Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781595800398)

Mark Spitz is arguably the most famous and successful Olympic athlete of all time because of his legendary performances at the 1972 Olympics, where he won seven gold medals while breaking seven world records. His amazing life story is told for the first time in the authorized biography Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion.

This exclusive account follows Spitz's roller-coaster career: age-group prodigy, four-medal "flop" at the 1968 Olympics, outstanding collegiate career at Indiana University, gold-medal haul in 1972, lucrative endorsements, and a brief and unsuccessful stint in entertainment.

And the meatier stories--the role his father played in his career, his often stormy relationship with coaches and teammates, his experiences as a Jewish athlete with anti-Semitism and the Munich massacre, his impact on the commercialization of swimming, his relationship with Michael Phelps, and others--have been largely unknown, ignored, barely touched upon, or distorted.

Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion provides insights into Spitz's career, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about him and his competitors, and untold stories that shed light on his complicated personality and relationship with his father. Old and new fans alike will appreciate the depth and details of this swimming icon's story.

Author: Richard J. Foster
ISBN-10: 1595800395
ISBN-13: 9781595800398
Publisher: Santa Monica Press
Language: English
Published: 07/01/2008
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.34w x 0.87d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 08/15/2008 pg. 92
Booklist 09/01/2008 pg. 36