{"product_id":"epic-the-many-lives-of-pele","title":"Epic: The many lives of Pele - **PREORDER, SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE**","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the publisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003eCompleted after almost eight years of research and over 250 interviews, Epic is the first biography of Pelé to explore every aspect of his professional and personal life. Pelé was one of the most iconic sports figures of the 20th century and along with Muhammad Ali its most beloved. His achievements speak for themselves: aged just 17, he led Brazil to its first world title, scoring six times in three games; he remains the only player to have won the World Cup three times; his astonishing record of more than 1,200 goals has never been surpassed.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003eBut numbers only tell half the story. In Epic, veteran football correspondent Andrew Downie delves deep into Pelé's life. Through interviews with former teammates, coaches, business managers, close friends, and family members, Downie uncovers the man behind the myth.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003eDrawing on new material and thousands of hours spent in archives across Europe and the Americas, Downie finds unpublished books, emails and memos by Pelé and his closest collaborators that offer an unprecedented insight into the real Edson Arantes do Nascimento. He tells of the young boy who vowed to stay teetotal after getting drunk on wine, the consummate professional who ran up and down hotel corridors to maintain his sharpness on tour, and of the seemingly apolitical diplomat whose home was shot up during Brazil’s military dictatorship. Downie meticulously examines Pelé’s footballing achievements, relationships, and his business dealings against the backdrop of Brazil’s transformation from a South American backwater to the country of football.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003ePelé’s controversial stances on race, Brazil's dictatorship, and sex are all scrutinized and put into the proper context. The result is truly Epic.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe author:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003eAndrew Downie was a foreign correspondent in Brazil for twenty years. His sports writing has appeared in The Sunday Times, GQ, Esquire, The Economist, The New York Times and the Guardian. He is the author of Doctor Socrates which has been translated into five languages. His second book, The Greatest Show on Earth was shortlisted for best football book at the 2022 Sports Book of the Year awards.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMessage from Stanchion:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003eSigned copies are available to preorder. They will be signed at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/stanchionbooks.eventbrite.com\/\" class=\"text-link\"\u003eour event with the author on Wednesday 11 November 2026\u003c\/a\u003e and sent as soon as possible after that. Signed copies can not be sent any sooner than that.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\" style=\"padding-bottom: 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small\"\u003eIf you preorder a signed copy with any other items, your order will be shipped once signed copies are available after the event. They will not be sent separately.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small\"\u003eUnsigned copies will be sent as close to publication date (5 November 2026) as possible.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cspan\u003e---\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product_spec\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eViking\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e24 x 16 cm\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ePaperback\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e528 pages\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product_spec\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNovember 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eEnglish\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product_spec\"\u003e9780241754795\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Andrew Downie","offers":[{"title":"Signed (sent after 11 November)","offer_id":58693398856061,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Unsigned (sent after 5 November)","offer_id":58693398888829,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0271\/5149\/9341\/files\/1_660a4ef6-4851-4ab2-994d-9de79af60e14.png?v=1789644306","url":"https:\/\/stanchionbooks.com\/products\/epic-the-many-lives-of-pele","provider":"Stanchion Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}