What's the best Baseball Book Fiction and Non you have read?

[uffda51]

Fiction - If I Never Get Back - Darryl Brock

Non - Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life In the Minor Leagues of Baseball - John Feinstein (probably because I just finished it). GOTT is also great.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by joeadcock

Agree on the BALL FOUR

I am re-reading Ball Four after having read it about 20 years ago....the new Netflix documentary on the Portland Mavericks inspired me to dig it out.

[VintageBall]

Our very own Hank Thomas wrote a GREAT bio about his grandfather, entitled Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train.

He had great material to draw from

And the writing is terrific.

[JakeStahl'sGloveSHows]

Originally Posted by bobbvc

"Ball Four" needs to be mentioned. Loved "Glory of their Times" also, but that's 2 Non-fiction.

Ahh Ball Four. Thanks for the reference. Many years since I read that but remember thoroughly enjoying it. Will need to re-read.

In 1972 I was 11 and in the hospital recovering from an emergency appendectomy. An Aunt gave me a copy of "This Great Game". It took my youthful love of baseball to another level. Hands down the most impactful baseball book for me. The photos were extraordinary, for that time. Here's a link to an article on it:
http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.co...-to-the-masses

Others I've enjoyed:
Moneyball (of course)
The Bronx Zoo
5 Seasons

[deadballfreaK]

As a deadball era fan The Glory of Their Times is far and away tops on my list, but I'll give an honorable mention to the late Jim Brosnan's The Long Season. Ball Four basically followed that book with a little more spice.

Haven't read much fiction. I'll take another book that has not been mentioned: The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglas Wallop. As a Yankee hater it had me from the title. I also like the movie Damn Yankees based off it, although it has a song or two that are clunkers.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

Originally Posted by bobbvc

"Ball Four" needs to be mentioned. Loved "Glory of their Times" also, but that's 2 Non-fiction.

I agree both are the best for each baseball era.

Best fiction I've read was Pete Rose's autobiography "My Story" where he adamantly denies gambling on baseball. (Of course he admitted he did gamble on games several years later).

[clydepepper]

The book that provided me with the most 'new' information at the time was the first Historical Abstract.

It was also broken up into bit-sized pieces for a ADD-type like myself: The ultimate easy read!

[tjv815]

For myself,being a Red Sox fan, it's Faithful by Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan. There are so many great books out there and I am with everyone giving a thumbs up on Glory of Their Times.
For fiction, I have to go with The Natural
This thread is great. I have been out for a while, recovering from a health related issue. I love to read, and being a teacher and a coach, and a married father of three, I don't have much free time. But I have done more reading this year than any I can recently remember. A lot of good next reads have been mentioned. I'm really leaning toward the Luckiest Man book as my next read.
TJ

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by VintageBall

Our very own Hank Thomas wrote a GREAT bio about his grandfather, entitled Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train.

He had great material to draw from

And the writing is terrific.

Yes! I highly recommend this one as well. Really, really great book.

[Wildfireschulte]

Great post - I agree that all the books named are worth a read. My picks:
Fiction: The Celebrant is hands down the best - the discussion is really about 2nd best. My pick is Eliot Asinof's (of Eight Men Out fame) "Man on Spikes" - will tug the heart strings like Mark Harris' series - Ring Lardner's "You Know me Al" is right behind - hilarious book.

Non-Fiction: The list of great ones is vast - anything from Joe Durso (Stengal and McGraw books come to mind) is outstanding, but I'll go with James T. Farrell's "My Baseball Diary". All of his fictional books have some baseball content including Studs Lonigan, another great read.

[irishdenny]

Very Surprised that No One's Mentioned(at lest I didn't See it mentioned in the thread!?)
"The Old Ball Game", it's about How John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, and the New York Giants Created Modern Baseball!
I thought it to be a Very Enjoyable Easy Read!
Frank Deford did a Wonderful Job Characterizing Matty & McGraw...
I Highly Recommend it!!!

[BosseFieldBoy]

Cobb biography by Al Stump...although I don't know if it's better characterized as fiction or non-fiction.

[cubsguy1969]

I don't think anyone mentioned this for fiction. Tom DeLillo's novel "Underworld," which isn't really a baseball book, opens with a novella he wrote called "Pafko at the Wall" about "The Shot Heard Round the World." It's an amazing piece of writing. The opening is about a young boy who catches the homerun ball, and the ball is referenced continually through the book, which is a larger story.
Great novel, though it's been years since I read it. need to dig it out and read it again.
Rob

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Yes! I highly recommend this one as well. Really, really great book.

Thanks so much, guys. Made my day!

[GehrigFan]

One I am reading now is a very early book by Cap Anson. It is "A Ball Player's Career Being the Personal Experiences and Reminiscensces of Adrian C. Anson." Seach amazon under "adrian anson" and it will come up. Right now, it is available as a free Kindle download. You don't need a kindle to read it. Android, iPhone and tablet/pad users can download a Kindle app for free off amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Players-Career...s=adrian+anson


I also have been reading some of the earlier biographies on Lou Gehrig, my personal favorite. They were simple, and written more for young boys probably, but I love the innocence of the books and the stories about Lou's early life.

[clydepepper]

Thanks to all for helping me (not) curb my addition to Baseball Books. I picked up 'The Celebrant', 'The Universal Baseball Association', and Henry Thomas's bio of his grandfather, Walter Johnson. I look forward to loosing myself in the pages of each.

I also came across and purchased what looks like a great read, 'Baseball in the Garden of Eden' 'The Secret History of the Early Game' - by John Thorn

I may have to miss a few Braves' games to get all this read. Maybe it's not too late for me to learn how to multi-task...oh well, we will see...

[autocentral]

The Soul of Baseball is a great book. Very different from the rest of the great baseball books.

-Nick

[almostdone]

I'm surprised "Miracle Ball" hasn't been mentioned. Great and easy read. Very fascinating journey about the search for Bobby Thompson's shot heard round the world baseball. Would highly recommend.
Drew

[AMBST95]

A lot of good books. I'm currently reading, "The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game" by Edward Achorn,

It's been a pretty good read, following the 1883 American Association pennant race from a St Louis approach. For someone who knows very little about 19th century baseball, it's been enjoyable.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by BosseFieldBoy

Cobb biography by Al Stump...although I don't know if it's better characterized as fiction or non-fiction.

Fiction. Definitely fiction. Stump is nothing but a fraud.

[Dewey]

Two year old thread bump.

Compiling my summer reading list. (I'm a teacher.) Came across this thread. Great suggestions. Just picked up Eig's book on Jackie Robinson's first season and Kinsella's Iowa's Baseball Conspiracy at a local used bookstore.

Recommend: A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Brothers K (not by Dostoevsky). Two great works of fiction tangentially related to baseball.

[VintageJay]

I'm surprised Eliot Asinof's Eight Men Out hasn't been mentioned, though I guess some would have a problem choosing it as fiction or non-fiction.

The Glory of Their Times was edited more than written by Lawrence Ritter, so I would go with Jonathan Eig's "Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig" as the greatest non-fiction work that I have ever read.
Eig's book on Capone is also well researched.

[egri]

If murder mysteries are your thing, I recommend the Mickey Rawlings series by Troy Soos. They're set around the end of the Dead Ball era/beginning of the live ball era. Soos does a great job of recreating the time period.

[deadballfreaK]

Well, I keep hearing "the Celebrant". Never heard of it, but looked it up on Amazon and for a penny and 4 bucks shipping I am the proud owner of a nice copy. Got it in today's mail, but too tired to start right now. It looks very promising.

Wally Yonamine from Hawaii The man who changed Japanese Baseball

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Ty Cobb - A Terrible Beauty by Charles Leerhsen is really good. Debunks using modern research methods most of what we thought we knew about Cobb. Lots of amazing detail about the players we talk about daily here on net54.

[Yoda]

For fiction, like many, have to go with "The Natural." What a tale!
For non fiction, "Matty and McGraw" by Frank Deford, but I might be prejudiced since my daughter, Lauren, is married to Chris, Frank's son. My copy has a nice personal inscription from Frank. What a nice man.

[slipk1068]

Short stories and fiction read Horseshoes or Alibi Ike by Ring Lardner? Good stuff

[slipk1068]

I will mention this one because it should be included.

Baseball When the Grass Was Real by Donald Honig

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Two books by Robert Creamer come to mind, one about Babe Ruth and the other focused on the 1941 season. I am not home at the moment to name the exact titles.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[ngrow9]

I'm partial to this one, myself, but I may be a tad bit biased:



http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Trial...eball+on+trial

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Fiction - Shoeless Joe

Non-fiction - Spalding's World Tour

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[jerseygary]

I'm rather partial to this book, though I have to admit, I wrote, illustrated and designed it...

[scotgreb]

I just finished listening to "The Glory of Their Times" and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fairly cheap on Audible and helped fill a few otherwise uneventful days of commuting.

It was great to hear several "old timers" being interviewed -- particularly Hans Lobert, Richard Marquard, and Fred Snodgrass.

Scott

[RTK]

A wonderful book not just about baseball but about life in general and one of the finest people to have lived on this earth, Buck O'Neil. It's a book I'll probably pick up and reread passages from over time.

[RTK]

The O'Neil book is almost a collection of life changing parables, a collection of Buck's baseball stories intertwined with life lessons. A really good read is Montville's Williams book.You get into the mind and era of a great hitter.

[RTK]

Another good book, at times myth busting, attempts at redemption, what could have been, colossal jerk...

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by RTK

The O'Neil book is almost a collection of life changing parables, a collection of Buck's baseball stories intertwined with life lessons. A really good read is Montville's Williams book.You get into the mind and era of a great hitter.

This one is GREAT.

[Tennis13]

A touch dated, but if anyone has any kids, when I was growing up I used to read every Matt Christopher book that was out there. Obviously, not age appropriate for us now, but if anyone has any kids, I loved that guy's stuff.

[Louieman]

Though tangential in the theme of baseball, I still would have to second DeLillo's Underworld as the best. Or for a fiction book more baseball-centric, Bang the Drum Slowly.

[Tabe]

I just finished "Fall From Grace", Tim Hornbaker's new biography of Shoeless Joe Jackson and it's terrific. Highly recommended.