Baseball Bookshelf: Recommended Reading
Pinstripe Press Book Reviews by Michael Aubrecht

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My favorite book (to date) by Harvey was a real gem titled "A Yankee Century: A Celebration of the First Hundred Years of Baseball's Greatest Team." This book covered it all from their historic beginnings as the New York Highlanders playing in Manhattan's Hilltop Park in 1903, to their reign as the modern-day dynasty that brought Major League Baseball into a new millennium with World Series championships in '96, '98, '99, and 2000. With the release of the updated version "A Yankee Century and Beyond" Frommer has once again outdone his previous effort by incorporating the latest developments in the storied franchise since the centennial of baseball's winningest team, For those who are unfamiliar with "A Yankee Century" this book is a must have, and for those who have read the original version, "A Yankee Century and Beyond" is much-much more than just an update, it's an extension into the most recent additions into the franchise's history. A must-read for any fan of the pinstripes!

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Harvey Frommer has authored over 30 books on sports and I've read at least 20 of them. All have been extraordinary, but his newest effort entitled "Old Time Baseball: America's Pastime In The Gilded Age" may be my favorite of them all. Focusing specifically on the origins of baseball, Frommer journeys back in time to before the Civil War while introducing us to a cast of characters who were instrumental in establishing the basis for the modern game that we recognize today. The content of this book is priceless, as over the years, the birth of our National Pastime has become a subject that is too often forgotten. Therefore Frommer's efforts must be applauded for not only preserving a fading part of sports history, but also more importantly, American history. From purists to historians (and even novices,) "Old Time Baseball" has something for everyone and will leave the reader with an even greater appreciation for our National Pastime.

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I have to admit, I've never been a big fiction reader. However, that may change now that I have read "Bronx Cheer" by Chetan Dave. The book is set in the fall of 2003. After years of unsuccessful attempts at obtaining big game tickets, three ordinary fans embarked on a last minute do or die mission to seize the passes to see the main event in person. Battling shrewd ticket brokers, crooked government officials, and so called “friends”, the question remained whether they would be able to get their hands on the tickets before time ran out. What really impressed me about this book, is Chetan's true-to-life depiction of real and relatable baseball fans. The game is actually secondary to the character's tenacious struggle to make it there and the adventures they experience are totally believable. These hurdles that they face make this one a real page-turner and I found myself literally "Cheering" these poor guys on. Inevitably, I asked myself "What would I do?" and that's what makes Bronx Cheer such a good read. We would all love a chance to be in these character's shoes and Chetan Dave knows that.