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Hang Time, Days And Dreams With Michael Jordan
Bob Greene shows us a side of Michael Jordan that doesn't make the sports page....the inside.Journalist and bestselling author Bob Greene stepped into Michael Jordan's world just as Jordan was reaching the apex of his talent and his fame. With Greene, Jordan let down his guard.In an extraordinary book that transcends sports biography, Greene takes the reader along with Jordan over two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, during glorious championship surges and trying personal moments. With rare insight, Greene reveals the person inside the a man who makes millions but cannot go for a quiet walk around the block without getting mobbed, a man who competes ferociously on the court, but who performs some of his most remarkable and unexpected feats away from the limelight.Drawn from inside Michael Jordan's daily life, rich with the sound of Jordan's own voice, Hang Time is a startlingly candid and intimate story of time spent with a champion, and of the growing friendship between two men.
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First published October 4, 1992
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About the author
Andrew M. Greeley
372 books312 followersAndrew Greeley was a Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist, and author of 50 best-selling novels and more than 100 works of nonfiction. For decades, Greeley entertained readers with such popular characters as the mystery-solving priest Blackie Ryan and the fey, amateur sleuth Nuala Anne McGrail. His books typically center on Irish-American Roman Catholics living or working in Chicago.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/andrew...
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 18, 2022
I must have had Hang Time sitting on my book shelf for years, passing over it because I once “read” it as a teenager. Growing up in Chicago, Jordan was king and I was privileged to watch every Bulls game on local cable. The Bulls were an event, and over time their every move became a soap opera, their games on par with rock star status. Although Hang Time was written with an adult audience in mind, Jordan had such a hold on my teenaged life that I must have read it anyway although I forgot the subject matter over time. Starved for any book to jump start my reading I turned to one subject who I knew I would never tire of hearing open, his Royal airness.
Bob Greene wrote a syndicated column for the Chicago Tribune during the years I was growing up. Although he wrote about human interest stories and real events, I’m sure I glanced over his name on more than one occasion during my mad dash for the sports page. That was and still is my morning routine- newspaper and breakfast before anyone else in the house is awake, albeit today’s news is digital rather than print. Hang Time is as much about Greene finding himself as it is about Jordan, and also an entree into the newsroom that is nearly now a relic of the past. Greene noted that when he was twelve years old, the same age I was when the Bulls won their first championship, his parents gifted him season tickets to Ohio St mens basketball games. The team was a winner and he was hooked, although it had been years since he had followed a team since. Basketball for him became a seminal memory of his adolescent years, one he thought of often.
During the 1991 season Greene and a lawyer acquaintance took a child who had next to nothing in his life to a Bulls game for the first time. The child was mesmerized, the crown jewel of his day meeting Jordan before and after the game. At this nadir, Jordan invites Greene to return to the Stadium, and one does not turn down an invitation from the king. Greene became a regular on press row, arriving hours before games when Jordan and ball boys were the only other bodies in the stadium. As the Bulls marched toward their first title, Jordan’s was forced to live his life in hotel rooms, completely devoid of human contact besides his closest friends and family. Greene became the unlikeliest of friends, many times visiting his airness in the locker room or in hotel rooms on the road. Readers find that the two share strong value systems that they got from their mothers, leading the two men to talk for hours at a time when one of the most famous men on the planet craved company. As a result, a humble picture of Jordan the person rather than Jordan the superstar emerged, warming anyone’s heart.
Jordan’s life has not been without controversy and some of the issues plaguing him began to creep up in the later stages of this book. One thing that Greene makes clear is that Jordan would take time for disabled and impoverished children, gifting them season tickets to games, asking to see their homework and encouraging them to make something of their life. Not everyone could be Mike or even be like Mike, but if the real Jordan could reach a few kids from a poor neighborhood to make something of their lives, than he would have achieved far more than he ever would on the basketball court. In his talks with Greene, he said as much. These passages were heartwarming, not what I would initially think of when reading a book about basketball. Yet, Hang Time is not just about sport, it is about life.
I rarely watch basketball today. Today’s NBA does not play defense the way Jordan’s Bulls and contemporaries used to. The best players still create their own poetry in motion but 21st basketball hardly resembles the game of 30 years ago. It’s hard to fathom that it has been that long since the Bulls attained rock star status. My memories of watching them mirror those Greene has of watching Ohio St basketball in his youth. Today one can find Bulls games on YouTube the preservation of anything and everything. The games are still thrilling to watch, even though I know the Bulls will win. Yet, despite all the championships and glory, Jordan’s friendship with writer Greene, a focal point in this book, ranked more meaningful to me than any trophy. I look forward to reading more of Greene’s words on the world in the future.
Bob Greene wrote a syndicated column for the Chicago Tribune during the years I was growing up. Although he wrote about human interest stories and real events, I’m sure I glanced over his name on more than one occasion during my mad dash for the sports page. That was and still is my morning routine- newspaper and breakfast before anyone else in the house is awake, albeit today’s news is digital rather than print. Hang Time is as much about Greene finding himself as it is about Jordan, and also an entree into the newsroom that is nearly now a relic of the past. Greene noted that when he was twelve years old, the same age I was when the Bulls won their first championship, his parents gifted him season tickets to Ohio St mens basketball games. The team was a winner and he was hooked, although it had been years since he had followed a team since. Basketball for him became a seminal memory of his adolescent years, one he thought of often.
During the 1991 season Greene and a lawyer acquaintance took a child who had next to nothing in his life to a Bulls game for the first time. The child was mesmerized, the crown jewel of his day meeting Jordan before and after the game. At this nadir, Jordan invites Greene to return to the Stadium, and one does not turn down an invitation from the king. Greene became a regular on press row, arriving hours before games when Jordan and ball boys were the only other bodies in the stadium. As the Bulls marched toward their first title, Jordan’s was forced to live his life in hotel rooms, completely devoid of human contact besides his closest friends and family. Greene became the unlikeliest of friends, many times visiting his airness in the locker room or in hotel rooms on the road. Readers find that the two share strong value systems that they got from their mothers, leading the two men to talk for hours at a time when one of the most famous men on the planet craved company. As a result, a humble picture of Jordan the person rather than Jordan the superstar emerged, warming anyone’s heart.
Jordan’s life has not been without controversy and some of the issues plaguing him began to creep up in the later stages of this book. One thing that Greene makes clear is that Jordan would take time for disabled and impoverished children, gifting them season tickets to games, asking to see their homework and encouraging them to make something of their life. Not everyone could be Mike or even be like Mike, but if the real Jordan could reach a few kids from a poor neighborhood to make something of their lives, than he would have achieved far more than he ever would on the basketball court. In his talks with Greene, he said as much. These passages were heartwarming, not what I would initially think of when reading a book about basketball. Yet, Hang Time is not just about sport, it is about life.
I rarely watch basketball today. Today’s NBA does not play defense the way Jordan’s Bulls and contemporaries used to. The best players still create their own poetry in motion but 21st basketball hardly resembles the game of 30 years ago. It’s hard to fathom that it has been that long since the Bulls attained rock star status. My memories of watching them mirror those Greene has of watching Ohio St basketball in his youth. Today one can find Bulls games on YouTube the preservation of anything and everything. The games are still thrilling to watch, even though I know the Bulls will win. Yet, despite all the championships and glory, Jordan’s friendship with writer Greene, a focal point in this book, ranked more meaningful to me than any trophy. I look forward to reading more of Greene’s words on the world in the future.
January 7, 2025
This is the fourth or fifth time I've read Hang Time and I still think it's excellent. I read and see something different each time.
The book focuses on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' two championships in 1990-92 (they won a third a year later). It looks at the phenomenon that is Jordan; he has to stay cooped up in hotel rooms on the road because every time he tries to go somewhere in the public, fans swarm him. Bob Greene compares Jordan to Elvis of 1956. He's more than just an athlete, he's an entity, a brand, a huge public figure.
In the past, I focused on Jordan mostly. But this time, I saw more of Bob's own personality and self come through. He wrote about loving being in the newsroom of paper where he worked, but as a columnist he had his own office and traveled a lot. He wrote stories a lot in hotel rooms alone, living a similar life, of sorts, to Jordan's.
He said he started going to Bulls games to offset the trauma and horrors of covering juvenile court issues. He found joy in the games and escape.
One of the more insightful lines was his description of the newsroom. I worked in news for 20 years at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and totally get what the line was. He said the newsroom was a "day camp for those who couldn't fit in anywhere else." I was laid off the newspaper in 2017 and now work in an office setting. I still don't fit in.
Bob admits he's not a sports writer and writes of his respect and astonishment of how they do their job on nightly deadlines. However, some of his game descriptions are so well written.
And, as in all Bob Greene books, his observations are pure brilliant. It's part news reporting, part psychology, part anecdotal and part letting the reader relate. This is one of those books you don't want to end because each page is so fulfilling.
The book focuses on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' two championships in 1990-92 (they won a third a year later). It looks at the phenomenon that is Jordan; he has to stay cooped up in hotel rooms on the road because every time he tries to go somewhere in the public, fans swarm him. Bob Greene compares Jordan to Elvis of 1956. He's more than just an athlete, he's an entity, a brand, a huge public figure.
In the past, I focused on Jordan mostly. But this time, I saw more of Bob's own personality and self come through. He wrote about loving being in the newsroom of paper where he worked, but as a columnist he had his own office and traveled a lot. He wrote stories a lot in hotel rooms alone, living a similar life, of sorts, to Jordan's.
He said he started going to Bulls games to offset the trauma and horrors of covering juvenile court issues. He found joy in the games and escape.
One of the more insightful lines was his description of the newsroom. I worked in news for 20 years at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and totally get what the line was. He said the newsroom was a "day camp for those who couldn't fit in anywhere else." I was laid off the newspaper in 2017 and now work in an office setting. I still don't fit in.
Bob admits he's not a sports writer and writes of his respect and astonishment of how they do their job on nightly deadlines. However, some of his game descriptions are so well written.
And, as in all Bob Greene books, his observations are pure brilliant. It's part news reporting, part psychology, part anecdotal and part letting the reader relate. This is one of those books you don't want to end because each page is so fulfilling.
October 14, 2012
This will blow the minds of basketball fans and also michael Jordan fans too. when i read this book i never knew what type of person Michael Jordan will be outside this count. This book will give a good experience of what Michael Jordan does before a game or after. Bob Greene is a good person because Michael jordan does not talk to no one about his personal life but to Bob he does. In this book i think that Michael Jordan is a sprightly person he is full of energy in every game. Also between interim in the game bob will go talk to Michael like how he feel or other stuff. Bob will go to most of Michael game and will wait for the advent of Michael. This book made me think that when you are famous your personal life won't be keep a secret. When it comes to the NBA I look up to Michael Jordan because he will teach many us the right things in life and you have to work hard to earn it.
Sincerely,
Christopher Galindo
Sincerely,
Christopher Galindo
October 6, 2014
Jordan's dominance during the 'Jordan Era' is examplary. Like all of us MJ made mistakes too and he took reponsibility for the mistakes. Jordan and I are associates from UNC in the early 80s. Bottom line is: MJ is better than most people have heard. Jordan has been very good to me in a number of ways that are too long to mention here. About the book: READ IT! It gives a perspective of Jordan's life written by Bob Greene who is not a sports writer. Very unique perspective indeed!
April 19, 2011
Jordan's early years in the NBA. Greene got to see the real Michael Jordan and the story is one of friends. It was a great perspective.
June 20, 2020
5 stars isnt enough...what a fantastic view into the life of MJ. Bob Greene delivered a gem!
January 5, 2018
A good word to describe this book would be...variegated (You'll know why I chose that word if you read the book.) First off, this book is as much about a year in the life of Bob Greene as it is a biography or in-depth look at MJ. It is not fawning in terms of ooh-ing and aah-ing at Jordan's basketball prowess as Greene is a self-admitted newcomer to the game. He does do a good job of describing the almost supernatural spell Jordan cast on the country.
However, in terms of dissecting the personality and off-the-court lifestyle of MJ, I am afraid to say this book is borderline hagiographical. It begins and ends with descriptions of 23's unpublicized charitable acts and close relationships with several seriously disabled children (which I am not contesting as untrue) but lacks a needed "both sides of the coin" treatment of Michael Jordan in this book, and one that his hard-nosed, fiery, and inexorably competitive nature deserves.
Much of Bob Greene's strategy in analyzing the key themes of this book—Michael Jordan, the nature of professional basketball & the NBA, the life of a journalist, life in general—centers around analzying things as an outsider or pointing out some of the absurdities that people within the subculture of basketball. Examples include the fact that NBA players shooting a shot will be simultaneously broadcast to hundreds of thousands of televisions worldwide or the idea that a basketball player's career is entirely on film. Unfortunately he uses these analogies ad nauseam to the extent that it sounds like Old Bob is just rambling again on occasion.
There is a certain appeal to reading the thoughts of an outsider who completely immerses himself within another culture, group of people (see Hell's Angels by Hunter Thompson.) However, Greene is does not dish out enough interesting insight in my opinion. He is a journalist with experience working nearly every beat but sports (politics, crime, city government) in Chicago, and when he describes the differences between various types of reporters this is probably some of the most interesting stuff he says.
PROS
- Good look at the rise of the Elvis-like phenomenon that was Jordan in the 90s
- Interesting perspective on sports and the NBA from a non-sports guy and a good writer
- Bob Greene is a good writer
CONS
- The book is not structured well, reads like a lightly edited collection of article snippets and journal entries
- Unclear how close Greene really was to Jordan, or if it is true, as Greene seems to paint it, that Jordan is not truly close to anyone except maybe a few friends
- Repetitive in its insights
3/5
However, in terms of dissecting the personality and off-the-court lifestyle of MJ, I am afraid to say this book is borderline hagiographical. It begins and ends with descriptions of 23's unpublicized charitable acts and close relationships with several seriously disabled children (which I am not contesting as untrue) but lacks a needed "both sides of the coin" treatment of Michael Jordan in this book, and one that his hard-nosed, fiery, and inexorably competitive nature deserves.
Much of Bob Greene's strategy in analyzing the key themes of this book—Michael Jordan, the nature of professional basketball & the NBA, the life of a journalist, life in general—centers around analzying things as an outsider or pointing out some of the absurdities that people within the subculture of basketball. Examples include the fact that NBA players shooting a shot will be simultaneously broadcast to hundreds of thousands of televisions worldwide or the idea that a basketball player's career is entirely on film. Unfortunately he uses these analogies ad nauseam to the extent that it sounds like Old Bob is just rambling again on occasion.
There is a certain appeal to reading the thoughts of an outsider who completely immerses himself within another culture, group of people (see Hell's Angels by Hunter Thompson.) However, Greene is does not dish out enough interesting insight in my opinion. He is a journalist with experience working nearly every beat but sports (politics, crime, city government) in Chicago, and when he describes the differences between various types of reporters this is probably some of the most interesting stuff he says.
PROS
- Good look at the rise of the Elvis-like phenomenon that was Jordan in the 90s
- Interesting perspective on sports and the NBA from a non-sports guy and a good writer
- Bob Greene is a good writer
CONS
- The book is not structured well, reads like a lightly edited collection of article snippets and journal entries
- Unclear how close Greene really was to Jordan, or if it is true, as Greene seems to paint it, that Jordan is not truly close to anyone except maybe a few friends
- Repetitive in its insights
3/5
February 25, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book; it was an eye-opening glimpse behind all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the legend of Michael Jordan to see the human face underneath it all. While the book had a tendency to veer off into more 'autobiographical' territory at times, Greene did an excellent job of distilling the quotes that helped shaped his view (and by proxy the reader's view) of Jordan. For anyone who was a basketball fan during that wonderful era, I highly recommend picking up this book.
October 18, 2017
#95 of 120 books pledged to read in 2017
March 1, 2015
When a writer first puts his pen to paper, there are a number of things that are being sought. More than anything else, a writer wrestles with how to take something as complex as reality and reduce it into little, black, written letters printed on paper. The writer wants to do this in such a way that the reader, when it is taken in, will use mental powers of the imagination, filter it, and then represent it within so that the original reality comes back alive. In this book, Bob Greene has done just that. The thing that makes Greene's book most interesting, is that he met Jordan due to circumstances that were not really related to basketball. He himself is not particularly a sports fan. But, what I will put forth is that Bob Greene is an artist, who upon, getting to know Michael Jordan, saw the beautiful artistry within his work. Bob Greene intuited that he was in the midst of something that happens perhaps once every century or so. He wanted to drink in that experience. He says as much in his comparisons of Jordan to Babe Ruth. Jordan had helped Bob Greene by allowing himself to be introduced to a young boy who had been abused. Greene had been writing a series of articles on child abuse, and wanted the boy to have a special experience ,so it was arranged for Jordan to meet the youngster. Afterwards, when Bob Greene stayed late and thanked Jordan for what he had done, Jordan's first question to Greene was, “That's all you came back here for? To thank me?” When Greene answered affirmatively, that became the beginning of a blossoming friendship. It's my opinion that the reason Jordan was so impressed with Bob Greene is because Greene's response to him was probably one of the few times in Jordan's professional career when a person approached him wanting to give something, rather than to take. It also helped that what Greene was giving was appreciation. The most powerful thing about this book is that it allows the reader to enter into the very personal world of Michael Jordan at the apex of his career, when things were their craziest and Jordan's Bulls were on the cusp of winning their first championship. It helps to show another side of Jordan, a side that does not seek publicity for the sick children he had helped, the Jordan who had never said anything to the press about the 3 or 4 young Black boys from the Westside whom he mentored, meeting them in the streets in their neighborhood, late nights after games, just standing on the side of the street, talking, trying to make sure they were staying on the right path. It talks about a young lady, an autograph seeker, who was so entranced by Michael that she was willing to be run over by him in his car. The book allows the reader to enter into the personal bubble of Michael in a way that no other book that I've read, has. I loved David Halberstam's “Playing For Keeps,” another book about Jordan, and I have said that the book is one of my favorite sports book. But, this particular book by Bob Greene about Jordan, is my number one favorite book about Jordan, primarily because it is deeply rooted in the personal friendship and relationship between author and subject. Greene gets to the “outside-the-basketball-arena-Jordan in a way that is oh so appealing. You feel as if you are chillin' with Jordan, within his inner circle, a personal friend. This will be near the top, if not at the top, of my all-time favorite sports books for a very long time. For all of those who are Michael Jordan fans, there is another book that can add to your store of information about him. This book complements Bob Greene's. In Thomas D. Rush's “Reality's Pen: Reflections On Family, History & Culture,” you will find an enticing view of Michael Jordan on page 230 in a piece called “Showing His Ass.” It's a rich story of what Jordan means. The account is special, in part, because Rush shares three common attributes with Jordan, 1) They both are products of North Carolina African-American parents of the same generation, 2) They both grow up in the same generation 3) They both live in Chicago at the time of the story. The Jordan story is just one of the many rich stories within the book, combining with Bob Greene's work to give a very special vision of an extraordinary athlete.
February 26, 2018
I did't really like this book, but if you are a Michael Jordan fan this is for you. This book doesn't go into much detail about Michael Jordan, but it shows how great he was. Michael Jordan definitely was the Greatest player of all time. I would recommend this book to people who care about before and after his first championships. If you want to know about his entire career I would not recommend this book.
May 2, 2012
A very enjoyable sports biography. Bob Greene lets you see the human side of a man who is maybe one of the greatest sports figures of the twentieth century. If your looking for a book about sports only, you may be disappointed. If you are a Jordan fan and want to get to know who he really is, this book is a must read. Reads very well and will prompt you to find other books written by Greene. (originally posted on Amazon.com)
May 3, 2013
What an incredible story. I've seen and read most ever book and movie that tells the story of Michael Jordan and the Bulls from the outside, but this was the true insight of Michael Jordan from the inside. Who he was, what he thought, how he felt, before/as he was becoming the jaded person he inevitably became. It tells a great story about how he felt about his parents, and why he truly decided to pursue baseball. I'm so happy I got to read it.
August 4, 2025
Maybe I'm being nostalgic with 5 stars but the book brought back a lot of great memories during the "glory days" of Michael Jordan in the early 90's. Bob Greene does a great job of going from his day job with the Chicago Tribune to his time covering Jordan. Greene shows the vulnerabilities of Jordan through his conversations with the star.
August 27, 2015
A solid sports biography. I appreciated the depth of the insights and that it didn't try to be encyclopedic. All I know is that I'm going to give famous people their space! And buy myself an MJ t-shirt. I still wanna be like Mike.
January 4, 2012
oddly enough - one of the books that probably shaped me a lot as a person...
August 3, 2008
We lived in Chicago during the Jordan era. No choice but to read this... enjoyed it
April 22, 2009
This was a great book and very fun do read. I would highly say u should read tis book.
February 27, 2013
Loved this book. Can't remember why as I read it over 10 yrs ago...
March 10, 2014
One of the best books about the one and only.... MJ.
December 18, 2012
Loved this when I read it back in the day. ;)
February 5, 2016
Good, little inspirational book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews