Review of "Touching All the Bases"

Dave Winfield’s Touching All the Bases offers a thoughtful, surprisingly even‑tempered look back at his decade with the New York Yankees and his complicated relationship with George Steinbrenner. Fans of 1980s baseball will appreciate the mix of on‑field history, personal reflection, and behind‑the‑scenes intrigue.

Title/Author:

“Touching All the Bases: A Story of Power, Purpose and Surviving the Bronx” by Dave Winfield with Alan Maimon

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

Dave Winfield was one of the most gifted multi‑sport athletes of his era, drafted by professional teams in baseball, basketball, and football after his standout career at the University of Minnesota. Choosing baseball proved the right call—he built a Hall of Fame résumé that stretched across two decades and several franchises. While Touching All the Bases covers his full life and career, the heart of the memoir is his ten seasons with the New York Yankees and the complicated, often contentious relationship he had with owner George Steinbrenner.

Winfield began his major league career in San Diego, starring on some difficult Padres teams and establishing himself as one of the sport’s premier players. His performance earned him what was then the largest contract in baseball history when he signed with the Yankees in December 1980. But after New York lost the 1981 World Series, the relationship between Winfield and Steinbrenner deteriorated. Winfield accused Steinbrenner of failing to meet a contractual obligation to support the Winfield Foundation, the charitable organization he had launched in San Diego and expanded in New York.

Steinbrenner responded not only with public criticism of Winfield’s play but with a disastrous decision: he paid Howard Spira, a known gambler, $150,000 to dig up damaging information about the foundation. The scandal ultimately led to Steinbrenner’s suspension from baseball in 1990—initially a lifetime ban, later reduced to two years.

Given all this history, one might expect Winfield’s memoir to be fueled by anger or score‑settling. It isn’t. Winfield writes with restraint, perspective, and even generosity; at one point he states plainly that he didn’t believe Steinbrenner was a bad person. While he acknowledges moments of frustration—his on‑field slumps, the prolonged legal dispute with a former girlfriend who falsely claimed a common‑law marriage—the overall tone is reflective rather than bitter. More than anything, Winfield emphasizes gratitude: for his career, for the people who supported him, and for the life he built in and beyond baseball.

With its blend of baseball history, personal insight, and the kind of behind‑the‑scenes drama that defined the Yankees of the 1980s, Touching All the Bases is a memoir I thoroughly enjoyed. Fans of that era—and of Winfield himself—will find plenty to appreciate in this thoughtful look back from one of the decade’s defining players.

I wish to thank BenBella Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link:  Amazon.com: Touching All the Bases: A Story of Power, Purpose, and Surviving the Bronx eBook : Winfield, Dave, Maimon, Alan: Kindle Store

 

Review of "Fallen"

 Mick Conefrey’s account of George Mallory’s life and final Everest expedition blends strong research with gripping storytelling. Even with the outcome known, the 1924 climb and the discoveries that followed make for compelling, memorable reading.

Title/Author:

“Fallen: George Mallory and the Tragic 1924 Everest Expedition” by Mick Conefrey

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

The first recorded and acknowledged successful climb of Mt. Everest came in 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit. Yet for more than a century, questions have lingered about whether George Mallory and Sandy Irvine may have stood on top of the world nearly three decades earlier. Mick Conefrey’s book offers an excellent account of Mallory’s life, ambitions, the fateful 1924 expedition, and the discoveries that continue to fuel debate over whether he and Irvine were truly the first to reach the summit.

Through research and interviews, Conefrey paints a vivid portrait of Mallory—adventurous, determined, and wholly committed to the mountain. The 1924 expedition was his third attempt, and while his long absences strained family life, he is portrayed as a devoted husband to Ruth and father to Clare and George. Conefrey also captures Mallory’s unconventional livelihood, earning money through lectures to support both his household and his expeditions. These sections are detailed, engaging, and easy to follow.

The book’s strongest writing comes in its account of the 1924 climb. The descriptions of the camps, the weather, and the daily dangers Mallory and Irvine faced are compelling even when the outcome is already known. Conefrey’s narrative holds the reader’s attention with the urgency of a story unfolding in real time. The later chapters—covering the discovery of the climbers’ bodies and the theories sparked by those findings—are equally absorbing. While the all‑important camera Mallory carried was never found, what was discovered has led many to believe he may have reached the summit long before Hillary and Norgay.

Link: Fallen: George Mallory and the Tragic 1924 Everest Expedition: Conefrey, Mick: 9781639366354: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "It's All About the Players"

Peter Gammons’ It’s All About the Players is a rich, heartfelt tour through the people who shaped the game, from Cape Cod hopefuls to Hall of Fame legends. His reporting, storytelling, and lifelong devotion to baseball make this book a gift for anyone who has ever cared about the players behind the box scores.

