Overview

Propounding his ""small ball theory"" of sports literature, George Plimpton proposed that ""the smaller the ball, the more formidable the literature."" Of course he had the relatively small baseball in mind, because its literature is formidable-vast and varied, instructive, often wildly entertaining, and occasionally brilliant. From this bewildering array of baseball books, Ron Kaplan has chosen 501 of the best, making it easier for fans to find just the books to suit them (or to know what they're missing). From biography, history, fiction, and instruction to books about ballparks, business, and rules, anyone who loves to read about baseball will find in this book a companionable guide, far more fun than a reference work has any right to be.

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9780803240735

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Reviews

"""I don't know whether Ron Kaplan took any performance-enhancing drugs, but he has accomplished something amazing. His book is the ultimate guide to baseball literature. If you love baseball or books or any combination thereof, you should pick this up now."" - A. J. Jacobs, author of The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World ""This is a book guaranteed to make a baseball fan feel worse than I (a Red Sox fan) did on the last day of the 2011 season. You thought you had a decent baseball library, you thought you were a well-read fan ... but no! You're a rookie, and you haven't read a fraction of all the memoirs, analyses, histories, and novels of baseball out there. But be of good cheer: a whole new world awaits, and Ron Kaplan has drawn you a treasure map."" - Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! ""Ron Kaplan has remarkably and thankfully given us the triple-header of baseball reference books. He has knowledgeably and entertainingly written a synopsis of, count 'em, 501 baseball books. This is a feat, and a very welcome one. A standing ovation for Ron Kaplan."" - Ira Berkow, Pulitzer Prize winner and former New York Times sports columnist ""Ron Kaplan provides a meticulous, entertaining, and informative dissection of the best baseball books, a perfect volume for anyone who loves the game. Great stuff."" - Dave Kaplan, director, Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center"

Ron Kaplan provides a meticulous, entertaining, and informative dissection of the best baseball books, a perfect volume for anyone who loves the game. Great stuff. --Dave Kaplan, director, Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center--Dave Kaplan (09/20/2012)

I don't know whether Ron Kaplan took any performance-enhancing drugs, but he has accomplished something amazing. His book is the ultimate guide to baseball literature. If you love baseball or books or any combination thereof, you should pick this up now. - A. J. Jacobs, author of The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World This is a book guaranteed to make a baseball fan feel worse than I (a Red Sox fan) did on the last day of the 2011 season. You thought you had a decent baseball library, you thought you were a well-read fan ... but no! You're a rookie, and you haven't read a fraction of all the memoirs, analyses, histories, and novels of baseball out there. But be of good cheer: a whole new world awaits, and Ron Kaplan has drawn you a treasure map. - Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Ron Kaplan has remarkably and thankfully given us the triple-header of baseball reference books. He has knowledgeably and entertainingly written a synopsis of, count 'em, 501 baseball books. This is a feat, and a very welcome one. A standing ovation for Ron Kaplan. - Ira Berkow, Pulitzer Prize winner and former New York Times sports columnist Ron Kaplan provides a meticulous, entertaining, and informative dissection of the best baseball books, a perfect volume for anyone who loves the game. Great stuff. - Dave Kaplan, director, Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center

Sportswriter and blogger Kaplan's first book is a fun and useful guide for finding arguably the best baseball books among the mounds of titles relating to this book-inspiring sport... The author's well-informed and well-written comments are compelling enough to make this either a worthwhile light read or a handy reference for all readers of baseball literature. -Library Journal Library Journal [501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read before They Die is] a generous, well-researched, and entertaining list of suggestions of what to read next. -Allan Wood, The Joy of Sox -- Allan Wood The Joy of Sox 501 Baseball Books is a remarkable compendium of national pastime tomes. -Benjamin Hill, MILB.com -- Benjamin Hill MILB.com A self-proclaimed pack rat and baseball junkie, it's amazing enough that Kaplan was able to read all 501 of these books-to offer comprehensive summaries of each and every one is a truly remarkable accomplishment. -Foreword Reviews Foreword Reviews A fantastic page-turner... Without a doubt 501 is a SABRite's ultimate reading bucket list. -John Vorperian, Southern New England Chapter, Society for American Baseball Research -- John Vorperian New England Chapter, Society for American Baseball Research Check off which ones you've read, and jot down a list of ones you'd like to hunt down. Then get busy. -James Bailey, Baseball America -- James Bailey Baseball America

Check off which ones you've read, and jot down a list of ones you'd like to hunt down. Then get busy. -James Bailey, Baseball America -- James Bailey Baseball America Sportswriter and blogger Kaplan's first book is a fun and useful guide for finding arguably the best baseball books among the mounds of titles relating to this book-inspiring sport... The author's well-informed and well-written comments are compelling enough to make this either a worthwhile light read or a handy reference for all readers of baseball literature. -Library Journal Library Journal A fantastic page-turner... Without a doubt 501 is a SABRite's ultimate reading bucket list. -John Vorperian, Southern New England Chapter, Society for American Baseball Research -- John Vorperian New England Chapter, Society for American Baseball Research [501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read before They Die is] a generous, well-researched, and entertaining list of suggestions of what to read next. -Allan Wood, The Joy of Sox -- Allan Wood The Joy of Sox 501 Baseball Books is a remarkable compendium of national pastime tomes. -Benjamin Hill, MILB.com -- Benjamin Hill MILB.com A self-proclaimed pack rat and baseball junkie, it's amazing enough that Kaplan was able to read all 501 of these books-to offer comprehensive summaries of each and every one is a truly remarkable accomplishment. -Foreword Reviews Foreword Reviews

Author Information

Ron Kaplan is a sports and features writer and editor for the New Jersey Jewish News. His book reviews, author interviews, and articles have appeared in publications such as the Huffington Post, Baseball America, and Mental Floss, and he hosts a blog on baseball literature.

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