I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally

by Jim Bouton

Former major league pitcher Jim Bouton's sequel to his famous "Ball Four" - one of the best baseball books ever written. Bouton writes about the reaction to the book from MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, fellow players and his publisher. Also, reviews from those who liked the book and lots more.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction, Biography, Humor, Memoir, Biography Memoir

220 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

James Alan Bouton (March 8, 1939 – July 10, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. Bouton played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves between 1962 and 1978. He was also a best-selling author, actor, activist, sportscaster and one of the creators of Big League Chew.

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book my husband brought me to read while I was in the hospital waiting for the birth of our first child! Hubby was an avid baseball fan so it didn't surprise me that this was his choice. I gave the book a try and thoroughly enjoyed all the stories. Luckily I understood all the baseball terminology thanks to having attended many baseball games. I would recommend this for a fun read!

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

The followup to Bouton's classic Ball Four, this one basically is a recap of the reaction and reviews the first book received, his start of a new career after baseball, and a few more baseball anecdotes. All still with the classic Bouton wit.

[JBP · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Bouton's "Ball Four", a legendary book he wrote in 1969 that sort of blew the doors off the baseball world, this book is not nearly as good. Written right after the publication of "Ball Four", it's a hodgepodge of chapters dedicated mostly to the response Bouton received for writing that book--both from within and outside the baseball world. That only goes so far so 200+ pages talking about reactions to a book stops my interest fairly quick.

[Chris Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed the sequel and Bouton documenting all that happened as a result of Ball Four. An excellent companion piece for anyone who didn't get why the original created so much noise.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the one hand there is a little bit of the wit and charm of the original Ball Four in here, but on the other hand this is a rushed self-confessed cash grab sequel that is extremely thin on content. There are a couple of fun stories and lines that make you think, but then there's entire sections of the books where Bouton is just regurgitating review and letters received on his first book which is nothing but filler. I like to read books cover to cover and the filler material was extremely tedious. Still, Bouton is a good writer and entertaining, I just wished he waited a year or two until he actually has something to talk about besides the fall out of his first book. The main premise of the book is that the stories he told about the locker room were mostly harmless. There are a few exceptions which I think are obvious, but Bouton has an easy personality and really doesn't mean any harm. I don't know why he wrote this book though. He has one other book I haven't read yet, hopefully when I get to it one day that one is more decent than this.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read this years ago and forgot I still had it sitting around. After listening to the Ball Four audiobook I figured I might as well read this again. It's OK, has some more good stories but is mostly a follow-up about how his life had gone in the past year or so. I think it was written too early after Ball Four though. I found the updates to Ball Four that he did later much better considering he had more years to really think about it all.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bouton wrote the seminal baseball tell all book "Ball Four". The problem with this book is that he did tell it all in "Ball Four" and this book did not have much to say. I didn't take it personally, but objectively this book deserved the black eye on the cover. I met Bouton in college and I have to say his personality comes through much better in person than it does in his book.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bouton on the praise, criticism, adulation, and fallout following the publication of Ball Four. This book is always funny and insightful, and allows Bouton to share more of his own life story with a level of candor and introspection we might all strive for in our own lives.

[Kenneth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ball Four Redux in which which Bouton discussed both the controversies and reactions to Ball Four, and the end of his original pitching career and his transition to becoming a New York sportscaster.
I found it as entertaining as "Ball Four".

[Joe Seliske · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about the publication of a book. Jim Bouton tells us the reaction to his previous book Ball Four. It is an interesting concept - the results are somewhat predictable. You can't really read this one without reading Ball Four first.

[Robert A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read Ball Four and found this in the free section of a bookstore. It just sounded like rambling to me about his life. Not as much about baseball, but how he became a broadcaster. I found the book boring.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1971. Humorous look at baseball.

[Paul Semendinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read this in decades and I loved it.

A great follow-up to Ball Four.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 3 out of 5]

not really a baseball fan and this is dated but still appropriate

[John Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to Ball Four. Not as good at the first, but if you read the first you would enjoy reading this one

[Bruce McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has fallen into obscurity as Bouton has updated Ball Four every decade or so since he originally wrote it. This book is about what happened immediately after Ball Four went to press - his season with the Astros, leaving baseball for a job as a sports anchor for ABC and fighting with not only the baseball establishment, but also the press regarding the contents of his book. Perhaps the most surprising thing to me is how several sports writers were upset with Bouton because of the contents of Ball Four.

While this book isn't as engaging or funny as Ball Four, it's a must read for fans of Bouton's original effort. The book drags a bit toward the end as Bouton recounts his issues with the publishing house regarding sales and marketing of Ball Four. Also, Bouton takes a victory lap by relishing in (and reprinting a portion of) many positive reviews that came from outside the world of baseball. But, its hard to blame him for beating his chest for a chapter or two. As Bouton writes, you can almost see a smirk emerging on his face.

My favorite part of the book is Bouton's meeting with baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. It's especially insightful how Bouton recounts Players Association president Marvin Miller pounding verbally on Kuhn during the meeting as Kuhn waffles about punishing Bouton for publishing Ball Four.

I also enjoyed the very end of the book as the author describes pitching for a semi-pro team and the feeling he gets from helping the team to win an important game. He goes from that right to a story how he watched - from the stands as a spectator - a game between his most recent club, the Houston Astros late in the season. He goes into some depth about what he'll miss about the game. "There are feelings I will never have again. I'll never again hang out in a bullpen. I'll never again sit on the bench all alone before a World Series game, looking casual while praying inside that I won't disgrace myself."

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this the year it came out, before Bouton's more justly famous "Ball Four." I remembered enjoying its humor. What I didn't remember is that most of it is about Bouton's career as an author and sportscaster, rather than about his baseball career. That's not nearly as interesting, and on second read, "I'm Glad" seems slight in comparison to the classic it followed. It's still funny, though, and a pleasant read.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A disappointment after Ball Four...but still great.

[Ron Kaplan · Rating 3 out of 5]

basbeall,Bouton

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to Ball Four...not as good, but still interesting.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny followup to Ball Four.

[David Wolowsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it five stars based on how I felt about it when I was in high school. I liked this book as much as I liked 'Ball Four'. One of the very few books I have read more than once.

[JohnM Koroly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine follow-up to "Ball Four." Splendid insight into fame, sports, hypocrisy, and loyalty. Bouton has an involving conversational style.