Shopping isn’t easy or fun, and the simple fact is most people could use a hand when it comes to finding an acceptable gift for a friend or relative.
In that spirit comes the too-long-
absent Jim’s Pseudo-Intellectual Book Club to provide a few suggestions for those — mainly hairy-knuckled guys — looking for something to read during the COVID-19 lockdown.
What better time for a good book? More important, what else is there to do during the semi-permanent suspension of civil liberties during this joyous season?
This Pseudo-Intellectual’s tastes are mostly limited to history, biographies, sports and mysteries like those of Michael Connelly or thrillers a la Daniel Silva.
In regards to the latter two, readers who favor their genres will not be disappointed if they pick one up. Start at the beginning of their Harry Bosch and/or Gabriel Allon series. They’re very well done — good story lines, well written, even educational.
A few other modest suggestions for the discriminating reader:
‘The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, The Media and Richard Jewel, the Man Caught in the Middle’
Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen
Jewell was the security guard at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics who spotted a suspicious package that turned out to be a bomb.
His eagle-eyed action saved many lives, but his story turned into a nightmare when the FBI began investigating him under the theory that he planted the bomb and pointed it out to become a hero.
The story is a multi-faceted nightmare of a man falsely accused and the toll it took on his life even after the real bomber was arrested. Can’t recommend this eye-opening book highly enough.
‘The City Game: Triumph, Scandal and a Legendary Basketball Team’
Matthew Goodman
It’s the story of the City College of New York basketball team that won the 1950 NCAA and NIT basketball tournaments, defeating Bradley in both championship games.
The euphoria over the unprecedented triumphs, however, evaporated when players were implicated in a point-shaving scandal that tarred many teams and players, none more so than CCNY.
The theme of that ancient scandal — a part of a bigger scandal involving widespread corruption in city government — will sound familiar to today’s college sports fans. It’s an excellent book that detail sports history lost to the passage of time.
‘Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition’
Daniel Okrent
Was there ever a more idealistically naive — meaning foolish — idea than to ban alcohol through a constitutional amendment? It was doomed to fail.
The consequences were far-reaching. This has to be read to be believed — a great history of the 1920s and ’30s.
‘Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask’
Jon Pessah
Everybody loved Hall of Fame Yankees catcher Yogi Berra because he was just so “Yogi-ish” — both funny and fun. But the numbers, which don’t lie, show he was one of the greatest ballplayers of all time.
He lived a long and happy life that is a joy to read. Baseball fans generally and admirers of Berra specifically will love this book.
‘The Kid: The Immortal Life of Ted Williams’
Ben Bradlee Jr.
Incredible on the field and irascible off it, Williams is a fascinating character who helped define his era in Major League Baseball.
This is a great story about his fascinating life and great baseball history for all fans, not just those who followed the career of baseball’s best-ever pure hitter.
These are, admittedly, just a few humble offerings. There are lots of great books out there.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times have been publishing their lists of the best books of 2020. Giving them a look will make shopping much easier.
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Jim Dey | How about a good book for Christmas? - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
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