The Minority Quarterback: And Other Lives in Sports

An abundant collection of stories from the pages of the New York Times that transcend what we know as sportswriting. Mr. Berkow has a clear understanding of the games he reports, but he also has a sharp eye for the lives of the players, an appreciation of the larger social context, and—not least—an affinity for the well-turned phrase. Ira Berkow is among the best—a Sondheim of the sports page. —George F. Will. I follow Ira Berkow in the Times with unfailing interest. —Saul Bellow. If there's anyone doing sports who is even close, I haven't read him. —Mike Royko.