Roland Lazenby

"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 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.

The Life

Michael Jordan

Seventeen-time all-star; scorer of 81 points in a game; MVP and a shooting guard second only to Jordan in league history: Kobe Bryant is one of basketball's absolute greatest players, a fascinating and complicated character who knew when he was a mere boy that he would be better than Jordan on the court. The debate about whether he achieved that is a furious one--but Kobe has surpassed Jordan on the all-time scoring list and has only one less championship than Jordan (5 to Jordan's 6). He is set to retire after the 2015/16 season, just in time for Roland Lazenby's definitive biography of the player and the man. The Lakers are the flashiest team in all of sports, and the context in which Bryant played is salacious and exciting. Provocative stories mixed with good old fashioned basketball reporting make for a riveting and essential read for any hoops fan.

The Life of Kobe Bryant

Showboat

Untitled Lazenby Nonfiction Fall 2023

L’OUVRAGE - Biographie Michael Jordan : The Life est la biographie définitive d’un basketteur qui possédait tout : le sens du spectacle, la maîtrise des airs et une technique parfaite. Rarement un sportif aura autant fait pour la popularité de sa discipline à l’échelle mondiale. Ce livre retrace toutes les étapes de cette ascension fulgurante en n’omettant aucun détail. L’enfance de Michael, son passage à l’université de North Carolina, son arrivée chez les Chicago Bulls, sa domination écrasante en NBA, la « Dream Team » des Jeux olympiques de Barcelone, son business, les affaires extrasportives, les conflits familiaux... Une figure complexe dont l’image a largement dépassé le cadre du sport. ‘‘MJ’’ appartient désormais à la culture populaire. Plongez dans la saga la plus fascinante du sport moderne. Vous saurez tout de Michael Jeffrey Jordan. L’acteur. L’icône. Et surtout l’homme. Devenu milliardaire. Roland Lazenby a consacré presque trente ans de sa vie à couvrir la carrière de Michael Jordan. Il a été le témoin de sa transformation en un athlète de légende.

The life

Showboat, la vita di Kobe Bryant

Michael Jordan, la vita

Michael Jordan Zycie

Kevin Cupp

Relates the stories and experiences of journalism students and the university community on the events of April 16, 2007, when a gunman terrorized the campus with a series of shootings, leaving thirty-two people dead.

Virginia Tech Remembers

April 16th

The definitive biography of the basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, from the highly respected, career sportswriter and author of Michael Jordan: The Life. Magic Johnson is one of the most beloved, and at times controversial, athletes in history. His iconic smile lifted the dowdy sport of American professional basketball from a second-tier sport with low ratings into the global spotlight—a transformation driven by Magic’s ability to eviscerate opponents with a playing style that featured his grand sense of fun. He was a master entertainer who directed the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers to the heights of both glory and epic excess, all of it driven by his mind-blowing no-look passes and personal charm. Then, in 1991, at the height of his charismatic power, Johnson shocked the world with a startling cautionary tale about sexually transmitted disease that pushed public awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Then out came his confession of unprotected sex with hundreds of women each year, followed by his retirement, an attempted return, and a proper farewell on the iconic 1992 Olympic Dream Team. Longtime biographer Roland Lazenby spent years tracking the unlikely ascension of Johnson—an immensely popular public figure who was instantly scandalized but who then turned to his legendary will to rise again as a successful entrepreneur with another level of hard-won success. In Lazenby’s portrayal, Johnson’s tale becomes bigger than that of one man. It is a generational saga spanning parts of three centuries that reveals a great deal, not just about his unique basketball journey but about America itself. Through hundreds of interviews with Johnson’s coaches, representatives past and present, teammates, opponents, friends, and loved ones, as well as key conversations with Johnson himself over the years, Lazenby has produced the first truly definitive study, both dark and light, of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr.—the revolutionary player, the icon, the man.

Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson

After leading his team to three championships, Ichiro Suzuki left the Orix Blue Waves in Japan to try his luck in America with the Seattle Mariners. Many skeptics thought that Ichiro would be overpowered by American high-speed pitchers, or that he would not measure up as a hitter alongside his new and larger teammates in the major leagues. All naysayers were quickly proven wrong as Ichiro captured the hearts and imagination of Mariners fans, thanks to his unorthodox and highly effective style. This biography of one of baseball’s most interesting and unique stars, which features dozens of color photographs, is complete look at a legend in the making, from his beginnings in Kasugai to his current relationship with the media in America.

