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Fab Five: Basketball, Trash Talk, The American Dream
The inside story of a controversial college basketball team and its coach describes how its five players reached the NCAA as freshmen, how the players were compared to professional-level athletes, and how all overcame inner demons and challenges. Reprint.
417 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
90 people are currently reading
5310 people want to read
About the author
Mitch Albom
105 books116k followersAuthor, screenwriter, philanthropist, journalist, and broadcaster Mitch Albom is an inspiration around the world. His fiction and non-fiction books — which include 8 #1 New York Times bestsellers — have collectively sold 42 million copies worldwide in 48 languages. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, the bestselling memoir of all time, topped the list for four straight years and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022. He has also written Emmy Award-winning TV films, stage plays, screenplays, a nationally syndicated newspaper column, and a musical. Through his work at the Detroit Free Press, he was inducted into both the National Sports Media Association and Michigan Sports halls of fame and was the recipient of the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement.
Following his bestselling memoir FINDING CHIKA and HUMAN TOUCH, a web and audio weekly serial that raised funds for pandemic relief, he returned to fiction with the bestselling novels THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT and THE LITTLE LIAR. His much-anticipated new novel is a stunning love story about magical second chances called TWICE, which dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along.
Albom spends the majority of his time in philanthropic work. In 2006, he founded the nonprofit SAY Detroit, which provides pathways to success for Detroiters in need through major health, housing and education initiatives. All profits from an original dessert shop and a gourmet popcorn line also help fund the nonprofit. He operates Have Faith Haiti, a home and school for impoverished children and orphans, in Port-au-Prince, which he visits monthly. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan.
Following his bestselling memoir FINDING CHIKA and HUMAN TOUCH, a web and audio weekly serial that raised funds for pandemic relief, he returned to fiction with the bestselling novels THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT and THE LITTLE LIAR. His much-anticipated new novel is a stunning love story about magical second chances called TWICE, which dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along.
Albom spends the majority of his time in philanthropic work. In 2006, he founded the nonprofit SAY Detroit, which provides pathways to success for Detroiters in need through major health, housing and education initiatives. All profits from an original dessert shop and a gourmet popcorn line also help fund the nonprofit. He operates Have Faith Haiti, a home and school for impoverished children and orphans, in Port-au-Prince, which he visits monthly. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 22, 2010
This is my favorite book. I've reread it so many times that the glue in the binding is beginning to wear out. I love basketball. I love college basketball. My brother and I were devoted fans of the Fab Five back in the early 90s, and sometimes when I read the NCAA tournament stories from this, I find myself thinking that maybe THIS time things will end differently. It's like I'm right back in front of that tv again.
But every time I read Fab Five, the stories off the court are what I love most. Jalen & his Jack and the Box. Muhammad Ali. The Utah Utes. There's no part of this book I don't love, and I have been ridiculed by many a book lover over this fact.
But every time I read Fab Five, the stories off the court are what I love most. Jalen & his Jack and the Box. Muhammad Ali. The Utah Utes. There's no part of this book I don't love, and I have been ridiculed by many a book lover over this fact.
April 8, 2018
because i watched the movie on these guys i knew basically everything that was happening and so i got very bored with it.
November 28, 2013
I was a little disappointed. Hard to pinpoint why
February 22, 2013
As far as college basketball books go, and I've read many, this is miles ahead of the pack. The story of the first two seasons of the Greatest Class Ever Recruited, the Fab Five of Michigan is incredible in and of itself, but somehow Albom manages to bring it to another level. The good times, the controversies and the legend of the class are all bought to life in this amazing book by a brilliant author. Albom brings another dimension to your average sports journalism, making you feel like you're there with them, experiencing the highs and lows of college basketball and the immense pressure on the Fab Five.
Published not long after their sophomore season, Albom respects the intellectualism of the reader - you know the story, and he KNOWS that you know the story. He takes that on board and presents to you what you don't know, their lives growing up, experiences on campus and holidays, and candid moments that probably couldn't be captured while they were happening. Albom gives you a deeper understanding into the relationships between the Fab Five and everyone around them - coaches, family, teammates and the media - and makes you understand the special bond they shared. As Albom eloquently puts it, "The shame of this team was that it always seemed to be at its best when no one was looking."
This is a riveting book that you never want to end, especially the way it did - you almost forget that this story has a place in history already, and start hoping that maybe what you know isn't right, and the story ends up different. The only thing I wish was different was that it was written a few years later, so we had more of an understanding of how this experience affected them - but I'm certainly not complaining.
Published not long after their sophomore season, Albom respects the intellectualism of the reader - you know the story, and he KNOWS that you know the story. He takes that on board and presents to you what you don't know, their lives growing up, experiences on campus and holidays, and candid moments that probably couldn't be captured while they were happening. Albom gives you a deeper understanding into the relationships between the Fab Five and everyone around them - coaches, family, teammates and the media - and makes you understand the special bond they shared. As Albom eloquently puts it, "The shame of this team was that it always seemed to be at its best when no one was looking."
This is a riveting book that you never want to end, especially the way it did - you almost forget that this story has a place in history already, and start hoping that maybe what you know isn't right, and the story ends up different. The only thing I wish was different was that it was written a few years later, so we had more of an understanding of how this experience affected them - but I'm certainly not complaining.
October 31, 2024
One of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It was fun learning more about the fab five and their whole story, their was a lot I do not know so it was interesting to find out how they had such a large cultural impact on the game of basketball. I would totally recommend this book to any avid sports fan as Mitch Albom is such a great author and does a wonderful job telling this story.
April 11, 2011
The Fab 5 is truly a terrific book. It tells the story of five Wolverine freshman who revolutionized the sport of college basketball. Albom is a very consistant author and continues to uphold his reputation with this book. Albom does a magnificent job of going in-depth on why these 5 black freshman were different from the rest. He also impresses with his attention to every player and how each is unique. The b ook comes across from multiple points of view and narrates how hard it was for these kids to succeed.
The five freshman were Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. Throughout the story, they talk about the ups and downs of their careers. One of my favorite parts is when Coach K of Duke is talked about as someone who would only recruit, "Uncle Toms." The point Albom makes is that they felt like their kind of people had no shot at being recruited to a big time school like Duke. Together, they made it to back to back NCAA tournament finals losing in them both much like Butler the past 2 years. During that span, leader Jalen Rose was called out many times for trash talk. Although the whole team did it, Rose was pointed out and exploited most. Besides that, they were called out for their play and what they wore. They were famous for wearing baggy shorts, black shoes and black socks. Although their accomplishments were tarnished by the Chris Webber scandal, in my opinion, the Fab 5 is one of the greatest stories ever.
Albom is at his best in this novel when he chronicles the turmoil the players faced. The profanity they recieved, the negative feedback, all of it is just a testament to how tightly knit they were. Albom also does a great job depicting some of their moments. The classic is the Chris Webber timeout game. Albom makes you feel as if you were in the stands watching the game as it happened. Although much praise is given to Albom for writing this novel, I think praise should go out to the players who lived it out and wrote history for us. I give the book 5 stars and 2 thumbs up and recommend it to any sports fan
The five freshman were Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. Throughout the story, they talk about the ups and downs of their careers. One of my favorite parts is when Coach K of Duke is talked about as someone who would only recruit, "Uncle Toms." The point Albom makes is that they felt like their kind of people had no shot at being recruited to a big time school like Duke. Together, they made it to back to back NCAA tournament finals losing in them both much like Butler the past 2 years. During that span, leader Jalen Rose was called out many times for trash talk. Although the whole team did it, Rose was pointed out and exploited most. Besides that, they were called out for their play and what they wore. They were famous for wearing baggy shorts, black shoes and black socks. Although their accomplishments were tarnished by the Chris Webber scandal, in my opinion, the Fab 5 is one of the greatest stories ever.
Albom is at his best in this novel when he chronicles the turmoil the players faced. The profanity they recieved, the negative feedback, all of it is just a testament to how tightly knit they were. Albom also does a great job depicting some of their moments. The classic is the Chris Webber timeout game. Albom makes you feel as if you were in the stands watching the game as it happened. Although much praise is given to Albom for writing this novel, I think praise should go out to the players who lived it out and wrote history for us. I give the book 5 stars and 2 thumbs up and recommend it to any sports fan
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April 5, 2013Fab Five by Mitch Albom, About a college basketball team, Michigan University, that had got real freshman talent in basketball. The players they got were Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard and Ray Jackson. Being a freshmen on a college basketball likely meant that you wouldn't start no matter how good you are. Some players started that were freshmen but not a whole team. In a small number of two weeks all of the freshmen on the basketball team were starting and out shining all of the expectations. This book talks about the racial struggle the team had to go through and the book go's through all of the players life's.
I really enjoyed this book, i already new some things about the fab five but this book went deep into the experience and let me know things i didn't know. The book was great the greatest sports book i have ever read. I recommend the book to all basketball fans maybe even people who aren't.
I really enjoyed this book, i already new some things about the fab five but this book went deep into the experience and let me know things i didn't know. The book was great the greatest sports book i have ever read. I recommend the book to all basketball fans maybe even people who aren't.
October 11, 2016
This book was amazing,it is about 5 basketball players at the university of Michigan. The players names are Chris Webber, Jalen Rose,Juawn Howard, Jimmy King, and Mitch Albom. There were many scandals when they were playing there like they got caught with drugs, their grades were bad but they were still aloud to play, and they were being payed to play. I loved this book because it was so attention grabbing and detailed. It made me feel confused because why would you risk your career to do those things, I like the sports players who play because they love the game. I think basketball fans and fans of Michigan, and people interested in he topic of the Michigan scandal will love the book. I could compare this book to the price of silence it is a book about the duke lacrosse scandal and it is similar to the Fab five because it is also about a scandal. I hope you love this book as much as I do.
November 21, 2014
its a great book for basketball fans and especially if your a Michigan fan. This was an actual historic event in the basketball world in the 1990'a. I really enjoed it and i would read it again and again.
December 27, 2023
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I BOUGHT & READ THIS BOOK 30 YEARS AGO WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT, DUE TO MY FASCINATION WITH JALEN ROSE, JIMMY KING, JUWAN HOWARD, CHRIS WEBBER, & RAY JACKSON!
IN THIS BOOK YOU/THE READER GET TO GAIN SOME ASPECTS OF KNOWLEDGE INTO THE LIVES OF C. WEB; JALEN ROSE; JUWAN HOWARD-WHOSE GRANDMOTHER PASSED ON THE VERY DAY HE'D COMMITTED TO ATTEND U OF MICHIGAN-, JIMMY KING, & RAY JACKSON AMONG THE OTHERS ON THE TEAM ON A VERY PERSONAL LEVEL, WHICH MADE ME LOVE THIS BOOK FROM PAGE TO PAGE. THAT, & THE FACT THAT I WAS & STILL AM A HUGE FAN OF THE FAB FIVE & THEM UNAPOLOGETICALLY REPPING OUR/THEIR CULTURE (BLACK SOCKS, BALD HEADS, LONG SHORTS:" COACH STEVE, WE NEED TO FELL COMFORTABLE!"-JIMMY KING)! I WAS A BIT OBSESSED WITH THEM GROWING UP NEVER MISSING A GAME, HATING THE TEAMS/PLAYERS THEY HATED, JUST ROOTING THEM ON ALL THE WAY!
IN THE BOOK YOU LEARN FROM THEIR FAMILY WHO THEY ARE, HOW JALEN'S NAME CAME ABOUT(NAMED AFTER HIS UNCLES), AS WELL AS OTHER INTRIGUING INFO ABOUT EACH OF THEM. I STILL HAVE THIS BOOK SITTING ON MY BOOKSHELF IN MY PERSONAL LIBRARY AT HOME & IT'S STILL IN PRETTY GOOD MINT CONDITION THREE DECADES AFTER ITS RELASE TOO!
I SERIOUSLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN THIRTY YEARS SINCE THIS BOOK HAD BEEN RELEASED OR THAT I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN IT CAME OUT!
DESPITE MY FEELING SOME TYPE A WAY ABOUT MITCH ALBOM COVERING & MAKING MONEY OFF OF FIVE KIDS FROM THE INNERCITY WHO HAD NOT SEEN A DIME FROM THE PROFITS THIS BOOK GARNERED (PERHAPS IF THEY HAD RECIVED PROFITS FROM ALL THE MERCH & BOOKS OTHER HAD WRITTEN ABOUT THEM, CHRIS, JALEN, & OTHERS MAY NOT HAVE HAD TO DO WHAT THEY ALLEGEDLY HAD DONE THAT HAD RESULTED IN PENALTIES FOR U OF M/BANNERS BEING TAKEN DOWN, ETC. BUT I DIGRESS), I FRIGGING LOVED THIS BOOK!
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO LOVE SPORTS OR SIMPLY A SPORTS PHENOMENON OF PLAYERS TO GET THIS BOOK IF FOR NOTHING MORE THAN THE NOSTALGIA OF IT ALL!
IN THIS BOOK YOU/THE READER GET TO GAIN SOME ASPECTS OF KNOWLEDGE INTO THE LIVES OF C. WEB; JALEN ROSE; JUWAN HOWARD-WHOSE GRANDMOTHER PASSED ON THE VERY DAY HE'D COMMITTED TO ATTEND U OF MICHIGAN-, JIMMY KING, & RAY JACKSON AMONG THE OTHERS ON THE TEAM ON A VERY PERSONAL LEVEL, WHICH MADE ME LOVE THIS BOOK FROM PAGE TO PAGE. THAT, & THE FACT THAT I WAS & STILL AM A HUGE FAN OF THE FAB FIVE & THEM UNAPOLOGETICALLY REPPING OUR/THEIR CULTURE (BLACK SOCKS, BALD HEADS, LONG SHORTS:" COACH STEVE, WE NEED TO FELL COMFORTABLE!"-JIMMY KING)! I WAS A BIT OBSESSED WITH THEM GROWING UP NEVER MISSING A GAME, HATING THE TEAMS/PLAYERS THEY HATED, JUST ROOTING THEM ON ALL THE WAY!
IN THE BOOK YOU LEARN FROM THEIR FAMILY WHO THEY ARE, HOW JALEN'S NAME CAME ABOUT(NAMED AFTER HIS UNCLES), AS WELL AS OTHER INTRIGUING INFO ABOUT EACH OF THEM. I STILL HAVE THIS BOOK SITTING ON MY BOOKSHELF IN MY PERSONAL LIBRARY AT HOME & IT'S STILL IN PRETTY GOOD MINT CONDITION THREE DECADES AFTER ITS RELASE TOO!
I SERIOUSLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN THIRTY YEARS SINCE THIS BOOK HAD BEEN RELEASED OR THAT I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN IT CAME OUT!
DESPITE MY FEELING SOME TYPE A WAY ABOUT MITCH ALBOM COVERING & MAKING MONEY OFF OF FIVE KIDS FROM THE INNERCITY WHO HAD NOT SEEN A DIME FROM THE PROFITS THIS BOOK GARNERED (PERHAPS IF THEY HAD RECIVED PROFITS FROM ALL THE MERCH & BOOKS OTHER HAD WRITTEN ABOUT THEM, CHRIS, JALEN, & OTHERS MAY NOT HAVE HAD TO DO WHAT THEY ALLEGEDLY HAD DONE THAT HAD RESULTED IN PENALTIES FOR U OF M/BANNERS BEING TAKEN DOWN, ETC. BUT I DIGRESS), I FRIGGING LOVED THIS BOOK!
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO LOVE SPORTS OR SIMPLY A SPORTS PHENOMENON OF PLAYERS TO GET THIS BOOK IF FOR NOTHING MORE THAN THE NOSTALGIA OF IT ALL!
March 6, 2018
The fab five book by Mitch Albom was basically a book covering the entire college basketball career of the most famous college basketball team of all time. The book covered how even though they were look up to, they made many dumb choices such as play madden in a crack house or allowing their agents to pay them which is one of the biggest rules to break and you can possibly never play in the league again. It also covered the big deal with out rivalry over the Duke Blue Devils. At the time our rivalry with Duke was a bigger deal than Michigan Ohio State. We faced them many times during this time span including the NCAA championship game which Michigan unfortunately lost. Overall the book did a really good job covering up every thing that happened tat happened over their entire career at U of M. It also covered at the end what happened to everyone on the team after all of the problems that they caused for themselves and other people and college basketball teams. The only thing that really surprised me was that at of all people, Jalen Rose was the most immature. While at Michigan he made horrible decisions which involved being at a crack house. Today he is probably the most known player on that team. He has his own radio show, he is on ESPN a lot and he also shows on many other television shows. He also is involved in a lot of different fundraisers ad charity events. For the other fab five members, Chris Webber and Juwan Howard both had successful NBA career. Ray Jackson and Jimmy King both played some international on Europe but never were really great in the NBA. Their coach Steve Fisher has just retired from coaching after having coaching time at San Diego State University. The overall book was good but also painful to read considering the fact that I am a Michigan fan. I would highly recommend reading this book if you are either a basketball fan or a Michigan fan.
May 22, 2017
The book about the fabulous five basketball players, this book is my favorite book. The fab five changed basketball, black socks, long shorts and five freshmen. Unbelievable in this time period. Michigan never thought this would happened to them. To get five freshman that were all 4 or more star recruits. Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy king and Ray Jackson. All coached by Steve fisher, steve wanted all of these kids very bad. The fab five was 5 kids that were all from around the country and lived very different lifestyles. Jalen and Juwan were from the slums, growing up in the hood trying to make it out as basketball was there ticket. On the other hand you have Jimmy and ray the stars from Texas already living a celebrity life. The fab five was very special group of kids they bonded like brothers very quickly. When Steve got all 5 of these freshman he was the happiest man alive. The fab five had a moto and it was "we going to shock the world" and they did. They went on to the finals there Freshman year and lost in the finals. They told the media they would be back and they were. The fab five went back the finals there sophomore year and lost again. The fab five remeimds me a lot of Adam, Owen,Ross, Riley and I. We play like they did and we all love Michigan. The fab five inspired me to run the court and talk trash. The fab five were known for talking trash. They would get into your head and ruin you though out the game. The fab five is how I wanna play basketball, that's the way basketball should be played. Nobody liked the fab five. The fabulous five changed basketball.
April 6, 2018
Fab Five: Basketball, Trash Talk The American Dream
By Mitch Albom
The Fab Five renovated college basketball to this day. They were all young black men who listened to rap and started over seniors at Michigan. No one ever heard or had seen this and they received loads of hate mail from people. These guys were huge trash talkers night in and night out getting in peoples heads but backing it up, Jalen Rose would do research every night about players family and personal life and trash talk to people about it. These five guys were Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Juwan Howard, and Chris Weber. This team went to back to back final fours but they couldn’t beat Duke in the national Championship or North Carolina in the final four. There was a incident their second year together where Jalen Rose got arrested for being in a “crack house” (but it’s wasn’t a crack house in most people opinions) then he had to go on the road and play at Illinois and he balled out Coach Steve Fisher said “I had never seen a performance like that the fans were hounding him all night.” All these guys grew up in very rough places but they were all brothers and even though they didn’t win a national title they were a great team.
I personally love the Fab Five I watched the documentary on ESPN all the time these guys renovated basketball. Because of them we don’t have to wear those short shorts and wear baggy shorts. They are a true inspiration to me.
I recommend this to sports loving fans or people who want to know about the Fab Five more. It doesn’t teach you really a moral thing through the story but teaches you how racism has always been a problem. They received so much racism for being black, having shaved hair, earrings, listen to rap, start over seniors, and listen to rap.
By Mitch Albom
The Fab Five renovated college basketball to this day. They were all young black men who listened to rap and started over seniors at Michigan. No one ever heard or had seen this and they received loads of hate mail from people. These guys were huge trash talkers night in and night out getting in peoples heads but backing it up, Jalen Rose would do research every night about players family and personal life and trash talk to people about it. These five guys were Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Juwan Howard, and Chris Weber. This team went to back to back final fours but they couldn’t beat Duke in the national Championship or North Carolina in the final four. There was a incident their second year together where Jalen Rose got arrested for being in a “crack house” (but it’s wasn’t a crack house in most people opinions) then he had to go on the road and play at Illinois and he balled out Coach Steve Fisher said “I had never seen a performance like that the fans were hounding him all night.” All these guys grew up in very rough places but they were all brothers and even though they didn’t win a national title they were a great team.
I personally love the Fab Five I watched the documentary on ESPN all the time these guys renovated basketball. Because of them we don’t have to wear those short shorts and wear baggy shorts. They are a true inspiration to me.
I recommend this to sports loving fans or people who want to know about the Fab Five more. It doesn’t teach you really a moral thing through the story but teaches you how racism has always been a problem. They received so much racism for being black, having shaved hair, earrings, listen to rap, start over seniors, and listen to rap.
February 4, 2020
This is a story about extremes, originality, city meeting suburbs, veterans meeting rookies, white meeting black, noise meeting quiet. A story about the Greatest Class Ever Recruited in college basketball. With their bald heads, black socks, long shorts, coolness and highlight film style, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson became American celebrities.
This is an entertaining book on an iconic team, which was written right after Chris Webber left the team to go pro. I think some time was needed to correctly assess this team's influence as a cultural reference. Besides, years later we knew that the Wolverine basketball program was punished with sanctions due to violations to NCAA rules. As a result, coach Steve Fisher was fired in 1997 (subsequently, the NCAA investigation did not find him culpable of significant wrongdoing related to the scandal) and the 1992 and 1993 appearances in the Tournament both were erased. 1992 and 1993, just the seasons in which the Fab Five were part of the team.
None of all this appears in the book, and it changes a little my vision on the facts narrated, especially those concerning the recruitment process. But of course, recruitment is a central part of the story. Without the further NCAA investigation this history seems to me a bit outdated, the book has aged badly. Not that I agree with NCAA policy's, that I am not because it seems to me an organization that takes advantage of athletes.
This is an entertaining book on an iconic team, which was written right after Chris Webber left the team to go pro. I think some time was needed to correctly assess this team's influence as a cultural reference. Besides, years later we knew that the Wolverine basketball program was punished with sanctions due to violations to NCAA rules. As a result, coach Steve Fisher was fired in 1997 (subsequently, the NCAA investigation did not find him culpable of significant wrongdoing related to the scandal) and the 1992 and 1993 appearances in the Tournament both were erased. 1992 and 1993, just the seasons in which the Fab Five were part of the team.
None of all this appears in the book, and it changes a little my vision on the facts narrated, especially those concerning the recruitment process. But of course, recruitment is a central part of the story. Without the further NCAA investigation this history seems to me a bit outdated, the book has aged badly. Not that I agree with NCAA policy's, that I am not because it seems to me an organization that takes advantage of athletes.
June 4, 2019
Title: Fab Five
Author: Mitch Albom
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 5/5
Fab Five by Mitch Albom. This book is the story of the greatest college basketball team ever assembled, and how everything fell apart. This book is a New York Times bestseller After a mediocre 1990 season, Steve Fisher and the Michigan Wolverines needed a bounce-back year. Instead of coaching up their current players more, Fisher went out and created what is now known as: “The Greatest Class Ever Recruited.” He got five high school phenoms, one for each position, to come to Michigan. These five stars would be dubbed “The Fab Five.” The Fab Five would be the kids who popularized being bald, wearing baggy shorts, wearing black socks, and trash-talk. This team would have many flashes of brilliance, but also flashes of ignorance. Would Steve Fisher be able to control these young superstars and win a championship?
Furthermore, this book is very well written. This is a book about five basketball players who changed the world. They took the world by storm with bald heads and swagger. Any basketball fan would love this book, as it contains many stories of thrilling basketball games. You’ll never forget the names of the Fab Five after this book. You’ll especially never forget the genius trash-talk these kids managed to come up with, or the antics they pulled on the court.
Fab Five is the story of five dazzling freshman that will leave you wanting more. I would recommend this book to basketball fans over 16. It’s a great book, but some of the trash-talk gets a little… colorful.
“This is my favorite book. I've reread it so many times that the glue in the binding is beginning to wear out. I love basketball.”---- Goodreads reviewer
“Albom is a very consistent author and continues to uphold his reputation with this book.”---- Goodreads reviewer
Author: Mitch Albom
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 5/5
Fab Five by Mitch Albom. This book is the story of the greatest college basketball team ever assembled, and how everything fell apart. This book is a New York Times bestseller After a mediocre 1990 season, Steve Fisher and the Michigan Wolverines needed a bounce-back year. Instead of coaching up their current players more, Fisher went out and created what is now known as: “The Greatest Class Ever Recruited.” He got five high school phenoms, one for each position, to come to Michigan. These five stars would be dubbed “The Fab Five.” The Fab Five would be the kids who popularized being bald, wearing baggy shorts, wearing black socks, and trash-talk. This team would have many flashes of brilliance, but also flashes of ignorance. Would Steve Fisher be able to control these young superstars and win a championship?
Furthermore, this book is very well written. This is a book about five basketball players who changed the world. They took the world by storm with bald heads and swagger. Any basketball fan would love this book, as it contains many stories of thrilling basketball games. You’ll never forget the names of the Fab Five after this book. You’ll especially never forget the genius trash-talk these kids managed to come up with, or the antics they pulled on the court.
Fab Five is the story of five dazzling freshman that will leave you wanting more. I would recommend this book to basketball fans over 16. It’s a great book, but some of the trash-talk gets a little… colorful.
“This is my favorite book. I've reread it so many times that the glue in the binding is beginning to wear out. I love basketball.”---- Goodreads reviewer
“Albom is a very consistent author and continues to uphold his reputation with this book.”---- Goodreads reviewer
June 7, 2017
Fab Five by Mitch Albom was probably my favorite book I have read all semester. I have previously watched the 30 for 30 on ESPN about the fab five, so I was very excited to read this book when I saw it in the library. In 1991, the University of Michigan basketball team recruited arguably the best class to date, and at the time, nobody had seen anything like it. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for a freshman to start in college basketball. In fact, on top teams most starters are freshman, but in 1991 if you had two or three freshman starting it was unheard of. This Michigan team started all 5 freshman, and they had extreme highs and extreme lows, but they proved to everyone that age doesn't matter and that they could accomplish anything and become one of the most feared college basketball teams ever. I loved this book because you never hear about what goes on inside a team, like the locker room talk or how players feel about one another, but this book went into depth. Any sports fan should read this book because of the competitiveness throughout the book, and it's a monumental moment in the sports world.
January 22, 2018
Entertaining book on an iconic team. Albom struck while the iron was hot and published this book in 1993, only shortly after Chris Webber was declared for the draft. More distance would be needed to really understand the Fab Five as the cultural sensation that they were. There are a number of questions that Albom touches on but doesn't really do anything with:
- Was Fischer the write coach for the team?
- Were they really that GOOD or just original?
- Why were they so polarizing and what element did race play in this?
- Was Fischer the write coach for the team?
- Were they really that GOOD or just original?
- Why were they so polarizing and what element did race play in this?
July 2, 2024
A lot of people know Mitch Albom from all of his successful fiction books and may not know he started as a sportswriter and started getting well known when covering Detroit sports. So a talented writer like Albom writing on the Fab 5 is a perfect match. The story isn’t about sports. It’s about people. How the Fab 5 got there, what they did as a group, and their life after going their separate ways also the outside factors and sports and life as we knew it back then. I will always be interested in this story.
May 30, 2021
An absolutely exceptionally written work that peeked inside the Fab Five. A pleasant surprise was the coverage of players outside of Webber, Rose, Howard, King and Jackson. Albom’s coverage of Reiley, Pelinka, Talley and others and the effect of the Fab Five on them. Of course the natural climax of the book is the ill-fated timeout called by Chris Webber in the National Championship game, the final game of the Fab Five. Albom’s description, second by second, is sheer brilliance.
August 5, 2020
I actually read this book once every couple years. It is definitely one of my favorites, both because I really enjoy Mitch Albom’s writing and I am a huge college basketball fan (especially Michigan). Easy read, great true story, not much has changed in college hoops over the last 30 years.
December 14, 2017
Great read when I was a teenager in the 90’s and loved the Fab Five.
August 24, 2018
Good book, it's about the Michigan Wolverines which had the Fab-Five with Jalen Rose, Chris Webber and others on a great team in College Basketball.
January 4, 2020
Loved this book. A favorite author paired with a favorite topic, college basketball.
March 2, 2020
A really good book on the inside of the Fab Five's days through criticism, and basketball.
May 16, 2020
Loved it
January 18, 2021
An absolute treat for anyone with an inkling of interest in the Michigan Wolverines and why they became a cultural revolution in American collegiate basketball. Mitch Albom's masterpiece.
February 16, 2021
Loved it!
I wish I had more about their life since ‘93 and where they are now; but that said, I simply loved it!!!
I wish I had more about their life since ‘93 and where they are now; but that said, I simply loved it!!!
July 6, 2023
I am a Fab Five enthusiast.
December 22, 2023
Great book and brought back memories of watching them when I was in High School in the 90's.
May 27, 2025
If you like amazing (bitter) sport stories, this is your book!!....amazing!!
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