Opinion | Athletic prowess, racism are central themes in new Jim Thorpe book

“Maraniss takes the reader on a 574-page journey through Thorpe’s glorious yet tumultuous life, one marked by divorces, alcoholism, late-life obscurity and poverty … What distinguishes any Maraniss book, biography or otherwise, is the depth of research and rich storytelling … The book is a rich and powerful account of how Thorpe’s ‘Indian-ness,’ as Maraniss puts it, caused him to be mistreated at seemingly every step. Maraniss delivers the definitive account of arguably the greatest athlete in American history while simultaneously opening a window into one of America’s greatest shames — its mistreatment of Native Americans.”