- Table View
- List View
Joe Dallesandro: Warhol Superstar, Underground Film Icon, Actor
by Michael FergusonThe story of Warhol&’s greatest superstar The renowned photographer Francesco Scavullo has called Joe Dallesandro &“one of the ten most photogenic men in the world.&” Springing to fame at the beginning of the sexual revolution in films such as Flesh, Trash, and Heat, Dallesandro, with the help of his mentor, Paul Morrissey, and pop artist Andy Warhol, became a male sex symbol in the film world unlike any before him. His casual nakedness and characteristic cool in the Warhol Factory&’s irreverent, now-classic films earned attention that crossed gender lines and liberated the male nude as an object of beauty in the cinema. In this biofilmography, an update and revision of Little Joe, Superstar, Michael Ferguson explores not only Dallesandro&’s Warhol years, but his troubled childhood on the streets of New York, in juvenile detention, as physique model, and on the run. Ferguson examines all of Dallesandro&’s films: the eight made with Warhol and Morrissey, including the X-rated Frankenstein and Dracula, the post-Factory career in both art-world and low-budget films abroad, and his works as character actor upon his return to America. Including new interviews with Dallesandro, photographs from the actor&’s personal collection, and an extensive biographical section, Joe Dallesandro is the ultimate guide to an underground film icon who, according to Andy Warhol, &“everyone was in love with.&”
Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life
by Richard Ben CramerJoe DiMaggio was, at every turn, one man we could look at who made us feel good. In the hard-knuckled thirties, he was the immigrant boy who made it big—and spurred the New York Yankees to a new era of dynasty. He was Broadway Joe, the icon of elegance, the man who wooed and won Marilyn Monroe—the most beautiful girl America could dream up. Joe DiMaggio was a mirror of our best self. And he was also the loneliest hero we ever had. In this groundbreaking biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Richard Ben Cramer presents a shocking portrait of a complicated, enigmatic life. The story that DiMaggio never wanted told, tells of his grace—and greed; his dignity, pride—and hidden shame. It is a story that sweeps through the twentieth century, bringing to light not just America's national game, but the birth (and the price) of modern national celebrity.
Joe DiMaggio: The Long Vigil
by Jerome CharynAs the New York Yankees' star centerfielder from 1936 to 1951, Joe DiMaggio is enshrined in America's memory as the epitome in sports of grace, dignity, and that ineffable quality called "class." But his career after retirement, starting with his nine-month marriage to Marilyn Monroe, was far less auspicious. Writers like Gay Talese and Richard Ben Cramer have painted the private DiMaggio as cruel or self-centered. Now, Jerome Charyn restores the image of this American icon, looking at DiMaggio's life in a more sympathetic light. DiMaggio was a man of extremes, superbly talented on the field but privately insecure, passive, and dysfunctional. He never understood that for Monroe, on her own complex and tragic journey, marriage was a career move; he remained passionately committed to her throughout his life. He allowed himself to be turned into a sports memorabilia money machine. In the end, unable to define any role for himself other than "Greatest Living Ballplayer," he became trapped in "a horrible kind of minutia. "But where others have seen little that was human behind that minutia, Charyn in Joe DiMaggio presents the tragedy of one of American sports' greatest figures.
Joe Dolan: The Official Biography
by Ronan CaseyGrowing up in poor circumstances in the midlands town of Mullingar might seem an unlikely start for a musical superstar, but that's exactly the journey Joe Dolan travelled in his amazing life. Not only that, Joe never forgot his roots and loved Mullingar to the day he died.From losing his father at a tragically young age, to his bold decision while still a teenager to throw in a good job and pursue his dream of playing music for a living, to early stardom with The Drifters and conquering the USSR, to his later re-emergence for a new generation of fans as the iconic Man in the White Suit - the amazing, mad, bad and funny stories behind the legendary career will be told for the first time.It is a colourful, life-affirming, revealing and hugely entertaining biography that is a fitting tribute to such a beloved performer.
