I just had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of the new book by Michael Lewis, the author of, among other things, MoneyBall and Liar's Poker. It's called the The Blind Side. It is simply sensational. It will be in bookstores October 2nd.
It's about a teenager from the poorest neighborhood in Memphis who gets adopted by a wealthy white family, and who also happens to be an extraordinarily gifted offensive lineman. Simultaneously Lewis tells the story of the emergence of the left tackle as one of the most important positions in modern day football. I thought MoneyBall was fantastic. But this is even better, and it made me wonder if we aren't enjoying a golden age of sportswriting right now.
First, there's Bill Simmons over at espn.com. Then there's David Foster Wallace. He wrote a piece for the New York Times magazine on Roger Federer a few weeks back, which was almost as good as the piece he wrote on the tennis player Michael Joyce a few years back--and which reminded me of how wonderful his voice is when he turns to sports. Then there's Lewis.
The three of them, of course, could be more different. Simmons is the ur-fan. Wallace is the intellectual. And Lewis? I'm not sure how to describe him, which is part of the genius of his books. It's not even clear to me that his books are about sports in the end, even though he takes sports as his subject. MoneyBall was really about discrimination. (I once tried to convince a university psychology professor that she should make MoneyBall recommended reading in her intro psych class.) And The Blind Side is as insightful and moving a meditation on class inequality in America as I have ever read--althought to put it that way, I realize, makes it sound deadly dull. It isn't. You should read it.
I'm sold. Thanks for letting me know.
Posted by: rone | September 24, 2006 at 07:32 PM
Me too. Thanks for the tip.
fwiw, I've always thought Moneyball could be taught in a rhetoric course as well, probably for some of the same reasons you suggested.
And if I had to pick one reason for that "golden age," Page2 at ESPN would be it. Lots of good writing going on over there...
cgb
Posted by: collin | September 24, 2006 at 08:09 PM
“The Blind Side” is also adapted as an article (“The Ballad of Big Mike”) in the current New York Times Magazine.
Another great sportswriter working right now is Gary Smith at Sports Illustrated. He writes long, in-depth pieces that are consistently captivating and insightful and, like Lewis’s books, explore topics beyond sports.
Posted by: doug | September 24, 2006 at 08:15 PM
I am a longtime tennis fan and agree with your assessment of Wallace's tennis writing. A coda to the Michael Joyce story is that he is now the coach...of Maria Sharapova. So life didn't treat him too bad even if he didn't make it on the ATP.
I loved Moneyball. Please let us know if there are any other sportswriters you recommend.
Posted by: Greg | September 24, 2006 at 08:16 PM
Moneyball (or at least an excerpt from it) also makes a great read to assign when teaching research methods. It's a compelling case for the importance of systematically gathering and using data in making decisions, and it highlights many of the natural, human errors we can fall into when we don't.
Actually, I'm considering using two of your (Malcom's) recent articles in a graduate research methods course I'm teaching this semester. The "Game Theory" article has wonderfully tangible and clear examples of the challenge of measuring and assessing the role of individual actors in complex systems. And "Troublemakers" is a great piece to prod folks into doing more critical thought about the categories they choose to define and focus on in their research.
Posted by: John | September 24, 2006 at 08:25 PM
I actually cried from laughter last month when I read Wallace's description of Federer's anti-gravitational maneuver causing Wallace to nearly overturn his couch, popcorn, and wife.
After talking such delight recently in Sports Writing I've wondered if there has been some chromosonal change in me or if it's that my favorite writers are writing brilliant pieces on Sports.
I think its the latter.
Thanks for the heads up on The Blind Side-
will definitely check it out.
Posted by: Cindy | September 24, 2006 at 08:36 PM
There was a very nice adapted exerpt from the book in this weekend's NY Times Magazine. It sold me too. Already pre-ordered.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/magazine/24football.html
Posted by: Pienso | September 24, 2006 at 09:32 PM
Read his liar's poker,marvelous writing and eye-opening anecdotes.An inside scoop which is curious as it is revealing.
