Product Description
From the moment these two players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. Their uncommonly competitive relationship came to symbolize the most compelling rivalry in the NBA. These were the basketball epics of the 1980s--Celtics vs Lakers, East vs West, physical vs finesse, Old School vs Showtime, even white vs black. Each pushed the other to greatness--together Bird and Johnson collected 8 NBA Championships, and 6 MVP awards and helped save the floundering NBA at its most critical time. When it started they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends.

With intimate, fly-on-the-wall detail, When the Game Was Ours transports readers to this electric era of basketball and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting one another. From the heady days of trading championships to the darker days of injury and illness, we come to understand Larry's obsessive devotion to winning and how his demons drove him on the court. We hear him talk with candor about playing through chronic pain and its truly exacting toll. In Magic we see a young, invincible star struggle with the sting of defeat, not just as a player but as a team leader. We are there the moment he learns he's contracted HIV and hear in his own words how that devastating news impacted his relationships in basketball and beyond. But always, in both cases, we see them prevail.

A compelling, up-close-and-personal portrait of basketball's most inimitable duo, When the Game Was Ours is a reevaluation of three decades in counterpoint. It is also a rollicking ride through professional basketball's best times.Amazon.com Review

Amazon Exclusive: Bill Walton Reviews When the Game Was Ours

Bill Walton played in the NBA for 13 years, and in 1996, was named one of the top 50 players in NBA history. He's been an analyst for CBS Sports and NBC Sports, and since 2002, he's been a game analyst for ESPN NBA telecasts. Read his guest review of When the Game Was Ours:

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are transcendent, iconic and timeless standard bearers of excellence who changed "The Game" forever, always bringing out the best in each other and never failing to put a smile on all our faces.

I was one of the lucky ones. I had the incredible good fortune to have witnessed firsthand the Bird/Magic rivalry.It was an intense and constant thing for us all.But even I didn't realize how powerful their connection was until I read When the Game Was Ours, a riveting and page-turning masterpiece that could only be written with the help of someone like Jackie MacMullan, who was there every step of the way and who sensed there was a whole lot more to their story than what happened on the court or got played over and over again on the highlight reels. In this book, Larry and Magic tell stories like they never have before.I was enthralled, page after page.Theirs was a unique relationship.They were polar opposites, but in ways few of us realized they were very much the same. They both wanted the same thing, day in and day out--to win.And did they know how to win.

When the Game Was Ours perfectly captures the defining moments of their lives from the very beginning of their fiercest of rivalries through their constantly evolving historical relationship and friendship right up to the present.This epic tome is the capstone of their landmark careers.It is also so much more than anyone could ever dream for. When the Game Was Ours brilliantly explains why "The Game" will always belong to Larry and Magic.--Bill Walton

Customer Reviews (115)

Freindship
This a heart warmer for not only the sportsmen but the every day Joe. There friendship is one to envy.

Great Book
I'm a big Larry Bird fan (Celtics Fan) and I always enjoyed watching Bird and Magic compete against one another this is such a great book from both sides really get into their minds about basketball during the greatest time in the NBA (80's)

Enjoyable retrospective
I started to follow the NBA in the mid 80s, just as Bird and Magic were at the top, but about to surrender their place to the Bad Boys and eventually Jordan. MacMullan does a good job of recreating the careers and rivalries of Bird and Magic. There were lot of interesting anecdotes, my favorite being the time a black Bostonian walked up to Magic and told him we was rooting for him all the way because the Celtics were too white. (On the subject of race, Bird was no racist, Dennis Rodman notwithstanding). When The Game Was Ours is a well-written,enjoyable look back at a different and unique time in NBA history.

Fun trip down memory lane
If you read this book, you should really expect little more than nostalgia, stuff you basically already knew. You shouldn't expect that anything but the brief letters at the start of the book were actually written by Larry or Magic - the meat of the book is clearly all Jackie MacMullan's work. She does base much of it on interviews with Bird, Magic as well as most of their notable teammates and a few other key figures from during and just after the time when the game was theirs, especially informative were the quotes from NBA commissioner David Stern and Michael Jordan. But the extensive interviews would have to be a highlight of the book, providing fresh content even for people who are deeply familiar with Bird and Johnson's careers.

However, the book stops well short of providing any real depth. As it's officially written by Johnson and Bird that's largely to be expected - it breezes over the children both of them had out of marriage, for example. But there are some areas where MacMullan could have provided some more insight without offending the "authors", such as some serious insight into how their rivalry helped secure the NBA as a major sports league in America. She has some good analysis early on when describing the precarious situation of the league prior to their arrival, but precious few numbers ever arrive to show what they really did to help the league, we're just told that it happened. And while it's largely true, it's not a good sign when an author's just asking you to take their word for it.

The book lapses pretty badly into fandom in places, constantly referring to Michael Jordan as "his airness" for example. This isn't hard-hitting journalism, it's a fluff piece, an ode to a time when basketball players weren't covered in tattoos and spoke proper English. Not that there's anything wrong with nostalgia, but don't expect much insight out of this book.

Little lacking, but still good
This is a book you want to pick up if you are interested in the non-game stuff (there are enough game-related anecdotes as well) and about how the two thought of each other and interacted with each other, and especially how they felt once they saw that their dominance was fading.I think that's the part where it's most intriguing - a lot of it is left unwritten, but you get enough of a glimpse of their thoughts as they deal with their respective injuries and ailments and watch Jordan catapult into something that was only made possible because they revived (or rather, re-created) the league.

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Product Description
"A true emotional phenomenon...Entertaining...Of particular interest to fans will be the evolution of Johnson's relationship with Bird, his great karmic partner in the game."
NEW YORK NEWSDAY
He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. In this dramatic, exciting, and inspirational autobiography, Magic Johnson allows readers into his life, into his tirumphs and tragedies on and off the court. In his own exuberant style, he tells readers of the friends and family who've been constant supporters and the basketball greats he's worked with. It's all here, the glory and the pain the character, charisma, and courage of the hero called Magic.
AN ALTERNATE SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great Book!
I purchased this book for my husband and he loved it.I think he read it in two days.

May Others Learn From His Story
For those seeking the limelight, a must read. Be prepared for all the pitfalls that come along with the ride to fame. Inspirational autobiography of dedication and determination. May our young people keep the thought before them, that nothing comes without full commitment. Mr. Johnson has seen the highs and lows of life. There is strength in the testimony of others.

the magic is not in the book
A good book as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far into truth. Although Johnson recalls his early years,the lessons he learned about hard work,etc. this book reads like a fluff job.It would have been a lot better if he told the full truth.Anyone who has some experience with life knows that there is another side to the story.Intrestingly, this side is seldom heard.Pro athletes and other celebrities are usually portrayed in a glowing light that hide dark truths.Johnson claims that in the cities he played in there were usually many beautiful women who waited for the athletes.In the book it is implied that this is one of the perks of being a pro. Really? You hear of other athletes who take advantage of this and are slapped with paternity suits, the women are given hush money, the athletes pay for their education and then are dropped by the groupies,or the groupies are set up for life by the athletes.With all the thousands of women Johnson supposedly slept with you hear nothing about this, and outside of AIDS he didn't get any other sexually transmitted disease sleeping with all these women?I find that incredible, since anyone else would be seeing the doctor pretty often.Most of the groupies are beautiful because its easier to trap the athletes money with. Does anyone really believe that athletes will sleep with ugly women?These groupies aren't stupid. The hard truth is that people are selfish.They don't sleep with athletes or other celebrities because of their status, but what it will get for them ie, bragging rights, paternity suits, etc. Most athletes are notoriously tight-lipped about this.But sometimes the truth comes out.One nameless athlete said "If the public knew what's going on with groupies, the payoffs etc. sports would lose a lot of money."Its all about the money.This is why opposing evidence is suppressed and why you seldom hear about the dark side.Does anyone seriously believe that vested intrests who profit from the athletes image, who make money selling sports merchandise and everthing connected with it want the truth out? Yeah, right. This book is little more than propaganda.If Johnson were serious about helping people out, he would tell the full truth.Save your money.

Magic
Earvin Johnson a.k.a Magic is a regular guy who is a nba legend who has aid, that' s what we all know, but at the reading of this book i found out, Earvin the man , how he felt when he found out he has aid , how much he got respect for other NBA players like Michael Jordan or Larry bird, it's a very interesting book,..., just buy it and enjoy it!

Magic's Review
This book is awesome!I have been a fan of Magic Johnson forever and I still love him today.This book tells you all,from when he was a child and how life was growing up in the ghetto and his life now with his wife and son.It is very inspirational for any age.If you are an athlete this is a must read.Magic brings out his humorous side and his emotional side in this book.WELL DONE! ... Read more

Product Description
Here is Magic's game the way Magic plays it, available for the first time in trade paperback. The NBA superstar shows us all the right moves--passing, shooting, defense, dribbling, and rebounding--from a champion's point of view. An all-out effort to give fans and students of the game an inside look at how basketball should be played. Black-and-white photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Inspirational Title
I thought this was a truly inspirational book. Magic really describes his love for the game and his relationships with other NBA legends Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird, etc. This book speaks of basketball drills and how to become a good basketball player. He is trying to teach the reader how to play basketball through this book. This is only a biography because Magic is talking about his NBA career somewhat, but most of the book is trying to instruct you on how to become a basketball player. Sure he talks about some of his life, but then it all comes back to "Do this drill," "Condition yourself," and other things a coach would say.

I myself enjoyed this book because I am a basketball player myself, and I thought I could truly learn a thing or two from this book. Some of the drills I even tried on my own and felt I benefited from them, so I would highly recommend this book to basketball players if you would like to sharpen your skills in basketball. To recommend this to other people other then basketball players, I would not recommend it. I would recommend reading Magic's other book "My Life" if you want to truly learn about him, and his home life, childhood, etc. "My Life" is a true biography of Magic Johnson, unlike the teaching "Magic's Touch" tries to send out to readers.

Magic Should've Touched Again
Magic's Touch is a story that attempts to show the reader fundamentals of basketball and also Magic Johnson's life.Throughout the story Magic talks about the fundamentals of basketball than he tells the reader how those things helped him.He explains in great detail his relationship with Larry Bird.He tells the story with so much detail you feel as if you were there with him.He talks about all the championships he won and all the hardships he's been through.
I thought the book was alright but it could've been a lot better.When I read this book I felt like it was too much of a lesson rather than a story.He was telling the reader how to do drills and workouts.I really wasn't interested in learning how to become a fundamental basketball player; I was trying to find out about Magic as a person.
I would recommend this book to someone who wants to become a fundamentally sound basketball player.I wouldn't recommend this book to a basketball fan.It's nothing a fan could get out of this book.Only a basketball player that wants to be better and learn certain drills should read this. ... Read more

Product Description
"Of all the people I play against, the only one I truly fear is Larry Bird."--Magic Johnson, from the Foreword.

The heart and soul of a champion: his life, his career, his game. To understand basketball, you have to understand Larry Bird. Arguably the greatest all-around player the game has ever known, he led the Boston Celtics from the basement to three world championships, collecting three NBA Most Valuable Player awards along the way. Yet, despite these massive accomplishments, Bird has rarely talked to the press, and much about the man has remained a mystery. Now in Drive, the long-silent superstar sets the record straight, revealed a side of himself-and of basketball-you've never see before. Inside, you'll learn Bird's most private feelings about: The momentous decision to transfer from Bobby Knight's Indiana University to Indiana State. The heartbreak of his father's suicide and his own failed marriage. The single-minded discipline that tumed a small-town hero into a national superstar. The Boston Garden and the legendary Celtic charm. The Isiah Thomas controversy and the fierce Celtic-Laker rivalry. The great players of the NBA: including Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan, and much more. here is the book that puts a basketball legend-and his game-on the line. And scores! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

Story of a Celtic Legend
Larry Bird is one of the legends of the game of basketball, and this 1989 autobiography is a great overview of Bird's life.Bird discusses growing up in French Lick, Indiana, recalling how he became enamored with basketball but also discussing some of the hard times he had as a youth.Bird temporarily put Indiana State on the national college basketball map, and the Sycamores' road to the 1979 title matchup against Magic Johnson and Michigan State is traced.

Bird's NBA career is recalled, including the stories of the banner-raising '81, '84 (when they beat the Kareem-Magic Lakers), and '86 title teams, as well as the unforgettable and inspirational '87 team that never quit and fought hard to the bitter end, outlasting Milwaukee and Detroit and taking the Lakers to six games despite its many injuries.Bird closes his autobiography by offering observations on NBA cities, referees, fans, and Red Auerbach.

Informative & Insightful
This is primarily a jock biography, but a nicely engaging one.Despite a lack of speed, Larry Bird was one of the greatest NBA players ever due to intelligent play, hard work, and constant practice.In short, he had lots of drive.Here he tells his story, beginning in rural French Lick (and West Baden Springs) Indiana where he group up in a poor home with five siblings.Young Larry favored baseball, but his love for hoops grew in his teen years as did his height and overall ability.Bird describes playing briefly at Indiana (and Bob Knight), before switching to Indiana State, where he led the Sycamores to the final game of the 1979 NCAA tournament (losing to Magic Johnson and Michigan State).Then it was on to the Boston Celtics, who had actually selected him in the draft before his final year.On Boston he soon emerged as one of the league's top stars - arguably it's best player before injuries slowed him down.Bird provides an insightful view of life on the great Celtics teams of the 1980's, playing alonside such stars as Tiny Archibald, Kevin McHale, (Chief) Robert Parrish, Bill Walton, etc.The Celtics won three NBA titles (1981, 1984, 1986) and were runners-up in1985 and 1987.Bird provides an inside look at each series.In fact, he focuses heavily on the playoffs.Nor does this modest star shy away from his shortcomings, both on and off the court.Published in 1989, this book is no deeply analytical treatise, but readers should enjoy the sporting insights from this modest yet very talented player.