Joe Doupe: Bedside Physiologist
by Terence MooreIn 1946, Winnipeg’s struggling medical student received an injection of new life when scientist and army doctor Joe Doupe came home from the war. He assembled the school’s first research group and in 1949, took over the physiology department. Doupe soon blended science and clinical teaching, objecting to their seperation in the curriculum, which was usual at that time. He required Winnipeg medical students of the 1950s and early 1960s to take a critical look at the scientific knowledge they relied on and in their methods of scientific inquiry. From his student days Doupe was considered argumentative, forever asking colleagues, superiors or students why they believed what they took for granted. The outcome was a generation of Manitoba medical students with a perceptive and sceptical attitude towards both textbook knowledge and new medical discoveries. Doupe also showed that Winnipeg’s medical students, though small and distant from the great medical centres, could become a first-rate teaching and research establishment; in doing so he became one of Canada’s most distinguished medical educators.
Joe Falls: 50 Years of Sports Writing and I Still Can't Tell the Difference Between a Slider and a Curve
by Joe FallsIn his very first trip to the ballpark, Joe Falls watched Lou Gehrig slam two home runs against the Philadelphia As. He's been in love with professional sports ever since. In this humerous and intellegent memoir, Falls reflects on over sixty years of writing with stories about all the greats from Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, to Joe DiMaggio and more.
Joe Gould's Secret
by Joseph MitchellIn 1942 Joseph Mitchell published "Professor Sea Gull," a profile of Joe Gould, a bohemian writer he met in Greenwich Village. Gould claimed to be at work on a vast book called The Oral History of Our Time based on conversations with the poor and downtrodden of New York City. In 1964 Mitchell published a second essay about Gould, "Joe Gould's Secret." In the second piece he describes the later years of his relationship with Gould and reveals discoveries he made about Gould before his death.
Joe Gould's Secret (Modern Library)
by Joseph MitchellThe story of a notorious New York eccentric and the journalist who chronicled his life: &“A little masterpiece of observation and storytelling&” (Ian McEwan). Joseph Mitchell was a cornerstone of the New Yorker staff for decades, but his prolific career was shattered by an extraordinary case of writer&’s block. For the final thirty-two years of his life, Mitchell published nothing. And the key to his silence may lie in his last major work: the biography of a supposed Harvard grad turned Greenwich Village tramp named Joe Gould. Gould was, in Mitchell&’s words, &“an odd and penniless and unemployable little man who came to this city in 1916 and ducked and dodged and held on as hard as he could for over thirty-five years.&” As Mitchell learns more about Gould&’s epic Oral History—a reputedly nine-million-word collection of philosophizing, wanderings, and hearsay—he eventually uncovers a secret that adds even more intrigue to the already unusual story of the local legend. Originally written as two separate pieces (&“Professor Sea Gull&” in 1942 and then &“Joe Gould&’s Secret&” twenty-two years later), this magnum opus captures Mitchell at his peak. As the reader comes to understand Gould&’s secret, Mitchell&’s words become all the more haunting. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Joseph Mitchell including rare images from the author&’s estate.
Joe Gould's Teeth
by Jill LeporeFrom New Yorker staff writer and Harvard historian Jill Lepore, the dark, spellbinding tale of her restless search for the long-lost, longest book ever written, a century-old manuscript called "The Oral History of Our Time." Joe Gould, a madman, believed he was the most brilliant historian of the twentieth century. So did some of his friends, a group of modernist writers and artists that included E. E. Cummings, Marianne Moore, William Carlos Williams, John Dos Passos, and Ezra Pound. Gould began his life's work before the First World War, announcing that he intended to write down nearly everything anyone ever said to him. "I am trying to preserve as much detail as I can about the normal life of every day people," he explained, because "as a rule, history does not deal with such small fry." By 1942, when The New Yorker published a profile of Gould written by the reporter Joseph Mitchell, Gould's manuscript had grown to more than nine million words. But when Gould died in 1957, in a mental hospital, the manuscript was nowhere to be found. Then, in 1964, in "Joe Gould's Secret," a second profile, Mitchell claimed that "The Oral History of Our Time" had been, all along, merely a figment of Gould's imagination. Lepore, unpersuaded, decided to find out. Joe Gould's Teeth is a Poe-like tale of detection, madness, and invention. Digging through archives all over the country, Lepore unearthed evidence that "The Oral History of Our Time" did in fact once exist. Relying on letters, scraps, and Gould's own diaries and notebooks--including volumes of his lost manuscript--Lepore argues that Joe Gould's real secret had to do with sex and the color line, with modernists' relationship to the Harlem Renaissance, and, above all, with Gould's terrifying obsession with the African American sculptor Augusta Savage. In ways that even Gould himself could not have imagined, what Gould wrote down really is a history of our time: unsettling and ferocious.From the Hardcover edition.
