Free 252 Page Thriller Examines Greed in High School Sports..smashwords.com

Teachers, Coaches & Parents: Introducing teenagers to contemporary books is a great way to develop their love for reading. My novel, Advantage Disadvantage, was written for an adult audience but I'm told it has been used in various ways - such as keeping a basketball team quiet on a 6 hour ride from a holiday tourny. To help teachers and coaches lead a group discussion I have developed a two part leader's guide: the first section probes for comprehension, the second section is aimed at inciting discussions about the moral issues raised in the book. I have included my perspectives along with the questions in the guide, and it is your free. Just email a request at [email protected] .

Advantage Disadvantage is about the greed, corruption and betrayal of the adults surrounding a high school basketball phenom. Here's what one reviewer said:

Advantage Disadvantage is a nail-biting, behind-the-scenes pass into the world of high school sports and the people who make and break it. Set in Chicago, its innately urban backdrop is full of distinctly Windy City landmarks. This is the perfect read for sports fans that love an insider's view...an insightful and deliciously-sinful plot full of twists and turns. You'll find the perfect blend of bravery, betrayal and who-done-it adventure in this vividly penned thriller.

The book is available for 99 cents Kindle-version and $15 paperback. The discussion guide is yours for the asking.

http://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Disadvantage-Yale-R-Jaffe/dp/1439204187/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220105380&sr=8-1

Advantage Disadvantage is also available on Mobipocket.com for non-Kindle users!

I'm also interested in other books with leader's guides for teenagers and above. Authors, please add your books here!

I read this book fairly recently.....here's my review - I hope you enjoy!!

"I recently had the pleasure of reading Yale R. Jaffe's "Advantage Disadvantage". Although I finished the book a few days ago, it has taken me some time to collect my thoughts to post a review.

The first chapter hooked me from the start, as one of the characters finds himself being booked at the Cook County lockup in Chicago. Okay. The cover of the book implies that I was to read a tale relating to basketball. Hmm....

By the end of the chapter the proverbial whistle is blown and the game begins. We are introduced to characters from all walks of life: single mothers, people with dreams of the future, people who take their stations of life for granted, and those who abuse the positions they created. There are people that are desperate, scared, seeking revenge and hopeful. There are those who are white, black, rich, poor, educated, not educated, job holders and those seeking work. There are gang members, basketball players, parents, detectives, referees, scouts and newspaper reporters.

For me, I was reminded of the first time I saw the movie "Pulp Fiction", where the viewer is met with random, yet completed scenes, which at times jump from one place to the next. The audience is forced, perhaps without realizing it, to figure out where everything is connected. By the end of the movie, the audience realizes that we are all in fact connected, and each move we make not only affects ourselves, but also affects someone else: for good or for bad, whether we know it or not. Each second of the clock seems to bring a new ethical decision. The question is: what would you do?

Mr. Jaffe's book is not as "random" as "Pulp Fiction," but this referee does point out a lot of different things that were going on at the same time, which made me think. Many times with books, I have been able to predict the ending. Mr. Jaffe's tale however, took me by surprise: it was as though the entire world suddenly fell silent, as though we were watching a basketball player sink a 3 point basket at the buzzer."

J.R. Reardon
author, "Confidential Communications"