A few weeks ago, I reviewed for BOL readers Keith Dunnavant's newest Tide classic, The Missing Ring. There is a glut of Tide books out these days, and more to come. One of the newest to hit stands this summer is Tommy Hicks' Game Of My Life: Alabama.

In this book, Hicks, a Mobile sports columnist, interviews Tiders from Harry Gilmer to DeMeco Ryans about which contest they found most memorable. I found this book a fun read, despite a few glitches in research.

Several times throughout the narrative, games played in Birmingham are said to have been played in Tuscaloosa (and vice-versa). That aside, Bama fans young and old will enjoy this book, as it covers games from 1945-46 through 2005-06.

Sure, it would have been nice to hear from the likes of Joe Namath, David Palmer, Jay Barker and Shaun Alexander, but the guys Hicks did talk to tell some interesting tales. I was interested to see both Major Ogilvie and Jeremiah Castille take credit for a tackle Tide fans know Castille made on Auburn's James Brooks on a kick reuturn, a touchdown-saving situation in the 1979 Auburn game.

It was certainly fun reading Brodie Croyle's take on the 2005 Florida game, the first "signature win" by Mike Shula. Without revealing too much, Croyle points out the Tide team knew it was going to paint that UF back porch red long before Urban Meyer and his Gators found out.

It would have been nice if the players would have gone into a bit more detail on the big plays of the games they selected, but some guys just don't brag on themselves, even when questioned by authors/reporters.

All in all, the book is a nice compilation of tales by some folks who played a huge part in the Tide's 114-year tradition. I would not rank it ahead of Dunnavant's Grisham-like work about the 1966 Tide, but would still reccommend it for Tide fans in need of a quick history lesson.

In a few weeks, I'll present a review of another new Tide title: Career In Crisis, written by former Tide football manager John David Briley. That book dicusses in detail the 1971 seaon of change at the Capstone.