Why read Summer of '49?

Book cover of Summer of '49

Book description

This #1 bestselling baseball classic of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is “dazzling . . . heart-stopping . . . A celebration of a vanished heroic age” (The New York Times Book Review).
The summer of 1949: It was baseball’s Golden Age and the year Joe DiMaggio’s New York Yankees were…

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American history

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Summer of '49 as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

John Rosengren

Author

I liked this slice of history and the sense of importance David Halberstam imparted to it. He cared about the story, and so I did, too.

I love the All-Star cast—Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, et al.—that animates the action. I’m there on the field with these guys, sweating out the action Halberstam so passionately describes, and feeling their emotions.

From John's list on stories about a single baseball season.

Matthew A. Werner

Author

I’m no fan of the Yankees or Red Sox, but Halberstam’s story about the 1949 American League pennant race piqued my interest. His chapter transitions made me want to start the next one to see what comes next. He never bored with play-by-play details, mind-numbing stats, or months and days of the week. The people and their personal stories propel Halberstam’s narration of the goings-on around the teams and baseball season. It all flowed so smoothly. Getting to know the “characters” made the story hit home for me.

From Matthew's list on more than just sports books.