Our Red Sox: A Story of Family, Friends, and Fenway

by Robert Sullivan, Peter Gammons (Foreword)

Journalist Robert Sullivan can't remember a day when he was not a Red Sox fan. It seems he was born a devotee; he certainly was raised to be one. From Ted to Yaz, the to-the-death pledge of fidelity to the celebrated team was a rite of passage for anyone growing up in semi rural Massachusetts in the 1950s and ’60s. Our Red Sox chronicles the love affair of a man, a family, and a community for “their” team. It’s about playoffs recently past and seasons long ago, about 1918 and 2004 and everything in between. It’s about families and sandlots and bleacher seats and press row, about tragedies remembered and frighteningly real — all happening in an orbit around the park called Fenway — as well as the luminous moments of camaraderie and triumph. Our Red Sox is a witty, gentle, moving memoir from deep inside a wonderful place called Red Sox Nation.

Genres: Sports, Baseball

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Sullivan has written several books on his own and dozens in his day job as Managing Editor of LIFE Books. His books include a baseball memoir and a golf collection, but closest to his heart are three collaborations with the artist Glenn Wolff: Atlantis Rising, Flight of the Reindeer and A Child's Christmas in New England.

Sullivan no longer lives in Massachusetts but in Westchester County, New York, with with his wife, three children and a psychotic Springer Spaniel.

Reviews

[Josh Schneier]

The book I am reviewing is called, Our Red Sox: A Story of Family, Friends, and Fenway. It is by Robert Sullivan. This book is a memoir where Robert Sullivan talks about how he is a diehard Red Sox fan, and how his life is based off the Red Sox, even though he lives in New York. The main characters in the book were Robert himself, Luci, Robert’s wife, Caroline, Jack, and Mary Grace, all of Robert’s kids. Some other main characters in the story were Stan, Robert’s Yankee loving neighbor, and Artie, Robert’s father. The plot developed in chronological order. It started off with Robert giving brief descriptions of his life, and how he attained his special relationship with the Sox. It then progressed onto him describing how he now lives in New York, and has long been in a special group called the BLOHARDS. “We were talking at a special convening-coven?-of the BLOHARDS (Benevolent Loyal Order of Honorable and Ancient Red Sox Diehard Sufferers of New York), of whom you will be learning more soon.” (Sullivan 3). That quote should explain what the BLOHARDS are. The plot continues on from there to Sullivan reliving many different experiences with the Sox. Anything from his daughters first baseball game, where she got hit in the head by a foul ball, to game seven against the Yankees in the playoffs.
I think that the author did a very good job on this book. Just because of the types of books I enjoy, this wasn’t my favorite book, but I’m sure if someone likes this type of book, this would be outstanding to them. This book was somewhat moving, as it taught valuable family lessons and morals, yet in a comical way. I think that if the audience is someone who can relate to a diehard older guy like the author of this book, then they should definitely read it. Myself only being 14 years old, I can’t necessarily relate to it very well, although I do love the Sox. However one way I did relate to it is how the author’s neighbor is just like him, except a Yankee fan. “but the fact is Stan and I-who are essentially the same guy, from opposite sides of the aisle-are too prickly about certain things to be sitting side-by-side when Jeter jacks one. Or Ortiz does.” (Sullivan 78) I used to have very similar relationship with an old friend who moved a while ago. He loved the Yankees and I loved the Red Sox. We would always watch the games when they played each other together, and would always get into fights.
On a scale of 1-5, I give this book a 4. It wasn’t my favorite book, but I still enjoyed reading it. I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more if I was older because I would appreciate more the hidden humor of parenting that Sullivan hinted in the book. I caught little pieces of it but I didn’t really understand it. There were other things like this hidden in the book that would probably make a lot more sense to me if I was 10 years older. All together I’m glad I read this book, but I probably won’t reread it anytime soon.

[schmoozie]

Loved it!