Second Coming

By Sam Smith

Ranking: 

The follow-up book to Smith's best selling The Jordan Rules. Smith spends part of the introduction trying to prove that his first book is fair and impartial. In this book, he comes closer to the mark.

This book picks up after Michael Jordan's retirement announcement in October of 1993. It covers Jordan's quest to play baseball and the Bulls during Jordan's 18-month retirement. Most of the book is spent on the turbulent 18 games of Jordan's comeback and the playoffs, in which the Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets and then lost to the Orlando Magic. You learn how Jordan came back saying he missed the game and he missed the camaraderie, but how quickly he settles back into his role of standoff-ish superstar and sometimes designated bully and jerk. Smith paints an even picture of Jordan's amazing ability on the court and his generous nature to children as well as his huge ego and his superiority complex that can be caustic to those around him. Smith cuts through the media hype and the Nike commercials and paints a picture of a more human Jordan.

This edition featured a 1 chapter addition of the 1995-96 championship season.

At times, it seems like Smith is on a witch hunt, but also, it is refreshing to see somebody who doesn't drool all over Jordan and tries to make him out to be Mother Theresa in shorts. If you are a Bulls fan (note, not a fan of 1 man, but of the team), and want to know more about the behind-the-scenes action, then you should read this book.

Introspection:  N/A
Insight:  3
History:  1993-96
Readability:  3


Second Coming: The long, strange odyssey of Michael Jordan. Sam Smith. Harper.   1995.