Life on the Run

Almost two decades after its original publication and more than fifteen years after its author retired from the New York Knicks to become a United States senator, Bill Bradley's account of twenty days in a pro basketball season remains a classic in the literature of sports, unparalleled in its candor and intelligence. Bradley takes readers from the court to the locker room, from the seamless teamwork of a winning game to the loneliness of a motel in a strange city. We see Bradley and his fellow Knicks as they withstand the abuse of the press and the smothering adoration of their fans, along with the shameless appeals of those who want to parlay their celebrity into a fast buck. We watch in horror as Earl Monroe is beaten outside Madison Square Garden barely an hour after twenty thousand people cheered him. And we come to understand the euphoria and exhaustion, the icy concentration and intense pressure, that are felt only by those who play basketball for keeps.

Bill Bradley is a former three-time basketball All-American of Princeton, Olympic gold medalist, Rhodes scholar, and professional player for ten years with the New York Knicks. Elected to the Senate from New Jersey in 1978, 1984, and 1990, he has authored extensive legislation, including the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Bradley is also the author of seven books, including Time Present, Time Past, a New York Times bestseller about his life as a senator and his travels throughout the country; Values of the Game, another New York Times bestseller; and most recently, We Can All Do Better. He currently hosts the weekly radio show American Voices and serves as a partner at Allen & Company in New York City.