Synopsis
<div><i>Over Time: My Life as a Sportswriter</i> is as unconventional and wide-ranging as Frank Deford’s remarkable career, in which he has chronicled the heroes and the characters of just about every sport in nearly every medium. Deford joined <i>Sports Illustrated</i> in 1962, fresh, and fresh out of Princeton. In 1990, he was Editor-in-Chief of <i>The National Sports Daily</i>, one of the most ambitious—and ill-fated—projects in the history of American print journalism. But then, he’s endured: writing ten novels, winning an Emmy (not to mention being a fabled Lite Beer All-Star), and last week he read something like his fourteen-hundredth commentary on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”<br><br>From the Mad Men-like days of <i>SI</i> in the ‘60s, and the “bush” years of the early NBA, to Deford’s visit to apartheid South Africa with Arthur Ashe, and his friend’s brave and tragic death, <i>Over Time</i> is packed with intriguing people and stories. Interwoven through his personal history, Deford lovingly traces the entire arc of American sportswriting from the lurid early days of the Police Gazette, through Grantland Rice and Red Smith and on up to ESPN. This is a wonderful, inspired book—equal parts funny and touching—a treasure for sports fans. Just like Frank Deford.<br></div>
Review
Equal doses of self-deprecating humor and anecdotal history of American sports journalism are the essence of Frank Deford's entertaining new memoir. "Chicago Tribune" Deford is the Holy Grail. He's simply one of the greatest sportswriters of all time. ... ["Over Time"] has a little bit of everything -- great stories about interviewing everyone from Richard Nixon to Jerry Jones. Deford played with the Harlem Globetrotters, introduced the world to Bill Bradley, really disliked Rodney Dangerfield, edited the only national sports daily in our history ("The National"), and has great takes on the history and characters of "Sports Illustrated" in its formative years. . . . Deford's the best. Peter King, "SI.com" "Deford's cred is incredible, his accolades deserved... He does not pull a punch when it comes to boxing or even to the tastes-great, less-filling Miller Lite commercials he once made... [Deford] has long been the genuine article." "Los Angeles Times" He sketches insightful remembrances of stars like Wilt Chamberlain and Billie Jean King and lavishes affection and admiration on "Sports Illustrated" colleagues Andre Laguerre, Dan Jenkins, and the tortured writer Mark Kram [Deford is] sports writing's Sinatra. "San Francisco Chronicle" Endearing... "Over Time" imparts a sense of a life well lived and fully enjoyed. "The New York Times" "The mixture of homage to sportswriters who came before him, such as Grantland Rice; sometimes wistful vignettes of sports figures like Arthur Ashe; and his own personal reflections on the evolution of sports journalism combine to offer a cultural perspective that transcends a mere job." "Publishers Weekly" (Top 10 in Sports) Frank Deford is the best there is. His memoir "Over Time" is beautiful, funny, poignant and poetic. Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights" and "Father's Day" A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury. Sally Jenkins, "Washington Post" columnist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "It s Not About the Bike" Frank Deford is the best sportswriter I ve ever read. If there s a Mount Rushmore of sportswriting, Deford is up there, purple ties and all. Tony Kornheiser Wonderful. [Deford is] the gold standard for modern sportswriting. Frank Murtaugh, "Memphis Flyer" " "Equal doses of self-deprecating humor and anecdotal history of American sports journalism are the essence of Frank Deford's entertaining new memoir."--"Chicago Tribune" "Deford is the Holy Grail. He's simply one of the greatest sportswriters of all time. ... ["Over Time"] has a little bit of everything -- great stories about interviewing everyone from Richard Nixon ... to Jerry Jones. ... Deford played with the Harlem Globetrotters, introduced the world to Bill Bradley, really disliked Rodney Dangerfield, edited the only national sports daily in our history ("The National"), and has great takes on the history and characters of "Sports Illustrated" in its formative years. . . . Deford's the best."--Peter King, "SI.com" "Deford's cred is incredible, his accolades deserved... He does not pull a punch when it comes to boxing or even to the tastes-great, less-filling Miller Lite commercials he once made... [Deford] has long been the genuine article." --"Los Angeles Times" "He sketches insightful remembrances of stars like Wilt Chamberlain and Billie Jean King and lavishes affection and admiration on "Sports Illustrated" colleagues Andre Laguerre, Dan Jenkins, and the 'tortured' writer Mark Kram ... [Deford is] sports writing's Sinatra." --"San Francisco Chronicle" "Endearing... "Over Time" imparts a sense of a life well lived and fully enjoyed."--"The New York Times" "The mixture of homage to sportswriters who came before him, such as Grantland Rice; sometimes wistful vignettes of sports figures like Arthur Ashe; and his own personal reflections on the evolution of sports journalism combine to offer a cultural perspective that transcends a mere job." --"Publishers Weekly" (Top 10 in Sports) "Frank Deford is the best there is. His memoir "Over Time" is beautiful, funny, poignant and poetic." --Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights" and "Father's Day" "A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury "Is there anyone who writes about sports with more elegance? Is there anyone who writes about sports with more humor, insight, and a style all his own? Nope. Frank Deford is the best there is. His memoir Over Time is beautiful, funny, poignant and poetic. It is a privilege to say these words about him." --Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights" and "Father's Day" "A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury. Deford give us a charming memoir and a wonderful tour of great American sports literature--the best of which he himself has written."--Sally Jenkins, "Washington Post" columnist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "It's Not About the Bike" "Glowing with intelligence, warmth, wit and charm, Frank Deford's Over Time is an irresistible account of the life and times of one of our best-loved and most gifted writers. Like all of Deford's work, it is distinguished by startlingly original insights and keen reporting--and, above all else, imbued with its author's profound sense of humanity. Here is a master storyteller finally sharing all of his best stories." --Jeremy Schaap, author of "Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History" and "Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics" "Of all the magazine writers of the last half-century, Frank Deford holds a special place at the top. His memoir Over Time, like hundreds of his stories, is fluid, graceful, deeply reported, insightful and whimsical all at the same time. Not very bright, someone said of him long ago at Princeton, and it was true - he has been brilliant, instead."--David Maraniss "Frank Deford is the best sportswriter I've ever read. His profiles at Sports illustrated were magic. I wanted to write like him, and the sad part for me was that I knew he was playing in a higher league. If there's a Mount Rushmore of sportswriting, Deford is up there, purple ties and all."--Tony Kornheiser Advance praise for "Over Time" "Is there anyone who writes about sports with more elegance? Is there anyone who writes about sports with more humor, insight, and a style all his own? Nope. Frank Deford is the best there is. His memoir Over Time is beautiful, funny, poignant and poetic. It is a privilege to say these words about him." --Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights" and "Father's Day" "A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury. Deford give us a charming memoir and a wonderful tour of great American sports literature--the best of which he himself has written."--Sally Jenkins, "Washington Post" columnist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "It's Not About the Bike" "Glowing with intelligence, warmth, wit and charm, Frank Deford's Over Time is an irresistible account of the life and times of one of our best-loved and most gifted writers. Like all of Deford's work, it is distinguished by startlingly original insights and keen reporting--and, above all else, imbued with its author's profound sense of humanity. Here is a master storyteller finally sharing all of his best stories." --Jeremy Schaap, author of "Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History" and "Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics" "Of all the magazine writers of the last half-century, Frank Deford holds a special place at the top. His memoir Over Time, like hundreds of his stories, is fluid, graceful, deeply reported, insightful and whimsical all at the same time. Not very bright, someone said of him long ago at Princeton, and it was true - he has been brilliant, instead."--David Maraniss "Frank Deford is the best sportswriter I've ever read. His profiles at Sports illustrated were magic. I wanted to write like him, and the sad part for me was that I knew he was playing in a higher league. If there's a Mount Rushmore of sportswriting, Deford is up there, pur Advance praise for "Over Time" "Is there anyone who writes about sports with more elegance? Is there anyone who writes about sports with more humor, insight, and a style all his own? Nope. Frank Deford is the best there is. His memoir Over Time is beautiful, funny, poignant and poetic. It is a privilege to say these words about him." --Buzz Bissinger, author of "Friday Night Lights" and "Father's Day" "A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury. Deford give us a charming memoir and a wonderful tour of great American sports literature--the best of which he himself has written."--Sally Jenkins, "Washington Post" columnist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "It's Not About the Bike" Praise for Frank Deford: "Deford ... writes with more graceful good humor than any man I know." --Richard Ben Cramer "Frank Deford is not just an immensely talented sportswriter, he's an immensely talented American writer."--David Halberstam "The world's greatest sportswriter." --"GQ" "The Secretary of Sport in the nation's Cabinet of Letters. ... an unmatched interpreter of games and the people who play them." --Nicholas Dawidoff "Frank Deford writes the kind of sentences you find yourself rereading for the sheer pleasure of it."--Jim Bouton "One of the greatest writers of our time." --Billie Jean King Advance praise for "Over Time" "A wonderful book. "Over Time" is both a treasure and a treasury. Deford give us a charming memoir and a wonderful tour of great American sports literature--the best of which he himself has written."--Sally Jenkins, "Washington Post" columnist and "New York Times" bestselling author of "It's Not About the Bike" Praise for Frank Deford: "Deford ... writes with more graceful good humor than any man I know." --Richard Ben Cramer "Frank Deford is not just an immensely talented sportswriter, he's an immensely talented American writer."--David Halberstam "The world's greatest sportswriter." --"GQ" "The Secretary of Sport in the nation's Cabinet of Letters. ... an unmatched interpreter of games and the people who play them." --Nicholas Dawidoff "Frank Deford writes the kind of sentences you find yourself rereading for the sheer pleasure of it."--Jim Bouton "One of the greatest writers of our time." -- Praise for Frank Deford: "Deford ... writes with more graceful good humor than any man I know." --Richard Ben Cramer "Frank Deford is not just an immensely talented sportswriter, he's an immensely talented American writer."--David Halberstam "The world's greatest sportswriter." --"GQ" "The Secretary of Sport in the nation's Cabinet of Letters. ... an unmatched interpreter of games and the people who play them." --Nicholas Dawidoff "Frank Deford writes the kind of sentences you find yourself rereading for the sheer pleasure of it."--Jim Bouton "One of the greatest writers of our time." --Billie Jean King
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