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My Cubs: A Love Story
NPR's Scott Simon's personal, heartfelt reflections on his beloved Chicago Cubs, replete with club lore, memorable anecdotes, frenetic fandom and wise and adoring intimacy that have made the world champion Cubbies baseball's most tortured—and now triumphant—franchise.
Heartbreak and hope. Charmed and haunted. My Cubs is Scott Simon’s love letter to his Chicago Cubs, World Series winners for the first time in over a century. Replete with personal reflections, club lore, memorable anecdotes, and tales of frenetic fandom , My Cubs recounts the franchise’s pivotal moments with the wise and adoring intimacy of a long-suffering devotee and Chicago native. Simon illustrates how the condition of “Cubness” has defined the life of so many Chicagoans and how the team’s fortunes became intertwined with the aspirations of its faithful. With the curse finally broken on November 2, 2016, My Cubs is the perfect portrayal of paradise lost and found.
Heartbreak and hope. Charmed and haunted. My Cubs is Scott Simon’s love letter to his Chicago Cubs, World Series winners for the first time in over a century. Replete with personal reflections, club lore, memorable anecdotes, and tales of frenetic fandom , My Cubs recounts the franchise’s pivotal moments with the wise and adoring intimacy of a long-suffering devotee and Chicago native. Simon illustrates how the condition of “Cubness” has defined the life of so many Chicagoans and how the team’s fortunes became intertwined with the aspirations of its faithful. With the curse finally broken on November 2, 2016, My Cubs is the perfect portrayal of paradise lost and found.
145 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2017
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493 people want to read
About the author
Scott Simon
51 books117 followersSCOTT SIMON is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters, having reported from all over the world and from many wars. He is now the award-winning host of Weekend Edition Saturday. With over 4 million listeners it is the most-listened to news program on NPR. Simon has won a Peabody and an Emmy for his reporting and also has over 1.2 million followers on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 17, 2019
Scott Simon is a Cubs fan. I am a Scott Simon fan. If you are a Cubs fan you will enjoy his book. If you are a Scott Simon fan, you must hear him read this book.
Yes, this is about the Cubs finally breaking the curse and winning a World Series for the first time in over a century. But, it is also a story about the Cubs baseball franchise and what it meant to a boy growing up on the North Side of Chicago. Simon was that boy and he lived close to Wrigley Field and his boyhood was the time when the Cubs only played day games and sometimes “played two.”
Simon tells an engaging story of his life and the history of his involvement with the Cubs. It involves family including his father, Charlie Grimm (a Cub legend) and Jack Brickhouse (who was the voice of the Cubs and elected to the MLB Hall of Fame). All of this is presented in a very easy going manner with many asides and literary allusions. Simon is generous. For instance, this is what he had to say about the team the Cubs faced in the 2016 Series.
“Our family feels a connection to Cleveland. It has much of the character we love about Chicago, a city of hardworking people who have a wink in their eye. Major League (the original, not its sequels ), in which fictional Cleveland Indians win the World Series, may not be as good a film as Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. But which one do you want to watch again with a pizza on Saturday night? ...We know what a World Series championship would mean to the city, and want nothing but the best for Cleveland. Just not against the Cubs. “
For those conversant with Cubs’ history, there is a touching section on Steve Bartman. It concludes: “I don’t believe in curses. But I like the idea of karma, or at least that good acts can lead to good results and bad acts won’t…they didn’t deserve to get into the World Series in 2003 because too many Cubs fans ridiculed and threatened a good man, Steve Bartman, just for behaving like a fan. In 2003, Cubs fans put a curse on our own team.”
In many ways, this is similar to an extended version of his contributions to NPR’s Weekend Edition. It’s “up-close and personal” and totally consistent with the book’s title. If you okay with that, you will probably enjoy this as much as I did.
Yes, this is about the Cubs finally breaking the curse and winning a World Series for the first time in over a century. But, it is also a story about the Cubs baseball franchise and what it meant to a boy growing up on the North Side of Chicago. Simon was that boy and he lived close to Wrigley Field and his boyhood was the time when the Cubs only played day games and sometimes “played two.”
Simon tells an engaging story of his life and the history of his involvement with the Cubs. It involves family including his father, Charlie Grimm (a Cub legend) and Jack Brickhouse (who was the voice of the Cubs and elected to the MLB Hall of Fame). All of this is presented in a very easy going manner with many asides and literary allusions. Simon is generous. For instance, this is what he had to say about the team the Cubs faced in the 2016 Series.
“Our family feels a connection to Cleveland. It has much of the character we love about Chicago, a city of hardworking people who have a wink in their eye. Major League (the original, not its sequels ), in which fictional Cleveland Indians win the World Series, may not be as good a film as Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. But which one do you want to watch again with a pizza on Saturday night? ...We know what a World Series championship would mean to the city, and want nothing but the best for Cleveland. Just not against the Cubs. “
For those conversant with Cubs’ history, there is a touching section on Steve Bartman. It concludes: “I don’t believe in curses. But I like the idea of karma, or at least that good acts can lead to good results and bad acts won’t…they didn’t deserve to get into the World Series in 2003 because too many Cubs fans ridiculed and threatened a good man, Steve Bartman, just for behaving like a fan. In 2003, Cubs fans put a curse on our own team.”
In many ways, this is similar to an extended version of his contributions to NPR’s Weekend Edition. It’s “up-close and personal” and totally consistent with the book’s title. If you okay with that, you will probably enjoy this as much as I did.
March 27, 2017
I loved this book! It was such a fun read that I read it in one sitting. Having gone to college in Chicago and attended many Cubs games, I thoroughly enjoyed Scott Simon’s stores about the Cubs and his lifelong support for (obsession with) the team. Simon outlines the history of the team, highlights the franchise’s outstanding players, and elaborates on how the team finally made it to and actually won the World Series. He spends time on the Cubs reluctance to provide lights at Wrigley Field so that night games could be played. I was in college when that debate raged and the lights were finally added so I very much enjoyed that section. Throughout the book, he relays humorous anecdotes as well which made the book even more entertaining. My only change to the book would have been to not go into quite so much detail about the World Series games. Other than that, My Cubs: A Love Story was outstanding. Thanks to First to Read for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2017
MY CUBS by Scott Simon is about what it means to be a Cubs fan, the history of the Cubs from a fan's perspective, and Simon's own feelings about growing up Cubs fan and finally being rewarded with a World Series victory in 2016.
Clearly passionate about the Cubs, Simon analyzes the highs and lows of being a Cubs fan; he looks at the neighborhood, the park itself, the community of fans, etc to paint a picture of fans in Chicago, who despite the mediocrity and the almost successes, love their Cubbies. His own life enters the picture and he tells of growing up loving the Cubs. Heartfelt, honest, and introspective, MY CUBS is a treasure for Cubs fans and fascinating read for everyone else.
Thank you to Blue Rider Press/Penguin Group, Scott Simon, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Clearly passionate about the Cubs, Simon analyzes the highs and lows of being a Cubs fan; he looks at the neighborhood, the park itself, the community of fans, etc to paint a picture of fans in Chicago, who despite the mediocrity and the almost successes, love their Cubbies. His own life enters the picture and he tells of growing up loving the Cubs. Heartfelt, honest, and introspective, MY CUBS is a treasure for Cubs fans and fascinating read for everyone else.
Thank you to Blue Rider Press/Penguin Group, Scott Simon, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
May 31, 2017
I loved hearing Scott Simon read this in his own voice, hearing his passion for the game and his team coming through. Only a lifelong fan could have written such a love letter to his team, and this team in particular engenders an affection that few teams inspire. Anyone who's been to a game at Wrigley can relate.
July 13, 2024
I'm not a Cubs fan, per se, but Scott Simon is an excellent writer, and the audiobook is short, sweet, and breezy.
April 6, 2017
Scott Simon's love letter to the Cubs. Simon grew up close to Wrigley and reminisces on a childhood around the park. He was fortunate enough to have a player and broadcaster as "uncles". We get to hear some of their stories, before moving on to Simon's musings on famous Cubs' lore and players.
He focuses a large part of the book on the current team and winning last fall's World Series. He captures the emotion of those days wonderfully. When he recalls being at Wrigley for the first WS game in one-hundred plus years, I started getting choked up myself, remembering all the Cubs fans in my life who didn't get to see this moment. My hair stood on end when he retold game 7 and I had that feeling again of when it dawned on me that we had actually did it. The Cubs had won the Series.
Received an advance copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
He focuses a large part of the book on the current team and winning last fall's World Series. He captures the emotion of those days wonderfully. When he recalls being at Wrigley for the first WS game in one-hundred plus years, I started getting choked up myself, remembering all the Cubs fans in my life who didn't get to see this moment. My hair stood on end when he retold game 7 and I had that feeling again of when it dawned on me that we had actually did it. The Cubs had won the Series.
Received an advance copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2024
A really enjoyable set of essays, that cover memories of the Cubs over the years. As a fellow lifelong Cubs fan, I found this very enjoyable read
April 19, 2017
Scott Simon's book reads a bit like Scott Raab's paean to hating LeBron James in his "Whore of Akron" without the angst, alcohol and vicodin. We are all fans of some team (I live for the Minnesota Twins) and Simon captures that love with his story about his Cubs. There is an obsessive nature to following teams. The fact that Chicagoans still follow the Cubs after more than a century of futility is a testament to that.
Last season was a magical year for Cubs' fans. I began following the Cubs two years ago when I met the woman of my dreams north of Chicago. I made 17 trips up there to see her and became immersed in the culture of the Cubs while there. Some of Simon's descriptions of the area and habits are Chicago-eccentric and would probably be more enjoyed by a resident. But readers from other locations can enjoy his work as well. I caught several of his references to address and food and trains, et al., merely by being in the area a few times.
I may have been overdosed a tad on Cubsdom.. I finished reading Tom Verducci's "The Cubs Way," recently and found much of his detailed game description was replicated in Simon's accounts of the games, even to the point of learning Jon Lester feared making pickoff moves to first base and Anthony Rizzo was really excited to be in Game 7 and David Ross had to calm him down. One glaring error I found, though. Simon said the Mets dispatched Chicago in four games in the first round of the 2015 playoffs. Actually, New York beat the Cubs in four in the National League Championship.
He also tosses in politics at times, mentioning the high murder rate for the Windy City. But that is part of the culture and awareness there. Each time I visited the area, murder led the news. I think Simon included that to show how being a fan of the Cubs, especially a World Series-bound Cubs ream, can be a distraction to the rough, real world. And that's what sports really are — something to divert our attention from the bad for a bit.
This is a quick read, some 145 pages long. You don't have to be a Cubs' fan to enjoy this one.
Last season was a magical year for Cubs' fans. I began following the Cubs two years ago when I met the woman of my dreams north of Chicago. I made 17 trips up there to see her and became immersed in the culture of the Cubs while there. Some of Simon's descriptions of the area and habits are Chicago-eccentric and would probably be more enjoyed by a resident. But readers from other locations can enjoy his work as well. I caught several of his references to address and food and trains, et al., merely by being in the area a few times.
I may have been overdosed a tad on Cubsdom.. I finished reading Tom Verducci's "The Cubs Way," recently and found much of his detailed game description was replicated in Simon's accounts of the games, even to the point of learning Jon Lester feared making pickoff moves to first base and Anthony Rizzo was really excited to be in Game 7 and David Ross had to calm him down. One glaring error I found, though. Simon said the Mets dispatched Chicago in four games in the first round of the 2015 playoffs. Actually, New York beat the Cubs in four in the National League Championship.
He also tosses in politics at times, mentioning the high murder rate for the Windy City. But that is part of the culture and awareness there. Each time I visited the area, murder led the news. I think Simon included that to show how being a fan of the Cubs, especially a World Series-bound Cubs ream, can be a distraction to the rough, real world. And that's what sports really are — something to divert our attention from the bad for a bit.
This is a quick read, some 145 pages long. You don't have to be a Cubs' fan to enjoy this one.
December 30, 2021
Brought back so many many memories and loved the Cubs along with my household members even more!
March 11, 2017
firsttoread.com gave me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I did not enjoy this book. It was written by a Cubs fan who happened to be born into the lives of former Cubs legends but I have a feeling he never embraced this life until the Cubs made the world series for the first time in anyone's life. The book had no depth and I did not learn one thing except that he knows some interesting people.
June 5, 2017
Reading this book and finding it enjoyable. Then out of nowhere, in the last 15 pages of the book, Simon goes into his opinion about gun violence and Chicago. Not sure what that had to do with the Chicago Cubs. I would still recommend it.
June 22, 2017
I loved this. What true Cubs fan hasn't had the dream where the Cubs win it all, where all the greats from the last 147 years take the field? Tinker to Evers to Chance, to Banks, Williams, Santo, Sandberg, Grace, Rizzo, Bryant... Pitching from Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, Fergie, Maddux, Kid K, Arrieta... and then, in Game 7, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, one out needed to save the game, and you, the dreamer, are called in to save the Cubs and win it all. Yeah, we've dreamt it. And it was a good dream.
In reality, we've suffered tough losses, curses, goats, cats, and fan interference. We've cautiously let our hopes rise to have them smashed back down. Some of us may have spent days mourning what could have been, shut out from the rest of the world. But despite it all, we love it. We love the team, we love the legacy, we love the players, we love the manager, we love Wrigley, and dammit, we love the game. This particular love story is Simon's own, recalling his own unique experiences with the team - closer than most fans, since his godfather was the Cubs' legendary broadcaster Jack Brickhouse (Hey Hey!), and he also became a journalist and interviewed everyone from the fans to the Ricketts family. Yet, it all felt so familiar. To be a Cubs fan is to be part of a family, even if you don't actually know your family members.
Ending the book with a description of the 2016 World Series, which mirrored that dream we all had for so long that he opened the book with, was really something special. While nothing could re-capture the thrill of seeing it live as it happened, it comes close. Simon does a great job of describing the emotional rollercoaster that was that Game 7, and when you read the sentence "And then the rains came" your heart just stops, and for a moment, you can feel it and see that last out, the throw from Bryant to Rizzo, Rizzo's grin as he holds the ball in the air, the screams of victory and the pure joy erasing every second of suffering we ever experienced.
If you're not a Cubs fan, you may not enjoy this incredibly fan-centric book, but if you are, Holy Cow! It resonates. Get a copy.
#Fly the W
In reality, we've suffered tough losses, curses, goats, cats, and fan interference. We've cautiously let our hopes rise to have them smashed back down. Some of us may have spent days mourning what could have been, shut out from the rest of the world. But despite it all, we love it. We love the team, we love the legacy, we love the players, we love the manager, we love Wrigley, and dammit, we love the game. This particular love story is Simon's own, recalling his own unique experiences with the team - closer than most fans, since his godfather was the Cubs' legendary broadcaster Jack Brickhouse (Hey Hey!), and he also became a journalist and interviewed everyone from the fans to the Ricketts family. Yet, it all felt so familiar. To be a Cubs fan is to be part of a family, even if you don't actually know your family members.
Ending the book with a description of the 2016 World Series, which mirrored that dream we all had for so long that he opened the book with, was really something special. While nothing could re-capture the thrill of seeing it live as it happened, it comes close. Simon does a great job of describing the emotional rollercoaster that was that Game 7, and when you read the sentence "And then the rains came" your heart just stops, and for a moment, you can feel it and see that last out, the throw from Bryant to Rizzo, Rizzo's grin as he holds the ball in the air, the screams of victory and the pure joy erasing every second of suffering we ever experienced.
If you're not a Cubs fan, you may not enjoy this incredibly fan-centric book, but if you are, Holy Cow! It resonates. Get a copy.
#Fly the W
December 8, 2021
There may be no bigger fan of the Chicago Cubs than NPR’s Scott Simon, though I can attest as much as Simon to the frenetic fandom that the author recounts in pivotal moments throughout the club's tortured history. I too have been an unwavering Cubs fan for more than half a century, or almost my entire life. It is that relentless hope that grabs a hold of us Cubs' fans each spring, which had me hoping for years after the magical season of 2016, their first World Series championship in 108 years, that it would be the first of many more to come.
I decided after 2016 that I would wait to read Simon's book until after the "dynasty" was over. We Cubs' fans measure "dynasty" in very different ways from many other folks. So there sat Simon's book on my night table until the big sell-off of the core players (Rizzo, KB and Baez) this past summer and then I knew for certain that shades of yesteryear and the Cubs languishing near last place had returned.
And now in this baseball offseason of 2021, I reflected back and picked up Simon's breezy narrative that filled my heart with joy, from the brilliant first chapter when Simon tries to imagine himself as one of those Cubs. I too spent many nights falling asleep as a youngster doing the same.
Reading Simon's account of those many Cubs' teams makes you want to laugh and to cry, sometimes simultaneously, but more than anything "My Cubs" reaffirms for many of us long-suffering devotees how the condition of “Cubness” has defined so many of our lives and how the team’s fortunes and misfortunes became intertwined with the aspirations of our own in many other aspects of our lives. Indeed, loyalty, perseverance, hope, optimism are just some of the traits that true Cubs' fans have and that Simon lucidly shares with us in "My Cubs." With the curse finally broken on November 2, 2016, "My Cubs" is the perfect portrayal of paradise lost and found. It is indeed a love story like no other for many of us and the perfect antidote after a stinging Cubs' defeat. So keep the book near, in your night table drawer perhaps, for inspiration and reflection that even the most unbelievable things can and do happen in life.
I decided after 2016 that I would wait to read Simon's book until after the "dynasty" was over. We Cubs' fans measure "dynasty" in very different ways from many other folks. So there sat Simon's book on my night table until the big sell-off of the core players (Rizzo, KB and Baez) this past summer and then I knew for certain that shades of yesteryear and the Cubs languishing near last place had returned.
And now in this baseball offseason of 2021, I reflected back and picked up Simon's breezy narrative that filled my heart with joy, from the brilliant first chapter when Simon tries to imagine himself as one of those Cubs. I too spent many nights falling asleep as a youngster doing the same.
Reading Simon's account of those many Cubs' teams makes you want to laugh and to cry, sometimes simultaneously, but more than anything "My Cubs" reaffirms for many of us long-suffering devotees how the condition of “Cubness” has defined so many of our lives and how the team’s fortunes and misfortunes became intertwined with the aspirations of our own in many other aspects of our lives. Indeed, loyalty, perseverance, hope, optimism are just some of the traits that true Cubs' fans have and that Simon lucidly shares with us in "My Cubs." With the curse finally broken on November 2, 2016, "My Cubs" is the perfect portrayal of paradise lost and found. It is indeed a love story like no other for many of us and the perfect antidote after a stinging Cubs' defeat. So keep the book near, in your night table drawer perhaps, for inspiration and reflection that even the most unbelievable things can and do happen in life.
September 7, 2017
Reviewed by: Jenny
*We received an advanced digital copy provided through Edelweiss.*
Everyone knows that I'm a Cubs fan. It's one of those descriptors that sort of becomes a middle name. "This is Jenny. She's a Cubs Fan." So after 30 years on this planet, I know the Curse inside and out. I know the backstory, I know the personal anguish of it: the incredulity of watching good things happening and the deep conviction (with a lifetime of proof) that it will all explode during the 8th inning and we can go back to being miserable; a place where we hurt, but not as much as when we're winning.
