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Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big Dr Who fan. Of all the TV I've watched over my lifetime, I daresay Doctor Who is probably my favorite show of all time. Without boring you with the entire history here, the TV show went off the air in 1989 (after running for 26 years). There was an attempt to revive it in 1996, but it didn't get off the ground past a pilot movie. It finally returned to the TV in the spring of 2005. I was cautious, as I didn't know how the show would play out now, 16 years after it ceased being on the air. But I shouldn't have been worried, it was a tremendous success - was renewed for two more years after the one in 2005. The show was fabulous, and not just because there was new stuff. My wife, who abhors the show watched a few, and genuinely liked them.
The new series is where this book comes in. "Back to the Vortex" was written by an old friend of mine Jim Lyon (who now goes by the name Shaun Lyon). It's a superbly detailed behind the scenes story of the making of the new series from how it came about to the press on it's return, to the actual physical shooting, plus a lot more. It's got a level of detail that might overwhelm some readers. One part that almost bored me was the bits about shooting. As I don't live in Cardiff Wales, the acutal locations mean little to me. Several sections of the production areas of the book were "OK, filiming was done here, and they shot until the darnkess.." After several such lines like that, they all seemed to blur together. it's my only fault with the book.
After the book gets to the point of the show being on the air, it switches to programme guide mode, where each episode is broken down into several parts, it's an extremely detailed guide, offering both a factual, and opinionated look at the story in question. There's also an appendix discussing ratings, and other information.
If you like Doctor Who, and have been lucky enough to see the series (as of Dec 2005, it has yet to air anywhere in the US, nor are there any current plans to do so (on TV anyway, it comes out on DVD in Feb 06)), then you should check the book. Some of it reads like a reference guide, but I guess that's what the book is.
Also make sure and visit Lyon's Outpost Gallifrey website, it's by far the best Doctor Who site on the net.
Tonight I was looking through my nightstand in my bedroom for something, and realized what a horrifically large number of books I have on the "to read" pile. It's taken up the entire lower drawer of my nightstand, so many that nothing else can fit in there.
I also haven't read much in the last several months. The last book I read was a Doctor Who Book called Heart of Tardis, which I thought was really bad. I read it mostly on a flight home from visiting family this past July. However, I got about 35 pages left in it, and I realized I still had no idea what was really going on. It was very confusing, and quite frankly, I felt that 200 or so pages into it you should have an idea what was going on. I didn't, and decided on Jan 2nd, 2005 to finally abandon a book I was not having any fun reading 6 months ago.
However, my point was not really to write about the Doctor Who book, but the state of my to read list. I noticed that quite a few books were not in my online version of the to be read list. So I brought it all up to speed. Check out my books page, where you can read reviews of various books I've read, things I'm currently reading, and the all too large list of books I still need to read (which totals TWENTY NINE).
Josh Lewin is the regular play-by-play broadcaster for the Texas Rangers. This past fall, he put out a book called "Getting in the Game: Inside Baseball's Winter Meetings". This is the story of both the outside and inside of some folks trying to break into baseball to follow a dream. It deals with how some kids (and not kids) try to get broadcasting, mascot jobs, or just about anything with a minor league team.
That sound boring? It's not. The book has a nice sense of humour about it, and there's some wonderfully funny stories about what goes on at these things (I loved the potato story a lot, as well as numerous others). Josh Lewin has a very entertaining way of broadcasting baseball games, and he seems to have tied up several stories regarding how to break in, how those who hire do the hiring, and the tribulations of some job seekers rushing all over themselves to get low paying or even no paying jobs, just to say they have a job in baseball.
If there's one criticism of the book, it's that I found it hard to follow sometimes where things were going. This isn't a fiction, so things aren't going to always be neatly in a row - but I got confused sometimes as to who was who in terms of the job seekers. But that's a minor quibble, it might just be me not paying attention well enough.
A nice bonus to me was some talk with Dave Raymond, the man who originated the Philly Phanatic character. As I'm from Philadelphia, and grew up with the Phanatic, it was nice to hear some stuff from Mr. Raymond. It's not like he's the main crux of the book (far from it), but it was nice to see him pop up here.
