Keith O’Brien
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keithob.bsky.social
Keith O’Brien
@keithob.bsky.social
NYT bestselling author of FLY GIRLS, PARADISE FALLS, and CHARLIE HUSTLE, the definitive story of Pete Rose’s rise and fall. II Bylines @NPR, @washingtonpost, and elsewhere. II Learn more at www.KeithOB.com
Reposted by Keith O’Brien
Come see the author, @keithob.bsky.social, talk about it with Chad and Bob Ryan at my shop on March 11th!!!

Event info: silverunicornbooks.com/events/49134
February 12, 2026 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Keith O’Brien
This book is so good.
It's been a blast recording @keithob.bsky.social's HEARTLAND, about Larry Bird & the 1979 Indiana State Sycamores -- a Cinderella season held aloft by more miracles than any fairy godmother could give. And maybe the biggest miracle of that season was...it saved basketball? Out 3/3! Pre-order now!
February 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM
I’m so thrilled that Ellen Adair will be the audiobook narrator for HEARTLAND. If you enjoy listening to your books, I’m sure you will love this one! 🙌🏀🔥
It's been a blast recording @keithob.bsky.social's HEARTLAND, about Larry Bird & the 1979 Indiana State Sycamores -- a Cinderella season held aloft by more miracles than any fairy godmother could give. And maybe the biggest miracle of that season was...it saved basketball? Out 3/3! Pre-order now!
February 11, 2026 at 11:53 PM
HEARTLAND comes out on March 3. So what are you waiting for? Preorder your copy today! www.tiktok.com/t/ZP89GrYuN/
Where did it all begin for Larry Bird? In a very unlikely place. Check out my new book HEARTLAND coming on March 3. Preorder your copy today! #indiana #nba #larrybird #marchmadness #heartland
TikTok video by Keith O’Brien
www.tiktok.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Reposted by Keith O’Brien
It's been a blast recording @keithob.bsky.social's HEARTLAND, about Larry Bird & the 1979 Indiana State Sycamores -- a Cinderella season held aloft by more miracles than any fairy godmother could give. And maybe the biggest miracle of that season was...it saved basketball? Out 3/3! Pre-order now!
February 11, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Register today to attend the HEARTLAND book launch on Mon, March 2, at the Terre Haute Convention Center where I will be in conversation with several members of Indiana State's 1979 miracle team. It'll be a night to remember. Hope to see you there! 🏀📚🔥 www.eventbrite.com/e/heartland-...
February 10, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Keith O’Brien
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says nothing as 1/3 of paper's staff is laid off. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss says nothing after a newly hired contributor appears in over 1,700 documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Read this on how terrible leaders are destroying journalism. loom.ly/f_FqSFk
How misguided visionaries and negligent owners threaten journalism at CBS News and The Washington Post
At a time when the public needs strong, trustworthy journalism more than ever, why do strategies unfolding at CBS News and The Washington Post seem to undermine their work more than uplift it?
loom.ly
February 4, 2026 at 6:08 PM
With the Washington Post layoffs this morning, I’m reposting my Atlantic piece from 2024. In the past month alone, we’ve had gambling scandals, allegations of fixed games & owners in the Epstein Files. Who’s going to cover it, if no one is there? www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
February 4, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Oh, man—look what made an appearance on Pardon the Interruption … Thanks for the subtle shout-out, Tony Kornheiser! Your copy of HEARTLAND sure looks good on your shelf. 🎉📚🙌
January 21, 2026 at 8:16 PM
College sports was never innocent. But man, has it changed. I can show you how in four simple slides. Check them out and preorder HEARTLAND today wherever books are sold! It's the Larry Bird story like it's never been told before, coming on 3/3/26 @atriabooks.bsky.social.
January 19, 2026 at 5:16 PM
We need to be honest about what we witnessing: the Indiana Hoosiers aren’t true underdogs. They’re a reflection of our wild and moneyed times in college sports. My latest for @theatlantic.com in advance of Monday night’s championship game. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
January 17, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Yet another gambling scandal in sports—an alleged, widespread scheme among college basketball players to manipulate outcomes for profit. According to federal prosecutors, it involved 16 different schools. Makes you ask a simple—and alarming—question: what’s happening right now that we don’t know?
January 15, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Football in Indiana is having a moment. But basketball remains the most important sport in the state. Why? I actually know this answer. I swear it's better than staring at the lower half of my face below. Check it out ------> 🏀🔥
www.tiktok.com/@obrienstory...
Indiana football is having a moment. But basketball remains the most important sport in the state. Why? I know this answer. #heartland #hoosiers #basketball #marchmadness #booktok @Atria Books
TikTok video by Keith O’Brien
www.tiktok.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Shout-out to the late, great Stuart Scott @espn.com whose signature phrase made it into the @nytimes.com games today. #iykyk
January 11, 2026 at 1:10 PM
I love the cover for HEARTLAND. But man, I really love the back jacket. Thanks to all these great writers for their support and thanks to the brilliant design team ⁦‪⁦ @atriabooks.bsky.social for turning vision into reality. Book drops on 3/3 and preorders are open now!
January 9, 2026 at 6:27 PM
On this date in 1991, Pete Rose was released from federal prison in Illinois, after serving a five-month sentence for failure to pay his taxes.
He had just weathered one of the darkest periods in his life. But he emerged on this day unchanged, defiant and bold and lying about betting on baseball.
January 7, 2026 at 6:14 PM
The older teenager got me a Christmas gift. It is perfect. And with this mug at the ready, I am back at it, closing out the year with (hopefully) another productive day at the Word Factory. #amwriting
December 31, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Massive preorder sale happening right now @barnesandnoble.com … Check it out and preorder your copy of HEARTLAND today at a serious discount! www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heartland-...
December 30, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Fans have been complaining this month about the death of the college bowl. Turns out, the men who created the first real national title game back in 1998 predicted this future. We should have seen it coming all along. My latest for @theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Slow, Inevitable Death of the Bowl Game
For college-football fans, the playoffs are now everything.
www.theatlantic.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Philip Rivers is every dad. Ever.
December 23, 2025 at 3:58 AM
If you’ve never seen Larry Bird in a cowboy hat, you have now. My new book, HEARTLAND, comes out on 3/3/26. Preorder your copy today wherever they sell books. 🏀🤠🔥 www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8yM1bbh/
If you’ve never seen Larry Bird in a cowboy hat, you have now. My new book, HEARTLAND, comes out on 3/3/26. Preorder your copy today wherever they sell books. 🏀🤠🔥 #larrybird #basketballtiktok #booktok...
TikTok video by Keith O’Brien
www.tiktok.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Dear readers: If you are looking for personalized gifts this holiday season, my local independent bookseller is ready to help. Order your signed copies today. Water Street Books ships for free. Your books will arrive in time for Christmas, and everyone wins! waterstreetbooks.com/keith-obrien...
December 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The great Traci Thomas—the heart of The Stacks podcast and one of best literary voices out there today—has named HEARTLAND as one of her “most anticipated” books of 2026. And apparently, I am now the “Larry Bird of sports biographers." Amazing! Truly. Wow. shereads.com/traci-thomas...
Traci Thomas' Most Anticipated Books of 2026 - She Reads
I’m back! Did you miss me? Here is my list [...]
shereads.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This is a no-brainer, folks. Vote him in! And while you’re at it, vote in Roger Craig too. If you watched football in the 1980s, you know.
December 4, 2025 at 12:57 AM
My new book HEARTLAND has a trailer! Watch, enjoy, share with friends, spread the word, and preorder your copy today. It comes out on 3/3/26 from @atriabooks.bsky.social, and I can’t wait for you to read it. Thanks, everyone! 💙🏀💙
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H6_...
HEARTLAND — video trailer
YouTube video by Keith O'Brien
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM