An excellent book, not a stone left unturned

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	• The Long Season Jim Brosnan Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2002 - 288 pages average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Good, but a little slow

I enjoyed Jim Brosnan's The Long Season. I didn't think that the book was quite as good as its reputation, however.

It is easy to see why The Long Season made such a strong impression when it was published in 1960. Brosnan's account of the 1959 baseball season was one of the first books that didn't "sugarcoat" the professional athlete's life. Brosnan is very opinionated about baseball and the characters in the baseball world.

I don't think that the book has aged that well, however. It doesn't have the irreverence or gossipy tone of books that followed, such as Ball Four. I found, therefore, that the book could be slow going in places. You do get an excellent view of the 1959-era baseball world, however.

In summary, The Long Season is a good read for those who want to know more about baseball 50 years ago. If you aren't a hardcore fan, however, you probably will want to look elsewhere.

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An excellent book, not a stone left unturned

While Brosnan ruffled some feathers with this book, it isn't anywhere near as controversial or raunchy as Jim Bouton's "Ball Four." Brosnan does mention his difficult contract negotiation, but it's not as bitter as Bouton discussing contracts. Brosnan has an elephant-like memory for conversations and the batting history of every hitter he faces. You get to see every aspect of a game, from the pitchers discussing how to pitch to a batter to who's got the best pitch to the manager's pep talks before the game. Brosnan has an excellent grasp of the language and even perplexes some of his not as scholarly teammates with some of his words. Overall, a great read from a talented pitcher and author. I look forward to reading "Pennant Race."

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REAL!!

"Twist, belly-button, block." A major league relief pitcher taught me how to hit a baseball. An excellent book during an excellent time in Baseball.

GREAT

wonderful baseball expose of the era. fascinating, riveting and, best of all - true! not some Bernard Malamud fictional account, this author was a major league pitcher for 9 season. Not a great pitcher, but an average one. Fortunately, he's a great author.

This is flat out the best baseball book I have ever read.

I also enjoyed Ball Four. Ball Four

Superlative First-Person Baseball Narrative

This labor of love takes you inside major-league baseball clubhouses and dugouts. Jim Brosnan was a competent major-league pitcher and is an even better writer. You'll see how baseball players really feel about their teammates, managers, contracts, winning, losing, being traded, strategy, et cetera. (Some of this is known by now but was a revelation when the book was first published.) Brosnan's literate, well-written book captures the flavor of the dugout without using vulgarity or crudity (a problem I had with Jim Bouton's Ball Four, though I know not all will agree). If you're solely interested in the modern era, this book may not be for you. But if you want to know what it feels like to be a major-league baseball player and enjoy good writing for its own sake, The Long Season is a must. (P.S.: Brosnan's sequel, Pennant Race, is almost as good.)

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reviews: page 1, 2

The classic inside account of a baseball year by a major league pitcher. It begins, appropriately, with the winter doldrums and sweating out a new contract, then follows the author and his family to spring training in Florida and through the full season's schedule to October. One of the best baseball books ever written. It is probably one of the best American diaries as well. --New York Times Book Review

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