If you like to follow the inner workings of baseball, you're sure to love this book. If you're the kind of casual baseball fan who has trouble watching the game on TV, or when they're at the park gets more worked up going for beer and hot dogs, this might not be for you, then.
This book isn't big (128 pages), and it isn't that wordy (about 80% of the pages are taken up with pictures). But it is fascinating if you like Philadelphia, and you like history.
This book takes 60 locations and has pictures of them. The first part is an "early" picture anywhere from 1859-1952. Then there's a picture on the next page which is more modern (1986-1988). There's also a paragraph or so with each picture describing the area as it was in the old days, and now (the book was published in 1988). If you know the areas well, it's a wonderful jog down memory lane for one's own memory.
It's a very fast read - I got through the entire thing cover to cover in well under an hour. I also wished the pictures (the modern ones anyway, the old time ones can't be helped) were in color, but other than that, it was rather enjoyable. If you're a fan of Philadelphia, and history, I recommend it.
I finished this book in December of 2003. I've had it on my pile of books to read since the start of the 2003 season. I take too long to read books - probably because my pile to read is massive! :) Anyway...
This book was billed as some major expose on the inner workings and mind of Billy Beane - General Manager of the Oakland A's, and how he continues to make things work with no money against teams (mostly the Yankees) with significantly larger budgets. And for the most part, that's what it did.
Did I enjoy this? Absolutely yes - I totally enjoyed parts of it (the draft day stuff, Beane's behaviour in the park). But other parts bored me. For some reason we got an entire chapter on how A's pitcher Chad Bradford grew up as a kid. That's fine and all, but I don't see how that was germaine to the book. I also was a bit bored about Beane's time in the minors and what his life was like as a player. Yeah, I understand it's background to why he does what he does now, but quite frankly, it bored me.
But once the book got out of that, it was wonderful! Lots of insight into how a major league general manager's mind works - or at least Beane's. I agree there's something to sabremetrics (sp?) and it certainly seems to work for him. What I took away from this is that he seemed a bit naieve to think his way is the only way to do things, though. Running has it's uses. I get the impression that if he could, Beane would have every run scored on a bases loaded walk. :)
However, that's a lot of nitpicking on my part - the book is an enjoyable read. Provided you enjoy the "business" of baseball. If you don't enjoy the biz side of the sport, you probably wouldn't enjoy this book.
My wife got me this book for my birthday, and it seemed like a book right up my alley. I love baseball, and I love keeping track of players from the past, and where they travel during their careers. This book does a wonderful job of bringing together lists of players for all the current (and some historical) teams. Rob Neyer picks the best players on a team, a "B" team of greatest players, then other categories like "Best Single Season", "Gold Glove", "Iron Glove", "Past their prime", "Traded Away", and others. I, of course immediately looked at the two teams I'm most familiar with, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Texas Rangers. I read those, and it was a like "COOL!"; I loved seeing all these player names. I was excited about reading this book, so I started in from the front of the book.
And that's where the problems started. For awhile, it was cool reading all the lineups and players. But after awhile, the amount of players I'd never heard of really sucked the enjoyment and rush I got when first picking up the book out of me. I had to force myself to finish it, and while I can put the book in the "I enjoyed it" group, it's not by much. I'm 38 as I write this in October 2003, and a lot of the players are people I'd never heard of, and as the pages wore on, it just became a big mishmash of players that I dint' care to be reading.
I did enjoy the sections on players who joined the team past their prime (like Pete Rose in Montreal, Richie Ashburn for the NY Mets, things like that). But overall, as one other review I read about this book said, "...my eyes started to gloss over".
If you're a stat hound, you'll probably dig this book. I don't want to sound like I'm totally dumping on it, it was enjoyable, but wasn't something I could read quickly, nor something that I can say I'd want to read again, although I will keep it around as a "reference" book of sorts. Kudos to Rob Neyer for the extreme research I'm sure in putting all this together.
I was home visiting family recently, and when I left, I borrowed this book from my brother for the flight home. It's 280 or so pages, and I read the entire thing waiting for my plane in the terminal, and for about the first 45 minutes of the flight. I flew through it pretty good, and I don't know if that's because the book is good, or I was bored.
The book was pretty decent - I generally tend to get suckered in by books that proport to tell a story of a single event in an already existing universe that we don't get to see on screen. In this case, it's the "final adventure of the original crew". Which is an odd phrase for the book, because the bulk of the story has Kirk, Chekov, & Scotty in it. The remainder of the original crew is barely there, and only superficially involved with the main plot of the story. We do get Kirk's two nephews from his rarely mentioned brother. This story takes place right before the events of movie #7, "Star Trek Generations". There's a lot of characters in it that play a MAJOR part in the story, but are new characters. This almost reads like a fan story - "Hey, let's put me in the story at the expense of some other character(s)". It's not quite like that, but I've read enough of those kinds of stories in the past, that this somewhat feels that way. I suppose it's just a gripe at seeing McCoy, Uhura, Spock, and Sulu relegated to backgrond status when this was billed as an original crew adventure.
That said, the book was enjoyable, if a bit predictable. Definitely a bunch of "I'm old - I'm useless" stuff from Kirk, which seemed to be a theme of the latter original crew adventures. Still, it was a good read - I can't say it's my most recommended book, but I did enjoy it. I also felt that the main villian of the story "gave up" a bit too quickly, and the reason he was coerced into giving up was well.. never explained, so it felt really rushed and cheap to me.
I'm glad I borrowed the book from my brother instead of buying it - you might want to see if your library has a copy of it to borrow it from them. If you're a Star Trek fan, it's probably worth a read, but I would have felt ripped off if I actually paid full price for the book.
Synopsis: Forget the perfect game. Forget the World Series rings. Forget the legendary carousing, the barroom brawling, the heavy-metal head-banging, and the endless supply of uncensored, often havoc-wreaking quotes. Forget the feuds with dumb-assed fans, wrong-headed managers and the entire city of Cleveland. Even if Perfect, I'm Not was to blindly (and insanely) ignore all those amazing aspects of David Wells' life as a major leaguer, his story would still bounce off these pages as a wildly entertaining and jaw-droppingly honest look at the game of baseball. Nothing less would be possible. Wells simply isn't wired for spin-doctoring. He has no "delete" button. He pulls no punches.In a sport that's now largely populated by a bland collection of well-dressed, personality-free, cliché -- spouting Stepford jocks, Wells clearly holds the title of "baseball's most beloved bad-ass".
From rookie ball amid the beer-soaked, frozen tundra of the Great White North, through Winter Ball amid the easy women and explosive diarrhea of Venezuela, Perfect I'm Not explores Boomer's long, strange, often insane climb through the minors. And from the Siberia of the Blue Jays' bullpen, through intensive training with a brilliant little Yoda known as Sparky Anderson, the book also examines how Boomer grew from a mediocre reliever, into a solid, reliable, hugely successful starter. From there, after tortured dealings with Marge Schott in Cincinatti, and Pat Gillick in Baltimore, the book follows Boomer deep inside the New York Yankees' dugout, right through the teams' fairy-tale seasons of '97 and '98. It stands with David on the mound through his legendary perfect game.
It documents his high-profile love affair with the night-life of New York City, and then explores just how devastating it felt to be unceremoniously dumped for Roger Clemens. Perfect I'm Not also follows Boomer through his chronic back pain of 2001, then surgery, rehab, uncertainty, and one pinstriped Christmas miracle, courtesy of Boss Steinbrenner. And though the 2002 season may have enjoyed a less than perfect climax, it nonetheless rounds out the book with a Yankees reunion that kept Boomer smiling from February, right into October.
Perfect I'm Not gives readers an unprecedented, all-access pass to every major league stadium in the country, providing a first-person perspective of life on the diamond, as well as an uncensored, warts-and-all, insider's guide to life inside locker-rooms, hotel rooms, planes, dugouts, buses, bedrooms, restaurants, titty-bars, and more. It's great fun. It's real. It's as close as you're ever gonna get to making the show.
Joe's Remarks: I never liked David Wells, mostly because I only knew him as a Yankee player. That alone is generally enough to get me not to like someone. :) I wanted to check this out solely because of the "hype" surrounding the book. And after having read the book, I have to wonder if the negative press surrounding the book and some of it's "expositions" weren't self inflicted. Read the book. It's a wonderfully entertaining read. He talks about all the problems he had in his life early on, from his time in the minors, to the boredom in the bullpen (although his story about getting women in the stands to flash them is awesome) to his battles with team management, and lots on the Yankees. I also got a charge out of his comments on former Reds owner Marge Schott, and her dog.
I have to admit that this book goes on my recommend list. It was a funny read, and for a baseball fan like myself, gives me some insight into the mind of a baseball player. I really enjoyed it. The link here is for the hardback edition of the book. There is a paperback version scheduled for release, but it's not currently slated until Mar 1, 2004. The hardback is available now.
Oh, BTW, if you're someone who isn't into the liberal use of foul language, you might want to stay away from the book. It's not like every third word is f this or f that, but there is definitely more than a smattering of f-bombs and the like in the book.
Synopsis: After decades of abuse and spittle, Major League umpire Durwood Merrill strikes back with some pretty incisive, funny, and no-holds-barred anecdotes. When his book stays in the game, it's a real hoot, light and folksy; how can you not laugh with a guy who can admit that "Folks around the American League say I've sent a few pitchers to the Hall of Fame before their time because my strike zone tends to swell like George Steinbrenner's ego"? It's his own ego, though, that has him swinging for the seats and coming up short; he's not much of a memoirist. Thankfully, like a good umpire, he keeps his personal interference to a minimum and mostly sticks to business, offering some tough prescriptions for what ails the game, and some solid dissection of the intricacies of his craft. His thoughts on Pete Rose might lead you to believe that Charlie Hustle is the book's title character.
Joe's Remarks: When I first bought this book, I wasn't quite sure what to think. I had heard a few negative things about it, and kind of had a prejudice against it. Boy, was that wrong! I found this to be a very funny, lighthearted read (for the most part). There's some really wonderful insights into what it takes to become a big league umpire - never quite realized all they went through in "Umpire boot camp" (my term). It's not all fun and games, there's a few stories about how an umpire friend of his was attacked and crippled on the streets of Dallas, and the latter part talks a lot about his charity works.
A great book - funny, light, and to be honest, something that surprised me in a very good way. What was personally annoying was that after I read this (during the last month of the 99 season), I wanted to watch Durwood, and then he up and retires during the playoffs. Damn. Really wanted to see him after reading his book. Oh well. Check it out, a good light read.
Synopsis: Assigned to cover the Texas Rangers for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in early 1973, gonzo sportswriter Mike Shropshire looked forward to the perks and padded expense account that went along with the job. He never dreamed he'd have to earn every penny--following arguably the worst team in baseball history. Full of wild games and wilder nights, and the exploits of some of the most extreme characters ever to play the game, this book is Shropshire's irreverent, behind-the-scenes look at the hell a truly pitiful team can raise between games and innings.
Joe's Remarks: I wasn't quite sure what to think of this one either. I bought it because of the tagline on the front about it being funny. I admit to not knowing a whole lot about the very early years of the Rangers (I didn't move here until 1992, and didn't really follow 'em until 1995), and the thought about reading a book all about them didn't thrill me.
However, I quickly found out that this was a hysterically funny book. Mike Shrophsire has a very funny wit, and isn't afraid to let it fly when talking about the Rangers of this era. His recollection of events is awesome, and makes for very funny reading. If you're a fan of the Rangers, or even if you're not, GET THIS! It's a very great read, although I don't recommend it for very small kids, as there's more than just one or two cuss words in there. Still, for adults, it's well worth it.
