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Recommendations based on Summer of '49by David Halberstam
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
The Boys of Summer
by Roger Kahn
Exploring the lives of a legendary baseball team and the lasting impact of their championship season.
This is a book about young men who learned to play baseball during the 1930s and 1940s, and then went on to play for one of the most exciting major-league ball clubs ever fielded, the team that broke ... (Goodreads)
Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series
by Eliot Asinof
An exploration of the 1919 World Series scandal, in which players were paid to throw the game.
In 1919, the Chicago White Sox are considered among the greatest baseball teams ever assembled; however, the team's stingy owner, Charles Comiskey , gives little inclination to reward his players for ... (Wikipedia)
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Michael Lewis
How an unconventional approach to baseball changed the competitive landscape.
Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball , had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every ... (Goodreads)
Ball Four
by Jim Bouton
A candid account of the life of a professional baseball player, exposing the realities of the sport.
Twentieth-anniversary edition of a baseball classic, with a new epilogue by Jim Bouton. When first published in 1970, Ball Four stunned the sports world. The commissioner, executives, and players ... (Goodreads)
The Breaks of the Game
by David Halberstam
An in-depth look at the 1979-1980 season of the Portland Trail Blazers, exploring the highs and lows of professional basketball.
"Among the best books ever written on professional basketball." The Philadelphia Inquirer David Halberstam, best-selling author of THE FIFTIES and THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST, turns his keen ... (Goodreads)
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
A detailed account of the decision-making process that led to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War.
The Best and the Brightest is David Halberstam's masterpiece, the defining history of the making of the Vietnam tragedy. Using portraits of America's flawed policy makers and accounts of the forces ... (Goodreads)
John Adams
by David McCullough
Biography of the second President of the United States and his contributions to the founding of the nation.
The enthralling, often surprising story of John Adams, one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous ... (Goodreads)
The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy
by Bill Simmons
A deep dive into the history and culture of the NBA, from the perspectives of a lifelong basketball fan.
There is only one writer on the planet who possesses enough basketball knowledge and passion to write the definitive book on the NBA.* Bill Simmons, the from-the-womb hoops addict known to millions ... (Goodreads)
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
by Stephen E. Ambrose
An epic narrative of the American soldiers of Easy Company during World War II.
As good a rifle company as any, Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, US Army, kept getting tough assignments–responsible for everything from parachuting into France early DDay morning to the ... (Goodreads)
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
by Joseph J. Ellis
Examines the lives of key figures of the American Revolution and their political disputes.
Informs our understanding of American politics–then and now--and gives us a new perspective on the unpredictable forces that shape history. An illuminating study of the intertwined lives of the ... (Goodreads)
1776
by David McCullough
A riveting account of the events leading up to and during the American Revolution.
In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence - when the whole American ... (Goodreads)
Seabiscuit: An American Legend
by Laura Hillenbrand
An inspiring story of the rise of champion racehorse Seabiscuit and his unlikely jockey.
There's an alternate cover edition, here, Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more ... (Goodreads)
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
by Nathaniel Philbrick
Journey of the Pilgrims from England to America, exploring their struggles and successes.
HOW DID AMERICA BEGIN? This simple question launches acclaimed author Nathaniel Philbrick on an extraordinary journey to understand the truth behind our most sacred national myth: the voyage of the ... (Goodreads)
The Monk of Mokha
by Dave Eggers
The true story of a Yemeni-American man's journey to revive the ancient art of Yemeni coffee and his struggle to bring it to the world.
The Monk of Mokha, is the exhilarating true story of a young Yemeni American man, raised in San Francisco, who dreams of resurrecting the ancient art of Yemeni coffee but finds himself trapped in ... (Goodreads)
Nickel and Dimed: On
by Barbara Ehrenreich
A journalist's exploration of poverty in the U.S., exposing the struggles of low-wage workers.
Millions of Americans work full-time, year-round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which ... (Goodreads)
Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A letter to his son, exploring the realities of racism in America.
“This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American ... (Goodreads)
All Souls: A Family Story from Southie
by Michael Patrick MacDonald
A memoir of growing up in a poverty-stricken Irish-American neighborhood in Boston.
Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in "the best place in the world"–the Irish-American Old Colony projects of South Boston--where 85% of the residents collect welfare in an area with the highest ... (Goodreads)
Battle Cry of Freedom
by James M. McPherson
A comprehensive history of the American Civil War, focusing on the political and military aspects.
Filled with fresh interpretations and information, puncturing old myths and challenging new ones, Battle Cry of Freedom will unquestionably become the standard one-volume history of the Civil War. ... (Goodreads)
Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions
by Ben Mezrich
An inside account of a group of college students who won millions in Las Vegas casinos.
An exclusive blackjack club came up with a system to take the worldUs most sophisticated casinos for all they were worth. In two years, this ring of card savants earned more than three million ... (Goodreads)
Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
by Ben Macintyre
A thrilling tale of a double agent during World War II who lives a life of deception and espionage.
Eddie Chapman was a charming criminal, a con man, and a philanderer. He was also one of the most remarkable double agents Britain has ever produced. Inside the traitor was a man of loyalty; inside ... (Goodreads)
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
by Daniel James Brown
An inspiring story of a rowing crew battling against the odds to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
This novel is about the University of Washington eight-oared crew that represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The ... (Wikipedia)
Means of Ascent
by Robert A. Caro
An exploration of the ruthless ambition and cunning tactics of Lyndon B. Johnson's political career.
Robert A. Caro's life of Lyndon Johnson, which began with the greatly acclaimed The Path to Power, also winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, continues – one of the richest, most ... (Goodreads)
Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco
by Bryan Burrough
The story of the highly competitive bidding war for RJR Nabisco, one of the biggest corporate takeovers in history.
A #1 New York Times bestseller and arguably the best business narrative ever written, Barbarians at the Gate is the classic account of the fall of RJR Nabisco. An enduring masterpiece of ... (Goodreads)
The Civil War, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville
by Shelby Foote
Comprehensive chronicle of the American Civil War, from its beginnings to the battle of Perryville.
The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 1 begins one of the most remarkable works of history ever fashioned. All the great battles are here, of course, from Bull Run through Shiloh, the Seven Days Battles, ... (Goodreads)
Cash
by Johnny Cash
Autobiography of Johnny Cash, detailing his life as a musician, struggles with addiction, and personal relationships.
He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. ... (Goodreads)
Live from New York: An Oral History of Saturday Night Live
by Tom Shales
A behind-the-scenes look at the iconic sketch comedy show, featuring interviews with cast members and collaborators.
James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales's definitive oral history of, Saturday Night Live, hailed as "incredible" (,Vulture,) and "required reading" (,People,). When first published to celebrate the 30th ... (Barnes & Noble)
Liar's Poker
by Michael Lewis
A Wall Street insider's look at the culture of high finance and the dynamics of the markets.
The time was the 1980s. The place was Wall Street. The game was called Liar’s Poker. Michael Lewis was fresh out of Princeton and the London School of Economics when he landed a job at Salomon ... (Goodreads)
Papillon
by Henri Charrière
An account of an unjustly convicted man's escape from a notorious French penal colony.
Henri Charrière, called "Papillon," for the butterfly tattoo on his chest, was convicted in Paris in 1931 of a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French ... (Goodreads)
The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr.
A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.
This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)
All the President's Men
by Carl Bernstein
Investigative journalism that uncovered the Watergate scandal and its aftermath.
The full account of the Watergate scandal from the two Washington Post reporters who broke the story. This is “the work that brought down a presidency— perhaps the most influential piece of ... (Goodreads)
