B(ooks) A(lready) R(ead) VII

part 1st, part 2nd, part 3rd, part 4th, part 5th, part 6th

Here is part the 7th of my series featuring books that I read in 2013. Hope you like my choices, as well as my reviews, and please remember that all these books are either from my modest collection of quartos or from the public library's vast collection of quartos.

37} A Game of Inches: The Stories Behind the Innovations That Shaped Baseball by Peter Morris. Baseball has always been my go-to sport for history and minutia. Growing up, I used to buy copies of the Baseball Encyclopedia and read them voraciously from cover to cover (the version I'm talking about features a year by year synopsis and includes stats/standings for each year, as well as overall personal standings). I also would check out from the library all kinds of books about baseball, from bios about individual players to bios about teams and beyond. This particular book is the definitive book about baseball, as it covers ever single rule/development that was inserted/created in the baseball rule book. From baseballs to throwing, to players and types of plays, and everything else in between, this book is a must for those who truly enjoy the history and minutia about baseball but doesn't want to be put to sleep reading Sabermetrics.

38} Baseball Eccentrics by Bill "Spaceman" Lee. I love to read about the eccentric characters that make baseball such a truly bizarre sport to watch, and this books was no exception. If you can ignore the fact that Bill injects his personal political viewpoint periodically into the book, it really is a remarkable read. Bill is a surprising articulate and truly funny guy and this book will not disappoint.

39} Move Over Darling by Christine Stovell. This tidy little British romance was given to me as prize won in a contest sponsored by a popular writer's blog. As most of you know (or not know) I'm wickedly picky about the type of romance novels I read. Romance is genre that I have still have issues with from time to time, so it's something that I don't make a habit of consistently reading. This particular romance novel kept my interest from beginning to end as Christine was able to keep multiple plot threads going without letting the reader get lost in the process. Definitely something I would recommend to those who would are looking for something a little different.

40} The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About The Murder of Matthew Shepard by Stephen Jimenez. Matthew Shepard has always been a touchy subject to talk about, and speaking from personal experience, if you don't kowtow the official line, you can expect yourself to be bashed from pillar to post by well meaning if slightly misguided individuals. This book, written by the man who helped produce the 2005 20/20 show covering the case, succinctly and completely shatters the myth that has made Matthew Shepard a gay icon to the LGBT community. I highly recommend this book to anyone who claims to be open minded, gay or straight, because this book will make you reexamine your firmly held beliefs about Matthew Shepard.

41} 80 Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History Making Race Around The World by Matthew Goodman. I love history, and because I was only vaguely aware of this historic event via an old movie about it, I decided to check out the book. If you love history, especially the late 19th century, then this book is for you. This story was that century's modern day equivalent of today's media frenzy over celebrity trials and tribulations (ie. O.J., Princess Di, Michael Jackson, etc.), and Matthew Goodman does a fantastic job of writing about it, and does an excellent job of stating that sometimes coming in first can be detrimental to one's reputation for years/decades to come.

(c) 2014 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved.