Filling out the Silhouette

West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life
By Jerry West and Jonathan Coleman - 2011 Little, Brown & Company

Soon after I saw the advertisement for this book, I asked an author and family friend what he thought about it. He shrugged his shoulders and very simply said that he didn't want to know.   Jerry West was such an iconic figure to him (even though he's from Boston) that he wasn't interested in a "tell all" autobiography.

Although this is a fair route to consider, there are other things to take into account when deciding on this book.   I think that a book like this demands a high level of literary skills to make it compelling and dynamic, something which this book is not. Also, it would have been better written as a biography.   Ironically, the more interesting parts of the book are when Jerry West is not talking about himself but his honest opinion of other players, coaches, and associates.   Transitions are almost non-existent, making the outline of the book a little difficult to follow.  Additionally, there are a lot of added thoughts and "last lines" that come across as unnecessary and superfluous.

This book seems like an exciting prospect at first but slowly fizzles into what Earvin Johnson is quoted as referring to "good therapy."   To be fair, Jerry West clearly states in his introduction that this book is meant to be a memoir - Jerry West is a man with memories to share - and that must be remembered to appreciate this book.  Besides, some people like good therapy.

The Art of Fielding

By Chad Harbach - 2011 Little, Brown & Company

There are a few interesting aspects about this book that must be considered for review.  In an article from last week's issue, Sports Illustrated named this book the number one in sports entertainment and media for the 2011 year.  Is it really that good?  I think that part of its high ranking comes from the fact that this is Harbach's first novel but the book is good enough that it seems he's been writing for ages.  In other words, Sports Illustrated did not simply take the story into account but also the story about the story.

For the format of the novel itself, Harbach subtly blends a high vocabulary into his book,coming across as impressive but not confusing, and as the book is divided into 82 short chapters it makes the reading easier and keeps the story moving.

From a sport's point of view, Harbarch bravely chooses to focus on the individual psychological aspects of baseball, something that took a long time for the major leagues to accept the reality of.  That Harbach chose to create a star player with Steve Blass disease shows that he is not trying to write a typically heroic, albeit classic, baseball novel, but something that dives into the deeper parts of our nation's pastime.

A nice choice for a sports-oriented reader and for fans of some of the hidden nuances of baseball.

Moneyball

The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Michael Lewis - 2004 (2011 Reprint) Norton, W.W. & Company, Inc

The title Moneyball does not give the impression of a book that baseball fans would want to read.  It makes it seem the book really pertains to the Harvard graduates that keep appearing in it's pages.  It's not about a big market team, a classic moment in sports history or an inner city athlete making it big.  And yet, this book is good, very good.

Lewis somehow blends the story of a GM, of a team, of individuals, of saber metrics and of a revolution into one very interesting and enjoyable read.  Some chapters are more about the history of stats, some are more about an individual and throughout are sprinkled little revelations about the workings of what Lewis refers to as the "Major League Baseball Club."  This way or that, it keeps the book dynamic and the pages turning.

Clemente

The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero
David Maraniss - 2007 Simon & Shuster

A book by David Maraniss is an almost guaranteed good read and Clemente is just that.

The more interesting aspects of this book, however, are not simply about how overlooked he was playing in a small media town or that he felt his nationality defined him more that his skin color.  Rather, they include stories about his life in the off season, his relationship with certain fans and the aggravating, frustrating details surrounding one night's plane ride.

The book is fluid, interesting and worth the read.