Sometimes I wonder, with all the new books coming out every year, why anyone would want to read something they’ve already read before. So many books, so little time.
But while working on the 501 Book project I came across several titles in my library that I had never read, which no doubt led to the lateness of my handing in the manuscript since I spent so much perusing them. We have two eyes; why can we only read one thing at a time? Seems like waste.
Anyway, I also found several books that upon further review got me interested in a total re-read. A very brief sampling:
- Brittle Innings
, a novel by Michael Bishop. A cross between Frankenstein and Moby Dick, but in flannel
- Fear Strikes Out: The Jim Piersall Story
, by Jimmy Piersal. Considering when this NY Times’ bestseller cam out, it was way ahead of its time in its discussion of mental illness. Props to Piersal for what must have been a difficult project, especially since he was still an active player at the time
- The Lords of the Realm
, by John Helyar. A mid-90s look at the history of the business baseball, written in a lively, irreverent style, as opposed to a straight academic tome.
And these are on top of the books that keep coming in. Most recently, I received Glenn Stout’s promising Fenway 1912: The Birth of a Ballpark, a Championship Season, and Fenway’s Remarkable First Year
Also on the pile, a long overdue biography on the Mets’ signature hero: The Last Icon: Tom Seaver and His Times
All in good time. Meanwhile it’s time for me to do an occasional Amazon update and peer into the future to see what baseball titles are coming out in the new year. Look for a 2011 wrap-up in the near future, as organizations like SABR and Spitball Magazine start to consider their book awards.
is available on Amazon.com,
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