How Did Michael Jordan Get So Great?

No athlete is more iconic than Michael Jordan. But no matter how famous, there are some things about his past that will shock you.

That's what I learned from Roland Lazenby's new book, Michael Jordan: The Life, the single most comprehensive and fascinating book about the man's life. Mr. Lazenby has written some incredible sports books in the past, including Bull Run, a book that I read until it was ragged as a kid. But this one might be the best and most interesting of all.

I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Mr. Lazenby, in which we talked about Michael Jordan's fascinating family history--from which he got his intensity and competitive fire--along with his impact on marketing, politics, and whether any of the urban legends about him are true.