The House of Moses All-Stars: A Novel

On January 7, 1927, the Harlem Globetrotters, a barnstorming basketball team, made their debut in Hinckley, Illinois, before an audience of 300. They were the vision of Abe Saperstein, a Jewish man who managed a touring team of African-American round-ballers. Now, 70 years later, the Globetrotters are known around the world and have played an intriguing role in the history of race in America. Charley Rosen's novel The House of Moses All-Stars is an intriguing spin on the Globetrotters' story. Set amid the Depression at home and the rise of Hitler in Germany, Rosen tells a story of Jewish hoopsters dribbling through middle America. For the team, the games are more a means of making a buck in hard times than breaking down barriers. But as they tour the country in a hearse with the Star of David emblazoned on the side, they uncover the realities of bigotry and racism that even American sport cannot suppress.