
The Cost of These Dreams
Sports Stories and Other Serious Business
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Narrated by:
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Wright Thompson
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By:
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Wright Thompson
About this listen
From one of America's most beloved sportswriters, a collection of true stories about the dream of greatness and its cost in the world of sports.
"Wright Thompson's stories are so full of rich characters, bad actors, heroes, drama, suffering, courage, conflict, and vivid detail that I sometimes thinks he's working my side of the street - the world of fiction." (John Grisham)
There is only one Wright Thompson. He is, as they say, famous if you know who he is: his work includes the most-read articles in the history of ESPN (and it's not even close) and has been anthologized in the Best American Sports Writing series ten times, and he counts John Grisham and Richard Ford among his ardent admirers. But to say his pieces are about sports, while true as far as it goes, is like saying Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove is a book about a cattle drive.
Wright Thompson figures people out. He jimmies the lock to the furnaces inside the people he profiles and does an analysis of the fuel that fires their ambition. Whether it be Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods or Pat Riley or Urban Meyer, he strips the away the self-serving myths and fantasies to reveal his characters in full. There are fascinating common denominators: it may not be the case that every single great performer or coach had a complex relationship with his father, but it can sure seem that way. And there is much marvelous local knowledge: about specific sports, and times and places, and people.
Ludicrously entertaining and often powerfully moving, The Cost of These Dreams is an ode to the reporter's art, and a celebration of true greatness and the high price that it exacts.
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By: David Zucchino
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The Road to Character
- By: David Brooks
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey, David Brooks
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Looking to some of the world's greatest thinkers and inspiring leaders, Brooks explores how, through internal struggle and a sense of their own limitations, they have built a strong inner character. Labor activist Frances Perkins understood the need to suppress parts of herself so that she could be an instrument in a larger cause. Dwight Eisenhower organized his life not around impulsive self-expression but considered self-restraint.
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Rich, textured stories
- By MarkM on 05-25-15
By: David Brooks
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The Second Mountain
- How People Move from the Prison of Self to the Joy of Commitment
- By: David Brooks
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Author David Brooks explores the four commitments that define a life of meaning and purpose: to a spouse and family, to a vocation, to a philosophy or faith, and to a community. Our personal fulfillment depends on how well we choose and execute these commitments. Brooks looks at a range of people who have lived joyous, committed lives, and who have embraced the necessity and beauty of dependence. He gathers their wisdom on how to choose a partner, how to pick a vocation, how to live out a philosophy, and how we can begin to integrate our commitments into one overriding purpose.
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Pursue meaning, reject hyper-individualism
- By Adam Shields on 05-07-19
By: David Brooks
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Ali in Me
- By: Mercury Studios, Treefort Media
- Narrated by: Lonnie Ali, John Ramsey
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
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Muhammad Ali, never afraid to express himself loudly and boldly, stays true to form in Ali in Me, an eight-part audio series that explores his life and legacy, guided by his own words through never-before-heard audio recordings. Hosted by Muhammad’s widow, Lonnie Ali, and his close friend, award-winning broadcaster John Ramsey, Ali in Me goes beyond the boxing ring to delve deeply into the extraordinary life and lasting contributions The Champ made to individuals around the world.
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He went hard on everything, especially love
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 01-31-25
By: Mercury Studios, and others
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The Beginning of Infinity
- Explanations That Transform the World
- By: David Deutsch
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 20 hrs
- Unabridged
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A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe.
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Worthwhile if you have the patience
- By Scott Feuless on 08-12-19
By: David Deutsch
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Alive and Well Enough Continues
- By: Jeff Daniels
- Narrated by: Jeff Daniels
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Jeff Daniels returns with more skits, more songs, and more boundless audio storytelling in Season 2 of Alive and Well Enough. Again, Daniels begins in the middle of all the action and traipses back and forth, up and down, and side to side in the timeline of his life to figure out how he ended up where he did. But this time, he delves even deeper into his craft. He considers himself one of the few actors who didn’t want to direct, but instead to write, and write abundantly.
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Emotionally..a roller coaster
- By Dorotha K. Thurner on 12-12-24
By: Jeff Daniels
What listeners say about The Cost of These Dreams
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- Larry W. Patrick
- 09-29-24
Deep cuts about interesting sports stories
I discovered this book after listening to a podcast. (Daily Stoic)Well researched and interesting sports stories that are unique and riveting. If I can learn something new about Michael Jordan, then the author did a great job!!
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- Adam
- 07-28-21
Fascinating look at people
This book was fascinating. I loved everything about it. Great stories about real people. I wanted more and more!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Richard L. Pearson
- 01-10-22
Great stories and varied
This was a great listen. Different stories and well written to catch your attention. Nice!!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-05-20
06/2020 Tough Times!!
It’s a book I needed & didn’t know it! Wow!! Thank you Wright! You captured their voices...and yours!
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2 people found this helpful
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- SE
- 04-17-19
Simply Outstanding!
This is one of those times when words simply do not do justice to what this book truly is - stories of pure humanity (raw and unfiltered) wrapped in a thin veil of sports. The reader quickly realizes that these are not sports stories, but instead, stories and topics so much larger and so much more universal. Listening to the author narrate his own work is magical and I cannot think of another person who could do it better. He provides an intimate look into the lives of some of the most well known people in the world, but at the same time grants us a mirror to look at our own lives and examine the similarities and potential. Well done!
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- Matthew Morris
- 05-03-19
One of the great writers of our time.
Wright Thompson is my favorite writer. He doesn’t write articles often, but when he does I make sure to read them. He is not your typical sports writer. He doesn’t do Twitter or have “hot takes”. He transports you to time and place. Moments in people’s lives that seem to matter most. In this book he seems to normalize the biggest of titans in sport. He takes you into the lives of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi and others. He shows you what makes them tick, what drives them. While also uncovering scars and flaws which make them seem human like you and me. He also tells stories of people I’ve never heard of previously like Chris rose, a writer from New Orleans and Tony Harris, a basketball prodigy from Washington state. His last chapter devoted to his father and future son(or daughter) will inevitably give you all the feels. I could not recommend this book enough.
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- George
- 04-23-19
Great long form stories
Apparently, this is a collection of several stories by the author. I loved most of the stories, and the New Orleans hurricane story was especially fantastic if heartbreaking. It also gave excellent insight into many of these athletes in ways I've not heard before.
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- hollie
- 05-15-24
Such interesting stories
I really enjoyed hearing stories about the sports figures. So often we feel like we know them from watching them. This author and his presentation of these stories made me realize they are just regular people
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- JR
- 04-30-19
Awesome Stories
Wright Thompson does an excellent job narrating his book, taking you inside some of the most private celebrities lives. The last chapter may be the best, definitely worthy of your time.
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- Mens Essentials
- 04-25-19
Amazing
I’ve read a lot is sports books and this one is hands down my favorite!
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