Joe Hill: A Biographical Novel
by Wallace StegnerBlending fact with fiction in this masterful historical novel, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Wallace Stegner retells the story of Joe Hill--the Wobbly bard who became the stuff of legend when, in 1915, he was executed for the alleged murder of a Salt Lake City businessman. Organizer, agitator, "Labor's Songster"--a rebel from the skin inwards, with an absolute faith in the One Big Union--Joe Hill fought tirelessly in the frequently violent battles between organized labor and industry. But though songs and stories still vaunt him, and his legend continues to inspire those who feel the injustices he fought against, Joe Hill may not have been a saintly crusader and may have been motivated by impulses darker than the search for justice. Joe Hill is a full-bodied portrait of both the man and the myth: from his entrance into the short-lived Industrial Workers of the World union, the most militant organization in the history of American labor, to his trial, imprisonment, and final martyrdom. His famous last words: "Don't waste time mourning. Organize."
Joe Louis: Hard Times Man
by Randy RobertsA &“humbling, inspiring . . . deeply emotional&” biography of the boxing legend who held the heavyweight world championship for more than eleven years (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Known as the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis defended his heavyweight title an astonishing twenty-five times. Through the 1930s, he got more column inches of newspaper coverage than President Roosevelt. At a time when the boxing ring was the only venue where black and white could meet on equal terms, Louis embodied Black America&’s hope for dignity and equality. And in 1938, his politically charged defeat of German boxer Max Schmeling made Louis a national hero on the world stage. Through meticulous research and first-hand interviews, acclaimed biographer Randy Roberts presents a complete portrait of Louis and his outsized impact on sport and country. Digging beneath the simplistic narratives of heroism and victimization, Roberts reveals an athlete who carefully managed his public image, and whose relationships with both the black and white communities—including his relationships with mobsters—were deeply complex. &“Roberts is a fine match with his subject. He supports with powerful evidence his contention that Louis&’s impact was enormous and profound.&” —The Boston Globe
Joe Rochefort's War
by Elliot Ward CarlsonThis is the first biography of Capt. Joe Rochefort, the Officer in Charge of Station Hypo the U.S. Navy's decrypt unit at Pearl Harbor and his key role in breaking the Imperial Japanese Navy's main code before the Battle of Midway. It brings together the disparate threads of Rochefort's life and career, beginning with his enlistment in the Naval Reserve in 1918 at age 17 (dropping out of high school and adding a year to his age). It chronicles his earliest days as a mustang (an officer who has risen from the ranks), his fortuitous posting to Washington, where he headed the Navy's codebreaking desk at age 25, then, in another unexpected twist, found himself assigned to Tokyo to learn Japanese.This biography records Rochefort's surprising love-hate relationship with cryptanalysis, his joyful exit from the field, his love of sea duty, his adventure-filled years in the '30s as the right-hand man to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, and his reluctant return to codebreaking in mid-1941 when he was ordered to head the Navy's decrypt unit at Pearl (Station Hypo).The book focuses on Rochefort's inspiring leadership of Hypo, recording first his frustrating months in late 1941 searching for Yamamoto's fleet, then capturing a guilt-ridden Rochefort in early 1942 mounting a redemptive effort to track that fleet after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor . It details his critical role in May 1942 when he and his team, against the bitter opposition of some top Navy brass, concluded Midway was Yamamoto's invasion target, making possible a victory regarded by many as the turning point in the Pacific War.The account also tells the story of Rochefort's ouster from Pearl, the result of the machinations of key officers in Washington, first to deny him the Distinguished Service Medal recommended by Admiral Nimitz, then to effect his removal as OIC of Hypo. The book reports his productive final years in the Navy when he supervises the building of a floating drydock on the West Coast, then, back in Washington, finds himself directing a planning body charged with doing spade work leading to the invasion of Japan.The Epilogue narrates the postwar effort waged by Rochefort's Hypo colleagues to obtain for him the DSM denied in 1942-a drive that pays off in 1986 when President Reagan awards him the medal posthumously at a White House ceremony attended by his daughter and son. It also explores Rochefort's legacy, primarily his pioneering role at Pearl in which, contrary to Washington's wishes, he reported directly to Commander in Chief, US Fleet, providing actionable intelligence without any delays and enabling codebreaking to play the key role it did in the Battle of Midway.Ultimately, this book is aimed at bringing Joe Rochefort to life as the irreverent, fiercely independent and consequential officer that he was. It assumes his career can't be understood without looking at his entire life. It seeks to capture the interplay of policy and personality, and the role played by politics and personal rifts at the highest levels of Navy power during a time of national crisis. This bio emerges as a history of the Navy's intelligence culture.
