Showtime

Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s

By: Jeff Pearlman

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best-selling author of Sweetness delivers the first all-encompassing account of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of professional sports’ most-revered - and dominant - dynasties.

The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s personified the flamboyance and excess of the decade over which they reigned. Beginning with the arrival of Earvin “Magic” Johnson as the number-one overall pick of the 1979 draft, the Lakers played basketball with gusto and pizzazz, unleashing their famed “Showtime” run-and-gun style on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity - and became the most captivating show in sports and, arguably, in all-around American entertainment. The Lakers’ roster overflowed with exciting all-star-caliber players, including center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and they were led by the incomparable Pat Riley, known for his slicked-back hair, his Armani suits, and his arrogant strut. Hollywood’s biggest celebrities lined the court and gorgeous women flocked to the arena. Best of all, the team was a winner. Between 1980 and 1991, the Lakers played in an unmatched nine NBA championship series, capturing five of them.

Best-selling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman draws from almost 300 interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers’ epic Showtime era. A dazzling account of one of America’s greatest sports sagas, Showtime is packed with indelible characters, vicious rivalries, and jaw-dropping, behind-the-scenes stories of the players’ decadent Hollywood lifestyles. From the Showtime era’s remarkable rise to its tragic end - marked by Magic Johnson’s 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV - Showtime is a gripping narrative of sports, celebrity, and 1980s-style excess.

©2014 Jeff Pearlman (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

Outstanding

Enough information to keep you reading, but not so much that it slowed down the story. One of the best sports books I've read!

Pearlman captures Showtime perfectly

this was an excellent presentation of the Showtime Lakers era, as Pearlman starts with the history of Dr Buss purchase of the Lakers, explains the 1980s on and off the court in the NBA, gives deep insights on the players, and I guarantee you will learn things about the players you never anticipated

Great book

Pearlman is a master storyteller of the exploits by legendary sports stars and teams. This is one of his best works.

Pulls no punches - Amazing

I thought I knew a lot about the Showtime Lakers, but it didn’t take long for this book to show me that I didn’t know half the story. There are moments in this book that dropped my jaw. The story flows naturally and a great narrator leads you through the decade long triumph and turmoil that was Showtime.

Engrossing History of the 1980s Laker Dynasty

I am not an pro basketball fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is a very entertaining history of the Lakers from the acquisition of the team by Jerry Buss 1979, which coincided with the arrival of Magic Johnson, to Johnson’s forced retirement in 1991. In between, the Lakers were the dominant NBA team, and the personalities of the players and coaches make for compelling listening. Capably narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner, with a few annoying mispronunciations. Don’t be put off by the length.

MAGIC-al!

Where does Showtime rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Clearly the best sports book I have read and in the top 10 of all the books I've listened to

Who was your favorite character and why?

Magic Johnson

Which character – as performed by Malcolm Hillgartner – was your favorite?

Kurt Rambis

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Flying High

Behind the Scenes!

What made the experience of listening to Showtime the most enjoyable?

Great behind the scenes stories about all the players, a no-holds bar tale of Showtime.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jerry Buss comes out smelling like a rose, and deservedly so. He was a maverick and he took the NBA to new heights. He made mostly great moves with the Lakers. He was wise enough to delegate to basketball insiders like Jerry West on certain issues and player personnel.

What does Malcolm Hillgartner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Hillgartner did a good job with the narration.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Showtime" ranks up their with "Ball Four" and "North Dallas Forty" for the behind-the-scenes exploits of the most entertaining NBA team ever - the Lakers of the 1980s.

Great listen. Held my interest!

A no holds barred telling of the Showtime Lakers. He holds nothing back and tells it like it was.
Well worth the time!

Good for Sports People, Fine for Non-Sports People

A compelling story presented capably and does a good job to avoid overstaying its welcome.

Great story

Even as a diehard Celtics fan i have to say that the author treated the “ Showtime” era with respect. My only quibbles are his shortsightedness when it comes to Kareem and the fact that the publisher used a chat bot to read the book or someone who cannot pronounce Vlade Divac’s name