What are you reading right NOW?!?!

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

cooby - come September you'll be hearing about this course ad nauseum <g>

The good news, though, is that my favorite teacher from last fall is teaching this class, so I'm totally psyched :)

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I finally finished The Testament. It wasn't a great read, by Grisham standards, but it had a better ending than most of his books.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

You Gotta Have Wa by Robert Whiting.

The second of about a half dozen Japan books I intend to read, and the only one about baseball.

A fun, interesting read. It was written in 1989, so it's perhaps a little bit out of date. But worthwhile for any baseball fan to try. I recommend it.


More than once while reading this book it's occurred to me how great a well-written Bobby Valentine autobiography would be. His Mets years would interest me the most, but I'd also love to get his insight about his years managing in Japan, and the cultural issues he dealt with.

As of the writing of Wa, there hadn't been a successful gaijin manager in Japan, but Bobby's obviously found the secret formula. I really hope that he one day shares his stories.

Also, the mental (and physical) preparation that ballplayers go through in Japan is so very different from what happens here. The differences are more than I had ever realized. I have to wonder if that's the real reason why Kaz Matsui flopped in the United States. Maybe his ability wasn't overrated. Perhaps instead he had difficulties adapting to such a very different culture, both in the clubhouse and away from the ballpark, that it got inside his head and affected his game.

Something to think about, anyway.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'd like to be his biographer, so if you see him when you visit, let him know.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'll put that on my to-do list!

[Elster88]

="Elster88"]Just finished the most recent book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Pretty good stuff. I still think I like the The Wheel of Time series better.

Finished a reread of aSoIaF. Good stuff. I like doing a reread and catching the hidden details.

[Guest cooby]

Last night, I went down in the basement and found "A Perfect Storm" (which so far seems to be about bars in Gloucester, boring), "A Pirate Turns Fifty" by Jimmy Buffett, three Harry Kemelman "Rabbi" books, and "Losing Isaiah", which I am reading first.

[Willets Point]

="cooby"]Last night, I went down in the basement and found "A Perfect Storm" (which so far seems to be about bars in Gloucester, boring), "

That's because you've never been to a bar in Gloucester.

[Guest cooby]

I don't mean the bars sound boring. But I'm waiting for this big storm to start and they just keep drinking and, you know, going upstairs.

[stevejrogers]

Pretty entertaining book about the ins and outs of the TV biz over the last few years. The reality revolution is covered, along with the big turnover of all three network news lions (4 counting Ted Koppel)

Good quick read, especially if you like to see how the sasauges are made in the entertainment industry

[stevejrogers]

Oh, the title comes based on the fact that "Desperate Housewifes" got turned down by NBC before going to ABC, the whole downfall of NBC and "Must See TV" and the rise of CBS in recent years is the framework of the book.

[MFS62]

Born to Kvetch by Michael Wax

No, it isn't a book about callers to sports talk shows. It is a book about the Yiddish language.

The notes say the author is , among other things,a "translator", "humorist" and an "entertainer".
As compared to The Joys of Yiddish by Leo Rosten, this book was neither funny nor entertaining. It is more like a textbook, educating the reader on the origins and nuances of the language. Wax tries to explain the differences between the traditional language itself and its popular usage in current life.

There is a pronumciation primer and even a glossary. But the book is difficult to read, with many similar words in the same sentence sometimes obscuring the point the author was trying to make. And if you're looking in the glossary for definitions of those words you sometimes use to describe your boss (schmuck, putz) they aren't there.

Its a tough read, even if you thought you had an interest in the subject. But if you're a curious etymologist, you might want to give it a try.

Oh, in case you don't know, a kvetch is a chronic, nagging complainer.

Later

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I read this during our recent vaction on Ocracoke Island.

A disturbing and humorous memoir of a truly troubled childhood. It's practically a miracle that the author lived to tell the tale of his completely screwed up family and bizarre journey to adulthood.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I read that one earlier this year. Weird and entertaining. It's hard to believe that family he stayed with is for real.

