“Jonathan Eig has done a superb job of digging out the real Gehrig from behind the legend. . . . . captivating. . . .  Luckiest Man stands in the first rank of sports biographies.”
--Kevin Baker, New York Times Book Review

“As my consecutive games streak grew, my curiosity about Lou Gehrig also grew and I wanted to learn more about him and what kind of person he was.  Jonathan Eig’s book, Luckiest Man , really helped me put all of the pieces together and gain a solid understanding of Lou, both on and off the field.  I thought it was a wonderful book that provided insights about Lou, his amazing life and outstanding career.”
--Cal Ripken, Jr.

“This is a book for Yankee fans, baseball fans, and anyone who wants to read about a man whose determination and heroism inspire us today."
--Rudy Giuliani

“Jonathan Eig’s portrait of Lou Gerhig is as elegant, understated and powerful as the Iron Man himself.”
--Jane Leavy, author of Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy

“With splendid results, Jonathan Eig separates fact from fantasy in his stirring portrait of an athlete dying young. The Lou Gehrig he presents is more subtle, nuanced, and indeed more neurotic than the stiff, cardboard figure we previously knew. All of which makes Gehrig’s tragic final struggle more moving and profound. A wonderful book.”
--Roger Kahn, author of The Boys of Summer

“The ancient maxim ’Never get to know your heroes’ does not apply to Lou Gehrig, the  tragic Yankee whose life is so deftly and thoroughly examined by Jonathan Eig in this superb biography.”
--Fay Vincent, former commissioner, Major League Baseball

“Eig’s meticulously researched, lucidly written book seems likely to become the definitive biography of one of America’s most genuine heroes.”
--James McManus, author of Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion’s World Series of Poker

“A baseball icon, as never before portrayed. . . . Eig’s highly readable account brings uncommon humanity to a legendary, golden sports hero.  One of those sports biographies that transcends sports.”
-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Luckiest Man is a first-class biography, thoroughly researched and nimbly written. . . . If Gehrig’s ’luckiest man’ speech offered fans a glimpse into his character, Eig’s Luckiest Man pushes the door wide open.”
--Bill Syken, Sports Illustrated

“Eig belts a home run with this probing, exhaustive biography of baseball’s Iron Horse. . . . the definitive treatment of one of the game’s most iconic figures.”
-- Library Journal

“A wonderful old-fashioned biography of one of the greatest players of all time. . . . The book is immensely satisfying as a picture of baseball and the Yankees during the 1920s and ’30s, and is moving in its account of Gehrig’s courage and determination in fighting the disease that bears his name.”
--Katharine Powers, The Boston Globe

“Admirably thorough, richly detailed and nicely written. . . . Luckiest Man is a compelling and haunting read, a worthwhile way to get back into baseball at a time when many of its biggest stars can hardly be described as noble or sympathetic.”
--Dan McGrath, Chicago Tribune

“Luckiest Man is now the definitive life of Gehrig.”
--Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times

“Mr. Eig gives us an intimate view of [Gehrig]’s life, his times and the United States before World War II.  Luckiest Man joins biography, history, sociology and journalism into a graceful, satisfying work. . . . The book's rich detail comes from original sources, including Gehrig's personal letters, interviews with guys who were in the dugout and colorful newspaper articles of the era. . . . Mr. Eig’s keen analysis of game stories allows us to see inside the dugout, the clubhouse and owners’ offices, and to the heart of competition, especially the Yankees’ rivalry with the Giants and Athletics. You might as well shell peanuts while you’re reading, you feel that close.”
--Lois Reed, Dallas Morning News

“Eig does a wonderful job of adding a third dimension – heart -- to our understanding of a legendary ballplayer who had become a two-dimensional sports cliche.”
-- Booklist

“Jonathan Eig’s Luckiest Man is comprehensively researched and richly detailed. It justifies its length by presenting a wealth of new information on Gehrig’s life and times, retrieving the real Gehrig from the mists of legend while showing us why legend claimed him in the first place.”
--Allen Barra, Los Angeles Times

“It is entirely appropriate that, after all these years, Gehrig is the subject of a full biography that treats him not just as a superb athlete but also as an admirable, if far from flawless, human being. . . . [Eig’s] research is thorough, and he pays due attention to Gehrig’s few shortcomings as well as his many strengths. . . . good, solid work.”
-- Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World

“Thoroughly researched and engagingly written . . . . This book does honor to one of baseball’s great figures, a man who stands in sharp contrast to many of today’s overpaid player personalities.”
--Robert Finn, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“Eig shows impressive scholarship in his biography.”
--Peter Clarey, Philadelphia Inquirer

“Luckiest Man, Jonathan Eig’s elegantly written, ironically titled biography of Yankee great Lou Gehrig, is a compelling retelling of a story many people think they already know. . . . From beginning to end, Eig has produced a compelling and readable story of a great athlete, a great tragedy and -- in that Yankee Stadium speech -- an unscripted moment of grace under pressure that would turn Gehrig into an icon.”
--John Keenan, Omaha World-Herald

“Eig makes baseball history come alive. . . . a resonant and very sad story.  And Eig has captured it perfectly.”
--John B. Saul, The Seattle Times

“Eig seems to share many of Gehrig’s qualities. Like the first baseman, his success is not the result of flash or cunning, but a straightforward approach mixed with plenty of hard work…. Like a swing of Gehrig’s bat, this story is delivered with simple, natural grace that connects with surprising impact.”
--Rick Harmon, The Montgomery Advertiser

“[Eig] supplements the existing biographical record with a tremendous amount of additional detail. . . . What separates this biography from several earlier attempts to capture the essence of Gehrig is the very detailed account of his illness. . . . [Eig's] considerable journalistic experience is evident in the evenhanded analysis of Gehrig’s treatment and the ethical dilemma faced by his doctors.”
--Peter Schmuck, The Baltimore Sun

“In Luckiest Man , journalist Jonathan Eig has provided a balanced account of Gehrig's life, athletic achievements, and above all, his gallant, losing battle with ALS. . . . This fine book tells us much about Gehrig.”
--John M. and Priscilla S. Taylor, The Washington Times

“Jonathan Eig’s meticulously researched and solidly written new biography of Gehrig, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig , is the definitive book on the slugger who died in 1941 and who was immortalized on film by Gary Cooper in ’'Pride of the Yankees.’”
-- Cary Clack, San Antonio Express-News

“A moving and colorful portrait of the Yankee great.”
--John Curtis, The San Diego Union-Tribune

“Jonathan Eig’s meticulously researched biography finally brings some much-needed clarity and color to baseball's 'Iron Horse'. . . . provides the most comprehensive portrait ever written about Gehrig.”
--Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune

“The absolutely definitive Lou Gehrig biography.”
--Gene Sapakoff, The Post and Courier ( Charleston, SC)

“A full, compelling account of the Yankee first baseman. . . . This is a fine biography of a real baseball legend who deserves to be immortalized.”
--Jon Caroulis, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Wonderful . . . brings us closer to Gehrig the man than any previous biography. Eig has done extraordinary work digging into primary sources, discovering, among other things, almost heartbreaking letters that Gehrig wrote to his doctors in the waning months of his life. This life is a profoundly moving story, told with great eloquence.”
--Edward Achorn, The Providence Journal

“There have been a lot of books written about Gehrig, but none so poignant, none that captured Gehrig’s courage and perseverance throughout [his illness].  His demise exemplified death with dignity -- and a sense of humor.  Eig’s incredible attention to detail and his research and editing of the back-and-forth letters between Gehrig and his doctors is superb.”
--Angus Lind, Times-Picayune ( New Orleans)

“Nowhere will you find such rich detail about the rise and fall of this Yankee legend.”
--Bob Klapisch, The Record ( Bergen County, NJ)

An excerpt from ’Luckiest Man’ appeared in the April 2005 issue of Men’s Health magazine.

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