Baseball Books

[Ghosts]

I've read some of the non-fiction ones ("The Book on the Book", "Men at Work", etc.) and they're good. My problem with them is that they tend to be pretty dry. Reading 40 pages about VORP, or a specific inning of a random regular season game, never seems to catch the spirit for me.

However, for my money, the best baseball book -- and one of my favorite books of all time -- is Philip Roth's "The Great American Novel."

I won't give it away, and it isn't a "classic" baseball novel in any sense of the word. But if you like fiction and you like baeball, it's a secret gem.

http://www.athomeplate.com/gamnovel.shtml

[John]

Thanks for that suggestion! I always like a good baseball book, so I'll definitely give that a look.

[Tyler]

If you're looking for a great non-dry read, I highly, highly recommend You Gotta Have Wa by Robert Whiting. It's all about Japanese baseball, and trust me, you'll develop a deeper all-around appreciation for the game by learning about how the boys in the west play it. It's a little dated (it's from the 80's), but he's written a sequel of sorts called The Meaning of Ichiro. It's not a classic like Wa, but if you liked Wa you'll like it too.

In summary, read it!

[Badgers]

Is it just about how they play the game and how they look at it?

[Ghosts]

while a bit long, and definitely about more than just baseball, david james duncan's "the brothers k" was a pretty good read.

and shaara's "for love of the game" (i refused to see the coster flick because i was so worried it would ruin my view of the book) was a nice, quick read.

[Tyler]

Is it just about how they play the game and how they look at it?

from an amazon.com review:

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars More Japan than Baseball, March 10, 2003
By therosen "therosen" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
On the surface, this is a treatise about baseball in Japan. Only slightly underneath, it's a fascinating work on the difference between Japanese and American culture. The title word Wa comes from the Japanese word for team unity, as opposed to the American interest in individuality.

The book goes through both a history of baseball in Japan, as well as challenges American's deal with over there. It covers the trials and tribulations of Americans like Bob Horner, who thrive on the diamond, but struggle off the field. It covers the adverserial relationship between Japanese coaches and their foreign (Gai-jin) charges. Any American going to work in Japan is well advised to pay attention!

How is Japan changing over time? Compare how the approval of "different" antics of foreigners changes over time. Learn how some Japanese players follow the model, but as the exception and not the rule. Is the Japanese culture changing, or a surface appearance of change part of the Japanese character? Read the book to find out. Again, it's only about baseball on the surface.

How does training differ? The American model suggests individuals can improve, but only to the limit of their ability. The Japanese model in both the field and the office is that there is no limit - strength and success is limited only by effort. This drive leads to a 10-11 month season counting training camp, as well as several hours of strenuous exercizes every day before practice. This is essential to developing the fighting spirit. Again, someone travelling to Japan for business is well advised to understand this.

The book is a must for baseball lovers as well as people interested in learning more about Japan. The book is a fascinating work that hides great learning behind Japan under the story of America's pastime.

I don't really agree that the book is more about Japan than baseball, but that's a good summary.

[Apollos]

I never read for the Love of the Game (saw the movie). Sometimes the director can repair a story as was the case with Redford's movie The Natural. I loved the movie. Malmuud's book had a dark ending and I am glad that Redford fixed it in the movie.

[Apollos]

Did any of you read Veeck as in Wreck. I was floored by all the teams this man owned over the years and how badly each sale was for the city and the fans for each one.

[Alan Ehlers]

these are not in order

Ruth by Robert Cremaer
Luckiest Man (Lou Gehrig)
Stengel by Creamer
The Bronx Zoo- Peter Golenbock
Men at Work - George Will
Boys of Summer
The Catcher was a Spy
The Umpire Strikes Back
Wait Till Next Year

[Nigel]

Love the mentions in this thread. I'll have to pick some of them up. I would suggest "The Glory of their Times" for anyone who loves reading about old time baseball players or love the history of the sport. It's broken into 20+ chapters, each with one player talking about their lives and how they got into baseball and what they thought about players they played against, etc.

"Ball Four" by Jim Bouton is another that is worth a read. It's about his life through the 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots. It was fairly controversial at the time because it gave the reader a look into the clubhouse. It's not all about the baseball aspect and can be pretty funny at times.

[Alan Ehlers]

Ball Four is a great book, I should have put it on the list, The Glory of their times is another great book. I just got done reading a book about the 1906 World Series which was very good. Eight Men Out by Asdinov is very good also

[John]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! I really enjoy a good baseball book; I'll make it a point to pick up these two.

[Maulers]

I'm a bit late on this, but here goes. My baseball reading tends toward non-fiction, so:
Baseball's Great Experiment - Jules Tygiel
Juiced - Howard Bryant
Pitching in a Pinch - Christy Mathewson
Our Game - Charles Alexander
If I Had a Hammer - Hank Aaron

There are probably others that I'm too addled to remember.

[Denny]

I've read very few baseball books, but I did enjoy the novel Bang the Drum Slowly, by Mark Harris.

Apparently he wrote three other books featuring the same protagonist (pitcher Henry "Author" Wiggen), which might be worth checking out as well. In order, they are:
The Southpaw (1953)
Bang the Drum Slowly (1956)
A Ticket for a Seamstitch (1957)
It Looked Like For Ever (1979)

[Apollos]

Thanks - I just noticed your post and will check it out. I need a book for the Boy Scout high adventure trip coming up in August