The blind side?Well,been expecting this one.Pre-ordered.
Posted by: dane | September 24, 2006 at 09:55 PM
"And The Blind Side is as insightful and moving a meditation on class inequality in America as I have ever read..."
The description you give makes it sounds like the story of someone with the potential to move from a low economic class to a much higher one by virtue of the coincidence of his talent and a change in football.
So, I ask, "moving how?"
It could be moving (i.e., inspirational) because he makes it, or it could be moving (i.e., tragic) because he doesn't. For obvious reasons, you probably don't want to spoil the punchline, but I'm very curious to know where you're coming from on this.
Posted by: noahpoah | September 24, 2006 at 10:26 PM
Thanks Malcolm.
Lewis is in my view the best business reporter I have ever read. "The New New Thing" was a fabulous profile of the silicon valley culture and Netscape legacy in the 90's. "Next" was also marvelous. And his campaign coverage of the 1988 presidential race was insightful and always entertaining(even if he became enamored with an odd businessman). I will never think of Phil Gramm the same way after reading Lewis' observation that looking at Gramm's teeth you could tell he grew up poor.
Look forward to the book (and loved the NYT magazine piece this morning).
Look forward to the book (and loved the NYT magazine piece this morning).
Posted by: DavidT | September 24, 2006 at 11:26 PM
Simmons' is a unique equity for the following reason: the two distinctive aspects of his writing converged in a magical, unforgettable two weeks in October 2004. Those features of course are: long-suffering Red Sox fan and devoted fan of 70s/80s cultural kitsch.
When Roberts scratched his way on against the greatest post-season closer ever, in Game 4 of the ALCS, then stole second and manufactured a run - followed by the heroics of Ortiz....
...that may not have been a direct plagiarization of the Bad News Bears series, but it sure seemed like copyright infringement.
To his credit, Lewis has transcended the impact of Moneyball by continuing to produce meaningful work.
Will Simmons ever live down - or up to - those weeks in 2004? I say the jury's out on that one.
Posted by: Christopher Horn | September 24, 2006 at 11:37 PM
There is a phenomenal sports columnist for, of all papers, the Kansas City Star, named Joe Posnanski. He captures themes that go way beyond sports, without, apparently, making the slightest effort to write about anything but sports. His writings on Buck O'Neill have been classic. Here's a link to a recent non-Buck column:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/15594561.htm
Posted by: Joshua Rose | September 25, 2006 at 01:58 AM
I have read all of Michael Lewis' books and as many short pieces of his as I've been able to find. So "the Blind Side" was definitely on my radar and I've been eagerly anticipating its release.
But here's the odd thing. Malcolm lists the release date as October 2nd, and so does Amazon.com. But when I placed my order with Amazon.com last week, they delivered my copy of "The Blind Side" right away. It was delivered to my home on Saturday (Sept 23).
I am in no way special or entitled to advance copies of any books. I'm not sure if Amazon.com made a mistake or if the release date changed or what. If you're really anxious to read this book, you might as well order it today. It may show up at your door right away.
Posted by: Mark Liyeos | September 25, 2006 at 10:41 AM
Don't forget Laura Hillenbrand's marvelous book "Seabiscuit." Golden age of sportswriting, indeed. "Seabiscuit" is one of the best sports biographies of all time.
Posted by: Jim Kerr | September 25, 2006 at 11:11 AM
I read the NYT magazine article about Michael Oher this weekend and was quite moved. The approach to sports was one that resonated with me: instead of focusing on the on-the-field achievements (or lack thereof), or simply holding up Oher as a hero, it told a story about redemption and discrimination with sports as a backdrop.
I'll be ordering a copy as well.
Posted by: Kyle Maxwell | September 25, 2006 at 11:25 AM
Sportswriting? Meh.
