Honus Wagner

A valuable book for baseball fans, this is the most comprehensive biography of Wagner, an early twentieth-century baseball star and inaugural Hall-of-Famer. Ian Esmo reads with an authoritative, understated voice, which lays out the story without hyperbole. Esmo's reading is as relaxing as a summer afternoon. His voice has a soothing quality that makes the book interesting and informative, and his varied pitch keeps this rather scholarly sounding work flowing. He also pauses before quotes to set them apart, a technique necessary since Esmo doesn't use any character voices. The DeValerias have done us a service with this book, and Esmo's narration fits nicely with its tone. R.I.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

April 1, 1996
Baseball's legendary "Flying Dutchman" was born in Pennsylvania in 1874, the son of immigrant German parents. He was signed to play in the minor leagues and made his National League debut with Louisville in 1897. When the team folded, he moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he would spend the rest of his career. A gifted athlete who could play any position, he finally settled in at shortstop, where he would go on to lead the league in batting eight times during the "deadball" era. The authors, members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), look at the highlights of Wagner's career: playing in the first World Series in 1903; going head-to-head with his rival Ty Cobb in the 1909 World Series; and becoming the second player in major-league history to collect 3000 hits. Having gone on to manage the Pirates and to become one of the original members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Wagner died in 1955. This workmanlike bio will appeal primarily to those interested in the early years of baseball. Photos not seen by PW. Foreign rights: Holt.