Tom Landry: An Autobiography

The former coach of the Dallas Cowboys offers a personal look at his philosophy and faith, his management strategies, and his leadership standards, as well as a glimpse of the sports personalities he knows

YA-- A perfect opportunity to get an undisputable insider's view of football and to meet the real Tom Landry, who comes across as a warm, sensitive, and caring person who has learned to mask his emotions well. Landry begins his story with his unannounced firing by the Dallas owners. The book leaves readers with the feeling of having experienced a rich life full of things that mold character, shape morality, and create a value system.
- Lindsey Wilson, Edison High School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Until 1989 Landry, hired in 1959, was the only coach the Dallas Cowboys had ever had. Here, writing with Lewis ( Am I Alive ), he covers the early years, when his team had an abysmal record of 0-10-1, through 1965, when Dallas finally broke even at 7-7, and the five Super Bowl appearances between 1970 and 1978, including two championships, to the descent into mediocrity in the late '80s. Discussed are Landry's debt to Paul Brown, whose coaching philosophy inspired him, Cowboys owner Clint Murchison and general manager Tex Schramm, who left him free to run the team on the field. We're told that the coach has an introverted personality, which makes many judge him cold and remote. Heavy with nostalgia and permeated with Landry's deep religious faith, the book will disappoint football fans expecting insider gossip and a suggestion of the rough-and-tumble of their sport. $160,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The publication of these books coincides with Landry's induction into the National Football League Hall of Fame this month. Bayless, a Dallas columnist and sportswriter who has covered the Dallas Cowboys since 1978, looks behind the publicity and Image (with a capital I) of "America's Team." Although Bayless stresses that Landry is a good person, the book is uncomplimentary toward Landry's coaching ability and the Dallas front office. Bayless's anecdotes and interviews reveal the lack of substance behind the Landry and Cowboy image. Though the author's often too-cute word play sometimes gets in the way of his narrative, overall the book gives an interesting outsider's perspective on Landry's reign in Dallas. In stark contrast to Bayless's account, Landry's autobiography perpetuates the image that has earned him the respect of so many people. From his early days in Dallas to life after his controversial firing, Landry addresses many of the same incidents Bayless discusses, but their perspectives and explanations differ significantly. Don't expect any surprising revelations. Although the Christian influence on Landry and his "aww shucks" naivete seem overemphasized, Landry shows his skill as a motivating speaker and his genuinely "nice guy" personality. The book will serve more as a motivating tool or speaker's sourcebook than it does as a behind-the-scenes view of Landry and his Cowboys. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/90. -- Martin J. Hudacs, Towanda H.S., Pa.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.