Book Report

It is time for another book report. Here are some brief summaries of the last five books I’ve read.

On the Run: A Mafia Childhood by Greg and Gina Hill – After having read three books on the life of Henry Hill, I can now be called on expert on the matter. This book has a very different tone since it comes from the kid’s perspective. Basically they both hate their father and no longer have anything to do with him. How they got out of that situation with any sanity is beyond me. As someone who loves mafia related books and movies this is look at the very ugly side of that world.

Juiced Wild Times, Rampant Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big by Jose Conseco – As a baseball fan I of course had to read this book. Basically this is a 304-page advertisement for what good can come from steroids. While you may agree or disagree with that position does not matter as Conseco showed his true colors by bashing his own book when he testified before congress and reversed himself on everything. Other than that the book is an interesting enough read for any baseball fan.

It’s My Party Too: The Battle for the Heart of GOP and the Future of America by Christine Todd Whitman – I know what you are thinking, Nick a commie liberal reading a book by a Republican? Well, if all Republicans were as clear minded and sharp as this lady I’d have a ton of more respect for that party. Her point is that the christen right has taken over the party and now the GOP has become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Jerry Fawell of the world. I understand conservative principles. I may not agree with them but I understand them. What I don’t understand is hard line bullying politics that alienates everyone who just might have a different viewpoint. A must read for both sides of the aisle.

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehreneich – The author is charged by her editor to go undercover and get minimum paying jobs and see if she can live on them. She quickly realizes that she cannot. She would have to work three of them to have any chance. She waits tables, works for a maid service and than goes to work at Wal-Mart. All with varying degrees of failures. She lives at a flophouse and eats nothing but fast food. Also exposes the ridicules hiring polices of these corporate monstrosities.

Ron Kittle’s Tales From the White Sox Dugout by Ron Kittle – Being a Cub fan it is rare that I would read anything about the south side team. However, I always liked Kittle and thought he would have some funny stories in the book. While there are a couple overall the book is a drag. Kittle holds back on a lot of things and unlike a book like Ball Four (Which I will compare every players book to) does not offer much in the way of anything interesting. I guess to Kittle and his cronies these stories are funny, but to the reader it is snoreville.