The Baseball Book Club discussion

Anyone interested in getting the "club" part of this group back underway? Was thinking we could do a book club read every three months, so we all have longer to read them. So many great baseball books seem to be super long, and I hardly find time to read outside of my job.

Anyone have anything to suggest? Do not promote your own books here, please.

I'm happy to join, but there are so many recent books that I wouldn't be able to narrow it down. I was thinking of Hank Greenberg by John Rosengren? But I'm open. How do we get the club in motion? Just wait til others respond?

Count me in! Maybe we could start working through the 501? Just suggesting that for the sake of making a suggestion. To narrow it down a tad, is there a good book about Honus Wagner?

Would love to read the Hank Greenberg book!

There's a few bios available on Wagner.

I'd be interested in Wagner too. I'll leave it up to Matt since he started this.

Hey Harold, I just finished chapter 40 of your book. I'm really enjoying it.

I would vote for he Greenberg book also.

How many members are in this group? Can they be emailed an invitation?

There is also another Greenberg book called Hank Greenberg the story of my life, by Hank Greenberg and Ira Berkow. It came out in 2001 right after the movie, the Life and times of Hank Greenberg. I thought it was great.

I just saw that there are 191 members. Guess most of them are very shy. .. Or maybe they've been hoping for something like this.

187 members

I read that one, Mike, and liked it a lot. Wouldn't mind reading it again if that's the one that gets picked.

It seems like only about 8 or 9 of us are talking here on a regular basis.

I joined another group before the baseball bug bit me. They do group reads all the time. The group leader, (do we have one of those?), collects recomendations and when there's 1/2 dozen or so, everyone votes.

Hey I will become more active! And as for a book....I just picked up the book on Mike Piazza....so here is a vote for that one.

"Long Shot"? I loved that book. Would love to participate in a discussion about i. (am saying "love" too much. Gonna have to reach for the thesaurus)

How about thoroughly enjoyed

Thanks, Mike. Spell check will help me with "thoroughly", and it's more sophisticated than "adore". I like it immensely!

Mike wrote: "Hey Harold, I just finished chapter 40 of your book. I'm really enjoying it."

That's womderful to hear.I hope we don't get into trouble. Matt says no promotion of one's own books. I'M INNOCENT=PLEASE DON'T BOUNCE ME OUT MATT.

I have to post this because it is so typical of so called docudramas.It's about "42".
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/11/...

Harold you are right. Even though it wasn't sports or baseball related, Lincoln had the same issue. In the movie the two senators from CT didn't vote for abolishing slavery and the two current senators raised Hell about that.

There are scores of movies that have false statements. ARGO, a fun movie is full of misinformation. That's Hollywood.

I'd probably be in for a book read. Once the school year is over my time to read grows exponentially.

I read the 42 article. You know what they say, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I read the 42 article as well. Stuff like that bothers me. If it's fiction, just make it fiction. I want it to be as documentary-like as possible. I'm sure I'm in the minority...

Not at all.I totally agree. The Bin Laden movie was by almost all accounts very accurate.It can be done and still make a good movie.

I just went to the listing in Amazon for "501 Baseball Books," to look in the index to see what Ron Kaplan recommends by or about Honus Wagner. Apparently, he hasn't come across anything worth recommending, who doesn't look like he's been mentioned anywhere in the book. Guess I'll just place holds on everything the library has, and whittle them down when I can take a look at them.
Curious: How long do we have to recommend books for the group read?

Count me in for the Hank Greenberg book by Rosengren. It has been a long time since the baseball book club has read a book!

Here is another choice for the reading group.
http://www.independent.ie/entertainme...

Right now I'm reading "Honus Wagner on His Life & Baseball" while waiting for the Greenberg book to come to my local branch of the library. It's based on a collection of articles Wagner wrote for the Las Angeles Times in the 20s, and I'm really glad I stumbled across it. The Greengerg book is now at the library and I'm planning on picking it up after work on Monday. It is the one that was decided on for our group read, isn't it? With 3 months set aside in which to finish reading it?

Fine with me Lisa. I went to the Phils game today with my daughter and stayed the full 9. We won 6-1.Beautiful day.I hope the Phils win in La too.(ha)

I have to look back at my TBR pile but I think that Wagner book was a free book for the Kindle. And YES... whatever book is decided upon by the group... count me in. I might even have to make a special post on my blog after our discussion.

Phils don't stand a chance in L.A., Harold. We have Yasiel Puig.

who? or am I just do twins-centric that I have no clue who that is?

He does look good for his first two games. Let's see if he can keep it up. And what happens when Kemp returns? Who stays? Maybe Ethier is dealt.
Lance he is the new rookie great prospect from Cuba who plays in the outfield. Had two very good games in the last few days.

Lance wrote: "I have to look back at my TBR pile but I think that Wagner book was a free book for the Kindle. And YES... whatever book is decided upon by the group... count me in. I might even have to m..."
That is a great idea Lance.Lisa-tell us when to begin.

Moi? Matt was the one who started the thread and got the ball rolling on this, and suggested a 3-month deadline for finishing a book. I'm ready to start reading now, or actually, Monday evening, and I don't think it will take me more than a few weeks to finish (I have a lot of down time at work).
And Lance, yes: you are too Twins-centric in any case ;-)
Harold: Kemp who?

Mauer, Morneau, Floriman,Perkins, Corriea....do I need to follow anyone else??? :)

Aaargh! More names I'm not familiar with! There are simply too many of them! And now, Lance, I'll be putting the Twins on my Keeping-an-eye-on list. As Marlene Deitrich said so well in Witness For The Prosecution: "Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!" (No offense)

Oh now Lisa....surely you at least know Mauer and Morneau????The others I will give you a pass... but those two are both former MVP's.

You'd think someone as opinionated as I am would be more well-informed, but the truth is that my interest in baseball began only last April. I've been doing a lot of reading and watching a lot of games, listening to radio sports shows and reading all the threads in this discussion group, but my sieve-like brain retains comparatively little, I'm afraid. Maybe this time next year I'll know more about players not named Ty Cobb who don't wear Dodger Blue. The other teams I'm trying to keep an eye on are the Mets, Red Sox, and the Yankees (I know, they shouldn't all be named in the same sentence, but what can I say: I'm a rebel).

Ah...one of those East Coast snob fans! :)

Hmmmm. Just opened the "At Bat" app in my phone to look up the standings and see where the Twins fall. Hmmmm. An American League team (tough break), in the same division as the Detroit Tigers (tougher break). Well, you're in a better position than the Dodgers (most teams are), but you don't have Yasiel Puig. (toughest break). ;)

Twins have fallen on tough times lately, but were near or at the top of the division for much of the last decade.

Lisa, I've have plenty of books on the Sox, Yanks, and Mets. Let me know if you want any recommendations.

Actually better this year. After two seasons of 95 plus losses...I will gladly take hovering around. 500.

Wow, you are all very kind to put up with the way I crack wise with so little knowledge. Mike, after the Greenberg book, I think I should read one called "The Era," because it's one my brother really liked a lot. But If there's one about Joe Girardi that you can recommend, I'd really like to read that. And after reading The Era, I should know more specifically about what I want to learn about the Mets. I did read "The Bad Guys Won," and am looking forward to reading it again.

How's Target Field doing? Usually a new park brings I some cash for players, but I've only seen guys leaving except for Willingham.

Don't forget Domoit as well. Actually they are hamstrung by Mauer's contract, even with Target Field cash. They panicked and overspent.