Recommended Reading for the New Year

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Posted By: PASJD

For anyone who doubts that baseball is the heart and soul of America, read the first section of Dom DeLillo's book "Underworld" which is a literary account (but, as I understand it, faithful to the facts) of the epic 1951 Giant/Dodger playoff game culminating of course in Thomson's home run. It is truly remarkable. Almost as wonderful, and you can find this in various collections of great sportswriting, is John Updike's "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu," originally written for the New Yorker about Williams' final game and remarkable home run on his final swing. "Gods do not answer letters" was Updike's explanation of why Williams did not come out of the dugout for a curtain call. Finally, Field of Dreams was a fine movie, but the book (Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella) is much more complex and truly riveting.