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The Cost of These Dreams: Sports Stories and Other Serious Business
The instant New York Times bestseller!
From one of America's most beloved sportswriters and the bestselling author of Pappyland , 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 (see back of book). 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.
From one of America's most beloved sportswriters and the bestselling author of Pappyland , 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 (see back of book). 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.
400 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
January 5, 2020
I first came across Wright Thompson's work in a Tiger Woods article he wrote for ESPN a few years back. It focussed mostly on Tiger's downfall and tied it into the death of his father - how he struggled to cope without his rock, how he emulated his old man in his womanising and even his military fascination. The piece struck me for its sensitivity and the way it revealed the man behind the mask: a socially awkward introvert who became the world's most recognisable sports star.
The rest of the pieces in this collection all share that sympathetic quality. Thompson comes across as a compassionate journalist, but also a tenacious individual who is driven to understand the motivations of his subjects. I loved the Michael Jordan article, a man coming to terms with middle age but still as ridiculously competitive as ever. The Ted Williams story helped me understand a complex character - a baseball legend who had a tough upbringing and ended up inflicting plenty of misery on his own family. But the standout piece is based on New Orleans - a city trying to put itself back together after untold devastation. Thompson speaks to members of the Saints team who gave their fans something to cheer about when they were at their lowest ebb. He also talks with Chris Rose, a local reporter noted for his eloquence during the Katrina aftermath, who has fallen on hard times of late. It's an emotional read - heartbreaking in more than a few places yet also life-affirming in many ways.
A couple of the pieces, such as the ones on college football, didn't resonate with me as much as others. But this is down to my own lack of knowledge in that area. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, for its human insight, its search for what drives these people and the cost associated with achieving greatness. I can certainly see why Wright Thompson has earned a reputation as one of the finest sports journalists around.
The rest of the pieces in this collection all share that sympathetic quality. Thompson comes across as a compassionate journalist, but also a tenacious individual who is driven to understand the motivations of his subjects. I loved the Michael Jordan article, a man coming to terms with middle age but still as ridiculously competitive as ever. The Ted Williams story helped me understand a complex character - a baseball legend who had a tough upbringing and ended up inflicting plenty of misery on his own family. But the standout piece is based on New Orleans - a city trying to put itself back together after untold devastation. Thompson speaks to members of the Saints team who gave their fans something to cheer about when they were at their lowest ebb. He also talks with Chris Rose, a local reporter noted for his eloquence during the Katrina aftermath, who has fallen on hard times of late. It's an emotional read - heartbreaking in more than a few places yet also life-affirming in many ways.
A couple of the pieces, such as the ones on college football, didn't resonate with me as much as others. But this is down to my own lack of knowledge in that area. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, for its human insight, its search for what drives these people and the cost associated with achieving greatness. I can certainly see why Wright Thompson has earned a reputation as one of the finest sports journalists around.
March 4, 2020
To say that Wright Thompson is a sportswriter would be equivalent to saying that Macbeth is a travelogue of Scotland. Sports are merely a gateway to the human condition, and no one, repeat, no one, can open and mine it like Thompson. Easily the best sports book I've read in several decades. Any further verbiage on my part would not do him or you, the reader, justice.
June 6, 2019
As much as I love sports, I don't typically read sports writing unless it's about one of my favorite teams, and even then there's a lot that goes unread. That's what makes Wright Thompson so perfect for me -- while all of these stories had sports central to the theme, it goes so far beyond a book of just "sports stories."
Whether it's the inner demons faced by (and obsessive nature 0f) such greats as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Dan Gable, and Pat Riley, how teams and their communities interplay with one another, like the Saints and New Orleans after Katrina or Ole Miss Football during the integration riots, or the unseen family relationships behind it all (the four aforementioned athletes, as well as baseball's Ted Williams and Thompson's own father -- or really all of these stories, as Thompson himself puts it in the intro), these stories all go well beyond sports. Nothing exemplifies that more than Beyond the Breach , a sprawling look at New Orleans on the cusp of the 10 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Another review called it "all over the place", which is fair, but to me it was a targeted jumping around and really was masterful.
Highly recommended, particularly if you are a sports fan and interested in stories that play off of sports but are not wholly about them. However, like any good writing, this had me enjoying both the topics I already enjoy as well as things I would never have thought of as particularly interesting (though it's obvious that even the most straightforward-looking things have a story to tell).
Favorite Essays: Ghosts of Mississippi, Shadow Boxing, Beyond the Breach, The Secret History of Tiger Woods.
Least Favorite Essays (mostly a subject matter/personal preference thing): Urban Meyer Will Be Home For Dinner, Pat Riley's Final Test, In Chicago, the Final Wait for a Cubs Win Mixes Joy and Sorrow.
Rough tiers:
5* Favorites (see above)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4.5* The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived On, The Last Days of Tony Harris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4* Michael Jordan Has Not Left the Building, Holy Ground, Here and Gone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3.5* The Last Ride of Bear and Billy, The Losses of Dan Gable
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.5-3* Least favorites (see above)
Overall: strong 4, maybe a 4.5.
Whether it's the inner demons faced by (and obsessive nature 0f) such greats as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Dan Gable, and Pat Riley, how teams and their communities interplay with one another, like the Saints and New Orleans after Katrina or Ole Miss Football during the integration riots, or the unseen family relationships behind it all (the four aforementioned athletes, as well as baseball's Ted Williams and Thompson's own father -- or really all of these stories, as Thompson himself puts it in the intro), these stories all go well beyond sports. Nothing exemplifies that more than Beyond the Breach , a sprawling look at New Orleans on the cusp of the 10 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Another review called it "all over the place", which is fair, but to me it was a targeted jumping around and really was masterful.
Highly recommended, particularly if you are a sports fan and interested in stories that play off of sports but are not wholly about them. However, like any good writing, this had me enjoying both the topics I already enjoy as well as things I would never have thought of as particularly interesting (though it's obvious that even the most straightforward-looking things have a story to tell).
Favorite Essays: Ghosts of Mississippi, Shadow Boxing, Beyond the Breach, The Secret History of Tiger Woods.
Least Favorite Essays (mostly a subject matter/personal preference thing): Urban Meyer Will Be Home For Dinner, Pat Riley's Final Test, In Chicago, the Final Wait for a Cubs Win Mixes Joy and Sorrow.
Rough tiers:
5* Favorites (see above)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4.5* The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived On, The Last Days of Tony Harris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4* Michael Jordan Has Not Left the Building, Holy Ground, Here and Gone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3.5* The Last Ride of Bear and Billy, The Losses of Dan Gable
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.5-3* Least favorites (see above)
Overall: strong 4, maybe a 4.5.
June 2, 2019
Wright Thompson is a great sportswriter, but the themes covered in these pieces go beyond sports. He asks what is the price of pursuing greatness for the people who have achieved it, been close to it, or fell short. Great stories about humanity, mortality, and the way we choose to live our lives.
June 16, 2019
Wow. Where do I even begin? Wright Thompson is my favorite sports writer. My inspiration. I have long tried to be like Wright and this collection comforted me, reading all of his best stories with fresh eyes. I so appreciated his intro, taking us through the journey of what his stories meant to him, what it was like reporting them, and ultimately what binds them together. Wright has something I relate to: an ongoing search, chase and absolute HUNGER and obsession to find the story. The story beneath the story. The human cost underneath all of it. His stories are never JUST about sports. They are about failure and fathers and disappointment and home and pain and joy and celebration and obstacles. There must be some chase. Some tension. Man searching for meaning. I feel lucky to have read Wright all these years. Some of my fav quotes: “A universal truth: the tools required to gain greatness often prevent someone from enjoying it” (xiii). “We see all these people, and maybe we steal a glimpse of ourselves” (xiv). “Now I know that success means reaching your goals and enjoying them and that one without the other is empty and meaningless. I went to the funeral of legendary sports writer William Nack and as his kids talked about how much they loved vacations with him, and how much he loved his family and enjoying cooking big meals for all of them, I realized that his work was a means to an end and not the supreme and total end” (xv). “It seems to me that the point of studying other people, whether through a sports story or a novel or a song or a movie, is to organize our thoughts and construct a framework that might better help understand ourselves” (xvi). Like Wright, when he discusses here traveling the country, the world, pursuing his story, his truths, learning about athletes but also about himself, I felt that deeply. That is my journey. Now the stories: his story on Michael Jordan is my favorite sports story of all time. Just absolutely stunning work. When I read Wright I am amazed at the confidence he writes with, the way he commands a narrative, the way he uses little dialogue and can describe something as minimal as a bathtub and make you feel like you are right there, in the tub, soaking up the suds. His stories bring the emotion and grit in sports and reveal who athletes really are. It’s about the HUMAN. Shadow Boxing is my second favorite, and an inspiration for a current story I’m writing. He is so clever in choosing subjects and attacking an angle that nobody else is. It is impossible for me to quote all of my favorite quotes from his stories. There are too many lines that are just beautiful, poignant, emotionally present and written with incredible care. He always says the architecture, the structure, is what it’s always about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2020
So happy to have found this book - and it surprised me (pleasantly) to a significant degree. This is some of the best writing I've read in a while. Though "sports" is a part of these stories, it really just sits as a setting for something much more. Highly recommend this. I'll read everything Thompson gets in ink from here on out.
January 7, 2021
This was my first Wright Thompson book, and I doubt it will be my last. I see what all the fuss is about, phenomenal story teller. And I did not cry at the end, you did. Didn’t see that coming.
July 19, 2025
One of the most unique approaches to journalism I’ve seen. Where it seems all journalists refuse to go against the grain with stories and continue to pile onto whatever the consensus refusing to challenge it, Wright Thompson is different. He chooses to do the exact opposite of that, and presents the product as is. His approach to gathering information for stories is what makes them so special. He has a great ability to get to the root cause of the complexities of an athlete’s character clearer than anyone else in his profession - zoning in on it no matter how odd it may seem. His honesty and refusal to sugar coat stories to preserve the image of athletes/celebrities is what makes his writing so real. There’s a ton that gets overlooked whenever someone is great at a given sport, even more so when they’re one of the best, but Wright Thompson will tell it exactly how it is no matter how many fans one may have. He analyzed many greats in this book, but I found that the level of legacy of the athlete in each section didn’t correlate with my interest in the story. He’s an incredible writer and story teller, but he might be an even better adventurer. I can’t even imagine some of the places he’s found himself in chasing stories.
My only gripe with this book is that some of the stories are outdated - would love an updated version for the stories about Urban Meyer, Jordan, Pat Riley, and Tiger (especially).
Ranking stories:
1. The Losses of Dan Gable - just an INSANE life… my goodness… hard to believe it wasn’t fiction
2. The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived On - dude might’ve been the worst dad and husband of all time, I sympathized with the children the entire time
3. Holy Ground - hit home big time, not much needs to be said.
4. The Last Days of Tony Harris - another insane story - what the hell was he wrapped up in? Or was he just that mentally ill?
5. Urban Meyer Will Be Home for Dinner - interesting perspective on an extremely volatile personality that experienced a ton of success, explained a lot
6. Ghosts of Mississippi - a part of Ole Miss’s, and this country’s, history that I never knew. Funny how embarrassment of the actions of the community
completely overshadowed the best team in school history.
7. The Secret History of Tiger Woods - I will always be infatuated by a Tiger story. Would love to have seen this story completed after 2019.
8. In Chicago, the Final Wait for a Cubs Win Mixes Joy and Sorrow - just so cool, and bittersweet. The part about people passing away during the series was brutal.
9. Pat Riley’s Final Test - I don’t think anyone has ever experienced as much success as Pat Riley has at three levels of team involvement (player, coach, and owner). It’s also clear why, he’s a sicko and consumed by it - on Jordan and Kobe levels of mentality.
10. Shadow Boxing - possibly the most unique of all the stories. Describes Wright Thompson to a T, always doing whatever to get to the bottom of his stories.
11. The Last Ride of Bear and Billy - always interesting to get a look at the behind the scenes guys that have so much influence on the success of someone great.
12. Michael Jordan Has Not Left the Building - cool story, but a lot of value taken away from it after watching The Last Dance.
13. Beyond the Breach - found this incredibly interesting, there’s nowhere in the world quite like New Orleans. Was definitely drawn out tho lol, way too much NO for me.
14. Here and Gone - have always known Messi was a little autistic, nothing new but interesting nonetheless.
4.5/5 - if you like sports, read it. If you don’t like sports, read it.
My only gripe with this book is that some of the stories are outdated - would love an updated version for the stories about Urban Meyer, Jordan, Pat Riley, and Tiger (especially).
Ranking stories:
1. The Losses of Dan Gable - just an INSANE life… my goodness… hard to believe it wasn’t fiction
2. The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived On - dude might’ve been the worst dad and husband of all time, I sympathized with the children the entire time
3. Holy Ground - hit home big time, not much needs to be said.
4. The Last Days of Tony Harris - another insane story - what the hell was he wrapped up in? Or was he just that mentally ill?
5. Urban Meyer Will Be Home for Dinner - interesting perspective on an extremely volatile personality that experienced a ton of success, explained a lot
6. Ghosts of Mississippi - a part of Ole Miss’s, and this country’s, history that I never knew. Funny how embarrassment of the actions of the community
completely overshadowed the best team in school history.
7. The Secret History of Tiger Woods - I will always be infatuated by a Tiger story. Would love to have seen this story completed after 2019.
8. In Chicago, the Final Wait for a Cubs Win Mixes Joy and Sorrow - just so cool, and bittersweet. The part about people passing away during the series was brutal.
9. Pat Riley’s Final Test - I don’t think anyone has ever experienced as much success as Pat Riley has at three levels of team involvement (player, coach, and owner). It’s also clear why, he’s a sicko and consumed by it - on Jordan and Kobe levels of mentality.
10. Shadow Boxing - possibly the most unique of all the stories. Describes Wright Thompson to a T, always doing whatever to get to the bottom of his stories.
11. The Last Ride of Bear and Billy - always interesting to get a look at the behind the scenes guys that have so much influence on the success of someone great.
12. Michael Jordan Has Not Left the Building - cool story, but a lot of value taken away from it after watching The Last Dance.
13. Beyond the Breach - found this incredibly interesting, there’s nowhere in the world quite like New Orleans. Was definitely drawn out tho lol, way too much NO for me.
14. Here and Gone - have always known Messi was a little autistic, nothing new but interesting nonetheless.
4.5/5 - if you like sports, read it. If you don’t like sports, read it.
April 30, 2023
I started this book at a difficult point in my life. I was alone and isolated in a small town I’d never been in starting my career as a sports writer. I felt over my head — unsure of this career and if I was good enough. My boss lent me this book when I was around my worst.
This book reminded me why I’m here. Thompson is an excellent writer, and just reading how he uses his voice and thinking of what questions he asks to get the tidbits of information has helped me in the month since I started this book.
All of the stories are about people in the sports world fighting for their dream and what it cost. I couldn’t have read this at a better time. I’m certainly no athlete, but I was able to relate to the struggle of pursuing a dream. The best part about sports writing is how human it is. It’s about fathers and sons and disappointments about who you are and who you want to be. This is what Thompson does best: show the most human side of a person or story. I’ve been told enough that human-interest stories are what I should pursue, but something about reading it in this way forced a paradigm shift.
This isn’t much of a review, more of a rant, but this book and these stories have had a huge impact on me. The stories and the way Thompson wrote them stuck with me. I have to give this copy back, so I need to start looking for this book to add to my collection along with other books Thompson has written.
This book reminded me why I’m here. Thompson is an excellent writer, and just reading how he uses his voice and thinking of what questions he asks to get the tidbits of information has helped me in the month since I started this book.
All of the stories are about people in the sports world fighting for their dream and what it cost. I couldn’t have read this at a better time. I’m certainly no athlete, but I was able to relate to the struggle of pursuing a dream. The best part about sports writing is how human it is. It’s about fathers and sons and disappointments about who you are and who you want to be. This is what Thompson does best: show the most human side of a person or story. I’ve been told enough that human-interest stories are what I should pursue, but something about reading it in this way forced a paradigm shift.
This isn’t much of a review, more of a rant, but this book and these stories have had a huge impact on me. The stories and the way Thompson wrote them stuck with me. I have to give this copy back, so I need to start looking for this book to add to my collection along with other books Thompson has written.