Good read for Bird fans
My 12 year old son enjoyed this book about the life of Larry Bird. I purchased this book for a very low price & it was money well spent. This book will stay on his shelf for years to come.

Account of a life, a bit drab but enlightening none the less for Bird fans
Book outlines apparently the life as Larry Bird as written by him. Pretty basic stuff here. A good read if you were a Bird fan back in the past. Of course I emmulated my game after him while playing in two leagues as a teenager, now don't care much about basketball. So for me, it was somewhat of an enjoyable read. Didn't take long went right through it. Some interesting things about him was that his dad killed himself, and Bird's deep attitude about not being superficial I found especially interesting. However, he tries not to make any enemies here and there's nothing to controversial to be found. Interesting to see how someone of his stature kept his head together.

Bland; lacking any of Bird's famed wit
As a fan of Larry Bird, I found that this book did not meet my expectations.As one of the best trash talkers in the game, I anticipated a larger degree of wit among this writing.Unfortunately, although detailed, Bird's story comes off somewhat bland and does not encompass much of Bird's state of mind; instead focusing merely on citing the events in his life.

For those seeking to learn about the life of one of the NBA's greatest champions and who also have an interest in basketball, there are some good nuggets of information available.When Bird first came into the league, for instance, he considered the three point shot as something that was well out of his range, the distance too great.Revelations such as this will come as a surprise to those who only know of his champion style heroics.Had the book contained a more significant amount of this new and fascinating information, it certainly would have rated higher.

Bird certainly provides a behind the scenes look into basketball; however it lacks any noteworthy reflection from Bird on the topic.If you are looking for an inspirational piece from the mindset of one of sports great champions, you will be rather disappointed.
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This digital document is an article from St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 929 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Signed essays ranging from 500 to 2,500 words, written by subject experts and edited to form a consistent, readable, and straightforward reference. Entries include subject-specific bibliographies and textual cross-references to related essays. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 712 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

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A look at the life and career of Magic Johnson discusses his childhood in Michigan, the success of his high school basketball team, his rise to greatness in the sport at Michigan State, his professional career, and his battle with AIDS. ... Read more

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Depicting the life of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, basketball's all-time assist leader, a volume covers his success in high school, the NCAA championship, five NBA titles as a Los Angeles Laker, and retirement after becoming infected with HIV. ... Read more

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A biography of the star guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who shocked fans by retiring in 1991 because he had contracted the AIDS virus. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from American Decades: Primary Sources, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1036 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.American Decades Primary Sources provides fresh insight into the decade's most important events, people, and issues. Entries representing a diversity of views that provide insight into the seminal issues, themes, movements and events from the decade. Also included are concise contextual information, notes about the author and further resources. American Decades Primary Sources includes chapters on the arts, medicine and health, media, education, world events, religion, government and politics, lifestyles and social trends, law and justice, religion, business and the economy, and sports. Included to provide unique perspectives and a wealth of understanding are first hand accounts that include oral histories, songs, speeches, advertisements, TV, play and movie scripts, letters, laws, legal decisions, newspaper articles, cartoonsand recipes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Magic Johnson
I liked the book because it was very helpful in helping me find out how magic johnson got to where he wanted to go . I also liked the book because of the pictures and good illustration of what happend .Also I enjoyed the book because of how the author caught the readers attention by putting out key facts and details for the reader to understand it better.

The best part of the book was when they won the nba title by beating the boston celtics in seven. Also magic recieved mvp honors.

The author did a good job describing the charecter by stating factual data on the charecter situations. By describing the climax of when he led the L.A. lakers to the nba finals. ... Read more

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Discusses the conflict between Egypt and other nations over control of the Suez Canal in 1956 and the resulting intervention of the United Nationsto resolve the crisis. ... Read more

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A biography of the superstar basketball player, from his childhood through his career with the Los Angeles Lakers to his present HIV-positive status and campaign against AIDS. ... Read more