Michael Jordan

The Life

By: Roland Lazenby

Narrated by: Bob Souer

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.

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"

Comprehensive But I Want More

A full history of nearly every aspect of Michael Jordan's life. I wish the circumstances surrounding his first retirement were explored more. It's my only real criticism of the content. The story flowed pretty much in chronological order and was well paced for such a long book.

Performance only dinged slightly for some basketball player name pronunciations.

Still well worth the time investment.

One of the best

One of the best documentaries I’ve ever listened to about one of the greatest athletes to ever live, highly recommended

I Love It!!!!!

It is so interesting! I love Michael Jordan and this is better than I thought it would be!

Michael Jordan a Life

Great story. Read with terrific voice. I've never been a huge basketball fan but that doesn't matter here. I've heard of Michael Jordan of course and his story is staggering with his determination dedication talent intelligence and rough nearly uncontrollable anger
He expected all teammates to give 100% all the time. That's fine with me. DO that if u r in the pros and making big $$$

Great book.

It's easy to forget superstars are humans. This gave great insight on his life and his fight to make it to the top. Truly inspiring for all who strive to be better. Not just in basketball.