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Michael Jordan

The Life

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Michael Jordan

By: Roland Lazenby
Narrated by: Bob Souer
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About this listen

 The definitive biography of a legendary athlete.

The Shrug. The Shot. The Flu Game. Michael Jordan is responsible for sublime moments so ingrained in sports history that they have their own names. When most people think of him, they think of his beautiful shots with the game on the line, his body totally in sync with the ball -- hitting nothing but net.

But for all his greatness, this scion of a complex family from North Carolina's Coastal Plain has a darker side: he's a ruthless competitor and a lover of high stakes. There's never been a biography that encompassed the dual nature of his character and looked so deeply at Jordan on and off the court -- until now.

Basketball journalist Roland Lazenby spent almost thirty years covering Michael Jordan's career in college and the pros. He witnessed Jordan's growth from a skinny rookie to the instantly recognizable global ambassador for basketball whose business savvy and success have millions of kids still wanting to be just like Mike. Yet Lazenby also witnessed the Michael Jordan whose drive and appetite are more fearsome and more insatiable than any of his fans could begin to know.

Michael Jordan: The Life explores both sides of his personality to reveal the fullest, most compelling story of the man who is Michael Jordan. Lazenby draws on his personal relationships with Jordan's coaches; countless interviews with Jordan's friends, teammates, and family members; and interviews with Jordan himself to provide the first truly definitive study of Michael Jordan: the player, the icon, and the man. Basketball Cultural & Regional Entertainment & Celebrities Sports Celebrity Biography Inspiring Game

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Critic reviews

One of Chicago Public Library's Best Books of 2014

A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist: History and Biography

"In his thoughtful, extraordinarily well-­researched biography "Michael Jordan: The Life," Roland Lazenby... gives us the life and much more.... The exhaustive narrative of Jordan's basketball career is written with appropriate awe. But what makes this portrayal especially worthwhile is everything else."—Mike Greenberg, New York Times Book Review
"An utterly definitive biography.... The most comprehensive attempt yet made to explain the factors that have gone into producing the most famous basketball player and marketing phenom in the history of world sports....I don't know how it would be possible to write a more complete biography of him."—The Chicago Tribune
"When a world-class biographer writes about a world-class athlete, you have a biography for the ages. This is the ultimate study of Michael Jordan, and I know you will be as captivated as I was."—Pat Williams, Orlando Magic senior vice president, author of Coach Wooden's Greatest Secret
"Revelatory.... A fascinating examination into the lonely, prideful man behind the glimmering icon."—Publishers Weekly
"Roland Lazenby's new biography of Michael Jordan is as breathtaking as a dunk by 'His Airness.' ... A richly detailed, thoroughly researched book.... Lazenby expertly sifts through the myths to produce a definitive portrait of Michael Jordan."—Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune
"Right from its early pages it's clear that Roland Lazenby's biography of Michael Jordan is in full-press mode to be the best volume ever written on perhaps basketball's greatest player.... Lazenby's a born researcher and some serious legwork went into gathering all of the quotes and facts here, which add up to a kind of Jordan-centric encyclopedia."—Colin Fleming, The Boston Globe
"Lazenby's thoroughly enjoyable biography is an impressive portrait of a man consumed by his competitive ambitions. It is also by far the most complete book on Michael Jordan to date.... Essential reading for all sports fans and particularly for those interested in American cultural history and popular culture."—Library Journal (starred review)
"A lot has been written about arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, but Roland Lazenby's Michael Jordan: The Life is easily the definitive version. The journalist has covered Jordan's career for nearly thirty years and his knowledge of the game and of this miraculous player shows in what is one of the best sports biographies in years."—Parade
"What makes this portrayal especially worthwhile is the long trail Lazenby follows before the awesome career even begins."—New York Times Book Review's "Editor's Choice"
All stars
Most relevant
i was hoping to learn more about his pychology and why he became a success. heard his story told by Tony Robbins so decided to learn more. if the biography would be written by Tony Robbins i would like it more

a bit boring

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i have listened to approx 20 audio books. many similar biographies as this one. in spite Jordan was my star, i was really bored by the book.

first book i was struggling to finish

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First of all - let's address the narrator. It's a good performance with the kind of vanilla delivery that actually allows you not to focus on the voice that is telling the story. I find that preferable and hard to find.

The story itself is a thorough exposition that is courageous at times and explodes several myths around the perfection of Michael Jordan. It has no fear about getting underneath the glazed and marketed exterior of the subject and into some of the gritty realities of a man who has - in other presentations - approached sainthood and idolatry.

At no time does this book detract from the incredible achievements on the court - if anything there are times when it really does great justice to how amazing those achievements were. Let's be honest - they are staggering and they transcend basketball and throw Jordan into comparison against other sporting heroes from a variety of fields (Babe Ruth, Mohammed Ali, Pele and so on).

Likewise - this book does not shy from the mistakes, the dark times, the questionable moral choices, the intrigue... The book isn't afraid to challenge the traditional portrayal of Jordan's father (for example), the impression that people have of coach Phil Jackson (benevolent hippy or psychological bully?). There are things in the book that fans would probably rather not know about the Bulls (going on behind the scenes), about Jordan, about his relationships, behaviours and attitudes... it's there though.

A lot of people have raved about 'The Last Dance' on Netflix - if you have enjoyed that and it has wet your appetite to know more - this basically feels like going in *much deeper*, the focus is clearer, the objectivity is greater, and the overall result (in my humble opinion) is far more outstanding.

Get it. Enjoy it. 21 hours and 8 minutes of excellent audio.

An excellent, balanced, objective telling

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Any additional comments?

If you thought Michael Jordan was the worlds greatest basketball player, you still will. But, be prepared to feel differently about the man behind the myth.

A different side of Mike

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a gripping insight into the mind of a true legend. How he thought and the mentality which made him a champion.

gripping insigjt

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