"Bo" by Schembechler and Albom: Good Read?

I've read "Bo" and have yet to read "Lasting Lessons".  I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book, but since I haven't read Bacon's book, I can't compare the two.  Albom's book still has lots of good stories in it.  The parts that I remember the best was Bo's recollection of his flirtation with Texas A&M, his story about meeting Elvis, and the story of the morale problems he had at the start of the 1981 season.

Bottom line, worth reading.  This book came out when Albom was still just a sportswriter, and it's when he was probably at the peak of his sportswriting career.

A GREAT read. Lasting Lessons is different enough...more a management book. This is Bo's life and career story. And a lot of views on what college football SHOULD be. And I defy anyone to read the halftime of '69 OSU game, and not be ready to run through a wall.

Much like the other posters I have not read the "Bo" book in some time, but overall I thought it was excellent, and if my memory serves I actually liked it a bit better than Bacon's book.  I did enjoy them both though, and would recommend either to any Michigan fan.  I would read "Bo" first and if you enjoy that then move on to 'lasting lessons'...

Aug

Great book.  Its what, 20 years old?, but its still Bo, and its still about Michigan.    I think I read it cover to cover in one setting after getting it for a Christmas present. 

I have read it many times and I really enjoy reading it every time. I would highly recommend it although i have not read Bacon's book yet even though I want to.

I read it a long time ago and it was great. Definitely reccomend it

Bo was written while Bo was still officially connected to UM.  When he left for the Tigers, he wrote an addendum for the paperback version.  The beginning of the chapter said something like "Now that I am not connected with the University of Michigan and I can speak without fear of consequences, I am going to tell what happened at the Rose Bowl.

He then talked about hearing one of the refs who called the bogus holding penalty that cost Michigan the 1990 Rose Bowl brag that he "wasn't gonna let that SOB win his last Rose Bowl" and the rest of the refs laughing in agreement.  For me, the chapter confirmed something I had suspected since the early 1970's: refs are as "human" as anyone else and don't always call the games down the middle.  It also made me look at Charles White's "phantom touchdown" as a lot more than a "bad call."

I've read both; I definitely prefer the Bacon book. Read them both within the past 3 years or so. The Bacon one, I feel like, covers a lot of the same ground and is much richer.

13 years ago, I rented this book from the library and I thought it was a good read.  Although, the timing was odd.  The book was written one year before Bo retired in 1989.  I'm not quite sure why he didn't just wait one more season before writing it.  He must have been so happy over that Rose Bowl victory over USC that he couldn't wait.

But overall, it was a good book.  The best part of the book was when Bo described the entire week leading in to the 69 Ohio State game which started in the lockerrom after beating Iowa.  Players banging on the chairs and screaming, "Beat the bucks! Beat the bucks!

Good read? Are you kidding?! That's one of the best books I've read! I've read it 3 or 4 times

Read it a couple of times. It is pure Bo. If that appeals to you, and it cetainly did to me, you will enjoy it.

Albom has an easy to read style so the book moves along nicely. If you live in Michigan it should also be very easy to find cheap or at the library. So, the entire experience is at worst fairly painless.

For me, the book was a good primer on Bo's life. It contains all the usual stories that are great--if you haven't read them 30 times already--and I hadn't at the time. I took the stuff about the refs to be Bo doing his crusty old man routine. I don't honestly think that deep down Bo sincerely thought the refs hated him and were out to get him.

Mitch has been kind of a dick though in the last five years. I can tell you on thing, Lasting Lessons is great. I have it and I gave it to my Dad for x-mas a few years ago. I really like John U. Talk about a positive M Man.

It comes off as a bit dated now, but it's got some good stories in it.  The Ohio State material is unparalleled. 

I find Bacon's book to be a bit heavy on the business-y management stuff, and Albom to be more about the sports. 

I have read both...

I thought that "Lasting Lessons" was a little better but "Bo" is worth reading for sure.