The Boys of Dunbar Audiobook By Alejandro Danois cover art

The Boys of Dunbar

A Story of Love, Hope, and Basketball

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The Boys of Dunbar

By: Alejandro Danois
Narrated by: Mirron Willis
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As the crack epidemic swept across inner-city America in the early 1980s, the streets of Baltimore were crime-ridden. For poor kids from the housing projects, the future looked bleak. But basketball could provide the quickest ticket out, an opportunity to earn a college scholarship and perhaps even play in the NBA.

Dunbar High School had one of the most successful basketball programs, not only in Baltimore but in the entire country, and in the early 1980s, the Dunbar Poets were arguably the best high school team of all time. Four starting players - Muggsy Bogues, Reggie Williams, David Wingate, and Reggie Lewis - would eventually play in the NBA, an unheard-of success rate.

In The Boys of Dunbar, Alejandro Danois takes us through the 1981-1982 season with the Poets as the team conquered all its opponents. But more than that, he takes us into the lives of these kids, and especially of coach Bob Wade, a former NFL player from the same neighborhood who knew that the basketball court, and the lessons his players would learn there, held the key to the future.

©2016 Alejandro Danois (P)2016 Tantor Basketball Black & African American Social Sciences United States Specific Demographics Americas African American Studies

Critic reviews

"Danois, editor-in-chief of the Shadow League, recounts the memorable season and its resonance in a city whose salad days had shriveled into unemployment, drugs, and violence." ( Publishers Weekly)

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I'm not a big sports fan, but I was really interested in hearing such an important story about something good that came out of Baltimore. So glad I purchased this. It's inspiring, entertaining, and well written. The author takes you on their journey and makes you feel invested in the outcome.

Definitely Worth it! Emotional and Inspiring Story

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I went to college where and when Reggie Lewis played.
Great story, loved hearing about his high school career and all the others.

Enjoyable read.

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The detail was great. High school, college or NBA basketball fans will enjoy this book!

Wonderful basketball history

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wow what a amazing team didnt realize reggie lewis mom had heart problems. coach Wade had them boys ready to hoop.

amazing

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I loved how this story shares the connections between coaches, players, family & the Baltimore community. This was my intro to a much closer look at Bogues, whom I've known of and followed since his days with the Charlotte Hornets. I became interested years later through Curry's reflections of Bogues and have long wanted to read this story about Dunbar. I'm from the Hoop Dreams era of cinema and have been deep in thought about the stories of school hoops after also reading and re-reading Rus Bradburd's All the Dreams, We've Dreamed about Shawn Harrington's life. Shout out to out Basketball in the Barrio family! I love The Boys of Dunbar for where it's leading me next as a reader, towards Coach Thompson's I Came as a Shadow read and Muggsy's Godfather of Small Ball book. I can only hope and imagine that programs all around are connecting their players to the joys and lessons of literature, especially books as closely related to the game of hoop and life as these titles right here. #coachlife

Where I'm Headed After Dunbar

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