OT: Read any good books lately?

[almostdone]

Well its that time of year again when my extended family wonder what to get me for Christmas. For the last few years I have asked on Net54 for any book suggestions. I always get some insight and pass the list along and inevitably end up with a good supply of baseball reading for the next year.

Instead of listing what I already have I will just leave it open for any and all suggestions as this might help benefit other reader on the boards as well. I'll add in a good list in a future post of what I have read and liked once we get this thread rolling.

Interests would be anything on vintage card collecting, baseball history but I usually stay away from biographies unless there is one you just have to tell about, also love the growth and expansion era of baseball (1940's through the 1970's) so anything relating to that, Brooklyn Dodgers and so on.

Let me know your thought and please feel free to share as much info to try and spread the love of a good book.

Drew

[WillowGrove]

The Last Good Season by Milton Shapiro. It's a really well researched book about the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn.

[KCRfan1]

After Many A Summer by Murphy. It's about the Giants and Dodgers leaving NY for LA and SF. The book goes into the history of both organizations and the ownership personalities.

[hoot-owl]

I don't think you can go wrong picking something off the Casey Award listing. Last year's winning book on Bill Veeck was a treat as were a few of the other finalists.

[johnmh71]

I am reading "Baseball When the Grass was Real" by Donald Honig. It has been around awhile and I am finding it to be an excellent read. Some great profiles and stories from players that played between the twenties and forties.

[atx840]

Which book(s) would you recommend for an accurate and entertaining account of the Black Sox Scandal? Thanks.

[byrone]

I don't think you can go wrong picking something off the Casey Award listing. Last year's winning book on Bill Veeck was a treat as were a few of the other finalists.

Does the new Veeck book add anything not covered in "Veeck as in Wreck" (which I read at least once a year)?

[almostdone]

Which book(s) would you recommend for an accurate and entertaining account of the Black Sox Scandal? Thanks.

I read "Eight Men Out: this past year and while it's obvious the dialogue was fabricated it did give a good insight into the leading up to story as well as the aftermath for the players. Been around for decades but still interesting and you can pick it up cheap all over the web

Drew

[slipk1068]

"The Fireside Book of Baseball" has always been my favorite, any volume. If you read, for example, Volume 4 you will immediately want to read the rest of the volumes. I believe there are 5 volumes total.

I am reading "Baseball When the Grass was Real" by Donald Honig. It has been around awhile and I am finding it to be an excellent read. Some great profiles and stories from players that played between the twenties and forties.

+1

Does the new Veeck book add anything not covered in "Veeck as in Wreck" (which I read at least once a year)?

"Veeck as in Wreck" and "The Hustlers Handbook" were both a LOT of fun

[Bored5000]

I highly recommend "Ed Delahanty in the Emerald Age of Baseball" by Jerrold Casway. The book really fleshes out Delahanty's personality and impact, with just the final chapter being dedicated to the fall. The book also gives lots of information on the 1890 Players' League and the contract jumping of the time.

As a lifelong Phillies fan. I loved the book because Casway also gives excellent information on the autocratic Phillies ownership of the era and 19th century Phillies Hall of Famers like Sam Thompson and Billy Hamilton. I mean, who knew that both Thompson and Hamilton were frugal men prepared for life after baseball?

[hoot-owl]

Does the new Veeck book add anything not covered in "Veeck as in Wreck" (which I read at least once a year)?

Dickson's Veeck book is thoroughly researched--and includes details from his youth to old age. From growing up almost as part of the Cubs organization (I believe his dad was a senior executive) to his time in the Marines; from his early days as a promoter with the minor league Milwaukee franchise to his different major league ownership efforts.

I had read Veeck as in Wreck years ago. I think Dickson's effort is the best biography of Veeck out there.

[Vintagecatcher]

My pick would be John Tortes "Chief " Meyers, A Baseball Biography by William A. Young.

It's a excellent read about one of my favorite players.


Patrick

[Wildfireschulte]

My favorite baseball book is The Celebrant by Eric Rolph Greenberg - great fictional account of Christy Mathewson's life - must read for any T-card collectors, but most of you already know that. Also, I recognize the Drew is asking about current books, but Barry Slots article in Issue #3 of V&CBC is an amazing reference for Rare and Historical baseball books. Books are a tough sell these days unless you have one of the gems from that article - all great.

For relatively current books, given Lou Brissie's recent passing, my next read is going to be The Corporal was a Pitcher - forgot it was on the shelf until I read his obit.

http://http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/turkeyred3/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5b735004.jpg (http://s970.photobucket.com/user/turkeyred3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5b735004.jpg.html)

[Prince Hal]

I just read a new book "One Summer:America,1927" by Bill Bryson. Really good coverage of the 1927 baseball season and Babe Ruth along with putting it on context of the era. Also, if you dont have them, there are to coffee table books with the Charles Conlon photos called "The Big Show" and "Baseball's Golden Age". Last, a must have for any baseball card fan and one of the funniest books I have ever read is "The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book" by Brendan Boyd. Enjoy!

[bwbc917]

Banzai Babe Ruth by Robert Fitts was the best I've read lately.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Great new book on the deadball era, SMOKY JOE WOOD by Gerald Wood (no relation I don't think.)

Great read on his pitching years, the comeback as an outfielder and his long xareer at Yale.

[Guru]

Just finished reading "Mint Condition" and "The Card". Just stared "Babe". Pretty good so far.

[jp1216]

More of a modern book - '33 Year-old rookie' is a well written autobiography by Chris Coste. Played against him in HS and college. Great guy. Never imagined watching him winning the '08 World Series with Philly. The newer edition has the WS included.

[Koufax32fan]

I just finished Connie Mack's '29 Triumph, by Bill Kashatus. I learned a lot about Mack, the Athletics and the players of that time. I am a bit behind, so I just started Jane Leavey's biography of Mickey Mantle.

[pclpads]

Haven't read it yet, since it is only being released today, but a new one on Teddy Ballgame, entitled, "The Kid," by Ben Bradlee, Jr., has promise. Was reviewed Sun. in the LA Times book section. At 800+ pages, s'posed to be the definitive book on Williams. $35.

[ErikV]

Chris,

If your looking for a well researched and accurate account of the 1919
World Series Scandal, I would recommend Burying the Black Sox by
Gene Carney. I knew Gene pretty well as we exchanged many emails.
He was considered an expert in the Black Sox field and authored scholarly
work. He passed away a few years ago.

His book can be purchased through Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Burying-Black-Sox-Baseballs-Succeeded/dp/1597971081/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386107411&sr=8-1&keywords=Gene+carney

ErikV

[bgar3]

Just finished THE 34-TON BAT by Steve Rushkin (2013), fun, full of odd facts and stories, nice read and lots of connections to memorabilia. probably mentioned before somewhere but all the Soos books are good, and THE CINCINNATI RED STALKINGS has the added benefit of being about memorabilia from the 1869 red stockings.

[tbob]

A few great reads in very nice condition now in the B/S/T auction section for peanuts (ends 12-13). Includes Addie Joss, Havana Heat (Dummy Taylor) and The Celebrant (Matty).
Shameful plug :-)

[oldphil]

Not exactly pre-war but I thoroughly enjoyed "Baseball Letters: A Fan's Correspondence with his Heroes" by Seth Swirsky. He also wrote "Every Pitcher Tells a Story" which is also a good read.

[the 'stache]

I recently started Christy Mathewson's "Pitching in a Pinch: Baseball From the Inside" (thank you again, Sean!)

Fascinating read thus far. I was immediately struck by the nuances of our language back then.

Also interesting to me was Matty's assertion that Joe Tinker was the toughest batter he'd ever faced (at least as of 1912 when the book was published). If ever there were an example of how statistics don't tell the whole story, this is it.

I can't wait to get to the part where he talks about Fred Merkle. :D

[cardsfan73]

The Glory of Their Times: The Story of the Early Days of Baseball Told by the Men Who Played It by Lawrence S. Ritter. Good stuff!