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Michael Jordan: The Life Hardcover – May 6, 2014

by Roland Lazenby (Author)

4.7 2,336 ratings

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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.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Lazenby, author of an acclaimed biography of NBA great Jerry West, correctly points out that there have been enough books written about Michael Jordan to qualify as a genre. So why another? In order to reveal, Lazenby says, more of Jordan’s true self, his complex, almost bipolar personality. Jordan, we learn, driven by his hypercompetitiveness, could go from being a gracious person off the court to a vicious antagonist to teammates and opponents. As Jordan’s fame grew, Lazenby shows, he became its prisoner, and his isolation worsened after his father, Michael’s anchor in a world of sycophants, was murdered. Lazenby also digs into the rest of Jordan’s family, noting that Michael was estranged from the family for a time over a dispute between his then-wife, Juanita, and his mother. Lazenby’s resources include the vast printed Jordan library as well as interviews conducted recently, along with gleanings from the author’s years on the NBA beat. Readers who have immersed themselves in the Jordan “genre” will be familiar with much of what’s detailed here, but MJ’s life is a movie worth watching again, and Lazenby adds enough deleted scenes to add some oomph to the familiar story. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Interest in Jordan remains high, and this biography will be heavily promoted and is sure to receive coverage beyond both book pages and sports sections. --Wes Lukowsky

Review

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"

"It's not every day that I'm blown away by a book about a sports figure. But MICHAEL JORDAN: THE LIFE, by Roland Lazenby, ranks up there with the very best: The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn, Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger, and Joe DiMaggio by Richard Ben Cramer. The depth of reporting, his frequent ascent into poetry, and his intelligent analysis of the life of this complicated, fascinating American icon deserve Pulitzer Prize consideration. For the first time I understand what makes Michael Jordan tick. I was captivated, fascinated and beguiled from beginning to end."―Peter Golenbock, New York Times-bestselling author of George and In the Country of Brooklyn

"Lazenby looks beyond the on-court exploits of a sports and cultural icon to find the complicated, and often contradictory, man behind the myth."―ESPN Holiday Gift Guide

"Studded with insights."―Kirkus Reviews

"Resplendent... A definitive, multidimensional portrait of a man and a legend, and a notable contribution to sports literature."―Miriam Tuliao, BookReporter

"Lazenby's book is impressive in its research. There are details bound to surprise even the most die-hard Bulls fan."―Mike McGraw, The Chicago Daily Herald

"The definitive portrait.... The dream of the non-fiction writer is to condemn future books on the same subject to irrelevance. It's possible Lazenby has achieved this lofty goal: nothing more needs to be written about Jordan."―Adrian Lee, Macleans

"A comprehensive look at the life and times of the man and the legend.... A great work for any sports enthusiast and B-ball fan to read about one of the best that ever came to the game."―Brook Stephenson, Ebony

"The wonderfully researched and thoughtful story of the six-time NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, Michael Jordan: The Life, lives up to its hype."―Jill Krasny, Esquire

"Lazenby is one of the best, most thoughtful and thorough people writing books on the NBA today, which makes all his books fascinating reads and great looks at the psychology of teams and great players. His stuff is must read."―Kurt Helin, NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk

Lazenby is "the Michael Jordan of writing about Michael Jordan."―MSNBC's The Cycle

"Lazenby's prose soars as dramatically and excitingly as does his subject. Jordan appeared to fly through the air; Lazenby makes time fly as readers immerse themselves in an extraordinarily competitive life. Does any biography deserve 700 pages? When you read Lazenby's Michael Jordan: The Life you'll be hard-pressed to answer anything but yes."―Michael Levin, New York Journal of Books

"MJ's life is a movie worth watching again, and Lazenby adds enough deleted scenes to add some oomph to the familiar story."―Booklist

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company; Illustrated edition (May 6, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 720 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316194778
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316194778
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1060L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 2 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #501,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #390 in Basketball Biographies (Books)
- #1,632 in Rich & Famous Biographies
- #1,637 in Black & African American Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.7 2,336 ratings

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Roland Lazenby

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Michael Jordan saved my life once. It was during the 1995 playoffs, Chicago vs. Charlotte, after a practice at the arena in Charlotte. He was walking out of the building with a group of reporters following. Walking backwards, I was leading the pack, with my tape recorder in his face, interviewing as we walked. I was a foot from walking off the loading dock at the back of the arena, about a 10 foot fall onto concrete, when he reached out and grabbed my arm to stop me from going over the edge.

So when I say that I have an interest in Jordan, I mean it.

I've written a new biography, Michael Jordan, The Life, set to be released by Little, Brown on May 6, 2014. His is a very big life, and the book was an immense challenge to write but oh so fascinating, as was the Jerry West bio I wrote in 2010 for ESPN Books/Random House.

I like to write about competitive personalities, especially those in the NBA. I like to write about their families. Among the zillion questions I had about MJ, I wanted to know where he came from, who the Jordans were. They were moonshiners, making and selling illegal liquor on North Carolina's Coastal Plain. So that's where his hard edge came from, I thought upon discovering who they were. Just about all the farmers and sharecroppers were moonshiners back in the day. That was their cash crop, the one that kept the family fed. They were tough-minded people, just like Jordan himself.

I've written a book that builds his life from that background. Starting at the beginning, with the birth of his great grandfather Dawson Jordan, allows me to take the reader through the process of his family, his background, and the nurturing of his vast competitive nature. What's more, it's immensely fun to track his rise. I enjoyed writing about the sharecroppers on North Carolina's Coastal Plain, just as I enjoyed writing about the coal miners and frontier settlers in Jerry West's background in West Virginia.

I see it as connecting all of the important cultural dots in the backgrounds of iconic figures.

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Sandra Iler Kirkland

Great Biography Of A Great Man

Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2015

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MJ. His Airness. Jordan Air. Michael Jordan is arguably, the best basketball player that has ever laced up his shoes. Fans all have favorite memories; his game-winning basket for the national title at UNC, the flu game, the jams, the high scores. He is one of the most easily identifiable individuals in the world as his fame spread past the courts to advertising and the movies. But who is this man?

Roland Lazenby has written a memoir biography of Michael Jordan. He takes the reader through his childhood and the family structure and issues. Jordan's time at the University of North Carolina and his relationship with coach Dean Smith is covered in depth as the reader learns how Jordan improved his game. His time with the Chicago Bulls led to a long run as world champions and the reader sees how the offense set up there was perfect for Jordan both to shine as an individual and as a teammate. His relationship with his teammates and his coaches is covered in detail, both during the good years and as the team came apart through player-management issues.

But this is not just a tribute book. Jordan's negative influences are also covered. The family issues and conflicts were a spur to Jordan. His competitive drive also led to gambling. Of course, few can forget the murder of his father and how that affected Jordan, leading to him leaving basketball for two years and trying to become a professional baseball player. The fact that Jordan's intense competitive drive made him less than supportive of teammates that weren't as talented or who didn't work as hard. Jordan was a master trash-talker and rode others mercilessly when they didn't measure up to his standards.

At the end of the book, the reader is left with a complete picture of this complicated man. Leaders are honored and adored, but few really understand the drive it takes to be the best. To spur others to achieve greatness, often leaders are less than kind and often even cruel, and that is also a part of leadership. Jordan has great athletic talent, an incredible energy and drive for success, loyalty to those he trusts, and has given the world moments that will always be remembered. At our core, we all want 'to be like Mike'. This book is recommended for sports fans and those interested in reading about how one individual finds the drive to compete and excel, until they are the best in the world.

29 people found this helpful

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Drue

An in depth look of the most competitive sports figure in history.

Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2022

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Being born in 1997, I did not have the privilege of watching Michael Jordan play live growing up. I grew up in the Kobe and Lebron eras of basketball. This book provides an in-depth understanding of just how competitive Michael Jordan truly is, and how he rose to fame; beginning with his ancestors and great great grandparents. This book shed light to parts of Michael Jordan’s life that I never knew and it changed my perspective of how great Jordan really was (which I didn’t think was possible). It also displays the facets of Jordan’s life that he struggled with but had difficulty acknowledging in public. If you are a basketball fan, especially one that grew up following the eclipse of Jordan’s reign, I highly recommend reading this book.

5 people found this helpful

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R. Miller

Very well researched but most info was nothing new to me.

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2015

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Well researched. Very erudite in regards to some of the details concerning Michael Jordan's life. That alone merits 3 stars. The information about Michael's ancestors were brilliantly researched. The author also shed light on Jordan's Wizards years and presented information I didn't know about in regards to the rancor and in some cases odium that existed between Jordan and management as well as the growing dichotomy regarding philosophy and how the franchise should go foward. The players also grew to detest Jordan's approach. I respect the fact that Roland did not approach this book as another Jordan worshipping author who is going to write this hagiography painting Jordan as an infalible saint. Unfortunately for me having played the game during the late 80's and 90's in highschool and some college and watching a lot of MJ along with Magic and Bird, there wasn't much new information presented, at least for me. It was a decent read which for the neophyte who doesn't know that much about Jordan would be an astonishing narrative but for me I give it 4 stars not 5 simply because most of the information I already knew.

The problem with writing about these very famous personalities is that what don't we not know about the subject. It would be like writing a book about Michael Jackson and we can make the case that in the 90's Michael Jordan approached Michael Jackson status in terms of being that famous, especially the Michael Jackson of the 80's. Both figures transcended race and were famous international figures. What new information could you really present on the life of a person that famous. What hasn't been written about them somewhere. I would probably love to see a researcher go deeper into maybe the period of Jordan's life from 1993 to his comeback in 1995. Delving into the death of his father which to me is still clouded and strange. I think books like that would be an interesting and fresh take on this very famous subject. The 30 for 30 film "Jordan Ride's The Bus" touched on that period along with Bob Greene who is a famous Jordan historian and author but once again Greene is one of those hagiographers and Jordan worshipers. Roland in contrast stated that Jordan wanted to be involved but Roland wanted to keep the integrity of the book. Jordan wanted to ommit some things that were controversial to him. Jordan most likely would have opted to ommit the narrative about the sexual abuse that occured at the hands of his father as he victimized his older sister. He would have probably put the pressure on Roland to leave out the legal misgivings and lack of business accumen exhibited by his father as well. I do wonder why Roland failed to bring out the extortion trial in which Jordan was a plantiff in the 2002 case where one of his former mistresses Karla Knafel tried to blackmail him for money by threatening to exspose him as someone who was cheating on his wife in 1991 and who was potentially the father on her child. Overall pretty decent well researched narrative.

5 people found this helpful

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Bingo

The Life is an interesting and easy to read account of Michael Jordan's life to now

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2014

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The Life is an interesting and easy to read account of Michael Jordan's life to now. What it has that other Jordan books don't is the benefit of time to fully appreciate his influence on sports, marketing, and business.

The book analyzes the importance of the system over the individual (even if the person is the best ever), how drive is more important than talent, the challenges that sudden success has on family and the individual, how a small running shoe company became a worldwide sports juggernaut, and how the leaders that hired Jordan all came to believe and long for a chance to show that their systems could be successful without him.

Jordan is a fascinating book about a man who is the best athlete of my generation that was smart, driven and lucky enough to make himself the symbol of sport. How he got there is worth the read.

2 people found this helpful

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