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In a stunning feat of meticulous reportage, Pulitzer Prize winnerRichard BenCramer ultimately puts to rest the "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?"question with iconoclastic bravura. In Cramer's evaluation, the hero Americaheld onto so desperately for so long was really a creation of a nation'scommunal imagination. The Joe DiMaggio that America tried so hard to believe inwas never really here at all.

There was, of course, a Joe DiMaggio, and he had a splendid career in Yankeepinstripes--once hitting safely in an unimaginable 56 consecutive games--and atroubled marriage with Marilyn Monroe, each augmenting the other in our nationalmythology. But myths tend to be skin-deep, and Cramer's biography thrives in aninternal geography well below the surface. The map he charts is of a cold,small, often nasty, uncaring, resentful, self-centered man, a man of publicgrace and private misery who broke friendships, shunned family, and chased moneywith the same focused energies he once harnessed to run down fly balls. It's nota pretty picture.

Scrupulously researched and elegantly written, The Hero's Life is filledwith stories and reminiscences, both on and off the field, from others--notsurprisingly, DiMaggio offered no cooperation--that both illumine the man and,more fascinatingly, explain our very need for him. Amid all the success andadulation, there was little joy in DiMaggio's life, and few moments--beyond thereal heartache he felt over Monroe--of connection with others beyond Joe'spersonal need for others to serve him. "No one really knew what it meant to havespent a half-century being precisely and distinctly DiMaggio," Cramer writes,"what we required Joe DiMaggio to be. No one knew, as he did, what it cost tolive the hero's life. And no one knew, as he did, precisely what it was worth."It seems our nation turned its lonely eyes to a proud, but empty shell; Cramer'ssuperb book helps us understand why we did, and how DiMaggio was able to takeall the good will extended him and give so little back. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Fact v. Fiction
While The Hero's Life is an excellent book about one of the three best baseball players who have ever lived, you have to wonder how much is true. Mr Cramer does list many sources and is wonderful at telling the story of Joe DiMaggio's life. DiMaggio kept the people whom he did not want in his life out and probably for good reason. The question does linger however that since he is basing most of the book on second hand information how much is true. An excellent book that was hard to put down I have recomended it many people. Having never seen Joe DiMaggio play and him seemingly in secrecy for most of his life I found him to be an "interesting" person. He was, is and should always be an American Icon; bringing a country that was embattled in war together for a brief point in history. If you dont know anything about Joe DiMaggio but would like to, this book is a must.

This View of Joe Will Jolt You
This is a totally absorbing book. Not all writers can get away with an informal, vernacular style, but Cramer pulls it off--reading the book is like listening to an occasionally breathless but always fascinating raconteur hold forth. It's as if the author were talking to the reader personally, narrating the story.

The choice of words in the title is telling: not "a" hero's life, which would imply that DiMaggio was a genuine hero, but "the" hero's life, implying that the subject's actual life was greatly at variance with his heroic image, as it certainly was. Some DiMaggio fans are offended that Cramer didn't write a worshipful puff-piece; instead he revealed what a cold, mean-spirited, greedy guy DiMaggio really was. But the author also helps the reader understand how DiMaggio got that way, and it's this quality that makes the book so extraordinary.

Two criticisms of aspects of the book that make it less than a five-star production: The author's repeated use of the term "Dago" when referring to DiMaggio could perhaps be explained by the fact that many people of the time really did refer to DiMaggio with that ethnic slur, but it's still offensive and unnecessary. People in the past may indeed have referred to DiMaggio that way, but that doesn't mean Cramer should compound the error by throwing the term around so frequently himself! If he were writing about Hank Greenberg, I'll bet he wouldn't refer to him throughout his text as "The Hebe" or "The Kike." Nor, if he were writing about Jackie Robinson, would he dream of referring to his subject as "The Nig," or by whatever other racist slurs were hurled at Robinson.

The other criticism is that I was constantly wondering how the author could possibly have known some of the things he includes. Maybe this is just awe at Cramer's reportorial skills, but since he includes no source notes, we have to take him at his word. He may well have had many talky informants, especially after DiMaggio's death, but I don't think anybody could have followed Joe into the bedroom with Marilyn Monroe, the way Cramer pretends to do!

Good addition to DiMaggio Literature
Being a San Franciscan, I really appreciated the author's research and description of life in this City during the first 3-4 decades of the 20th century, including the baseball scene and the legend of Lefty O'Doul (whose bar is still open just off Union Square). There is also much to be learned for the younger readers about baseball in the 30s and 40s. Not all was a grand as today's romanticists like to portray it. How things should be is somewhere between the over-paid mediocre talent of today and the grossly underpaid---and unfree---players of those days. I can't imagine what someone of Dimaggio's caliber would be getting paid today.

The book also shined when describing not only Joe's relationship with Marilyn Monroe (brutal by today's standards) and what Hollywood and stardom was like.

Dimaggio's dysfunctional personality and apparent avarice are well-presented, as is the power he had to make men give up all dignity and self-respect simply to be his friend. While we can't simply assume everything said here about DiMaggio's attorney and "close personal friend", Morris Engelberg, is 100% accurate, it isn't hard to believe either. We had a very real taste of this man's character here in San Francisco with how he handled the whole affair of our city wanting to name the playground in North Beach for DiMaggio.

The only gap in the book for me was the leap it made from Marilyn Monroe's death all the way to the 1989 SF earthquake. I thought Cramer went pretty far in depicting the Kennedy/Sinatra involvement with Monroe and why Joe so despised them after her death. But he stopped there quite abruptly. There probably was more that could have been written to show Joe's scorn for them (like the snub of Bobby Kennedy at Yankee Stadium during an Old Timers Game introductions...Joe refused to shake his hand). Baseball-wise, I think more could have also been written about Joe's feelings for---or against---Mickey Mantle and how he felt about THAT center fielder's so completely winning the hearts of Yankee fans. If the author's intended audience was people like me and older, who are familiar with Joe's life and career, then I'm off-base. If he was hoping to have the 20-30 crowd know more about this myth, I think he could have written a little more.

Joe DiMaggio was not a good man necessarily, many people knew that before even reading this book. In today's world he would have been mauled by the press and fans and would likely not be perceived as such a heroic figure as he now is. Look at Barry Bonds, perhaps a better player overall (hard to say for those of us who never saw Joe actually play...hard to argue against 9 world championships in 13 years...versus Barry's ZERO), yet his personality is probably not too different from Joe's in his search for privacy and aloofness from his teammates. However, he is vilified by most and has precious few friends. In another day, he would have been up in the pantheon with the Babe and Joltin' Joe.

Why the personal assault?
This book was a gift from my daughter; as such, I read it even though I knew that it was a hatchet job, for whatever reason, against a great player. At the end of the book I came away with the same conclusion I had when I started, and that is that Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest hitters of all time (had an immaculate swing) and one of the greatest all around players of all time. As a baseball lover that is all I need to know. In short, he was idolized for his playing ability and for his quite demeanor on the field, while keeping his peccadilloes from public view - why is that so bad? What grudge the author has against Joe DiMaggio I don't know, but I see no need to attack a person based on the shortcomings of that person's personality.

Bitter, angry, jealous - and that's just the author
This is a bitter, self-indulgent attempt by the author to attack DiMaggio. Period. He was a bad guy... so what? He liked money? Last time I checked, the author wasn't giving his book away. The main problem isn't with the book or DiMaggio, but with the people who make guys like DiMaggio the heroes they can never be. The bar is set way too high for these individuals. No one can reach it. Our solution: write about it. Consider this: I seriously doubt anyone will write a book about the author, because while he may have received accolades for his work as a reporter, all he has really done in his life is write about what other people have done in their lives. Seems like an empty accomplishment to me, and might be the reason for the high level of bitterness and, perhaps, jealousy that came through in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Joe DiMaggio was a star centerfielder for fifteen years, helping the Yankees win the pennant in his rookie year. He played in ten World Series and in eleven All-Star Games. The image of American achievement and dignity, DiMaggio isn't just a sports legend, he is a true American hero. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"It was sad when he left his family to play for the Yankees"
This was just one of the facts my son spontaneously shared. This was the first book in the series that my almost 8-year old read. He was enthused about sharing what he learned about young JD and his family. He is asking for more titles from this series for his upcoming birthday. ... Read more

Book Description

Whenever Joe DiMaggio appeared at Yankee Stadium after retirement, he was always introduced as "the greatest living ballplayer." In the career-spanning Joltin' Joe DiMaggio, Richard Gilliam puts together the inspiring story of how he achieved that distinction when baseball was truly the national pastime and how he stayed in American hearts long after his departure from the game. DiMaggio's legendary status is more than his unbeatable record of a 56-game hitting streak in 1941 and his gliding greatness in the outfield as "The Yankee Clipper." With his supple wide-legged swing, DiMaggio batted in more runs per game than Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Hank Aaron - the third highest R.B.I. this century - and he struck out fewer times than any other power hitter with his home-run record. "Joe was the pride of baseball," said Cardinal outfielder Stan Musial, and rival Ted Williams admitted, "He could do it all." Joseph Paul DiMaggio possessed a dignity on and off field that carried him through not only thirteen seasons with the Yankees - and ten World Series - but also his famous marriage with Marilyn Monroe, his success as a pitchman, and appearances in works by Ernest Hemingway and Paul Simon.

