...from the guys who wrote the runaway bestseller "Live from New York"
"A sharp-clawed, incisive account of how nearly three decades worth of comic talent has emerged from a single television show." —NYT
"A guilty pleasure of the highest order... Live From New York shines." —Time
"One of the 75 smartest books we know." —Fortune
"A perfectly woven memoir." —People
"Shales & Miller paint a detailed landscape portrait of what has become an American cultural icon, one that will guide any attentive reader to a fuller understanding of comedy, TV, and the culture itself." —Chicago Tribune
"A word-of-mouth masterpiece." —Dallas Morning News
Chat Session
Tuesday, February 24
TOM SHALES: I thought that even though we’ve each done books on our own, we should do another one together.
JIM MILLER: Fine, but this one’s about ESPN, and you hate sports.
SHALES: I do not hate sports. I hate beer. Besides, I watch the Super Bowl every year. That’s sports.
MILLER: Yeah right. You watch it for the commercials.
SHALES: And the half-time show.
MILLER: But you know, it might be kind of a plus that you’re not a rabid sports fan, because this should be a book for everybody.
SHALES: Right....
A Big, New ESPN Book
"In at least ten harmonious marriages, the parents have named children ESPN, Espn, Espin or Espyn. How many children have been named HBO?"
—George F. Will
One of the best-known brands in the world, ESPN has revolutionized sports and sports broadcasting. Through ever-evolving innovations, ESPN has become arguably more influential — socially, technically, economically — than any other media outlet in the history of television. It has altered the habits and sensibilities of multiple generations and influenced the lives even of those who never watch it. Much more than a bunch of networks, ESPN has become a ubiquity, an addiction, a huge part of modern life.
We want to look at where it's come from, where it's going, and how its effects permeate all aspects of the culture — and we want to tell as many great stories about it as we can cram between two covers.
The Ultimate ESPN book will offer readers — even those who aren't sports fans — a chance to know ESPN inside and out, top to bottom, then and now. With the same candor and zeal as in "Live From New York" (see box above), we will tell the ESPN story as recalled by hundreds of insiders in their own words — plus the observations of experts and our own running commentary.