This book, I believe, will only work on Cubs fans. You know, the ones who have vacillated on major life decisions due to magical thinking. If you've ever sat in the driveway, wondering if leaving your car will break up the no-hitter (that you can't mention out loud, of course), this book is for you. It runs on nostalgia and is like sidling up to an understanding stranger in a dive bar. It groans with you when you see trigger words like "Bartman", "Sianis", "1969", or "labrum". It makes you relive every good and bad emotion you've ever had for this team, from your first heartbreak as an innocently hopeful child to your annual "Why am I still doing this to myself?" existential crisis as an adult.
That being said, I also really enjoyed the historical parts of the book. There is a great theory on why Wrigley Field couldn't produce a championship team for over a century, how baseball changed from era to era, both on and off the field, and of course, a breakdown of all "The Plays" that still make our collective hearts stutter.
I would recommend this for the Cubs fan in your life. It will definitely make them suffer, but don't worry, they're used to it.
*We received an advanced digital copy provided through Edelweiss.*
Everyone knows that I'm a Cubs fan. It's one of those descriptors that sort of becomes a middle name. "This is Jenny. She's a Cubs Fan." So after 30 years on this planet, I know the Curse inside and out. I know the backstory, I know the personal anguish of it: the incredulity of watching good things happening and the deep conviction (with a lifetime of proof) that it will all explode during the 8th inning and we can go back to being miserable; a place where we hurt, but not as much as when we're winning.
This book, I believe, will only work on Cubs fans. You know, the ones who have vacillated on major life decisions due to magical thinking. If you've ever sat in the driveway, wondering if leaving your car will break up the no-hitter (that you can't mention out loud, of course), this book is for you. It runs on nostalgia and is like sidling up to an understanding stranger in a dive bar. It groans with you when you see trigger words like "Bartman", "Sianis", "1969", or "labrum". It makes you relive every good and bad emotion you've ever had for this team, from your first heartbreak as an innocently hopeful child to your annual "Why am I still doing this to myself?" existential crisis as an adult.
That being said, I also really enjoyed the historical parts of the book. There is a great theory on why Wrigley Field couldn't produce a championship team for over a century, how baseball changed from era to era, both on and off the field, and of course, a breakdown of all "The Plays" that still make our collective hearts stutter.
I would recommend this for the Cubs fan in your life. It will definitely make them suffer, but don't worry, they're used to it.
May 4, 2017
Only a lifelong Cubs fan could write such an unabashedly emotional book about the Cubs. NPR journalist Scott Simon has better Cubs-fan bona-fides than most: Cubs manager Charlie Grimm was Simon’s uncle, and long-time Cubs announcer Jack Brickhouse was his godfather.
Every Cubs fan has the same story of long-suffering loyalty and spookiness about the goat curse, but every fan also has his or her own version of what it’s been like all these years. We each have different fellow fans, favorite players, and memories from Wrigley Field. Therein lies the charm of Scott Simon’s memoir. We can easily relate to his attachment to the team, just as we’re interested in his individual version of it.
Simon also writes with sensitivity about some of the dark days in the Cubs century of championship dormancy, including the 1964 death of Ken Hubbs and the 2003 Steve Bartman episode. At the same time, Simon finds the humor in the clandestine spreading of cremated ashes at Wrigley Field.
All this angst and allegiance is a little easier to accept now that the Cubs have won a world championship. Simon revels in that celebration too as he places the current team in context with those of the past.
Consider the audiobook version of My Cubs: A Love Story. Scott Simon’s broadcasting skills are put to superb use in his narration. If you have a Cubs fan in your parentage, this little book would also make a nice Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift.
Every Cubs fan has the same story of long-suffering loyalty and spookiness about the goat curse, but every fan also has his or her own version of what it’s been like all these years. We each have different fellow fans, favorite players, and memories from Wrigley Field. Therein lies the charm of Scott Simon’s memoir. We can easily relate to his attachment to the team, just as we’re interested in his individual version of it.
Simon also writes with sensitivity about some of the dark days in the Cubs century of championship dormancy, including the 1964 death of Ken Hubbs and the 2003 Steve Bartman episode. At the same time, Simon finds the humor in the clandestine spreading of cremated ashes at Wrigley Field.
All this angst and allegiance is a little easier to accept now that the Cubs have won a world championship. Simon revels in that celebration too as he places the current team in context with those of the past.
Consider the audiobook version of My Cubs: A Love Story. Scott Simon’s broadcasting skills are put to superb use in his narration. If you have a Cubs fan in your parentage, this little book would also make a nice Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift.
September 21, 2017
Simon is the anchor of the NPR show Weekend Edition. I listened to the audiobook on my recent trip, and enjoyed the fact that Scott reads the book on CD so I found listening to his voice very believable.
