★ Reviews for Shannon,

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Book reviews for "Shannon,_Mike" sorted by average review score:

The Best of Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine (Pocket Sports (New York, N.Y.).)

Published in Paperback by Pocket Books (1988)

Author: Mike Shannon

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Average review score:

Great book showcasing a great literary magazine

An out of print collection of the best from a literary magazine ("Spitball") that I believe is defunct, I highly recommend this book if you can find it. Mr. Shannon is a valuable member of baseball's literary world.

Cooperstown Verses: Poems About Each Hall of Famer

Published in Paperback by McFarland & Company (2001)

Authors: Mark W. Schraf and Mike Shannon

Amazon base price: $24.95
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Average review score:

Amazing book, talented writer

I am a very recent baseball fan, partially as a result of Mark Schraf and this book. He was my chemistry professor this summer and I learned of his book and bought it for my dad for his birthday, later buying one for myself, too. Every poem in this book is beautifully written. Even though I don't know the story behind all the poems, Mr. Schraf and his book have really opened me up to baseball, and I am eager to learn the hidden meanings of these poems. Each poem is unique in it's own way: some are insanely funny, some sad and sentimental. He uses many different styles of poetry, too. I think everyone needs a dose of baseball, especially by this intelligent, creative author.

Diamond Classics: Essays on 100 of the Best Baseball Books Ever Published

Published in Library Binding by McFarland & Company (1989)

Author: Mike Shannon

Amazon base price: $35.00
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Average review score:

finest single volume ever composed of baseball literature

Mr. Shannon has diligently reviewed 100 of the finest baseball books written since 1948. He has clearly understood the core themes of each volume and communicates in no uncertain terms his critique of author's writing style and comprehensiveness of the book in question. Mr. Shannon is hard working, conscientious, and has a vast empire of knowledge about modern baseball books, both fiction and non-fiction. If the book has one weakness, it is the absence of titles prior to 1948. I would hope Mr. Shannon will write a sequel to this tome which would review baseball classics in the "Dark Ages" of baseball literature.

Emeralds and Gold: A Treasury of Irish Short Stories

Published in Paperback by Athenean Press (21 February, 2001)

Authors: Grant Devereaux, Loree Lough, Mike Sackett, Lisa Kamps, Ellen Rawlings, Lisa Brewer, and Shannon Katona

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A taste of Ireland!

This collection gives the reader a real taste of Ireland, from authentic folklore to tales of the contemporary Irish. I especially enjoyed the stories by Loree Lough, Mike Sackett, Lisa Kamps and Shannon Katona. Pick up this book when you only have time for a short read. . . any story you choose will be entertaining.

Johnny Bench

Published in Unknown Binding by Chelsea House Publishers ()

Author: Mike Shannon

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Average review score:

Easy to read review of the life of Johnny Bench

This book is an excellent reader for the young baseball fan. Easy to read, designed for young readers. Follows the life of baseball's greatest all-time catcher from his humble beginnings in Binger, Oklahoma to his induction into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1989. Includes carrier stats and additional bibliography of other books about Johnny Bench. Also includes numerous photos for the reader to enjoy.

Tales from the Ballpark

Published in Audio Cassette by Blackstone Audiobooks (1999)

Authors: Mike Shannon and Todd Raymond

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Simply put - a fun book!

TALES FROM THE BALLPARK is a quick read that contains poignant, funny, sad, and informative stories. All of the tales are short (one or two pages) and cover a wide range of subjects - stories about fans, the minors, umpires, old players and modern players.

If you are looking for an in depth book about baseball, this one isn't for you. But if you just want to be entertained for an evening, I would heartily recommend this book.

Very entertaining!

This book is very entertaining from start to finish. It's hard to put the book down once you start because the stories in it keep you glued to the book. The first book was great also. I just hope that Mike Shannon has a third installment in the works. There are a few glaring mistakes in the book that I must point out. Shannon refers to current Arizona 1st baseman Greg Colbrunn as "Colburn" and he states that Barry Bonds broke into the majors with the Pirates in '89 wearing number 24 when he actually entered in '86 wearing number 7, since Denny Gonzalez wore 24 back then.

two for two

Shannon has done it again. How often do we read baseball anecdote books, only to skip 3/4 of the stories, having already read them elsewhere. Well, it won't happen with Mike Shannon's books! It's clear that solid research has resulted in stories that are always unique and usually hilarious. I loved it, and you will too. Check out Tales From The Dugout, too. you won't be disappointed.

The Day Satchel Paige and the Pittsburgh Crawfords Came to Hertford, N.C.: Baseball Stories and Poems

Published in Paperback by McFarland & Company (1992)

Author: Mike Shannon

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Average review score:

Nice Combination

Mike Shannon, SPITBALL editor, has proven himself over the years as the Don Quixote of this area of literature. THE DAY... collects his short stories and poems about baseball.

There is nothing highbrow about this collection; indeed, the writer manages to imprint in his stories the love of a game that has as its roots, the rural and small town areas of the country. Shannon is no Cormac McCarthy, but his stories have a great deal of heart and enough intrigue to grab the reader's interest.

The poems, which are assembled from three previous shorter collections, are written in the straight-ahead fashion that I have come to expect from Shannon. He has lived close to the game, and these poems take the reader there. Whether he's writing about Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, or the troubled Pete Rose Reds of the 80's, there's never any doubt about the authenticity of his knowledge, never any doubt that he will deliver work that is both entertaining and moving.

Tales from the Dugout : The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told

Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books (11 January, 1998)

Author: Mike Shannon

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Quite entertaining

This is a kind of book that you would love to take with you for a short trip to the bathroom. Really, I do not mean to be insulting, but the truth is that each story is so short but crisp, and often pretty funny that it makes perfect light reading.

I especially like that Shannon tells stories of not only superstars, but also of players with true character. But I think the title is a bid overblown. Read a story about your favorite player and see if you like the rest. I enjoyed reading the stories for players that I do not even know.

Pretty good

I went to the bookstore looking for a good, humorous baseball book with all true stories. Guess what? I found the right book. Tales from the Dugout was a great book, there are tons of great short little stories that you could tell others about. One that is stuck in my head is the story about the fight between the Philly Phanatic and Tommy Lasorda, I thought that was pretty amusing. I think its a great book for 14 years and up, I plan on buying Tales from the Outfield, his second book anytime soon.......

Baseball book delivers as promised

When I picked this book up in the bookstore, I was looking for some light reading and humorous anecdotes from the world of baseball, and that's what it looked like this book would be. Guess what? It is. Perfect to read between innings, before bed, or on the ceramic throne. Had a lot of fun reading the stories aloud to my honey, who is also a baseball fan. If you want something grittier or more in-depth, read the classic "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton. If you just want to enjoy yourself, or give a fun gift to a baseball fan, this is great.

P.S. Go Yanks!