Reviews
"A definitive examination of illegal drug use in America's pastime . . . Richly detailed, the muscular narrative often reads like a thriller . . . this is an intricate and compelling case in which there are no heroes, but a notable villain-the League itself-whose lax approach to the issue ensures baseball's steroids era isn't over." - Publishers Weekly (starred) "Of all the books I've ever read about baseball, I'd say this is as thoroughly researched as can be and right now it stands as the definitive book about the steroid era." -Mike Pesca, NPR: Morning Edition "Gripping . . . nimble . . . the authors have turned the sprawling story of steroid-use into a sleek narrative that reads like an investigative thriller, peopled by a Dickensian cast of characters, from big-name ball players and their high-powered lawyers to small time bodybuilders and gym owners, from federal investigators and members of Congress to denizens of "the violent criminal underworld of muscle-building drug distribution. As in Bob Woodward's inside-Washington books, the narrative of 'American Icon' draws upon lots of official documents-in this case sworn depositions, medical records, courtroom transcripts, records from criminal investigations, as well as the groundbreaking articles these reporters did for The Daily News , and hundreds of interviews, both on the record and off." -Michiko Kakutani, New York Times "Graphic . . . damning." -David M. Shribman, Bloomberg "The account often reads like a detective novel, with the authors revealing the underbelly of professional baseball-the furtive injections, "gravy trainers" (sports hangers on), secret mistresses, drug transactions, and smarmy agents that pervade the sport. Things turn ugly when federal authorities put the squeeze on McNamee, and Clemens self destructs by lashing out at McNamee and demanding a congressional hearing. The journalism demonstrated here hits the bar set by another baseball/steroids book, Game of Shadows (2006), and it builds a daunting case against Clemens." -Jerry Eberle, Booklist (starred) From the Hardcover edition., "Gripping . . . nimble . . . the authors have turned the sprawling story of steroid-use into a sleek narrative that reads like an investigative thriller, peopled by a Dickensian cast of characters, from big-name ball players and their high-powered lawyers to small time bodybuilders and gym owners, from federal investigators and members of Congress to denizens of "the violent criminal underworld of muscle-building drug distribution. As in Bob Woodward's inside-Washington books, the narrative of 'American Icon' draws upon lots of official documents-in this case sworn depositions, medical records, courtroom transcripts, records from criminal investigations, as well as the groundbreaking articles these reporters did forThe Daily News, and hundreds of interviews, both on the record and off." -Michiko Kakutani,New York Times "Graphic . . . damning." -David M. Shribman,Bloomberg "The account often reads like a detective novel, with the authors revealing the underbelly of professional baseball-the furtive injections, "gravy trainers" (sports hangers on), secret mistresses, drug transactions, and smarmy agents that pervade the sport. Things turn ugly when federal authorities put the squeeze on McNamee, and Clemens self destructs by lashing out at McNamee and demanding a congressional hearing. The journalism demonstrated here hits the bar set by another baseball/steroids book,Game of Shadows(2006), and it builds a daunting case against Clemens."-Jerry Eberle,Booklist(starred), "A definitive examination of illegal drug use in America's pastime . . . Richly detailed, the muscular narrative often reads like a thriller . . . this is an intricate and compelling case in which there are no heroes, but a notable villain-the League itself-whose lax approach to the issue ensures baseball's steroids era isn't over." -Publishers Weekly(starred) "Of all the books I've ever read about baseball, I'd say this is as thoroughly researched as can be and right now it stands as the definitive book about the steroid era." -Mike Pesca,NPR: Morning Edition "Gripping . . . nimble . . . the authors have turned the sprawling story of steroid-use into a sleek narrative that reads like an investigative thriller, peopled by a Dickensian cast of characters, from big-name ball players and their high-powered lawyers to small time bodybuilders and gym owners, from federal investigators and members of Congress to denizens of "the violent criminal underworld of muscle-building drug distribution. As in Bob Woodward's inside-Washington books, the narrative of 'American Icon' draws upon lots of official documents-in this case sworn depositions, medical records, courtroom transcripts, records from criminal investigations, as well as the groundbreaking articles these reporters did forThe Daily News, and hundreds of interviews, both on the record and off." -Michiko Kakutani,New York Times "Graphic . . . damning." -David M. Shribman,Bloomberg "The account often reads like a detective novel, with the authors revealing the underbelly of professional baseball-the furtive injections, "gravy trainers" (sports hangers on), secret mistresses, drug transactions, and smarmy agents that pervade the sport. Things turn ugly when federal authorities put the squeeze on McNamee, and Clemens self destructs by lashing out at McNamee and demanding a congressional hearing. The journalism demonstrated here hits the bar set by another baseball/steroids book,Game of Shadows(2006), and it builds a daunting case against Clemens." -Jerry Eberle,Booklist(starred)
