Jonathan Eig is the author of Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig, which won the Casey Award for best baseball book of 2005 and reached No. 10 on The New York Times list of best sellers. “Luckiest Man,” wrote Kevin Baker in the New York Times Book Review , “stands in the first rank of sports biographies.”

Eig, a Brooklyn native, comes from a long line of Dodger fans, although he disappointed them all by becoming a full-blown, Bobby Murcer–loving Yankee rooter. He has written Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season with the hope that his family might forgive his betrayal.

After spending his rookie and sophomore seasons in Brooklyn, Eig moved with his family to suburban Monsey, N.Y., where he began his quest to become a big-league ballplayer. When opposing pitchers started throwing curve balls, he quit the game and took up writing.

After earning his bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University, Eig worked as a newspaper reporter, first for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and then for the Dallas Morning News. He moved to Chicago in 1995 and joined the staff of Chicago magazine, where he won numerous writing awards and eventually became the magazine's executive editor. From there, he joined the Chicago bureau of The Wall Street Journal, where he works now as a senior special reporter. He has also written for Esquire, The New Republic, and Men's Health.

Eig has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CNN, ESPN, and Fox. He has spoken at the National Archives, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Mayo Clinic. Using the story of Robinson's rookie season, he has also addressed business groups and university students about the benefits of diversity and the power of new ideas.

Eig lives in Chicago with is wife, Jennifer Tescher, who throws a pretty mean curve ball, among other talents. They have two children, Lillian and Jeffery, both of whom give Opening Day rave reviews. Says Lillian: “Daddy tells the best stories.” Adds Jeffery: “The nice thing about this book is that it's shorter than the last one.”

To schedule an appearance for your group or business, send an email to jonathan@jonathaneig.com.

To request a review copy or to arrange an interview, write to Kelly Welsh of Simon & Schuster.

To make a donation to the Jackie Robinson Foundation, or to contact Rachel Robinson, visit www.jackierobinson.org .

To make a donation to the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease, visit www.alsa.org or, if you're in Chicago, www.lesturnerals.org .