[Guest cooby]

Went to the library today (I almost hit a peacock!) and got some more good stuff

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I hate those sassy peacock librarians. I would have hit him too!

[Guest cooby]

Stupid thing kept waving his tail in my face. I had to do something

[MFS62]

cooby wrote: Stupid thing kept waving his tail in my face. I had to do something

There are a lot of them at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. They let them run around all over the place, and they will follow you to the parking lot.
Considering its Bridgeport, I'm surprised one of them hasn't been mugged yet.

Later

[Willets Point]

[Guest cooby]

[Guest cooby]

Is there a Fairfield County in Massachussetts?

[Willets Point]

Nope. Connecticut, Ohio and South Carolina all have Fairfield Counties though.

I'm curious at what prompted the question.

[Guest cooby]

The Harry Kemelman book (on previous page) that I am reading now refers to "Fairfield County" a lot. I know all his rabbi books are set in Massachussetts but I am fairly sure that town is fictional. (I forget the name or I would ask you. When I have one handy I will)

Not that I am an expert on Fairfield County, CT, but none of the town names sound right for CT either(though there is a Gorten in the book, a play off of Groten?)

Ohio and Carolina are out.

Just curious.

You know what? Here is how weird I am; when I read a book, I often have my atlas there with me...

[Guest cooby]

Barnard's Crossing, Mass

[stevejrogers]

Entertaining read about New York City in 1977. A very pivitol year in the city's history.

Sadly, no mention (well so far) of an event that happened on 6/15 but then again, that ship, much like NYC itself, was allready long since sunk

So clearly Reggie v Billy and that championship ride are covered heavily (the project actually started out as a baseball book, but grew once Mahler realized how much other interesting things were going on that year)

Also a pivitol mayorial race, blackouts, urban decay (title comes from Howard Cosell's comment about seeing fires go up from an overhead blimp shot during the World Series that year) the Son of Sam case was that summer (Spike Lee even made a film called "Summer of Sam" as well as Murdoch's taking over the Post are the main storylines of the book

Good read for those who love NYC's history.

[Willets Point]

Cooby, that town is as real as John Nash's Princeton roommate.

Steve, that's an excellent book I read earlier this year.

[Guest cooby]

Thanks Willets, that's what I figgered.


Son of Sam, that seems like yesterday. I might have to pick that one up.

[stevejrogers]

Willets Point wrote: Steve, that's an excellent book I read earlier this year.

Cool. I was born that exact year so the 70's really WERE a blur to me (no mind altering drugs neccessary!) I love reading up on past times though

Baseball wise though, you can't beat the 50's in NYC. 47-64 a New York team was represented in all but 2 of the World Series (yes I'm aware the 1959 Dodgers won the World Series, but very much in LA) I mean 1999-2000 and this coming October probably couldn't come close to matching the addreneuline that time had. But then again, maybe I am falling prey to the nostalga waxers. No internet, no TALK radio let alone sports radio, TV station program directors wondered if the games could just STOP right at the time for the next show on the schedule so clearly no sports dominated TV, so maybe there is more now...

ANYWAY, the tectonic plates that were shifting both politically and culturely at that moment (late 1970's) is quite facinating.

[Frayed Knot]

]I mean 1999-2000 and this coming October probably couldn't come close to matching the addreneuline that time had. But then again, maybe I am falling prey to the nostalga waxers.

In part you are.
I mean I'm sure it was a great time to be a NY baseball fan but sports simply commands a much bigger slice of America's attention now than it did then. NYC might have had nearly 20% of the teams in MLB at the time as well as a stranglehold on the post-season tourney most years, but attendance also spent much of the '50s in particular plummeting for all 3 teams (and attendance in the Bronx continued to fall even after the Dodgers & Giants left).
Shea & YS will draw over 7 million paying fans this year while I don't think the 3 stadiums then ever drew 5mil combined even at their peak.

People writing about sports frequently pick the era of their youth as the best ever and the elder spokesmen of the NYC scene are of the age that trumpets the late '40s thru the '50s as that time.

[Guest cooby]

Pretty good