Gary Pomerantz’s The Last Pass is an interesting read about racism, friendship, and mortality. Told largely through the historic run of the Boston Celtics of the ’50s and ’60s, The last pass focuses on the relationship between Bob Cousy and Bill Russel.

As a Celtics fan from Boston who appreciates history and acknowledges the terrible racist history of Boston and Massachusetts, I really enjoyed The Last Pass.

The story is told by Bob Cousy. It walks us through the abuse Cousy watched his mother inflict on his father and discusses how that impacted Cous’s life. But the focus of the story is Cous’s regret that he didn’t speak out when Russell and his other African-American teammates suffered discrimination.

By the end of the book, Cousy who is nearly 90, sends a letter to Russel and shares his feelings and regrets.

If you enjoy true life stories and you are willing to confront racism, you should give The Last Pass a read. If you’re a sports fan, the book will be especially enjoyable for you.