I like good writing-writing. If it happens to involve sports, fine by me.
But I'll be waiting to read it from the library. I also like good, *affordable* writing :-)
Posted by: communicatrix | September 25, 2006 at 05:05 PM
The three of them, of course, could be more different.
Could they? Couldn't we all?
(My apologies...I just can't help myself.)
Posted by: Scout | September 26, 2006 at 01:47 AM
Its interesting that you suggested Lewis' Moneyball as required reading for an Intro Psych class and one of the respondants suggesting using it for teaching research methods. It was required reading for me a few years ago in an undergraduate business school class called "Equity Investments". The professor used the book to teach us the concept of finding and taking advantage of arbitrage opportunities (whether they are found in the way people analyze companies or baseball players). The professor, himself a full-time investment manager for a state retirement fund, called it the best book on investments to come out that year.
Posted by: Adam Schulman | September 28, 2006 at 11:48 AM
Golden age of sportswriting?
No doubt we're getting some fine sportswriting, but there are plenty of great sportswriters of earlier eras:
Frank Deford in his SI glory days
Roger Angell, now and forever
Chris Economaki
Tom Wolfe
Ernest Hemingway on bullfighting
&c.
Do we (you) really have to stoop to the "it's a golden age" cliche to praise today's writers? Michael Lewis, David Wallace, and Bill Simmons are terrific. That ought to be enough.
Posted by: Sean | September 28, 2006 at 03:56 PM
And don't forget the article in this past Sunday's (that would be 9.24) NYT Magazine on Michael Oher. A golden age of sportswriting indeed.
Posted by: jck | September 28, 2006 at 07:18 PM
I also really enjoy reading Bill Simmons, for the most part. His misogynism, however, often brings sportswriting back a few decades rather than into a "golden age".
Posted by: Nicole | September 29, 2006 at 01:54 PM
Sorry, but I don't think I'll be picking up Blindside. Because I choked and gulped at nearly every paragraph of the NYT Mag adaptation last weekend. At one point I was actually standing up at the table, cheering on his foster parents as they tried to get Big Mike's latest BYU transcript to the NCAA before the deadline.
Yes, it was great writing, but I just don't think I can go through that again.
Gary Smith is definitely putting out some good work these days. "Remember This Name" in the Sept 11th issue of SI this year was a classic.
Posted by: Me Myself and Eugene | October 02, 2006 at 06:29 PM
Michael Lewis is a glorious writer. His typical subject is the Maverick - the man, or boy (I haven't seen him write about significant women yet) who understands a Deep Truth which everyone else misses.
Think Lewis Ranieri in Liar's Poker, John McCain in Losers, Jim Clark in the New New Thing, Jonathan Lebed in Next, Billy Beane in Moneyball, and Coach Mike Leach of Texas Tech in his NYT Magazine piece on football offense (I don't know if Leach shows up in his new book).
What's also interesting is the resistance the Maverick encounters. Over time, you'll notice the Maverick rarely Triumphs - the world mostly carries on as it did before. It's hard to change things. I believe Malcolm also wrote a book on this, once (albeit from a different perspective).
Posted by: Andrew | October 02, 2006 at 06:34 PM
Just read the first couple chapters of The Blind Side at lunch, and can't wait til I get time to not put it down!
Posted by: God Hates Cleveland Sports | October 03, 2006 at 04:50 PM
Lewis is one of the few authors whose books I will pre-order regardless of the topic. I thought the book was great, but the subtitle was a little misleading. He weaves in the evolution of the game of football with the story of Michael Oher, but spends far more time on Oher (and with good reason, his is a better story). I haven't seen the movie or the TV show, but the book version of Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger is a must read for sports books fans, and it touches on some of the same subject matter as Blind Side. Interestingly, Bissinger played high school ball with Bill Belichick.
Posted by: GoldenBear | October 04, 2006 at 11:59 PM