Product Description

Product Description

A nostalgic and reverent look at The House That Ruth Built -- the most famous and historic baseball stadium in professional sports

Customer Reviews (10)

A Yankees lovers dream book
I bought this book for my husband who is a Yankee fan since his childhood, he absolutely loved it!! Not being a reader of books, I was really amazed at the amount of time he spent pouring over every page!A fantastic buy!

Beautiful book for Yankee fans
I bought this book for my brother's 61st birthday.Having grown up 40 minutes away from Yankee Stadium, flipping through this book brought back alot of wonderful memories for me (it was the only time our mother allowed us to eat hot dogs!), and my brother just loved it.It comes with a DVD narrated by Reggie Jackson, the book is loaded with fabulous pictures and interesting stats.Highly recommended.

Yankee Stadium a Tribute
It is a very interesting book and my boyfriend loved it very much!I even enjoyed looking at it myself!

So long to Babe's House
There are a lot of "tribute" books, DVD's, and so forth this year because of the "new" Yankee Stadium that will open in 2009 -- and this one is one of the best. The DVD that comes with the book is good, and it is full of great photos and anecdotes about Yankee Stadium history. If you like the stats and trivia that are inherent in these types of books, there is also another Yankees book out right now that fits that bill perfectly: New York Yankees: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports by the Numbers) -- and if you like sticking with the retrospectives on the stadium, I really enjoyed this book as well: Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective although as is usually the case with the coffee table books, they are more expensive.

Yankee Stadium: A Tribute: 85 Years of Memories: 1923-2008
An amazingly informative collection of stories and pictures on this stadium which has become such a "sacred" part of our lives. As a New Yorker watching it come down, this book captures memories of the stadium we can now only see in print. A wonderful, sentimental journey. ... Read more

Product Description
For forty years, the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the most glamorous and fascinating teams in the NFL and all of American sport. In this book, author Brad Sham, the Voice of the Cowboys and a member of the team's radio broadcasts for 25 years, shares behind-the-scenes insights from his unique bird's eye view.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

NICE COLLECTION OF STORIES ABOUT AMERICA'S TEAM
THIS IS A NICE EASY READ BY BRAD SHAM, SPORTCASTER FOR THE COWBOYS. HE COVERS MANY PLAYERS WHO ARE IN THE "RING OF HONOR" AND MANY WHO DESERVE TO BE THERE. I ENJOYED THIS BOOK, JUST WISH IT WAS MORE DETAILED. BUT YET A NICE SLICE OF AMERICA'S TEAM. FOR ALL COWBOY FANS.

It's a Decent Read for Cowboys Fans but Nothing New
I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan and a collector of football books so I ordered this lesser known title after hearing about it on the Cowboys Radio Network.If you've never listened to the Cowboys radio broadcasts, the author Brad Sham has been broadcasting with them since the 1970's and is a familiar voice for Cowboys faithful.This book is actually pretty small and I would probably only recommend it as a cheaper used book because the little content that it does provide are nice memories but nothing new for Cowboys fans.If you're looking for football strategy this is the wrong book as most of the stories are about past personalities and play by plays.Some of the better chapters include a section about the Zero Club (Blaine Nye, Larry Cole, et al), and a chapter that covers the noteable quarterbacks in Cowboys history and the pressure of playing QB in Dallas.My personal favorite was the chapter about Tex Schramm which is probably the most revealing personality profile in the book because the author had a lot of past experience with him and even interviewed him for the book before he passed away.Landry usually gets the most attention so it was nice to see a segment dedicated to Tex. Overall, it's a fun quick read that any true Cowboys fan will enjoy but if Dallas isn't your team, it's only recommended for hardcore NFL fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Outstanding Book
If you are a fan of U of M and a fan of football then you will love this book.It is amazingly written, and really holds the readers attention.It goes in dept into what a great coach and director Fielding Yost was.It covers the building of Yost Field House and the building of the BIG HOUSE.I was able to speak with the author of the book and I was amazed by his level of knowledge.He spent a lot of time reading about U of M at the archives and its evident in the book when you read it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested.

Quick, easy reading
I gave this book to my dad for Christmas.He couldn't put it down.It won't be turned into a movie, because the stories just aren't juicy enough but I would recommend the book to any Michigan fan.It was quick easy reading - great for a plane ride.

Great!!!!
I cant put it down, My old coach gave me this for x-mas, Knowing that I was a huge U of M fan.. its great, a look into some of the greatest football ever...

Well Researched!
I bought this as a Christmas present for my husband but then started reading it surreptitiously.It is very interesting and I am not even a Michigan OR a football fan.I am sure my husband will love it. ... Read more

Product Description
·Everything you ever wanted to know about all the major league baseball and football stadiums and hockey and basketball arenas; a fascinating book, packed with trivia.
·The inside scoop on every Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League venue in the USA and Canada.
·Statistics about every stadium and the teams that play there.
·Lists favorite hangouts, sports bars, and after-hours restaurants.
·Tips for getting the best seats--and which ones to avoid.
·The inside story on securing last-minute tickets.
·Best routes for getting to the arenas and where to park.
·Team strategies for creating the home-field advantage.
·The team's victories, defeats, and heroic feats that made the headlines.
·What to eat at the ballpark: finding the tastiest hot dogs, the best popcorn, and tips on all the stadium specialties.
·Statistics on the best players and championship years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

WAY OUTDATED!
This book was a huge dissapointment because it is so outdated!I did not pay attention to when it was published or I never would have bought it.My 2 favorite teams The Cleveland Browns and The Columbus Blue Jackets do not even show up in this book.

What a huge waste of money!

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! IT IS OUTDATED!
More than half of the venues listed in this book are no longer in use. They are either gone or have been replaced with new stadiums. This book needs to be updated to reflect all the new stadiums built in the last 6 years since the books printing.

USA Today the Complete 4 Sport Stadium Guide (2nd Ed)
An useful book in 1998, getting bit useless in year 2000.A lot of thathas to due to old stadiums long gone and new ones coming on line. A booklike this needs to be updated every other year or something. 1996 is simplytoo outdated to be useful to current travelers. I also wish there were moreinformation on nearby lodging instead of one or two entries and a map onhow to get there. For a guide book, its rather limited in scope andinformation. Still, its the only book of its kind right now so we are stuckwith it.

great book about stadium facts
This book is great for anyone who plans to visit any stadium or arena in the future. It gives all the facts you need to know about every stadium and arena in baseball, football, basketball, and hockey.

A GreatBook For The Travelling Sports Enthusiast
The best book of its kind for out of towners who want to see sports.Good for ancillary problems such as parking, food, etc.This book is in need of an update becuase so many new stadiums and arenas have come into use inrecent years. ... Read more

Product Description
Yankee Stadium has been the most famous and acclaimed sports venue in North America for over 80 years, and after the 2008 Major League Baseball season, it will be razed and replaced. A Yankee Stadium Scrapbook is a touching and unforgettable tribute to "the house that Ruth built." This timeless classic scrapbook features photos and text celebrating all the great moments and memories throughout the years, including:

* Babe Ruth's then-record 60th home run of the season in 1927
* Lou Gehrig's tearful farewell address in 1939
* The Babe's farewell speech in 1948
* Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series
* Roger Maris's 61st home run in 1961
* Celebrations of World Series Championships
* And more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Sketchy but good
It took awhile for this book to come. The confirmation e-mail I got made the company seem sketchy considering it did not have a real e-mail or shipping place. Once it did come, it was in great condition

Great gift
I got this book for a brother in law who is a fan and he loved it, even if its just to add to his nice collection on Yankees books

yankee stadium scrapbook
this was a christmas present for a supervisor at work who is a huge yankees fan.the book got here within 2 weeks of ordering and made it before christmas. there was a tiny bit of damage on the lower left hand corner of the cover but all in all turned out to be a nice gift.

Babe's House -- some great pictures
The best part of this book is the photos. I'm the one in my family who usually gives these types of books as gifts, mainly to my dad or brother who used to take me to games when I was a kid -- but my hobby is photography and my girlfriend saw this book and bought it for me, and it really made for a great gift. The title includes "scrapbook" and "a lifetime of memories" and that is pretty accurate. Even though many of these moments took place well before I was born, seeing the photos brought them alive and took me back to the times when I was sitting at the stadium with my dad or brother and they would tell me about all the great moments in Yankees history. I highly recommend this book -- but if you want another great book that is much more unique and really captures the essence of Yankees history from the very beginning, the one I've been reading this past week is an absolute must for NYY fans: New York Yankees: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports by the Numbers)

Yankee Scrapbook Review
This book is a "must have" for any true Yankee Fan who grew up with the Yankees in their blood & soul! I had purchased this for my dad as a gift and am thinking of getting one for myself! ... Read more

Product Description
What grandstand collapsed during a game, killing twelve? How high is the Green monster in Fenway? In what park was the outfield fence only 187 feet from home plate? Ballparks of North America is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the grounds, yards and stadiums used for organized baseball from the invention of the sport in the 1840s to the year 1988. Entries, listed alphabetically by community, cover everything from cornfields to Yankee Stadium. Each entry gives the location of the park, who played there and when, home run dimensions, seating capacity, architectural comments, attendance records, and anecdotes. More than 100 photos and drawings are included, some rare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Come For The Knowledge, Stay For The Humor
This baseball book may look plain from the outside but I've never read anything so comprehensive in my life.I recently completed a massive research paper on the history of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAAPBBP for short), the first professional baseball league, and found the information to be not only accurate, but very helpful in my research.

During my research I read thousands of original newspaper and magazine clippings from that era and found that a lot of the information corroborated with what Benson stated.For example, in baseball's early days many parks were only used as weekend venues.I regularly came across this information while researching my paper and was a bit confused prior to reading this book.

There are numerous stories that make this book special.Too many to count in fact, so I'll just list some of my favorites:

1) In one semi-pro league a keg was placed on the field and ball players were allowed to drink during the game based on performance.For example, a double allowed the player to take a drink while a homerun allowed the player to drink as much as he pleased.One newspaper clip stated that, the good players drank their fill while the lesser ones "nearly died of thirst."

2) In an effort to increase ticket sales, one club opted to try their first ever "Ladies Day."As it turned out, the starting pitcher was a ladies' man and the noticeable swooning by the female attendees only increased his general cockiness.Throughout the game he would continuously show up the umpire to rile up the home crowd until the umpire exacerbated the situation by throwing the player out of the game.Enraged, the female crowd stormed the field and the umpire was nearly trampled to death, only surviving when several of the players carried him into the locker room, where he snuck out in a disguise several hours later.Needless to say, the team neverhad a "Ladies Day" ever again.

3) A huge crowd turned out for a splendid double-header contest on a July 4th contest late in the 19th century.Unfortunately, the weather was not accommodating and it seemed unlikely that any game could be played.But, not wanting to lose out on such a large draw, the teams decided to play anyway - with the outfield flooded.Playing fields were not what they were back then and the fenceless outfield rested in a valley.Several times throughout the game players were forced to swim on balls hit over their heads.

Again, these are just some of the treasures that this book details.

I would recommend this book to anybody who has ever wanted to know where baseball has been played and where baseball gets its famous character from.

Lots to Read, Lots to Question
This is a library-style book with very few pictures and lots of text. In my mind, it had the potential to be the ultimate detail reference on ballparks. But it really doesn't hold up very well upon close inspection.

To its advantage, it covers a whole lot of parks, many not even mentioned in other surveys. If you are wondering whether a park existed, this book will probably answer your question.

But when you actually look into the detail listed for the parks, many small (and sometimes not so small) inaccuracies become apparent.

The entries for Minneapolis give some good examples. A park actually known as "Athletic Park" is called "Hiawatha Park" in the book -- a name which isn't mentioned in any other accounts which I can find. It's location is listed as "Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street" which is a full city block off from the actual location between 5th and 6th Streets North and First and Second Avenues North.

The entry for Met Stadium also contains several little errors, such as claiming it was built over a wheat field, when in fact the field contained mostly soybeans, onions and some sweet corn.

I know these are nitpicky details, but with so many little errors in just two entries, one has to question the accuracy of other details in other entries.

If you can't trust the details, the book is of questionable value.

The articles which accompany the entries also are rather poorly written, and have a style which feels a bit like modified old newspaper articles. This suggests that the source material may have been questionable, and that perhaps only a single source was used on each park.

I gave it two stars just to acknowledge the depth of the attempt. Clearly a lot of work went into the book, but still not enough.