The Making of an American Hero

Ichiro

A gripping, emotional account of the worst school shooting in United States history, told by those who lived through it Monday, April 16, 2007 started like any other Monday at Virginia Tech, with professors and students preparing for another busy week of classes. However, word quickly circulated of a shooting in the dorms - and the gunman was still loose. The campus went into lockdown, and as the gruesome events unfolded in Norris Hall, a group of journalism students trapped in a nearby building transmitted stories and updates to the student-run website, PlanetBlacksburg.com. Now, these students, together with their journalism instructor and members of the Virginia Tech community, have documented the events of that day. April 16th: Virginia Tech Remembers gives a voice to the students, faculty, and staff who lived through the shooting, and serves as a memorial for the 32 victims. The book also describes the onslaught of media coverage that immediately followed, and reveals the remarkable resilience of the students of Virginia Tech throughout the entire ordeal.

April 16th: Virginia Tech Remembers

The first definitive oral history of the ever popular L.A. Lakers The L.A. Lakers have long been one of the NBA's most exciting teams. In The Show, critically acclaimed sportswriter Roland Lazenby brings the story of this charismatic team to life in an unprecedented oral history, featuring such legendary players as Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, and Magic Johnson, along with current stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Through in-depth interviews with players, coaches, and many other key figures, Lazenby follows the Lakers from their birthplace in 1946 Minneapolis to their eventual successes and failures in Los Angeles, using his flair for storytelling and eye for detail to show you exactly why the 14-time NBA champion Lakers are a celebrated favorite for sports fans all over America.

The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It

The Show

At just 19 years of age, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant is arguably the youthful sensation of the NBA. "Mad Game" documents the highs and lows this future legend's first two NBA seasons. Color photo insert.

The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant

Mad Game

羅倫．拉森比

生也傳奇，死也傳奇 永遠不滅的曼巴精神！ NBA史上風格最鮮明， 讓球迷又愛又恨的傳奇人物 《Men’s Journal》雜誌年度最佳書籍 《星期日泰晤士報》年度最佳運動書籍獎決選名單入圍 「大家會怎麼記得他？」 24號？8號？單場81分？史上得分手段最多的球員？最接近喬丹的那個人？ 奧斯卡最佳動畫短片獎《親愛的籃球》？ 還是那場令全世界籃球迷心碎的意外事故？ 無論從哪個角度來看，科比．布萊恩的一生，都值得全世界球迷再三追思。 科比．布萊恩是NBA史上絕對無法忽略的偉大球員之一，對於體育運動的重要性與影響無庸置疑。即使身處體育界最風光、隊史擁有無數名傳奇球星的洛杉磯湖人隊，他仍然佔據著鎂光燈的焦點，就連引退賽都吸引了全球籃球迷的目光，並帶給大家難以忘懷的一晚。 本書由知名運動作家羅倫．拉森比操刀，深入這樣一位偉大球星的人生，以科比最討厭的外號「SHOWBOAT」（愛現仔）作為全書主題，彰顯科比一直以來都在試著跟全世界證明自己，那種「Love me or Hate me」的哲學。 除此之外，全書用極長的篇幅，鉅細靡遺的講述科比的家族故事、他從出身開始的人生經歷、與父母決裂的過程、婚姻關係，甚至是那個轟動一時的涉嫌性侵案。 要了解科比．布萊恩的生涯軌跡，這是一本你絕對不能錯過的好書。 作者簡介 羅倫．拉森比（Roland Lazenby） 《麥可喬丹傳》（Michael Jordan: The Life）與《Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon》，以及眾多暢銷書的作者。過去三十年頭，在撰寫這些傳奇球星的故事時，他同時投身於訪問NBA球員、教練、球團工作人員與其他相關知名人物上。他住在維吉尼亞州的塞勒姆。 譯者簡介 李祖明 曾在《Hoop Taiwan 美國職籃 》雜誌擔任編輯、資深編輯近六年，目前是《XXL美國職籃聯盟雜誌》與《baller籃球誌》外稿作者，並在《太報Tai Sounds》與《運動視界Sports Vision》等網站上撰寫文章，希望能更深入、廣泛地了解並分享籃球這項運動背後的故事。感謝所有在翻譯過程中支持我的人與辛苦一直被我打擾的編輯部，也感謝引薦我獲得翻譯機會的《籃球研究院》院長王承文。

科比．布萊恩傳

生來張狂

As “the Golden Arm” of the National Football League, Johnny Unitas became ensconced in history as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. With his record of 47 consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass, his performance in the “Greatest Game Ever Played,” ten Pro Bowl appearances, and his steadfast devotion to Baltimore, Unitas earned himself the hushed reverence with which his name is still spoken. Despite his long legacy, there is much to discover about the man himself, such as the NFL's near miss in discovering his talent after a draft flop and Unitas turning to construction work and a semi-pro team. With photos to elaborate on the exciting background given about the football legend, this biography is an entertaining profile that will delight any fan of the sport.

The Best There Ever Was

Johnny Unitas

When in 1969 the NBA sought an emblem for the league, one man was chosen above all as the icon of his sport: Jerry West. Silhouetted in white against a red-and-blue backdrop, West’s signature gait and left-handed dribble are still the NBA logo, seen on merchandise around the world. In this marvelous book—the first biography of the basketball legend—award-winning reporter and author Roland Lazenby traces Jerry West’s brilliant career from the coalfields near Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to the bare-knuckled pre-expansion era of the NBA, from the Lakers’ Riley-Magic-Kareem Showtime era to Jackson–Kobe–Shaq teams of the early twenty-first century, and beyond. But fame was not all glory. Called “Mr. Clutch,” West was an incomparable talent—flawless on defense, possessing unmatched court vision, and the perfect jumper, unstoppable when the game was on the line. Beloved and respected by fans and fellow players alike, West was the centerpiece of Lakers teams that starred such players as Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, and he went on to nine NBA Finals. Yet in losing eight of those series, including six in a row to the detested Boston Celtics, West became as famous for his failures as for his triumphs. And that notoriety cast long shadows over West’s life on and off the court. Yet as the author discovered through scores of exclusive interviews with West’s teammates, colleagues, and family members, West channeled the frustration of his darkest moments into a driving force that propelled his years as an executive. And in this capacity, the success that often eluded West on the court has enabled him to reach out to successive generations of players to enrich and shape the sport in immeasurable ways. Though sometimes overshadowed by flashier peers on the court, Jerry West nevertheless stands out as the heart and soul of a league that, in fifty years, has metamorphosed from a regional sideshow into a global phenomenon. And in Jerry West, Roland Lazenby provides the ultimate story of a man who has done more to shape basketball than anyone on the planet.

The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon

Jerry West

MIND GAMES follows the journey of Phil Jackson to the top of basketball’s coaching hierarchy, a rise that took him from obscurity in the Continental Basketball Association to nine championship rings in the NBA. Along the way he turned multimillionaire players on to meditation, transformed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from a one-man show to a five-man team of domination, and after battling with Bulls management, ended one dynasty to start another on the West Coast. Sportswriter Roland Lazenby, author of the bestselling BLOOD ON THE HORNS, reveals the fascinating story of Jackson's life, from his years with the New York Knicks under the legendary Red Holzman to his remarkable nine championships coaching first the Chicago Bulls and then the Los Angeles Lakers. In MIND GAMES Lazenby compellingly portrays a man with a unique determination to control the competitive environment he inhabits. A clear picture of the Jackson mystique emerges: philosopher, teacher, manipulator, counselor, psychologist, shaman, champion, master of mind games. Originally published in 2007, now available in eBook format for the first time.

Phil Jackson's Long Strange Journey

Mind Games

Mindgames follows the journey of Phil Jackson to the top of basketball?s coaching hierarchy, a rise that took him from obscurity in the Continental Basketball Association to nine championship rings in the NBA. Along the way he turned multimillionaire players on to meditation, transformed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from a one-man show to a five-man team of domination, and after battling with Bulls management, ended one dynasty to start another on the West Coast. ø Sportswriter Roland Lazenby, author of the bestselling Blood on the Horns, reveals the fascinating story of Jackson's life, from his years with the New York Knicks under the legendary Red Holzman to his remarkable nine championships coaching first the Chicago Bulls and then the Los Angeles Lakers. ø In Mindgames Lazenby compellingly portrays a man with a unique determination to control the competitive environment he inhabits. A clear picture of the Jackson mystique emerges: philosopher, teacher, manipulator, counselor, psychologist, shaman, champion, master of mind games.

Mindgames

Adam Sherman

Tracing the long and colorful history of a nation's most popular spectator sport, this unique book encapsulates football's hazy beginnings in twelfth century England and traces its history to the most recent NFL events. From the development of college football over a hundred years ago to the birth of professional football and how the teams and leagues are today, this complete volume tells it all. The sport's most compelling moments and most talented players and coaches come to life through exciting text and photographs.

Roland Lazenby

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