March 7, 2020
I've long admired Wright Thompson's long-form sports stories, and so I had high expectations when buying this collection. It not only meets but arguably surpasses those expectations. This is exceptional reportage and storytelling, taking us into the minds, lives, and hearts of globally famous and lesser-known sports figures, and the impact the game had on them as much as they had on it. A book about life as much as sport. Terrific.
November 11, 2025
Incredibly powerful stories! Each chapter delves into a few of the many unique personalities connected to sports. Much of this book highlights the struggle balancing unwavering ambition & the pursuit of contentment.
The stories that truly stuck out were Michael Jordan has Not Left the Building, The Last Days of Tony Harris, The Secret History of Tiger Woods, The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived, & Holy Ground.
The stories that truly stuck out were Michael Jordan has Not Left the Building, The Last Days of Tony Harris, The Secret History of Tiger Woods, The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived, & Holy Ground.
February 15, 2025
An absolute must for sports lovers. Thompson depicts the sacrifice that is inherent in winning in a way that is about the human condition more than it is about career accolades. The finest sports feature writer of the 21st century, and it’s not particularly close.
July 3, 2021
Rich and powerful stories. Wright Thompson is a master of telling incredible stories in vivid detail.
July 2, 2023
“What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.”
-
Wright’s article “Holy Ground” from ‘07 makes me cry every time that I read it. Good stuff.
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Wright’s article “Holy Ground” from ‘07 makes me cry every time that I read it. Good stuff.
September 2, 2023
This was so good. I don’t even like golf that much, and “Holy Ground” nearly made me cry. Pretty much every story in here is excellent.
February 15, 2025
Top notch writing and storytelling.
February 14, 2021
Wright Thompson’s ability to personify people, an oxymoron I know, is unmatched. He characterizes heroes and celebrities in a manner that’s honest and biting; empathetic and critical.
March 18, 2024
Exceptional! Great stories and insights. Some of the material I knew a bit about. Other stories were entirely unknown before reading. It didn’t matter. All was enjoyable, entertaining and educational. Well worth the read.
May 15, 2019
The Cost Of These Dreams
Sport can lift people up, it can alter the soul but it can also ruin lives. As a society we only ever hear the success stories, history is written by the victors and in sport every match or game we watch becomes the story of the winner. The loser is always forgotten, the minute they lose they become an extra in the winner's story.
In The Cost Of These Dreams Thompson is not wrestling just with the dreams of sporting greats but also the mundane, everyday American Dreams that built and maintain the nation from sea to shining sea. The dilapidated buildings, crumbling societies, and fading memories show the tragedy of both the individuals in question and the society around them.
Thompson accurately finds the spot where the court becomes the street, the ring becomes the road, the field the fall. Where champions step out of the spotlight and everything they've worked for, everything they are, not only won't serve them in normal life but can actually become deeply harmful to them.
Wright Thompson is a great American Sports Writer. The keyword in that sentence American. While the heart of these stories examine the human soul and thus they should be relatable to all, the soul is certainly seen through a set of red, white and blue lenses. It's no wonder that his weakest story is the one about Lionel Messi, Thompson seems incapable of finding the essence of Messi, he is confused as to why Messi would want to stay so strongly attached to his home in Rosario even though the town doesn't love him and he moved away at the age of 13. Oddly, Thompson's implicit understanding of American patriotism both local and national doesn't seem to function when applied outside America. Many of the stories will also be foreign to non-American readers, whether it's Dan Gable or Ted Williams, these characters don't tap an international memory in the way Woods, Jordan and Messi do. Yet in many cases Thompson is better at sketching the personalities of these less internationally famous characters.
The best story in here is also the longest and the least sport oriented that is the New Orleans recovery story Beyond The Breach. Thompson breaks down the rich, the poor and everyone in between. His gaze falls on all of New Orleans and in doing this he tells the story of the city in a brilliant way. Ghosts of Mississippi and Shadow Boxing are also excellent examinations of close characters and whole societies, of the importance of sport in our lives and how fleeting moments of success can define entire lifetimes, entire generations.
I think to give this 5 stars you need to be American or have lived in America for a long time. It just won't hit the right notes otherwise.
But if you are into sport, you should read these stories because they tell the other side, the painful side, the one we don't want to hear, the one we want to ignore. In today's superficial echo chambers these are the stories we need to be listening to.
Sport can lift people up, it can alter the soul but it can also ruin lives. As a society we only ever hear the success stories, history is written by the victors and in sport every match or game we watch becomes the story of the winner. The loser is always forgotten, the minute they lose they become an extra in the winner's story.
In The Cost Of These Dreams Thompson is not wrestling just with the dreams of sporting greats but also the mundane, everyday American Dreams that built and maintain the nation from sea to shining sea. The dilapidated buildings, crumbling societies, and fading memories show the tragedy of both the individuals in question and the society around them.
Thompson accurately finds the spot where the court becomes the street, the ring becomes the road, the field the fall. Where champions step out of the spotlight and everything they've worked for, everything they are, not only won't serve them in normal life but can actually become deeply harmful to them.
Wright Thompson is a great American Sports Writer. The keyword in that sentence American. While the heart of these stories examine the human soul and thus they should be relatable to all, the soul is certainly seen through a set of red, white and blue lenses. It's no wonder that his weakest story is the one about Lionel Messi, Thompson seems incapable of finding the essence of Messi, he is confused as to why Messi would want to stay so strongly attached to his home in Rosario even though the town doesn't love him and he moved away at the age of 13. Oddly, Thompson's implicit understanding of American patriotism both local and national doesn't seem to function when applied outside America. Many of the stories will also be foreign to non-American readers, whether it's Dan Gable or Ted Williams, these characters don't tap an international memory in the way Woods, Jordan and Messi do. Yet in many cases Thompson is better at sketching the personalities of these less internationally famous characters.
The best story in here is also the longest and the least sport oriented that is the New Orleans recovery story Beyond The Breach. Thompson breaks down the rich, the poor and everyone in between. His gaze falls on all of New Orleans and in doing this he tells the story of the city in a brilliant way. Ghosts of Mississippi and Shadow Boxing are also excellent examinations of close characters and whole societies, of the importance of sport in our lives and how fleeting moments of success can define entire lifetimes, entire generations.
I think to give this 5 stars you need to be American or have lived in America for a long time. It just won't hit the right notes otherwise.
But if you are into sport, you should read these stories because they tell the other side, the painful side, the one we don't want to hear, the one we want to ignore. In today's superficial echo chambers these are the stories we need to be listening to.
June 18, 2019
I think Wright Thompson is one of the nine or ten best writers alive. This is a book compiling his work, which can be loosely defined as long form sports journalism. But I think one of the reasons great sportswriters are so indelible is that they’re not just writing about sports. So it is here. Fathers and sons is a recurring theme in Wright’s work, and it’s on full display here. A haunted and restless Michael Jordan at 50. A reeling Tiger Woods seeking . . . something following his father’s death. An entire football team wrestling with the prospect of a national championship while the federal government desegregates the school in the midst of a riot. New Orleans after Katrina. Not a bad story in this bunch.
August 20, 2019
This was such a great read. I love the way Wright Thompson tells a story and looks beyond just the accomplishments of these sports stars and into their journey beyond the game. This is much more a book about life than sports. Highly recommend it.
April 13, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: THE SOUND TRACK FOR THIS BOOK WOULD BE *THE-HARD-ROUGH-GUT-PUNCH-OF-A-BLUES-RIFF!
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I have read sports books… sports sections… sports magazines… literally non-stop for sixty-years… and I had never heard of this writer. I… of course stopped reading ESPN the Magazine a decade and a half ago. So why did I buy this book? Because I saw a brief part of an interview with him on ESPN… and in the part I saw… he spoke passionately about his Father and other Fathers. Being that I’m a Father and a Son… and miss my Dad every single day he’s been gone for the last thirty-nine years… I am enticed by the opportunity to share other’s feelings… when they talk or write from the heart about this hallowed subject.
Am I happy that I bought this book? Yes I am. There was a writer whose true glory days were before my time… but who was always quoted with his feathery yet powerful prose in almost every sports book of historical consequence that I read growing up. Then about six years ago a five-hundred-page “Very Best Of” book… was published with his writings. I read it and was blown away! His sports writing was like a velvet trip down a highway of polished steel. That sportswriter’s name… was Red Smith. The author of “The Cost of These Dreams”… Wright Thompson… just got done taking me on a similar journey.
All stories in this book are not about Fathers and Sons… but each story is written almost like a slack-jawed wonder… of how someone turned out the way they did… or what they’re trying to turn into… or how they’re floundering… or at least yearning to… turn into something they’re not… or something that they used to be. There are no sure shot discoveries or pronouncements… in some stories the author becomes a determined investigator…. How does one of the men that fought Muhammad Ali seem to defy the bounds of earth and simply disappear? How does one of the greatest soccer players in the world almost leave no touchstone by his original hometown fans… how a former college basketball standout… winds up dead while trying to escape his paranoia in a Brazilian jungle?
The answers… and the demonizing… non-answers… are majestically described and shared… with the ever so wonderful… symphonic orchestration of words… and feelings by the author. Some of our most idolized world sports stars are extremely unhappy… and many don’t even know what they’re truly searching for… and probably wouldn’t realize whether it was what they really needed if they were able to corral it in their grasp. The author comes to some conclusions that are not sugar coated cotton candy days at the beach. Sometimes… the things that made someone great in their sport… makes it impossible to be happy in life.
The author himself… is at times… searching for his own possible balance … of his life… where he came from… and the “true” makeup of his for-bearers… in the absolutely tremendous story “GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI”. Tied together in one sad… gripping… historically enlightening… segment… about the 1962 integrating of Ole Miss… by James Meredith. The ugliness of America’s south… the author’s hometown Mississippi… the politicians… local and national… the sheriffs… the police… the National Guard… the only undefeated team in Ole Miss history… and the moments when Wright Thompson… has to look directly into his families mirror… not ethically being able to turn away… and really peer inside his family’s history… and see what they were really made of… as human beings.
And in the end… aaahhh yes! The touching story of the author… unable to live out a final dream with his beloved Father… walking together on the grass of Augusta National during the Masters. But the loving son… wearing his **DAD’S” shoes… and carrying other tightly held artifacts… both animate… and inanimate takes his life’s… most important… touching… and yet… at times empty… walk… with the memory of his Father. With the author’s heavenly blessed ability to magically put together words… that can make countless others think… AND… feel… sends his aching happiness… and yes regrets… to his Father in heaven… just as I have constantly tried to do to **MY DAD** for the last thirty-nine years!
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I have read sports books… sports sections… sports magazines… literally non-stop for sixty-years… and I had never heard of this writer. I… of course stopped reading ESPN the Magazine a decade and a half ago. So why did I buy this book? Because I saw a brief part of an interview with him on ESPN… and in the part I saw… he spoke passionately about his Father and other Fathers. Being that I’m a Father and a Son… and miss my Dad every single day he’s been gone for the last thirty-nine years… I am enticed by the opportunity to share other’s feelings… when they talk or write from the heart about this hallowed subject.
Am I happy that I bought this book? Yes I am. There was a writer whose true glory days were before my time… but who was always quoted with his feathery yet powerful prose in almost every sports book of historical consequence that I read growing up. Then about six years ago a five-hundred-page “Very Best Of” book… was published with his writings. I read it and was blown away! His sports writing was like a velvet trip down a highway of polished steel. That sportswriter’s name… was Red Smith. The author of “The Cost of These Dreams”… Wright Thompson… just got done taking me on a similar journey.
All stories in this book are not about Fathers and Sons… but each story is written almost like a slack-jawed wonder… of how someone turned out the way they did… or what they’re trying to turn into… or how they’re floundering… or at least yearning to… turn into something they’re not… or something that they used to be. There are no sure shot discoveries or pronouncements… in some stories the author becomes a determined investigator…. How does one of the men that fought Muhammad Ali seem to defy the bounds of earth and simply disappear? How does one of the greatest soccer players in the world almost leave no touchstone by his original hometown fans… how a former college basketball standout… winds up dead while trying to escape his paranoia in a Brazilian jungle?
The answers… and the demonizing… non-answers… are majestically described and shared… with the ever so wonderful… symphonic orchestration of words… and feelings by the author. Some of our most idolized world sports stars are extremely unhappy… and many don’t even know what they’re truly searching for… and probably wouldn’t realize whether it was what they really needed if they were able to corral it in their grasp. The author comes to some conclusions that are not sugar coated cotton candy days at the beach. Sometimes… the things that made someone great in their sport… makes it impossible to be happy in life.
The author himself… is at times… searching for his own possible balance … of his life… where he came from… and the “true” makeup of his for-bearers… in the absolutely tremendous story “GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI”. Tied together in one sad… gripping… historically enlightening… segment… about the 1962 integrating of Ole Miss… by James Meredith. The ugliness of America’s south… the author’s hometown Mississippi… the politicians… local and national… the sheriffs… the police… the National Guard… the only undefeated team in Ole Miss history… and the moments when Wright Thompson… has to look directly into his families mirror… not ethically being able to turn away… and really peer inside his family’s history… and see what they were really made of… as human beings.
And in the end… aaahhh yes! The touching story of the author… unable to live out a final dream with his beloved Father… walking together on the grass of Augusta National during the Masters. But the loving son… wearing his **DAD’S” shoes… and carrying other tightly held artifacts… both animate… and inanimate takes his life’s… most important… touching… and yet… at times empty… walk… with the memory of his Father. With the author’s heavenly blessed ability to magically put together words… that can make countless others think… AND… feel… sends his aching happiness… and yes regrets… to his Father in heaven… just as I have constantly tried to do to **MY DAD** for the last thirty-nine years!
March 31, 2020
I've been a fan of Thompson's ESPN writing for a long time - for his style, his self-consciousness about his identity as a sportswriter and the tradition that he is working to uphold, and for the deep human complexity he consistently unlocks in his subjects. I can say that just about every story in this collection taught me something new and often unexpected, whether it was about an athlete I'm familiar with or had never heard of. The intro and the final essay really made this collection for me by inserting Thompson's own voice and identity into his writing. The intro had a number of hooks that raised my intrigue level: his comparison of his life on the road to that of a boxer being watered in the corner between rounds (the cover image); his contention that longform sportswriting is a uniquely American art form; his comparison of the force of a well-written sports story to a gut punching blues guitar riff. The finale about fathers and sons at Augusta was heartstring-pulling and evocative in many ways. Similarly, my favorite essay in the collection is likely 'Ghosts of Mississippi' - for the way it traces a tense period in national history through the lens of a football season, consistently maintains suspenseful tension, and integrates personal family history and the sensation of discomfort at what one's ancestors may have participated in.
Beyond Thompson's explorations of his own past and identity, the common thread connecting these stories is the pursuit of greatness and the human costs it extracts. We meet Michael Jordan, who optimized the first half of his life to be a ruthless competitor then found these settings were inappropriate for the second half of his life; Tiger Woods, who struggled with living up to / surpassing his father (the segments about the SEAL training fascination were excellent) then replicated his flaws (infidelity) at larger scale; Pat Riley, who continued to defer his post-basketball life in Malibu well past sensible stopping points; Dan Gable, who used pain as fuel then struggled to channel it effectively once wrestling was no longer physically accessible to him; Messi, whose global greatness came at the cost of being loved or even known in his hometown. And of course the chapter on the Saints and Katrina was powerful and brilliantly explored, in particular its contrast between the Benson family's nasty battling and the vulnerable lives of the city's poor just blocks away.
My only caveat is that these are essays rather than a continuous book, and they are best read with some separation - otherwise the heavy subject matter and Thompson's style can start to wear a little bit. But this is clearly a powerful writer showcasing his best work in a format united by a common thematic link, and it captures a lot about sports and its place in our current society. I hope Thompson's career and writing find their place in the sportswriting pantheon years from now.
Beyond Thompson's explorations of his own past and identity, the common thread connecting these stories is the pursuit of greatness and the human costs it extracts. We meet Michael Jordan, who optimized the first half of his life to be a ruthless competitor then found these settings were inappropriate for the second half of his life; Tiger Woods, who struggled with living up to / surpassing his father (the segments about the SEAL training fascination were excellent) then replicated his flaws (infidelity) at larger scale; Pat Riley, who continued to defer his post-basketball life in Malibu well past sensible stopping points; Dan Gable, who used pain as fuel then struggled to channel it effectively once wrestling was no longer physically accessible to him; Messi, whose global greatness came at the cost of being loved or even known in his hometown. And of course the chapter on the Saints and Katrina was powerful and brilliantly explored, in particular its contrast between the Benson family's nasty battling and the vulnerable lives of the city's poor just blocks away.
My only caveat is that these are essays rather than a continuous book, and they are best read with some separation - otherwise the heavy subject matter and Thompson's style can start to wear a little bit. But this is clearly a powerful writer showcasing his best work in a format united by a common thematic link, and it captures a lot about sports and its place in our current society. I hope Thompson's career and writing find their place in the sportswriting pantheon years from now.
March 26, 2022
8/10
“He went from being alone to being surrounded by people, which is sort of the same thing.”
This book is a collection of short stories about different athletes or sporting events, and the cost that brought their greatness. I loved it. Thompson is only pretending to write about the actual sports, he's far more concerned with humanity, greatness and disappointment.
Michael Jordan chapter was great—but the personality that drove him to greatness didn't allow him to enjoy it.“No one who is great at something is normal.” I had never seen someone paint such a human picture of Michael, not even The Last Dance. I empathize more with his struggle to accept the dwindling of his greatness.
The Urban Meyer was interesting, especially in light of recent events. Thompson seems to imply (and I probably agree with him), that Meyer sacrificed his greatest at coaching for a better work/life balance. Then he grinded on some co-ed in a bar and kicked his kicker and even his bad coaching went away. That’s the problem with attempting change, you want the old results without the old costs.
Tiger Woods was intensely into Navy SEALs training, combat and weapons training, who knew? Tiger Woods went to lunch with SEALs, the waitress came back with the check, and there was silence for a few seconds, before one of the Seals finally said, “Separate checks please.” They were all dumbfounded that after they took him training for several hours, he couldn’t pay for lunch.
Tiger buried his father's body in an unmarked grave, and has never been seen to visit.
There were other chapters (the one about Messi was excellent), but these are the ones that have stood out the most to me.
“The hole in your chest from losing your dad never gets filled, you just need to learn to become one yourself.”
“He went from being alone to being surrounded by people, which is sort of the same thing.”
This book is a collection of short stories about different athletes or sporting events, and the cost that brought their greatness. I loved it. Thompson is only pretending to write about the actual sports, he's far more concerned with humanity, greatness and disappointment.
Michael Jordan chapter was great—but the personality that drove him to greatness didn't allow him to enjoy it.“No one who is great at something is normal.” I had never seen someone paint such a human picture of Michael, not even The Last Dance. I empathize more with his struggle to accept the dwindling of his greatness.
The Urban Meyer was interesting, especially in light of recent events. Thompson seems to imply (and I probably agree with him), that Meyer sacrificed his greatest at coaching for a better work/life balance. Then he grinded on some co-ed in a bar and kicked his kicker and even his bad coaching went away. That’s the problem with attempting change, you want the old results without the old costs.
Tiger Woods was intensely into Navy SEALs training, combat and weapons training, who knew? Tiger Woods went to lunch with SEALs, the waitress came back with the check, and there was silence for a few seconds, before one of the Seals finally said, “Separate checks please.” They were all dumbfounded that after they took him training for several hours, he couldn’t pay for lunch.
Tiger buried his father's body in an unmarked grave, and has never been seen to visit.
There were other chapters (the one about Messi was excellent), but these are the ones that have stood out the most to me.
“The hole in your chest from losing your dad never gets filled, you just need to learn to become one yourself.”
December 30, 2024
Wright Thompson is the David Simon of sports journalism. The pieces and profiles in this collection are about people in the sporting realm, but they have nothing to do with sports. If nothing else, it is essential reading for the Katrina piece alone.
Personal notes about this collection are hidden behind the spoilers.
Personal notes about this collection are hidden behind the spoilers.
May 19, 2023
Nie interesuję się sportem. Mam pojęcie jedynie o tym, co przebija się do ogólnopolskich mediów i o letnich ogrzyskach olimpijskich. Pomyślałam jednak, że książka o sportowcach, ich dążeniu do celu i determinacji może być bardzo ciekawą lekturą.
Jako całkowity laik podeszłam do "Ceny naszych marzeń" z otwartością na nowy temat. Pierwszy rozdział - Michael Jordan - jest OK, wiem kto zacz. Potem zaczęły się schody, czyli nazwiska zupełnie mi nieznane (poza Muhammadem Alim - najlepszy tekst!, Messim i Tigerem Woodsem). I tu powinna wkroczyć redakcja polskiego wydania. Krótkie notki biograficzne bardzo by pomogły, pozwoliłyby na płynność lektury zamiast sprawdzania w Wikipedii, kim są i co osiągneli opisywani ludzie. Rozumiem, to jest lektura dla zaawansowanych, ale niewielu chyba mamy w Polsce czytelników znających nazwiska trenerów uniwersyteckiej ligii futbolu amerykańskiego? Próg wejścia i tak jest w tych tekstach dość wysoki, autor opisuje bohaterów od jakiegoś, zazwyczaj późnego momentu ich życia, do przeszłości wraca wyrywkowo, zakładając, że czytelnik ją zna. Mimo wszystko, miejscami to ciekawa lektura, choć rozminęła się z moimi oczekiwaniami i nie polecam jej osobom niezainteresowanym amerykańskim sportem.
