Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life is a non-fiction book by journalist and author Richard Ben Cramer. The book, published in 2000 by Simon & Schuster, covered the life of Joe DiMaggio, Hall of Fame centerfielder for the New York Yankees, and his place in American and baseball history.
 | |
| Author | Richard Ben Cramer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Joe DiMaggio |
| Genre | |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | 2000 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 978-0684865478 |
The book attracted controversy due to how it painted DiMaggio, a beloved American icon, as being aloof and cold. It became a New York Times bestseller and was nominated for both the CASEY Award and the Seymour Medal as being the best baseball book of the year.
Background
editCramer, a New York Yankees fan, wanted to write about DiMaggio in a humanizing way, to cut through the myth and image of the baseball and American icon which he had carefully crafted.[1]
Reception
editUpon its release, the book caused controversy and furor amongst baseball fans as it was perceived to have painted DiMaggio in bad light.[2] Cramer disagreed with the characterization, calling the book "positive" to baseball icon. Despite the controversy, the book was critically acclaimed and became a best-seller. It was nominated for the CASEY Award and the Seymour Medal.[citation needed]
The New York Times called the book a "dismantling of both the DiMaggio and the American myths" and praised Cramer's prose.[1] Historian Ron Kaplan also praised Cramer for his extensive research and honesty: "Cramer has done a marvelous, exhaustive job of research, spending five years on his tome... the long-anticipated biography of the Yankee Clipper could not, would not, have been written 30 years ago."[3]
In 2021, the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) named it one of its top 50 best baseball books during its 50th anniversary celebrations, writing: "If Frank Deford's Everybody's All-American is the best fictional account of the effects of sports superstardom on a man’s life, then this biography is the most vivid depiction of its impact on an actual professional athlete. Through seven decades, [Cramer] chronicles DiMaggio's efforts to maintain personal dignity on his own terms. While fame seemed to exaggerate many shortcomings, the book reveals his genuine and common human decency."[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Bernstein, Richard (October 18, 2000). "Books of the Times; Idol of Millions Yet a Bit of a Phantom". The New York Times.
- ^ Sheed, Wilfrid (October 29, 2000). "Baseball Was Very, Very Good to Him". The New York Times.
- ^ Kaplan, Ron. "The Hero's New Clothes". January Magazine.
- ^ "SABR 50 at 50: Baseball Books". Society for American Baseball Research.