This is another book that my students love to read during independent reading. It always seems to be checked out.

“What would you ask Tom Brady?” Fortyish college English lit professor is feeling old with creaky back and even creakier kiddie van. While teaching “Moby Dick” to a bunch of undergraduates, he decides to embark on his own Ahab moment – obsessively seeking a meeting with Super-man, Tom Brady. This is a less a tale of the hunky skipper of the New England Patriots, and possessor of a cleft chin, gorgeous model wife and four Super Bowls rings. In Richard J. King’s wry and slightly self-deprecatory hands we are treated to a meditation on what it means to be a man, to be successful, the nature of celebrity and the pursuit of excellence.

We follow King to tailgates, a few games, into a press conference, to Tom’s home town of San Mateo California and to the site of college football glory in Ann Arbor. All in preparation to meeting (or not) Tom himself. At each stop, he explains his mission and asks, “What would you ask Tom Brady?” The range of responses are in turns profane, profound, predictable and thoughtful. This quest will speak to many who have followed a particular sport or athlete. More generally, why do we feel the need to reach out to our heroes? So we can bask in reflected glory? Hope some ‘magic’ rubs off? Delightedly divine some secret to success? What if our hero isn’t the role model we’d envisioned? What if they are a jerk? I won't spoil the ending as to whether he is successful in his quest.

As a Michigan Wolverine, transplanted to Boston, I am the perfect target for this book. I suspect King’s easy writing and humor will have much broader appeal. I loved the pencil drawings throughout and especially his repeated visits to local sports bar. Sitting at various tables are Chicken Little (the ultimate pessimist), Dolphins Guy, Dr. No-No (based upon his most shouted expression), Nick Name (who comes up with pith plays on players names), Loud Pats Lady and the denizens of Steelers row. I know these people. They are exactly like the people I’ve watched games, argued and slugged beers with for years. And thus is the universal appeal of King’s book as it speaks to the QB idolizing sports fan in all of us. ( )

That is the headline given by Richard J. King to himself in Meeting Tom Brady. Mr. King is a lecturer in Literature of the Sea with the Williams College at Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program and the author of scholarly articles. He does not seem like the typical stalker of Tom Brady.

The book traces Mr. King's efforts to meet Mr. Brady and come up with interesting questions for him. This includes hanging out in Boston's South Station with a sign saying asking "What would you ask Tom Brady?" And yes, his solicitations work and people stop to tell him what they would ask.

Mr. King's efforts take place during the 2013 football season. The ups and downs of the season are mixed with the ups and downs of Mr. King's quest.

I won't spoil the questions you are asking "Does he meet Tom Brady and what does he ask him?"

I'm a devoted Patriots fan, so I took a copy of the book when the publisher offered me a copy for review.

I'm not sure the book will appeal to anyone but Patriots fans. If you are a Patriots fan, it's a fun book to read. ( )

Facing a mid-life crisis, a college professor embarks on a quest to meet and have a catch with New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady. Early on, I thought it was going to be a creepy/stalkerish kind of book but it was actually kind of fun to see how he went about trying to achieve his goal.

First off, he obsessed with everything Patriots, was in constant communication with the Pats PR person, and tried other routes to get in. Most of the book, however, focuses on his efforts to meet other Patriots fans in various situations to ask them what they'd ask Tom Brady, if given the chance. Many thought-provoking kinds of questions were offered.

I like football but I'm not a Pats fan but it's somewhat interesting to see how someone would go about meeting his hero. ( )

I love the Patriots and was excited to get this to review.

Not bad, and I wondered until about halfway through the book whether the author would get to complete his quest. (I won't spoil it here)

A fairly quick and mostly entertaining read, it would be a good choice for die hard Pats fans. ( )