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Sandy Koufax Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,829 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
“The incomparable and mysterious Sandy Koufax is revealed…. This is an absorbing book, beautifully written.” —Wall Street Journal
“Leavy has hit it out of the park…A lot more than a biography. It’s a consideration of how we create our heroes, and how this hero’s self perception distinguishes him from nearly every other great athlete in living memory… a remarkably rich portrait.” — Time
The instant New York Times bestseller about the baseball legend and famously reclusive Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax, from award-winning former Washington Post sportswriter Jane Leavy. Sandy Koufax reveals, for the first time, what drove the three-time Cy Young award winner to the pinnacle of baseball and then—just as quickly—into self-imposed exile.
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"In-depth, lively, and intelligent memoir of the almost immortal southpaw pitcher, Sandy Koufax, who retired from the game at the peak of his powers. But his left arm was also pretty much shot. Many familiar names--Frank Howard and Ken McMullen to name two--from the baseball world crop up for me. Interestingly, the private Koufax didn't supply the biographer with any new material. Enjoyable read for all baseball fans that gives you a new appreciation for Sandy Koufax's unique athletic talents."
— Ed (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Leavy has written a very good and meaningful book about baseball. She knows the game and she is acute in placing it in its social context. She writes gracefully and with feeling.”
— Los Angeles Times Book Review -
“An exhaustively researched study that paints an intriguing portrait of the famously reclusive Dodger pitcher.”
— Sports Illustrated -
“A rich baseball pastiche and an engaging look at the game’s more innocent period…An honest and exquisitely detailed examination of a complex man.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“The author’s extensive research and interviews with Koufax’s friends and former ballplayers are extraordinary…Highly recommended…Hard to imagine it being any better written.”
— VOYA -
“Comments from contemporaries in baseball as well as from others Koufax touched and continues to touch today make this audio absolutely inspiring…Very highly recommended.”
— Library Journal -
“A very convincing portrait…Leavy reveals also a man of dignity, honesty, and courtesy…Well-conceived and sharply drawn, a thinking fan’s biography.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Sandy Koufax Listener Reviews
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" Sandy Koufax' story does not rank with Jackie Robinson's but the Koufax story is important nonetheless. Robinson was breaking a color barrier. Koufax was breaking a religious barrier. Minnesotans remember: Sandy Koufax refused to put his left arm into action for the opening game of the 1965 World Series because the opener fell on Yom Kippur. (Alas, Sandy won the seventh game of the Series; Minnesota lost 2-0.) "
— Raymond, 2/17/2014 -
" Sandy Koufax was before my time, but even with a little knowledge of baseball, one knows that he was a pitcher to be reckoned with. I found this book intriguing as to how good he really was and what the other players thought of him and his ability to pitch. "
— Michael, 2/9/2014 -
" Completely obsessed with Koufax now. Loved this book and the overall structure. "
— Pamela, 2/5/2014 -
" I actually found this inspirational because of Koufax' smart work ethic, strong faith, morality and humility. This is a fantastic sport bio but too short.. "
— Jaime, 1/17/2014 -
" Too bad we don't have Sandy pitching for the team today! "
— Matt, 1/14/2014 -
" A bit confusing to read as it keeps going back & forth in years "
— Fred, 1/7/2014 -
" I'm too young to have seen Koufax pitch, but I'd always heard stories about how great he was. This book leaves no doubt as to his greatness, and paints a detailed picture of his life beyond baseball. "
— Paul, 12/17/2013 -
" Now I understand why he is considered one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all-time. "
— Mike, 11/6/2013 -
" An essential book for any Dodgers fan. It's also interesting for the backstory of how Leavy drew out her very reticent subject and win his cooperation. I just bought her biography of Mickey Mantle and am looking forward to it as well. "
— Louis, 10/29/2013 -
" Baseball books are usually written with an elegance and romanticism that invites skepticism. Because Sandy Koufax has such an aura about him, this book's eloquence came from unraveling his mysterious persona through the stories of those who admired him. Great stuff. "
— Steve, 8/17/2013 -
" If you like baseball, you'll probably enjoy this. If you don't and are instead hoping for a soul revealing expose of the great left hander you'll be disappointed. (though I agree with Jane Leavy that the man is entitled to his privacy) "
— David, 8/6/2013 -
" Just ok. There were parts that were unnecessary and over the top, such as the diagnosis of Koufax's pitching motion. "
— Jason, 7/5/2013 -
" Took me forever to finish...but worth the read. Great to read about one of the best pitchers of all times and to learn how humble and shy he was. "
— Ashley, 3/24/2013 -
" Great cultural history. "
— Gary, 3/23/2013 -
" A hard baseball man to get to know and figure out. The only book I will ever read about a Dodger. Reading about Koufax is above that. "
— Hillary, 3/9/2013 -
" Jame Leavy is a great sportswriter. For this effort she chose one of the most enigmatic ballplayers of all time. Koufax added nothing to the book personally yet Leavy does a masterful job of painting the complete pictures by research by those close to the lefty. Very nice read. "
— Mike, 7/5/2012 -
" This is a fabulous biography. Left arm of God indeed. "
— noisy, 4/29/2012 -
" What a fun book. I was brought back to my baseball days, yearning for the smell of dirt, leather, and the sound of bat hitting ball. And...I thoroughly admire Sandy Koufax. The author does a tremendous job explaining a difficult-to-understand Hall of Famer. "
— Mike, 4/10/2012 -
" One of the most glowing biographies I've ever read. "
— Riley, 2/10/2012 -
" Very good book on the greatest left-handed pitcher in the history, if not the history of the game. As someone who never saw him play, this book did a great job in putting some color around this man's fascinating career. "
— Brian, 1/10/2012 -
" This book juxtaposes Koufax's life and baseball life between each inning of his perfect game. "
— Caitlin, 10/3/2011 -
" i READ THIS BIOGRAPHY OF SANDY KOUFAX WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I DO LOVE MY SPORTS BIOGRAPHIES. KOUFAX IN MY OPINION WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST PITCHERS OF ALL TIME "
— Dave, 4/22/2011 -
" great bio of a great pitcher. Learned a lot about Dodger and baseball history "
— Brian, 1/14/2011 -
" going to pass it on to you soon sarah!!! "
— Sasha, 1/12/2011 -
" Made me a huge fan. Great look into the history of the man and a great interpretation of his perfect game against the cubs. Great stuff. "
— Brandon, 12/21/2010 -
" An essential book for any Dodgers fan. It's also interesting for the backstory of how Leavy drew out her very reticent subject and win his cooperation. I just bought her biography of Mickey Mantle and am looking forward to it as well. "
— Louis, 12/1/2010 -
" I really liked this book. It was a good representations of one of the best pitchers in baseball history. The author really engages the reader and is very effective at communicating un-tangible things like anti-semitism or other discriminatory factors. "
— Ben, 11/20/2010 -
" This is probably a very good book, but I think I was looking for more about Sandy, the man----my error. "
— Ellie, 8/18/2010 -
" I understand that not everyone is into sports or baseball. But this is really a fantastic bio of one of the greatest left-handed pitchers to ever throw a ball. I heart lefties. "
— Leslie, 2/4/2010 -
" Well, he is my favorite baseball player of all time. "
— Olivia, 8/14/2009 -
" Never quite finished it...I found it interesting, but hard to read at night when I was reading it. The writing style is complex and you have to pay attention throughout. "
— Stacey, 7/18/2009
About Jane Leavy
Jane Leavy is an award-winning former sportswriter and feature writer for the Washington Post. She is the author of Sandy Koufax and the comic novel Squeeze Play, called “the best novel ever written about baseball” by Entertainment Weekly.