Evel: The High-flying Life of Evel Knievel - American Showman, Daredevil, and Legend

By:

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis
From New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville, this riveting and definitive new biography pulls back the red, white, and blue cape on a cultural icon--and reveals the unknown, complex, and controversial man known to millions around the world as Evel Knievel. Evel Knievel was a high-flying daredevil, the father of extreme sports, the personification of excitement and dan­ger and showmanship . . . and in the 1970s Knievel repre­sented a unique slice of American culture and patriotism. His jump over the fountains at Caesar's Palace led to a crash unlike anything ever seen on television, and his attempt to rocket over Snake River Canyon in Idaho was something only P. T. Barnum could have orchestrated. The dazzling motorcycles and red-white-and-blue outfits became an integral part of an American decade. Knievel looked like Elvis . . . but on any given Saturday afternoon millions tuned in to the small screen to see this real-life action hero tempt death. But behind the flash and the frenzy, who was the man? Bestselling author Leigh Montville masterfully explores the life of the complicated man from the small town of Butte, Montana. He delves into Knievel's amazing place in pop culture, as well as his notorious dark side--and his complex and often contradictory relationships with his image, the media, his own family, and his many demons. Evel Knievel's story is an all-American saga, and one that is largely untold. Leigh Montville once again delivers a definitive biography of a one-of-a-kind sports legend.From the Hardcover edition.
Copyright:
2011

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:
9780385533676
Related ISBNs:
9780385527453
Publisher:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Leigh Montville
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Entertainment, Nonfiction, Sports, Biographies and Memoirs
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

Reviews

No Rating Yet