Newsday's Guide to Long Island's Natural World Book

Five stars for a sports book -- that means it was pretty amazing because I am not a sports fan at all. I picked this book out for my sports-loving husband and just a few chapters in, he said "I think you should read this book. It's about integration in the Boston schools and the Boston Celtics." It sounded intriguing and I could tell my husband could not put the book down and was enjoying every page. Here's why. Author Michael Connelly, longtime Celtics fan, grew up in Boston and attended high school in the turbulent '70s. His love for his city and knowledge of its history combine with his brilliant analysis of the people and politics which shaped the disastrous attempt to integrate the Boston schools through court-mandated busing in the mid-1970s. The role of the Boston Celtics, in particular Larry Bird, giving the city something to cheer about during this bitterly divided time is told in alternate chapters with the school busing situation. Connelly weaves wide ranging sources, books, historical records, interviews and personal research to tell a story of a city's rebirth with you-are-there intensity and remarkable details. Sports fans with especially appreciate the play-by-play recaps of the Celtics seasons, but my highlight was learning about the families and neighborhoods directly affected by a busing plan and how they over many years worked through some of their differences.