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Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity
By embarking on a quest to dunk a basketball at the age of 34, journalist Asher Price investigates the limits of human potential—starting with his own.
We all like to think that (with a little practice) we could run faster, learn another language, or whip up a perfect soufflé. But few of us ever put those hopes to the test. In Year of the Dunk, Asher Price does, and he seizes on basketball’s slam dunk--a feat richly freighted with distinctly American themes of culture, race, and upward mobility--as a gauge to determine his own hidden potential. The showmanship of the dunk mesmerized Asher as a child, but even with his height (six foot plus) and impressive wingspan, he never pushed himself to try it. Now, approaching middle age, Asher decides to spend a year remaking his body and testing his mind as he wonders, like most adults, what untapped talent he still possesses.
In this humorous and often poignant journey into the pleasures and perils of exertion, Asher introduces us to a memorable cast of characters who help him understand the complexity of the human body and the individual drama at the heart of sports. Along the way he dives into the history and science of one of sports' most exuberant acts, examining everything from our genetic predisposition towards jumping to the cultural role of the slam dunk. The year-long effort forces him to ask some fundamental questions about human ability and the degree to which we can actually improve ourselves, even with great determination.
We all like to think that (with a little practice) we could run faster, learn another language, or whip up a perfect soufflé. But few of us ever put those hopes to the test. In Year of the Dunk, Asher Price does, and he seizes on basketball’s slam dunk--a feat richly freighted with distinctly American themes of culture, race, and upward mobility--as a gauge to determine his own hidden potential. The showmanship of the dunk mesmerized Asher as a child, but even with his height (six foot plus) and impressive wingspan, he never pushed himself to try it. Now, approaching middle age, Asher decides to spend a year remaking his body and testing his mind as he wonders, like most adults, what untapped talent he still possesses.
In this humorous and often poignant journey into the pleasures and perils of exertion, Asher introduces us to a memorable cast of characters who help him understand the complexity of the human body and the individual drama at the heart of sports. Along the way he dives into the history and science of one of sports' most exuberant acts, examining everything from our genetic predisposition towards jumping to the cultural role of the slam dunk. The year-long effort forces him to ask some fundamental questions about human ability and the degree to which we can actually improve ourselves, even with great determination.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2015
20 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Asher Price
1 book13 followersI'm a writer in Austin, Tex.: I've written two books, one to be published in May 2015 by Crown called Year of the Dunk. And I'm a staff reporter at the Austin American-Statesman.
I live in an old Austin house with my wife, who edits the journal American Short Fiction, and Poppy, our scruffy, disreputable-looking dog.
I grew up in New York City, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, shipped off to Yale for college, where I met my wife, a native Austinite, and after grad school in England landed a job at the newspaper down here.
Austin's a great town: yummy food, wonderful music, and, for a reporter like me, fascinating politics. So as much as I miss my family and my old school friends back in New York City, I'm a committed card-carrying (driver's license!) Texan now.
I live in an old Austin house with my wife, who edits the journal American Short Fiction, and Poppy, our scruffy, disreputable-looking dog.
I grew up in New York City, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, shipped off to Yale for college, where I met my wife, a native Austinite, and after grad school in England landed a job at the newspaper down here.
Austin's a great town: yummy food, wonderful music, and, for a reporter like me, fascinating politics. So as much as I miss my family and my old school friends back in New York City, I'm a committed card-carrying (driver's license!) Texan now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 8, 2015
Come back on May 17th and find out how close an almost 41 year old guy who has only ever played basketball in gym class (and that was over 20 years ago) can come to dunking a basketball. (or even touching the backboard? getting both feet off the ground at the same time? not seriously hurting himself in some way?)
March 6, 2015
DISCLAIMER: I received a free advance reader’s copy of “Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity" by Asher Price through a LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Asher Price’s memoir “Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity” is an inspiring and educational year-long journey into the mystery of human potential. Price, an environmental journalist from Texas, had his physical limits tested before: he is a testicular cancer survivor. Almost a decade later, at the age of 34, he puts his body through a test once more, this time to fulfill his childhood dream of dunking a basketball. Price spends the year sweating in the gym, consulting with the best trainers and sports scientists and interviewing top-notch athletes in order to understand the history and science of jumping as well as to gauge human ability to improve, at the same time remaking his body to jump higher than he ever had before.
THUMBS UP:
1) Wide range.
“Year of the Dunk” is not limited to dunking or even to sports in general. In addition to talking about basketball, both men’s and women's, the author also touches upon football, track and field, cycling and even karate. What is more, to explore everything even slightly relevant to jumping, Price covers a wide range of topics from genes and evolution to racial predisposition and shoes.
2) Essentially for everyone…
Although “Year of the Dunk” is full of very readable and interesting scientific reporting as well as entertaining sports journalism, most importantly, it is an inspiring personal journey of self-improvement and wish-fulfillment, and thus would resonate with any reader, sports fan or coach potato alike.
3) …but especially for someone like me.
Because I am quite fond of basketball myself and used to do track and field for more than ten years, I connected with this book on multiple levels. I was fascinated and often emotionally moved by author’s story as well as multiple interviews with world class athletes and sports experts, exclusive peeks into the sports life behind the scenes (drafting, training, testing, research) and the most memorable moments in sports history. I was also greatly inspired and pulled deeper into Price’s journey because it brought back many bittersweet memories: desire and motivation to improve, drive to success, hard but rewarding training, taste of victory and bitter disappointments.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) Organization.
At times the story feels a little bit scattered as a single chapter often contains multiple stories and some of the stories are continued throughout multiple chapters. Although I enjoyed the book nonetheless, the author could have organized the material better or used some transitions to make it easier to follow along.
2) Takeaways.
Even though “Year of the Dunk” teaches quite a few essential lessons, important messages could have been formulated more clearly and also elaborated upon. Also, the introductory chapter was great, but the book lacked an equally strong conclusion.
3) Disappointing postscript.
I was greatly moved and inspired by Price’s story, but the concluding chapter was quite disappointing. In addition to being a rather weak conclusion to such an amazing journey, it also contains some quite controversial ideas. Firstly, I do not agree that working out without a bigger goal in mind is narcissistic and vain. Yes, it is much more motivating and rewarding to work towards a specific goal, but what’s wrong with working out just to feel better, to lead a healthier lifestyle or to simply feel more confident in your own body? Secondly, there is a HUGE difference between intense dieting and healthy eating habits. That being said, there is nothing sad about choosing low-fat dairy products or eating a burger without a bun, especially if you are doing it out of habit. Such healthy habits are not something one should be ashamed of or even try to get rid of. I hope it was a bad joke.
VERDICT: 4 out of 5
“Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity” by Asher Price is an inspiring memoir full of interesting scientific reporting and entertaining sports journalism which anyone would find readable and enjoyable. And although the organization and conclusion of the book could be improved, I enjoyed the story nevertheless and strongly connected with it.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Asher Price’s memoir “Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity” is an inspiring and educational year-long journey into the mystery of human potential. Price, an environmental journalist from Texas, had his physical limits tested before: he is a testicular cancer survivor. Almost a decade later, at the age of 34, he puts his body through a test once more, this time to fulfill his childhood dream of dunking a basketball. Price spends the year sweating in the gym, consulting with the best trainers and sports scientists and interviewing top-notch athletes in order to understand the history and science of jumping as well as to gauge human ability to improve, at the same time remaking his body to jump higher than he ever had before.
THUMBS UP:
1) Wide range.
“Year of the Dunk” is not limited to dunking or even to sports in general. In addition to talking about basketball, both men’s and women's, the author also touches upon football, track and field, cycling and even karate. What is more, to explore everything even slightly relevant to jumping, Price covers a wide range of topics from genes and evolution to racial predisposition and shoes.
2) Essentially for everyone…
Although “Year of the Dunk” is full of very readable and interesting scientific reporting as well as entertaining sports journalism, most importantly, it is an inspiring personal journey of self-improvement and wish-fulfillment, and thus would resonate with any reader, sports fan or coach potato alike.
3) …but especially for someone like me.
Because I am quite fond of basketball myself and used to do track and field for more than ten years, I connected with this book on multiple levels. I was fascinated and often emotionally moved by author’s story as well as multiple interviews with world class athletes and sports experts, exclusive peeks into the sports life behind the scenes (drafting, training, testing, research) and the most memorable moments in sports history. I was also greatly inspired and pulled deeper into Price’s journey because it brought back many bittersweet memories: desire and motivation to improve, drive to success, hard but rewarding training, taste of victory and bitter disappointments.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) Organization.
At times the story feels a little bit scattered as a single chapter often contains multiple stories and some of the stories are continued throughout multiple chapters. Although I enjoyed the book nonetheless, the author could have organized the material better or used some transitions to make it easier to follow along.
2) Takeaways.
Even though “Year of the Dunk” teaches quite a few essential lessons, important messages could have been formulated more clearly and also elaborated upon. Also, the introductory chapter was great, but the book lacked an equally strong conclusion.
3) Disappointing postscript.
I was greatly moved and inspired by Price’s story, but the concluding chapter was quite disappointing. In addition to being a rather weak conclusion to such an amazing journey, it also contains some quite controversial ideas. Firstly, I do not agree that working out without a bigger goal in mind is narcissistic and vain. Yes, it is much more motivating and rewarding to work towards a specific goal, but what’s wrong with working out just to feel better, to lead a healthier lifestyle or to simply feel more confident in your own body? Secondly, there is a HUGE difference between intense dieting and healthy eating habits. That being said, there is nothing sad about choosing low-fat dairy products or eating a burger without a bun, especially if you are doing it out of habit. Such healthy habits are not something one should be ashamed of or even try to get rid of. I hope it was a bad joke.
VERDICT: 4 out of 5
“Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity” by Asher Price is an inspiring memoir full of interesting scientific reporting and entertaining sports journalism which anyone would find readable and enjoyable. And although the organization and conclusion of the book could be improved, I enjoyed the story nevertheless and strongly connected with it.
December 25, 2019
I’m a sucker for journalists who decide to spend a year on self experimentation and then write a book about it. This one was especially fun. Learned a lot about dunking dynamics, fast- vs. slow-twitch muscles, and the storied history of the dunk. One of the best chapters told the story of the 1966 NCAA championship (Kentucky (starters all white) v Texas Western(starters all black) in which a player from TW dunked and the Kentucky coach was so put out by losing that he used his influence to get dunking banned for 10 years.
Some quotes
Re unconscious race bias in referees-
In a 2010 paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, researchers from Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania found that during the 13 seasons from 1991 through 2004, white referees called fouls at a greater rate against black players than against white players. The authors of the paper, titled “Racial Discrimination Among NBA Referees,” concluded that the different rates at which fouls are called “is large enough that the probability of a team winning is noticeably affected by the racial composition of the refereeing crew assigned to the game.”
Re genetic testing-
“The commercial tests are very reliable in the sense of telling you which genetic variants you have,” Vishy Iyer, a molecular geneticist and microbiologist at the University of Texas, told me. “But in terms of actually predicting something about your success in one sport versus another, they’re currently unproven at best, or worthless at worst, in my opinion.”
Re “white men can’t jump” or the inverse stereotypes -
“‘Race’ is the wrong term,” for thinking about these issues, Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman tells me. Muscle development has nothing to do with the color of one’s skin. But scientists have noted common characteristics among “biological populations,” or people from different parts of the world, says Lieberman. In other words, we ought to separate race from our ancestral geography, just as we might distinguish a man’s clothes from his politics. Just because someone appears to be black (or white or brown or whatever) doesn’t mean we can draw any conclusions about her physical abilities.
Some quotes
Re unconscious race bias in referees-
In a 2010 paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, researchers from Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania found that during the 13 seasons from 1991 through 2004, white referees called fouls at a greater rate against black players than against white players. The authors of the paper, titled “Racial Discrimination Among NBA Referees,” concluded that the different rates at which fouls are called “is large enough that the probability of a team winning is noticeably affected by the racial composition of the refereeing crew assigned to the game.”
Re genetic testing-
“The commercial tests are very reliable in the sense of telling you which genetic variants you have,” Vishy Iyer, a molecular geneticist and microbiologist at the University of Texas, told me. “But in terms of actually predicting something about your success in one sport versus another, they’re currently unproven at best, or worthless at worst, in my opinion.”
Re “white men can’t jump” or the inverse stereotypes -
“‘Race’ is the wrong term,” for thinking about these issues, Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman tells me. Muscle development has nothing to do with the color of one’s skin. But scientists have noted common characteristics among “biological populations,” or people from different parts of the world, says Lieberman. In other words, we ought to separate race from our ancestral geography, just as we might distinguish a man’s clothes from his politics. Just because someone appears to be black (or white or brown or whatever) doesn’t mean we can draw any conclusions about her physical abilities.
June 27, 2018
This review will be rife with bias due to a personal connection with the author; however, I can't help but give 'Year of the Dunk' a solid 5-star rating. In this quasi-memoir/scientific inquiry into the limits of the human body, journalist Asher Price recounts his year-long endeavor to put a ball through a hoop at age 35 - all the while discussing the cultural aspects of the dunk, the physics behind it and the daily battle we wage against our own mortality.
Price takes us to industrial gyms, East Coast sports labs and the Texas Hill Country he calls home on a trek you can feel in your noodly legs and flabby mid-section. What sounds like a futile effort soon becomes a quest you become fully invested in, so much so that by the last page you find yourself hopelessly rooting for Asher to make it that extra inch above the rim.
I picked up this book during a miserable reading slump and it picked me right up whenever another book just dragged me down. 'Year of the Dunk' is joy throughout.
Price takes us to industrial gyms, East Coast sports labs and the Texas Hill Country he calls home on a trek you can feel in your noodly legs and flabby mid-section. What sounds like a futile effort soon becomes a quest you become fully invested in, so much so that by the last page you find yourself hopelessly rooting for Asher to make it that extra inch above the rim.
I picked up this book during a miserable reading slump and it picked me right up whenever another book just dragged me down. 'Year of the Dunk' is joy throughout.
April 2, 2018
This was a fun non-fiction look at Asher Price's yearlong quest to tone his body to be able to dunk. Throughout the journey, he went through different chapters about the history of the dunk, it's cultural meaning and the science behind how a dunk can be performed. It was a quick read and very enjoyable.
January 23, 2018
In "Year of the Dunk", the main character of the story is Asher Price, the author. Throughout the story, Price takes many different steps to learn the science behind dunking a basketball. He himself became interested, so he decided to figure out the nature of dunking. He went to a specific trainer to become in shape and learn to jump the right way so he could learn both the science and the skill. The rest of the book will be spoiled if there is more said, so in my own opinion, Year of the Dunk was not very interesting. If you are looking for a book that is more scientific and the techniques behind a basketball, then this is the book for you. There is not much about basketball, really, it is mostly about the basics of learning to jump higher and building muscle on legs and in the core.
January 12, 2016
You don't have to play basketball to enjoy Year of the Dunk. You don't even have to like basketball. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in any sort of sport - anyone who is interested in the limits of human potential and what might be physically possible. It's part memoir, part scientific reporting and part sporting journalism. Funny, quirky and readable.
I received an ARC from Random House.
I received an ARC from Random House.
December 31, 2015
Interesting, the story of the quest for the dunk is by far the most compelling part of the book so it is a little bit disappointing that so little of the book is actually concentrated on that. The tangents Price explores range from really interesting and logical to rather dry head scratchers. A likable book for those like me who enjoy this genre, but not a brilliant one.
June 22, 2022
The same week I received this book, I read a long-form article in Sports Illustrated about a guy training himself to dunk for the first time (http://www.si.com/longform/2015/dunking/). I was expecting this to be the book-length version of that story, but it turns out that there were two white guys a bit past their athletic prime who were training to learn how to dunk. Who knew. While the Sports Illustrated article is able to jazz up the story with videos and pictures embedded in the text, Asher Price's book is able to hold its own with just words on paper.
Price also is able to focus his book around the fact that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer at a young age and how that confrontation with the disease (as well as his own family's medical problem) informs his approach to trying to dunk. Both the article and the book spend some time discussing the physical and mental hurdles during the training period and color the story with interesting characters and anecdotes. I recommend both for anyone seeking a goal that seems just out of reach.
It is a well written book with some great looks at the cultural aspects of dunking (history, race, style, etc.). For those who don't want to pick up a 225 page book, but are interested in a similar story, the article might be the way to go.
Price also is able to focus his book around the fact that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer at a young age and how that confrontation with the disease (as well as his own family's medical problem) informs his approach to trying to dunk. Both the article and the book spend some time discussing the physical and mental hurdles during the training period and color the story with interesting characters and anecdotes. I recommend both for anyone seeking a goal that seems just out of reach.
It is a well written book with some great looks at the cultural aspects of dunking (history, race, style, etc.). For those who don't want to pick up a 225 page book, but are interested in a similar story, the article might be the way to go.