Joe Salsberg
by Gerald TulchinskyThis book follows the life and intellectual journey of Joseph Baruch Salsberg, a Polish-Jewish immigrant who became a major figure of the Ontario Left, a leading voice for human rights in the Ontario legislature, and an important journalist in the Jewish community. His life trajectory mirrored many of the most significant transformations in Canadian political and social life in the twentieth century.Award-winning historian Gerald Tulchinsky traces Salsberg's personal and professional journey - from his entrance into Toronto's oppressive garment industry at age 14, which led to his becoming active in emerging trade unions, to his rise through the ranks of the Communist Party of Canada and the Workers' Unity League. Detailing Salsberg's time as an influential Toronto alderman and member of the Ontario legislature, the book also examines his dramatic break with communism and his embrace of a new career in journalism.Tulchinsky employs historical sources not used before to explain how Salsberg's family life and surrounding religious and social milieu influenced his evolution as a Zionist, an important labour union leader, a member of the Communist Party of Canada, and a prominent member of Toronto's Jewish community.
Joe Simon: My Life in Comics
by Joe SimonIn his own words, this is the life of Joe Simon, one of the most important figures in comics history, and half of the famous creative team Simon and Kirby. Joe Simon co-created Captain America, and was the first editor in chief of Marvel Comics (where he hired Stan Lee for his first job in comics). Simon began his prolific career in the Great Depression, and this book recounts his journey to New York City, his first comic book work, his meeting with Jack Kirby, and the role comics played in wartime America. He remembers the near-death of the comics, and the scramble to survive. And he reveals what it was like to bring comics out of their infancy, as they became an American art form.
Joe Wilson and the Creation of Xerox
by Charles D. Ellis Joel M. Podolny Anne M. Mulcahy"Charley Ellis has written a magnificent portrait, capturing the indomitable spirit of Joe Wilson and his instinctive understanding of the need for and commercial usefulness of a transforming imaging technology. Joe Wilson and his extraordinary team, which I had the good fortune to first meet in 1960, epitomized the wonderful observation of George Bernard Shaw who said, 'Some look at things that are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask why not?'Xerox and xerography are not only a part of our vocabulary, but part of our everyday life. Charley Ellis gives the reader a poignant understanding of just how this happened through the life, adventures, critical business decisions, and dreams of Joseph Wilson and a cadre of remarkable individuals.This book will surely join the library of memorable biographies that capture the building of America into a risk-tolerant, technologically sophisticated, idea-oriented society that thrives by understanding what Charles Darwin really said:'Survival will be neither to the strongest of the species, nor to the most intelligent, but to those most adaptable to change.'"--Frederick Frank, Vice Chairman, Lehman Brothers Inc.
Joe and Marilyn: Legends in Love
by C. David HeymannFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Bobby and Jackie comes the riveting, true story of the passionate, volatile relationship between baseball great Joe DiMaggio and Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.When Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe eloped in January of 1954, they became an international sensation. Joe and Marilyn reveals the true inside story of these two iconic figures whose marital troubles were Hollywood legend. Though their marriage only lasted nine months, they remained close until Monroe's mysterious death in 1962 at the age of thirty-six. He had a half-dozen red roses delivered three times a week to her crypt for twenty years. According to Heymann, DiMaggio remained devoted to her until his own death in 1999. An intimate, sensitive, shocking, and richly detailed look at two of America's biggest stars, Heymann delivers the expertise and passion for his subjects that his many fans so love. Based on extensive archival research and personal interviews with family and friends, Joe and Marilyn offers great insight into this famously tragic romance. Sixteen pages of striking photos accompany this unforgettable love.
Joe and Me: An Education In Fishing And Friendship
by James ProsekWhen James Prosek was just fifteen, a ranger named Joe Haines caught him fishing without a permit in a stream near Prosek's home in Connecticut. But instead of taking off with his fishing buddy, James put down his rod and surrendered. It was a move that would change his life forever. Expecting a small fine and a lecture, James instead received enough knowledge about fishing and the great outdoors to last a lifetime.The story of an unlikely friendship, Joe and Me is a book for those who remember the mentor in their life, the one who changed the way they look at the world.
Joe's War: My Father Decoded
by Annette KobakThe intriguing history of a young girl's search for the man her father really was. A fascinating insight about WWII espionage - and a moving personal story.
Joel
by Gregg Lewis Joel SonnenbergJoel Sonnenberg solo tenía dos años cuando un camión de dieciocho ruedas chocó contra el auto de su familia. En el infierno que siguió su cuerpo se quemó en más de un ochenta y cinco por ciento. Esta es su historia como solo él puede contarla. Experimente el mundo desde la perspectiva de Joel, mientras lo lleva a una travesía personal con más trama que una película de Hollywood. Su vida ha sido de grandes logros y sufrimientos. Prepárese para enamorarse de este joven llamado Joel.
Joel
by Gregg Lewis Joel SonnenbergJoel Sonnenberg was only two years old when an 18-wheeler smashed into his family&’s car. In the inferno that followed, he was burned on over 85 percent of his body. This is his story as only he can tell it. Experience the world from Joel&’s perspective as he takes you on a personal journey with more twists and turns than a Hollywood movie. It&’s been a life of both great struggles and of tremendous achievement and honor. Yet Joel asserts, &“I am just an ordinary person whom people find extraordinary.&” Be prepared to fall in love with a young man named Joel. We have known Joel since he first moved to Montreat, North Carolina, eighteen years ago. What an incredible boy he was; what an incredible man he has become. His testimony will stir your heart and forever change you. Ruth and Billy Graham Joel is a dear friend. His story is truly remarkable. I encourage everyone to read it. It is truly inspiring! Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Head Coach, Duke University Basketball Joel is an American hero. True courage is demonstrated in every page. Bob Dole, Former United States Senator, Kansas The dictionary doesn&’t have enough adjectives to describe my love and admiration for Joel Sonnenberg. To spend time with Joel—whether in his book, at a soccer game, or over a soda—is to come away a different person simply because you&’ve been with him. Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends Joel Sonnenberg&’s story is more than just an uplifting tale of persistence and achievement. Rooted in tragedy, it&’s the story of a mother&’s love, a boy&’s courage, and the resilience of the human spirit. Bryant Gumbel, Television News Journalist His story is one all young people need to hear . . . optimistic, confident, and filled with faith. Dr. Jay Kesler, President Emeritus, Taylor University
Joel Barlow: American Citizen in a Revolutionary World
by Richard . Buel Jr.An in-depth look at the life and times of the early American poet and polemicist.Poet, republican, diplomat, and entrepreneur, Joel Barlow filled many roles and registered impressive accomplishments. In the first biography of this fascinating figure in decades, Richard Buel Jr. recounts the life of a man more intimately connected to the Age of Revolution than perhaps any other American.Barlow was a citizen of the revolutionary world, and his adventures throughout the United States and Europe during both the American and French Revolutions are numerous and notorious. From writing his epic poem, The Vision of Columbus, to plotting a republican revolution in Britain to negotiating the release of American sailors taken captive by Barbary pirates, Joel Barlow personified the true spirit of the tumultuous times in which he lived.No one witnessed more climactic events or interacted with more significant people than Joel Barlow. His unique vision, his unfailing belief in republicanism, and his entrepreneurial spirit drove him to pursue the revolutionary ideal in a way more emblematic of the age than the lives of many of its prominent heroes.In telling Barlow’s story, Buel explores the cultural landscape of the early American republic and engages the broader themes of the Age of Revolution. Few books explore in such a comprehensive fashion the political, economic, ideological, diplomatic, and technological dimensions of this defining moment in world history.“No earlier biographer has given nearly as detailed and rich a portrait of Barlow’s perhaps singularly expansive role in the cultural life, commerce, politics, and intrigue of the age of revolution.” —TheGuardian (UK)
Joel Barlow: American Citizen in a Revolutionary World
by Richard Buel Jr.Poet, republican, diplomat, and entrepreneur, Joel Barlow filled many roles and registered impressive accomplishments. In the first biography of this fascinating figure in decades, Richard Buel Jr. recounts the life of a man more intimately connected to the Age of Revolution than perhaps any other American.Barlow was a citizen of the revolutionary world, and his adventures throughout the United States and Europe during both the American and French Revolutions are numerous and notorious. From writing his epic poem, The Vision of Columbus, to plotting a republican revolution in Britain to negotiating the release of American sailors taken captive by Barbary pirates, Joel Barlow personified the true spirit of the tumultuous times in which he lived.No one witnessed more climactic events or interacted with more significant people than Joel Barlow. It was his unique vision, his unfailing belief in republicanism, and his entrepreneurial spirit that drove Barlow to pursue the revolutionary ideal in a way more emblematic of the age than the lives of many of its prominent heroes.Buel is a knowledgeable guide, and in telling Barlow’s story he explores the cultural landscape of the early American republic and engages the broader themes of the Age of Revolution. Few books explore in such a comprehensive fashion the political, economic, ideological, diplomatic, and technological dimensions of this defining moment in world history.
Joel and Ethan Coen (Contemporary Film Directors)
by R. Barton PalmerWith landmark films such as Fargo, O Brother Where art Thou?, Blood Simple, and Raising Arizona, the Coen brothers have achieved both critical and commercial success. Proving the existence of a viable market for "small" films that are also intellectually rewarding, their work has exploded generic conventions amid rich webs of transtextual references. R. Barton Palmer argues that the Coen oeuvre forms a central element in what might be called postmodernist filmmaking. Mixing high and low cultural sources and blurring genres like noir and comedy, the use of pastiche and anti-realist elements in films such as The Hudsucker Proxy and Barton Fink clearly fit the postmodernist paradigm. Palmer argues that for a full understanding of the Coen brothers' unique position within film culture, it is important to see how they have developed a new type of text within general postmodernist practice that Palmer terms commercial/independent. Analyzing their substantial body of work from this "generic" framework is the central focus of this book.
Joey Smallwood: Schemer and Dreamer
by Ray ArgyleKnown as the "only living Father of Confederation" in his lifetime, Joey Smallwood was an entertaining, crafty, and controversial politician in Canada for decades. Born in Gambo, Newfoundland, Joseph ("Joey") Smallwood (1900–1991) spent his life championing the worth and potential of his native province. Although he was a successful journalist and radio personality, Smallwood is best known for his role in bringing Newfoundland into Confederation with Canada in 1949, believing that such an action would secure an average standard of living for Newfoundlanders. He was rightfully dubbed the "only living Father of Confederation" in his lifetime and was premier of the province for twenty-three years. During much of the last part of the twentieth century, Smallwood remained a prominent player in the story of Newfoundland and Labrador’s growth as a province. Later in life he put himself in debt in order to complete his Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, the only project of its kind in Canada up to that point. In Joey Smallwood: Schemer and Dreamer, Ray Argyle reexamines the life of this incredible figure in light of Newfoundland’s progress in recent years, and measures his vision against its new position as a province of prosperity rather than poverty.
Johan Cruyff: Always on the Attack
by Auke KokArgumentative, brilliant, arrogant, visionary. Johan Cruyff was one of the greatest footballers of all time, a worldwide phenomenon and arguably the most famous Dutchman of the twentieth century. Both on the pitch and from the sidelines as a coach, with his brand of Total Football he changed how the game was played and left a lasting legacy. Although Cruyff led a large part of his illustrious career and life in the spotlight, in many ways Cruyff the man and sportsman is still a complete mystery. Based on years of extensive research, this biography the first to cover all aspects of Cruyff&’s life and work, from his key influence in the great Ajax and Netherlands sides of the 1970s to his role in creating the modern footballing phenomenon that is Barcelona. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with friends from his childhood and school, coaches, teammates, on-pitch opponents, business associates and family members, Auke Kok has written the definitive biography of the skinny impish street footballer that became the genius player, inspirational manager, football philosopher and commercial pioneer that was Johan Cruyff.