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Heaven Is a Playground

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 306 ratings · 19 reviews

In 1974 Rick Telander intended to spend a few days doing a magazine piece on the courtwizards of Brooklyn’s Foster Park. He ended up staying the entire summer, becoming part of the players’ lives, and eventually the coach of a loose aggregation known as the Subway Stars.Telander tells of everything he saw: the on-court flash, the off-court jargon, the late-night graffiti r...more

Paperback, 236 pages

Published March 1st 2004 by Bison Books (first published 1976)

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Mar 07, 2013 Dave rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: basketball

A bit dated ... What was ground-breaking in the mid-'70's - not so much anymore. But, it was still a fascinating read by a white guy who spent a summer sleeping on the floor of somebody's sparsely-furnished apartment in a Brooklyn ghetto, spending his days at the local park.

One of my favorite excerpts:
"Shortly after the rain lets up the awards ceremony for the age-group basketball league is held at Foster Park. A small platform has been erected, and the presentations are made over a fuzzy p.a. s...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Bill Talley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports, non-fiction

This is a great book about life that also happens to be about basketball. Like "The Basketball Diaries", the backdrop of this book is about real people who have some real problems. In my opinion the book shows how little it really takes to give people in some really depressed situations hope about themselves and their future. It also shows how little it takes to derail any hopes that some people have. It is obvious from this book that several of the characters have what it takes to really improv...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Jhova rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

Telander's account of inner-city basketball, and life, in New York in the mid 70's is a riveting account of how basketball and life can be intertwined. Being a fan of basketball, streetball, and New York City life this book should have made it to the top of my priority list sooner, but the wait was well worth it. Telander recounts a summer well spent amongst the hoopers and dreamers of inner city New York and the account is eye-opening and informative. His lessons on life, and basketball, are a...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Josh Schneier rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-irp-books

In May of 1974, Rick Telander, a sports journalist, traveled to the heart of Brooklyn, New York, for a whole summer. Rick wanted to write a book about inner city basketball and life in these conditions. Not only did he get the information he wanted for his book, but he also made many friends and relationships with the black adults and youths of the Flatbush, he even created and coached a basketball team, named the Subway Stars. One of the first people Rick met in Brooklyn was a man named Rodney...more In May of 1974, Rick Telander, a sports journalist, traveled to the heart of Brooklyn, New York, for a whole summer. Rick wanted to write a book about inner city basketball and life in these conditions. Not only did he get the information he wanted for his book, but he also made many friends and relationships with the black adults and youths of the Flatbush, he even created and coached a basketball team, named the Subway Stars. One of the first people Rick met in Brooklyn was a man named Rodney Parker. Rodney was one of the main characters in this book. He was a very selfless man, caring man. Rodney made his money by ticket scalping. “Who, I asked, was Rodney Parker? Basically he was a thirty-six-year-old black, self-educated ticket scalper-street hustler who spent most of his time scouting young playground stars” (Telander 3). That quote explains Rodney very briefly. Whenever he had time, he was down at Foster Park, scouting young basketball players playing on the courts there. Foster Park is also where Rick spent much of his time.
Rodney was known for guiding and helping basketball youths to prep schools and colleges, and even pro ball. Rodney would pick these mostly poor and starving kids up off the courts, feed them, give them money, clothes, and do many other things for them. For the talented players, he would call up dozens of schools to help them get scholarships. Many people thought that Rodney was just trying to get them into pro ball so he could receive money from them when they got there, but really, Rodney just loved kids and wanted to help them escape the poverty, drugs, and crime filled ghetto, and live a happy life. Some of the kids Rodney helped, who were also some of the main characters in the book, were Calvin Franks, Lloyd Hill, “Fly” Williams, Albert King, Danny Odums, Lionel Worrell, Derrick Melvin, Mario Donawa, Carlos Blackwood, as well as others. The other main characters in the book were the youths hanging around Foster Park at the time Rick was there. Those kids are Ernie, Sgt. Rock, Pontiac Carr, Martin, Mark, Doodie, Vance, DeMont, and others. The plot in Heaven Is a Playground developed very quickly. There were many things going on at once. The main point of the plot was the development of Rodney’s players he scouted out, becoming more mature and moving on to college and so on.
The way Rick Telander wrote this book is nothing short of amazing. Every sentence was meaningful, and he described everything so vividly, yet he kept it simple and didn’t write too much. “In formation we march past crumbling brownstones and garbage cans so full of trash that the containers are invisible under peaked mountains of debris. Still, some of he buildings are well-kept, evoking by their hard-earned stateliness a bygone era of respectability” (Telander 159). That quote is one of many examples of Telander’s detailed yet simple style. This book definitely moved me, and it taught me a very valuable lesson. It taught me to not take my life for granted, because even though it might seem not very good at times, the kids in this book and that live in these areas have it far worse than I do. I have a warm house, food, and people who care for me, three things that many of these kids didn’t have back then, and some still don’t today. I think that anybody that has the opportunity to read this book, should. Even if you don’t like basketball, this book goes far beyond just that, and it would still appeal to you.
On a scale of one to five, I would give Heaven Is a Playground a five. It blew me away. When the book ended, I wanted to it to keep going, I didn’t want to stop reading it. Even though the setting and plot was really the same throughout the book, I never got bored of it and was always interested. I really connected to the book because I love the game of basketball, just like all the people in this book. Heaven Is a Playground is potentially the best book I have ever read, and I look forward to sharing its greatness with many others in the future.(less)

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Mar 22, 2010 Schuyler rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the summer of 1974, Telander, a writer for Sports Illustrated, spent his time in and around Foster's Park, the notorious training ground for street ballers, befriending the rotating cast of neighborhood characters.

Probably the best thing about this book is Telander's remarkable ability to evoke a sense of time and place. Flatbush, New York, concrete jungle, hot hot summer, city playgrounds, deteriorating basketball courts, drinking cold beer in the shade, radios, endless noise, endless heat....more In the summer of 1974, Telander, a writer for Sports Illustrated, spent his time in and around Foster's Park, the notorious training ground for street ballers, befriending the rotating cast of neighborhood characters.

Probably the best thing about this book is Telander's remarkable ability to evoke a sense of time and place. Flatbush, New York, concrete jungle, hot hot summer, city playgrounds, deteriorating basketball courts, drinking cold beer in the shade, radios, endless noise, endless heat. Telander puts us there with him, among these players, both basketball and otherwise.

They are all, more or less, for better or worse, basketball prodigies. They live basketball because for most, that's their only chance to get out of the ghetto. Which sounds crazy to write but it was (and is?) true. And in Foster's Park, if you wanted out, you had to have Rodney Parker on your shoulder.

With all its sad figures, Parker, for me, is at the top of the list in Telander's melodrama. Parker had declared himself a kind of 'ghetto scout', proclaiming who was deemed worthy of his attention and time, and then doing his darndest to get that player into college or better yet, the NBA or ABA. When he wasn't scalping tickets, he was at Foster Park, mentoring his proteges or lecturing kids about what it meant to be a man. And what was in it for Rodney? Apparently nothing. As Telander comes to believe, Parker did it for the love of the game...and as the reader comes to realize, also for the thrill of the deal, and the love of power (however small), and the love of admiration (however imagined) and, as it turns out, for friendship.

As characters, Parker, along with Fly Williams, carry the narrative. I found them to be the most interesting and pyschologically perplexing. Telander does an excellent job of bringing their emotional idiosyncracies to the surface, helping us see behind the mask of braggadocio. Williams ultimately "betrays" Rodney, though you get the sense that Williams couldn't really help himself...he was too damaged, his life destined to self-destruct.

And also, I want to add, there is a purity within these pages. Basketball, though an escape route for some, is played mostly for the love of the game. Simply because there is nothing like a game of three on three, four on four, playing to win, yes, but also playing just to play.

(less)

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Feb 05, 2009 Elijah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

By Elijah Okagbare

The book that I just finished reading is called Heaven Is A Playground by Rick Telander . This is a nonfiction book, as Rick Telander gathered this information by spending four months on the dangerous streets of Harlem while doing an article on the lives of several young aspiring basketball players. One of these players in particular is very special. His name is Albert King and he’s the main character in this book.
Albert is a fifteen year old basketball phenom, with immense ta...more By Elijah Okagbare

The book that I just finished reading is called Heaven Is A Playground by Rick Telander . This is a nonfiction book, as Rick Telander gathered this information by spending four months on the dangerous streets of Harlem while doing an article on the lives of several young aspiring basketball players. One of these players in particular is very special. His name is Albert King and he’s the main character in this book.
Albert is a fifteen year old basketball phenom, with immense talent that is rare to find in a player his age. Albert meets a man named Rodney White. Rodney is a basketball scout with a lengthy reputation for getting players into college. Albert realizes that Rodney is no ordinary scout. After working with Rodney on the court a few days doing skill development drills, he realizes that Rodney seems to care more about his progression as a basketball player and in life than most others scouts who just want to gain for themselves and take advantage of his ability. Rodney soon becomes somewhat of a mentor to Albert.
Rodney helps Albert steer through the troubles of one of New York’s toughest ghettos, often providing him with money for food and transportation. Rodney makes it clear to Albert that he hopes to get him out of the ghetto and on the right track. Through Rodney’s lengthy basketball connections, he’s able to land Albert a scholarship to one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. From there, Albert’s stellar performance on the basketball court and in the classroom earns him a variety of scholarships to several major division one colleges. Albert decides to attend the University of Texas. After one season of extraordinary play at Texas, Albert makes it to the NBA.
Heaven Is A Playground reminds me of another basketball story that I’ve read in the past called Hook. These two books are similar because they both revolve around the lives of young aspiring basketball stars that hope to use their skills to get out of the ghetto.The major difference between these two stories is that Albert is able to accomplish his goals and reach success in his basketball journey by avoiding negativity and staying on the right track. Hook, on the other hand, falls victim to the threats of his environment and is lured into negativity. Hooks develops a serious drug addiction and is later incarcerated, failing in his journey.
Heaven Is A Playground shows what can be accomplished by young skilled athletes in the ghetto if they can stay postitive and most importantly work hard in the classroom and on the court. There are many players like Albert in ghettos all around the country. If these young aspiring athletes can stay focused and work hard, they too can reach success similar to Albert’s. This book presents a perfect example of the possibilities of basketball in young athlete’s lives, if they can stay focused, stay positive and work hard. This is a great book and I’d recommend it to aspiring athletes.
(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Dave rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who want or need to know what happens to those who don't make it

Before there was "Hoop Dreams," there was "Heaven is a Playground." Sports writer Rick Telander, who does very little wrong in my estimation, spent the summer in New York City coaching and playing hoops with a group of youngsters who starred at this particular court. It's one of the best sports books ever, I think, as well as a cautionary tale for those who are tempted to put all their eggs into one basket, so to speak. At the same time, it's life-affirming in the sense that the reader sees that...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

i'm a sucker for most nonfiction books about the inner-city and this was no exception. one character is particularly interesting...a great one for discussion and a major reason why i read this book, as my friend wanted to talk about him with someone else. worth the read and what's more it's super short and reads very fast.

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Jun 18, 2012 Mrlunch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Nice non-fiction documentary capturing a time in New York history where the city was almost bankrupt, crime was out of control, and heroin use was growing. Telander takes us deep into the Brooklyn ghetto and introduces us to a dozen young African-American men whose only hope of getting ahead is by playing ball.
A bit of a "slow-burner," this book starts off feeling a little rambling and dated, but by its half-way point, Telander weaves together the lives, dreams, and special moments he found on...more

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Mar 17, 2013 7709tomas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a great book that opens the world about street basketball in new york. Taking place about 40 years ago, Rick Telander takes a trip to brooklyn to find out what is going on. He finds himself in a world of great players with bright futures, or players who messed up with drugs and alcohal. A great read for basketball guys.

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Oct 07, 2008 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lauren by: Khanh

Originally when this book was recommended I was concerned that the sports theme would cause this book to be boring, but that wasn't the case at all. Although Telander does use technical as well as slang basketball terms throughout, this book is much more about life than basketball, or more specifically how basketball can greatly influence life. The real-life characters in Telander's account of life in Brooklyn during the summer of 1974 are not at all perfect, but they are endearing and it become...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book that was my life for most of the 80s and a small part of the 90s. Captures the essence of that life, and one of my favorite hoops books of all time.

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Aug 15, 2007 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is cool, if only to know what it's like for the guys who DON'T make it to the NBA. This book tells the story of one guy named Fly Williams who had all the talent to go to the pros, but got caught up in a bunch of shit and instead became just another dude who coulda/shoulda been.

The best part is, it was written by this guy who went down to write a 2 or 3 page piece on a Bed-Stuy court in the '70s, and ended up staying, playing, and eventually coaching some of the guys he met. Very cool...more

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Jan 26, 2010 Connor Winn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting and well written but rambling.

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Jun 19, 2012 Perry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Best basketball book ever written

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May 06, 2013 Kobe Mandell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm reading Heaven is a Playground by Rick Telander. It is a really good book. It explains how people live in bad neighborhoods. This one takes place in New York, at Foster Park. Foster Park is a place where people play basketball all day long. One day they can hope that they can escape their neighborhood and make it far in basketball. This book explains the lifestyle and how hard theses people have to work to get to the top. This city is not safe and not good but basketball is one of their only...more

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Nov 23, 2007 Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nerdy jocks. Or jock-y nerds.

Normally non-fiction puts me to sleep with the quickness, but this was an interesting look at ghetto life in the 70s as well as a cool bit of background into how the NBA (and basketball in general) got from where it was to where it is now. Despite that, the best part of the book was the photo montage. I've never seen so many dudes playing sports in skin-tight jean-shorts. Sexy.

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Sep 22, 2008 Biwi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cim-bookclub

Let me preface the rating by saying, I don't read much non-fiction, and I read even less about sports. But as far as those kind of books go, this wasn't was bad. A little bit of a downer, but that's the harsh reality of life I guess. Well written, I think any guys who like sports can appreciate the descriptive athletic abilities of the players.

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Feb 03, 2008 Wilson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This felt a bit like Random Family in its middle-class-people-writing-about-poverty-for-the-benefit-of-other middle-class-people approach. That said, it made me want to palm a lady's basketball and dunk on an 8-ft. elementary school basketball hoop. And Random Family did not make me want to do that.

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Jun 22, 2008 Bax rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

Top shelf book on street ball & its high level practitioners.
A hair behind The City Game as a chronicle of this fascinating basketball subculture, but an excellent read.

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May 18, 2013 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

May 18, 2013 Emil Abdolrahim rated it 1 of 5 stars

May 18, 2013 Michael Furness rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

May 15, 2013 Geoffrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 14, 2013 Eddie Donovan marked it as to-read

May 12, 2013 Andrea marked it as to-read

Shelves: sports

May 12, 2013 Barry Van stralen marked it as to-read

May 09, 2013 Arvin Lester rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 08, 2013 Chris Kang rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 05, 2013 R rated it 5 of 5 stars

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