Joltin' Joe DiMaggio combines the best of new writing about this great sports legend, along with rarely seen classic essays from newspapers, magazines and books into a comprehensive view of one of the Twentieth Century's most fascinating celebrities. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a fascinating account of the life of a great player.
This is a good book. I liked it very much.I recommend it to all families.The book is great for kids ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terrific portrayal of Joe D
Unlike the Cramer book, this book relies heavily on firsthand anecdotes offered by people who knew Dimaggio. And it pretty much covers every aspect of his adult life. I loved it, and it allowed me to get to know the Yankee Clipper pretty well without author conjecture and hyperbole. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

are you kidding?
The DiMaggio Chronicles. Don't you wish? It's my most treasured baseball collection. And hey, I'm King Carl's cousin. You couldn't have it for million bucks. Then again, I'll sell it to you wholesale... Never! ... Read more

Book Description

JOE DIMAGGIO-THE PROMISE is about the life of one of the greatest baseball players that ever lived as seen through the eyes of the former Yankee Batboy who not only knew joe dimaggio but managed to have dimaggio reveal his secret of success and his philosophy of life. The author, joe carrieri, who was the Yankee Batboy for 7 seven years, relates how dimaggio kept his promise to him and how 50 years later joe carrieri kept his promise to joe dimaggio. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

DIMAGGIO- Kept His Promise
I enjoyed the PROMISE-I never knew how great a player Di9maggio was until I read this book. I liked the authors style. He kept me interested by the suspence. Would Dimaggio keep his promise to the batboy. dimaggio kept his promise and so did joe the batboy. Who took Al Rosens bat?

THE MEN OF AUTUMN
JOE CARRIERI'S RECENTLY PUBLISHED THE PROMISE IS A BOOK FULL OF MEMORABLE STORIES THAT MAKES THE READER WANT TO LIVE BACK IN THE 1950'S. IT SEEMED THAT THE PLAYERS WERE MORE INTERESTED IN THE GAME OF BASEBALL THAN IN THE BUSINESS OF "WHO WANT'S TO BE A MILLIONARE". IN TODAY'S GAME PLAYERS ONLY CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES, NOT THE TEAM AND CERTAINLY NOT THE FANS. IN CARRIERI'S WORK, THE READER IS BROUGHT BACK TO A TIME WHERE THE READER CAN WALK IN THE FOOTSTEP'S OF A YANKEE BATBOY DURING AN UNPRECEDENTED RUN OF FIVE WORLD SERIES. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK, NOT JUST BASEBALL FANS. THE STORIES ARE NOT STRICKLY FOR THE BASEBALL FAN BUT CAN BE AND SHOULD BE USED BY ANYONE AS THEY GO THROUGH LIFE...MY ONE QUESTION IS WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE BAT?

A COMPSSIONATE DIMAGGIO
I HAVE BEEN READING SOME NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT DIMAGGIO AND THAT MAKES ME MAD. THESE INSIDE WRITINGS SHOULD BE BETTER LEFT UNSAID. WHAT RIGHT DOES A WRITER HAVE TO REVEAL THE INNER MOST SECRETS OF A PERSON BE HE BEGGAR KING. IT IS NOBODIES BUSINESS TO READ THAT DIMAGGIO WAS GREEDY OR CHEAP.THAT IS WHY I LIKED THE PROMISE. IT DESCRIBED A GREAT BASEBALL PLAYER WHO SYMBOLIZED GRACE AND STYLE-AN AGE OF INNOCENCE-WHEN PLAYERS PLAYED FOR THE FUN OF IT-

yankee stadium from the eyes of a batboy
If you like tradition and the history of the game read Searching For Heroes The Quest oF a YANKEE BATBOY . i LIKED THE BOOK BECAUSE IT WAS INFORMATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL- The Yankees of the fifties were team players who played for the love of the game---A GREAT BOOK.

The other Dimaggio
I read The Promise and it was a baseball fans dream, full of Yankee anecdotes and the sharing of personalities such as the batboys Ralph and Joe, the clubhouse man Pete Sheehy, big pete little Pete, Al Rosens stolen bat, the great Rizzuto, Berra, the antics od Stengle and martin, and the GREAT JOE DIMAGGIO- I aM AFRAID THAT BEN CRAMER'S BOOK ON DIMAGGIO WILL TRANISH HIS MEMORY. i HOPE NOT. WE NEED HEROES AND TO ME DIMAGGIO WAS A BASEBALL HERE AND A MANS MAN-- ... Read more

