Book Recs for my ADD

[conor912]

I am looking for some new pre-war reading but it's become apparent that I don't have the attention span to finish single-subject books, i.e. biographies, single team/season stories, etc. I'm looking for collections of shorter entries.....something more along the lines of Glory of Our Times. Anyone have any ideas?

[FrankWakefield]

suggestions...

1- The Celebrant by Eric Rolfe Greenburg. It's a novel. If you have an interest in Mathewson and pre-WWI baseball, give this a try.

2- The Fix Is In by Daniel Ginsburg. Chapters about baseball that stand alone. Much of the book is pre war or shortly thereafter. Eye-opening. If you have firm convictions on how the HOF should be then this could be an unfortunate read; it will reveal gambling and game fixing in a clear, sobering way. If you think Joe Jackson should be in the Hall, then this book will either give you ample reason to change your mind, or you'll hurl the book aside from frustrated closemindedness. (Ditto for Pete Rose if you read that far.)

3- The Unforgettable Season by Gordon Fleming. A book about the 1908 baseball season. If you like the white border tobacco cards this book will fit right in.

4- Baseball When The Grass was Real by Donald Honig. A bit afer when you're looking for, 20s to 40s. It resembles Mr. Ritter's Glory effort.

[Jason Carota]

Deadball Stars of the National League and Deadball Stars of the American League (SABR Publications.) Each book contains mini biographies (i.e. 3-5 pages each, give or take) of the stars and semi-stars from the Deadball Era.

[conor912]

Thanks guys, will check 'em out!

[sgbernard]

Collections of sports journalism essays might do the trick for short attention spans? While not exactly prewar, I really enjoyed "The Silent Season of a Hero: The Sports Writing of Guy Talese." Great collection spanning much of the twentieth century.