Fantasy football, fantasy baseball, fantasy basketball, even fantasy sumo wrestling—the world of fantasy sports is huge and still growing. Today more than thirty-five million people in the United
States and Canada spend hours upon hours each week on their fantasy sports teams. And as the senior fantasy sports analyst for ESPN, Matthew Berry is on the front lines of what has grown from a
niche subculture into a national pastime.
In Fantasy Life, Berry celebrates every aspect of the fantasy sports world: brilliant trash talk, unbelievable trophies, insane draft day locations, shake-your-head-in-disbelief punishments,
ingenious attempts at cheating, and surprisingly uplifting stories that remind us why we play these games in the first place.
Written with the same award-winning style that has made Berry one of the most popular columnists on ESPN.com, Fantasy Life is a book for both hard-core fantasy players and people who have
never played before. Between tales of love and hate, birth and death, tattoos and furry animal costumes, the White House Situation Room and a 126-pound golden pelican, Matthew chronicles his
journey from a fourteen-year-old fantasy player to the face of fantasy sports for the largest sports media company in the world.
Fantasy will save your life. Fantasy will set you free. And fantasy life is most definitely better than real life. You'll see.
Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
“I don’t care about fantasy sports, and unless
it involves a player shooting another player on the field like in The Last Boy Scout, I don’t want to hear
any stupid fantasy stories. But Matthew Berry did the impossible: he wrote a
book about fantasy football that was hilarious and interesting to people who
don’t even like fantasy football. I loved this book.” —Tucker Max, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“One of the people who makes it so much easier
for you to enjoy success in fantasy sports now explains why we all enjoy
playing fantasy sports. Draft this book early in your first round.” —Keith Olbermann, New York Times bestselling author, nine-time fantasy baseball pennant winner
“An utterly hilarious romp through a wacky yet
occasionally poignant universe that runs parallel to reality—as told by someone
who’s struggled to find his way in both…If you’re already one of the thirty-six million
who do play, the book will make you laugh out loud, pump your fist in agreement,
and shake your head in sympathy. If you don’t play, this book is a great way to
find out what all the fuss is about.”
—USA Today
“Is there anyone that still thinks
fantasy-baseball players are some sort of niche, Trekkie sect? Countless Major
League players admit themselves to playing the game, and the Web hasn’t only
mainstreamed it, it has turned it into a multimillion-dollar business. At this
point, we’d say more sports fans know who Matthew Berry is than know most of
the players on his team.”
—New York magazine
“Mixing autobiography with reportage on friends and field-famous players, ESPN personality Berry delves into the psychology and, more to the point, the comedy of fantasy sports…Though some sections are targeted solely towards fantasy fans (“20 Most Soul-Crushing Ways to Lose”), readers don’t need a commissioner's knowledge to enjoy this insider’s peek into the often astounding and always fun realm of fantasy sports.” —Publishers Weekly
“As a longtime fan of Matthew Berry, I’m happy
he’s finally collected the most inane and hilarious things people will do in
pursuit of fantasy glory. If I was in a fantasy league where you drafted people
who write about fantasy leagues, I would draft Matthew first. Also, I
would need to make some major changes in my life.”
—Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live head writer and three-time fantasy champion in a league you don’t care about
“I am a bad fantasy football player and worse
fantasy baseballer. I am heartened after reading Fantasy Life that
this apparently does not matter. Matthew Berry’s book proves that there are
lots of people out there like us: people who don’t use fantasy sports to escape
from life but rather to live it with more fun.” —Peter King, senior writer, Sports Illustrated, and owner, “Montclair Pedroias,” New Jersey Suburban League
“Football can be broken down into Xs and Os, but
at the end of the day, we’re all after drama, human interest, and a great
story. Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life
is a great story. I know sports can make a difference in people’s lives;
Matthew Berry has shown that fantasy sports can, too.” —Ron “Jaws” Jaworski, ESPN NFL analyst and proud owner of multiple fantasy championships
“For those of us who compete in fantasy sports,
it’s a fraternity. And this book is
fantasy sports. It covers the highs and lows, the good and bad, in victory and
in defeat. And it’s told by the only man who could tell it: Matthew Berry, the Talented
Mr. Roto himself.” —Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR driver and twelve-team “Dirty Mo Posse” league champion
“I was excited to see that Matthew was writing a
book about fantasy sports. As a pro athlete I’ve seen fantasy sports blow up in
the last ten years, and he’s been in the middle of all of it. Thank you,
Matthew Berry, for writing such a funny book—and for being my personal
consultant for the Cardinals’ fantasy football league.” —Matt Holliday, All-Star Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals
“Matthew Berry has gleefully documented
everything that is so great about fantasy sports—the celebrations and the
punishments, the conniving and backstabbing, the agony and the ecstasy.
He’s got an amazing story for any situation you find yourself in. It’s the Kama
Sutra of fantasy. If you’ve ever watched The League, you
will love this book. Matthew shows in hilarious fashion that fantasy is like
life—just better.” —Jackie and Jeff Schaffer, creators of The League
“For players like me, fantasy sports are an
obsession, an escape, and a great opportunity to trash talk each other. Matthew
Berry is the guy (other than me)
everyone listens to and texts for advice during drafts. Fantasy Life is
a must-read for fantasy sports fans, athletes, and anyone who loves ridiculous
stories.” —Maurice Jones-Drew, All-Pro NFL running back, host of Running with MJD on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio
“Matthew Berry’s personal journey in fantasy
football is a lesson in a reality of life. Now you can separate fantasy from
reality in a fascinating read.” —Chris Mortensen, ESPN senior NFL insider
“Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life is
touching, gripping, addicting. There’s nothing like it.” —Adam Schefter, ESPN NFL insider
Matthew Berry, universally regarded as one of the leading voices on fantasy sports, is ESPN’s senior fantasy sports analyst. Known as the “Talented Mr. Roto,” he’s an Emmy winner for his
work on ESPN2’s Fantasy Football Now. As one of the most popular columnists and podcasters on ESPN.com, he appears regularly on ESPN television and radio shows, including Sunday
NFL Countdown, SportsCenter, and NFL Live. He is one of only four people to be in the Hall of Fame of both the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and the Fantasy Sports
Writers Association.
Titles by Author
Details
Details
Format:
CD
Format:
Library CD
Available Formats :
CD, Library CD
Category:
Nonfiction/Sports & Recreation
Publisher:
Gildan Audio
Publisher:
Gildan Audio
CDs:
7
CDs:
7
Runtime:
8.53
ISBN:
9781469027371
ISBN:
9781469027364
Audience:
Adult
Language:
English
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