Ball Four by Jim Bouton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Ball Four
Book Review: Hilarious and Unprecedented
Summary: 5 Stars
Ball Four is a great book about life in the Major Leagues. You must read it.Book Review: Hilarious look at baseball
Summary: 4 Stars
Even aside from its baseball aspects, Ball Four probably deserves recognition as the funniest string of anecdotes ever put on paper. There really isn't much that can be said about this book that isn't positive; hilarious, a quick-moving style of writing, interesting stories, and a great picture of what life in a clubhouse is really like. Bouton's limited observations on politics and individuality on a team are interesting, even if they're dated by now. The only drawback to this book is that it won't impact a reader today as it would someone who read it at its publication. For someone like me who has grown up with public salary negotiations and open discussion of the private lives of athletes, there's no shock value or revelation to be had. Nevertheless, even if it's no longer groundbreaking, it's still more than a worthwhile read for anyone.Book Review: Hilariously eye-opening look at baseball in 60's and 70's
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first read ball four I would have to put down the book every few pages because I was laughing so hard. I have read it four times now (during spring training) to get me ready for the upcoming season. Its a classic book that not only explains a season in the life of an knuckleball pitcher with a blownout arm but it developes interesting characters that you get to know and love (ex. Hovley, Goosen, Minchner, O'Brien, Schultz) I urge you to read this book, even if you're not a baseball fan, it is great.Book Review: How can you hate this guy?
Summary: 4 Stars
While the baseball world seems to abhor him for being honest, I thought Bouton's book was open and relatively fair. Whenever he had something negative to say (always documented by a detailed story), he mentioned the positives about the people involved too. Mantle and Joe Schultz are good examples. A prececessor to the "tell all" biographies of today that seem to be written for shock value and one upsmanship.Book Review: I expected more...
Summary: 3 Stars
With all the uproar this book caused in 1970 when it came out, I expected more. More controversy. More about Mickey Mantle. More about loose morals on the road. Jim Bouton is a funny guy, there's little question of that. From the book, I get the tone that he's quite an egotist as well. He has many self-depricating remarks in the book, but after a while, I came to believe he thinks too highly about himself. There are some great stories about "beaver shooting" and other games that ballplayers play that I thought were hilarious. As well, seeing behind the scenes of a baseball season was neat. But I wanted more of the scandalous stuff.