Strong Inside (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of How Perry Wallace Broke College Basketball's Color Line

I am am very positive about this book in part because I lived through 3 of the 4 years Perry Wallace spent at Vanderbilt, and I saw him play at nearly all the home basketball games. I stayed at Vanderbilt for another 4 years and I followed the relationship between Vanderbilt and Perry (and with Mr. Dilliard). So, I hope I have been sufficiently honest with you all. ABOUT THE BOOK: The initial Strong Inside for adults is a beautiful and a bit disturbing book. Its a book that will make you want to read it more than once in order to understand black and white interactions in the mid-1970's at Vanderbilt and the Southeast. The Young Readers Edition of Strong Inside also does an excellent job of describing the terrible problems of an 18 year old black Vanderbilt student, Perry Wallace, playing ball in front of highly biased students at other colleges. It also describes the important ways in which Perry overcame the difficulties in both basketball and as a college student. As shown on this page, the photos are worked well with and make kids and adults stare at their beauty. Its a beauty of basketball and a beauty of persons learning.

The book describes the differences that exist among Americans, their thoughts about race, race relations among the most prominent populations of Americans during the civil rights era of Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders.As a person who attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama in Birmingham during the early 70's, I have the unique perspective of being born in Birmingham Alabama and raised in Detroit Michigan. Moreover, I was the first person of color to graduate from the University of Alabama system in one of the physical Sciences. The lonely isolated feeling I experienced while a student still resonant with me today.PF Gadson Jr

History I didn't know. Strong people, heroes where you don't expect.

Not only did I feel as if I was court side with Perry Wallace and his exciting games, but I also felt the physical and mental insults that this young man experienced. I was fortunate to meet and hear the author Andrew Maraniss speak at a lecture honoring my late husband. Andrew spent 8 years researching the life and times of Perry Wallace. The author and the book reminded me of the first black to enroll in my high school, the first black player to play football at my college, and "colored" and "white" water fountains in my home town of Arkansas.

This is a good book to read. When I found out that the book was about the brother of a close senior friend I purchased several books for the senior citizens reading group. My grandson is now reading the book.

Easy read for my son who loves all sports

Wonderful story and a well written young reader’s edition.

A very strong read and this young reader's edition is a much quicker read than the original. I recommend it.