About the Book
On its 25th anniversary, relive the legend-stacked, dynasty-packed, most iconic sports year ever with the athletes, teams, and more whose collective influence affected every aspect of a generation of sports and pop culture fans—Jordan, Shaq, Iverson, Kobe, Gretzky, Tiger, Griffey, Jeter, Tyson, the Cowboys, the Yankees, the Bulls, The Rock, Stone Cold, Kentucky, Florida, Agassi, Graf, the Williams Sisters, Happy Gilmore, Space Jam, the Olympics in Atlanta, Muhammad Ali, the Magnificent Seven and more!
Take a rollicking tour through the sports world of 1996, when debuts, comebacks, movies, and pop culture crossover changed the sports landscape forever. From college to the Olympics to the pros; from the NBA to golf, tennis, and boxing, 1996 was home to athletes and teams who were among the best marketed, most beloved, colorful, and greatest in history. In 1996: A Biography, sportswriter and author Jon Finkel uncovers the stories behind the stories while interviewing a who’s who of ’96ers to reveal in thrilling detail how their collective influence on sports and pop culture still resonates to this day.
For those of us who remember when Iverson, Kobe, The Rock and Stone Cold, the MLS and the WNBA all debuted; when the US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team—the Magnificent Seven—won gold for the first time in history; when Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson made their comebacks; when MTV’s Rock n’ Jock, Michael Jordan’s Space Jam, and ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Stuart Scott were the bomb; when the Fun ’n’ Gun offense changed college football; when Ken Griffey Jr. ran for president (really! remember?); when Derek Jeter won Rookie of the Year, Favre marched to his first Super Bowl and Jerry Maguire had everyone saying “show me the money”. . . . 1996 is a sports time machine you’ve got to take for a spin.
About the Author :
Jon Finkel is the award-winning author of The Life of Dad, The Athlete, Heart Over Height, “Mean” Joe Greene, The “Greatest Stars of the NBA” Series, and other books about sports, fatherhood, fitness, and more. His work has been endorsed by Spike Lee, Tony Dungy, Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban, and Chef Robert Irvine. He is the co-host of the Life of Dad Show podcast and Lunch Break Facebook Live Show with more than one thousand viewers. He has written for GQ, Men's Health, Yahoo! Sports, the New York Times, and dozens of other national publications. He lives in Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
Review :
Advance Praise for 1996
"From Griffey and Prime Time to Jordan and Jeter, 1996 serves as a Vegas-style buffet of sports legend. Years come, years go. But Jon Finkel's masterpiece proves that, on rare occasion, some 365-day spans are worth bronzing in gold." —Jeff Pearlman, author of?Three-Ring Circus: Shaq, Kobe, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty
"Part time machine, part fax machine, this book brings the '90s vividly back to life, with all the insight and hindsight of the athletes who made the era so memorable. Finkel makes a strong case that 1996, like 1776, was revolutionary." —Steve Rushin, Special Contributor to Sports Illustrated and author of?Sting-Ray Afternoons and Nights in White Castle
Praise for The Life of Dad by Jon Finkel and Art Eddy
“When I found out I was going to be a dad I thought, ‘Can I handle it? . . .’ Reading?The Life of Dad?will help you relax and know that it’s worked out for all these amazing dads, and it’ll work out for you.”
—Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, Dallas Mavericks owner,?Shark Tank?star
“I was happy to chat with the crew here at Life of Dad a while back and share all sides of fatherhood with them. There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. With this book you can use the wisdom from all of these dads to help you raise your children.”
? —Jim Kelly, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback
“Dads don’t stop for directions, read assembly instructions, or consult the owner’s manual. But everything a dad needs to know is in here.?The Life of Dad?contains the collected wisdom, knowledge, and love of countless fathers.”
—Steve Rushin, bestselling author, National Sportswriter of the Year winner
Praise for The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward by Jon Finkel
“Charlie Ward is not only a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, he’s a once-in-a-lifetime person.?The Athlete?is the remarkable, page-turning biography his story deserves.”
—Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion Head Coach
Praise for Heart Over Height by 3x NBA Dunk Champion Nate Robinson, co-authored by Jon Finkel
“From the very minute my orange and blue, my New York Knickerbockers drafted Nate Robinson, I was a big fan of his. I even wore his game-worn road blue #4 jersey at Madison Square Garden. . . . Us little guys gotta stick together. Please read and enjoy Nate’s journey. Once a Knick, always a Knick. (P.S. we should have never traded him in the first place.)”
—Spike Lee, Filmmmaker, Da Republic of Brooklyn, NY
