TEN ON SUNDAY: The Secret Life of Men
From Booklist: "Boys will be boys, middle-aged professionals not excepted, as Eisenstock's re-creation of the male milieu of weekend warriors -- the sweating, the swearing, the bonding -- attests. While all hell broke loose around them -- earthquakes, O.J., divorces, blown-out knees -- the game was the constant they could count on. "Men," writes Eisenstock, "can achieve closeness without intimacy; while women can achieve intimacy without closeness." His breezy memoir effectively captures that closeness." From Publishers Weekly: "The premise of this book -- a group of men have a weekly basketball game that anchors their lives -- is so wholesome and therapeutic ... Eisenstock has an ear for fast, punchy dialogue and quickly capturing a mood... when the game finally comes to a close, there's no doubt the players will miss their weekly ritual." From People Magazine (June 16, 2003, Father's Day Gift Guide): "Eisenstock tells how he and his buddies bonded over a weekly driveway hoops game in Santa Monica. Their gripes and jokes make for an insightful look at what makes male friendships work." From Los Angeles Times (July 23, 2003): "Although TEN ON SUNDAY appears to be geared for middle-aged males, everyone should find some sentiment throughout its 278 pages. Whether it's in Eisenstock's engaging writing, or his impassioned view of the games, which he describes as "a fascinating look at relationships between men and the unique ways in which they express themselves to each other." The book concludes with a surprising twist, one that drills home what Eisenstock feels the weekly games are really about. Here's a hint: They're not about basketball. |