REVIEWS

Below, reviews of Pinned have been organized into the following categories: Olympic Wrestlers, Librarians, Authors, Organizations, Coaches, Magazines, Newspapers, Websites, Wrestlers, and Fans.

OLYMPIC WRESTLERS

Rulon Gardner, 2000 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist - Greco-Roman Wrestling
"A great show of the drive and intensity necessary to be a champion."

Matt Ghaffari, 1996 U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist – Greco-Roman Wrestling
"When the wrestlers embark on a quest for the New Jersey state wrestling championship, it reminded me of my high school years on the Paramus (NJ) wrestling team."

Ken Chertow, 1988 U.S. Olympic Team Member - Freestyle Wrestling
"Pinned is a great story. I recommend it for teenage wrestlers and anyone who enjoys an interesting storyline about life’s challenges."

Gene Mills, 1980 U.S. Olympic Team Member - Freestyle Wrestling
"Pinned relates to the roller coaster ride of life's highs and lows. It captures the essence of setting goals and the obstacles some encounter in sport and in life. I recommend this book for any who know and appreciate the sport. READ IT!"

LIBRARIANS

Raymond W. Barber, Director of Libraries, The William Penn Charter School (PA)
"Pinned shows the complete, one-minded dedication that true excellence takes. Boys will love reading the wrestling action."

Pam Gardow, Library Media Specialist, Memorial High School (WI)
"Happily, I have 8 copies of Pinned plus one sound recording in my high school library. I have multiple copies because I am hoping to use your book as a teen book club discussion book. One of my very reluctant readers listened to the audio version and LOVED it. He was so inspired, he plans to try out for wrestling this school year. He is now recommending Pinned to friends on the wrestling team (who also don't read much.) Thanks for a great story!"

Karen Goodale, Teacher, McAuliffe Middle School (NJ)
"This is an excellent book for young readers. It tells a story of two teenagers that strive for success in their sport of amateur wrestling. It is heartwarming and extremely true to life. You don't have to be a wrestler to identify with the various aspects of growing up and beeing a teenager and wanting to achieve success."

AUTHORS

Chris Crutcher
"Pinned is a tough, savvy tale that melds the hard, tough sport of wrestling with the hard, tough lives of the two young men who seem locked into each others' destinies. This one will keep you reading. Alfred Martino plays this story like a fine violin."

Bill Welker, Ed.D., Contributing Writer to Wrestling USA, and former PA State Champ "Wrestling devotees will appreciate the work ethic of Ivan and Bobby as they perfect their moves throughout the season. Those readers who have not previously been exposed to the mat sport will be amazed at Martino’s vivid descriptions of a wrestler’s total devotion: the sultry, sweating practices, the workouts and running after practice, and the dieting. It is a committed wrestler’s daily routine in his quest for a state championship... and every bit of it is authentic."

Amy Hassinger
"Martino has chosen a brutal and apt metaphor for the daily struggles of adolescent life, and it's a pleasure to witness his characters eventually triumph over them."

ORGANIZATIONS

Mike Chapman, Executive Director, The International Wrestling Institute and Museum
"Readers are in for a real treat when they pick up Pinned. Though the wrestling portions are exciting and realistic, it is much more than "just" a book about wrestling, it is a book about growing up and facing the challenges of manhood."

Danny Mullan, Monmouth Shore Wrestling Club (NJ)
"I just had a chance to read Pinned by Alfred Martino... what a wonderful 24 hour experience, and that's what it was an experience as I couldn't put the book down and finishing within a day tells you how great these 2 intertwined stories are... any of you wrestlers want to know what your Pops felt wrestling 20-30 years ago you need to read this... I guarantee any ex wrestler and today's wrestler reading this book will Identify with any of the characters even if it isn't one of the two main ones... actually I Identified with all of them at some stage of my background and though I came up 1 match short of a Jadwin experience what those wrestlers went through both wrestling and personal hits home..what a Great book... if I thought "Reversal" was a 5 or 6 rating this is a solid 9 and would make a better movie... think a better "All the Right Moves" movie with Tom Cruise... again great job, Mr. Martino... what a pleasure... and I loved the ending... I was getting twisted thinking about the possibilities and what a great way to finish..."

Kurt Epps, Grappler E-zine, Director of Bearcat Wrestling (NJ)
Martino, a former high school wrestler from New Jersey, has an easy style that at once engages and involves the reader in the lives of his wrestlers. His knowledge of the sport is thorough, and his journeys into the psyches of his two main characters are compelling. Equally, his understanding of the ancillary stuff (the nasty stuff like the weight-cutting a casual observer does not see) is also presented with the special insight only a wrestler would know."

Mike Furches, Furches Family Ministries (KS)
"One of the best wrestling novels, if not the best, that I have read."

WRESTLING COACHES

Clar Anderson, Duke University
"Thanks for writing a book that begins to reflect the work and dedication wrestling requires."

Ralph E. Ross, winningest coach in NJ high school wrestling history
"The novel certainly depicts the trials and tribulations that wrestlers and their families experience while participating in a very grueling sport. His representation of hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm for the love of the sport is very graphic throughout the novel. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this novel."

John Grey, Pascack Hills Jr. Wrestling Program
"Pinned is a great novel that illustrates wrestling in its true and harsh nature. The sport is not an easy one, and the author does a great job to show the determination it takes to be a state champion. My brother, Mike, is currently a 3x State Champion in New Jersey, and he agreed the book really touches the heart. Cutting weight and making sacrifice comes with the sport, and that is why the reward of winning is so overwhelming. Overall, I recommend this novel to anyone who knows the sport and is familiar with the sacrifice needed to succeed, not only in sports but in life, as well."

MAGAZINES

Lorgnette Magazine
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. This is the story of two high-school-age boys who both compete in wrestling at their school. They are from rival schools in New Jersey. Both are determined to become champions and go to “States,” the ultimate competition for wrestlers in the state of New Jersey. Ivan Korske is obsessed with wrestling and doing well. He is unlucky enough to go to a school where there isn’t a very good team, and his coach doesn’t seem to be very good either. One bright spot in Ivan’s life is Shelley, the girl next door (literally). He lives with his father, who is also obsessed with Ivan succeeding in wrestling. Ivan’s mother is dead. Bobby Zane seems to have everything together. He too is obsessed with wrestling and wants to succeed, but he also wants to have a life. When his girlfriend (from the “wrong side of the tracks”) thinks she is pregnant, Bobby believes life as he knows it might just be over. This is all happening to him while he is trying to compete in wrestling. Oh, and his parents’ marriage is breaking up, too. True wrestling fans will thoroughly enjoy reading this book because there is wrestling terminology and competition throughout the text. Sports fans, in general, will also appreciate the books because of the competition and also because of the sacrifice each boy makes. Both boys do not eat or drink much, and they work out a lot, all to make the weight limit in the contest. All teens, whether sports fans or not, will appreciate the feelings each boy is struggling with and the conflict each boy must overcome in order to be successful. However, readers will close the book extremely frustrated because the author does not tell the reader who wins the ultimate contest!"

AudioFile
"Author Martino, also publisher of Listen & Live Audio, was a wrestler and coach, and his experience is apparent in this story. Two students from very different backgrounds, Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane, are training for the New Jersey State Wrestling Championship. Narrator Mark Shanahan captures student/coach relationships, the journey to the finals, and the pain that Bobby and Ivan endure as they face death and divorce amid the everyday activities of high school. Most fascinating is the grueling training required of wrestlers. While Shanahan successfully conveys both loss and triumph, he excels in portraying the story’s two very different coaches—their methods, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses."

VOYA (Voices For Youth Advocates)
4Q 4P rating (hardcover)
4Q 4P rating (audiobook)

Booklist
"Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane, seniors and wrestlers at two very different New Jersey high schools, are vying for the state championship in the same weight class. Bobby is a rich suburban boy with battling parents and a possibly pregnant girlfriend, while Ivan who lives in a small farming town, is grieving for his recently deceased mother and struggling with college choices. Alternating chapters reflect the boys’ viewpoints, including their athletic drives and skills."

School Library Journal
"The portrayal of the dedication required and the varied motivations of student athletes is certainly on target. Many teens will identify with the boys' struggles both on and off the mat. Some readers may be irritated at the inconclusive, yet perhaps inevitable, ending, but this book is really about getting to the finals."

NEWSPAPERS

The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"It can be difficult to find an audiobook aimed at teenage boys that is not rooted in fantasy or science fiction. Well, author Alfred C. Martino's first novel, Pinned, fills that gap, as he writes about wrestling, and the dedication it takes to become the New Jersey State Wrestling Champ."

The Daily Record (NJ), Joe Hofman
"Pinned does a brilliant job of capturing the lives of two standout wrestlers on the mat and in their private lives throughout their senior seasons right up to the states. Martino pins the reader down, writing the story in such a way that you won't want to put the book down until you are finished."

WEBSITES

Bob Behre, High School Wrestling Columnist, NJ.com
"Martino has written an excellent novel with a local flavor that wrestlers, coaches and fans will love and very much relate to. The novel follows Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane on their simultaneous quest for the New Jersey state championship at 129 pounds. Each takes a very unique journey in his senior season and Martino leads the reader on a very quick page-turner of a journey, too."

Mike Sullivan, Books For Boys (also: Director, Weeks Public Library)
"A sure winner. "

TeenReads.com
"Each chapter alternates a point of view, taking the reader through both Bobby's and Ivan's journeys to the state championship. Alfred C. Martino brings the excitement of their matches into the story. Both characters have depth and devotion to the people they love, even though their commitment to wrestling sometimes eats away at their relationships. Reading this book will make you think twice about the dumb jock stereotype."

MilitarySpot.com
"Finally, if you're a wrestling fan—and here I don't mean the WWF—you'll enjoy Pinned by Alfred Martino, as narrated by actor Mark Shanahan. This is one of the most in-depth novels ever written utilizing the subject of high school wrestling. It features two high school seniors named Ivan and Bobby who are seeking the state championship in New Jersey, and in the end they learn what it takes in terms of dedication and resolve. Martino was a sports reporter, coach and college wrestler himself before he became president of his own audio company. Several Olympic wrestlers have also recommended the book for its authenticity, and so it should appeal to both teens and adults."

WRESTLERS

Matt Frank, 119-pounder, Toms River High School East (NJ)
"I was glued to the book as soon as I started to read the first page. I liked how you went into detail on the weight cutting and the long, and hard practices, It was very accurate to real life. I also liked how you described their lives and them getting into trouble with girls and their family."

Danielle Taylor, high school wrestler
"In the book, Alfred offered many different problems and solutions to get through those problems. In particular, the problem that Ivan (and Bobby) experenced is the same as one that my team captain had. He had an anger problem and didn’t like that I was on the team, though he got used to it and warmed up to me. Still, his anger is something that eventually got him kicked off the team. But, unlike Ivan, when he got a second chance he blew it."

FANS

Michael J. Theil
"The book was outstanding. I loved the ending. At first I was disappointed at where you left it, but then I realized if the book did end with a winner and a loser I would have been disappointed to have to see one of those fine young men lose. I couldn't pick a favorite. I wish both of them could have won a state championship."

Joseph G. Epstein
"I was fortunate to be able to have just read a copy of Pinned before its going to press. Being a wrestling fan, it was of interest to me from the sports point of view. It is well-written and accurate in its description of high school wrestling. I found it to be much more than a sports book. It is about growing up. I think it would be of great interest and value to teen-agers especially, but also to others."

Mandy Mendon
"I really enjoyed this book a lot. I grew up going to wrestling tournments, and waiting as my brother weighed in. I remember boys trying to run off the weight before weigh-ins, and not eating for a week before the tournments. And I have to say, you showed this perfectly. It may seem crazy to someone outside of the wrestling world, but to everyone else it's just what you do. I loved the family stories. It seems like both boys had lost their mother, but in different ways. I can only imagine how hard it was for Bobby to wrestle after having to deal with basically the loss of his family. At least the family he had always known. I loved Ivan's story the most. He seemed to be the one you were rooting for. "

Full Reviews:

"Wrestling is unique in that it asks more of an athlete than any other sport imaginable. Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane epitomize this extreme dedication in Alfred C. Martino’s novel Pinned. The story line is quite simple; two New Jersey wrestlers, at the same weight class, want to be state champions their senior year. On the other hand, the plot demonstrates the complexities of growing up and coming of age. Ivan Korske craves more than anything to escape from his lower middle class environment. His hard-nose father is from the old school of “no excuses,” with a don’t-let-anybody-push-you-around philosophy. His mother, Anna, has recently passed away and Ivan is devastated by this personal loss. She was the softer side of his family and now she was gone. Though overwhelmed with grief, Ivan covers up his feelings with distain for others, except his friend, Shelley. He releases his frustrations on the competitive mats.

Bobby Zane is faced with different dilemmas. His family is well to do: the father’s a lawyer and the mother’s a realtor. However, their marriage is falling apart and Bobby must comfort his younger brother Christopher (and himself), as they endure their parents’ constant bickering. Bobby’s physical outlet is wrestling. It keeps his mind off his deepening depression over his parents’ inevitable separation, and his concern over Christopher’s confusion and fears. To make matters even worse, Bobby is confronted with an unexpected girlfriend problem.

Wrestling devotees will appreciate the work ethic of Ivan and Bobby as they perfect their moves throughout the season. Those readers who have not previously been exposed to the mat sport will be amazed at Martino’s vivid descriptions of a wrestler’s total devotion: the sultry, sweating practices, the workouts and running after practice, and the dieting. It is a committed wrestler’s daily routine in his quest for a state championship… and every bit of it is authentic.

Ivan Korske, full of confidence, has been annihilating his adversaries throughout the entire season. Ivan is undefeated at the end of the regular season. His way out, a college scholarship, rides on winning states. And Ivan is ready.

Bobby Zane, on the other hand, had a slow start, with one defeat at the beginning of the season. However, as the year progresses, Bobby regains his confidence and peaks at the start of the post-season tournaments. He feels invincible and will settle for nothing less than a state championship. Bobby is also ready.

As fate would have it, Ivan and Bobby do ultimately meet in the state finals. The match-up was slated to be one of the most memorable finals in the annals of New Jersey wrestling. The fans were sure that they would not be disappointed as Ivan and Bobby shook hands, both equally sure of victory. Who wins? Whose dream of high-school wrestling immortality is destroyed?

Pinned is a must-read novel for the avid sports fan. Ivan’s and Bobby’s stories will move you."

The Bulletin For The Center For Children's Books

"Ivan Korske is the senior star wrestler on an underfunded team of losers, coached by a teacher who values sportsmanship over individual prowess; Bobby Zane is the senior star in a school wild for wrestling, coached by an ex-champion.

Ivan's road to New Jersey finals is potholed with pressure from his immigrant father to attend college close to home, with grief for his recently deceased mother, and with his own hot-headedness, which gets him temporarily thrown off the team. Bobby nearly derails his own dreams of state glory by letting his concentration falter, by starving himself to the point of illness to make weight, and by fretting over his relationship with his girlfriend, Carmelina, who fears she's pregnant.

As those alternating stories unfold it is crystal clear that Ivan and Bobby will face off for the championship, but here the journey is far more riveting than the destination, and the meaty page count underscores the punishing grind of their preparation. Readers troubled by open-ended novels will find Martino's closing line—“And the state championship match at 129 pounds began..."—positively torturous, and some may even suspect that the author himself couldn't quite live with the consequences of choosing the winner—or, more to the point, the loser.

But here, as in life, someone's going to find himself flat on the mat, and the chill of the repercussions should keep teens shivering long after the back cover slaps shut."

Bob Behre, High School Wrestling Columnist, NJ.com

"The next writer is someone I've been saving for you. He's written a book entitled, Pinned. He's Alfred Martino of Millburn. Alfred sent me his manuscript months ago, but with my schedule, I didn't get to it as quickly as I had hoped. After reading it, I had no time to brag about it because you guys kept asking for more.

Well, it's bragging time.

Martino has written an excellent novel with a local flavor that wrestlers, coaches and fans will love and very much relate to.

The novel follows Ivan Korske and Bobby Zane on their simultaneous quest for the New Jersey state championship at 129 pounds. Each takes a very unique journey in his senior season and Martino leads the reader on a very quick page-turner of a journey, too.

This is the perfect wrestling book to carry with you to the senior and junior nationals and for those down times at the summer tournaments. I expect all of you to report back to me in proper "book report" style on what an entertaining read "Pinned" was for you.

Pinned can be ordered through Amazon.com or, if you wish for a signed copy, by calling Alfred Martino directly at 800-653-9400.

If you don't order Pinned it will be worse than missing a Scott Giffin-Randy Moore bout. In fact, if you don't want to find yourself locked into the circle with Martino, myself, Dave Zabriskie and John Price, you had better get smart--and get ordering."

Kurt Epps, Grappler E-zine, Director of Bearcat Wrestling (NJ)

Pinned? That depends...

As a wrestling coach, referee and wrestling dad, I look forward hungrily to any media that involves the oldest, noblest sport in the world. From the wrestling flicks (Vision Quest, Reversal) to books (Glenn Anderson's A Brown Bag Life), stories about wrestling and the life lessons it teaches are part of my recreational reading fare, a far cry from the high school essays and term papers that usually make up my reading list.

The best wrestling stories are those that involve us with the lives of the main characters and their approach to the sport. Like spectators in the stands, we all have our reasons for wanting a certain wrestler to have his hand raised. To eliminate the human interest aspect of wrestling is tantamount to watching a tournament your wrestler isn't in. You might see some good wrestling, but the emotion is elsewhere.

Because every time a wrestler steps on the mat, he (or she, these days) brings his own personal story. Like Alfred Martino's Bobby Zane and Ivan Korske in Pinned, his first wrestling novel, wrestlers must deal with a whole list of mental conditions that can often dwarf the already brutal physical aspect of this sport.

Martino, a former high school wrestler from New Jersey, has an easy style that at once engages and involves the reader in the lives of his wrestlers. His knowledge of the sport is thorough, and his journeys into the psyches of his two main characters are compelling. Equally, his understanding of the ancillary stuff (the nasty stuff like the weight-cutting a casual observer does not see) is also presented with the special insight only a wrestler would know.

Perhaps more importantly, his knowledge of how adolescents think and relate to those around them is also accurate, and his depictions of family dynamics in both the Korske and Zane households are realistic to the point where the reader may wonder if Martino speaks from personal experience.

Martino does a good job involving the respective mentors--coaches and parents--of his two main characters, and he illuminates clearly the importance of the coach/wrestler relationship. Respect is the name of that game, blatantly evident in one case and conspicuously absent in the other.

His wrestling scenes, usually following exchanges are also well done, written almost as though Martino was matside writing for the Star-Ledger. His Jersey references to that paper and well-known schools and tournaments are sure to make connections with high school wrestlers who read this book.

Pinned is a worthwhile and quick read, though many may be disconcerted (as was this reviewer) by the ending. Because Martino has done such a good job of involving us with his characters, most readers will have chosen sides by the time the climactic match is about to take place.

Real wrestling fans have been anticipating a great match, ably described and exciting to read about, irrespective of who wins. We then want to see how our characters react. And in that regard, the reader may well feel that he is the one who has been Pinned--or, at the very least, reversed.

But maybe Martino is saving that for the sequel.