Howard Bryant’s The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron digs deeply to get beyond just Aaron’s superlative on-field accomplishments and provides a fascinating insight into the reticent and sensitive persona of the man who suffered the indignities of racial discrimination, personal slights (some real and some largely imagined), and the fear associated with the rampant credible death threats as he approached Babe Ruth’s career home run record in the Deep South of Atlanta, Georgia. This is easily one of the finest baseball biographies. ( )

A strong, if basic, biography of a great american athlete.

At times the others goes a bit too far in rationalizing Aaron's difficult relationship with others. But, most important, explains how Henry Aaron's experiences with racism make it a a wonder he was not more angry, bitter and withdrawn.

With a the final portion of the book devoted to a tainted drug user breaking the HR record, more than a single line needs to be devoted to amphetamine use in Henry's career. ( )

I liked Bryant's other books, like the topic, but this book never grabbed me. Too much focus on other players that added at least 100 pages to the book. ( )

I was kind of critical of the first few chapters of this book, perhaps because Bryant takes his time revealing the complexity of the life and achievements of Henry Aaron, but within 100 pages, he had me hooked and I read the book in great gulps of time stolen from household chores and writing thank-you notes. Aaron truly is a hero, and he's gotten a book as rich and admirable as the man himself. ( )

Bryant is a superb writer, and this is one of the best and most perceptive baseball biographies I have read. ( )