ve been a “basketball junkie” most of my life in one capacity or another—shooting hoops in the backyard, playing high school basketball and later college and law school intramurals as well as in other adult leagues; coaching various levels of public school basketball; spectating; and reading about......more

Goodreads review by Steve on August 17, 2024

If you’re a college hoops and history buff, this is right in your wheelhouse. I learned a lot about all three men and how Wooden shaped two of the most influential athletes of the era.......more

Goodreads review by Brandi Pearl on January 09, 2025

Interesting and well-written. It would make a great gift for basketball fans.......more

Goodreads review by Steve on September 23, 2024

Excellent book capturing the times and events that shaped those moments in history. In my opinion Kareem and Walton were the two best players in the history of college basketball.......more