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Reviews

Reviews

by Mike Piazza with Lonnie Wheeler - Autobiography, Nonfiction

Mike Piazza’s autobiography is the candid story of the greatest hitting catcher in the history of baseball, from his inauspicious draft selection to his Hall of Fame-worthy achievements and the unusual controversies that marked his career. He addresses the steroid controversy that hovered around him and Major League Baseball during his time and describes the thrill of his game-winning home run on September 21, 2001.

by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy - Nonfiction, Sports

From 2004 to 2011, Terry Francona managed the Boston Red Sox, one of the most talked-about and scrutinized teams in all of sports. In FRANCONA, the legendary manager opens up for the first time about his eight years there, as they went from cursed franchise to one of the most successful and profitable in baseball history.

by Sam Roberts - Architecture, History, Nonfiction

Featuring quirky anecdotes and behind-the-scenes information, Sam Roberts’ book will allow readers to peek into the secret and unseen areas of Grand Central --- from the tunnels, to the command center, to the hidden passageways. With stories about everything from the famous movies that have used Grand Central as a location to the celestial ceiling in the main lobby (including its stunning mistake) to the homeless denizens who reside in the building's catacombs, this is a fascinating and exciting look at a true American institution.

by H. W. Brands - Biography, History, Nonfiction

Ulysses Grant rose from obscurity to discover he had a genius for battle, and he propelled the Union to victory in the Civil War. After Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the disastrous brief presidency of Andrew Johnson, America turned to Grant again to unite the country, this time as president. In H. W. Brands' page-turning biography, Grant emerges as a heroic figure who was fearlessly on the side of right.

Tony La Russa with Rick Hummel - Nonfiction, Sports

Down 10 1/2 games with little more than a month to play, the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals had long been ruled out as serious postseason contenders. Yet in the face of those steep odds, this team made the playoffs and won the World Series. Now manager Tony La Russa gives the inside story behind this astonishing comeback and his remarkable career, explaining how a team with so much against it was able to succeed on baseball's biggest stage.

by Marty Appel - Nonfiction, Sports

Since their breakthrough championship season in 1923, the New York Yankees have been baseball’s most successful franchise. Marty Appel, the Yankees’ PR director during the 1970s, now illuminates the team in all its century-plus of glory: clever, maneuvering owners; rowdy, talented players; and, of course, 27 championships.

by Douglas Brinkley - Biography, Nonfiction

For decades, Walter Cronkite was heralded as “the most trusted man in America,” from his first reports on the frontlines of World War II to anchoring the "CBS Evening News" until his retirement in 1981. Yet for the most part, he was a remarkably private man. Douglas Brinkley, through analysis of Cronkite’s private papers and interviews with family and friends, now brings the American icon into a focus like never before.

by Vernona Gomez and Lawrence Goldstone - Biography, Nonfiction, Sports

Born to a small-town California ranching family, Vernon “Lefty” Gomez rode his powerful arm and jocular personality right across America to the dugout of the New York Yankees. Lefty baffled hitters with his blazing fastball, establishing himself as the team’s ace. Now his daughter and co-author Lawrence Goldstone vividly re-create the life and adventures of the irreverent southpaw.

by Daniel Ewald - Nonfiction, Sports

Sparky Anderson met author Dan Ewald in 1979, and thus was born a lifelong friendship not likely ever to be seen again in baseball. Along the way, Dan never took for granted the front row seat he had to watch one of history's most memorable managers’ absolute mastery of baseball's nuances and intricacies.

by John Grisham - Fiction

In the summer of 1973, Joe Castle quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.