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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.323092
EAN num: 9780553287585
ISBN number: 0553287583
Label: Bantam
Manufacturer: Bantam
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: November 01, 1990
Publishing house: Bantam
Release Date: October 01, 1990
Sale Popularity Level: 255257
Studio: Bantam
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'Of all the people I play against, the only one I truly fear is Larry Bird.'--Magic Johnson, from the Foreword.
The heart and soul of a champion: his life, his career, his game. To understand basketball, you have to understand Larry Bird. Arguably the greatest all-around player the game has ever known, he led the Boston Celtics from the basement to three world championships, collecting three NBA Most Valuable Player awards along the way. Yet, despite these massive accomplishments, Bird has rarely talked to the press, and much about the man has remained a mystery. Now in Drive, the long-silent superstar sets the record straight, revealed a side of himself-and of basketball-you've never see before. Inside, you'll learn Bird's most private feelings about: The momentous decision to transfer from Bobby Knight's Indiana University to Indiana State. The heartbreak of his father's suicide and his own failed marriage. The single-minded discipline that tumed a small-town hero into a national superstar. The Boston Garden and the legendary Celtic charm. The Isiah Thomas controversy and the fierce Celtic-Laker rivalry. The great players of the NBA: including Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan, and much more. here is the book that puts a basketball legend-and his game-on the line. And scores!
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Rated by buyers 
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As a fan of Larry Bird, I found that this book did not meet my expectations. As one of the best trash talkers in the game, I anticipated a larger degree of wit among this writing. Unfortunately, although detailed, Bird's story comes off somewhat bland and does not encompass much of Bird's state of mind; instead focusing merely on citing the events in his life.
For those seeking to learn about the life of one of the NBA's greatest champions and who also have an interest in basketball, there are some good nuggets of information available. When Bird very first came into the league, for instance, he considered the three point shot as something that was well out of his range, the distance too great. Revelations such as this will come as a surprise to those who only know of his champion style heroics. Had the book contained a more significant amount of this new and fascinating information, it certainly would have rated higher.
Bird certainly provides a behind the scenes look into basketball; however it lacks any noteworthy reflection from Bird on the topic. If you are looking for an inspirational piece from the mindset of one of sports great champions, you will be rather disappointed.
Rated by buyers 
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It is quite likely that this bloke from absolutely nowheresville Indiana's picture would be subsequent to a dictionary that had an entry that said 'White Men Can't Jump'. If you can do everything else though, you can win a lot, and even get some of those Championship type ornaments to hang in your stadium and about your preosn.
Rated by buyers -
This is the story of a person who is one of the greatest players of all time, Larry Bird. He grew up in the small town of French Lick, Indiana. He came from a very poor family of six. His mother was a hard worker and took care of the family. Larry's father, Joe, worked for little money at a shoe company. This was hard for Larry, but it got worse. His father committed suicide when he is young, which forces his mother to work two jobs.
Larry didn't always love basketball. His very first love was baseball. He also liked football, but these two sports didn't work for him, so he decided to play basketball. Larry didn't really start liking basketball until his sophomore year, but then he starts to live for the sport. His high school coach helped him improve his skills and during Larry's junior and senior year he goes to the state championship. After high school Larry goes to Indiana State University, where, during his senior year, they go to the NCAA championship to face Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Unfortunately, Larry lost in the most watched final ever.
My favorite part of the book is the Foreword by Magic Johnson because it explains how Larry Bird changed the game of basketball forever.
This book is similar to with other sports biographies. It shows how Larry worked hard to get where he is similar to Bo Knows Bo by Bo Jackson. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports and is a fan of Larry Bird
Rated by buyers -
A great and truly under-rated sports book. Bob Ryan (the actual writer) is a long-time Boston Globe columnist and a terriffic writer. He captures the essence of Larry Bird, from his childhood to his journey through high school and college to his emergence as both a basketball legend in the NBA and a larger-than-life sports hero in Boston. You may like this book even if you don't care for basketball. You will definitely enjoy this book if you area a hoops fan. And if you are a Larry Bird fan and you haven't read this book... shame on you!
Rated by buyers -
Book review on Drive
Dedication, spirit, and heart are some of the words you can use to describe Larry Bird. Larry is a small boy growing up in the rural town of French Lick, Indiana. He never thought that one game of basketball would change the course of history and send him on the road to stardom. This book takes you on a journey inside the game and the life of an N.b.a. superstar. I recommend this book to basketball fans of all ages.
The combined themes of sadness and irony make this a great and unique novel. An example of irony is when Larry enrolled at Indiana University. He spent less than a month there then hitch hiked back to French Lick. An example of sadness happened when Larry was 19 years old. His father committed suicide so his family could have the money from his life insurance.
There were many characters that Larry talks about in his book. He talks about his very first basketball coach Jim Jones who taught him the fundamentals of the game. He talks about his siblings Mike, Mark, Linda, Jeff, and Eddie. He talks about his teammates Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. He even talks about his opponents (Ervin Johnson, Moses Malone, Julius Erving, and James Worthy to name a few).
When he played in the N.B.A., he traveled across the country playing basketball. Therefore, their were many settings in this book. The main setting was Indiana. It was very hot there and most of the men around where he lived were farmers. Another main setting was Boston, Mass.
I recommend this book to any basketball fan wanting to know about the game. This book brings you closer to the game and shows you the life of a basketball star. The main lesson in this book is that nothing comes easy in life. It's hard to realize how much work it takes to become successful. Read this book and you'll find out.
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