Joe Layden Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Joe Layden
Starting in the year 1994, Joe Layden has written or co-authored a lot of books, many of which surveys for young adult readers or sports biographies. He is a New York Times bestselling co author and award winning journalist.

Layden began on the darker side of sports writing, by writing a biography of Tonya Harding in 1994. Then the next year he penned “Domestic Violence”, which was aimed at educating middle school students, but it also had a sports connection, using the O. J. Simpson trial as its thematic hook.

In 2001, he helped Dave Mustaine, guitarist and vocalist of Megadeth, write his autobiography, called “Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir”.

Starting in 2002, Joe moved away from sports and began covering such topics like living with arthritis, inspirational teachers and their classes, and the Grateful Dead.

“Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir” is a non-fiction book that was released in 2001. Founding member, lead guitarist, and singer of Megadeth and original guitarist for Metallica shares the unvarnished and ultimate story behind his involvement in the rise of two of the most influential heavy metal bands in all of history.

Dave Mustaine will be the first to admit that he is bottomed out just a few times in his twisted and dark speed metal version of a Dickensian life. From his soul crushing professional and artistic setbacks to his fight with addiction, Dave has hit rock bottom multiple times. April of 1983 was by far his lowest point, when he got unceremoniously fired from Metallica for hard partying. However what appeared to be the end of all of it was jus the start for this guitarist.

After he parted with Metallica, Dave went on to become the singer, songwriter, front man, guitarist (not to mention de facto CEO) for Megadeth, one of the most successful metal bands in the whole world. A pioneer of the thrash metal movement, Megadeth rose to international fame during the 80s and has since gone on to earn seven consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance.

In this outrageously candid memoir, one of heavy metal’s most iconic figures gives an insider’s glimpse into the sordid and loud world of thrash metal: with all the sex, drugs, and rock n roll included.

“Street Justice” is a non-fiction book that was released in 2003. From celebrity bodyguard to Hells Angel. From the set of “Oz” to the streets of Brooklyn. A revealing autobiography about an American man.

Chuck Zito comes by his reputation honestly as being one of the most uncompromising and toughest men to ever sit astride a Harley. Now, with stories both truthful and violent, chilling and hilarious, Chuck tells his life story in his own words.

From growing up on the mean streets of the Bronx and Brooklyn where fighting was a way of life, to becoming president of the New York branch of the Hells Angels, and on to the wild and crazy life of protecting some of the biggest celebrities, Chuck may be seen as a latter-day outlaw, the last of this dying breed of men.

However throughout his tempestuous days, one single thing has defined him: his unfailing sense of justice, of what is actually wrong and what is right. This is how Zito found himself facing his largest challenge: refusing to cooperate with a federal investigation into his Hells Angels brothers, and in the process losing the single thing that he cherished most. His freedom.

Chuck’s astonishing recovery from such an experience, and the unique sort of stardom that he forged based upon sheer will and hard work, is quite the testament to his ambition, courage, and his indomitable heart. It’s a testament now recorded unflinchingly in this book.

“The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever” is a non-fiction book that was released in 2007. Wonderfully written and meticulously researched, this is the untold story about one legendary fight and the two warriors that would never be the same again.

It’s considered the largest upset in all of history of boxing: James “Buster” Douglas knocked the then undefeated Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson during the tenth round in the year 1990 when the intimidating and dominating Iron Mike was considered invincible.

“The Last Great Fight” takes the reader not just behind the scenes of such an epic battle, but also inside the lives of these two men, their ambitions, dreams, the downfall of one fighter and the rise of another.

Using his exclusive interviews with both boxers Douglas and Tyson, the referee, members of their families, the cutmen, managers, trainers, to the commentators and HBO staff that covered the fight in Tokyo, Joe has created a human drama that was played out on a huge stage. And he delivers a compelling story about shattered dreams, and (ultimately) redemption.

“The Ghost Horse: A True Story of Love, Death, and Redemption” is a non-fiction book that was released in 2013. Joe Layden, in “The Ghost Horse”, tells an inspiring true story about Tim Snyder (a club-footed, one eyed thoroughbred racehorse and a journeyman trainer) that scraped together every penny that he had in order to buy the unwanted and broken filly.

Tim helped this horse overcome all of its deficiencies, eventually naming her in part after Lisa, his late wife, and the only and great love of his life. She was a sweet tempered and bright woman whose gentle demeanor seemed eerily reflected in this horse.

The trainer, now owner, was by nature a combative and crusty kind, the yin to his wife’s yang, a racetrack lifer not moved easily by sentiment or new age mysticism. Yet during those final days in 2003, while Lisa lay in bed, her body ravaged by cancer, she reassured her family by telling them she’d be back as a horse and would see them again.

Tim Snyder did not believe in reincarnation at all. However he did acknowledge the oddness in this journey, the series of coincidences which brought them all together, and all of the undeniable similarities between his late wife and this horse. And so did those that knew this couple very well, and who could just marvel at the tale of his filly. Lisa’s Booby Trap, and the down-on-his-luck trainer that apparently had been handed a new lease on life.

This is a powerful horseracing tale about second chances and underdogs.