Book-A-Thon 2: Electric Bookaloo

by soco on Oct 13, 2011 12:18 AM EDT

With the offseason starting some of us will looking around in every direction for a way to satisfy the baseball itch. Luckily the game of baseball has a wide variety of side pursuits, that while might not replace the game can at least distract while we wait for spring. Baseball simulator games, softball and baseball leagues, films and books created to document and celebrate the game. These are all ways to hold on to summer well after it has lost its glow.

Last year I tried out a book series. I challenged myself, and anyone who was crazy enough to join me, to read a baseball book a month. We then attempted to talk about the book. The conversation afterwards never really developed, for which I take responsibility, but for me it was not completely about the discussion. It was reading and discovering baseball books that I might have passed by.

So I'd like to try it again this year. Last year we read 5 books. This year I want to do the same, or perhaps 4 if that's more agreeable. The point isn't to read all of the books. Read what you can, or want to read.

If you're going to have a reading series, you need some books. I'd like to open the floor for suggestions, from which we'll attempt to narrow down to a slate to vote on. I'll start off with some suggestions, but feel free to respond in the comments with your own, or if you're even interested in participating in the Book-A-Thon 2.

Fiction

Shoeless Joe by WP Kinsella

the Southpaw by Mark Harris

Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris

the Brothers K by David James Duncan

the Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J Henry Waugh, Prop. by Robert Coover

the Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Biographies

Willie Mays: the Life, the Legend by James S Hirsch

Veeck--As in Wreck by Bill Veeck

Cardboard Gods by Josh Wilker

Campy: the Two Lives of Roy Campanella by Neil Lanctot

Misc.

Summer of '49 by David Halberstam

56-Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports by Kostya Kennedy

Eight Men Out by Elliot Asinof

The Machine by Joe Posnanski

That should be enough books to get things started. Obviously if you have books you'd like to suggest, then do so in the comments.

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Some books i'd highly reccommend are

Joe Garagiola’s- Just Play Ball
The Last Best League- about the Cape Cod League
Roger Clemens- The Rocket That Fell To Earth

by Shaggy22 on Oct 13, 2011 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

I've

been meaning to read The Last Best League. I tried to buy it while on vacation this summer, but I couldn’t remember the exact title when I downloaded the ebook and accidentally bought The Last Real Season. It was an okay book, but a disappointment after thinking I was going to read about the Cape Cod League, instead of the 70’s Texas Rangers.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Oct 13, 2011 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Fine list soco

I’m most interested in Harbach, Veeck, Coover and Halberstam…probably in that order…also recommend Glory of Their Times, a transcribed oral testimony of turn of the century baseball and America…and a quick, easy read.

by Diamondhacks on Oct 14, 2011 2:11 AM EDT reply actions

I wasn't

a huge fan of Harbach’s book, but I think it’s worth a read (just not necessarily a buy). Coover’s book is about to be republished, so I have one on order. I read Halberstam’s October of 64, and that was fantastic.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Oct 14, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Glory of Their Times

is a great and fun read.

I got nothin'.

by Bcawz on Oct 14, 2011 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I think some shy away from it when they hear it’s just a bunch of octogenarians reminiscing, which is too bad, cuz Ritter delivers such a rich, barely filtered document of what baseball – and the country – was really like.

Not always better, either. Maybe that’s why I thought it might make a good ‘discussion’ book.

by Diamondhacks on Oct 15, 2011 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm afraid

I’ll have to pass on this, soco. You’ve got some great sounding books there, but Mom has given me a booklist with 48 different books on it that I need to read over the off season. Fun! (No really, it is, but that is a lot of books even for me)

After 94 wins, and a trip to the NLDS, #InGibbyWeTrust!

by imstillhungry95 on Oct 14, 2011 7:09 PM EDT reply actions

Holy crap

I’ve read about 48 books over the course of this year. 48 books over 5 months is a little extreme.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Oct 15, 2011 1:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I read really fast

and a lot too, so it’s not bad for me. I do realize though, I’m not like other people when it comes to books. I’ve been known to sit down with 700 page books and finish them in one or two sittings.

Have we arrived at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick yet?

by imstillhungry95 on Oct 15, 2011 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

It should

help with the long wait until spring training, though

Have we arrived at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick yet?

by imstillhungry95 on Oct 15, 2011 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

So is there any

legitimate interest for this? Otherwise I’mma just let it die.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Oct 20, 2011 9:52 AM EDT reply actions

How many charismatic geniuses

amount to a Bookaloo quorum? You’re in. I’m in. If you doubt this bookaloo’s already ‘electric’, then probably one of us is not current.

I’ll commit to reading at least the first book. You pick it (preferably any fiction title, or one of the other three I mentioned).

by Diamondhacks on Oct 20, 2011 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd be fine

with one other person, I just don’t want to go to the effort of making Fan Posts about books that no one will comment on. So if you’re in I’m going to wait to see if anyone else wants to participate before we pick books.

Tomorrow is another day.

by soco on Oct 21, 2011 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions