Well, you didn’t expect to have so much time to read this year, huh?
We had a brand new sparkly library built right by us and I was only able to go maWell, you didn’t expect to have so much time to read this year, huh?
We had a brand new sparkly library built right by us and I was only able to go maybe twice before the shutdown. Oh well, at least it will still be there.
I could not get to bookstores which might be God’s way of saying read the books you have on your shelves (and Amazon and Barnes and Noble still found a way to send me books).
Anyway, this still is one of my favorite corners of the Internet. See ya next year...more
I think there are probably a fair amount of football fans who have heard of the “Steagles� -It’s a weird name after all-but I doubt hardly any know abI think there are probably a fair amount of football fans who have heard of the “Steagles� -It’s a weird name after all-but I doubt hardly any know about their season.
Which is sort of odd, because this would make a fantastic movie. There have been plenty of “misfit� football team movies over the years, and yet I am not sure any of them beat real life.
SPOILER: it would be hard to decide the Hollywood ending. They don’t win the NFL Championship at the end. That said, they actually do turn out to be much better than expected.
I have read most of Algeo’s books and he has a knack for finding an interesting story.
The NFL during World War 2 was on the verge of collapsing- teams folded and the only way that the Steelers and Eagles were going to make it was to combine.
Sounds easy enough but the two owners - Rooney and Bell didn’t like each other- and it wasn’t easy with two coaches and two cities wanting that home revenue.
Having recently been through the pandemic, it may not be similar to a War, but I think we can understand why FDR wanted Sports Leagues to continue and the moral victory in doing so.
This being WW2, every able male joined the Armed Forces. Those who played football may have been criticized. Of course, one might not think that a muscle bound football player who is deaf might be fine on the gridiron but not a fit for the battlefield. (Or broken bones, or flat feet, etc)
So the team was a motley crew of those that were too old, those with health conditions, even a few who played while on military leave.
Algeo’s book is a great read, covering the early days of the NFL, how it’s changed over the years, and the great personalities of the time period.
It gets a little football heavy at the end, so while I think anyone would like it, it probably helps to like the game.
That said, it’s a great football book. A great story of the World War 2 homefront. Also a great story of Americans doing a patriotic duty in difficult conditions even if that duty was just to keep the Country’s spirits up....more
Animorphs was a huge hit for Scholastic with middle schoolers in the Nineties. Little doubt why Scholastic might want to get them to the next generatiAnimorphs was a huge hit for Scholastic with middle schoolers in the Nineties. Little doubt why Scholastic might want to get them to the next generation.
In which case, you can skip my 'I liked it' rating. It is what it is. Aliens are taking over the planet and the only hope is some kids with the power to morph into animals.
I can definitely see the appeal. It is the equivalent of an action movie for kids. It has some dark themes, though admittedly I don't have a good gauge for that. I suspect the youngest audience (4th graders most likely perhaps advanced 3rd grade readers) have exposure to tougher stuff.
As an adult reader, this could or could not be down your alley. For me, the focus on the animals and the morphing as well as shallow characterization- seemed more written for children, and did not draw me in. Then again, that is supposed to be how it is written. This is a little too harsh for my sons, but they are still little and if this hooks them on reading, then I am all for it....more
My recent comic book excursions have pitted Covid-era Boredom vs Covid -era penny pinching. I passed the current crop of DC “Event� Comics for a MarveMy recent comic book excursions have pitted Covid-era Boredom vs Covid -era penny pinching. I passed the current crop of DC “Event� Comics for a Marvel Event comic: and although I haven’t read anything from the King in Black event, signs seemed to indicate that this comic miniseries had the most tenuous of connections to the big event.
Fearing that I did not know enough about Namor was also a concern, though I trust Busiek to tell a good story.
Having said that, I didn’t really love this, though I don’t think it was entirely for the reasons I stated.
It just seemed to be a bit of a mess. There is a flashback sequence to set things off. Artist duties are split between the Teen Namor and modern day. I have no major complaints though I think I prefer Jonas Scharf’s modern day scenes. Benjamin Dewey’s stuff is fine, though I wonder if it’s a bit of a mismatch for this particular title.
It’s all just a bit of jumble which may be Busiek’s way of saying ‘Let’s get this all out of the way and let me tell my story�.
In any case, this had a good pulp feel but didn’t really deliver. One of my favorite Marvel titles at the moment is -similarly 30s era Pulp- Conan the Barbarian and has been well written by first Jason Aaron and then Jim Zub (Busiek has written more than a few Conan stories in his career, too).
I think you could come out of issue 1 with two conclusions- it’s not really worth the time and energy “or� Busiek is about to deliver a good story- and I am not sure either is wrong....more
I tend to hate these DC crossover events but I can’t really avoid them, can I?
There still seems to be a nonstop deluge of Dark Metal comics and a big I tend to hate these DC crossover events but I can’t really avoid them, can I?
There still seems to be a nonstop deluge of Dark Metal comics and a big hype for January’s Future State. It’s all about one can do to keep up when you try to sneak this somewhere in the middle.
Recent DC events had bigger names but I find something reassuring in Marz and Lanning writing the title.
That pays off, too. As it seems recent Event comics get bogged down in ambition, this comic is quite readable.
Points for Howard Porter as artist as well.
Overall, this is a pretty standard stuff. I was hoping for a bigger hook. The final page reveal was pretty cool. There’s some snappy dialogue and some big action.
On the other hand, you know maybe some ambition is nice after all. There were some cool moments, but at 40 pages, it doesn’t seem to accomplish much, and while I found just enough to get me to the next issue, I doubt everyone would be as lenient. Perhaps, things are tentative as DC seems to change to their next direction or maybe as feared, this is “thrown together�. We will have to see....more
I have had this book on my radar since it first came out, but yes I am reading it 27 years later.
I always took the title as a cool alliteration but iI have had this book on my radar since it first came out, but yes I am reading it 27 years later.
I always took the title as a cool alliteration but it’s choices are intended. The Velvet Underground was the first ‘proto punk band. Although they were inspired by American garage bands and British Invasion, they were really the first. Although many came between them, Richard Hell (of the Voidoids) was really the first artist to create what we think of as Punk, and last artist before the Sex Pistols would make it a worldwide phenomenon (based on Hell’s style).
This book’s importance in a largely pre-Internet age cannot be overstated and decades later is one of the few books that is a better record of the time than Wikipedia.
Indeed, the good and the bad is Heylin is an archivist. The book at times seems like a list of band lineups, gigs and rehearsals. One suspects if Heylin knew what Peter Laughner had for Breakfast on Christmas Day, 1976- it would have been included here as opposed to otherwise left out.
That’s not a bad thing though as Heylin describes the timeline, crowds and atmospheres at iconic locations like Mercer Arts Centre, CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City as opposed to a homogenous assumption. Again, it comes in correcting Suicide as a pre-punk band and not a post punk band based on their late recording date.
Heylin reveals that the path of the Velvet Underground may not have changed New York City much but grew scenes when they would play in Boston and Cleveland (chronicled in depth here). Heylin also takes a minute to catch the Detroit bands (which also drew in jazz influences) like the MC5 and the Stooges.
The book may be tough to the casual fan as it’s part oral biography and part narrative. Often more academic than one might expect on the subject matter.
For the most part, he talks the career of all major artists up to date and spends the last chapter on No Wave, a movement that almost inherently burned out.
I read the 2004 update which captures the world that Heylin’s book was released in. The 90s were a heyday for CD releases of found and largely unheard material, as well as unexpected reunions and returns from Television, Richard Hell and Patti Smith as well as the improbable and short lived reunion of the Velvet Underground and an artistically (if not commercially) fruitful three album run by a revitalized Pere Ubu.
