The Big Fella

Starred review from July 30, 2018
Sportswriter Leavy (Sandy Koufax) energetically narrates Ruth’s larger-than-life story in an entertaining and colorful biography. Troubled by their son’s misbehavior, Ruth’s parents sent the seven-year-old Ruth to St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, across town from their home in Baltimore. There, Ruth developed his baseball skills thanks to Brother Matthias, who showed Ruth how to hit. Ruth joined the Baltimore Orioles in 1914, was sold to the Boston Red Sox a few years later, and a year later was traded to the Yankees. In his career Ruth had 2,873 hits, 714 home runs, and a lifetime batting average of .342, and as Leavy points out, Ruth lived as hard as he played; he “imbibed whatever life had to offer.” Ruth’s accomplishments and his appetites for drink and women (he had several extramarital affairs) coincided with the rise of sports journalism and marketing, and his manager, Christy Walsh, was instrumental in creating his public image. In 1927, Ruth slammed his 60th home run of the season, led the Yankees to a four-game sweep of the Washington Senators in the World Series, and embarked on a publicized three-week barnstorming tour of the country with Lou Gehrig to celebrate. Leavy’s captivating biography reveals Ruth as a man who swung his bat with the same purposeful abandon that he lived his life.

In this audiobook, renowned sports writer Jane Leavy offers a fresh look at the life of legendary baseball great Babe Ruth. Leavy provides a warm and spirited reading of the introduction before Fred Sanders takes over as the primary narrator. Sanders immerses the listener in the details of Baltimore circa 1900, where young Babe Ruth grew up. From there, Ruth's barnstorming tour with teammate Lou Gehrig in October of 1927 is used as a framing device to move through different periods of his life and celebrity. Sanders effortlessly handles this biography's massive scope. His commanding voice captures Ruth's larger-than-life status, but careful attention is also paid to the details that make Ruth sound less like a myth or more like real person. A.T.N. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

May 15, 2018

The New York Times best-selling biographer of Sandy Koufax and Mickey Mantle, former sportscaster Leavy takes on the biggest baseball legend of all, the man Roger Angell called "the model for modern celebrity." Not just the story of Babe Ruth but of how America came to create its heroes; with a 500,000-copy first printing

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2018

Babe Ruth, born George Herman Jr. (1895-1948), is one of the most famous names in baseball. Even more than a century after his major league debut, he remains one of the most celebrated baseball players of all time. Following his 60th home run and winning the World Series in September 1927, Babe Ruth decided to do a 21-day victory lap around the country along with fellow teammate Lou Gehrig. Leavy (Sandy Koufax) offers a more personal understanding of the baseball star through this lens, brilliantly describing his barnstorming tour and cross-country adventures. Readers experience the journey alongside the players, while also learning about the impact they left on the country, both positive and negative. VERDICT Well researched and well written, this book about one the most famous baseball seasons and players in history, is truly one of a kind. All baseball fans will enjoy. [See Prepub Alert, 4/23/18.]--Gus Palas, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.