Jane Leavy est une auteure acclamée dont le travail se penche souvent sur l'intersection du sport et de la culture, apportant un mélange unique d'intuition aiguë et d'humour pince-sans-rire à ses sujets. Elle possède une capacité remarquable à éclairer la condition humaine à travers le prisme des activités athlétiques, explorant les thèmes de l'obsession, de l'identité et de la recherche de sens. La prose de Leavy se caractérise par son observation pointue et sa voix narrative captivante, entraînant les lecteurs dans des personnalités complexes et des histoires convaincantes. Son écriture se distingue par sa capacité à relier le monde viscéral du sport à de profondes réflexions sur la vie.
The narrative explores Babe Ruth's extraordinary impact on sports and celebrity culture, showcasing his larger-than-life persona that transcended the game of baseball. Highlighting his record-setting achievements and his collaboration with Christy Walsh, the book illustrates how Ruth redefined the concept of athletic stardom, pushing boundaries and setting new standards for success and fame in the sports world.
Focusing on the life of Mickey Mantle, this biography delves into the complexities of an American sports icon. Through over five hundred interviews with those closest to him, Jane Leavy uncovers the truth behind Mantle's legendary status, revealing both his remarkable talent and the struggles that marred his personal life. The narrative not only explores his achievements on the field but also the emotional challenges he faced, providing a comprehensive portrait of a man celebrated for his greatness yet burdened by his vulnerabilities.
The life and legacy of Sandy Koufax, one of baseball's greatest pitchers, are explored through the lens of his extraordinary achievements and personal choices. From leading the National League in ERA for five consecutive years to his principled decision to sit out the 1965 World Series opener on Yom Kippur, Koufax exemplifies the intersection of faith and sports. Author Jane Leavy's intimate access to Koufax, along with interviews from those who knew him, creates a comprehensive and nuanced portrait of a man who transcended the game and became an enduring symbol for many.
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Time Magazine Top Ten Book of the Year Jane Leavy, the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy, returns with a biography of an American original: number 7, Mickey Mantle. Meticulously reported and elegantly written, The Last Boy is a baseball tapestry that weaves together episodes from the author’s weekend with the Mick in Atlantic City, where she interviewed her hero in 1983 after he was banned from baseball, with reminiscences from friends and family. It is the story of a boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, who would lead the Yankees to seven world championships, be voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player three times, win the Triple Crown in 1956, and duel teammate Roger Maris for Babe Ruth’s home run crown in the summer of 1961—a boy who would never grow up. The Last Boy is an uncommon biography, with literary overtones—not only a portrait of an icon but also an investigation of memory itself.
“The incomparable and mysterious Sandy Koufax is revealed…. This is an absorbing book, beautifully written.” —Wall Street Journal “Leavy has hit it out of the park…A lot more than a biography. It’s a consideration of how we create our heroes, and how this hero’s self perception distinguishes him from nearly every other great athlete in living memory… a remarkably rich portrait.” — Time The instant New York Times bestseller about the baseball legend and famously reclusive Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax, from award-winning former Washington Post sportswriter Jane Leavy. Sandy Koufax reveals, for the first time, what drove the three-time Cy Young award winner to the pinnacle of baseball and then—just as quickly—into self-imposed exile.
He lived in the present tense--in the camera's lens. There was no frame he couldn't or wouldn't fill. He swung the heaviest bat, earned the most money, and incurred the biggest fines. Like all the new-fangled gadgets then flooding the marketplace--radios, automatic clothes washers, Brownie cameras, microphones and loudspeakers--Babe Ruth "made impossible events happen." Aided by his crucial partnership with Christy Walsh--business manager, spin doctor, damage control wizard, and surrogate father, all stuffed into one tightly buttoned double-breasted suit--Ruth drafted the blueprint for modern athletic stardom.His was a life of journeys and itineraries--from uncouth to couth, spartan to spendthrift, abandoned to abandon; from Baltimore to Boston to New York, and back to Boston at the end of his career for a finale with the only team that would have him. There were road trips and hunting trips; grand tours of foreign capitals and post-season promotional tours, not to mention those 714 trips around the bases.After hitting his 60th home run in September 1927--a total that would not be exceeded until 1961, when Roger Maris did it with the aid of the extended modern season--he embarked on the mother of all barnstorming tours, a three-week victory lap across America, accompanied by Yankee teammate Lou Gehrig. Walsh called the tour a "Symphony of Swat." The Omaha World Herald called it "the biggest show since Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey, and seven other associated circuses offered their entire performance under one tent." In The Big Fella, acclaimed biographer Jane Leavy recreates that 21-day circus and in so doing captures the romp and the pathos that defined Ruth's life and times.Drawing from more than 250 interviews, a trove of previously untapped documents, and Ruth family records, Leavy breaks through the mythology that has obscured the legend and delivers the man
A. B. Berkowitz, a female sports reporter, navigates the challenges of covering the struggling Washington Senators, revealing both the players' vulnerabilities and the dynamics of the locker room. This novel blends humor and heartache, showcasing her passion for baseball and journalism. Through her experiences, readers gain insight into the complexities of sports culture and gender dynamics, making for a compelling and entertaining read.