May 20, 2017
Book 19 of my #2017readingchallenge is Asher Price's "Year of the Dunk," a book I'd read about in a nymag/science of us article back in 2015 and had become obsessed with the idea of learning how to dunk.
So I thought this book may kick off a journey for myself, but instead I find myself a kindred spirit instead. I'm not gonna learn to dunk a basketball at 37 years old, as a woman. I'm simply not, I'm 5'11 and 135lbs on a good day. Some days I'm even weaker. Unless the wind picks me up to that hoop... But I love the idea of committing to a workout and becoming a freaking powerhouse.
But enough about that. This book was amazingly layered, varied, well written, very funny and engaging. I wasn't expecting it to feel spiritual and yet, it was, truly, about the human spirit. It delved into racism, sexism, the Holocaust and other traumas, cancer, history, science, society...everything. I'm very very into physical limitations and excellence, I marvel at it and get swept up in the glory and beauty of athletes and dancers. I found myself welling up at some of the stories and how men and women have worked so hard to dispel myths, to create their own mythology, and above all -- DUNK THAT MF'ER.
Thanks, Asher, for writing a really great book. This rosé is for you.
So I thought this book may kick off a journey for myself, but instead I find myself a kindred spirit instead. I'm not gonna learn to dunk a basketball at 37 years old, as a woman. I'm simply not, I'm 5'11 and 135lbs on a good day. Some days I'm even weaker. Unless the wind picks me up to that hoop... But I love the idea of committing to a workout and becoming a freaking powerhouse.
But enough about that. This book was amazingly layered, varied, well written, very funny and engaging. I wasn't expecting it to feel spiritual and yet, it was, truly, about the human spirit. It delved into racism, sexism, the Holocaust and other traumas, cancer, history, science, society...everything. I'm very very into physical limitations and excellence, I marvel at it and get swept up in the glory and beauty of athletes and dancers. I found myself welling up at some of the stories and how men and women have worked so hard to dispel myths, to create their own mythology, and above all -- DUNK THAT MF'ER.
Thanks, Asher, for writing a really great book. This rosé is for you.
March 16, 2017
I've had this book on my shelf for a while-it's an early reviewer book that didn't actually come in the mail until many months after it was supposed to-and my school's reading competition has bonus points for reading a book about basketball, so I was inspired to pick this up finally and get some extra points for my classroom!
Price tells the story of his year spent attempting to train his body and mind to be able to dunk a basketball. Along the way, he reveals personal stories about his and his family's life, as well as delving into the history of basketball, and jumping in general.
As a huge basketball fan, I found this book most interesting when it focused on the basketball aspect of things, but in general, this was a good, quick read, with some real impactful emotional moments.
Price tells the story of his year spent attempting to train his body and mind to be able to dunk a basketball. Along the way, he reveals personal stories about his and his family's life, as well as delving into the history of basketball, and jumping in general.
As a huge basketball fan, I found this book most interesting when it focused on the basketball aspect of things, but in general, this was a good, quick read, with some real impactful emotional moments.
June 27, 2022
"We all like to think that (with a little practice" we could run faster, learn another language, or whip up a perfect souffle" That's from the book jacket, and, uh, yes, yes, I do like to think that! And I have tried it, with running and learning another language, anyway, not with a souffle or a dunk. And, I loved this book! The few parts about bugs didn't thrill me, but the rest of it - basketball anecdotes , fitness plans and the science of jumping? Lots of fun and very interesting. I also liked hearing about the author's bout with cancer (which he wrote very little about), and wondering how that impacted his desire to try to achieve the incredible feat of dunking a basketball. This is a fun, entertaining read, especially if you like basketball history.
November 4, 2017
I personally loved this book but wouldn't call it amazing; ergo four rather than five stars. Asher Price takes a year out of his life to see if he can learn to dunk a basketball at age 41. Along the way, we learn about muscle development, diet, training, cheating, shoes, the psyche of an athlete, race, the Holocaust, and testicular cancer. If you've ever set a goal, especially a physical one, and worked really hard toward it, you'll probably enjoy this book. Price's self-deprecating sense of humor is a gentle bonus.
September 22, 2025
I was going through some old books, looking to clear out space, and came across this one I read about a decade ago. I can't recall a lot of specifics, but I do know that I found it a bit disjointed and far too long. This might have been a good long-form magazine article, but you would have to be very interested in the science of building your body into one capable of dunking to get into this. I was more interested in the psychology, the question of why the author pursued this quest, and that was not really covered.
