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The Cost of These Dreams
- Sports Stories and Other Serious Business
- Narrated by: Wright Thompson
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
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Publisher's Summary
From one of America's most beloved sportswriters, a collection of true stories about the dream of greatness and its cost in the world of sports.
"Wright Thompson's stories are so full of rich characters, bad actors, heroes, drama, suffering, courage, conflict, and vivid detail that I sometimes thinks he's working my side of the street - the world of fiction." (John Grisham)
There is only one Wright Thompson. He is, as they say, famous if you know who he is: his work includes the most-read articles in the history of ESPN (and it's not even close) and has been anthologized in the Best American Sports Writing series ten times, and he counts John Grisham and Richard Ford among his ardent admirers. But to say his pieces are about sports, while true as far as it goes, is like saying Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove is a book about a cattle drive.
Wright Thompson figures people out. He jimmies the lock to the furnaces inside the people he profiles and does an analysis of the fuel that fires their ambition. Whether it be Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods or Pat Riley or Urban Meyer, he strips the away the self-serving myths and fantasies to reveal his characters in full. There are fascinating common denominators: it may not be the case that every single great performer or coach had a complex relationship with his father, but it can sure seem that way. And there is much marvelous local knowledge: about specific sports, and times and places, and people.
Ludicrously entertaining and often powerfully moving, The Cost of These Dreams is an ode to the reporter's art, and a celebration of true greatness and the high price that it exacts.
What listeners say about The Cost of These Dreams
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- ACK
- 06-02-19
Just great
Wright Thompson is a great sportswriter, but the themes covered in these pieces go beyond sports. He asks what is the price of pursuing greatness for the people who have achieved it, been close to it, or fell short. Great stories about humanity, mortality, and the way we choose to live our lives.
5 people found this helpful
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- Brandon Borders
- 07-31-19
Good book but a bit repetitive.
I enjoyed the book I specifically enjoyed the obvious work that was put into finding all of the information. However; after a time the stories began to run together and sound the same. Each of them seem to be the same story with different characters.
4 people found this helpful
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- chrisjones
- 05-15-19
First not great review
I found three chapters interesting. I like learning about Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods and the narrator did a good job exploring his journey searching for a washed up fighter who allegedly thought Muhamed Ali.
However the rest of the book was quite boring.
The speakers voice wasn’t exactly enjoyable.
I am sure he’s a fantastic person. I thoroughly enjoyed him talking about bringing home his firstborn child. Some people are writers. Some have a great voice and a few have both.
Maybe for the next book the author could have someone else do the voiceover. Everything is a process. Three of the chapters were fantastic. But it did leave something to be desired.
3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-05-20
06/2020 Tough Times!!
It’s a book I needed & didn’t know it! Wow!! Thank you Wright! You captured their voices...and yours!
2 people found this helpful
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- Teddy Busby
- 02-15-22
AMAZING
Emotions and connections for some people I’d never even heard of. Yes. The writing is that good.
1 person found this helpful
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- Richard L. Pearson
- 01-10-22
Great stories and varied
This was a great listen. Different stories and well written to catch your attention. Nice!!
1 person found this helpful
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- Adam
- 07-28-21
Fascinating look at people
This book was fascinating. I loved everything about it. Great stories about real people. I wanted more and more!
1 person found this helpful
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- Isaiah
- 05-06-22
A little something for everyone
Wright Thompson is a National Treasure. Getting to listen to him read his own words fir 10+ hours is a gift.
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- GB
- 09-05-21
Just a whiny man whining.
A sob story of white guilt and yet another "sports" writer that can't keep his political and racial bias to himself. He tows the political line, kisses the right rings and expresses how the people in life that do well are keeping down those that don't do well. The common trope.
He chickens out on asking if his friend was one if the racist rioters against college integration and his excuse is that he is too scared to ask if his family was also involved so he felt it was inappropriate to ask another person.
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- Richard Webster
- 08-27-20
Wonderfully written.
I grew up knowing Wright Thompson and his family as we are from the same hometown. The last story about Augusta got to me as I just lost my dad and he loved The Master’s. Wonderful all around. Look forward to more books by you Wright!