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Paterno Audiobook
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(4.02) - 408 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From America’s premier sportswriter, the definitive, #1 New York Times bestselling biography of Joe Paterno and the story of America’s love affair with football.
Joe Paterno believed that football was a way to teach young men how to live. He coached at Penn State for 62 years. In the course of his years as a head coach, his teams won 409 games, a Division I record. At the end of his life, more than 100 of those wins were invalidated by the NCAA because of the crimes of a longtime assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, and Paterno’s alleged knowledge of those crimes—knowledge Paterno denied until his death. In the process, the name Paterno—the name he had spent a lifetime building—came to represent scandal and controversy.
Joe Posnanski lived in State College, Pennsylvania, through the turbulent final months of Paterno’s life and was with him and his family as the scandal that eventually consumed him unfolded. Now with a new afterword, Posnanski’s book delves deep into the life of Joe Paterno, going back to his childhood days in Brooklyn and his college days at Brown, and looks at him through the eyes of the young men he coached. It is a portrait that goes beyond the daily headlines and into the life of a stubborn idealist, a teacher, and a flawed but principled man who, to the very end, loved to coach.
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"I was a fan of "JoePa" (and still am), and felt so bad for Joe and his family during the Sandusky horror. Besides the glory of Penn State football, the author describes the Paterno values that made him tick (which most every one has lost sight of in the aftermath). All of us should be aware that we can live most of our life with great integrity, but still be blindsided by a bad decision we make in a vulnerable moment. It is the human dilemma, and we live in a youtube world where transgressions live forever."
— Doug (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Paterno adds grain and texture to the historical record…makes a cogent case for absorbing Paterno's entire legacy.”
— New York Times -
“I urge you to read [Paterno]…A life is never defined entirely by a man's good, or by his bad.”
— New York Post -
“Paterno is a portrait very much in three dimensions. It is the story of an extraordinary life.”
— Philadelphia Daily News -
“It is exhilarating to read of Paterno the man and gripping to read of his downfall.”
— ESPN.com
Awards
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
Paterno Listener Reviews
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" I loved the book. The writing was beautiful but the story was/is heart wrenching. It was so much more about one man; it was a love story yet a commentary about justice, tragedy, loss, honesty, love, loyalty and at its center: being utterly human. "
— Sue, 1/26/2014 -
" Love, love, loved this book. Made me nostalgic for Penn State and wished I had the opportunity to meet Joe Paterno. I will always will be a proud Penn Stater. "
— Alicia, 1/15/2014 -
" Could not read this book yet. Started it, was liking it but it just makes me too sad... "
— Erin, 1/11/2014 -
" My family have the greatest respect and fondness for Joe Paterno. We. have five Penn State University graduates in our immediate family. We are Penn State Proud! "
— Carole, 1/3/2014 -
" A beautifully-written (as is to be expected from Posnanski) biography that does little to dispel the common belief that Paterno likely knew more than he let on about Sandusky and should have been more vigilant in acting. "
— Heath, 12/21/2013 -
" A good look at Joe's life. It wasn't all rosy but rather had a good balance. "
— Denise, 12/21/2013 -
" Audio version is the way to go to get the full effect. "
— Charlene, 11/1/2013 -
" An excellent look into a man I've admired and continue to admire "
— Becky, 10/30/2013 -
" I decided not to read the last hundred or so pages of this book which are about the scandal. But the first two-thirds of this book are great: a recounting of the coaching career of a football legend by one of the best sportswriters alive. "
— Mickey, 7/18/2013 -
" I was hoping to find out what happened to Paterno and the scandal, but I learned a lot more from the man and his teachings. Paterno is a great coach, teacher and mentor...but he is human after all and he made mistakes... "
— Tony, 6/15/2013 -
" If you are willing to accept that Joe Paterno was something other than a monster who chose to hide the acts of a sick and depraved human being, you should read this book. It is a good account of an interesting life, told by a phenomenal storyteller. "
— Bryan, 5/29/2013 -
" Poorly written attempt to whitewash the most horrific scandal in the history of college sports. "
— Paul, 3/8/2013 -
" A very good book. It gave great and in depth insight in to the legend that is Joe Paterno. "
— Jay, 1/21/2013 -
" I really, thoroughly, enjoyed this book. Regardless, of what people think about the Sandusky situation, this tells a great tale about the history of Penn State Football the the Paterno family. I would recommend it to any fan of the game. "
— Jason, 11/14/2012 -
" Engrossing read. Posnanski takes you behind the scenes of one of the biggest scandals in sports, but unlike many in the media who rushed to judgement and convicted Paterno in the public forum, Posnanski steps back, presents the facts and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. "
— Janice, 11/13/2012 -
" Great insight to our coach. Learned some things about JoePa that I didn't know before, and enjoyed learning more about his family and off-time. "
— Pam, 10/24/2012 -
" Good book. It skims over his life personally but mostly as a coach. "
— Robin, 10/9/2012 -
" A great read for any college football fan. "
— Mark, 8/25/2012
About Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of six books and has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations. He was a columnist for the Kansas City Star for fifteen years and was twice named the best sports columnist in America by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He writes at JoePosnanski.com.
About Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna is a versatile, seasoned actor on both stage and screen. He first garnered national prominence for his work with writer-director David Mamet, earning a Tony Award for Glengarry Glen Ross in 1983. His name has become synonymous with Robert B. Parker’s Spenser since he has narrated the entire series.