JOE DIMAGGIO The Hero's Life

Joltin' Joe had charisma before America knew the word. He often played injured, but he always played smart. He kept his head up and his mouth shut. In Yankee Stadium he was a God. Off the field, he was made of clay. "What's the point of being a Sicilian if you're not convinced the world will do you dirt in the end?" The Clipper was cheap. The Clipper was unforgiving. When he was married to Marilyn Monroe, he hit her. Richard Ben Cramer has six hours to read a book he spent five years writing. He makes every phrase sound as if his own life depended on it. This is a bravura performance, a balanced but a passionate book. B.H.C. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]