Veteran sportscaster Al Michaels is one of the most recognizable figures in American television, having been the voice of iconic events through multiple generations. Late last year, Michaels released You Can’t Make This Up, which talks about his experiences in the business. His descriptions of growing up and getting broadcast experience are written in a way that any reader can appreciate, sports fan or not.

Michaels uses a wide vocabulary to talk about his early years: when his family moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles; his time as an undergrad at Arizona State; then starting his professional career in television, including a short-lived stint with the Lakers. His first play-by-play sportscasting gig came as the voice for the Hawaii Islanders (then the AAA affiliate for the White Sox), which was followed by several seasons as the voice of the Cincinnati Reds, and later the San Francisco Giants.

Michaels joined ABC full-time at the end of 1976, contributing to shows like Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Baseball, among other assignments. The style in which he (and co-author L. Jon Wertheim) writes makes it very easy for readers to imagine a picture for themselves, as he talks in detail about the most remembered moments in sports history, like when he called the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, or describing the earthquake prior to Game 3 of the 1989 World Series, or his contributions for ABC News during the O.J. Simpson chase and ensuing trial. He also stresses the importance of relationships with broadcast partners, writing fondly of longtime Monday Night Football colleagues Dan Dierdorf & Frank Gifford, then John Madden, and his current analyst on Sunday Night Football, Cris Collinsworth. Michaels also makes seamless transitions when writing about working with Howard Cosell, which wasn’t always the best of times, and his emotions during 2005 & 2006, when he left ABC to join NBC.

Overall, sports fans and sportscasters will appreciate the terms Michaels uses, while the non-sports fan will likely enjoy getting a unique perspective from a man who has personally witnessed many moments in not just sports, but American cultural, history. It is a must-read for anybody interested in the exciting world of television and/or sports.