Amazing resource
As someone who plays simulated baseball religiously (using OOTP Baseball Manager), this is an amazing and invaluable resource. It gives a huge amount of information about parks all over the continent. Since the book came out in 1989, it is somewhat outdated for newer parks, but that information is generally available online anyway. Where this book shines is in its information about lesser known and older ballparks. Statistical information like capacity and dimensions is in the book as well as a brief (and sometimes not brief at all) write-up for each park. I use this all the time for creating fictional historical "what-if" leagues.

accuracy can be questioned.
Overall, an excellent reference to begin a search on ballparks. (here comes the but)BUT it seemes there are some inaccuracies about the very old, pretty unknown parks around the country.For Example: Recreation Park, Pittsburgh PA.The Author claims that there was baseball played on a field at 1200 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh from 1876-1887.A City Map of 1897 shows housing located on the property.I question other sources in the book.

listings and brief histories of all baseball parks
this book is an incredible reference for anyone interested in, or doing research about, baseball parks.park statistics, such as fence distances and capacities are listed, as well as interesting tid-bits about the'uniqueness' of each park. ... Read more

Product Description
This book profiles histories of stadiums and arenas in America and Canada.How they came about and how they became known.Great performances, upsets, anecdotes, pageantry and traditions, all factors that glorifies these venues.Pageantry - Chief Osceloa intimidates Florida State Seminoles foes with flaming spear.Great performances - Don Larson's perfect no hit World Series conquest and UCLA's seven straight national basketball titles.Upsets - Jets downing Baltimore in Super Bowl III.Anecdotes - wrong-way run in football, sex as the main attraction and slinging octopus onto the rink.Statistics on 355 venues, 109 stories and 86 photographs makeup the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Bleeding Pinstripes is a unique, anthropological view of this most dedicated tribe of rooters—their rituals, their personal tribulations, their uncanny commitment to the Bronx ball club and to each other. You will meet an assortment of Bleacher Creatures, characters of a very different sort: Tina Lewis, the self-proclaimed Queen of the Bleachers, a spirited cancer survivor, and the chief lobbyist for Section 39; Donald Simpson, a 9/11 victim and the bleachers’ only known millionaire; Milton Ousland, the only bleacher fan authorized to bang the cowbell during Yankee games; Bald Vinny, the ultimate T-shirt entrepreneur and a good-natured hustler who has made a living off his passion; and Luis Castillo, the Yankee clubhouse attendant and the insider who started out as just another Creature in the bleachers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

From the View of a hardcore Yankee fan...
I must admit, I only made it through about half of the book. However, that was more than enough for me. As a hardcore Yankee fan, I found the fans in this book pretty sad. According to them, any fan who has a life and does not attend every game is not really a fan at all. Well folks, I'm terribly sorry that many fans, no matter how hardcore or casual, have JOBS and FAMILIES! They seem to think that if you are not willing to sacrifice the rest of your life to go to a Thursday afternoon game vs. Kansas City, then you are not a real fan. Also, if you sit anywhere besides the bleachers, then you are a frontrunner. These people make me sick. These are the people who give Yankee fans a bad reputation as a bunch of drunk, boisterous jerks. Most Yankee fans are knowldegable, respectful fans of the game. I have taken in a few Yankee games from the bleachers at the Stadium. I'll probably never go back to the bleachers again just to avoid being associated with these losers.

easy reading
what to say?very easy flowing book, and didnt want to put it down.i give the author credit for sitting out there in the bleachers with these so called creatures.ive been to yankee games, but have never sat out with the bleecher creatures... thank heavens!i would think i was back in junior H.S.id rather read about sec 39, than to have to pay to sit out there with animal house.which is why i enjoyed the book... all the drama, n nonsense between yankee fanatics, from the safety of my living room.great book!much credit to the author!and of course... go yankees!!!

Good book about a bunch of losers
Filip Bondy is a great sports writer and the Bleacher Creatures are a group of sick men who have nothing in life except the Yankees and the need to get drunk and curse.

I feel sorry for these losers.I am a big Yankee fan since before Jeter.But the Bleacher Creachers make me ashamed of that.

This is a good book, about wierdos.

A good-natured, and eye-level look at true-hearted fans
Bleeding Pinstripes: A Season With The Bleacher Creatures At Yankee Stadium by Filip Bondy (an award-winning sports columnist for the New York Daily News) is a virtually anthropological look at the men and women who come to Yankee Stadium to watch baseball games in New York. Their dedication to the Bronx ball club and each other fills the pages of Bleeding Pinstripes, which are marked with such vignettes as the 9/11 survivor who is the bleachers' only known millionaire; the high-spirited cancer survivor who proclaims herself "queen of the bleachers"; and the fan whose passion for the game runs so deep she claims "they'll never get rid of me. I bleed pinstripes". An entertaining, good-natured, and eye-level look at true-hearted fans.

enjoyable fare
A funny book.With a cast of characters you will long remember after you close the finished book for the first time.These are fans who like to have fun, have a special bond with one another, and as the title says, simply "bleed pinstripes."

