Bird, Johnson to Write Book for HMH

by Matthew Thornton -- Publishers Weekly, 5/27/2008 8:47:00 AM

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are teaming up to write a book together, chronicling their rivalry and friendship; Susan Canavan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt just acquired world rights from Jay Mandel at William Morris, and Boston Globe columnist and ESPN contributor Jackie MacMullen will co-write. Bird, of the Boston Celtics, and Johnson, of the Los Angeles Lakers, perhaps best define 1980s-era pro basketball, and the collaboration is also noteworthy given the possibility of Celtics/Lakers matchup in this year’s NBA finals.

“We’re thrilled to publish the defining book on perhaps the greatest rivalry of all time,” said Houghton president Gary Gentel. The rivalry will be felt throughout the publishing process, too—Canavan is a Celtics fan, while Mandel is a Lakers supporter.

The contract also includes a bonus of $33.32 to be paid if the Lakers and Celtics do indeed meet in the 2008 finals (a figure that signifies the respective numbers of Bird and Johnson). Pub date is fall 2009.