Review of "At the Bat"

It isn't often I will read fiction, sports or no sports, but when the author reached out to the baseball book club on Goodreads, a few of us decided to give it a chance. This book on the famous "Casey At the Bat" poem is a decent read for those who enjoy baseball fiction.  Here is my review of "At the Bat"

 Title/Author:

"At the Bat: The Strikeout that Shamed America" by Del Jones

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history, fiction

Publish date:

August 17, 2020

Length:

252 pages

Rating:

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

"Casey At the Bat" is probably the most famous piece of baseball fiction that has been written.  However, since it is a poem, there is a lot of room to speculate what may have happened before and after that fateful at bat and Del Jones has weaved a good tale doing just that, speaking mostly from the point of view of the umpire.

Walter Brewster is that umpire, who reluctantly went into that profession upon the guidance of a judge who was assaulted while umpiring a game.  He strikes me as a different type of protagonist, one that is hard to gauge and whether to love or loathe him. The same was true for the judge and other minor characters as I had trouble trying to figure out the development of these characters.

That couldn't be said for the historical characters such as Moses Fleetwood Walker (the catcher in the famous at-bat, using the pseudonym Grasshopper Nova), Cap Anson and Nelly Bly.  Each of them are not only well known due to their real-life accomplishments, their stories are told well in the tale.

While the overall story is good, if it was a little more polished instead of jumping around from before and after, it would have been helpful.  On more than one occasion, I found myself going back to try to catch up to what happened up to that point, whether it was before or after the at bat.  But the story as a whole, especially the ending, is a good one.  That made the book one that I was glad to read, despite my reservations about certain aspects. There wasn't any one particular aspect that I felt was truly outstanding, but at the same time, none of these were so bad that it made the book not worth the time to read. If you like to read historical baseball fiction, this one is worth checking out.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/At-Bat-Strikeout-Shamed-America/dp/1732605246/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "The Origins of Southern College Football"

 This was a book that grabbed my attention with just the title.  Given how the Southeastern Conference has produced so many great teams and players the last 20 years or so, it was good to learn about the origins of the game in the area.  Here is my review of "The Origins of Southern College Football."

Title/Author:

“Origins of Southern College Football: How an Ivy League Game Became a Dixie Tradition" by Andrew McIlwaine Bell

Tags:

Football (American), college, history

Publish date:

August 12, 2020

Length:

200 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Most college football fans, broadcasters and writers will agree that the Southeastern Conference has the best teams and players in the game today. However, that hasn't always been the case as in the early history of college football, the game was primarily played at Ivy League schools and the quality of play in the South wasn't considered as good. This book by Andrew McIlwaine Bell gives the reader an insight into the game in that region during those early days.

Something the book shows that might be surprising is that there is no single "ah-ha" moment or game when football became the game of the South.  Instead, it was gradually gaining acceptance and popularity as the South was recovering from its losses in the Civil War and was looking to its northern neighbors for ways to rebuild.  Organized, "scientific" football was one of those customs that was already popular in the Northeast and some Ivy League transplants brought the game to the South, where it became a symbol of the area's strength, resilience and yes, its culture that included racism.           

On that last topic, this issue and other historical matters such as two other wars (the Spanish-American War and World War I) and politics are featured as prominently as football in this book.  These are important to include to bring the complete picture to the reader as they helped shape the region's attitude and participation in the game.  Of course, Theodore Roosevelt's actions toward making the game safer is an example of how these issues tie in with the game.

If there are any events, games or teams that truly brought attention to the way the game was played in the South to writers and other important figures in the Northeast, it would be the accomplishments of two particular teams.  One would the team from Sewanee (now known as the University of the South) in 1899.  They became the first team from the South to go undefeated in one season.  While they have now been properly recognized for that feat, the "elite" in the Northeast felt that this wasn't much of an accomplishment since it was believed the quality of play in the South was much more inferior than that in the Northeast.  It took nearly two decades to change that attitude when John Heisman led the 1917 Georgia Tech team to a national title.  That team shut out most of its opponents and still holds the record for the most lopsided win in college football history, a 222-0 win over Cumberland College.  

While the book in some parts reads like a scholarly work, it is still an enjoyable book for the reader who wants to learn more about college football in the South at that time and in that culture.  Even die-hard college football fans are bound to learn some new information about the game, as this reviewer did.  

 I wish to thank LSU Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

 Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Origins-Southern-College-Football-Tradition/dp/0807171204/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Billy Ball"

I remember well when it was announced Billy Martin would be the next manager of the Oakland A's.  I thought he was crazy to take that job - but it turned out to be one of the better managing jobs for him, both in him returning to his hometown and for the unexpected results.  Here is my review of "Billy Ball"

Title/Author:

“Billy Ball: Billy Martin and the Resurrection of the Oakland A's" by Dale Tafoya

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history, Athletics

Publish date:

March 1, 2020

Length:

264 pages

Rating: to

4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Billy Martin's managing career in major league baseball is remembered primarily for three reasons – his success with the New York Yankees, the numerous times he was fired and rehired by Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and whenever he wasn't managing the Yankees, the team he WAS leading would usually make a substantial leap in the standings and performance.  One of those teams was the Oakland Athletics (or A's for short) and for three years, 1980-82, Martin's team was one of the most improved and exciting teams in baseball.  Those years are captured in this excellent book by Dale Tafoya.

The book starts out with a description of the depths to which the A's had fallen.  In the mid 1970's, the team won three consecutive World Series championships.  But by 1979, with the loss of free agents and owner Charlie Finley unable to afford to pay the higher salaries of the new baseball landscape, the A's sank to the worst record (54-108) and attendance (306,763) in baseball.  That latter figure is one that a reader won't forget as it is mentioned several times throughout the book, the only quibble this reviewer has with the book as it felt like this point was made too often.

However, after this season when Finley and Martin shocked the world when it was announced Martin would become the A's manager for the 1980 season, the book takes off nicely in describing the rise of the A's under Martin, both in wins and attendance.  What makes this part especially good is the writing about the starting pitchers for that 1980 season, when the A's pitchers were throwing many complete games.  The criticism that Martin heard long after that season, that so many complete games took their toll on those pitchers and ended their careers prematurely, is also addressed by talking to each of those pitchers and writers covering the team.  It presents a fair picture of that issue, allowing the reader to make his or her own conclusion.

The 1981 season is the one in which the A's reached their highest peak under Martin, reaching the American League championship series where they were swept by the New York Yankees.  Despite this and the fact that the season was shortened by a mid-season player's strike, it is considered to be one of the most exciting in the franchise's history in Oakland.  The writing about that season is very good as well.  The next year, 1982, was only successful at the turnstiles as while attendance was setting records, the team slumped badly.  Many players had off years (with the notable exception of Rickey Henderson and his setting a new record for stolen bases). However, the book's documentation of that season is mostly on Martin, who was not only getting more upset with his team's performance, but was also considering a return to the Yankees.  In the end, that eventually happened. 

The book is an excellent source of information for not only Martin, but for the background and insight into the A's for that short time frame and it is a good reflection of the time Martin spent managing the team – very good reading from the start, gets better and even though the ending may not be what one wants, the overall takeaway is a very positive one.   

                  

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Billy-Ball-Martin-Resurrection-Oakland-ebook/dp/B0849PLNXN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/billy-ball-dale-tafoya/1132516508?ean=9781493043637

Review of "A Season to Forget"

Just as much as historically good sports teams and accomplishments, I am just as intrigued by historically bad teams and events.  When the Baltimore Orioles started the 1988 season with 21 losses, I was morbidly following the streak like every other baseball fan.  So when I saw a book was written about the streak, I was interested, even though the reviews I read about it were not flattering.  Here is my review of that book, "A Season to Forget."

Title/Author:

“A Season to Forget: The Story of the 1988 Baltimore Orioles” by Ron Snyder

Tags:

Baseball, professional, Orioles, history

Publish date:

April 23, 2019

Length:

216 pages

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

In 1988, the Baltimore Orioles set a baseball record that a team would never want to claim – they lost 21 consecutive games to start the season.  While the Orioles had been declining since winning the World Series in 1983, no one expected a team led by Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray to perform so terribly. The streak and the state of the Orioles before and after the streak is told in this book by Ron Snyder.

There is writing about the Orioles both before and after the chapters on the streak itself.  The beginning chapters tell a brief history of the team and the success it had for nearly 20 years between 1966 and 1984 when the team won three World Series titles and appeared in two others.  Then, after the awful season of 1988, there is a nice write up about their nearly complete turnaround in 1989 when they fell one game short from winning the American League East Division. That was called the “Why Not?” season and certainly a terrific feel-good story.

However, the book’s main topic, the 21 game losing streak in 1988, was described in what is best described as haphazard fashion.  The games were not recapped in chronological order, at least not regularly as one will read about say game 9 in the streak, then a player interviewed will talk about game 15.  At least it starts with the 12-0 opening day loss to the Milwaukee Brewers and the chapters on the streak does end when the Orioles defeated the Chicago White Sox.  None of the games during the streak are analyzed in depth and there isn’t a lot of information on any player or manager written.  Not even Cal Ripken Sr., the shortstop’s father and manager of the team who was fired six games into the streak. 

While the book certainly has its flaws, it was one that was a quick read and something this reader wanted to finish to the end and see what happens, much like how the media and fans all over the world were following the Orioles streak.  It gained international attention and when the streak was over, it was a relief for everyone, not just the Orioles players and staff.  One other noteworthy occurrence that should be mentioned as it gained its own chapter.  The Orioles ended the streak in Chicago.  After losing two more games to the White Sox, they came back home to a sold-out Memorial Stadium on a Monday night where it was announced that the team would be getting a new ball park. It was quite a sight to see a packed stadium come out to watch a team with a 1-23 record.

While this book was at best only a cursory description of the historic streak, the author does mention in the foreword of the book that this was written from the viewpoint of both a journalist and a fan. Reading that and finishing the book was enough to give this book a passing grade, but for more information on the streak, players or Orioles of that 1988 season, it is best to seek that elsewhere.

                                                                             

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)                                                                                                                                    

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Season-Forget-Story-Baltimore-Orioles/dp/1683582624/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-season-to-forget-ronald-snyder/1128978538?ean=9781683582632

Review of "Champion of the World"

This book is not like others I have reviewed - a fictional wrestling story from the early 20th century. It is a tough, gritty tale but sometimes sweet at the same time. Here is my review of "Champion of the World."



Title/Author:
"Champion of the World" by Chad Dundas

Publication date:
July 12, 2016

Length:
480 pages

Tags:
Wrestling, fiction, historical, romance

Rating:
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:
Pepper Van Dean is a wrestler from the early 20th century who lost his title when he had a broken leg and never got a chance to regain it. To keep himself and his wife Moira financially afloat, he joins the circus as a vaudeville act but gets booted from that gig as well, being left behind when the circus packed up after a performance. How Pepper and Moira then get their lives back together while training a talented but troubled black wrestler named Garfield Taft makes up the premise of a great novel by Chad Dundas.

The atmosphere of early 20th century America and all the issues of the times such as Prohibition, race relations and even homosexuality are explored in the story so no controversial topic goes unnoticed. The three main characters (Pepper, Moira and Taft) are all complex and yet well developed so that the reader will feel a connection with all three of them. 

The wrestling scenes in the book have an authentic feel and the reader will feel the pain of the wrestlers as well as the sharpness as fixed matches and calls of corruption were not uncommon at that time in the sport. Dundas shows his knowledge of the sport from that era and writes it in a very easy to read manner that one will be books and spend a long time before putting this books down, as was the case for me. An outstanding debut novel that will resonate with the reader even if he or she knows nothing about sports or wrestling.

I wish to thank G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Format read:
E-book (Kindle)

Buying link:

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-World-Chad-Dundas/dp/039917608X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468288394&sr=8-1&keywords=champion+of+the+world 

Review of "Season of Upsets"

When I read the description of this book when the author sent me a review request, I thought I knew what to expect when reading it.  However, the book was much more than what I expected of the story.  I am glad I accepted Mr. Werner's request.  Here is my review of "Season of Upsets." 

Title/Author:

“Season of Upsets: Farm Boys, City Kids, Hoosier Basketball and the Dawn of the 1950’s” by Matthew Werner

Tags:

Basketball, historical, High school

Publish date:

November 15, 2014

Length:

260 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Indiana loves its high school basketball, especially in the 1940s and 1950s when all schools, no matter what size, played one tournament. There were chances for the small rural schools to upset their larger counterparts. The towns represented by these smaller schools would sometimes completely close to support these young athletes.  During the 1949-50 season, tiny Union Mills enjoyed a run to the Sectionals that is burned in the collective memory of the town.

That season, not only for Union Mills, but for the entire rural county of LaPorte, is captured in this crisply written book by Matthew Werner. Through extensive research and interviews, Werner captures the spirit of the players and coaches of each of the twelve schools in the county.

However, the book is much more than just about basketball. The reader will have a good understanding of what life was like in rural Indiana during that time as the trials and tribulations of the player’s families are also described in rich detail. While reading these passages, the reader will feel like he or she is living with these hard working people.

It would be a disservice to the book to compare it to the movie “Hoosiers” because this book is a much more complete picture of what it was like for a small rural school’s basketball team to face a much bigger urban school.  The basketball played by Union Mills in the county championship is just as exciting and good as any other basketball played. Werner’s recap of their games proves this. He also captures the spirit and emotions of these players and coaches in a manner that leaves the reader cheering for them until the very end.  A very good book that any basketball lover will want to add to his or her library.

I wish to thank Mr. Werner for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pace of the book:

I found the sections on describing rural life a little slow but very informative. The sections on the boys and the basketball seemed to flow a little better as a narrative but both are essential to the book.

Do I recommend? 

For anyone who is interested in that time frame, be it about the basketball, society or life in that era, this book will give the reader a slice of the Midwest during the 1950’s.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Season-Upsets-Hoosier-basketball-1950s-ebook/dp/B00PPCRQNM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432343598&sr=1-1&keywords=season+of+upsets

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-upsets-matthew-a-werner/1120867812?ean=9780692320471

Review of "I Never Had It Made"

Jackie Robinson's legacy will never be forgotten and this past spring, it was brought to life on the big screen to show a new generation what the man did for baseball and civil rights.   It was based on his autobiography, originally published just before his death in 1972 and it was re-published in electronic format to coincide with the release of the movie "42."  Here is a review on this book.

 

Title/Author:

“I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson” by Jackie Robinson and Alfred Duckett

Tags:

Baseball, autobiography, Dodgers, Robinson, history, politics, race

Published:

March 19, 2013 (e-book version) Original publication - 1972

 

Length:

320 pages

Rating: 

4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Jackie Robinson is one of the few athletes whose importance and popularity transcended sports.  “I Never Had It Made” is an excellent autobiography on his life, his outspoken views on the state of civil rights for black people during his life and oh, yes, a little bit about his baseball career with the Brooklyn Dodgers as well.   

Most people know of his accomplishments on the baseball field and what he had to endure during his early years with the Dodgers, even those who are not sports fans.  However, it might not be known to most readers that Robinson was also active in politics for the Republican Party.  Given the history of the relationship between civil rights leaders and the GOP, that might come as a surprise, but Robinson does a good job of explaining why he did so and what the eventual outcome would be.

Robinson pulls no punches in this book.  Whether it is about race relations in society, the military or baseball, or his relationships with first Branch Rickey and then Walter O’Malley, or the tender passages written about his wife Rachel and their three children, the reader will know without a doubt how Robinson feels about that topic.

 

By writing his true feelings and not sugar-coating it or making it more palatable for those who might not be comfortable with such frankness, I thought that every subject he wrote about was told in a much better way. The reader learns about the topic, gets Robinson’s perspective, and can then make up his or her own mind.

The baseball sections of the book are very good as well.  There isn’t much description of on-field action or statistical analysis, however.  This is written from a player’s point of view and the views expressed are just as much about the business and the social life on the field as well as hits and runs.   It was just enough to satiate the sports fan in me, but because this book is so much more than just a sports book, it should be read with the objective of learning about other topics as well.

This book certainly will teach the reader a lot about that era in American history and a lot about Jackie Robinson, the man.   “I Never Had It Made” is an excellent book that many readers should pick up and enjoy.

Did I skim?

No.

Did I learn something new?

Yes, a lot.   Because Robinson recounted so many of his experiences in great detail, I learned so much about his convictions on race relations and civil rights.   I did have a casual understanding of his off-field life and activities, but I did not realize how involved he was with the civil rights movement and politics.  

Pace of the book: 

Fairly slow, but in a good way.  For a reader like me who wanted to learn so much more about the man, it was helpful to read the book slowly.

Positives:

There were so many in this book that it would be hard to list them all.  However, I believe they can all be covered by just stating that was a very outspoken man and this book reflects that trait. 

Negatives:

While this isn’t a negative for me, some readers might not be comfortable reading about Robinson’s candor on the controversial issues of his day.  There were two notable problems in the editing of the e-book version.  One was that a period was inserted prior to each use of the word “other.”  The .other (intended to show that edit) was that when the World Series was discussed, the phrase was not capitalized as it is elsewhere.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  Going well beyond sports and baseball, this book is a good source of information on issues concerning race relations and some events of the turbulent 1960’s.   Whether the reader likes baseball, politics, history or biographies, this book is an excellent read for anybody who enjoys these topics.  

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Had-Made-Autobiography-ebook/dp/B00BEFNX72/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376256884&sr=1-1&keywords=i+never+had+it+made+an+autobiography+of+jackie+robinson

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-never-had-it-made-jackie-robinson/1101956049?ean=9780060555979

Review of "Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger"

Growing up in the Twin Cities and spending many days and nights at Metropolitan Stadium, I was excited to read this biography of Harmon Killebrew.  It brought back some nice memories.

Title/Author:

“Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger” by Steve Aschburner

Tags:

Baseball, biography, historical, Twins, Royals, Hall of Fame

Published:

May 2012

 

Length:

238 pages

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review

It isn’t too often that a person will be able to read a biography of a childhood hero, but I got to do just that when this biography on Harmon Killebrew was written shortly after his death in May 2011.   Growing up in Minnesota during Killebrew’s playing days, I would often make sure I was near a radio or television whenever he came to the plate as there was always a good chance that another majestic blast would leave the ball park during that at-bat.   I was hoping to relive those days while reading this book.   While there were a few moments, they were few and far between.

That doesn’t mean the book was a bad one.  The author has been a writer covering many teams on the Minnesota sports scene for many years, and his knowledge came across in the book.  He told Killebrew’s story from his time on the Idaho farm to his early days of languishing on the Washington Senators’ bench as a “bonus baby” of that time to his heyday of home run hitting in the Twin Cities, through his last season in Kansas City and his post-baseball life.  It was written in a manner that was easy to read and comprehend.  The style will appeal to all levels of baseball fans, from hardcore to casual, as it is neither too complicated nor too easy.

My major disappointment could stem from being a lifetime Twins fan, as I didn’t glean much new information on Killebrew’s life – even his post-baseball life, as it was all the highlights told from a different point of view.  There wasn’t a lot of depth to these stories – that kept the reading easy, but the level of knowledge gained by a reader also suffers because of this style.   That didn’t keep me from enjoying this good, quick read.

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn something new?

Not a lot of the material was new or a surprise to me.  Even most of his life after baseball was familiar to me and this book didn’t share anything new.  Again, keep in mind I have followed the Twins and Killebrew since I first knew what a baseball was, so others may learn new information about Killebrew.

Pace of the book:

Excellent – moved along very quickly.  I finished this in less than three hours of total reading time. 

Positives:

The timeline of the story went well – it stayed on track and didn’t stray too far off course. That is a preference I have because if there is constant back and forth, I find the book hard to follow.  There are also some more advanced statistics cited for Killebrew that were not used during the time he played, such as on-base percentage.   Seeing those statistics and how they measure against other players in the Hall of Fame was interesting.

Negatives:

Even though the book is 238 pages (in a smaller size than most hard covers), I thought the entire book skimmed through Killebrew’s career and the teams he played for a little too much.  Not enough that I thought I was reading a Cliff Notes version of his life story, but it still seemed that it could have been a little more detailed.  

Do I recommend?

Yes, for baseball fans that don’t follow the Twins or Killebrew regularly, it is full of good information that a casual fan will like and understand.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600787029

Review of "Sonny Liston: The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights"

As a boxing fan who has always been intrigued by the story of Charles "Sonny" Liston, I have been searching for a book that talked more about his boxing than his time in prison or being involved in organized crime.  While those topics are covered in this book, Paul Gallender has written the type of book I have been searching for - one that concentrates on Liston's boxing ability.   Enjoy!

Title/Author:

“Sonny Liston – The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights” by Paul Gallender

Tags:

Boxing, historical, biography, Liston, Ali, Clay, heavyweight, championship

Published:

March 18, 2013

Length:

308 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Former heavyweight boxing champion Charles “Sonny” Liston was a mysterious figure, especially outside the ring.   There were questions about him concerning his incarceration before his boxing career, his connections to organized crime, his ability to interact with fans and the general public.  Even when he lost the second of his two bouts with Muhammad Ali, he generated questions as to why that happened.   This biography of Liston by Paul Gallender is an attempt to answer some of these questions and also portray Liston in a manner that was very different than the manner the press did so during Liston’s life.

Throughout the book, Gallender will compare what Liston’s actions and thoughts were about his training, his fights, his manner of handling his celebrity status and his career to those same topics as they were covered by the press.   The reader will see the difference.   Gallender gathered much of his information through research and interviews of those people who were involved with Liston.   The quality of his research shows as there are many new stories and details that even avid boxing fans of the era will be surprised to know. 

This biography does not delve with great detail about aspects of Liston’s life that were not related to his boxing career.  Of course there is good information on his childhood and excellent writing about his relationship with his wife (her loyalty to her husband was very touching) but there was a good balance of those types of passages mixed in with the boxing aspects of Liston’s life.  I was hoping to read mostly about the boxing and was happy with this aspect of the book.

The author also gives fair coverage to controversial topics, such as whether Liston “threw” the second fight with Ali because of ties to organized crime or whether he was threatened if he didn’t lose the fight.   The official reason for many years was that Liston was injured, and the author sticks with this reason, but gives ample coverage of the other reasons bandied about through the years.

Overall, this is an outstanding account of Liston’s career and life.  This type of book for this particular boxer is difficult to find in any bookstore or library.  As someone who has been intrigued with Liston’s career, I found this book to be just what I needed to read to learn more about the man. 

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn something new?
Yes.   Having not been old enough to understand the sport when the two fights took place, I did learn a lot of information in this book.  Those fights and Liston’s story in particular have always intrigued me and I found this book to be a wealth of information for that.

Pace of the book: 

Excellent.  Never drags and is always moving on to the next pertinent topic.   

Positives:

Everything, but what I especially liked is that most of the information on Liston’s life outside the ring was covered in a manner that still connected with his boxing or his boxing related business.  There weren’t a lot of irrelevant stories or outside fluff and I found that to be very good.

This is a personal preference of mine, but something I really liked is that the author referred to Liston’s opponent in the two fights as both “Cassius Clay” and “Muhammad Ali” when appropriate – meaning that the man was named “Clay” until legally changed to “Ali.”  I believe that is best for true accuracy.  Most books will refer to him as “Ali” regardless of the time described in the particular passage.

Negatives:

The closest to a negative I could find is that a reader might believe that the author is very protective of Liston and may not be totally objective in his writing.  I found that not to be the case, as I believed he was simply trying to portray Liston as not quite the same person that the press did at the time.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  Any boxing fan or historian will enjoy this book.

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Sonny-Liston-Behind-Ali-Liston-ebook/dp/B00BWDCPK2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373801674&sr=1-1&keywords=sonny+liston