Title/Author:

“It’s All About the Players: What I’ve Learned from Baseball’s Best” by Peter Gammons

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

For many years, Peter Gammons was the most trusted voice in baseball journalism. Whether through his Boston newspaper columns, his groundbreaking work on ESPN that helped launch Baseball Tonight, or his reporting from countless World Series, he built a career on knowing players—really knowing them—and his new book fully embraces the belief in its title: the game is all about the players.

The writing here is as sharp, warm, and observant as it was during his newspaper days. Gammons gives equal care to every level of the sport: college kids grinding through summer ball on Cape Cod, a former Marlins first‑rounder whose career was derailed by addiction but who rebuilt his life into sobriety and business success, and icons like Tony Gwynn—whose wife Alicia essentially became MLB’s first video coordinator by filming his swing long before video study was commonplace. Gammons’ ability to move seamlessly between these worlds is what makes his storytelling so enduring.

He does write a little—emphasis on little—about himself. There’s the aneurysm that nearly killed him, mentioned without melodrama. There’s Joe DiMaggio finally speaking to him only because Ted Williams insisted. And there’s the moment he watched the Red Sox, his childhood team, win the 2004 World Series and immediately thought of his father. These personal stories are few, but they’re as thoughtful and grounded as the player profiles that surround them.

Other chapters on Ichiro Suzuki, Barry Bonds, and Cal Ripken blend familiar history with fresh angles only a baseball lifer could uncover. Think you know the full story of the famous Bonds–Jim Leyland argument? Think again. Think Ichiro couldn’t hit home runs? Gammons has a chapter that will make you reconsider. His reporting adds nuance to players whose legacies often get flattened by highlight reels or public narratives.

Any baseball fan who has enjoyed Gammons’ voice—on the page, on television, or simply as part of the game’s fabric—will find something to savor here. With so many players, seasons, and personalities represented, every reader should encounter at least one moment that sparks the memory: yeah, I remember that.

I wish to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: It's All About the Players: What I've Learned from Baseball's Best: 9781538777206: Gammons, Peter: Books

 

Review of "How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius"

Nick Greene’s How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius isn’t a tactics manual—it’s a lively, interdisciplinary tour through the hidden history and mechanics of the world’s game. Packed with humor, sharp research, and wonderfully odd perspectives, it makes soccer feel fresh even to longtime fans.

Title/Author:

“How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius:  What Architects, Stuntwomen, Paleoanthropologists, and Computer Scientists Reveal About the World’s Game” by Nick Greene

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

I must start this review with a disclaimer: I read Nick Greene’s previous book on basketball with the same title—just swap “soccer” for “basketball.” In both cases, the titles undersell what Greene is actually doing. These aren’t manuals on how to watch a sport; they’re wide‑ranging explorations that leave the reader with a deeper understanding of how each game evolved and why it looks the way it does today.

In How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius, Greene approaches the world’s game from every imaginable angle. He begins, delightfully, with turf—an unexpected but oddly perfect entry point. His main source is the groundskeeper tasked with keeping a natural grass field alive inside the Pontiac Silverdome so it could host matches during the 1994 World Cup. It’s a wonderfully strange challenge, and Greene uses it to show how much science, labor, and ingenuity sit beneath the surface of a sport we often take for granted.

That becomes the book’s throughline. Whether Greene is interviewing a stuntwoman to illuminate the art of flopping, a mathematician to explain point systems and tie‑reduction, or various experts to trace how ninety minutes plus stoppage time became the standard, the writing is factual, sharply sourced, and frequently hilarious. His humor is never forced—it’s woven into the fabric of the storytelling, the kind that sneaks up on you and lingers long after you’ve closed the book.

One moment in particular still makes me laugh. In a chapter on penalty kicks, Greene explains how the traditional ABAB format briefly gave way to a test version known as ABBA—Team A kicks once, Team B kicks twice, then back to Team A. After describing this short‑lived experiment, Greene ends the section with the line: “The winner takes it all.” It’s a perfect joke, and exactly the kind of cleverness that runs throughout the book.

If you’re expecting a tactical guide to formations, pressing schemes, or how to spot subtle strategic nuances, this isn’t that book. But if you want to learn about soccer through dozens of different lenses—historical, scientific, cultural, architectural, even evolutionary—then this is absolutely the one to pick up.

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius: What Architects, Stuntwomen, Paleoanthropologists, and Computer Scientists Reveal About the World’s Game: 9781419777172: Greene, Nick: Books

 

Review of "Battles at Annapolis"

A fascinating blend of military history and college football, Battles at Annapolis revisits the two Army–Navy games played on Naval Academy grounds. The focus on the 1893 and 1942 matchups highlights how tradition, leadership, and wartime realities shaped this legendary rivalry.

Title/Author:

“Battles at Annapolis: Two Remarkable Football Games in the Army-Navy Rivalry” by David Gendell

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: 

David Gendell’s Battles at Annapolis explores two rare moments when the storied Army–Navy football rivalry shifted from neutral sites to the grounds of the Naval Academy itself. Blending military history with college football, Gendell focuses on the 1893 and 1942 matchups—games shaped as much by national circumstance as by the players on the field.

The 1893 contest is anchored by the compelling rise of Worth Bagley, who became captain of the Navy squad that edged Army 6–4 in a tight, defense‑heavy battle. Gendell’s attention to Bagley’s development and leadership gives this section its strongest emotional pull. The 1942 game, played in Annapolis due to wartime travel restrictions, offers a different tone. While Navy again prevailed, 14–0, the richer material comes from Gendell’s writing on World War II and its impact on the Cadets and Midshipmen—young men preparing for a game while also preparing for war.

The book doesn’t dive deeply into either military history or football strategy, but its blend of the two makes for an engaging look at a rivalry shaped by tradition, circumstance, and service. Recommended for readers who enjoy both military narratives and the history of college football.

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Battles at Annapolis: Two Remarkable Football Games in the Army–Navy Rivalry: Gendell, David, Lynch USN (Ret.), Rear Admiral Thomas C.: 9781493088386: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Ghosts of K2"

 A deeply researched history of K2’s early expeditions, Ghosts of K2 spends most of its time on the failed climbs that preceded the Italians’ 1954 triumph. The payoff is worth the wait, but readers should be ready for a long approach before reaching the summit. Those who follow this blog know I'm big on books on Himalayan climbing.  This one is okay. 

Title/Author:

“The Ghosts of K2:  The Epic Saga of the First Ascent” by Mick Conefrey, narrated by Barnaby Edwards

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review: 

K2 may stand just behind Everest in height, but its reputation as the world’s deadliest mountain gives it a mythic pull—and Ghosts of K2 leans heavily into that history. Conefrey devotes most of the book to the long trail of failed expeditions before the Italians finally reached the summit in 1954, and while that backstory is thorough, it often overshadows the climb that ultimately made history.

Across a 12½‑hour listen, nearly eight hours focus on unsuccessful attempts, from Charles Houston’s 1938 and 1952 expeditions to Fritz Wiessner’s ill‑fated 1939 push. These chapters are detailed and occasionally gripping, but they left me wishing for more time with the Italian team whose perseverance, frostbite, and perilous descent form the emotional core of the story. When Conefrey finally arrives at the successful summit bid, the narrative tightens and the payoff is real—helped along by strong narration from Edwards.

Mountaineering fans will find plenty to appreciate, especially in the historical context, but they should be prepared for a long approach before the main story arrives. I’m glad I stayed with it, and while it didn’t fully meet my hopes, it earns its 3½ stars for the depth of research and the satisfying final act.

Link: Ghosts of K2 Audiobook by Mick Conefrey

Review of "The W"

Tamryn Spruill’s The W: A History of the WNBA offers a rich, narrative-driven account of how the league survived early challenges, evolved through franchise upheaval, and emerged as a powerful cultural force. Her reporting balances celebration, critique, and social context, making the book both informative and engaging. For anyone interested in the WNBA’s history and impact, this is essential reading.

Title/Author:

“The W: A History of the WNBA: How the WNBA Survived, Evolved and Changed Professional Sports: by Tamryn Spruill

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

Women’s basketball has never been more popular, and the WNBA is currently enjoying some of the strongest attendance and viewership numbers in its history. In The W: A History of the WNBA, Tamryn Spruill guides readers through a comprehensive and engaging chronicle of the league’s evolution.

Spruill begins with the league’s launch in 1997, noting that the WNBA entered the landscape alongside the rival American Basketball League (ABL), and that the NBA’s financial support was crucial in the W’s early years. Each chapter follows a consistent and effective pattern: off‑season developments, franchise movement, draft selections, season highlights, playoff results, and award winners. Presented in a narrative rather than statistical format, this structure makes the history accessible and enjoyable.

A standout element of the book is Spruill’s reporting on franchises that folded, relocated, or emerged. She praises owners and league leadership when warranted and does not shy away from criticism when she believes poor decisions or injustices occurred. Her discussion of the Houston Comets—winners of the league’s first four championships—ceasing operations due to ownership issues is particularly compelling, as is her later coverage of the league’s handling of the Connecticut Sun sale and the planned return of the Comets in 2027.

Spruill also addresses the WNBA’s role in social justice movements, from Black Lives Matter to women’s rights, while examining moments when league leadership appeared out of step with its players. Although most of her arguments are grounded in factual reporting, there are a few instances where her conclusions feel less certain. One example is her framing of the Sacramento Monarchs’ demise as evidence of sexism in sports; given the long history of owners leveraging taxpayer-funded arenas across all professional leagues, that situation felt more like a familiar sports-business standoff than a gendered injustice.

These moments are rare, and Spruill’s overall approach to difficult subjects is thoughtful, well-supported, and illuminating. For anyone interested in the WNBA—its past, present, and future—this book is highly recommended.

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: The W: A History of the WNBA: How the WNBA Survived, Evolved, and Changed Professional Sports: 9781419758812: Spruill, Tamryn: Books