Walking with Jack

I am sent dozens of books for review on a monthly basis.  I am a bit of a picky reader, so I found one that I thought my dad might enjoy as he is a golfer.  Below is his review of this book.

 Walking with Jack; A Father's Journey to Become His Son's Caddy by Don Snyder is a book I read primarily because of the back cover recommendation from John Feinstein, author of the great golf book, A Good Walk Spoiled.  Unfortunately, this one wasn't quite "up to par."
First of all, I thought the story was unique and very interesting- a middle-aged father going into training in the hope of becoming his college-aged son's caddy on a professional tour. Snyder's narrative of his time in Scotland learning how to caddy was the most entertaining part of the story. The writing was excellent and made the experience quite vivid.
Secondly, the criticisms noted by others who have reviewed this book on Amazon are fair, particularly those related to the experience Snyder had when was caddying for his son.  The overly sentimental and emotional tone surrounding his son was a bit much.  I found it hard to relate.
Overall, the story was not so much about golf, Scotland, and caddying, as it was a memoir of a man's relationship with his son and his attempt to create a unique and special bond with him. This may appeal to a broader audience than just golfers, but was not quite what I was hoping for. 

Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere

Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere is Lucas Mann's personal narrative of his experience following the Clinton Lumberkings, a single A minor league affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, through the course of an entire season. It is not a day by day account of the games and players so much as it is the author's observations and perceptions of the players, the fans, and the city of Clinton, Iowa, viewed through the context of the historical and economic history of the city, as well as the author's personal background.

Mann provides an interesting history of the city's birth, growth and decline into what it is today, a working class town with a subpar reputation (and about 25 minutes from my hometown). This city is one in which the current team of young, unpolished, inexperienced itinerants of professional baseball are laboring to leave behind in order to move up the developmental ladder.
Along the way, some players are seen as probably having reached the zenith of their professional baseball careers and will soon have to pursue alternative careers outside baseball. Some players are seen as having an opportunity to advance to the next level or two, but not of making it to "the show;" too few players are seen as having the most realistic potential to realize their ultimate goal.

The transitory nature of minor league baseball, particularly at low level single A level, is set against the long standing loyalty of a core group of baseball fans who, despite the economic downturn experienced by the city, stayed and found some consolation and stability in the team which continued to play in their city through some rough years. Although the team can and does change from season to season, even from month to month, these steadfast fans chronicle the team season to season, year to year, in their own ways. In doing so, they are able to accept and adapt to the change they have experienced in their own lives and in their own city.

Overall, the book was an interesting read and thought provoking far beyond the context of minor league baseball. It's an interesting view of a city, its minor league baseball team, and its fans.

KINGS OF THE ROAD by CAMERON STRACHER

I have never thought much about the history of running as a sport, but, because I'm a runner, I decided to give this book a try. Kings of the Road is the story of how running became such a popular sport. I hadn't realized that, prior to these three men, Shorter, Rogers, and Salazar, running wasn't a huge American sport.
The story begins by introducing and giving brief descriptions of the three men, how they grew up, what their running style was. Runners weren't big name athletes, most could barely live on their paltry earnings. These men ran because they loved it, not for fame or fortune. He also talks a bit about the history of Falmouth Road Race, the NY Marathon, and the times these men competed against each other. The only time all three ran against each other was once, in Falmouth.
You wouldn't think that reading about someone running would be terribly interesting, but Stracher does a great job describing the race in a way that makes it exciting. He also really brings the "characters" to life, describing their personalities and lifestyles.
I recommend this book to readers of sports non-fiction. Doesn't matter if you are a runner, the writing, suspense and competitiveness will appeal to all.

Run Like a Mother

This one's for the ladies. The ones who like to move and move fast. It's called Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea. It all started with two women who had just had children, trying to get back into running shape. They decided to pitch an article to Runner's World about their journey. That whole experience with them trying to balance family, work, and running lead them to write this book.

There is a lot of great advice in here for runners of all ages, but it is geared toward time crunched mothers who have to consider their families in their decisions. They give advice on nutrition, racing, finding motivation, and managing children and husbands. The training plans are geared toward beginners.  Their insight is both humorous and helpful. This is a great read for women athletes who can relate to the authors' experiences and find inspiration in their successes. 

Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore

At first glance, one might think Playing with the Enemy by Gary Moore is a baseball book. However, it really is a book about many things, World War II, rural life, and dealing with disappointments.

Gary Moore wrote the book about his father who was an amazing player. At 15 he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, World War 2 began and baseball came to a standstill as players enlisted in the service. Gary's father, Gene was able to enlist as well and was placed on a team that traveled the globe playing baseball. Everything changed when the U.S. captured a group of German soldiers and, for reasons you'll have to read to find out, had to keep them secret. The ragtag team of baseball players were forced to keep close watch over these prisoners. So what did they do? They played baseball with them.

This is a great uplifting read from a local (ish) author. 

4:09:43

4:09:43: Boston 2013 Through the Eyes of the Runners by Hal Higdon.

Before I left to run Boston, I happened to receive this book for review, so I was very interested to get a feeling for what to expect.

 

When I first started reading the book, it seemed a bit disjointed. It begins with a foreward, preface, and introduction. They were not in chronological order and they seemed to jump around quite a bit.  I was getting a little lost. Once the chapters started, the story stuck with a more chronological order that I appreciated. Each chapter focused on a different runner's perspective of that day. I got a true feeling for what it was like to be in Boston that day, first the nerves and anxiety, then the excitement, then the terror and sadness.

I appreciated hearing all the different perspectives, but I felt it could have been written better. Higdon is great running coach and writes well technically, but I felt this lacked a little in terms of writing style. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in running and, more specifically, the Boston Marathon. You get a feeling of what it would be like to be there in the best of times and the worst of times.

Born to Run

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Someone else actually checked this book out for me, because they know I am a runner. I decided to give it a shot and I could not put the book down! It is a fascinating story about a tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara. They run miles and miles for recreation and never seem to tire or get injured.

It all began when the author, Christopher McDougall, began searching for a solution for his foot injuries. His doctors always told him it was inevitable, he was too big to run, and running was too stressful on our joints. But then he learned about the Tarahumara and other "barefoot runners" and ultramarathoners who could run over a hundred miles at one time and not get hurt. He set out to discover their secrets.
In the book he talks to many doctors, scientists, and runners who discuss how shoes have basically ruined our natural stride and cause many of the foot and knee problems we have today. These problems never existed when everyone went barefoot.

The most fascinating part of the book is learning about the Tarahumara, how they live, work, and play, and what they eat. The author also participated in, and describes a 50 miles race through Tarahumara country, competing with the tribe and famous ultramarathoners from the U.S.

This is a must read for all runners !! I learned a lot about how I can improve my running and nutrition. Even those who don't run will be fascinated by the science and history of human physiology and the unique Tarahumara.