July 2, 2022
I could relate very well to Asher Price’s journey as he, at age 33, decides to give himself a year to get his ass in shape enough to dunk a basketball. He works so hard and has some good size. He provides various jumping stories mixed in with the memoir. You do end up rooting for the guy.
A quick fun read.
A quick fun read.
September 11, 2025
TWO AND A HALF STARS. Lots of good information about physical abilities and health lengthened by interminable recitation of daily exercise regimen. I started out really enjoying this book but about half way through I got bored. I stuck it out to the end but I can't say it was worth it. If it was a hundred pages shorter it would have been better.
February 28, 2021
Started off well but lost some momentum
Too many unnecessary asides that didn't enhance the story in my opinion. Fewer of those and more focus on program and progress would have kept my interest better.
Too many unnecessary asides that didn't enhance the story in my opinion. Fewer of those and more focus on program and progress would have kept my interest better.
January 25, 2025
Fun read. Memoir about a guy trying to dunk. Good history. Good story. Meh science. I’m inspired.
August 7, 2025
Fun story with an affable protagonist.
June 19, 2022
Very interesting challenge to start with but lukewarm development.
The whole reason that I chose to read this book is the challenge that the author decided to take. While this book covers the author's journey to address his challenge, the author added many stories about basketball, dunk, general training and science/physiology, as well as his personal stories. Those individual stories are a bit interesting , but not blended together. From some point, I kept reading, just not to give up in the middle.
The whole reason that I chose to read this book is the challenge that the author decided to take. While this book covers the author's journey to address his challenge, the author added many stories about basketball, dunk, general training and science/physiology, as well as his personal stories. Those individual stories are a bit interesting , but not blended together. From some point, I kept reading, just not to give up in the middle.
June 17, 2015
http://www.themaineedge.com/sports/th...
The slam dunk is one of the purest expressions of athleticism in any sport. The sheer physical impressiveness of the feat is such that the term itself has been incorporated into our vernacular as a synonym for rousing success.
Asher Price spent his life fascinated by the notion of the dunk. The power, the grace, the explosiveness – he was drawn to the act from a young age. He never threw one down in his halcyon days, but one day he found himself wondering if maybe – just maybe – it wasn’t too late.
Thus was born the quest laid out in “Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity”. At the age of 34, the modestly athletic journalist decided to devote a year of his life to reaching that pinnacle. Asher Price was going to do anything and everything in his power to soar to the top of the mountain.
Starting late one August in Austin, Texas, Price commits himself to teaching himself to dunk. He gives himself a single year. To meet his goals, he enlists a small army of helpers – athletes and physiologists and trainers – to help him find his way. It’s a colorful, wildly disparate group; perhaps the only thing that they all hold in common is their shared desire to see that this man on the brink of middle age reaches his personal pinnacle.
Price’s journey is not an easy one. He shares with us the highs and lows of his personal journey, the pain and pleasure of physical exertion beyond anything he has ever experienced. There are a lot of laughs as well as Price’s self-deprecating voice permeates the proceedings – he recognizes the quixotic nature of his quest. It all seems kind of silly … until it doesn’t.
There’s plenty of exploration of the nature of the dunk itself. Price delves into the history of the shot, from guys like George Mikan to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Dr. J to Michael Jordan and Spud Webb. He looks at the cultural implications of the shot, the resistance it met when more and more men started reaching for the sky. He also ventures into the realm of jumping’s genetic foundations with a discussion of slow- and fast-twitch muscles and the like.
Price’s background is in journalism and he brings that sensibility to this book. He blends his own instinctive understanding of reportage with the personalized obsessiveness of his task; the end result is an outstanding piece of longform nonfiction. The tendency toward specificity is especially welcome; it almost feels as if we’re standing alongside him as he strains to shed gravity’s restraints. We are there as he battles biology and chronology alike in pursuit of his one moment of perceived athletic purity.
The notion that all of us contain within us untapped potential, the thought that we can achieve almost anything if we can just find the time – they are what make up the beating heart of “Year of the Dunk.” Price invites us along on a journey whose end we’ll discover together. Any armchair athlete who dreams of what might have been can be heartened by Asher Price’s voyage. It’s an illustration of the fact that it is never too late to reach, to strive ... to soar.
