A Hero All His Life: Merlyn, Mickey Jr., David, and Dan Mantle : A Memoir by the Mantle Family [Hardcover]

Merlyn Mantle (Author), Mickey E. Mantle (Author), David Mantle (Author), Dan Mantle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996

For the first time, Mickey Mantle's wife, Merlyn, and their sons tells their story about life with the great American hero. Heartbreaking, tender, and often humorous, this ultimately uplifting memoir includes Mickey's own comments about his family and his personal problems--his last published words. of photos.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A poignant tribute to Mickey Mantle, the famed Yankee star who died of cancer last summer at age 64 following a failed liver transplant, this reminiscence presents alternating chapters by his widow and three of his sons; the fourth, 36-year-old Billy, died in 1994. The couple, both from the same small Oklahoma town, were married in 1951 and moved to New York City, a milieu that overwhelmed them. In due course they both developed serious drinking problems. The ballplayer was almost always on the road, either playing baseball or starring on the lecture circuit. He became an open womanizer, in two instances engaging in long-term affairs his wife was aware of. As the Mantle sons grew up, they became their father's drinking partners. All of them developed alcohol and/or drug addictions and were treated at the Betty Ford Clinic. Mickey is quoted here as saying he was a poor husband and father, an assessment readers will consider accurate, but his family expresses only love for him and recalls the qualities that endeared him to them. Photos not seen by PW. $85,000 ad/promo; simultaneous HarperAudio; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Mickey Mantle's wife and three sons recount the life and death of an American hero.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060183632
• ISBN-13: 978-0060183639
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL !, June 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hero All His Life: Merlyn, Mickey Jr., David, and Dan Mantle : A Memoir by the Mantle Family (Hardcover)

This is a truly moving, inspirational and heartrendering book. It reads like a Greek Tragedy, but is so real because the Authors were there. Written by Mickey's wife Merlyn, and his 3 surviving sons, it is by far the most honest work regarding Mickey. This book is so much more important that that trashy, tabloid like "Mickey Mantle: America's Prodigal Son" by Tony Castro, that I would suggest you never bother with that thing. Besides, Castro took most of his book directly from this one.

This story is also one of the finest studies of the dysfunction in an alcoholic family, with all the roles being lived out and understood by the participants. These are real, caring and heroic people, not because of baseball, but because they became winners in life by facing their problems together. A great, great book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable look inside the personal life of The Mick, November 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hero All His Life: Merlyn, Mickey Jr., David, and Dan Mantle : A Memoir by the Mantle Family (Hardcover)

I have read most of the books written by Mickey and when I picked this one up I was not quite ready for it's contents. The first chapter, written by Mickey himself address his views on his alcoholism and subsequent recovery.

The following chapters by Merlyn and one by each of his surviving sons was indeed an eye openner into his private life. A lot of information I had not known before was given first hand by his family members.

It took a great deal of courage on their parts to put this book into print and although their lives were not what we might have imagined, it still showed Mick's heart felt side and the love he held for his family and the respect and love they hold for an American Icon.

A must reading for Mantle fans and a true story of courage.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside look at Mantle from family member's perspective, October 19, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hero All His Life: Merlyn, Mickey Jr., David, and Dan Mantle : A Memoir by the Mantle Family (Hardcover)

Personal, inside look at the life of Mickey Mantle, from the unique perspective of his family (described as 'dysfunctional' by each of its members). It includes many stories of Mantle's kindness, and also of the alcoholism which gripped him, his wife Merlyn, and each of his sons.