Moneyball

The blurb on the back cover of this study of major league baseball and money touts the author's "usual narrative flair." What delights the listener, however, is the reader's narrative flair. Granted, the writing is sprightly. Lewis asserts that conventional wisdom holds that the bigger the payroll, the better the ball club. Not so, says Lewis. To prove it, he gives a lively anecdotal account, including locker room humor, of the eccentrics of the Oakland Athletics, a team able to excel with a small budget. Scott Brick makes the most of these assets, less like a gifted narrator and more like a sports fan regaling pals with fascinating inside scoops. Further, the melody of his narration is one of Brick's most expressive and tuneful. In all his work, Brick almost sings in a youthful, manly voice brimming with personality and gusto. It sounds here as if "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is one of his favorite ditties. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine


Before Bill James, baseball junkies, even those selecting players, were relegated to assessing players and teams using only mundane statistics. Then, the Oakland Athletics, under General Manager Billy Beane, adopted James's radical methods--and philosophy--with dramatic success. Michael Lewis tells the surprisingly fascinating story behind the success of the A's, whose choices of players were often derided by other teams. Lewis's reading is excellent; he loves the story and the people, and the joy he experienced writing MONEYBALL comes through as clearly as any fastball. Not just for baseball fans, this story will impress anyone who understands that the way things are done can always be improved, even the seemingly subjective process of picking star athletes. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine