"Sielski deftly uses the material to craft a fascinating look at the making of a complex man who, almost two years after his death, still resonates fiercely." --Mark Bechtel for Sports Illustrated "A compelling origin story of a time that really wasn''t so long ago but through the lens of tragedy feels like forever. Kobe-ologists will devour this book, reveling in the anecdotes about his intensity & the engaging game recaps." -- Associated Press " Mike Sielski offers readers a detailed and nuanced backstory of the late basketball star''s life.a tale that is by turns a gripping sports story and a touching portrait of Bryant''s early life. Sielski has written a fitting tribute to a legend who was lost too soon." -- The Christian Science Monitor "The NBA games have been dissected, and Bryant has been heralded in many volumes. This book, though, goes into granular details of high school games, influential coaches and paints a complete picture of a boy, teen, and young man.
Sielski proves that Bryant was destined for greatness all along." -- New York Daily News "Tell me things I don''t know. That''s a basic bar to get over in journalism, any form. A high bar to get over when you''re writing in this city about Kobe Bryant''s early years. So when Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski took on the task of writing this book that is now out, there was no question, the bar was high. The achievement: Masterful." -- Mike Jensen for The Philadelphia Inquirer "It isn''t possible to enjoy a book more. A wonderfully written tale of Kobe Bryant''s origin.
" -- New York Post "Thorough reportage and insight . There are scores of books out there about Kobe Bryant, running the gamut from fawning to fault-finding. What The Rise does so elegantly is tell a part of the story that hasn''t received quite so much attention. An in-depth look at a kid who believed himself destined for greatness--and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve it." -- The Maine Edge "There''s no greater canvas for storytelling than the Philadelphia sports scene, and there''s no one who gets that better than Mike Sielski. Sielski tackles one of those yarns that everyone in Philly thinks they know -- the Lower Merion roots of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant -- to find the real story you didn''t know. The Rise is Sielski''s deeply reported reminder that greatness is never an accident." --Will Bunch for The Philadelphia Inquirer "In the wake of a death the world still has trouble grasping, Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Sielski wisely tells not the story of L.
A. Laker Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, owner of five championship rings, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but rather Bryant''s origin story.how Kobe became Kobe." -- Booklist (starred review) "A landmark account of Kobe Bryant''s early life, this is an essential purchase for sports collections in all public libraries. Sielski''s biography will stand as the most objective, definitive record of Kobe Bryant''s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft." -- Library Journal (starred review) "[Aman.Sielski proves that Bryant was destined for greatness all along." -- New York Daily News "Tell me things I don''t know.
That''s a basic bar to get over in journalism, any form. A high bar to get over when you''re writing in this city about Kobe Bryant''s early years. So when Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski took on the task of writing this book that is now out, there was no question, the bar was high. The achievement: Masterful." -- Mike Jensen for The Philadelphia Inquirer "It isn''t possible to enjoy a book more. A wonderfully written tale of Kobe Bryant''s origin." -- New York Post "Thorough reportage and insight . There are scores of books out there about Kobe Bryant, running the gamut from fawning to fault-finding.
What The Rise does so elegantly is tell a part of the story that hasn''t received quite so much attention. An in-depth look at a kid who believed himself destined for greatness--and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve it." -- The Maine Edge "There''s no greater canvas for storytelling than the Philadelphia sports scene, and there''s no one who gets that better than Mike Sielski. Sielski tackles one of those yarns that everyone in Philly thinks they know -- the Lower Merion roots of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant -- to find the real story you didn''t know. The Rise is Sielski''s deeply reported reminder that greatness is never an accident." --Will Bunch for The Philadelphia Inquirer "In the wake of a death the world still has trouble grasping, Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Sielski wisely tells not the story of L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, owner of five championship rings, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but rather Bryant''s origin story.
how Kobe became Kobe." -- Booklist (starred review) "A landmark account of Kobe Bryant''s early life, this is an essential purchase for sports collections in all public libraries. Sielski''s biography will stand as the most objective, definitive record of Kobe Bryant''s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft." -- Library Journal (starred review) "[Ave it." -- The Maine Edge "There''s no greater canvas for storytelling than the Philadelphia sports scene, and there''s no one who gets that better than Mike Sielski. Sielski tackles one of those yarns that everyone in Philly thinks they know -- the Lower Merion roots of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant -- to find the real story you didn''t know. The Rise is Sielski''s deeply reported reminder that greatness is never an accident." --Will Bunch for The Philadelphia Inquirer "In the wake of a death the world still has trouble grasping, Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Sielski wisely tells not the story of L.
A. Laker Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, owner of five championship rings, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but rather Bryant''s origin story.how Kobe became Kobe." -- Booklist (starred review) "A landmark account of Kobe Bryant''s early life, this is an essential purchase for sports collections in all public libraries. Sielski''s biography will stand as the most objective, definitive record of Kobe Bryant''s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft." -- Library Journal (starred review) "[Al stand as the most objective, definitive record of Kobe Bryant''s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft." -- Library Journal (starred review) "[Aman.Sielski proves that Bryant was destined for greatness all along.
" -- New York Daily News "Tell me things I don''t know. That''s a basic bar to get over in journalism, any form. A high bar to get over when you''re writing in this city about Kobe Bryant''s early years. So when Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski took on the task of writing this book that is now out, there was no question, the bar was high. The achievement: Masterful." -- Mike Jensen for The Philadelphia Inquirer "It isn''t possible to enjoy a book more. A wonderfully written tale of Kobe Bryant''s origin." -- New York Post "Thorough reportage and insight .
There are scores of books out there about Kobe Bryant, running the gamut from fawning to fault-finding. What The Rise does so elegantly is tell a part of the story that hasn''t received quite so much attention. An in-depth look at a kid who believed himself destined for greatness--and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve it." -- The Maine Edge "There''s no greater canvas for storytelling than the Philadelphia sports scene, and there''s no one who gets that better than Mike Sielski. Sielski tackles one of those yarns that everyone in Philly thinks they know -- the Lower Merion roots of the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant -- to find the real story you didn''t know. The Rise is Sielski''s deeply reported reminder that greatness is never an accident." --Will Bunch for The Philadelphia Inquirer "In the wake of a death the world still has trouble grasping, Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Sielski wisely tells not the story of L.A.
Laker Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, owner of five championship rings, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, but rather Bryant''s origin story.how Kobe became Kobe." -- Booklist (starred review) "A landmark account of Kobe Bryant''s early life, this is an essential purchase for sports collections in all public libraries. Sielski''s biography will stand as the most objective, definitive record of Kobe Bryant''s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft." -- Library Journal (starred review) "[Aman.Sielski proves that Bryant was destined for greatness all along." -- New York Daily News "Tell me things I don''t know. That''s a basic bar to get over in journalism, any form.
A high bar to get over when you''re writing in this city about Kobe Bryant''s early years. So when Inquir.