Book thread

[pioneer98]

I just finished Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere by Lucas Mann. It is about the 2010 Clinton Lumberkings (the Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners). He got locker room access to the the team, and became friends with a lot of the players and fans. Mann is just out of college, so he's not much older than the players. This is his first book. He covers pretty much every possible angle you can think of (history of baseball in Clinton and the town itself, players on and off the field, international players integrating, diehard fans, front office, etc).

The stories that stuck with me the most are the ones about fans he became friends with. It is not a happy book. Clinton has had a rough few decades. Despite that, baseball fans anywhere can relate on some level to what they are going through. We've even discussed some of the themes on this message board. For example: How do you cope with losing? What will happen if our favorite sport loses relevance? Why do we keep memorabilia? Among others.

Mann is from New York and now teaches at the University of Iowa. I expected the usual level of arrogance, but I have to admit he gave them a fair treatment. Especially compared with how things usually go when a New Yorker is transplanted to Clinton, IA.

His writing style takes some getting used to. Part of the problem was the editing. Some repeated facts and side tangents I could have done without. I almost stopped reading halfway through at one pretty rough spot, but I was glad I decided to plow through it. The final chapter was my favorite.

Read this book if you want to know the trials and tribulations of a minor league baseball team, or if you are interested in how residents of a Midwest town cope with a brutal economy, or if you want to learn about players that got their big break at age 15 at a recruiting complex in Venezuela.

[ghostrunner]

Elmore Leonard passed away. I never have read any of his books, but I'm a fan of several adaptations of his stories. Justified and Out of Sight in particular. Jackie Brown is based on Rum Punch. 3:10 to Yuma was based on his short story of the same name.

[Freed Roger]

I've stumbled across a collection of articles by Jim Harrison. "Just Before Dark" Food reviews ( he's a "food bully), sport, travel, fishing, rural endeavors- all doused with grand self-absorbtion, cynicism, yet a zest for life. And most written 25 to 40+ years ago -time capsule element to it.-this guy used to hold his own with Orson Welles, Jon Huston. Great stuff.


a http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/25/books ... d=all&_r=0 wi

[Jocephus]

this is probably been posted before but thought it was kinda cool

http://undergroundnewyorkpubliclibrary.com/

The Underground New York Public Library is a visual library featuring the Reading-Riders of the NYC subways.

[go birds]

finna start Confederacy of Dunces

[JackofDiamonds]

O Fortuna! How much Boethius have you read and how's your pyloric valve?

[heyzeus]

finna start Confederacy of Dunces

Better start eating hot dogs in prep.

[The Third Man]

Grabbed the new Pynchon. Between this and GTA5 on the same day, my brain is suffering target confusion. Plus I'm exhausted.

[JackofDiamonds]

Grabbed the new Pynchon. Between this and GTA5 on the same day, my brain is suffering target confusion. Plus I'm exhausted.

Forgot that was coming out! That's exciting.

[Maclowery]

Finished a cool Richard Morgan pulpy sci fi book, Thirteen. I rarely get out of my wheelhouse - gritty fantasy - but he spins off a good yarn. His Altered Carbon trilogy is about the only sci fi I have really enjoyed in the past few years.

I am gutting it up for a reread of R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing trilogy (and the finished two of the followup trilogy) which is the craziest, mos5 difficult, intense series I have ever read. If you are into Game of Thrones, Bakker is close, only absurdly more difficult and utterly rewarding. Be prepared for lots of complex philosophical diatribes, extremely explicit violence and sex, and an unforgettable climax.

His finale to the second trilogy (The Aspect Emperor) is bar none my most anticipated upcoming fantasy novel. The 4th and 5th books are just insane. I can't rave enough. I have to read simpler, easier stuff at the same time just for a breather.