Lars Anderson is an American sports journalist and author whose work includes basketball history, professional and college football, and motor-racing reporting. He spent twenty years at Sports Illustrated, writing more than two dozen cover stories, and later worked as a senior writer for Bleacher Report. He teaches sports writing and journalism ethics at the University of Alabama.
His books range from historical narratives such as Carlisle vs. Army and The First Star to reporting on contemporary coaches, families, and championship teams. The Storm and the Tide connects Alabama football with Tuscaloosa’s recovery from a tornado, while collaborations with Bruce Arians and Jonathan Hernandez give firsthand perspectives on coaching and a troubled family history. The 2026 biography Brady examines both achievement and its personal costs.
Lars Anderson Books
| Book | Year | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Artists | 1998 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| NASCAR Stars & Cars | 1999 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Proving Ground | 2001 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The All Americans | 2004 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Carlisle vs. Army | 2007 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The First Star | 2009 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Storm and the Tide | 2014 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Mannings | 2016 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Truth About Aaron | 2018 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Chasing the Bear | 2019 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| A Season in the Sun | 2021 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Dabo's World | 2021 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Brady | 2026 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
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Basketball Books
Pickup Artists: Street Basketball in America: Anderson and Chad Millman examine the history and culture of pickup basketball in America. Accounts of playground players and informal competition show how the street game influenced the organized sport. The book considers the social settings in which games are played, connecting style, individual reputation, and community with a form of basketball that develops beyond professional arenas. Published in 1998.
Football Books
The Proving Ground: A Season on the Fringe in NFL Europe: Anderson spends a season with the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe, following players whose careers depend on earning another opportunity. Living alongside the team in Glasgow, he records preparation, competition, and life away from the field. The account examines a professional crossroads where an impressive performance could lead toward the NFL and an injury or setback could end the pursuit. Published in 2001.
The All Americans: Anderson follows four players, two from Army and two from Navy, who competed against each other shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Their football experiences lead into service during World War II. Interviews and historical research connect the rivalry between military academies with the circumstances that transformed young athletes into servicemen and changed the meaning of their shared game. Published in 2004.
Carlisle vs. Army: Jim Thorpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football's Greatest Battle: This history centers on the 1912 football meeting between Carlisle and Army, connecting the game with Jim Thorpe, coach Pop Warner, and future president Dwight Eisenhower. Anderson places the contest within the history of the Carlisle Indian School and the treatment of Native Americans. Athletic achievement and tactical competition become part of a broader account of American institutions and prejudice. Published in 2007.
The First Star: Red Grange and the Barnstorming Tour That Launched the NFL: Anderson examines Red Grange’s decision to enter professional football and the barnstorming tour that followed his college success. The account follows the player, George Halas, and promoter C. C. Pyle as they sought to turn exceptional fame into a larger audience. The book connects the growth of the professional game with the commercial and cultural environment of the 1920s. Published in 2009.
The Storm and the Tide: Tragedy, Hope and Triumph in Tuscaloosa: This account connects the April 2011 tornado in Tuscaloosa with the Alabama football program and the community around it. Anderson follows people affected by the disaster and the team’s response as recovery began. The season’s competitive ambitions accompany the city’s grief and rebuilding, placing championship football within the experience of a place confronting extensive loss. Published in 2014.
The Mannings: The Fall and Rise of a Football Family: Anderson traces the Manning family’s football history through Archie and his sons, including Peyton and Eli. Personal relationships, childhood experiences, and professional careers connect a family story with several generations of the NFL. The account considers how the Mannings responded to setbacks and tragedy as well as success, following a competitive household beyond its most familiar championship moments. Published in 2016.
The Truth About Aaron: My Journey to Understand My Brother: Jonathan Hernandez, writing with Anderson, examines the life of his brother Aaron, the former Patriots player convicted of murdering Odin Lloyd. Memories of their shared upbringing and prison correspondence accompany the account of football, violence, incarceration, and loss. The memoir attempts to understand Aaron’s development without excusing his crimes, presenting a family’s perspective on an extensively publicized case. Published in 2018.
Chasing the Bear: How Bear Bryant and Nick Saban Made Alabama the Greatest College Football Program of All Time: This dual biography examines Bear Bryant and Nick Saban as builders of Alabama’s football success. Anderson compares the experiences, methods, and ambitions of coaches working in different periods, considering how each established a program capable of repeated championships. The book places their leadership within the expectations surrounding Alabama and the institutional demands of remaining at the top of college football. Published in 2019.
A Season in the Sun: The Inside Story of Bruce Arians, Tom Brady, and the Making of a Champion: Anderson follows Bruce Arians, Tom Brady, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers through the season that ended in a Super Bowl championship. Behind-the-scenes reporting examines Brady’s arrival, the creation of a working relationship with a new coach, and the team’s adaptation during the pandemic. The account connects daily preparation and individual adjustments with an unlikely late-career opportunity for both men. Published in 2021.
Dabo's World: The Life and Career of Coach Swinney and the Rise of Clemson Football: This biography follows Dabo Swinney’s development and the rise of Clemson football under his leadership. Anderson examines the experiences and values behind Swinney’s coaching approach, then connects them with the work of building a nationally competitive program. The narrative considers the relationships and decisions surrounding that success rather than treating championship results as a sufficient explanation of his career. Published in 2021.
Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness: Anderson traces Tom Brady’s life from childhood and competition for playing time at Michigan to a long NFL career and retirement. Extensive reporting examines the drive behind his achievements and the demands that accompanied them. The biography connects the familiar championship record with personal relationships, family expectations, and the difficulty of deciding when continued competitive success is enough. Published in 2026.
The Quarterback Whisperer: How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback: Bruce Arians explains his approach to developing quarterbacks in this collaboration with Anderson. The book examines the personal connection between coach and player, the identification of individual strengths, and the preparation required for success at the professional level. Experiences with prominent NFL passers illustrate how Arians adapts instruction and leadership to the particular person directing an offense. Published in 2017.