From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears, and Touchdowns in TV

NBC sports producer Ebersol reminisces on an extraordinary career in his thoroughly entertaining debut. The Connecticut native’s life changed when his father encouraged him, in 1964, to take a high school exchange program in France, where, while watching the Le Mans Race, he wandered into the tent of ABC’s Wide World of Sports and his first industry gig (as a gofer). Ebersol continued his broadcasting career by taking a job as ABC’s first Olympic researcher while in college at Yale, where, he learned a rule that took him far: “Do not ever be afraid to ask a question... figure it out and get it right.” From covering the Olympics and jet-setting around the globe, launching Saturday Night Live at NBC with Lorne Michaels, betting big on the NBA, and overseeing the astronomical rise of NFL broadcasting, Ebersol has plenty of stories, full of familiar names in sports and media. He weaves in lighthearted anecdotes of youthful exploits with scenes of raising his family, the vicissitudes of a long career, and tragic moments (including the death of his son Teddy, in a plane crash). Ebersol’s thoughtful account transcends a simple “best of” entertainment biz highlights reel. Told with grace and heart, this is an exhilarating outing for any sports fan. Agent: Robert Barnett. Williams & Connolly. (Sept.)