The Last Hero: The Life of Mickey Mantle

The death of Mickey Charles Mantle sparked a nationwide outpouring of emotion. How could someone who had stood for so long as a symbol of indestructible American power and vigor die so soon? And why were so many, for whom Mantle symbolized the youth they'd left behind long ago, so bereft at his passing?
In The Last Hero, David Falkner examines Mantle from several perspectives: as the boy from the mining towns of Oklahoma; as a breakthrough ballplayer, the embodiment of power and speed; as a teammate, a leader of men who remained a boy at heart; as a hero to millions in ways he could never fathom; and, finally, as a tragic figure, dying bravely after coming to terms with the price of the irresponsible life he had led. With grace, intelligence, and depth, Falkner provides us with a perceptive look at the man, the athlete, and the American phenomenon who will always be known as, simply, The Mick.