Jako całkowity laik podeszłam do "Ceny naszych marzeń" z otwartością na nowy temat. Pierwszy rozdział - Michael Jordan - jest OK, wiem kto zacz. Potem zaczęły się schody, czyli nazwiska zupełnie mi nieznane (poza Muhammadem Alim - najlepszy tekst!, Messim i Tigerem Woodsem). I tu powinna wkroczyć redakcja polskiego wydania. Krótkie notki biograficzne bardzo by pomogły, pozwoliłyby na płynność lektury zamiast sprawdzania w Wikipedii, kim są i co osiągneli opisywani ludzie. Rozumiem, to jest lektura dla zaawansowanych, ale niewielu chyba mamy w Polsce czytelników znających nazwiska trenerów uniwersyteckiej ligii futbolu amerykańskiego? Próg wejścia i tak jest w tych tekstach dość wysoki, autor opisuje bohaterów od jakiegoś, zazwyczaj późnego momentu ich życia, do przeszłości wraca wyrywkowo, zakładając, że czytelnik ją zna. Mimo wszystko, miejscami to ciekawa lektura, choć rozminęła się z moimi oczekiwaniami i nie polecam jej osobom niezainteresowanym amerykańskim sportem.
November 20, 2025
Picked this up at Ryan Holiday's book store in Bastrop, TX and it's one of the best books I've read in 2025.
Thompson is a fantastic storyteller which makes sense given he hails from the state of Faulkner and Foote.
Calling this a collection of stories about sports does a disservice to what it is. This a study of the human condition that yields some pretty startling insights. So many of the greatest athletes who we admire and would do anything to trade places with are often wired in a way that doesn't allow them to enjoy their success. They are wired to win and their sport consumes them to the point that when they leave it they lose a part of themselves and their meaning along the way. Also, while we see them at the pinnacle of success, hoisting trophies on national television, we are shielded from the destruction that is often havocked upon their personal lives and those of their loved ones.
Also, the stories about the American south here from the desegregation of Ole Miss, to Hurricane Katrina and its effect on New Orleans, and a son's walk at Augusta National after the passing of his father were some of the most vivid and moving portraits of the South I've encountered.
Thompson is a fantastic storyteller which makes sense given he hails from the state of Faulkner and Foote.
Calling this a collection of stories about sports does a disservice to what it is. This a study of the human condition that yields some pretty startling insights. So many of the greatest athletes who we admire and would do anything to trade places with are often wired in a way that doesn't allow them to enjoy their success. They are wired to win and their sport consumes them to the point that when they leave it they lose a part of themselves and their meaning along the way. Also, while we see them at the pinnacle of success, hoisting trophies on national television, we are shielded from the destruction that is often havocked upon their personal lives and those of their loved ones.
Also, the stories about the American south here from the desegregation of Ole Miss, to Hurricane Katrina and its effect on New Orleans, and a son's walk at Augusta National after the passing of his father were some of the most vivid and moving portraits of the South I've encountered.
August 3, 2025
In a book that is essentially a compilation of essays, some might not find anything new, but all will find something memorable. As the title suggests, each essay explores the cost to pursue the dreams of success, the lengths and ends pursued by some of the most recognizable athletes of the late 20th and early 21st century. It isn't a book about hope, or even about dreams coming true, but rather an exceptionally honest look at the toll those dreams take on those in the spotlight as well as those who should mean the most to them.
Perhaps my favorite essay was focused on New Orleans where Mr. Thompson delved into the Saints, Steve Gleason, Sean Payson, and the people of a city impacted by Hurricane Katrina. It was by far the longest of the book, but it also covered such a wide range of human experience and emotion to make it seem like a book unto itself.
I really appreciated how Mr. Thompson treated each of the individuals he profiled as well as the themes of humanity he teased out each time. Given how much sportswriting I've read, Mr. Thompson belongs in an elite class, able to report not just on the sporting event, but on the individuals inside the lines.
Perhaps my favorite essay was focused on New Orleans where Mr. Thompson delved into the Saints, Steve Gleason, Sean Payson, and the people of a city impacted by Hurricane Katrina. It was by far the longest of the book, but it also covered such a wide range of human experience and emotion to make it seem like a book unto itself.
I really appreciated how Mr. Thompson treated each of the individuals he profiled as well as the themes of humanity he teased out each time. Given how much sportswriting I've read, Mr. Thompson belongs in an elite class, able to report not just on the sporting event, but on the individuals inside the lines.
March 14, 2021
Wright Thompson is the best sportswriter in the world because he doesn’t write about sports. His articles are about people who are famous because of sports, but that’s never the focus. I never understood Michael Jordan as well as I did after finishing Wright’s story about a man who just turned 50, grappling with the increasing realization that he’s not His Airness anymore because his body won’t let him be. I read and felt the panic that must have been going on in Tony Harris’ mind when thinking everyone in Brazil wanted him dead. I read about Urban Meyer, years after years after going through the exact same path at Ohio State that he took at Florida, understanding why he can’t stop the cycle from repeating itself.
Wright’s works in this book are about people way more than they are about sports. I read his writing and feel like I know who exactly this person is and all the trials and inner battles that make them who they are. That’s far more interesting than records, championships and points.
Wright’s works in this book are about people way more than they are about sports. I read his writing and feel like I know who exactly this person is and all the trials and inner battles that make them who they are. That’s far more interesting than records, championships and points.
January 25, 2022
This book stands on its own merits as a great short story collection but as a sports book as well, it's pure bliss. I found Wright Thompsom's writing style very captivating, he makes larger-than-life athletes so human and relatable and in general, is just a gifted storyteller. It feels like you're listening to an old friend the way his words come together. He covers the greats like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, but I was pleasantly surprised at my interest in other figures, such as Dan Gable, ones I might have not come across in my own time. What I enjoy the most about this book is how the stars and the athletes are kind of a backdrop to a much deeper exploration of stories and themes: The cost of being great in pro-sports, reconciling with being great no longer and the pure magic-power sports have of bringing us together and tearing us apart. Still early but will probably be one of my favorite books this year.
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