His lifelong love for the Cubbies comes through. It was fun to relive the excitement of the 2016 World Series win through the eyes of a true Cub fan.
In his elder years my Dad would fall to sleep in his rocking chair watching the Cubs. In those years the Cubs were perennial losers, but the true fans would remain loyal. My daughter spent a semester a few blocks from Wrigley Field when she did her student teaching. I remember one day taking my Dad past the ball park. We paused long enough to hop out and take his picture by the bronze statue of Cubs legendary announcer Harry Carey. Special memories stay with a person.
I'm a San Francisco Giant fan, but I've gone to more White Sox games over the years. In fact, my one and only trip to Wrigley for a game was when the White Sox beat them in a cross town rivalry game. Still I bought a Kyle Hendricks jersey following the World Series last year, and for a brief time enjoyed cheering for the Cubs and singing "Go Cubs Go! It is fun wearing a Cubs jersey with my name on the back of it.
Simons book does a wonderful job showing the reader what it was like for a true Cubs fan. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys baseball and wants to listen to a great story during your next road.
His lifelong love for the Cubbies comes through. It was fun to relive the excitement of the 2016 World Series win through the eyes of a true Cub fan.
In his elder years my Dad would fall to sleep in his rocking chair watching the Cubs. In those years the Cubs were perennial losers, but the true fans would remain loyal. My daughter spent a semester a few blocks from Wrigley Field when she did her student teaching. I remember one day taking my Dad past the ball park. We paused long enough to hop out and take his picture by the bronze statue of Cubs legendary announcer Harry Carey. Special memories stay with a person.
I'm a San Francisco Giant fan, but I've gone to more White Sox games over the years. In fact, my one and only trip to Wrigley for a game was when the White Sox beat them in a cross town rivalry game. Still I bought a Kyle Hendricks jersey following the World Series last year, and for a brief time enjoyed cheering for the Cubs and singing "Go Cubs Go! It is fun wearing a Cubs jersey with my name on the back of it.
Simons book does a wonderful job showing the reader what it was like for a true Cubs fan. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys baseball and wants to listen to a great story during your next road.
September 4, 2017
A brief history of time, as it relates to the Cubs over the past 108 years. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, as the author reminisced over his beloved team and the role that the Cubs played in shaping his favorite childhood experiences. I especially liked reading about the late spring and early autumn afternoons of the writer's youth and the race to get home after school and catch the end of a matinee Cubs game or to play ball in the local sandlots and emulate Chicago baseball legends on the diamond. The last half of the book was a quick recap of the 2016 Championship Season, which read more like a Sports Illustrated article... just a summary of the playoffs, heroes, and highlights. However, I found the political overtones at the end of the book to be forced and disconnected, only serving to detract from the rest of the story. It was as if the book completely changed genres in the last few pages. What the Cubs organization accomplished in 2016 was magical and more than enough for a good read. No additional ingredients were necessary.
July 6, 2017
For readers who don’t understand the attraction of baseball, Simon helps explain the mystery. Slow as it can be, it captures us in powerful ways.
Early this autobiography, , Simon takes us back to his days as a youngster. “Many afternoons after class in grade school, my friend and I would become min-Cubs, player whatever kind of baseball game we could manage in the parking lot of our school.” (p. 15) In those days, the Cubs were fun to watch even if they never got into the World Series. But, it was baseball the game (and not the number of wins and loses or the size of the players’ salaries) that attracted our attention.
Early in the book, Simon tells us “My politics, religion, and personal tastes change with whatever I learn from life. But being a Cubs fan is my nature, my heritage, and probably somewhere in my chromosomes.” (p. 8)
This is a book for any Cub’s fan—even the new ones since the 2016 World Series.
Early this autobiography, , Simon takes us back to his days as a youngster. “Many afternoons after class in grade school, my friend and I would become min-Cubs, player whatever kind of baseball game we could manage in the parking lot of our school.” (p. 15) In those days, the Cubs were fun to watch even if they never got into the World Series. But, it was baseball the game (and not the number of wins and loses or the size of the players’ salaries) that attracted our attention.
Early in the book, Simon tells us “My politics, religion, and personal tastes change with whatever I learn from life. But being a Cubs fan is my nature, my heritage, and probably somewhere in my chromosomes.” (p. 8)
This is a book for any Cub’s fan—even the new ones since the 2016 World Series.
July 11, 2017
I didn't think it would be possible to dislike anything from the world's nicest guy and my favorite team, but when he goes on and on about how many times he has thrown out the first pitch and it's not that big of an honor because 'with 81 games a year, most people and probably several house pets will eventually be invited to throw out the first pitch, too.'
I kept thinking of how many people would kill to do it, who are never going to be asked and wondered if it ever occurred to him to say 'I've had my chance; may I find a more worthy candidate?'
He mentions a fan who flew from NYC to be with her younger brother in Chicago, and while it's meant to be touching, I just saw the very very few who could afford to do such a thing. He goes on to minimize the huge ticket increase, and suddenly I'm more sympathetic to those who decry NPR as elitist.
It is still the Cubs and it is still Simon, but it should have been much much better.
I kept thinking of how many people would kill to do it, who are never going to be asked and wondered if it ever occurred to him to say 'I've had my chance; may I find a more worthy candidate?'
He mentions a fan who flew from NYC to be with her younger brother in Chicago, and while it's meant to be touching, I just saw the very very few who could afford to do such a thing. He goes on to minimize the huge ticket increase, and suddenly I'm more sympathetic to those who decry NPR as elitist.
It is still the Cubs and it is still Simon, but it should have been much much better.
January 30, 2020
I saw this book at the library. If you know me, you know that it falls into the must-read category because it is about Chicago and baseball (Cubbies). I grew up going to baseball games, mostly White Sox because those tickets were the prize for perfect attendance. My dad, though, grew up with going to the Cubs games. And as a boy in the 1950s, he grew up on baseball. So I have heard a ton about Cubbies from days gone by. This book, in fact, reminds me of a conversation (or a lifetime of conversations) with my father. The story includes lots of baseball history and stories from Scott Simon's childhood in Chicago, plus the Cubs 2016 World Series win. There is also a history of Wrigley Field. This book won't be for everyone, but I loved it. And want to read more about Scott Simon's experiences growing up in Chicago. Lucky for me, he's written another. I am adding it to my To-Read Shelf now.
January 3, 2018
I am a long-time fan of Scott Simon from NPR, and a longer-time fan of the Cubs. I thoroughly enjoyed and related to this book. Unlike Simon, I did not grow up in Chicago, I was one of the cadre of devoted out-of-state fans who learned to love the Cubs because they were always on WGN. Like Simon, however, I lived and died by the box scores, and started every season saying, "This year is our year!" — despite the Cubs propensity to mathematically eliminate themselves from the playoffs by mid-August.
It was easy in 2016 to be a Cubs fan, the season was magical. But for those of us who bled Cubbie Blue in the 1909-2015 era, Simon captures what it was like to be one of us. I won't lie, this book had me in tears more than once remembering the feelings of bygone players, close-but-not-quite seasons and that amazing season, the parade, the signs and messages to Cubs-fans-past who didn't live to see the day and President Obama greeting the team at the White House as his last public event in office.
If you're like me and have spent your life waiting and hoping and finally got to see it really happen, you will enjoy this book. It's well-written, personal, touching and heartfelt.
It was easy in 2016 to be a Cubs fan, the season was magical. But for those of us who bled Cubbie Blue in the 1909-2015 era, Simon captures what it was like to be one of us. I won't lie, this book had me in tears more than once remembering the feelings of bygone players, close-but-not-quite seasons and that amazing season, the parade, the signs and messages to Cubs-fans-past who didn't live to see the day and President Obama greeting the team at the White House as his last public event in office.
If you're like me and have spent your life waiting and hoping and finally got to see it really happen, you will enjoy this book. It's well-written, personal, touching and heartfelt.
January 20, 2018
Wonderful read! I have a Cubs' family history much like his so I could really relate to it. My Grandfather was in attendance at the 1908 World Series and used to hang out with Gabby Hartnett at his bowling alley on Western Avenue. To have been related to Brickhouse and Charlie Grimm (my late Mom's favorite), doesn't get any better than that! There were numerous times it brought a tear to my eye.
Two minor complaints: Why did he have to go political toward the end? Also, as a real baseball fan like I believe Scott truly is, why did he have to pass along Obama's claim to be a White Sox fan? In an interview our then President couldn't name one player on the team! That's OK, he's a politician and they say things like that. But why would Scott have to pass that along as a part of this book?
Two minor complaints: Why did he have to go political toward the end? Also, as a real baseball fan like I believe Scott truly is, why did he have to pass along Obama's claim to be a White Sox fan? In an interview our then President couldn't name one player on the team! That's OK, he's a politician and they say things like that. But why would Scott have to pass that along as a part of this book?
March 15, 2022
This was just what I needed to kickstart me into this 2022 season. Scott Simon’s personal connection to the Cubs and their history makes this a must read for all Cubs fans.
I have my own connection to the team. My grandfather was a lifelong fan. I grew up listening to games with him on the radio, and then later when cable tv came along, we watched any games broadcast on WGN. In April, 1983, right before the Cubs let Lee Elia go, my high school choir and I sang the National Anthem at Wrigley. We were lucky, the Cubs beat the Giants that Sunday.
After the trades last year, my Cubbie spirit was bruised, but I’m ready for a new season and a fresh start. Thanks for sharing your memories Mr. Simon.
I have my own connection to the team. My grandfather was a lifelong fan. I grew up listening to games with him on the radio, and then later when cable tv came along, we watched any games broadcast on WGN. In April, 1983, right before the Cubs let Lee Elia go, my high school choir and I sang the National Anthem at Wrigley. We were lucky, the Cubs beat the Giants that Sunday.
