Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Sportswriter Lazenby (Showboat) disappoints in this bloated biography of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar. Born in Lansing, Mich., in 1959, Johnson earned the nickname “Magic” for his prowess on the basketball court when he was 15. After a successful college career at Michigan State, Johnson led the Lakers to a championship title in 1980, his first year in the NBA. He became a celebrity, giving him the clout to force out coach Paul Westhead, with whom he had butted heads, in a 1981 power play that put a dent in his affable public image. Johnson helped the Lakers win a total of five championships in the 1980s, but his career was cut short in 1991 when he tested positive for HIV, after which he devoted himself to educating the public about AIDS and safe sex. Following unsuccessful returns to the hardwood in 1992 and 1996, and a failed stint coaching the Lakers in 1994, Johnson became a successful businessman, opening coffeehouses and movie theaters throughout the U.S. Unfortunately, the scrupulous detail Lazenby lavishes on Johnson’s childhood and NBA career grows tiresome (a lengthy account of Johnson’s lineage back to the 18th century comes across as filler), yet the book’s ending feels rushed, covering the 27 years since Johnson last retired from the NBA in under 20 pages. This is a missed opportunity. (Oct.)