Another Round of UK Book Signings for Author Jamie H. Vaught Confirmed
Special to KySportsStyle.com Magazine
After numerous successful book signings during the 2023 Christmas shopping season, there will be another round of signings during the upcoming months for Kentucky sportswriter and author Jamie H. Vaught’s new and sixth paperback about the University of Kentucky basketball.
The title of the 408-page paperback is Forever Crazy About the Cats: An Improbable Journey of a Kentucky Sportswriter Overcoming Adversity. The new paperback is an updated edition of the hardcover, which was originally released in December 2022.
Madison County Public Library in Berea will host the first book signing for Spring. The library’s “Greet and Meet” event will take place in Berea on Saturday morning, March 2 from 10-11:30 am ET.
The second event will be at the Pulaski County Public Library in Somerset on Saturday morning, March 9 from 10-11:30 am ET. The Somerset library also hosted the signing last spring when the hardcover edition came out.
The other signings at public libraries will be held in western Kentucky with the May 18 events taking place at Hopkinsville-Christian County (10 to 11:30 am CT) and McCracken County (2 to 4 CT in Paducah) public libraries.
A longtime professor at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Middlesboro who moonlights as a sportswriter, Vaught said, “If you’re feeling nostalgic for the University of Kentucky’s glorious basketball past, this could be the book for you.”
The paperback, which also contains UK football stories, features many fascinating and inside accounts about the Kentucky Wildcats. The featured individuals include Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Dan Issel, Mike Pratt, Cawood Ledford, Tubby Smith, John Calipari, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Ray Correll, Blanton Collier, Fran Curci, Jerry Claiborne, Vic Adams, Mark Stoops, Maci Morris, Oscar Tshiebwe (and his high school coach Rick Mancino), among others. The book begins with a chapter on legendary broadcaster Cawood Ledford and ends with a chapter on legendary coach Joe B. Hall.
In addition to numerous UK stories and interviews, the book is also part memoir about Vaught’s long, adventurous career of covering the Wildcats in basketball and football while overcoming personal adversity — a devastating hearing loss since birth. The author discusses his early personal struggles in dealing with his severe hearing impairment or near deafness.
Also featured is a fascinating chapter about former prep basketball superstar J.R. VanHoose of Paintsville High School who once was recruited by UK. In addition, the book includes an enjoyable chapter about Vaught’s childhood friend Roberto Clemente and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The book reviews have been very good.
"I have finished the book and really enjoyed it,” said Lexington’s Jim Host, the sports marketing pioneer who is also a member of the National College Basketball Hall of Fame. “I found it really entertaining with the sidebar stories about a number of individuals associated with UK. Jamie is a superstar in how he has overcome adversity in doing such a great job on this book.”
Added Dr. John Huang, the award-winning author of Kentucky Passion, "Despite his lofty accomplishments as the author of six books, Jamie Vaught remains one of the nicest guys on the UK media beat. In Forever Crazy About the Cats, we get a candid glimpse of not only why he's so passionate about Kentucky Basketball but also why he's such an inspiration to so many. It's a book worth reading and a story you don't want to miss."
Said Dr. W. Bruce Ayers, retired president of Southeast Kentucky CTC, “As usual, Jamie Vaught has provided special insight into Kentucky basketball through the eyes of individuals who have had special access to this storied program over the years, and this volume also includes rare snippets about the football program as well. However, the thing that sets Forever Crazy About the Cats apart is the behind the scenes view that the author provides about his struggles—since birth—to overcome a hearing disability that left him near deaf. The obstacles that he has faced, and overcome, rival those with which any Kentucky team has had to contend over the years. … An inspirational story.”
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Vaught wrote columns for The Cats’ Pause for 13 years.
Along with the other invited authors, Vaught recently signed his new book at the prestigious Kentucky Book Festival in October.
The paperback, which has a list price of $16.95, is available at Lexington locations -- Joseph-Beth Booksellers and Kentucky Branded – and Read Spotted Newt bookstore in Hazard as well as Amazon.com (online).
Author Jamie H. Vaught shows his new UK paperback at a Lexington bookstore in December.
