I have both the "Idiot's Guide to Baseball" and "Baseball for Dummies" (I must be really stupid!). While either is acceptable as a good overall guide to baseball, I'd lean toward Johnny Bench's book; there seems to be more 'meat on it', even though I agree with one reviewer that there's a few too many personal anecdotes. One positive about either of the books mentioned is that while many of the 'Idiot's/Dummies' books had way too much 'forced humor', it's kept to a reasonable level on these.

Once you've digested either book, you might consider "Men at Work" by George Wills, "A Thinking Man's Guide to Baseball" by Leonard Koppett, "Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans" and the controversial but enjoyable book, "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton.

There's no better way to get into the game than by reading this wonderfully informative, thoroughly delightful overview of the sport. Not just the rules and procedures but the history, personalities, nuances and a wealth of inside information. As someone once said, "The only people who think baseball is dull are dull people."

Bench imparts his knowledge of the game well in this book. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of baseball and is full of informative tips. I'm a casual fan and I learned so much reading though this book.

I learned about different pitches, offensive and defensive strategies, what each player's important jobs on defense and offense are, and how the manager tries his best to win the game.

There are also sections at the end of the book containing a glossary of baseball terms, all-time records, and a list of Hall of Famers.

I always admired Bench as a player; now I realize Bench is an excellent student of the game as well.