Bliss, Remembered Hardcover - 2010

Media reviews

Praise for Bliss, Remembered

"I've long been a huge fan of Frank Deford's writing, and this wonderful novel is further confirmation that he is much more than one of America's best sports writers--he is one of our country's best writers, period."--Ron Rash, Author of Serena

"One of the greatest writers of our time, Frank Deford has done it again. This book is compelling, insightful and Frank even shows us his romantic side. I didn't just like it, I loved it."--Billie Jean King

"A work of enthralling historical fiction... Deford slyly teaches readers something about 1930s-1940s history while also writing convincingly about love and war. Sydney is a spirited narrator whose fictional memoir is sprinkled with innumerable colloquialisms and many reflective of the era. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"--Library Journal (Starred Review)

"If you've always enjoyed Frank Deford's sportswriting, you're in for a surprising, blissful departure with Bliss, Remembered. Sure, there's sports- Sydney Stringfellow is a beautiful young swimmer, good enough to be an Olympian. But the year is 1936, the Games are in Berlin, and Deford's story takes us through Nazi Germany, heroes and villains real and imagined, love, lust, heartbreak, and heroism. There's a hell of an ending, too. Who knew that Frank Deford, apart from everything else, is a crazy romantic?"--Mary Carillo

"Plenty of people know Frank Deford as an award-winning sportswriter or the guy with the loud outfits on HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel," but who knew he had a soft spot for Nicholas Sparks' novels?... Deford never lets readers forget he's writing a love story. All the Nazis, FBI agents and 100-meter backstrokes are just grace notes as the old woman sings the song of how she met, lost and again found her soul mate."--Associated Press

"[Deford] is the master of elegant simplicity... storyteller extraordinaire" --Connecticut Post

"Compelling and, from start to finish, filled with serpentine twists." --San Antonio Express-News

"Skillfully written... It falls on the ear of the reader like a conversation with a cherished old family member. Taking one in with its aw-shucks charm, it then turns and hits you like a well-crafted spy novel. This is good stuff, this Depression-era yarn with the punch of a war story... This is an unforgettable book by a top-drawer author. Recommended without reservation." -Historical Novels Review, Editor's Choice

"Smart and introspective, he possesses a sense of history about sports, and sports writing, that infuses his work with a heft not usually found in ESPN The Magazine or PressBox. This book is certainly worth the read. It is a well-constructed novel" --Baltimore City Paper

"[Deford] effectively invokes the atmosphere of the 1936 Nazi Germany as World War II loomed...an entertaining historical love story."--Kirkus

"I was shocked. I was shocked that I was so drawn into this tale about a swimmer, the Olympics, Germany, a summer romance, a love gone bad, the early days of World War 2...was shocked by ending too. At that point, it's all secrets, intrigue, the war, and one very big surprise...5/5 stars."--Book Bitch Blog

"Bliss, Remembered is a riveting romance set in an unstable period, highly recommended."--Midwest Book Review

"Bliss, Remembered is everything a novel should be. That's what I thought, about halfway through. And then. It. Got. Even. Better. I swear to you, this is a gorgeous book. It's a story of long-lost love, recounted by a wonderfully vibrant octogenarian, and by her middle-aged son whose narrative frames his mother's story (and whose relationship with his mom is utterly charming)."--Unruly Reader BlogAUTHOR BIO: Frank Deford is senior writer for Sports Illustrated, author, commentator and correspondent. END