The new edition finds an even more unexpected world in 2005 with reunions from stalwarts like the New York Dolls, Rocket from the Tombs and the MC5 despite the deaths of main players like Thunders, Nolan, Laughner, Tyner, and Fred ‘Sonic� Smith. Iggy even resurrected the Stooges and Television and Patti Smith continued to perform though producing nothing particularly of note.
Heylin in 2005 is (admittedly) combative. Whereas most punk chroniclers are too much in love with their subjects, Heylin seems almost dispassionate.
The biggest argument he presents is that the Ramones did not create a worldwide explosion of Punk. He posits that Punk movements in England and Australia would have started (indeed had started) independently of the New York bands and presents the time line that says so.
Harder to swallow, Heylin states that Johnny Thunders has peaked before the age of 21 and slightly less explicitly contends that with all of these seminal bands topped out with one, maybe two (or perhaps in Patti Smith’s case, three) great albums. It is a gut punch to the hero worship of the bands and yet it’s an argument that is hard to dispute.
Even as Heylin stakes his claim as different from his peers, his writing is interested. Of note, Heylin sees only two of the early bands as able to really transcend their work into a solid career- the Talking Heads and the completely revamped Jonathan Richman.
The book ends with a lengthy discussion of the many compilations and most famous bootlegs of the bands involved. It’s hard to think of a better resource for those interested even with the internet.
Overall, it’s hard not to recommend the book to people who are seeking detail on this incredible moment in American music history....more
How good is it to be reading (and reviewing) comics again.
I have been playing it pretty Conservatively, but I did pick up this up.
Confusingly, a one sHow good is it to be reading (and reviewing) comics again.
I have been playing it pretty Conservatively, but I did pick up this up.
Confusingly, a one shot, it appears that this is some background reading for the next Amazing Spiderman arc. I am tempted to deduct a star just for that.
But, I have been reading the Amazing Spider-Man title, and although I haven't always loved it, this shows Spencer finding his strengths again.
So in that case, I am excited again for the title and the promise of a new storyline. Credit to Spencer then, for a story of various Spiderheroes coming together to save Spidey.
It has a clarity and conciseness that Spencer needed to get back to. Vicenti's artwork and Delgado's colors are fine, too.
Casual fans probably can skip this, but might want to consider jumping on the main title. ...more
I used to watch the Daily Show, well daily, but haven’t in years. I do try to catch the videos that go viral but I haven’t watched a ton of Noah’s stuI used to watch the Daily Show, well daily, but haven’t in years. I do try to catch the videos that go viral but I haven’t watched a ton of Noah’s stuff.
That said, everything I heard about this book is true. It is laugh out loud funny, it’s sad, it’s inspiring, it’s maddening. One would never suspect a book like this from a comedian’s autobiography.
It also makes me realize that ‘apartheid� is a concept that was given a fancy nickname but I don’t think Americans really comprehend it. I know Mandela. I know 80s wrestling heel Col DeBeers and I know Little Steven’s song about SunCity.
So this also serves as a readable sociology or history of South Africa that people might not otherwise pick up. Plus this isn’t distant history-it’s told by someone the same age as most readers (younger than this reader).
It is also depressingly relevant in 2020 as it takes on racial issues and domestic abuse. But it’s a great read. Well done....more
Urban Fantasy is a genre that I do not read widely (I don’t read much fiction in general in recent years) but I do like it.
Supernatural here means eacUrban Fantasy is a genre that I do not read widely (I don’t read much fiction in general in recent years) but I do like it.
Supernatural here means each story has a supernatural element or elements- Faeries, Vampires, Werewolves, and so on. Streets indicate the main character in each story is some kind of detective- private investigator, police consultant, hard boiled crime fighter, FBI Agent, whatever.
This being an anthology, there are two potential problems- 1. the possibility of sameness in every story. This could be easily remedied by pausing between stories but I did not find this an issue as the stories were sequenced in a way, each felt unique from the previous. 2-in anthology like this, the author quickly needs to explain their world, introduce their characters and cover a lot of ground quickly. Again, no real barriers to enjoyment here.
I would consider this to be an anthology of ‘up and coming� writers. That can be a misleading term, but based on the biographies in the back, I think it is fair. These are writers with some history but most are not well established. But they aren’t amateur either. Many of the writers have written a few books and there are a few bigger names like Declan Finn and Ryk E Spoor to balance it out.
For me, the variety was what really hooked me in. My favorites included the opening story by Sam Robb which felt like the most realistic of stories with a fantasy element dropped into the real world. Mickey DuBrow (Allan Kemp) had one of the more vivid stories which I would compare to True Blood in its exaggeration and big screen excitement. Then for my third pick, with a completely different spin, Paul Piatt’s Night Stockers was completely ridiculous, would be totally unfilmable, and was just great fun.
I picked this up as a relatively cheap e-book. There’s a lot to enjoy here. I don’t read Urban Fantasy which I know is extremely popular now, I know, but I did enjoy the book and it definitely made me nostalgic for all of the role playing games of my past....more
Although I generally have limited patience for the “musical� children book, I give this credit for having 20 songs. Songs as in short ‘four line� songAlthough I generally have limited patience for the “musical� children book, I give this credit for having 20 songs. Songs as in short ‘four line� songs. But enough it doesn’t get boring. The player lets you dial a certain song you want to hear or shuffle at random. Although ostensibly for little kids, the six year old and I got a fun afternoon out of it and will be a fun book for musical kids. So one that will get pulled out from time to time....more
As a long time Garth Ennis fan, we always thought Preacher was going to be the story that made it to the screen and become universally loved, but hereAs a long time Garth Ennis fan, we always thought Preacher was going to be the story that made it to the screen and become universally loved, but here we are.
The Boys returns with a rather muted announcement in a new post- Amazon Prime miniseries.
These are the Boys you might expect with Wee Hughie giving his take on LGBTQ+ issues, Brexit and the Coronavirus. It’s the kind of gambit you might expect. Are you sure this book is for you?
For many reviewers and readers, the answer will be no. But the book has always been crude and rude and intentionally offensive. It wouldn’t be the Boys otherwise.
But Ennis also writes with great heart. There’s a reason this book always draws me back in. If you don’t like this issue, you probably wouldn’t have liked the Boys in the first place. (I haven’t seen the tv series to be able to comment).
Also while I don’t love the cover, Russ Braun and gang do a good job at the Art in the book (which again is a certain style, or attitude)
In any case, it kicks off what will surely be an action packed 4 issue series that should make fans of the original series happy....more
A couple of reasons that I picked up this book. RA Dickey was a New York Met hero at the time when the Mets were particularly terrible (almost a decadA couple of reasons that I picked up this book. RA Dickey was a New York Met hero at the time when the Mets were particularly terrible (almost a decade ago now). This book also got rave reviews including the cover blurb comparing it to Jim Bouton’s seminal Ball Four.
To be like Bouton, one needs to be very candid and also tell a story. Both aspects are present in Dickey’s book.
Dickey has had an interesting life. His childhood was rough- sexual abuse, parental neglect, homelessness. He did manage to find an escape in baseball and was a top pitcher at the University of Tennessee.
He was a first round draft pick and on the road to money and stardom when a routine exam spoiled all that. Dickey would play in the minors for a decade and bounce around organizations, never able to fully break into the majors.
He was a knuckleball pitcher though and would eventually perfect it, finally becoming a full time major league player at age 35 and win the Cy Young Award for best pitcher at 37 (an age many players are retiring).
Dickey is interesting but the book at times felt lacking to me. It is a quick read with all that is good and bad about that. With an experienced writer helping like Coffey and a literary background of Dickey who is comfortable quoting Life of Pi, Hemingway and Merton- this was originally conceived as a journal and as developed as a book. I suspect that this might be the issue as it feels a bit overwritten at time. The book likes to be centered around an attempt by Dickey to swim across the Missouri River. I didn’t find that aspect as interesting as Dickey treats it. In fact, we are not on similar pages- I don't particularly find myself interested in Dickey's recollection of Johan Santana's no hitter (which he watched from the dugout).
The story splits between his baseball life and a spiritual journey. Perhaps, it splits its difference to its detriment. The book is likely too adult for young readers (Dickey has since written a YA version of his life story), but this could have easily been marketed for the faith-based market. Indeed, I would be more likely to recommend to people looking for that story instead of the baseball one. Both aspects are covered in detail.
For baseball fans, it is interesting to read about the knuckleball and how there is a fraternity of pitchers who bond over it- fans will recognize Wakefield, Neikro and Hough- all featured here.
Dickey drops in some observations from his Mets career at every chapter, though for me, they were more distracting than interesting. As a Mets fan, I have been spoiled by the great baseball minds who have written their story like Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez who really can’t be beat for insight. His anecdotes don't add a lot and his appreciation of Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran are fine, though mostly unremarkable (Not helped by the fact both have been painted with a post 2013 brush- Reyes for domestic abuse, Beltran for cheating at baseball via sign stealing)
Ultimately I felt Dickey has some keen insights but the book sticks to pretty standard baseball memoir territory. It’s understandable that Dickey dare not make enemies like Bouton did and there are times in life that I am sure he doesn’t want to share in detail like marital infidelity. I don’t fault him for that but it is a criticism I see from other readers of the book. In any case, it is a pretty lightweight affair.
Interestingly, the book was published before his Cy Young Award win and it is included in the epilogue- a perfect coda....more
Oluo’s book is the one we need right now. It is the top selling nonfiction paperback. This is a perfect “book club� pick as one could easily pick up aOluo’s book is the one we need right now. It is the top selling nonfiction paperback. This is a perfect “book club� pick as one could easily pick up at the start of any chapter and have a discussion. Oluo touches on a variety of subjects. She is at her best when she tells her own story. I have seen various criticisms of this book and I don’t envy the attention this book has got, but Oluo has written a perfect book in that can be picked up by anyone whatever their experience.
A book like this creates a lot of “yeah,but”s but I think Oluo does a good job of answering them all. It’s easy to criticize and it’s tough figuring this book will be ignored by half of the population (“well intentioned liberals� need it as well, of course). But racism isn’t going to be beat in 200 pages. For me, I think our best bet is conversation. All politics is personal and if people see items in terms of people they know as opposed to numbers, that is where I think the progress is.
In which case, I think everything in this book deserves consideration, but it’s a lot to take on. When I read today in the local paper about the use of racial slurs at a high school, I get a feeling we have so far to go. I get the feeling that we have much bigger battles to fight. Or as I see struggles across the nation, I feel for all disadvantaged Americans. But Oluo discusses that and why we can’t just concede.
It is a very personal story that Oluo tells and while a topic like ‘appropriation� is too big to tackle in one chapter and seemingly too complicated to settle (see how most conversations on this book concentrate on the contention about whether Eminem should rap)
In any case, this will definitely get the conversation started and that’s a good thing....more
I have to admit, I still think of Meltzer as a 'comics guy', but his novels have sold well, and now, he is found a niche as some sort of hybrid Dan BrI have to admit, I still think of Meltzer as a 'comics guy', but his novels have sold well, and now, he is found a niche as some sort of hybrid Dan Brown and Jesse Ventura- as a mainstay on the History Channel talking conspiracy and history- though he seems like he will have a longer shelf-life than either of those two.
The hip fad in Nonfiction is finding lost tidbits in History and this book is marketed in such a way that it resembles recent works by Bill O'Reilly and Brian Kilmeade, et al. Inside, it probably closer resembles Swanson's Manhunt (maybe even Larson's Devil in the White City)- it is nonfiction written as action book.
In which case, it's hard to argue against it. (I am not sure how unknown it is. I read Pitch's great book "They have killed Papa dead " and it covers it, though there, it feels oddly appended to a book about Lincoln's Assassination.) This is a page turner. Meltzer works in Lincoln, Pinkerton, Frederick Douglass, Jefferson Davis along with the plot, to kill the President-elect, and the start of the Civil War.
I doubt anything in here qualifies as 'new', but it does have a bibliography that's a who's who in Lincoln and Civil War scholars (Burlingame, Holzer, Goodwin, McPherson, Foote to name a few) as well as drawing from the actual writings of Lincoln, Pinkerton and Douglass. No doubt, Meltzer took from all of these histories to craft a solid book. Also, of note, it features Kate Warne, who is the first female detective.
I tend to think almost everyone would like this book. It marks the checkmarks for me- whether you don't know much about Lincoln, or like me, you have a 'Lincoln shelf'. It never drags, though it is full of facts. You speed through the pages, but it will likely take more than one setting to finish it off.
Anyway, a fantastic piece of history, one we will never know the true details, but the major details are true, and Meltzer tells a great story that you likely don't know...more
This an oversized book. What I call "Coffee table" books. For that, it works quite well, it has a bunch of beautiful pictures, and even has a checklisThis an oversized book. What I call "Coffee table" books. For that, it works quite well, it has a bunch of beautiful pictures, and even has a checklist in the back if you want to go to every stadium in the country. This type of book will be undoubtedly often given as a gift or (as in my case) received as a gift. It will lie around many houses, and people will undoubtedly peruse through their favorite team's stadium or perhaps the ones that they have visited.
I doubt many will be bought with the intention to read every single word inside. However, I did just that, and would suggest it to others.
This is a history of every ballpark Major League ball has played in. It reads as an interesting rarely-told history of the game. Enders has really researched this topic, and it shows in in the variety of material he references. He does a great job of working in Negro League history, and features many photos from the 1920s through 1950s to help tell that story
He also features some of the most important non-Major League ballparks in the country (Cooperstown, Williamsburg, Durham, Omaha, El Paso, Memphis and Dyersville, Iowa's "Field of Dreams" to name some) as well as briefly covering some International destinations of major league baseball.
It is interesting to see the trends - from the early wooden parks of the early days of the game to the ballparks of the 19-teens like Forbes Field, Fenway and Wrigley; later transitioning to the two-sport football/baseball stadium trend of the 1970s and now the "throwback baseball only" renaissance that started with Camden Yards in 1992.
It is a fascinating history, and of course, the recent stories touch on the funding aspect- ugly in the case of Texas - and architectural/fashion - the unfortunate timing of "New Comiskey" built in 1991 before the trend set by firm HOK Sport, who has done some amazing things to revitalize the experience.
It's all there- the good, the bad, the ugly- the horrible Domes that came and went, the peculiarities of certain parks, the sights, sounds and fans that made "home field" unique. I guarantee you will learn something.
Also, even though I doubt it was designed to be read in one sitting, I was amazed that it never got repetitious. Enders worked hard at keeping it fresh- making it work if you did decide to straight through or if you did just skip to your favorite park.
This is a good suggestion for baseball fans, and really a novel approach to tell a different side of the history of the game....more
I knew Appel's reputation as one of the foremost chroniclers of the New York Yankees baseball. Stengel is best known as manager of the 50s Yankees jugI knew Appel's reputation as one of the foremost chroniclers of the New York Yankees baseball. Stengel is best known as manager of the 50s Yankees juggernaut, and then the hapless 60s Mets.
I have a relative who shared that Stengel once played in his town. This is true, but after I read this book, I realized Casey had been everywhere.
Stengel is also considered one of the most (if not the most) classic characters of baseball. I grew up with the great Yogi-ims that everyone knows from Yogi Berra, but "Stengelese" was first.
This book is great, because it covers all of those aspects of Stengel. It's not a great Yankees book (though Yankee fans should buy it), instead, it's a great "Baseball" book.
Casey started in major league baseball in 1912, so there's hardly a great of the game, he didn't encounter. Only the very early players like Cy Young or Wee Willie Keeler who were still fresh in everyone's minds when Stengel came up.
Stengel would see Babe Ruth pitching to him, play against Tinker, Evers, and Chance, and hit the first home run in Ebbets Field (as well as the first in-the-park home run in Yankee Stadium). He was a solid player and a character. This story starts before all that, with Stengel playing for the Kankakee Lunatics, among other minor and semi-pro teams.
Stengel rarely left the game, managing in the minors starting in the 1920s - a career that would see him managing in the National League and the Pacific Coast league before starting his run with the New York Yankees in 1949.
From 1949-1960, he would manage a team that might include Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Berra, Bill Dickey, Elston Howard, Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, Don Larsen, Bobby Richardson, Roger Maris and many many more. It might be easy to say Stengel won because he had such talent, but five World Series wins in a row has never been matched. It can also probably be said, he knew how to manage egos (check out how he worked with DiMaggio), a skill that Phil Jackson is quoted in the book as learning from Casey.
No doubt, Casey knew the game as well as anyone. He may have had talent, but he also had chops. He would be the first manager to really successfully use the "platoon" option of having players share duties.
He would be forced out for age and expectations with the Yankees, but would come back to be the first manager of the New York Mets at age 72. The Mets, of course, had been given everyone else's leftovers and were terrible - going 40-120 (losing three out of every four games). Still, Stengel was a success as Mets manager, since the media loved him, and the colorful Mets could outdraw the Yankees.
Stengel's legacy was both compromised and made by his tenure with the Mets. A manager who could win with good players, and couldn't win with bad players. Stengel likely knew to make the best of a bad situation, and his turn as Mets Skipper did make him a star. It is also true that while he was not able to do much with the Mets or earlier Boston Braves, perhaps he can be credited for planting seeds in a turnaround (The Mets would unexpectedly win it all, seven years later in 1969).
This book is so good, because it really handles all aspects of Stengel's life in top-notch style. There are plenty of great baseball facts and stories from at least 55 years in the game of baseball. There is insight to his relationship with wife Edna- a 50+ year marriage. A good look at his personality- public and personal. Good, fair insight into his skill as a manager. It treated his life fairly in equal parts- so it's not just about the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, or New York Mets, though of course, he spent much time with those teams.
I'm not a Yankees fan, but Appel surely won me over (his Thurman Munson bio is well-acclaimed). This book is very readable and is great in all categories. It certainly helped my knowledge of Casey and why he is considered the greatest character of the game (which has had a few great characters over the years). If you are not a baseball fan, this probably isn't for you, though I wouldn't stop you- it's a great book that I think anyone would enjoy. However, for baseball fans, this is a great read and well recommended....more
This was a favorite with the 4-5 year old boys crowd at my house. Counting with ten cars, and at the end, each has a write up. Fun illustrations and aThis was a favorite with the 4-5 year old boys crowd at my house. Counting with ten cars, and at the end, each has a write up. Fun illustrations and a great book for the preschool crowd. ...more
Superman:Heroes and Superman: Villains appear to be the end of my pre-quarantine stack. I may take a break from comics for a little bit.
The news in thSuperman:Heroes and Superman: Villains appear to be the end of my pre-quarantine stack. I may take a break from comics for a little bit.
The news in the DC/Bendisverse is that Superman is telling the World that he's Clark Kent. These purely ancillary bookends could actually be a lot of fun. Essentially, a book apiece about how the Superhero and Supervillain community handle the news.
There's a bunch of people working on this with Bendis and Fraction the writers (with Rucka on Heroes and Jody Houser on Villains) and various artists, colorists, and letterers.
I generally hate these kind of one-offs, but this could be a really, really cool book. Can you imagine how much fan you could have with this premise?
It's quite dull though, like some of the most pedestrian comic writers hammered it out. Bendis's iconic multi-panel dialogue page is here, of course, in its perhaps most uninspired usage to date.
Any memorable moments are likely from Rucka or Fraction, and there's not many of them in Superheroes and less in Villians.
I am probably charitable in reviewing these books together and rounding up to two stars. They are really quite ordinary in something that has so much potential. But more than that, they’re plain tedious. I don't doubt that the main titles will be at least somewhat worthwhile, but skip this....more
Superman:Heroes and Superman: Villains appear to be the end of my pre-quarantine stack. I may take a break from comics for a little bit.
The news in thSuperman:Heroes and Superman: Villains appear to be the end of my pre-quarantine stack. I may take a break from comics for a little bit.
The news in the DC/Bendisverse is that Superman is telling the World that he's Clark Kent. These purely ancillary bookends could actually be a lot of fun. Essentially, how the Superhero and Supervillain community handle the news.
There's a bunch of people working on this with Bendis and Fraction the writers (with Rucka on Heroes and Jody Houser on Villains) and various artists, colorists, and letterers.
I generally hate these kind of one-offs, but this could be a really, really cool book. Can you imagine?
It's quite dull though, like some of the most pedestrian comic writers hammered it out. Bendis's iconic multi-panel dialogue is here, of course, in its perhaps most uninspired usage ever.
Any memorable moments are likely from Rucka or Fraction, and there's not many of them in Superheroes and less in Villians.
I am probably charitable in reviewing these books together and rounding up to two stars. They are really quite ordinary in something that has so much potential. I don't doubt that the main titles will be at least somewhat worthwhile, but skip this.
This is a very fun book. I am of a certain age and geographical region, so there is only one expected answer of who is the greatest Basketball Player This is a very fun book. I am of a certain age and geographical region, so there is only one expected answer of who is the greatest Basketball Player of All Time.
Damian's book focuses exclusively on the question of 'Is Micheal Jordan the greatest player of all time?�. It is not a birth-to-retirement bio of Jordan, but an evaluation of his career, though you will definitely learn a lot about his career.
This coincides perfectly with ESPN's epic The Last Dance, which reminds us of how great MJ was. Damian points out more vividly some of the stuff from the documentary- such as what a great defensive player Jordan was and how he never backed down from a challenge. No doubt, you probably know where Damian is headed with his analysis, but these facts are part of Jordan's mystique. He was always able to give more at crunch time, and though Scottie Pippen is undoubtedly a great, underappreciated player, Jordan never worked with a better starting 5 than anyone else on the Greatest list.
I am very nostalgic for that era. I watched nearly every game of Jordan's second Bulls era and can still name the roster though it has been decades since. I have rarely followed the NBA with that intensity since.
Damian handles the question of “Has LeBron passed Jordan?� (or for that matter, did Kobe Bryant?). He then sets up some of the other most common names in these kind of discussions. What about the Early Legends (Wilt Chamberlain? Bill Russell?) What about the pre-Jordan superstars we all love (Bird, Magic, Dr J)? What about the Big Men who dominated the court (Shaq? Hakeem Olajuwon?) and what about Tim Duncan who dominated the post-Jordan landscape.
This is a very, fun breezy read, but also there is a lot more meat here than some of those synonyms imply. Damian knows his stuff. His knowledge is encyclopedic. He has good insight into the players and how they performed.
That said, I didn't have any expectations above what I stated above. I loved the discussion. It feels like a really good podcast or TV show. Quick, fun, insightful. You could surely write a 1000 page tome on the subject, but this is the fun barroom discussion and Damian catches that feel, and then backs it up with stats....more
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