Doug Brunk
What will Kentucky Book Festival visitors find on your table?
“They Call Me Goose” is the memoir of Jack Givens, a Lexington native and Bryan Station High School graduate who became the first African American All-American to sign with the University of Wildcats men’s basketball team. He is perhaps best known for scoring 41 points in the 1978 men’s NCAA National Championship basketball game against Duke. Jack and I worked together for three-and-a-half years to produce this work.
Whom do you invite to stop by? Who will benefit from reading your book?
Fans of Big Blue Nation will be interested to read about Jack’s path to becoming a Wildcat—an idea that at one time seemed inconceivable to him. But this book is about far more than basketball. There are some come-to-Jesus moments from Jack’s personal life that he articulates with an open heart. More importantly, he leaves readers with a lesson. That is, challenges in life are not so much about the circumstances themselves but how you respond to those circumstances.
Could you please tell us something curious about you and/or your book?
During my childhood in Wilmore, Kentucky, I became a Kentucky basketball for life because of Jack Givens and the 1977-78 Wildcats. I looked up to the players on this team as heroes for their grit, determination, and discipline that season. I still do.
Is this your first time participating in Kentucky Book Festival? If yes – what are you looking forward to the most? If you’ve participated before – what was your favorite experience at the Festival?
I have two Kentucky Book Festivals under my belt, and I look forward to a third! It’s inspiring to share the day with fellow writers and readers to celebrate storytelling—a craft that connects us all.
