My favorite baseball book has to be "Big Hair and Plastic Grass" by Dan Epstein. It's a really, really fun read. If you like that, you'll also like "Stars and Strikes" also by Dan Epstein.
I'm currently reading "1981: Split Season" by Jeff Katz about, what else, but the 1981 season and the players strike and "Up, Up, and Away" by Jonah Keri about the history of the Montreal Expos.
I second Adam's recommendation of Big Hair and Plastic Grass, one of my favorites. I also REALLY like Cardboard Gods by Josh Wilker. You can grab a copy for $8 on Amazon currently, you won't regret it!
I think I picked up A False Spring from your recommendation last year - I can't remember who suggested it, but it was from a similar post on the blogs.
"Ball Four" is my all-time favorite baseball book, also read one recently called "You Gotta Have Wa" which was an excellent chronicle on Japanese baseball with a focus on the Americans that have gone overseas to play in the NPB.
It's not a full-on baseball book, but I highly recommend "Cardboard Gods" by Josh Wilker if you haven't read that one yet. It's more of a memoir told through the card collection of the author's youth. Well written and a ton of awesome photos of cards from the '70s and '80s, to boot.
I'm currently reading Full Count: Four Decades of Blue Jays Baseball I've read the first two Dirk Hayhurst books (want to read the third) Rob Neyer Big Book Of Baseball... (Lineups, Blunders, and Legends) The Second Bill Lee Book. Up Up And Away From Ecstasy to Agony: How the Best Team in Baseball ended up in Washington Ten Years Later For novels, I've read Shoeless Joe and If I Never Get Back, and Slider by Patrick Robinson.
My favorite is a collection of essays by Bart Giamatti called "A Great and Glorious Game." It's outstanding. I'm about halfway through "Calico Joe" by John Grisham. It's reminiscent of "The Natural" and I think it's pretty good. "Bang the Drum Slowly" is also a favorite.
My favorite baseball book has to be "Big Hair and Plastic Grass" by Dan Epstein. It's a really, really fun read. If you like that, you'll also like "Stars and Strikes" also by Dan Epstein.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading "1981: Split Season" by Jeff Katz about, what else, but the 1981 season and the players strike and "Up, Up, and Away" by Jonah Keri about the history of the Montreal Expos.
I have Stars and Strikes, but I haven't read Big Hair yet. Thanks for the recommendations!
DeleteBIG HAIR is an excellent read. Epstein is one of my favorite authors.
DeleteIt's an older book but "Glory of their Times "
ReplyDeleteYes, one of my favorites too! Do you have a favorite Red Sox biography?
Delete"The Kid ". Ted Williams biography or "Teamates ". About Pesky, Doerr,D.Dimaggio and T. Williams
DeleteThanks! I figured you would know some good ones.
DeleteI second Adam's recommendation of Big Hair and Plastic Grass, one of my favorites. I also REALLY like Cardboard Gods by Josh Wilker. You can grab a copy for $8 on Amazon currently, you won't regret it!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read these yet, thanks for the recommendations!
DeleteI've always considered myself an avid reader. That being said a couple of my favorite baseball books are (in no particular order):
ReplyDeleteWhere Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein (Triple A baseball)
Temporary Insanity by Jay Johnstone (a bit dated but great baseball anecdotes)
Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere by Lucas Mann
Great recommendations, I hadn't heard of those yet, thanks!
DeleteJust finished this new Shoeless Joe bio Excellent
ReplyDeleteOh that looks promising!
DeleteWas going to recommend A False Spring but I looked closer at the pic. And every baseball fan should read Ball Four.
ReplyDeleteI think I picked up A False Spring from your recommendation last year - I can't remember who suggested it, but it was from a similar post on the blogs.
Delete"Ball Four" is my all-time favorite baseball book, also read one recently called "You Gotta Have Wa" which was an excellent chronicle on Japanese baseball with a focus on the Americans that have gone overseas to play in the NPB.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a full-on baseball book, but I highly recommend "Cardboard Gods" by Josh Wilker if you haven't read that one yet. It's more of a memoir told through the card collection of the author's youth. Well written and a ton of awesome photos of cards from the '70s and '80s, to boot.
"You Gotta Have Wa"--I'll second this recommendation.
DeleteThat's awesome, I haven't read any books on baseball in Japan, thanks for the recommendations!
DeleteBall Four is probably my favorite. The Bullpen Gospels by former major leaguer Dirk Hayhurst is really good too.
ReplyDeleteI read "out of my league" by Hayhurst, but I missed the bullpen gospels, I should go back to check it out!
DeleteIn no particular order:
ReplyDelete1. The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract Second Edition: tons of fun to see the rankings of players historically. Outdated, but still fun.
2. Only the Ball Was White: A great history of the Negro Leagues
3. Nine Innings by Daniel Okrent. I'm biased because it's about the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers, but it is a very well written book
Oh, and the two season "biographies" by Jim Brosnan "The Long Season" and "Pennant Race". It's like Ball Four but without all the fart jokes.
DeleteI always enjoyed Okrent on the Ken Burns documentary, haven't read his work yet, I should get on that. Thanks for the recommendations!
DeleteMy most recent baseball book was Billy Martin: Baseball's Flawed Genius pretty decent read.
ReplyDeleteI expect nothing less than a fascinating read if Billy is the subject - I will be on the lookout for that one!
DeleteI recommend "The Teammates" by David Halberstam and "Shoeless Joe" (The novel that inspired Field Of Dreams) by W.P. Kinsella.
ReplyDeleteBoys of Summer by Halberstam was one of my favorites. I read Shoeless Joe a long time ago, I don't have a copy, though, I will have to find one!
DeleteI'm currently reading Full Count: Four Decades of Blue Jays Baseball
ReplyDeleteI've read the first two Dirk Hayhurst books (want to read the third) Rob Neyer Big Book Of Baseball... (Lineups, Blunders, and Legends)
The Second Bill Lee Book.
Up Up And Away
From Ecstasy to Agony: How the Best Team in Baseball ended up in Washington Ten Years Later
For novels, I've read Shoeless Joe and If I Never Get Back, and Slider by Patrick Robinson.
Nice! Thanks for all the suggestions!
DeleteMy favorite is a collection of essays by Bart Giamatti called "A Great and Glorious Game." It's outstanding.
ReplyDeleteI'm about halfway through "Calico Joe" by John Grisham. It's reminiscent of "The Natural" and I think it's pretty good. "Bang the Drum Slowly" is also a favorite.
Oh yeah.. I read Calico Joe.. I enjoyed it.
Delete