baseball book review

Okay, yesterday I reviewed some books. But I didn't review any baseball books. What was I thinking? How could I write a book review entry in the middle of baseball season, and not include any books on baseball? I can't. So far, however, I've only read two baseball books this summer: The Answer is Baseball and Baseball Letters: A Fan's Corrsepondence with his Heroes.

The Answer is Baseball goes beyond your average trivia book. Luke Salisbury writes about what makes a good trivia question. He then delves into various questions, and explores points at which personal memory and facts (or trivia) interconnect, and trigger other memories/facts. Sure, he gives some questions and answers, but in getting to the answers Salisbury sketches a number of interesting vignettes. A similiar book to this (but with some very witty writing) is Baseball Between the Lies by Bob Carroll. Although I read it a few summers ago I like to flip through it now and again. It's like a good album you can always return to.

Perhaps I'm peaking your interest in baseball. If you're ready for a fix on baseball (and when I say fix I'm not talking about the 1919 World Series), you may want to check out El Beisbol: Travels Through the Pan-American Pastime (by John Krich) and/or Spring Training (by William Zinsser). These books offer a sort-of baseball-oriented On The Road experience - without the self-destructive element of Dean Moriarity. They're both good. The Sun Also Rises makes me want to go to Spain. It doesn't motivate me to run with the bulls, however. Spring Training makes me want to go to Florida during the season before the season (and I'll get there one of these years!). El Beisbol, on the other hand, ushers me to Latin America. Hola!

If you perfer vignettes, you could get your hands on a copy of Cult Baseball Players (Edited by Danny Peary) and/or Baseball Letters: A Fan's Correspondence with his Heroes (by Seth Swirsky). Cult Baseball Players is like Loblaws, it's got big names and it's got no-names too. Actually, the anecdotes on the forgotten players are every bit as interesting as the snapshots of the big name players! Baseball Letters isn't as clever as Carroll or Salisbury. It isn't as complete as Spring Training or El Beisbol. While the correspondence is nostalgic, it isn't quite as nostalgic as Cult Baseball Players. However, Swirsky's book has something all of those other books don't have: real letters from real players!

Another baseball book I like is called Streak: Joe DiMaggio and the Summer of 41 (by Michael Seidel). Hitting safely in 56 straight games still boggles the mind! However, that said, if you're not interested in Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak ... this book truely isn't for you.

Ciao