After the trades last year, my Cubbie spirit was bruised, but I’m ready for a new season and a fresh start. Thanks for sharing your memories Mr. Simon.
July 5, 2017
I listened to the audio book, which I think increased my enjoyment of it. I could feel the excitement in Scott Simon's voice as he relayed stories of following the Cubs as a kid and then into adulthood. He seamlessly weaved key historical on-the-field moments (mostly heartbreaking) and gave special treatment to the 2016 championship season (obviously). I grew up hundreds of miles from Wrigley, but I spent many summer afternoons watching the Cubs on WGN and listening to Harry Caray and Steve Stone. Listening to this book made me remember why I became a Cubs fan and just how thrilling it was to see them finally win it all! 4.25 stars.
March 10, 2018
Well, as a Cubs fan for much of my life, this was a must-read. And I enjoyed it, a lot of Cubs history tied in with some of the author's own memories and interaction as a fan, and much of it hung on the amazing 2016 World Championship season, especially the World Series. I could identify with a lot of the ups and downs of the past; in fact, it brought back some memories of past games in vivid detail! It was fun reliving the 2016 post-season from someone who saw it up close and personal, yet still as a fan like me.
It's also a quick read, so even a mildly interested sports fan could enjoy this without a huge investment of time.
It's also a quick read, so even a mildly interested sports fan could enjoy this without a huge investment of time.
April 11, 2019
Scott Simon's love note to the Chicago Cubs is sweet even though it's filled with cliches. His stories of his family connections to the franchise make for interesting reading, and it was fun to relive the 2016 World Series though his eyes. He spends too much time talking about the "curse," billy goats, a certain fan-who-shall-remain-nameless, and the other crap that comes with being a Cubs fan, but he makes up for it with sensible logic on why the Cubs struggled for so long (an ownership not invested in winning, a reluctance to field more African American ballplayers, too many day games). Simon's book is a lighthearted take on the agonies and joys of rooting for the Cubs. It's a nice read.
April 25, 2024
Every team deserves a book like this. Every baseball fan deserves to read a book like this about their own team.
Scott Simon has a lovely voice, so if you can get the audiobook, then do that.
This is a warm story, told with love and history and everything that makes being a baseball fan great.
You don't have to love baseball as much as Scott and I to appreciate the great emotions and romance that the game can evoke. You don't have to love the Cubs or Chicago as much as Scott and I in order to enjoy the thrills and heartbreak.
I hope that the Cubs will win another championship so I can read Scott's sequel.
Scott Simon has a lovely voice, so if you can get the audiobook, then do that.
This is a warm story, told with love and history and everything that makes being a baseball fan great.
You don't have to love baseball as much as Scott and I to appreciate the great emotions and romance that the game can evoke. You don't have to love the Cubs or Chicago as much as Scott and I in order to enjoy the thrills and heartbreak.
I hope that the Cubs will win another championship so I can read Scott's sequel.
May 25, 2025
A solid 4.5.
I have grown up loving the Cubs. I remember when my mom called and said, "The Cubs won."
I remember I couldn't watch the last game, but when I heard her say that they had WON, I laughed and said, "Great joke." But it wasn't a joke. It happened.
Reading this book, I learned more about Cubs players and their lives, but also read about a man and his family. It is a story of triumph and despair.
The only reason why it wasn't a 5-star is because, not very end, but the end, it got a little confusing, and Scott Simon started rambling about something that was, in my opinion, a little unnecessary (it might've been necessary to him though).
Otherwise, I loved it.
I have grown up loving the Cubs. I remember when my mom called and said, "The Cubs won."
I remember I couldn't watch the last game, but when I heard her say that they had WON, I laughed and said, "Great joke." But it wasn't a joke. It happened.
Reading this book, I learned more about Cubs players and their lives, but also read about a man and his family. It is a story of triumph and despair.
The only reason why it wasn't a 5-star is because, not very end, but the end, it got a little confusing, and Scott Simon started rambling about something that was, in my opinion, a little unnecessary (it might've been necessary to him though).
Otherwise, I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2017
As a total baseball geek and a long time rooter for the Cubs, of course I loved the book. Not to mention that I am a Scott Simon fan from his many years with NPR. Through all of those years, we followed Scott's undying affection for the Cubs and his frustration at loving a loser. Loser no more. On top of that, I happened to be in Chicago for game 7 and watched it in a bar downtown. One of my best baseball moments, and I have had a few others. If you love baseball, if you love the Cubs, then read this book.
July 18, 2017
I loved this book. As someone who married into a Cubs family, this was a great tutorial on Cubs history and insight into how Cubs fans experienced the 2016 season. He gives a play by play of the major events of the World Series (he was at games 4 and 5) but also describes the emotional experience of the season as one who has spent his entire life cheering for a team that so often brought heartbreak. There were stories that even my husband didn't know. It truly does read as a love story and is worth every moment.
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