In what Warren St. John calls “the most comprehensive portrait yet of football’s most enigmatic coach,” SABAN: The Making of a Coach (Simon & Schuster) is the first definitive biography of the most influential—and polarizing—man in the sport: Nick Saban. Burke’s interest in Saban stems from his August 2008 cover story for Forbes entitled “The Most Powerful Coach in Sports” which was so popular that the magazine issued a reprint of 10,000 copies to meet demand. Knowing there was still much to be discovered about Saban beyond his reputation for being unpredictable in his professional loyalties and uncompromising in his vision, Burke conducted more than 250 interviews with childhood friends, colleagues, rivals, former players, university trustees, beat reporters, and others to reveal the defining moments and individuals in Saban’s life which have made him the man and coach he is today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Monte Burke is a staff writer at Forbes magazine and has also written for The New York Times, Outside, Men’s Journal, Town & Country, and Garden & Gun, among many other publications. He is the author of the books 4th and Goal and Sowbelly, and is a recipient of Barnes & Noble’s “Discover Great New Writers” award. He grew up in New Hampshire, Vermont, North Carolina, and Alabama, and now lives in Brooklyn with his wife and three daughters.