Synopses & Reviews
With eleven championship rings to his name, Phil Jackson is internationally recognized as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NBA. Known as a defensive disrupter and a master fouler during his early days as a New York Knick and later celebrated as the Zen Master” for his inspirational tactics as a leader, Jackson has had a long and storied career marked by constant self-reflection and reinvention. This is the man who led Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to six championships, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers to five; who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame; and who retired in 2011, an official legendand the most sought-after free-agent coach in history.
As befits a legend, Jackson has written several candid, insightful books about his life and career, but now one of Americas most respected sportswriters turns an unvarnished light on Jacksons strange and remarkable journey, from his sheltered childhood and adolescence in Montana and North Dakota, through his years playing at Madison Square Garden, to his experiences coaching Jordan, Bryant, and more of the greatest players of our time. New York Times-bestselling author Peter Richmond has written a personal, definitive, revealing biography of a veritable sports genius, and an American classic.
Review
“[R]ecaptures the energy of one of sport’s greatest moments….A fitting, illuminating tribute to a game that many believe was the best ever.”
- Kirkus Reviews
Review
“Wojciechowski offers a nice blend of past and present perspectives as he tells the story of how an unlikely classic came to be, how it played out, and how it lives on … [
The Last Great Game] is both fun and thorough without getting tedious.”
- Erik Spanberg, The Christian Science Monitor
Review
“[A] fascinating portrait ….This thoroughly enjoyable book will attract college basketball fans across the country, regardless of team loyalties.”
- Booklist
Review
“You think you know all the stories? So did I. But I had not heard these.”
- Louisville Courier-Journal
Review
“Richmond employs a folksy style that is both a homage to Jacksons non-conformist persona and a playful jab at his Zen master reputation. Thankfully for readers, Richmond favors personal evolution over hagiography, which is the difference maker in this in-depth and entertaining work.”—Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for Badasses by Peter Richmond
“No NFL team ever strutted any better on the dark side than the Oakland Raiders of the 1970s. In Badasses, Peter Richmond chronicles the treacheries, debauchery, and yes, the winning, with appropriate literary gusto. Lock the doors, close the windows, send the kids tobed before reading.”—Leigh Montville, author of Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero
“I always thought the Raiders were bad, but I never realized how bad -- and how good - until I read Peter Richmonds smart, funny, rowdy tale.”—Robert Lipsyte, former New York Times columnist and author of Center Field)
“Once upon a time, there lived a band of larger-than-life misfits who lorded over the NFL. Dirtbags! Castoffs! Has-beens! Deviants! You name ‘em, John Maddens Raiders had ‘em. And, thanks to Richmonds tireless reporting and vibrant prose, so does Badasses.”—Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty
“Richmonds book is a treasure trove of uproarious anecdotes skillfully woven into a seasonal chronicle spiced with sharp player profiles...This rollicking read reminds us that football is a game thats meant to be played hard—and to be fun.”—Library Journal
Synopsis
The definitive book on the greatest game in the history of college basketball, and the dramatic road both teams took to get there.
March 28, 1992. The final of the NCAA East Regional, Duke vs. Kentucky. The 17,848 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia and the millions watching on TV could say they saw the greatest game and the greatest shot in the history of college basketball. But it wasn't just the final play of the game-an 80-foot inbounds bass from Grant Hill to Christian Laettner with 2.1 seconds left in overtime- that made Duke's 104-103 victory so memorable. The Kentucky and Duke players and coaches arrived at that point from very different places, each with a unique story to tell.
In The Last Great Game, acclaimed ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski tells their stories in vivid detail, turning the game we think we remember into a drama filled with suspense, humor, revelations and reverberations. The cast alone is worth meeting again: Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Christian Laettner, Sean Woods, Grant Hill, and Bobby Knight. Timed for the game's 20th anniversary, The Last Great Game isn't a book just for Duke or Kentucky or even basketball fans. It's a book for any reader who can appreciate that great moments in sports are the result of hard work, careful preparation, group psychology, and a little luck.
Synopsis
Phil Jacksonthe legendary coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bullshas told his own story. Now it is time for a different viewa deeply reported, unauthorized account by one of Americas top sports journalists.
Synopsis
Phil Jacksonand#151;the legendary coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bullsand#151;has told his own story. Now it is time for a different viewand#151;a deeply reported, unauthorized account by one of Americaand#8217;s top sports journalists.
Synopsis
Phil Jackson is one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball. As head coach of the Chicago Bulls, he led Michael Jordan to six championships. After switching allegiances, he led Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers to five. All told, Jackson has a record eleven championship rings.
Jackson has written several bestselling books about his life and career, but Peter Richmond turns an unprecedented light on Jacksons whole life. Phil Jackson: Lord of the Rings is the definitive and revealing biography that anyone who loves the gamebut especially Bulls and Lakers fanshas been waiting for.
Synopsis
An in-depth and entertaining” unauthorized biography from the
New York Times best-selling author of
Badasses. (
Publishers Weekly)
Phil Jackson is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball. As head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 to 1998, he led Michael Jordan to six championships. In 1999, Jackson switched allegiances and moved to the Los Angeles Lakers, racking up five titles in ten years. All told, he has eleven championship ringsmore titles than any other NBA coach in history.
Jackson has written several candid books about his life and career, but now New York Times-bestselling author Peter Richmond turns an unprecedented light on Jacksons whole life. Phil Jackson: Lord of the Rings is the personal, definitive, and revealing biography of an unrivalled sports genius.
About the Author
Peter Richmond is the author of five other books, including The Glory Game (with Frank Gifford), which was a New York Times bestseller. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, and GQ. He lives with his wife in Dutchess County, New York.