Jim Thorpe: 20th-Century Jock

by Robert Lipsyte, John Hite (Illustrator)

Overview

A biography of the American Indian known as one of the best all-round athletes in history for his accomplishments as an Olympic medal winner and as an outstanding professional football and baseball player.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062035998
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/08/2011
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)
File size:	270 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Robert Lipsyte is the author of twelve acclaimed novels for young adults and is the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring his lifetime contribution to the genre. His debut YA novel, The Contender, has sold more than one million copies. He was an award-winning sportswriter for the New York Times and the Emmy-winning host of the nightly public affairs show The Eleventh Hour. He lives on Shelter Island, New York, with his wife, Lois, and his dog, Apollo.

Editorial Reviews

With a writer of Lipsyte's caliber, the high/low appearance of this short sports biography is an asset instead of a liability. Tracing the life of Jim Thorpe (or Bright Path, the name given to him by his Native American mother) from his childhood spent in reservation schools to his young adulthood in the larger arena of college and the Olympic games to his early death in 1953, Lipsyte shows a man who succeeded against all odds, only to be brought down by a racist press and public. Placing Jim Thorpe in the context of his time, Lipsyte talks about the limited opportunities made available to Native Americans and the prevailing attitudes of the white society that provided them. Involving and thought provoking, the account has wide applicability across curriculum lines, and it will fill a number of current information needs in the areas of biography, sports, Native Americans, and race relations.

Janice Del Negro