Wilt: Larger Than Life [Hardcover]

Robert Cherry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004

Authoritative, informative, and entertaining, Wilt is the first standard biography about this American legend—the unique and unforgettable Wilt Chamberlain. One of the 20th century’s greatest and most controversial athletes, Wilt also had an intensely private side that the author uncovers through years of interviews with the people closest to Wilt up until the time of his death in 1999. This groundbreaking work successfully captures Wilt Chamberlain the man, while also closely examining the better-known myths that surrounded him throughout his life.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Long before Kobe, or Shaq, or MJ, or Magic, or Bird, or Kareem, there was Wilt--arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. For instance, in his third NBA season alone (1961-62), Wilt Chamberlain had per-game averages of 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds, and he played all but nine minutes of his team's 80 games. Wilt would hold more than 80 records by the end of his career and would prompt the NBA to make several rule changes--creating the goal-tending call, for one. Despite these accomplishments, Wilt was always regarded as the "loser" and his Boston Celtic archrival, Bill Russell, as the "winner." Author Cherry addresses this misconception--Wilt's teams were always vastly weaker than Russell's--and also gives enough, but not too much, attention to Chamberlain's ill-considered, though possibly accurate, boast that he'd slept with some 20,000 women. A solid biography for any sports collection. Alan Moores
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Inside Flap

There are celebrities and so-called legends. And then there is Wilton Norman Chamberlain, unique and unforgettable, and one of the 20th century’s greatest and most controversial athletes.

Wilt: Larger than Life examines Chamberlain’s fascinating story, delving into his life both on and off the basketball court, and spanning his childhood to his death in 1999. The author spent four years crisscrossing the country researching Wilt’s life and gathering stories from the most important people in it. The result is the most thorough and entertaining book ever written about this American icon, a worthy addition to the annals of sports biographies.

Among those interviewed were Wilt’s longtime lawyer, doctor, and accountant; many of Wilt’s other male and female friends and associates; and his basketball teammates, coaches, and opponents at every level of his momentous career. This is a portrait of Wilt that relatively few people, except family and friends, have ever seen. Wilt covers Chamberlain’s stupendous athletic achievements, including the memorable basketball battles with Bill Russell, Willis Reed, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but equally compelling is the portrayal of the private Wilt and his unique lifestyle. Included in this in-depth look at the man and his life are a "tour" through his amazing home; vignettes of the beach volleyball life to which he was attracted; the sports teams he sponsored; the notorious claim of making love to twenty thousand women and the related issue of why he never married; his days (and nights) after his retirement from basketball; and his sad final weeks. Here, finally, is a biography that does justice to the myth and the man that was Wilt.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572436727
• ISBN-13: 978-1572436725
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Remembering Wilt The Stilt Chamberlain., November 7, 2004

By 

Anthony Accordino (Massapequa Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wilt: Larger Than Life (Hardcover)

When Wilt Chamberlain passed away in Oct of 1997, it came as a shock to many that the 63 year old basketball legend died so young. Robert Cherry has written a wonderful biography and the first since wilt's passing that details his difficult final few years of struggles with many health related problems, that eventually led to his untimely death. Thirty years after he retired from basketball, Wilt still owns more NBA records then any player in history. Bill Russell may have won all those championships, but not even Russell was a match for Wilt statisically. Chamberlain almost always outscored and out rebounded Russell in every encounter. Russell no doubt almost always had the better teams. Abdul Jabbar played 20 seasons to Wilts 13, and yet Chamberlain has several thousand more lifetime rebounds. In the twilight of his career, a 35 year old Wilt led the Lakers to victory over the Bucks and a 25 year old Jabbar during the 1972 playoffs. Even more astounding, was wilt blocked 20 shots in two consecutive games in that series, and 11 of those blocked shots were on Kareem. Who the heck ever did that to Jabbar. Makes you wonder what Wilt would have done in his prime. As great as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson were, none of them had the impact or dominance of Wilt Chamberlain. The rules of the game were altered upon Wilts arrival into the league. Modern day fans talk of Shaq being the greatest center of all-time. Does anyone out there think Shaq could have blocked 11 Kareem shots in two games? Shaq wouldn't have been able to leap high enough to block a skyhook. That statistic alone, should be enough to convince anyone of Wilts athleticism. The book documents his all phases of his life, but none is more eye opening then the author's recounting of Wilts final years. Wilt developed a weak heart causing a condition called congestive heart failure. Along with High blood pressure, Diabetes and a debilitating hip condition, It was tough for Wilt who was always in top condition, to accept the fact that was becoming immobile and sickly. Because Wilt was so private, very few people new just how sick he was becoming. Through interviews with his closest friends and family, Cherry paints a vivid picture of this warm gentle giant of the sports world, suffering in the final months of his life. Unfortunately, his pride may have prevented him from correcting some of his aliments that led to his death. It is noted on the book, that Wilt often refused medical attention for his conditions. He needed a pacemaker and and hip replacement, but it seems that he always put it off until it was too late. Maybe that is the way he wanted it. All that put aside, I found this book to be quite an enjoyable read, revealing the strengths and weaknesses of one of the worlds greatest athletes.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Wilt book ever, September 1, 2005

By 

Judd Vance - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wilt: Larger Than Life (Hardcover)

If you want to learn about Wilt Chamberlain and can only pick up one book, this is the book. The most factual account of his life ever written, and unlike Wilt's autobiographies, this one isn't interested in putting forth a myth. Much of Wilt's life was indeed larger than life, and the book covers them, and at the same time, the author doesn't cover up Wilt's faults. He interviews countless people who knew Wilt and covers his life from all of the angles. You learn about his achievements, his greatness, and his faults. Too bad all biographies can't be this good.

I have the web's largest Wilt fan site as well as a basketball books review site. I've read countless books and articles on Wilt, so it's not easy to impress me, but I was blown away by this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Triple Double, April 6, 2005

By 

R. Morton (West Chester, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wilt: Larger Than Life (Hardcover)

Multi-faceted book on the life of Wilt Chamberlain, arguably one of America's greatest athletes, hits on every level - it's knowledgable, comprehensive, and a fun read. The presentation is tremendously researched and well-paced, touching each significant stage of Wilt's life without overstaying its welcome. And anyway, who am I to argue with the review of one of Philly's top sportswriters, Mr. Mulligan? A special treat for those of us who always had a fascination with The Dipper, and highly recommended for anyone who's a fan of sports.