From pregame barbecues to inter-sectional squabbles in the bleacher seats themselves, you can hear the chants in your head and taste the beer in your gullet as you read through which is an amusing walk through the 2004 season as seen through the sometimes clouded eyes of "The Bleacher Creatures"and their faitful scribe, Filip Bondy.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (14)

A Great Tribute !
This book is very well done ....he really captures the feel of that sad day in the Bronx . I attended that final game and the whole day was magical ,not only within the walls but in the streets surrounding the stadium , He captures all of that.I am a photographer and his pictures tell the story very well of a day that alot of us will never forget . You wont be disappointed .

Go Yanks, A fabulous Photo Tribute to my second home
This book brought all my childhood memories back.I have been attending Yankee games for about 66 years.This is a great tribute to Yankee Stadium.A must, for all baseball fans, especially Yankee fans.Jeff Fox is an excellent photographer and brings the stadium to life.He captures the essence of the Yankee experience.He appears to be very familiar with the nuances of the team and the stadium.A great addition to Yankee memorabilia.

It's like you were there!
I purchased this book as a birthday gift for my husband, a die-hard Yankee fan from way back.From his reaction, this was one of the best gift he has ever received in his life!The photography is amazing.The stories are insightful.Any true Yankee fan will cherish this book.

A stunning tribute to the old stadium
What Jeff Fox accomplishes in this book is to capture the sights and more importantly the feelings of the fans at the final game at Yankee stadium.As a fellow fan and attendee of the final game I can attest to remarkable breadth of subjects that this book captures, many for the last time ever.His photography is so beautiful, and a careful look ateach photo will reveal new and unexpected significant subjects and characters with each view.To truly appreciate this book one would need hours to pour over the photos with a magnifying glass, but one can spend minutes and be equally blown away.If you were not lucky enough to get tickets for the final day, buy this book and even if you are "just" a fan of baseball you will love this memorable book.

An all time favoite for years to come!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought this as a gift to my son.....It is something that we can both bond over.....we both love baseball....I took him to his 1st Yankee game at age 21 in New York....It was one of the final games in the old stadium....He said it will give him memories for a lifetime!!!!....It had been a dream all his life to go there so this book was a perfect gift for him.........A wonderful tribute for the Yankees........!!!!!...... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Fight City Hall
I read the 1999-published edition of FIELD OF SCHEMES, not this revised version.I imagine the updated FIELD OF SCHEMES reports on corporate welfare cities have awarded to sports franchises since '99.

How many New Yorkers know state and New York City taxpayers are forking over $1.5 billion to help fund new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees baseball teams?Wacky George Pataki and Rudeness Giuliani, as New York governor and New York City mayor, respectively, thought giving those private enterprises all that state and city revenue was more important than funding hospitals, schools, and infrastructure?

Read FIELD OF SCHEMES.Fight City Hall. ... Read more

Product Description

"The promise of an empty football field is an irresistible force for those who understand and revere the game," Jeff Wilson observes. Drawn by the sense of possibility and nostalgia inherent in every stadium, Wilson traveled the state of Texas to photograph high school stadiums for a photo essay that appeared in Texas Monthly in August 2005. The magazine's readers responded with an outpouring of enthusiasm, and Wilson's photo essay was nominated for a prestigious National Magazine Award.

In Home Field, Wilson creates a unique photo portrait of nearly eighty Texas high school football stadiums, ranging from the bright lights, artificial turf, and seating for thousands at Southlake Carroll to the lone set of bleachers under the wide open sky in Veribest. Shot from the fifty-yard line facing the home stands, these photographs invite us to view each stadium from the same vantage point and experience it as an evocative place that holds a community's collective memories. Accompanying the photographs are reminiscences about the fields from players, coaches, team physicians, athletic directors, sportswriters and announcers, school superintendents, principals and teachers, band directors, maintenance workers, booster club parents, students, and fans. Their stories--whether funny, nostalgic, or poignant--reveal just how important high school football is to Texans and how it creates an unforgettable sense of community and camaraderie.

Sure to bring back memories as soon as you open the book, Home Field captures what football is supposed to be--"simple and pure, like a perfect spiral arcing gracefully across the sky."

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful and Timeless
I first saw Jeff's photos in Texas Monthly and then again in Texas Highways Magazine.I was taken back by the simplicity and beauty in these photos.He has really given us the ability to be a part in football in a large and diverse state.In Texas, Friday Night Football Fever is a way of life for many communities no matter its size.In addition to the beautiful images taken on the 50 yard line, there are contributions from people who attended the school (for instance Colt McCoy talks about Jim Ned High School).This is a must have for any football lover.

Home Field:Texas High School Football Stadiums
I bought this book as a gift for my son for his birthday in November----therefore I have not given it to him yet. However, I did receive the book in a timely manner and after looking it over I think he will be extremely happy with it. He is the sort who will go to ANY football game at ANY field in ANY city and with ANY teams whether he has heard of them or not!This book is MADE for him! ... Read more

Product Description
The Sinking of Odradek Stadium is a brilliant comedy composed of an exchange of letters between a husband living in the Miami of the not-too-distant future and his wife living in an Italy of the not-too-remote past. He is Zachary McCaltex, an overweight, emotional intellectual--or in any event a librarian. She is the charming Twang Panattapam, a woman discovered by Zachary in PanNam, a Southeast-Asian country that was once an Italian Colony. Together they are trying to make their fortune by tracing the whereabouts of a treasure supposedly lost off the coast of Florida in the sixteenth century. Once the epistolary convention is accepted, the novel unfolds with demonic logic. The two protagonists infect each other with enthusiasm and doubt, until a lost letter subverts their exchange. The native Twang gains confidence and independence, while Zachary little by little goes to pieces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"...on a bed of black swan feathers Mallarme's left ulna reposed....."
I found this novel to be unreadable.We alternate between letters written by a man in Miami mixed up in treasure-hunting schemes and his "wife," whose early missives are written in some kind of pidgin English that is too difficult to interpret.As we move along, her writing eventually loses its primitive qualities, but it's not worth the struggle to get through the first two-thirds of the book.

Yes, as long as Zachary is doing the narrating, it's interesting.Yes, there is bizarre poetic writing.Yes, there are arcane vocabulary words that will send you to the dictionary.Yes, there is splashy local color about the Carnival celebrations in Miami.Yes, there are amusing details about some secret cult and its rites and initiations. And lots of intrigue about old maps and missing Medici gold. But it's just not worth it. You have to force your way through Twang's subliterate phrasings, and I found it so easy to just skip her letters entirely.And, yes, there is some kind of triple or quadruple twist in the final pages, but I just didn't get a sense that the payoff was worth it.

Inventive Fiction at its Best
In a sense, society can be considered the connections between individuals, instead of the individuals themselves. This book explores one such connection, in the form of a series of letters between a married couple. Their connection is exposed as a frail and tenuous thing, buffeted by confusion, frustration, and yearning.Make no mistake though, this is not simply a novel about a relationship. This is avant garde literature of the highest rank. Mathews' wordplay is exceptional and he spins tales, in turn tragic and comic, in and out of the main narrative. The plot is less an arc than a contrail, tightly focused at one end and disturbingly hazy at the other. This is an exceptional novel for lovers of language who like their fiction unconventional. Also, I give Mathews high marks for one of the most imaginative uses of a title for a novel I've ever encountered.

fun, intelligent... and a great read
Probably the only work ever to use the title as a major plot point/punchline (and a damned effective one, at that), Mathews' novel turns the epistolary genre on its head, with a bizarre love story cum treasure hunt, all wrapped into a tight package of slapstick comedy, mystery, history, culture, and linguistic peculiarities.

For those of you unfamiliar with Mathews' work, he's a member of the Oulipo, a group (or groups) of writers, mathematicians, poets, painters, etc., etc. - who both rescue stylistic constraints from the past and create new ones of their own. So you can always expect that their works will be impeccable structured, rich in detail, language play, and erudition. On top of that, at least one of the characters (Twang) is beautifully written, with a wealth of puns and a generous heap of charm.

There are two minor concerns with the novel that forced me to downgrade it to 4 stars, instead of a perfect five.The first is that the big plot twist, while necessary to set up the game of gross misjudgments in the second half of the novel, comes across as a bit contrived.The second is that the style, while often flexible, fascinating, and outright hilarious, is sometimes uneven - there's none of the assuredness in his writing that you'd find in Cigarettes, for example.

Still, a great read, and highly highly recommended.I wish Mathews and the Oulipo gang were more widely read.

Erudite and unusual
This novel is about a man and woman hunting for sunken treasure of gold.The style is a bit abstruse and intellectual, and is not intented for mass audiences.Yet if you pay attention and are persistent, you will find lots of witty lines and some rather poetic phrasings.It is a very unusual book ... the best comparisons I can think of are Fowles' "The Magus" or Umberto Eco's stuff.And maybe John Barth.Stick with it, the ending will surprise you. ... Read more

Product Description
A re-issue of the popular hardcover edition (originally published in 1995). The colorful story of Honolulu Stadium recalls a golden era when Honolulu was young and sport was king. During the historic half-century from 1926 to 1976, this landmark arena hosted high school football, the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders, the Hula Bowl, stock car racing, boxing matches, ethnic baseball leagues, sports heroes from Babe Ruth to Joe Louis, and big name entertainers from Irving Berlin to Elvis Presley.

Includes hundreds of historic photos and rare memorabilia, as well as the priceless memories of athletes, coaches, fans and many others. With a foreword by sportscaster Al Michaels, this is the complete story of Honolulu Stadium - a classic American ballpark and the heart and soul of a community. A past Hawaii Book Publishers Association award winner for excellence in nonfiction writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Termite Palace
A great book with oustanding pictures that will bring back many memories for anyone that attended Honolulu Stadium events or played on its field! ... Read more

Product Description
Yankee Stadium boasts a rich history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Yankee Stadium: 1923-2008
As a big Yankee fan living in Atlanta (I have been a fan since 1961) I have acquired probably every book about Yankee stadium.For big Yankee fans, this is a must have for your library. ... Read more

Product Description

How England's most beloved football stadium was transformed into the world's largest and most versatile of its kind.

Product Description

This BradyGAMES strategy guide has a detailed listing of statistics for all 150 Pokemon, along with tips on the best Pokemon combinations to defeat the trainers and gym leaders. The book includes complete coverage of all mini-games and the best strategies to defeat all opponents. Game tips and secrets are revealed.

Customer Reviews (2)

useless
you don't need this book because it just like playing through by yourself.It's another scheme to make more money.

Great Book
Listen up all Pokemon Fans! If you have Pokemon Stadium, this book is a great help! If you want to know all the secrets of this game this is the book for you. I so recommend this book to all Pokemon fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Sports, Military and Religion
Very in depth commentary on the historical, social relationship of sports and religion, particularly in the South.Almost of equal importance in this work is the inseparable bond of both to the military.
This book is not for the casual reader.The subject is covered in depth and the author philosophizes in great depth through very weighty questions.
While one may not agree with every statement, I'm certain the author does not either, but rather wishes for the reader to think hard about perspectives and cultural realities that we often follow blindly or just take for granted.
He definitely succeeds in doing this.Most will be angered and nearly driven to arms while reading, but will come away with a greater understanding of the the profound influence of these great phenomena in American Culture.

Some good points overcome with bitterness.
The author has some good thoughts here: 1.Christians are commanded to be servants--the shepherd metaphor is used throughout the Bible. 2.Modern Christianity has begun to succumb to the world's idolization ofentertainers--including athletes. 3.All perspective has been lost in theworld of sports.Winning is everything and we overapply "lifelessons" from games.

Unfortunately these good points get lost inpage after page of bitter ranting and boring exposition.

Dr. Higgs'begins with a premise that good Christianity "balances" thevictory-over-sin-and-adversity aspects of the faith (practiced by knights)with humble servitude (practiced by shepherds).

Nearly the entire text ofhis book is spent running down knights.He finds an assortment of sinspracticed mostly by the black knights of Christian fundamentalism(manliness is among the worst).As a result, he ends up taking on strangeallies--frauds and demagogues like Mitch Snyder and Jesse Jackson, forinstance--and even atheists like Mark Twain.

Professor Higgs' interestingpoints are completely washed out with nearly continual tirades about"knighthood."There is a good catalog of background researchincluded, even if it is presented from the far left end of thepolitical-religious-cultural spectrum.The book might be a useful find forsomeone doing research, but overall a big disappointment. ... Read more