Summer Reading 2014: Never Die Easy: The Autobiography of Walter Payton (NF)

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This is a posthumous autobiography of the late, great Walter Payton, the National Football League's all-time leading rusher. The book chronicles his days at Jackson State University, his pro career with the NFL's Chicago Bears, and his death on November 1, 1999 from lung cancer. The title epitomizes Payton's football career; college coach Bob Hill once told him "If you are going to die anyway, die hard, never die easy," and that became his motto. Unequivocally, Payton was a true sports hero, one comfortable with the celebrity status, always polite, and aware of his position as a role model. Payton and coauthor Don Yaeger used a unique format in documenting the athlete's life: Each of the 19 chapters features a cast of characters who provide insights about the man they called Sweetness.. (Library Journal)

Don Yaeger is the coauthor of the New York Times bestselling Under the Tarnished Dome and the critically acclaimed Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife, son, and daughter. (Amazon)