Angelo Cataldi

For over three decades, Angelo Cataldi was the on-air voice ofPhiladelphia sports fans, leading the charge with unabashed zeal and infectious energy. He was the maestro of the mania, the conductor of the symphony of vitriol that blared through car radios every morning in the most misunderstood yet passionate sports city in America.

It made him his share of enemies, but he walked away from the microphone with enough stories for several lifetimes-or one jam-packed, lively memoir.

LOUDis an exuberant chronicle of Cataldi's life, from his childhood as a self-described "king nerd" in Providence, Rhode Island, to the traditional newspaper career he left behind, and his eventual rise to the top of the Philadelphia sports radio scene on WIP.

Through it all, Cataldi remained dedicated to his mission of talking about what the city was talking about, in the same tone. And that tone was loud, passionate, and unapologetically real.

Full of encounters with athletes, personalities, and power brokers as well as candid reflections,LOUDis a must-read for die-hard Philadelphia sports fan and anyone who appreciates a good story.