The author examines a 90-day period in 1984 when sports milestones converged, along with pivotal pop-culture moments. From Michael Jordan’s shoe deal to a historic summer Olympics, from music videos to movies, the high points are well covered by author L. Jon Wertheim. Chris Abell narrates in an enthusiastic tone, truly embracing the topics. He shifts his voice when quoting people yet doesn’t try to imitate anyone. His approach brings contrasts that enhance the narration. The research and backstories are fascinating, and Abell more than keeps pace, varying his tone across the topics. Wertheim surprises with how much he covers, and Abell projects a genuine interest that makes for enjoyable listening. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
A rollicking guided tour of one extraordinary summer, when some of the most pivotal and freakishly coincidental stories all collided and changed the way we think about modern sports
The summer of 1984 was a watershed moment in the birth of modern sports when the nation watched Michael Jordan grow from college basketball player to professional athlete and star. That summer also saw ESPN's rise to media dominance as the country's premier sports network and the first modern, commercialized, profitable Olympics. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry raged, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe reigned in tennis, and Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon made pro wrestling a business, while Donald Trump pierced the national consciousness as a pro football team owner. It was an awakening in the sports world, a moment when sports began to morph into the market-savvy, sensationalized, moneyed, controversial, and wildly popular arena we know today.
In the tradition of Bill Bryson's One Summer: America, 1927, L. Jon Wertheim captures these 90 seminal days against the backdrop of the nostalgia-soaked 1980s, to show that this was the year we collectively traded in our ratty Converses for a pair of sleek, heavily branded, ingeniously marketed Nikes. This was the year that sports went big-time.
A rollicking guided tour of one extraordinary summer, when some of the most pivotal and freakishly coincidental stories all collided and changed the way we think about modern sports
The summer of 1984 was a watershed moment in the birth of modern sports when the nation watched Michael Jordan grow from college basketball player to professional athlete and star. That summer also saw ESPN's rise to media dominance as the country's premier sports network and the first modern, commercialized, profitable Olympics. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry raged, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe reigned in tennis, and Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon made pro wrestling a business, while Donald Trump pierced the national consciousness as a pro football team owner. It was an awakening in the sports world, a moment when sports began to morph into the market-savvy, sensationalized, moneyed, controversial, and wildly popular arena we know today.
In the tradition of Bill Bryson's One Summer: America, 1927, L. Jon Wertheim captures these 90 seminal days against the backdrop of the nostalgia-soaked 1980s, to show that this was the year we collectively traded in our ratty Converses for a pair of sleek, heavily branded, ingeniously marketed Nikes. This was the year that sports went big-time.
Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever
Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever
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Product Details
BN ID: | 2940175806473 |
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Publisher: | HarperCollins |
Publication date: | 06/15/2021 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |