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The Real Hank Aaron: An Intimate Look at the Life and Legacy of the Home Run King
A heartfelt portrait of Hank Aaron, featuring nearly 40 years of stories plus never-before-told insights from the home run king.
When journalist Terence Moore was 12 years old, he treasured his poster of Henry Aaron. Years later, Aaron would sign it for "Best wishes to Terry." Later still, Moore would be named an honorary pallbearer at the home run king's funeral, staying up late into the night with Aaron's widow, Billye, to get the obituary just right for the program.
Friends and family knew Aaron as quick-witted, hilarious, and fiercely opinionated beyond what was shown in public. With the encouragement of Aaron's family, Moore now shares this intimate perspective on the baseball legend, the culmination of decades of friendship and correspondence. The Real Hank Aaron captures the icon's contagious laugh and pointed views, from the depth of his admiration for Jackie Robinson to his true thoughts on Barry Bonds and the steroid era.
Also featuring Aaron's views on race, politics, media, and sports fandom, this is a charming and illuminating glimpse at the man outside the spotlight.
When journalist Terence Moore was 12 years old, he treasured his poster of Henry Aaron. Years later, Aaron would sign it for "Best wishes to Terry." Later still, Moore would be named an honorary pallbearer at the home run king's funeral, staying up late into the night with Aaron's widow, Billye, to get the obituary just right for the program.
Friends and family knew Aaron as quick-witted, hilarious, and fiercely opinionated beyond what was shown in public. With the encouragement of Aaron's family, Moore now shares this intimate perspective on the baseball legend, the culmination of decades of friendship and correspondence. The Real Hank Aaron captures the icon's contagious laugh and pointed views, from the depth of his admiration for Jackie Robinson to his true thoughts on Barry Bonds and the steroid era.
Also featuring Aaron's views on race, politics, media, and sports fandom, this is a charming and illuminating glimpse at the man outside the spotlight.
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Published May 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 8, 2023
Pretty disappointing. I felt like I was reading a Terrance Moore autobiography moreso than I was a book about Hank Aaron. I almost put it down half way through. Calling this an "intimate look at the life and legacy of the home run king" is a pretty far stretch.
June 21, 2022
This book wasn’t what I was expecting, but it answered a lot of questions I had about Aaron’s legacy and why I don’t perceive him to be broadly “beloved” the way, say, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Ernie Banks, and Mickey Mantle are. As I began reading I was a bit annoyed how much the biographer inserted himself into the narrative, but as I kept reading, I understood more and more why he did so, and recognize that his personal story is indeed worthy of it’s own biography. The story of his years at the AJC was incredibly compelling and unfortunately not surprising.
If this book was written about a Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Giants, or Dodgers legend, it would be front-page news in all sports media across the country because of the amount of intriguing and frankly incendiary reports of Aaron’s life and career, especially his quarrels with fellow Braves staff and his perceptions of Barry Bonds.
I think this book could’ve used a bit more editing, as Moore repeats himself a lot, such as the line “Hank was Jackie and Jackie was Hank,” which became a bit tedious over time.
Overall, this is primarily a biography of the relationship between Moore and Aaron, as opposed to one of Aaron himself. Moore loves Hank Aaron, and that is what any reader would likely want to read: a generous portrayal of an under-loved icon. I would recommend it to any Braves fan, baseball far, or Atlantan.
If this book was written about a Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Giants, or Dodgers legend, it would be front-page news in all sports media across the country because of the amount of intriguing and frankly incendiary reports of Aaron’s life and career, especially his quarrels with fellow Braves staff and his perceptions of Barry Bonds.
I think this book could’ve used a bit more editing, as Moore repeats himself a lot, such as the line “Hank was Jackie and Jackie was Hank,” which became a bit tedious over time.
Overall, this is primarily a biography of the relationship between Moore and Aaron, as opposed to one of Aaron himself. Moore loves Hank Aaron, and that is what any reader would likely want to read: a generous portrayal of an under-loved icon. I would recommend it to any Braves fan, baseball far, or Atlantan.
August 24, 2022
I hate giving books a 1-star ranking. Even if the material doesn't interest me I have an appreciation for the work it takes to get one written/published, so I can usually find some redeeming value. Unfortunately, that was not the case with "The Real Hank Aaron".
Ostensibly, this is supposed to be a "insider bio" on Hammerin' Hank from journalist Terence Moore. Though Moore certainly does have Aaron's ear, that access is used to perpetuate multiple agendas (including the author's own career/life) instead of craft any sort of interesting bio. There are three major, glaring issues with "The Real Hank Aaron":
First, every--and I mean EVERY--topic in this book is looked at through a racial lens. While such material obviously plays a large role in Aaron's life/career, it tilts so far in that direction as to be almost comical at times.
Secondly, and more specifically, if author Moore wanted to write a book about the lack of black players/coaches/execs in baseball these days, he should have done exactly that. Don't sucker me into what looks for all the world to be an Aaron bio and then spend half the book talking about that single issue.
Finally, Moore inserts himself far, far too much into the dialogue/text. Calling himself the "Hank Aaron Whisperer" is as disrespectful as it is embarrassing, and the pages (and pages) of his experiences at various sports news outlets only serves to further his personal (and, again, often extremely racially charged) agenda.
Somewhat ironically, the only parts of this book that held my interest whatsoever were the directly-transcribed interviews & phone calls with Hank himself. Those little snippets certainly did show Aaron's thought-provoking and even-keeled approach to most issues of baseball, race, and life in general. But the other 95% here? Pure self-aggrandizing and agenda-pushing from the author.
Ostensibly, this is supposed to be a "insider bio" on Hammerin' Hank from journalist Terence Moore. Though Moore certainly does have Aaron's ear, that access is used to perpetuate multiple agendas (including the author's own career/life) instead of craft any sort of interesting bio. There are three major, glaring issues with "The Real Hank Aaron":
First, every--and I mean EVERY--topic in this book is looked at through a racial lens. While such material obviously plays a large role in Aaron's life/career, it tilts so far in that direction as to be almost comical at times.
Secondly, and more specifically, if author Moore wanted to write a book about the lack of black players/coaches/execs in baseball these days, he should have done exactly that. Don't sucker me into what looks for all the world to be an Aaron bio and then spend half the book talking about that single issue.
Finally, Moore inserts himself far, far too much into the dialogue/text. Calling himself the "Hank Aaron Whisperer" is as disrespectful as it is embarrassing, and the pages (and pages) of his experiences at various sports news outlets only serves to further his personal (and, again, often extremely racially charged) agenda.
Somewhat ironically, the only parts of this book that held my interest whatsoever were the directly-transcribed interviews & phone calls with Hank himself. Those little snippets certainly did show Aaron's thought-provoking and even-keeled approach to most issues of baseball, race, and life in general. But the other 95% here? Pure self-aggrandizing and agenda-pushing from the author.
December 2, 2022
I finished this book with many questions:
-Was the author The Hank Aaron Whisperer?
-What was Hank Aaron's middle name?
-Was Hank Jackie and Jackie Hank?
If only the author was more specific on these points, perhaps by repeating them an absurd amount, I would understand this book better. Oh well.
-Was the author The Hank Aaron Whisperer?
-What was Hank Aaron's middle name?
-Was Hank Jackie and Jackie Hank?
If only the author was more specific on these points, perhaps by repeating them an absurd amount, I would understand this book better. Oh well.
February 18, 2023
I decided to take a fiction break and was sure I had selected a safe alternative by opting for a baseball biography. I’m a huge Atlanta Braves fan and have always admired Hank Aaron. I was also familiar with the author, Terrence Moore, from his days as an award winning columnist with The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The book was promoted as an ode to their friendship. So my expectations were high given those type parameters. Nonetheless, I ended up disappointed. The trouble wasn’t with Hank Aaron. The problem was entirely Terrence Moore’s. His skill set didn’t transfer from sports columnist to book author. There was no continuity. He was intentionally redundant for effect and it backfired. He relied too much on drawing parallels between himself as the first black sportswriter in the South and Aaron being the premier black ball player who dethroned the white hero, Babe Ruth. It’s a narrative that might have worked had he not often praised his subject’s humility and regularly abandoned his own. Moore was candid about racism, but territorial about it too. His story often competed with his intention to celebrate Hank’s stoicism. He may not like hearing he had a chip on his shoulder from a white man, but he did.
I’m being critical because a lot of writers can’t crossover from journalism to books. It has nothing to do with intelligence or race. I did some research. This was Terrence Moore’s first book. He’s been a columnist and media personality for over forty years. He’s typecasted himself. Not only has he developed a style, he’s forsaken other styles because of his proficiency at being who he is. I don’t condemn him for that. It’s logical. Sprinters don’t run marathons. Outfielders don’t pitch. And barbers don’t become hairstylists. In his book, Moore admits he couldn’t abide editors at his newspaper. He referred to them as Dixiecrats. He thought them racists and they likely were. And so he alienated himself. I think it’s obvious he didn’t seek editorial help with his book either. Most chapters began with Moore pushing Aaron down the halls of a convalescent home, referring to his idol as “the tired and aching man” as if the icon had been reduced to a folk song refrain. His obsession with calling himself The Hank Whisperer seemed overplayed as well. The book became a misbegotten maze that didn’t remotely resemble a biography, but instead a collage. Difficult to conceptualize theme and perhaps better suited to hang on a bathroom wall.
The book’s redemption, however, came in its interviews with Aaron and how aging conflicted him about his role outside and inside baseball. He grew from being dismissive about Barry Bonds because he didn’t want to impose, to simultaneously speaking out against steroids and not being sure whether he would have used them himself. His relationships with Brian Snitker and Bobby Cox were enlightening. As was the pettiness of sportswriter, Furman Bisher. And then there were his takes on bigger issues like the diminishing number of blacks in the game. The death threats he endured in the 70’s while chasing Ruth’s record. But above all, Hank Aaron was a humble, extremely polite and caring man. He had a long and enduring friendship with Terrence Moore. I’m just not sure Moore’s decision to use Aaron’s end of life debilitation as the main lens thru which to portray the man’s totality worked well. It was an inside look that felt unflattering for both. Maybe it was because Moore needed a different angle due to contractual constraints. He alluded to the famous biographer, Douglas Brinkley, having exclusivity in writing Aaron’s full story after Hank’s death. If that’s true, I’m giving the take sign to baseball enthusiasts. Hold out for that book. It should be a pitch much more to your liking.
I’m being critical because a lot of writers can’t crossover from journalism to books. It has nothing to do with intelligence or race. I did some research. This was Terrence Moore’s first book. He’s been a columnist and media personality for over forty years. He’s typecasted himself. Not only has he developed a style, he’s forsaken other styles because of his proficiency at being who he is. I don’t condemn him for that. It’s logical. Sprinters don’t run marathons. Outfielders don’t pitch. And barbers don’t become hairstylists. In his book, Moore admits he couldn’t abide editors at his newspaper. He referred to them as Dixiecrats. He thought them racists and they likely were. And so he alienated himself. I think it’s obvious he didn’t seek editorial help with his book either. Most chapters began with Moore pushing Aaron down the halls of a convalescent home, referring to his idol as “the tired and aching man” as if the icon had been reduced to a folk song refrain. His obsession with calling himself The Hank Whisperer seemed overplayed as well. The book became a misbegotten maze that didn’t remotely resemble a biography, but instead a collage. Difficult to conceptualize theme and perhaps better suited to hang on a bathroom wall.
The book’s redemption, however, came in its interviews with Aaron and how aging conflicted him about his role outside and inside baseball. He grew from being dismissive about Barry Bonds because he didn’t want to impose, to simultaneously speaking out against steroids and not being sure whether he would have used them himself. His relationships with Brian Snitker and Bobby Cox were enlightening. As was the pettiness of sportswriter, Furman Bisher. And then there were his takes on bigger issues like the diminishing number of blacks in the game. The death threats he endured in the 70’s while chasing Ruth’s record. But above all, Hank Aaron was a humble, extremely polite and caring man. He had a long and enduring friendship with Terrence Moore. I’m just not sure Moore’s decision to use Aaron’s end of life debilitation as the main lens thru which to portray the man’s totality worked well. It was an inside look that felt unflattering for both. Maybe it was because Moore needed a different angle due to contractual constraints. He alluded to the famous biographer, Douglas Brinkley, having exclusivity in writing Aaron’s full story after Hank’s death. If that’s true, I’m giving the take sign to baseball enthusiasts. Hold out for that book. It should be a pitch much more to your liking.
October 4, 2022
I checked "The Real Hank Aaron" out from the library thinking it would be an "intimate look" into the mind of Hank Aaron, one of the most iconic baseball players of the 20th century. I assumed the book would focus deeply on Aaron's life, perspective, and legacy, as told by him. That only turned out to be PARTIALLY true. Mainly, however, the book was a bait-and-switch; it purported to be all about Hank Aaron, but was REALLY about the relationship between Aaron and author Terence Moore, a long-time sportswriter who has a (self-proclaimed) deep bond with the former ballplayer.
Moore may be a good sportswriter, but I thought his memoir skills left a lot to be desired. "The Real Hank Aaron" is repetitive, boring, and VERY agenda-driven. It ends up aggrandizing Moore himself almost as much as Aaron, which felt kind of weird to me. It repeated phrases over and over and over and over, likely trying to sound lyrical but ending up sounding like the author didn't really have a lot to say. It focused equally on the youth of Moore himself and his career, demonstrating the racial prejudices he had to overcome to be a successful sportswriter in Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1980s & 1990s. Moore rails on and on about racism in the newspaper industry, comparing his struggles to Aaron's struggles against racially-motivated threats during his time chasing Babe Ruth's home-run record. I get what he was going for but I don't think the comparison quite landed. He also rants frequently about the racism of Major League Baseball, and blames racism, above all else, the reason for the lack of black baseball players in the sport today. I think there are a lot of problems with this perspective, but in true tunnel-vision fashion, Moore brushes aside all the (legitimate) counters to this argument with the assurance of his personal convictions. It's a poorly argued viewpoint, and comes across as the author not letting the facts get in the way of his agenda.
Not everything in the book is disappointing; there are several candid interviews with Aaron that are included, and it is interesting to hear his perspective on Barry Bonds, on Major League Baseball as an organization, on his faith, etc. I believe that Aaron and Moore had a genuine friendship underneath all the publicity and controversy. However, I feel that the book is mis-marketed and PRETENDS to be all about Hank Aaron when it clearly isn't the case. I wish the author had been able to write a more in-depth look at the ENTIRE life of Aaron, not just the latter half which included Terence's personal perspective. There was POTENTIAL here for a good memoir, but sadly it didn't really work out.
Moore may be a good sportswriter, but I thought his memoir skills left a lot to be desired. "The Real Hank Aaron" is repetitive, boring, and VERY agenda-driven. It ends up aggrandizing Moore himself almost as much as Aaron, which felt kind of weird to me. It repeated phrases over and over and over and over, likely trying to sound lyrical but ending up sounding like the author didn't really have a lot to say. It focused equally on the youth of Moore himself and his career, demonstrating the racial prejudices he had to overcome to be a successful sportswriter in Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1980s & 1990s. Moore rails on and on about racism in the newspaper industry, comparing his struggles to Aaron's struggles against racially-motivated threats during his time chasing Babe Ruth's home-run record. I get what he was going for but I don't think the comparison quite landed. He also rants frequently about the racism of Major League Baseball, and blames racism, above all else, the reason for the lack of black baseball players in the sport today. I think there are a lot of problems with this perspective, but in true tunnel-vision fashion, Moore brushes aside all the (legitimate) counters to this argument with the assurance of his personal convictions. It's a poorly argued viewpoint, and comes across as the author not letting the facts get in the way of his agenda.
Not everything in the book is disappointing; there are several candid interviews with Aaron that are included, and it is interesting to hear his perspective on Barry Bonds, on Major League Baseball as an organization, on his faith, etc. I believe that Aaron and Moore had a genuine friendship underneath all the publicity and controversy. However, I feel that the book is mis-marketed and PRETENDS to be all about Hank Aaron when it clearly isn't the case. I wish the author had been able to write a more in-depth look at the ENTIRE life of Aaron, not just the latter half which included Terence's personal perspective. There was POTENTIAL here for a good memoir, but sadly it didn't really work out.
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October 7, 2025A lot of readers are slamming this book.
And I get it.
The author makes a big deal about his exclusive relationship with Hank.
Still, I learned a few things:
HA owned a successful BMW dealership.
HA called Tiger Woods the greatest athlete ever.
HA advised Ted Turner to sign Dominique Wilkins.
HA hosted to Cuban baseball team at the Atlanta Olympics.
HA did not frequent Barry Bonds. When they did their TV commercial, HA expressed his wish to not shoot their scenes at the same time.
HA received 930,000 pieces of mail.
HA was in touch with Obama.
HA worked out extensively in his retirement years. His health declined after slipping on the ice in 2014.
HA lived in a nursing home.
HA fought for the rights of Black Americans in the sport.
Former MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was an awful man, a hypocrite and a coward.
The author Terence Moore uncovered a huge story: MLB tracked all their prospects and kept track of race and employed a quota system to keep the number of Black American players down.
I think of my Kansas City Royals and the greatest Black Americans to wear that uniform: Amos Otis, Frank White, Hal McRae, Bo Jackson, Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, and others I do not recall.
It's true, there are fewer Black Americans in the MLB, and it's not clear why that is, or what is going on.
And I get it.
The author makes a big deal about his exclusive relationship with Hank.
Still, I learned a few things:
HA owned a successful BMW dealership.
HA called Tiger Woods the greatest athlete ever.
HA advised Ted Turner to sign Dominique Wilkins.
HA hosted to Cuban baseball team at the Atlanta Olympics.
HA did not frequent Barry Bonds. When they did their TV commercial, HA expressed his wish to not shoot their scenes at the same time.
HA received 930,000 pieces of mail.
HA was in touch with Obama.
HA worked out extensively in his retirement years. His health declined after slipping on the ice in 2014.
HA lived in a nursing home.
HA fought for the rights of Black Americans in the sport.
Former MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was an awful man, a hypocrite and a coward.
The author Terence Moore uncovered a huge story: MLB tracked all their prospects and kept track of race and employed a quota system to keep the number of Black American players down.
I think of my Kansas City Royals and the greatest Black Americans to wear that uniform: Amos Otis, Frank White, Hal McRae, Bo Jackson, Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, and others I do not recall.
It's true, there are fewer Black Americans in the MLB, and it's not clear why that is, or what is going on.
July 22, 2022
This was not exactly what I had hoped for. While I already knew much about Hank, I did learn a lot more, and am still in complete awe of his accomplishments, especially under the unfortunate and sad circumstances. What I didn't expect was this to be about the author as well. At times this felt like a drawn out resume of the writer touting how he was the first at this, and only one at that. It felt like half of this book was about the accomplishments of Hank, and the other half for the author. I was perhaps hoping for more insight into his family, upbringing, relationships with teammates and coaches, and of course the adversity he dealt with. Were any of these death threats dealt with?
Although his record was surpassed, many still consider him the King as he didn't get any...ahem...help with his accomplishments. I was 10 and remember clearly sitting in my living room watching him break the record, and crying because I didn't want it to happen, because I was in awe of the Babe and too young to know that records were meant to be broken...fairly. I didn't realize he never wore batting gloves!
Although his record was surpassed, many still consider him the King as he didn't get any...ahem...help with his accomplishments. I was 10 and remember clearly sitting in my living room watching him break the record, and crying because I didn't want it to happen, because I was in awe of the Babe and too young to know that records were meant to be broken...fairly. I didn't realize he never wore batting gloves!
July 16, 2025
I must start with the book being largely more of a Terrance Moore biography than a Hank Aaron biography. I hope you all find someone who loves you as much as Terrance Moore loves Terrance Moore. Someone should count the sheer number of times Moore reintegrated that he was the ONLY reporter Hank would talk to self referencing as the Hank Aaron whisperer. Much of the book reads like a student who has a word limit on an assignment & was short . they go back into the text & pad the word count. Reading Henry Lewis Aaron or Barry Lamar Bonds or Jackie Roosevelt Robinson repeatedly is annoying. Also Moore Callao the older Hank the “tired & aching man” chronically.
Please read The Last Hero A Life of Henry Aaron before this book. The only redeeming aspect of this book was the allegation of MLB having a race quota in the 60’s-80’s. That was alarming & compelling. I am convinced by
Moore that this is true.
Please read The Last Hero A Life of Henry Aaron before this book. The only redeeming aspect of this book was the allegation of MLB having a race quota in the 60’s-80’s. That was alarming & compelling. I am convinced by
Moore that this is true.
July 16, 2024
This should be subtitled "Terrence Moore's autobiography". I have read and listened to Terence Moore for 40 years and have followed Hank Aaron's career since the 1950's so much of this material I was familiar with and have heard before. The focus of the book seems to be the lack of African Americans in baseball today but Moore only presents that it is a conscious plan by the white raciest leaders of baseball. Some interesting passages are Moore's conversations with Aaron.
Overall I do not think this book adds much to the Hank Aaron story but does offer some insights into Moore's career and racial history in the US.
I do not like authors that repeat material from previous sections or chapters as if I could not remember what was said before. Moore does this throughout the book.
Overall I do not think this book adds much to the Hank Aaron story but does offer some insights into Moore's career and racial history in the US.
I do not like authors that repeat material from previous sections or chapters as if I could not remember what was said before. Moore does this throughout the book.
July 15, 2022
I've never read a biography of someone that had so much about the author throughout the book. The Hank convos are really good. But the overall book is hard to follow because it blends the author's life with Aaron's. I understand why Moore thought to go the route he did -- there are a lot of tie-ins and similarities between his careers as a black journalist in Atlanta and Arron's as a player -- but his story isn't the one I was hoping to read about. I feel it would have been more appropriate for Moore to write a memoir and publish a bio on Aaron as two separate books.
July 18, 2022
Don't bother
This book is not so much about Hank Aaron as it is a racial diatribe the author rants about the lack of black baseball players today Don't tell me that the major leagues wouldn't play whoever is the best available players. They all want to win. Why then is the NBA mostly black players duh! I followed Henry Arron's career and was lucky to see him play in Milwaukee a few times always thought he was the best of his time Babe Ruth was the greatest of his time That's where it should stay
This book is not so much about Hank Aaron as it is a racial diatribe the author rants about the lack of black baseball players today Don't tell me that the major leagues wouldn't play whoever is the best available players. They all want to win. Why then is the NBA mostly black players duh! I followed Henry Arron's career and was lucky to see him play in Milwaukee a few times always thought he was the best of his time Babe Ruth was the greatest of his time That's where it should stay
October 16, 2023
Extremely disappointed in this story of one of the great baseball players, I grew up with. The author uses Aaron's story to lecture us on racism rather than get in the essence of Aaron. The last chapter was the most revealing about his life after baseball. The author's own life story didn't belong in this story. He needs to get over his past and move forward with life instead of trying to divide the country. While I read it to the end, hoping the book would improve, I do not recommend this book.
May 27, 2022
A great look at the personal side of Hank Aaaron by Terrence Moore who was a personal friend and covered the sports world as a reporter for many years. The book also gives you insight on Terrence Moore (the author) who has led an amazing life/career. The story is not just about sports but about lives and what people do with their lives. It provided me lots of new information and facts. I enjoyed this book very much. I won it in a GoodReads Giveaway.
February 3, 2025
Really disappointed in this book. I have read books about Hank Aaron before and they were all good. This one fell short. Also couldn't get past the fact that Terence Moore made this book more about himself instead of Hank Aaron. If the title had been "The Real Terence Moore" that would have been fine. I would not have read the book but it would at least tell people what they were really reading about.
June 5, 2025
It was good but not great. As others have indicated this is more of a memoir about Moore with Aaron playing a role as opposed to a biography or memoir about Aaron. There were definitely interesting insights and I believe it adds to an understanding of Aaron. I didn’t feel bad about having read it. But it is not necessarily what you would have expected based on the title and description.
January 6, 2023
While the book does in part give “an intimate look” at the life of Hank Aaron, it is mainly an autobiography about the author himself. While Moore has a very interesting life, it left a lot to be desired for someone who was interested to understand the entire life of Hank Aaron.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews