Barkley

A Biography

By: Timothy Bella

Narrated by: Korey Jackson

*A LitHub Most Anticipated Book of 2022*

The definitive biography of Charles Barkley, exploring his early childhood, his storied NBA career, and his enduring legacy as a provocative voice in American pop culture

He’s one of the most interesting American athletes in the past fifty years. Passionate, candid, iconoclastic, and gifted both on and off the court, Charles Barkley has made a lasting impact on not only the world of basketball but pop culture at large.

Yet few people know the real Charles. Raised by his mother and grandmother in Leeds, Alabama, he struggled in his early years to fit in until he found a sense of community and purpose in basketball. In the NBA he went toe-to-toe with the biggest legends in the game, from Magic to Michael to Hakeem to Shaq. But in the years since, he has become a bold agitator for social change, unafraid to grapple, often brashly, with even the thorniest of cultural issues facing our nation today.

Informed by over 370 original interviews and painstaking research, Timothy Bella’s Barkley is the most comprehensive biography to date of one of the most talked-about icons in the world of sports.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Chuck

Good story but tried to cover a lot quick. It was good to listen. Was interesting guy!

Great stories!

It’s a shame that Charles is not interviewed in any of the stories for this book. However, as a huge fan over the years, I was surprised at how much I didn’t know. This gentleman spoke to so many people that knew Charles, there are stories that will make you laugh for hours.

Very enjoyable read

This book gave me new view of Charles Barkley!!! It was well written and the reader of this audio book was excellent!!!

Subject material, narrator, all excellent.

Corey Jackson narrates this book perfectly. I’m not sure I’ve heard a better reader. Great book, extremely entertaining.

A Barkley masterpiece!!!

This was such an open and honest detail memoir of Charles Barkley, one of the greatest 50 players in NBA history. I love inside the NBA. I’m so glad I got to read Barkley, sports fans, who love basketball history please read this book I highly recommend it.