NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER*Fromthe#1bestsellingauthorofTheDynastyandTigerWoods--the“definitive...fantastic“(SportsIllustrated)biographyofbasketballsuperstarLeBronJames,basedonthreeyearsofexhaustiveresearchandmorethan250interviews.LeBronJamesisthegreatestbasketballplayerofthetwenty-firstcentury,andhe’sintheconversationwithMichaelJordanasthegreatestofalltime.ThereigningkingofthegameandthefirstactiveNBAplayertobecomeabillionaire,LeBronwearsthecrownlikehewasbornwithit.Yethisascenthasbeenanythingbuteffortlessandpredetermined--thetruthisvastlymoreinterestingthanthat.WhatmakesLeBron’sstorysocompellingishowhewonhisdestinydespiteoverwhelminglylongodds,inadramaworthyofaDickensnovel.Asachild,hewasascaredandlonelylittleboylivinganomadicexistenceinAkron,Ohio.Hismother,whohadLeBronwhenshewassixteen,wouldsometimesleavehimonhisown.Destituteandfatherless,hemissedclosetoonehundreddaysofschoolinthefourthgrade.Desperate,hismotherplacedhimwithafamilythatgavehimstabilityandputabasketballinhishands.“Anabsorbingchronicleoftalent,character,pluck,andluck“(WallStreetJournal)LeBrontellsthefull,rivetingsagaofhowachildadriftfoundthewilltobecomeatitan.JeffBenedict,themostcelebratedsportsbiographerofourtime,paintsavividpictureofLeBron’sepicoriginstory,showingthegradualriseofastarwho,surroundedbyatight-knitgroupofteenagefriendsandadultmentors,acceleratedintoaspeedingcometduringhighschool.TodayLeBronproducesHollywoodfilmsandtelevisionshows,hasasocialmediapresencethatincludesmorethanonehundredmillionfollowers,engagesinpoliticalactivism,takesoutspokenstancesonracismandsocialinjustice,andtransformslivesthroughhisvisionaryphilanthropy.HewentfromalostboyinAkrontoabelovedherowhouseshisfortunetoeducateunderprivilegedchildrenandliftupneedyfamilies--andbroughthomeCleveland’sfirstNBAchampionship.ButLeBronismorethanjusttheoriginstoryofaGOATorarecapofhismulti-championship,multi-MVP,goldmedal-decoratedcareeronthecourt.BenedictdelvesintoLeBron’srelationshipwithfameandpower:howhehascultivatedit,harnessedit,sufferedfromit,andleveragedit.Inthesepages,wewatchhisevolutionfromaplayerwhoavoidedpoliticsandwaswidelycriticizedfornotjoininghisteammatesinprotestingChina’sroleintheDarfurgenocidetobecominganathletewhopartneredwithPresidentObama;campaignedforHillaryClinton;becameanadvocateagainstgunviolence,racism,andvotersuppression;andopenlyclashedwithPresidentTrump,empoweringotherathletestospeakoutagainstsocialinjustice.TocaptureLeBron’sextraordinarylife,BenedictconductedhundredsofinterviewswiththepeoplewhowereinvolvedwithLeBronatdifferentstagesofhislife.Healsoobtainedthousandsofpagesofprimarysourcedocumentsandminedhundredsofhoursofvideofootage.DestinedtobetheauthoritativeaccountofLeBron’slife,LeBronisa“masterful...propulsive“(LosAngelesTimes)andunprecedentedportraitofoneoftheworld’smostcaptivatingfigures.
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