Baseball Life Advice
Loving the Game That Saved Me
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
National Bestseller
A Globe and Mail Best Book
A National Post Best Book of the Year
A passionate ode to baseball, its culture, and its community, which both celebrates and challenges the game – and reminds us why it really matters.
For Stacey May Fowles, the game of baseball is one of "long pauses punctuated by tiny miracles." In this entertaining and thoughtful book, Fowles gives us a refreshingly candid and personal perspective on subjects ranging from bat flips to bandwagoners, from the romance of spring training to the politics of booing, from the necessity of taking a hard look at players' injuries and mental health issues to finding solace at the ballpark.
Fowles confronts head-on the stereotype that female fans lack real knowledge about the game, and also calls out the "boys will be boys" attitude and its implications both on and off the field. She also shares her reverence for the no-hitter, her memories of going to the ballpark with her dad, and the challenges of falling in love with someone who didn't like baseball. Throughout the book, she offers exhilarating snapshots of the Toronto Blue Jays' 2015 and 2016 seasons, and gathers a selection of inspiring "baseball life advice" quotes from players and others that provide unexpected insight into how we could all live better lives.
With remarkable verve, intelligence, and an unabashed enthusiasm, Fowles explores how we can use the lens of baseball to examine who we are. And in this passionate ode to the game, its culture, and its community, she reminds us that although baseball can break your heart, it will always find a way to make it whole again.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
There’s a lot we can learn from baseball, as Stacey May Fowles explores in these passionate essays. Fowles has been a baseball obsessive since she started following the Toronto Blue Jays in the early ’90s, and she fills the book with captivating thoughts about just how much the game can show us about life. Her frequently humorous observations get to the heart of why fans connect so hard with baseball, touching on the triumphant journeys of individual players, the sometimes uncomfortable place female fans hold in baseball culture, as well as public scandals, fan etiquette, and even the challenges of marrying a baseball nonbeliever. Fowles clearly loves immersing herself in the sport, and you can feel the intensity of her enthusiasm on every page. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll get it. And if you’re not, Fowles’ almost magical descriptions might just make you one.