As of now, it appears to be out of print (unfortunately) - but the link I provide by clicking on the cover will allow you to order it. If you can find it on a bookstore shelf, get it now while you still can.
Synopsis: For more than half a century, Don Zimmer, baseball's beloved gerbil, has been the Zelig of the national pastime, the character in the corner of so many interesting pictures. He may have been only--as he likes to remind us throughout Zim: A Baseball Life--a .235 hitter, but he was a .235 hitter who played with Jackie Robinson on the only Brooklyn team to win a World Series. A year later, he was there, on the bench, when Don Larsen threw his perfect game. More than just an original Met, Zim was the first player ever photographed in a Mets uniform. As the Red Sox third-base coach in 1975, it was Zim who waved Carlton Fisk home in the bottom of the 12th to end the greatest World Series game ever played. Three years later, it was Zim, now the Sox manager, who watched in despair as Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent sealed one of the greatest late-season collapses in the annals of the game when Dent's pennant-winning homer settled into the net atop the Green Monster. Of course, it was Zim who led the Cubs, of all teams, to a rare postseason appearance, and, approaching 70 at the turn of the millennium, it was Zim who added four championship rings to his collection as Joe Torre's bench coach in the Bronx.
Bridging the gap between the game's early years of integration and the advent of the $200-million-plus contract, Zim hasn't just witnessed the history of the second half of 20th-century baseball, he's embodied it, and he remembers it with a genial charm and disarming honesty that turns Zim into one of the more spirited and beguiling baseball memoirs to step up in some time. "I've had a hell of a life," he admits with an amazed cheerfulness that's evident on every page. --Jeff Silverman
Joe's Remarks: I never was a big Don Zimmer fan until I saw the event that led to the caption of this book. I watched the game where he got hit in the head with a ball, and then came back out in a pith helmet. From that moment on, I was a Zimmer fan (as I am a Torre fan, even if I'm not a "Yankee" fan). Anyway, this book is a good read - Of course, I skipped to the chapter on his year or so as a Texas Rangers manager, which was my primary interest in reading the book. However, it's a lot more than that. If you get a chance, pick it up. It's good stuff.
Synopsis: Former high school ballplayer Brett Mandel yearned to experience a year in the minor leagues, so he convinced the Ogden (Utah) Raptors, about to embark on their maiden season, to let him chronicle that season from the perspective of a uniformed player. They agreed. The resulting saga describes the long bus rides, the bad food, the frustrations, and hopes that are all a part of baseball dreaming with affectionate good humor. The book's true life, though, steps up in the poignancy with which Mandel draws his teammates, young men destined for the most part to fall short of their great desire. As a player, Mandel went 0 for 5 on the year, proving that the pen, long deemed mightier than the sword, can be mightier than the bat, as well.
Joe's Remarks: What a wonderful book! I picked this one up, and it stayed in my stack of books to read for about 6 months. That was a mistake - I should have read it first. This is a great book if you're a fan of baseball, particularly if you're a fan of minor league baseball. This tells the story of Brett's year with the Ogden Raptors in 1994 from the start to the end of the season. Brett's writing style is very easy to read. I tend to do most of my reading before going to bed at night, which usually means I can take several sessions to actually finish a book, as I did with this one. Most books suffer from when you pick them up again, it's not that easy to jump right in where you left off. This one does not have that. For me, it lent itself great to reading it in chunks. Brett was on the Raptors for a whole year, and this book is his recollection of the travels, details, and behind the scenes things most people will never hear about. Check this out - this book has nothing to do with the Texas Rangers, but it's a great GREAT baseball book!
As an added bonus, I met the author during the summer of 2000 when Lynn & I went to Baltimore to see the Rangers play there. Brett and some friends were coming back from Cooperstown for the HOF induction ceremony, and were in Baltimore to see the Orioles play. He himself told me about the book, and we had a few moments talking about the Phillies, as we're both from there. I wish I would have already read the book at this point, but Brett was a great guy to meet in person, too!
