AbiographyofAmerica’sgreatestall-aroundathletethat“goesbeyondthemythandintothegutsofThorpe’slife,usingextensiveresearch,historicalnuance,andbittersweethonesty“(LosAngelesTimes),bythebestsellingauthoroftheclassicbiographyWhenPrideStillMattered.JimThorperosetoworldfameasamythictalentwhoexcelledateverysport.Mostfamously,hewongoldmedalsinthedecathlonandpentathlonatthe1912StockholmOlympics.AmemberoftheSacandFoxNation,hewasanAll-AmericanfootballplayerattheCarlisleIndianSchool,thestarofthefirstclassoftheProFootballHallofFame,andplayedmajorleaguebaseballforJohnMcGraw’sNewYorkGiants.Eveninagoldenageofsportscelebrities,hewasoneofakind.Butdespitehisawesometalent,Thorpe’slifewasastruggleagainsttheodds.AtCarlisle,hefacedtheracistassimilationistphilosophy“KilltheIndian,SavetheMan.“Hisgoldmedalswereunfairlyrescindedbecausehehadplayedminorleaguebaseball,andhissupposedalliesturnedawayfromhimwhentheirownreputationswereatrisk.Hislaterlifewastroubledbyalcohol,brokenmarriages,andfinancialdistress.HeroamedfromstatetostateandtookbitpartsinHollywood,buteventhefilmofhisownlifefailedtoimprovehisfortunes.Butforallhistravails,Thorpesurvived,determinedtoshapehisowndestiny,hisperseverancebecominganothermarkofhismythicstature.PathLitbyLightning“[reveals]Thorpeasamaninfull,whoselifewascharacterizedbybothsoaringtriumphandgrievousloss“(TheWallStreetJournal).