As to whether Price succeeds in his quest, well … for that, you’ll simply have to read for yourself. That said, he most certainly succeeds in writing an engaging, funny and occasionally poignant book. “Year of the Dunk” is, well … a slam dunk.
The slam dunk is one of the purest expressions of athleticism in any sport. The sheer physical impressiveness of the feat is such that the term itself has been incorporated into our vernacular as a synonym for rousing success.
Asher Price spent his life fascinated by the notion of the dunk. The power, the grace, the explosiveness – he was drawn to the act from a young age. He never threw one down in his halcyon days, but one day he found himself wondering if maybe – just maybe – it wasn’t too late.
Thus was born the quest laid out in “Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity”. At the age of 34, the modestly athletic journalist decided to devote a year of his life to reaching that pinnacle. Asher Price was going to do anything and everything in his power to soar to the top of the mountain.
Starting late one August in Austin, Texas, Price commits himself to teaching himself to dunk. He gives himself a single year. To meet his goals, he enlists a small army of helpers – athletes and physiologists and trainers – to help him find his way. It’s a colorful, wildly disparate group; perhaps the only thing that they all hold in common is their shared desire to see that this man on the brink of middle age reaches his personal pinnacle.
Price’s journey is not an easy one. He shares with us the highs and lows of his personal journey, the pain and pleasure of physical exertion beyond anything he has ever experienced. There are a lot of laughs as well as Price’s self-deprecating voice permeates the proceedings – he recognizes the quixotic nature of his quest. It all seems kind of silly … until it doesn’t.
There’s plenty of exploration of the nature of the dunk itself. Price delves into the history of the shot, from guys like George Mikan to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Dr. J to Michael Jordan and Spud Webb. He looks at the cultural implications of the shot, the resistance it met when more and more men started reaching for the sky. He also ventures into the realm of jumping’s genetic foundations with a discussion of slow- and fast-twitch muscles and the like.
Price’s background is in journalism and he brings that sensibility to this book. He blends his own instinctive understanding of reportage with the personalized obsessiveness of his task; the end result is an outstanding piece of longform nonfiction. The tendency toward specificity is especially welcome; it almost feels as if we’re standing alongside him as he strains to shed gravity’s restraints. We are there as he battles biology and chronology alike in pursuit of his one moment of perceived athletic purity.
The notion that all of us contain within us untapped potential, the thought that we can achieve almost anything if we can just find the time – they are what make up the beating heart of “Year of the Dunk.” Price invites us along on a journey whose end we’ll discover together. Any armchair athlete who dreams of what might have been can be heartened by Asher Price’s voyage. It’s an illustration of the fact that it is never too late to reach, to strive ... to soar.
As to whether Price succeeds in his quest, well … for that, you’ll simply have to read for yourself. That said, he most certainly succeeds in writing an engaging, funny and occasionally poignant book. “Year of the Dunk” is, well … a slam dunk.
October 26, 2016
I think I read an excerpt in Sports Illustrated, but that definitely didn't spoil it for me. You get to follow along as a mid-30's out of shape guy decides to get serious about trying to dunk. Consults with experts in performance testing, sports-relevant genes, fast/slow twitch muscle fibers, weight lifting, and of course jumping (gold medalist high jumper Charles Austin ends up tossing alley oops to him on the big day) and dedicates himself to a year-long quest for the slam.
I won't spoil the ending, but can say that he gets in shape along the way and improves his vertical. Lots of digressions on the sociology of dunking, the history (period in which it was banned by the NCAA), dunking in the women's game (chapter on Brittney Griner), etc. etc. Really entertaining.
As a fellow testicular cancer survivor and a fellow landlocked white guy who used to play basketball modestly well, I could empathize with his quest, and his writing shows simultaneous ability to take the details of it very seriously but at the same time maintain a sense of humor about how it fit into his life and his family's life. well done, Asher -- your willingness to go for it even after what might seem to be prime jumping age is an inspiration!
I won't spoil the ending, but can say that he gets in shape along the way and improves his vertical. Lots of digressions on the sociology of dunking, the history (period in which it was banned by the NCAA), dunking in the women's game (chapter on Brittney Griner), etc. etc. Really entertaining.
As a fellow testicular cancer survivor and a fellow landlocked white guy who used to play basketball modestly well, I could empathize with his quest, and his writing shows simultaneous ability to take the details of it very seriously but at the same time maintain a sense of humor about how it fit into his life and his family's life. well done, Asher -- your willingness to go for it even after what might seem to be prime jumping age is an inspiration!
September 25, 2015
This is a nice entry into that genre of memoir that recounts the author's immersion into some subculture along with a bit of a history of that subculture (see, for instance, Joshua Foer's entertaining Moonwalking With Einstein). In this case, the quest is not mental, but physical -- Asher Price attempts to gain the ability to dunk a basketball in the span of a year, developing a training program and meeting along the way with basketball players, scientists who study jumping insects, and more. Given that this is a memoir, the tone is not always light and frothy, and several chapters are dedicated to Price's fight against cancer several years earlier, a sort of parallel story of physical struggle and transformation intended to add some depth to the undertaking. Overall, I found the book very readable and Price mostly likable. I'm not about to start my own quest to dunk a basketball, though.
March 31, 2015
First thing I want to state is that I won this book through the giveaway and like most things in life, I think in terms of the cost to benefit, hence the 5 star rating. To me the book was interesting, but a bit scattered covering a wide range of topics relating to dunking from the shoes to genetics. Personally, I wished there was a section on volleyball instead of football tryouts as I think jumping is more important in volleyball. One of my favorite parts is actually the appendix covering what you can do to increase your vertical and the physics of Spud Webb dunking. As a kid I grew up wishing I could dunk and tried a bit to increase my vertical, but nothing like this. I would not recommend it to those who are not interested in dunking. If you know of Spud Webb, Jacob Tucker, or Brittney Griner, I'd imagine this book is for you.
July 30, 2016
All those things we've wanted to do, the talents we've wanted to acquire…and the relative ease with which we've allow the opportunities to slip through our fingers. At this stage of life, I thought Asher Price's account might be a worthwhile read, one that might inspire, rekindle, refocus. Price, at 34, gave a year and a ton of effort to dunking a basketball. The book takes the reader through the various stages of his transformation from average Joe to svelte jumping machine: the research he read, emails he wrote, professionals he worked with in order to get his aging (seriously?) body back on track. I was exhausted just reading about his efforts! But, by the end, I was also rooting for him - and wondering about reprioritizing a few goals of my own. I found this a timely read, as I transition to "the next chapter."
July 2, 2015
I easily connected with the premise. I am a 33 year old white male who has had very vivid dreams of dunking in a basketball game, when in reality I can only touch the rim. I was hooked from the moment I saw the book advertised online. The author is witty and makes some interesting observations about human potential. Chapter 11 is one I'll re-read sometime. There is a spattering of foul language which was disappointing. It will provide some interesting talking points with my sports loving friends. I expected it to be a little more inspirational but given his worldview I guess it can't be.
May 3, 2015
A Goodreads Giveaway..... I enjoyed this book, not because I am a fan of basketball, but for the analytical approach to achieving a goal and the determination to see it through. The author was met with a substantial setback during his one year journey to play above the rim, but demonstrated that it was only a speed bump along the way. I did enjoy the references to basketball heroes from a time gone by (Spud Web, Dr. J, Michael Jordan).
March 16, 2016
I can certainly see my own sons at Price’s age attempting this feat. Something in the male soul longs to compete even as the male body is starting to decline. Price takes on this challenge, a challenge that eluded him as a youth. He puts in all the proper research and seeks out all the best consultants and puts in the time to do all the possible things he can to finally achieve his goal.
It’s a fun endeavor by a strong writer. You’ll enjoy this romp, if you decide to tag along.
It’s a fun endeavor by a strong writer. You’ll enjoy this romp, if you decide to tag along.
July 7, 2015
I love basketball and bought this I a whim at a bookstore. Read it while on a beach vacation and finished it in a few days. Realized it was a book on life quickly that used dunk as a fabric to sew a year together. What a year. Made me want to try to dunk, then realized at 43 I'd have better success at something else. I tweeted to the author how much I liked this. Got a response. Nice when that happens. Good book.
July 13, 2015
surprisingly touching. i thought it would be a goofy, mid-life crisis story but his and his father's cancer, as well as the death of his grandmother, lent it some gravitas. it also made me realize what a professional athlete has to do to play their game by describing what he did for a workout everyday and how strict he had to be get down to his target weight. a lot of interesting science information too. nice companion to "The Sports Gene."
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