Life on the Run (Paperback)

~ (Author) "THE APPLAUSE OF THE CROWD THUNDERS LOUDER AND LONGER with every shot my opponent sinks..." (more)
Key Phrases: knitted shirts, defensive man, player movement, New York, Los Angeles, Madison Square Garden (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Almost two decades after its original publication and more than fifteen years after its author retired from the New York Knicks to become a United States senator, this account of twenty days in a pro basketball season remains a classic in the literature of sports, unparalleled in its candor and intelligence. Bill Bradley is also the author of Time Present, Time Past, a memoir of his years in the U.S. Senate.

Review

"A thinking man's guide to basketball [with] fascinating insights into the author himself."

-- Wall Street Journal



"A remarkable book written by a remarkable man."

-- Sporting News -- Review

A thinking man's guide to basketball [with] fascinating insights into the author himself. -- Wall Street Journal

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (May 2, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679762086
• ISBN-13: 978-0679762089
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #738,030 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal, June 8, 2006

By	Kyle Minor "reader" (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

After reading John McPhee's account of Bill Bradley's years at Princeton, I put the book down and thought it was too good to be true. No NBA player I've ever seen is THAT smart. But after reading Bradley's own Life on the Run, I recant. Bradley IS that smart, and he's a hell of a writer to boot. This one can be spoken about with the same kind of respect due the classic sports profiles, including McPhee's own Levels of the Game. I'm glad I took a chance on this book. It was a real pleasure.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Trenchant Examination of Life as a Professional Athlete, May 17, 1999

By	David Schlesinger ([e-mail]) (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

Bradley's memoir of the waning games in the New York Knicks' 1973-74 season (the season after they won their second NBA championship) contains many observations about professional sports that, unfortunately, continue to ring true today: the shameless exploitation of undereducated athletes by agents and comparable parasites; the intrinsic harshness of an itinerant existence during a roadtrip on the West Coast; the grueling physical and mental demands of the NBA regular season; the evanescent nature of fan support. Given all of the above, why then would anyone want to play NBA basketball? Well, Bradley also does a fine job of describing the many thrills an athlete can derive from, among other things, being exhalted by home fans; winning a championship; and being part of a selflless team unit that manages to sublimate individualistic tendancies in its pursuit of greater goals. Bradley's book, from what I can gather, was revolutionary for its time in that it eschewed the type of hagiographic approach that many writers took toward the world of professional sports and ablely demonstrated the myriad difficulties associated with being a player in the nation's largest media spotlight. It should be a must- read for all aspiring NBA players -- especially those players who are considering foregoing several (or all) years of their collegiate eligibilities to make a fast buck. They should be forewarned: "All that glitters isn't gold."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is very inspiring. Bradley is the man., December 27, 1998

By	B Weg (Missouri) - See all my reviews

With all the hoopla surrounding Bradley's potential run at the presidency, this book offers unique insight from a non-politics perspective. It chronicles the last few weeks of a Knick's season, and all the emotion that comes with it. Also, Bradley provides commentary on a variety of topics which are still very relevant... i.e. the formation of the NBA Player's Association. The book reads very well, and there is interesting background coverage of Bradley's teammates, many of whom are well-known today. I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone - from sports buff to the just curious. It is awesome!