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1996: A Biography ― Reliving the Legend-Packed, Dynasty-Stacked, Most Iconic Sports Year Ever
On its 25th anniversary, relive the legend-stacked, dynasty-packed, most iconic sports year ever with the athletes, teams, and more whose collective influence affected every aspect of a generation of sports and pop culture fans―Jordan, Shaq, Iverson, Kobe, Gretzky, Tiger, Griffey, Jeter, Tyson, the Cowboys, the Yankees, the Bulls, The Rock, Stone Cold, Kentucky, Florida, Agassi, Graf, the Williams Sisters, Happy Gilmore , Space Jam , the Olympics in Atlanta, Muhammad Ali, the Magnificent Seven and more!
Take a rollicking tour through the sports world of 1996, when debuts, comebacks, movies, and pop culture crossover changed the sports landscape forever. From college to the Olympics to the pros; from the NBA to golf, tennis, and boxing, 1996 was home to athletes and teams who were among the best marketed, most beloved, colorful, and greatest in history. In 1996: A Biography , sportswriter and author Jon Finkel uncovers the stories behind the stories while interviewing a who’s who of ’96ers to reveal in thrilling detail how their collective influence on sports and pop culture still resonates to this day.
For those of us who remember when Iverson, Kobe, The Rock and Stone Cold, the MLS and the WNBA all debuted; when the US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team―the Magnificent Seven―won gold for the first time in history; when Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson made their comebacks; when MTV’s Rock n’ Jock , Michael Jordan’s Space Jam , and ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Stuart Scott were the bomb; when the Fun ’n’ Gun offense changed college football; when Ken Griffey Jr. ran for president (really! remember? ); when Derek Jeter won Rookie of the Year, Favre marched to his first Super Bowl and Jerry Maguire had everyone saying “show me the money”. . . . 1996 is a sports time machine you’ve got to take for a spin.
Take a rollicking tour through the sports world of 1996, when debuts, comebacks, movies, and pop culture crossover changed the sports landscape forever. From college to the Olympics to the pros; from the NBA to golf, tennis, and boxing, 1996 was home to athletes and teams who were among the best marketed, most beloved, colorful, and greatest in history. In 1996: A Biography , sportswriter and author Jon Finkel uncovers the stories behind the stories while interviewing a who’s who of ’96ers to reveal in thrilling detail how their collective influence on sports and pop culture still resonates to this day.
For those of us who remember when Iverson, Kobe, The Rock and Stone Cold, the MLS and the WNBA all debuted; when the US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team―the Magnificent Seven―won gold for the first time in history; when Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson made their comebacks; when MTV’s Rock n’ Jock , Michael Jordan’s Space Jam , and ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Stuart Scott were the bomb; when the Fun ’n’ Gun offense changed college football; when Ken Griffey Jr. ran for president (really! remember? ); when Derek Jeter won Rookie of the Year, Favre marched to his first Super Bowl and Jerry Maguire had everyone saying “show me the money”. . . . 1996 is a sports time machine you’ve got to take for a spin.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2021
About the author
Jon Finkel
42 books28 followersJon Finkel is the author of Bear Brawl, a high-octane wilderness thriller about an ex-UFC fighter who sets out to hunt the rogue black bear that killed his mother.
Finkel’s books have been endorsed by everyone from John Cena, Kevin Durant and Chef Robert Irvine to Spike Lee and Mark Cuban. He was also profiled in The New Yorker for his writing and the community he has built around Books & Biceps, his popular newsletter celebrating books, strength, sports and adventure.
Bear Brawl marks Finkel’s move into fiction with the kind of story he has always loved: big characters, high stakes, relentless action and the wild outdoors. The novel follows Brick Bridger, a former college wrestling champion who is obsessed with getting revenge against the rogue black bear that killed his mother and put his brother in a wheelchair. Haunted by the attack and determined to settle the score, Brick trains, tracks and heads into the woods ready for a fist-to-paw brawl, setting off a brutal battle of survival between two apex predators.
Early readers have called Bear Brawl a “white-knuckled thriller” and “Jack Reacher meets The Edge.” USA Today bestselling author Stayton Bonner says Finkel “delivers a page-turner like no other.”
Edgar Award-winning novelist Eli Cranor calls Bear Brawl “the most fun you’ll have reading a novel this year,” praising its “raw authenticity,” expertly plotted action and heart-wrenching themes. And the New York Post’s Kirsten Fleming calls Brick “an action hero for our modern era” and the novel “a true blockbuster thriller with heart.”
Before turning to fiction, Finkel built a career telling the stories of larger-than-life athletes, entertainers and cultural figures. His nonfiction books include Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage; Hoops Heist: Seattle, the Sonics, and How a Stolen Team’s Legacy Gave Rise to the NBA’s Secret Empire; The Life of Dad; The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward; and other books spanning sports, fitness and popular culture.
Finkel is also the founder of Books & Biceps, a newsletter and community for readers who believe a good life should include great books, hard workouts, memorable adventures and plenty of stories worth telling.
He lives in Florida with his wife, two kids and Labrador retriever. When not writing, he's a Top 10 Masters swimmer in the 50 and 100 fly, plays pick-up hoops, loves fishing, hiking, golf, reading, movies, football, basketball and his garage gym.
Bear Brawl publishes November 10, 2026 and is available for preorder now. Follow Jon to hear about new releases.
Finkel’s books have been endorsed by everyone from John Cena, Kevin Durant and Chef Robert Irvine to Spike Lee and Mark Cuban. He was also profiled in The New Yorker for his writing and the community he has built around Books & Biceps, his popular newsletter celebrating books, strength, sports and adventure.
Bear Brawl marks Finkel’s move into fiction with the kind of story he has always loved: big characters, high stakes, relentless action and the wild outdoors. The novel follows Brick Bridger, a former college wrestling champion who is obsessed with getting revenge against the rogue black bear that killed his mother and put his brother in a wheelchair. Haunted by the attack and determined to settle the score, Brick trains, tracks and heads into the woods ready for a fist-to-paw brawl, setting off a brutal battle of survival between two apex predators.
Early readers have called Bear Brawl a “white-knuckled thriller” and “Jack Reacher meets The Edge.” USA Today bestselling author Stayton Bonner says Finkel “delivers a page-turner like no other.”
Edgar Award-winning novelist Eli Cranor calls Bear Brawl “the most fun you’ll have reading a novel this year,” praising its “raw authenticity,” expertly plotted action and heart-wrenching themes. And the New York Post’s Kirsten Fleming calls Brick “an action hero for our modern era” and the novel “a true blockbuster thriller with heart.”
Before turning to fiction, Finkel built a career telling the stories of larger-than-life athletes, entertainers and cultural figures. His nonfiction books include Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage; Hoops Heist: Seattle, the Sonics, and How a Stolen Team’s Legacy Gave Rise to the NBA’s Secret Empire; The Life of Dad; The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward; and other books spanning sports, fitness and popular culture.
Finkel is also the founder of Books & Biceps, a newsletter and community for readers who believe a good life should include great books, hard workouts, memorable adventures and plenty of stories worth telling.
He lives in Florida with his wife, two kids and Labrador retriever. When not writing, he's a Top 10 Masters swimmer in the 50 and 100 fly, plays pick-up hoops, loves fishing, hiking, golf, reading, movies, football, basketball and his garage gym.
Bear Brawl publishes November 10, 2026 and is available for preorder now. Follow Jon to hear about new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
January 13, 2026
I shouldn't have liked this book as much as I did, but it was fun.
It triggered memories of sports in the 1990s in general and 1996 in particular - the college football goliaths, Florida, Florida State and Nebraska. The Triplets of the Dallas Cowboys. The debut of Tiger Woods. The Bulls, the Yankees, the Magnificent Seven. Jordan, Griffey, Tyson. The MLS, WNBA, WWF and other acronyms. "Happy Gilmore" and "Space Jam" and the Atlanta Olympics.
It's a breezy book, with short chapters and lots of memories.
Usually, I take off half a point if a book doesn't have photos, but in this case, it didn't really need them.
It triggered memories of sports in the 1990s in general and 1996 in particular - the college football goliaths, Florida, Florida State and Nebraska. The Triplets of the Dallas Cowboys. The debut of Tiger Woods. The Bulls, the Yankees, the Magnificent Seven. Jordan, Griffey, Tyson. The MLS, WNBA, WWF and other acronyms. "Happy Gilmore" and "Space Jam" and the Atlanta Olympics.
It's a breezy book, with short chapters and lots of memories.
Usually, I take off half a point if a book doesn't have photos, but in this case, it didn't really need them.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review