Book Description

"This is the book for the serious DiMaggio and sports-as-culture buff. Moore . . . has sifted through most of what has been written and rumored about the Yankee Clipper in newspapers, magazines, books and even songs. The narrative portion--there's also a bibliography and DiMaggio's baseball stats--is divided into two sections: DiMaggio's life on and off the field, and his evolving stature as a mythic figure. All rendered in sensitive, but refreshingly unsentimental, prose." USA Today "Anyone serious about building an excellent baseball library or interested in the role of sports in American society should get a copy of this book. . . . All in all, an excellent and well-researched book." The Sporting News ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great biography
Of the many biographies written about The Yankee Clipper, this is by far the most intelligent. It goes beyond the rah-rah nature of many common sports books and offers a fascinating analysis of DiMaggio's baseball career and impact on popular culture. Truly an important work and a book that should be part of any comprehensive personal baseball reference library. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Darn good sports biography
Way better than you'd probably expect of a sports biography, especially from the era when this was written (1956). Good account of DiMaggio's early history and family background, very good blow-by-blow of the 56-game hitting streak. Vivid accounts of Joe's sufferings from injuries and dramatic comebacks from them. There are many direct quotes from players, including Joe-- not commentaries on events and controversies (as we'd get today), but just routine things that they said while just hanging out. The book has some quaint faults that are expectable in a sports book from that era. At times, meaningless details are mentioned as though they were important and of interest just because they pertain to baseball heroes; for example, we learn that Bill Dickey ordered tea and toast for breakfast. And sometimes the writer seems to believe that the main element of interest about an event was the question of what the newspaper writers would say ("scribes," he calls them). But, the book has an overall grace and dignity befitting its subject. Overall, worthwhile and even somewhat revealing. I first read this book as a child, and it was somewhat responsible for my becoming hooked on baseball and its history.

it is about a baseball player who tryed his best
it was o.k and it didn't put me to sleep ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A SOLID BOOK WITH A TON OF FACTS
THIS IS ABOUT THE LONGEST HITTING STREAK IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASBALL HISTORY AND SOME OF THE EVENTS DURING 1941. THE AUTHOR GIVES US A GOOD LOOK AT EACH GAME DURING THE STREAK AND A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL CONCERNING THE EVENTS LEADING TO WORLD WAR II. HE DOES A VERY GOOD JOB AND KEEPS MY INTERST WHEN HE STICKS TO THE STREAK AND WHAT DIMAG DID DURING EACH AT BAT. BUT HE ALSO INCLUDES TOO MUCH DETAIL ABOUT WORLD EVENTS WHICH BECOME TEDIOUS AND REPETITITVE. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR HISTORY BUFFS OF BASEBALL. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good info, lame effort
Durso writes like he was the only person who knew DiMaggio. He disgraces colleagues and friends in the attempt to make his relationship with DiMaggio look better. While the info within this book was good, it does not do justice to the life of the American icon, Joseph Paul DiMaggio. While this book is a decent effort, Richard Ben Cramer's "Joe DiMaggio: A Hero's Life" looks to be the better read. The one part I did enjoy was the information on DiMaggio's lawyer Morris Engelberg and his law office's campus HQ in Hollywood, FL where Yankee Clipper Enterprises is run. Decent book overall, but too much reptitiveness and not enough new info.

Any Joe DiMaggio fan would be pleased by this book.
As a lifelong baseball fan and Joe DiMaggio fan, I was most pleased by this book. The book moves along well and tells the Yankee Clipper story from the viewpoint of someone who knows his subject well. I believe any fan of DiMaggio and his era of baseball will thoroughly enjoy this work. I have read many DiMaggio books and this one is as good as any. I recommend it!

Interesting, But No Hitting Streak
A reasonable effort, but surely there must be more out there on this American Icon. I learned some interesting tidbits about Joe and his penchant for hitting streaks. Outside of that, not much else that you could not find out on your own with a few minutes of research. True, Joe Dimaggio is a serious recluse, but the information on him is all there in black and white. I never got a true sense for seasons or accomplishments. Joseph Durso was just all over the place with this effort. To write about Joe Dimaggio, you have to write with love and passion for the man and the game. I just never got that feeling reading this book. It was like reading a racing form. Interesting facts, but not great reading. ... Read more

Book Description

No other man represents baseball's Golden Age better thanthe Yankee Clipper. No other source can better capture the glory of those days than the Daily News. From the verybeginning of his career to today's headlines, the Daily News has been there covering the life and career of Joe DiMaggio. This book will cover Joe's entire career plus the publicaspect of his relationships with Marilyn Monroe, his family and his life after baseball. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent compilation of a fantastic career.
If you are a baseball fan, then this compilation as put together by the N.Y. Daily News is a must have.The depth of their files, as shown in this book, comes through to allow those fans of Joe D. to relive both the good and not so good times of a grand career. With his passing, a certain style and grace was lost to us all. This book will go a long way in helping us remember it. ... Read more