Memorial Day Sale: May 12-27
Buy used:
$2.56
$3.98 delivery Friday, May 23 to Nashville 37217. Details
Or fastest delivery May 20 - 22. Details
Used: Very Good | Details
Sold by glenthebookseller
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comment: Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc...
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

George Plimpton
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Paper Lion Paperback – January 1, 2006

by George Plimpton (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 176 ratings
George Plimpton’s classic Paper Lion set the bar for participatory sports journalism, as the author shares his experiences in training camp, trying out as a quarterback for the NFL’s Detroit Lions, and eventually, playing in a preseason exhibition game. Displaying his characteristic wit and insight, Paper Lion was met with both critical and commercial success, and inspired a movie starring Alan Alda. The late
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Part of series
    Sports Classic
  2. Print length
    362 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    UNKNO
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 2006
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.25 x 8.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1599210053
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1599210056
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

An author, journalist, editor, actor, and modern-day Renaissance man, George Plimpton (1927-2003) was perhaps best known for Paper Lion. Originally published in 1966 and today considered a classic, the book set the bar for participatory sports journalism, if not literature in general. With his characteristic insight and wit, the Harvard-educated Plimpton recounts his experiences in successfully talking his way into training camp - not as a reporter but as a player - with the Detroit Lions, practicing with the team, and actually taking snaps behind center in a preseason game. This special 40th anniversary edition, featuring photos not seen in any previous edition, provides a classic look at the gridiron game through the lens of a true literary giant.

About the Author

George Plimpton was the best-selling author and editor of nearly thirty books, as well as the cofounder, publisher, and editor of The Paris Review.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ UNKNO
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2006
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 362 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1599210053
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1599210056
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.22 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.5 inches
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Sports Classic
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 176 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
George Plimpton

George Plimpton

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

George Ames Plimpton (March 18, 1927 – September 25, 2003) was an American journalist, writer, literary editor, actor and occasional amateur sportsman. He is widely known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review. He was also famous for "participatory journalism" which included competing in professional sporting events, acting in a Western, performing a comedy act at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and then recording the experience from the point of view of an amateur.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Nancy Wong, cropped by User:Lemuellio (See below) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
176 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • H. Argun
    5.0 out of 5 stars Now you know what it is like
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    I have read many sports books, but I have always wondered what it was like to be a professional football player and what life was like around the team from a player's perspective. This book describes all of the goings on of an NFL team, from training camp to actual game action, and gives much insight into what professional football players do on and off the field. It is essentially a first hand account of what happens when a sports writer takes off his white collar, and puts on pads and a helmet and becomes part of a football team, literally overnight. While it is true that the book was written in the 1960's in a completely different era, prior to steroids, drugs, and big money contracts, it is still essential reading for any fan of the NFL, and was fun reading.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Walldog
    4.0 out of 5 stars A look back in time
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book I had always planned on reading. I finally purchased it after seeing a show about George Plimpton's life. Paper Lion has been referred to as literary non-fiction. What I liked most about it was his descriptive style. I felt like I was with George, and could see the action taking place, as wrote about his weeks at the Lion's training camp. Back in 1963, there was a lot less money involved, and the players and coaches seemed to be motivated by a simple love of the game. Definitely recommend it for older football fans. I now plan on reading other books by Mr. Plimpton.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Edwin Self
    5.0 out of 5 stars Balls of steel!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The man who spent his career trying out specialized professions, laid his life on the line in practice sessions with the Detroit Lions.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Texas reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good service
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting movie. My husband liked the book better, but the movie arrive on time and in good condition. Thanks.
    Helpful
     Report
  • jerry earle
    4.0 out of 5 stars George made it seem like we were doing this with him
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Brought back some treasured memories of Pro Football at the very beginning of it "Golden Year" of popularity. Plimpton was truly a voice of sports fans in that time, making many of us feel very much like Walter Mitty's. We couldn't do all of the things George did, but we could dream about scoring a long TD, sinking that game winning NBA Championship game. or sinking that 18th hole putt to win the master. The Plimpton persona fit perfectly with these images, his prose, and his down east, cultivated accent, although perhaps a bit pretentious, will remain with me as I reread one of my favorite books.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • MarkS
    3.0 out of 5 stars INTERESTING READ
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I must admit I had anticipated that the writer would have delved further into how the regular players experienced their careers. It was written very much from the viewpoint of the author and how HE experienced the time he spent in the training camp. Interesting enough, but I felt it could have been more.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • E. O. GAVIN
    5.0 out of 5 stars Have to like the technical crap of the game to enjoy the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Classic. Have to like the technical crap of the game to enjoy the book. Can't just like the NFL.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dana Lindley-spence
    5.0 out of 5 stars Paper lion.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    son ordered this book with his Christmas gift card. He enjoyed this book. It is a classic. About a team he loves and liked the author
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Mimi Nordby
    5.0 out of 5 stars He was so happy to have the opportunity to once again to read ...
    Reviewed in Canada on May 29, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    My husband had been looking for this book for years, had the original but 'loaned' it out, and never received it back. He was so happy to have the opportunity to once again to read it and put it back on his favourite sport book shelf. He knew he could download one to his kindle, but not the same as having a favourite book in his hand.
    Report
  • Peter Bonert
    5.0 out of 5 stars what else can I say than: GREAT!
    Reviewed in Germany on May 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    One of the best pieces in American Football literature
    Report
  • San Paolo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful edition
    Reviewed in France on September 15, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Exactly what I was looking for. A writer or wry wit and real insight into the human condition; why put ourselves through the pain we do; and why try to be heroes?
    Report
  • Sport Nut
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great description of 1960s NFL
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    George Plimpton decided he wanted to play quarterback for an American football team. It's the dream of many American kids, but Plimpton was a journalist in his mid-thirties. Even so, he managed to talk himself into the Detroit Lions pre-season training camp and soaked up the experience, recording it in this book. We hear about many of the Lions' players, coaching staff and the set up of the training camp in a boarding school. The sport has changed a great deal since Plimpton's 1963 foray into the sport - the basics are the same, but everything is far more professional and commercialised. Indeed, Paper Lion is an interesting contrast to the annual television series Hard Knocks, which follows a modern NFL training camp each season. You'd find this a hard read if you had no interest in American football, but for fans of that sport, this is a real gem.
    Report
  • DWendy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great review for Paper Lion
    Reviewed in Canada on May 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    My husband has been looking for this book. It was a real treat to be able to find it. It arrived in excellent condition and he's a happy man. So am I.
    Report