Confessions of a Basketball Junkie - Dirk Dunbar

Dirk Dunbar's Confessions of a Basketball Junkie is a compelling read that offers a personal glimpse into the archetypal journey that we are all destined to navigate-from the call, departure, and tribulations to the return to the place and person we are meant to be. Filled with poetry and athletic anecdotes, mystical and humorous experiences, and truth-seeking explorations into our local and planetary purpose, this masterful memoir affirms the grandeur of being at home in the universe. While evoking the wonders of childhood, memories of growing up, and the joys of parenting, Dunbar reveals the challenge and value of a living a well-examined life. He takes us through remarkably relatable experiences that traverse the culture and "feel" of his small Northern Michigan birthplace to people and places in Iceland, Germany, Greece, and Egypt. The voyage ends with his post-basketball life as a teacher, parent, and author/activist in Maine and Florida, highlighting how we are all the sum of our experiences and relationships. In ways that stimulate tolerance and spiritual growth, this delightful account of the human spirit captures the passion of Jesus and Buddha and the wisdom of Native Americans and Daoists as well as offering unique insights into literature, film, and music. All this while recapping a phenomenal, yet injury filled basketball career that is captivating, painful, and inspiring. The ideas are big, but simply and profoundly expressed. This book is sure to touch athletes, incite seekers, and enthrall human-interest readers worldwide. "A walk in the woods never lies," Dirk Dunbar says upfront in Confessions of a Basketball Junkie, and this autobiography by the pro athlete, humanities professor, musician and sometime mystic demonstrates the point. In easygoing, familiar language that belies the depth of his knowledge, Dunbar here retraces the many paths of his life as a promising NBA star, a finely tuned philosopher, and a devoted friend and family man. What you take away from this book are not just recollections of his walk through life and depictions of sung and unsung athletes and friends, but a startling ebullience of spirit, an appreciation of life in all its flower, and an unflagging sense of hopeful good humor-even during the darkest days of career-altering injuries. As if that's not enough in a book, you also get accessible explanations of the Earth-centered philosophies that have shaped a real life. Confessions of a Basketball Junkie is a saunter through the woods of the human spirit at its everyday, and sometimes buzzer-beating best. Dana Wilde, author of The Other End of the Driveway: Observations in the Maine Woods. A two-time high school All American and nation's leading scorer, Dirk Dunbar was recruited by 200 universities, and, as a freshman, was third leading scorer in the Mid-American Conference. Following three knee operations, he transferred to Eckerd College where he was ninth leading scorer in the nation. The "have jump shot will travel" star played and coached in Europe for eight seasons, married a German ballerina, returned to the States, received a Ph.D. in humanities, and became a professor. The father of three, Dunbar has published essays in ReVision, The Trumpeter, The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, Quodlibet, Ashé Journal, and others. His books include A Matter of Perspective, The Balance of Nature's Polarities in New Paradigm Theory, and the soon-to-be-released, Renewing the Balance.