Barkley: A Biography

This is a very thorough biography about one of the NBA's most polarizing players. No stone is left unturned as Timothy Bella examines every detail of Charles's life from childhood to today. The author dives deep into each of Barkley's NBA seasons, and I enjoyed the nostalgia of reliving some of those playoff runs while also learning more about the behind the scenes drama I wasn't aware of as a child. Any fan of Barkley's will be a fan of this book.

Barkley did not consent to a review for this project, but the author's 374 interviews with people who knew Charles in one capacity or another more than make up for that omission. Every aspect of Barkley's life is covered, from his childhood on through to his celebrity as a star athlete and then commentator. A minor negative is the fact that the writing is not always the most lucid, what with a smattering of poorly composed sentences and passages, expositions that don't always fully make their points, and some abrupt and confusing transitions from one time frame to another. However, the wealth of information provided here overrides that annoyance, and should please both fans and foes of the always outspoken Barkley.

Enjoyed reading about his life and how he developed into an exceptional player as well as someone who never seemed to fear what he said. I would have liked more about his post playing days.

I found this book about Charles intriguing to say the least. He claimed he is not a role model and I looked throughout the book what coach John Wooden said about that. He said famous athletes are role models whether they like it or not. Charles was outspoken but often had brilliant things to say. I liked finding interesting facts about his playing days. For example, he is the shortest player (at 6'5'' to ever lead the NBA in rebounding. If you like learning about the lives players lead off the court then you will enjoy this book. Dr. Norman Jones author of Growing Up in Indiana: The Culture & Hoosier Hysteria Revisited

Perfect gift for sports enthusiast

A great read for a basketball junkie

I can't recommend. The author goes into detail on the celebrity of Barkley, but offers very little on his playing career. For example, he spends quite a bit of time on Barkley's Saturday Night Live appearance and then only three pages on the 1995 playoffs. If you want detail on his NBA days you'll be left disappointed. Plus, his narrative is all over the place, focusing on odd details. Needed better editing and more focus on basketball.

I underestimated how talented and fascinating the life of Charles Barkley was and continues to be. He’s vastly more interesting than the silly pitchman that dominates tv commercials now.