Synopses & Reviews
Science meets sport in this vibrant collection of baseball essays by the late evolutionary biologist.Among Stephen Jay Gould's many gifts was his ability to write eloquently about baseball, his great passion. Through the years, the renowned paleontologist published numerous essays on the sport; these have now been collected in a volume alive with the candor and insight that characterized all of Gould's writing. Here are his thoughts on the complexities of childhood streetball and the joys of opening day; tributes to Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and lesser-knowns such as deaf-mute centerfielder "Dummy" Hoy; and a frank admission of the contradictions inherent in being a lifelong Yankees fan with Red Sox season tickets. Gould also deftly applies the tools of evolutionary theory to the demise of the .400 hitter, the Abner Doubleday creation myth, and the improbability of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. This book is a delight, an essential addition to Gould's remarkable legacy, and a fitting tribute to his love for the game.
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"A winning combination of personal memoirs..., essays about players the author admired, scientific inquiries, and book reviews." New York Times
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A masterpiece in its own right. (Blue Ridge Business Journal, 5 May 2003)
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"A masterpiece....these 35 essays...are about as entertaining and informative as anything you'll read about baseball." Sacramento Bee
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"Gould is at his best when he uses his critical powers and statistical acumen to challenge speculation." Chicago Tribune
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Intellectual Windex for what David Wells splattered on us earlier this spring. --Alan Schwarz
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It is the lyrical...pieces in this collection that resonate most powerfully. --Jonathan Mahler
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"These writings show Gould's wonderful range of thought, devotion to his subject matter, and love of life." Science News
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"[Gould] rhapsodizes about the passion of intellectuals and boasts about his family's 'four generations of baseball rooting." Paul Duke
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"Starred Review. Gould's assessments of baseball players and teams, books about the game, and the sport itself are smart, well-written, and eminently entertaining." Baltimore Sun
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"Makes it clear that [Gould] was as avid and knowledgeable about baseball as he was about paleontology." Michiko Kakutani
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"A jovial and eloquent fan of the game...[Gould] displays an appreciation for the game that goes beyond bell curves and bar charts." Sacramento Bee
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"[Gould's] take on Chuck Knoblauch's throwing problems is a hoot." Chicago Tribune
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"A treat for any fan." American Scientist
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Terrific....I've got no qualms at all in recommending this one. --Brad Stribling
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"Gould wrote as enthusiastically about baseball as he did about evolution....his best...essays on the game are gathered [here]." Atlanta Jewish News
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A triple treat from the mind of a passionate fan, an incisive thinker, and a lucid writer. --Mark E Hayes
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[Gould] loves the sport viscerally, and his interests in science and baseball are as parallel and intertwined as DNA's double helix.
Synopsis
This book is a delight, an essential addition to Gould's remarkable legacy, and a fitting tribute to his love for the game.
Synopsis
Science meets our national pastime in this vibrant, entertaining, and instructive collection of baseball writing by the late, best-selling, evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould. With candor and insight Gould explores the complexities of childhood streetball, spring's joyful opening day, and the golden era of the subway series.
Synopsis
"Scientific analysis intersects with flat-out fandom. [Gould] could write, he was funny, and he loved, loved baseball."--
About the Author
Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002) was the Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology and Professor of Geology at Harvard University. He published over twenty books, received the National Book and National Book Critics Circle Awards, and a MacArthur Fellowship.David Halberstam (1934-2007) was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author known for his early work on the Vietnam War, his work on politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, and his later sports journalism.