Oct 22, 2010 leavys mission in her book the last boy. Mantle biography delves into traumas and myths the new. A leftys legacy, returns with a biography of an american original. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood has received some flack from devoted yankee and mantle fans. Leavy is the author of the new york times bestselling biographies the last boy.
A leftys legacy, along with the comic novel squeeze play. Awardwinning sports writer jane leavy follows her new york times run. Jane leavy is the author of the new york times bestsellers sandy koufax. To my knowledge, no one has ever investigated the life of an american athlete with leavys rigor and thoroughness. Jane leavy the official website for bestselling author. The legendary halloffame outfielder was a national hero during his recordsetting career with the new york yankees, but public revelations of alcoholism, infidelity, and family strife badly tarnished the ballplayers reputation in his latter years. Jeff blair is a sports columnist at the globe and mail and host of.
I think the most interesting thing about jane leavys book is the play between mickey mantle, the real person, and mickey mantle, the hero, and how that play involves us, his admirers. Jane leavy reflects on fraught encounters with mickey mantle and billy martin. The last boy is as exceptional as mickey mantles extraordinaryand troublinglife. Oct, 2010 jane leavy, mickey mantles new biographer, admits her bias. She was a staff writer at the washington post from 1979 to1988, first in the sports section, then writing for the style section. Drawing on more than 500 interviews with friends and family, teammates, and opponents, she delivers the definitive account of mantles life, mining the mythology of the mick for the true story of a luminous and illustrious talent with an achingly damaged soul. Squeeze play is the fictional account of a hapless major league team and the locker room antics they engage in. Jul 02, 2011 but thats exactly what happened earlier this season when there was a run on at the minuteman library network for jane leavys acclaimed biography the last boy. The late great mickey mantle besmirched by tellall book. Jane leavy has crafted a wellwritten, definitive biography of mickey mantle, showing all sides of the yankee icon, detailing no.
The last boy by jane leavy is an awkward combination of a history book, a newsstand tabloid and a personal memoir. She is the author of the big fella, the last boy, sandy koufax, and the comic novel squeeze play. Epic babe ruth bio by jane leavy captures his life and times. The only thing about this book that is better than jane leavys vivid prose is her. Jane leavys the last boy digs deep into mickey mantles past, dispels myths about yankee slugger. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the last boy. Jane leavy talks about the last boy mickey mantle biographer jane leavy talks about her quest to find the real man lurking behind mantles image. Jane leavy chronicles the extraordinary life of mickey mantle, one of the most beloved, and misunderstood, yankees. Drawing on more than 500 interviews with friends and family, teammates, and oppo. Jane leavy has crafted a wellwritten, definitive biography of mickey. Jane leavy, mickey mantles new biographer, acknowledges her bias. Jane leavy has written some sparkling sentences, informed by 500 or so.
A huge mantle fan, it pained her to discover and then write about the negative side of such a great talent and personality. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood by veteran sports writer jane leavy, author of a biography of sandy koufax, the great dodger pitcher. The only thing about this book that is better than jane leavys vivid prose is her astonishing reporting. Jane leavy is an awardwinning former sportswriter and feature writer for the washington post.
But thats exactly what happened earlier this season when there was a run on at the minuteman library network for jane leavys acclaimed biography the last boy. Jane leavy, the acclaimed author of the new york times best seller sandy koufax. In a startling book released earlier this decade called the last boy. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood, by jane leavy.
She is a year older than me, so i can relate to the time of her childhood. Jane leavy as a biographer does what plutarch prescribed. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood, writer jane leavy writes about interviews with mantles wife, girlfriend and other friends in which they reveal mantle admitted to being sexually abused by a halfsister who babysat him while his parents were at barn. Doug miles radio interview with sportswriter jane leavy author the last boy mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood and sandy koufax. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood, and the comic novel squeeze play. Jeff blair is a sports columnist at the globe and mail and host of the jeff blair show on radio station the fan. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood is to explore how two such different characters managed to inhabit the same body, and she. Oct 08, 2010 jane leavy, author of a superb baseball novel, squeeze play, and the bestselling sandy koufax, a leftys legacy, zooms right in on the essence of mantles appeal in the last boy. Mickey mantle biographer jane leavy really doesnt like the. Interview with jane leavy, author of books about mickey. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood, talks about why mantle fell short in the 1961 homerun chase, how his life was similar to babe ruths, and the one question a minorleague teammate would ask him if he were still alive today. He was the hall of fame yankee, with unmet potential. Jane leavy says yankee legend was abused as youth by halfsister, neighborhood kids, teacher.
From jane leavy, the awardwinning, new york times bestselling author of the last boy and sandy koufax, comes the definitive biography of babe ruththe man roger angell dubbed the model for modern celebrity. Nobody swung the bat with such grit as mickey mantle. Jane leavy the official website for bestselling author and. Sep 21, 2016 i would say the last boy, by jane leavy, 2010. Jane leavy, author of a superb baseball novel, squeeze play, and the bestselling sandy koufax, a leftys legacy, zooms right in on the essence of mantles appeal in the last boy. Mantle biography delves into traumas and myths the new york. As for the evidence that mantle was a profane, bumpkinish and usually drunken galoot, jane leavys new bio the last boy tends to back that up as well, though the ultimate effect of her generally serious effort is also to evoke pity for one of americas most iconic public figures. For this inning of iq, were rolling the rims on our hats and settling in with some hot dogs and beer to talk to jane leavy about baseball. Product description jane leavy, the acclaimed author of the new york times bestseller sandy koufax. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood detailed the late sluggers troubled offfield life and his alcoholism, was hit on by mantle as well. Jane leavy is the author of the new york times bestseller sandy koufax. In 1979, leavy joined the sports desk of the washington post. Birmingham woman credited with providing full picture for mickey mantle book. Nov 24, 2010 in part iii of this threepart interview, jane leavy, the author of the last boy.
As a young girl growing up in the bronx, jane leavy was enthralled not only by mickey mantles amazing ability at his best, he was as great. A leftys legacy, returns with a biography of an american. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood kindle edition by leavy, jane. Mickey mantles gross move on reporter detailed in her new. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood by jane leavy 2010, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Sportswriter jane leavy talk about her book on mickey mantle. Oct 25, 2018 jane leavys second book, a critically acclaimed, new york times bestselling biography of mickey mantle in 2010, has sold 211,000 copies in hardback and 60,000 in paperback.
Things you didnt know about mickey mantle commerce commet. Theres an old saying, a sculptor never leaves behind all his shavings. Apr 03, 2012 tape measure home runs and baseballs biggest hits. A leftys legacy, returns with a biography of an american originalnumber 7, mickey mantle. Jane leavy, awardwinning former sportswriter and feature writer for the washington post, is author of the new york times bestsellers sandy koufax. Jane leavys the last boy digs deep into mickey mantles. Oct 12, 2010 jane leavy s the last boy digs deep into mickey mantle s past, dispels myths about yankee slugger. Oct 19, 2010 jane leavy says yankee legend was abused as youth by halfsister, neighborhood kids, teacher. Jane leavys second book, a critically acclaimed, new york times bestselling biography of mickey mantle in 2010, has sold 211,000 copies in hardback and. Jane leavy has written several sports related books that ive really enjoyed, all best selling nonfiction, about stars such as mickey mantle and sandy koufax.
She is the author of the 1990 comic novel squeeze play, which was called the best novel ever written about baseball by entertainment weekly. Most of the first fifteen chapters are an interesting history book about mantles childhood, the mining industry in picher, and a couple of mickeys historic games. A leftys legacy was a new york times bestseller, had profiled mickey mantle before in 1983, for the washington post. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood leavy, jane on. I think the most interesting thing about jane leavy s book is the play between mickey mantle, the real person, and mickey mantle, the hero, and how that play involves us, his admirers. Jane leavy captures the beautiful, imperfect mickey mantle with equal measures of depth and. A leftys legacy and the comic novel squeeze play, which entertainment weekly called the best novel ever written about baseball. Awardwinning sports writer jane leavy follows her new york times runaway bestseller sandy koufax with the definitive biography of baseball icon mickey mantle. Jane leavy captures the beautiful, imperfect mickey mantle with equal.
Jane leavy biography, age, husband, children, washington post. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Granted, jane leavy uncovers the dark side of mantle s life but she does it fairly. Mickey mantle and the end of americas childhood reprint by leavy, jane isbn. What it took to write about baseball as a woman the new yorker. What it took to write about baseball as a woman the new. Jane leavy, mickey mantles new biographer, admits her bias. Oct 17, 2010 jane leavy chronicles the extraordinary life of mickey mantle, one of the most beloved, and misunderstood, yankees. Nov 24, 2010 mickey mantle, americas last boy mickey mantle was everything jane leavy remembered when she met him. Jane leavys the last boy is a tremendous mickey mantle. Jane leavy, the acclaimed author of the new york times bestseller sandy koufax. Jane leavy on her new mickey mantle biography tv vulture. Jane leavy born december 26, 1951 is an american sportswriter and feature writer, formerly with the washington post.
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