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 enlarge | Author: Buzz Bissinger
Publisher: Highbridge Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $34.95
Buy New: $5.19
You Save: $29.76 (85%)
New (18) Used (10) from $4.44
Avg. Customer Rating:  96 reviews
Sales Rank: 340483
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.8 x 4.9 x 1.1
ISBN: 1565119762
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.3570977866
EAN: 9781565119765
ASIN: 1565119762
Publication Date: April 7, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Three nights in August January 12, 2007
This was a very captivating read, I was not able to put the book down. I loved being able to get behind the scene's and into the mind of LaRussa. Exceptional, a great read for any baseball fan. A must read for all St. Louis Cardinals fan!!
Redbird Rivalry January 10, 2007
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would rate it as one of the top 10 baseball books - but, undoubtedly, behind Men at Work. 3 Nights in August contained much useful information (both coaching ideas and personal). I felt like I was an eye witness to the on goings in the dugout. My only point of contention is that I feel the author was too hard on J D Drew. True, I have not interacted with him since the CWS, but I didn't get the feeling he was the selfish baby he was portrayed to be. I am a die hard Astros fan, but I caught myself cheering for the Redbirds. All in all a good read - I highly recommend it.
 Overrated Author January 4, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was able to get through this book because (a) I hate starting something and not finishing it and (b) I love baseball.
Bissinger often trumpets his own book as a primary counterpoint to "Moneyball." Moneyball, Michael Lewis' bestselling book, hailed the approach of A's General Manager Billy Beane and is synonymous with the recent trend of baseball "statheads" of emphasizing statistical analysis and de-emphasizing traditional methods, such as in-person scouting and stealing bases. While Moneyball was quite deferential to Beane, the book was very smartly written, and if one has read any of Lewis' books, Moneyball fits along the theme of Lewis' preference to profile individuals who have thought outside of the box to get results.
In a way, Bissinger's book is the "anti-Moneyball" in the sense that it is anti-intelligent. The book is not particularly well written; Bissinger has an interesting yet distracting way of trying to come up with original similes and metaphors that usually come off as less than artful. Just off the top of my head, I remember one example, paraphrased: "Kenny Lofton watched the pitch go by like someone who had just seen a passing car the make and model of which he was not sure of."
In addition, Bissinger often uses statistics for his own ends, but uses them improperly. For example, early in the book, he compares the statistics of a struggling 2003 Garrett Stephenson to the "breakout" year that Garrett Stephenson had in 2000. If you look at the stats that Bissinger himself provides, the ERA, K rate, and WHIP are nearly identical for both years; the only difference is wins and losses. Even LaRussa knows himself that wins and losses by themselves don't evidence a pitcher's merit; they are based largely on luck and run support.
Due to inaccuracies like this, uninspired writing and overly deferential treatment to LaRussa and the Cardinals, I found Bissinger to be less than credible in anything he said. So even when he spun what should have been a heart rending tale regarding the late Darryl Kile, I found it hard to take anything he said at face value.
All that being said, I have always liked Tony LaRussa as a manager. He deserves credit for being able to win his second World Series this past year with the worst team in history ever to win a World Series.
Three Nights of Jock-Sniffing January 3, 2007
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
Upfront disclosure: I didn't finish this book. Life's too short. Another disclosure: I am a Cardinals fan and, like most Cardinals fans, felt the obligation to read this book. It's about a great subject (LaRussa and his chase for another championship - which, as we now know, was ultimately successful), but as a book, I've got to be honest. As most reviews of this work so irrelevantly point out, Bissinger is the author of "Friday Night Lights," a book that most of those reviewers probably didn't read and (another disclosure) a movie I did not see. Bissinger (who is the author of "Friday Night Lights") gives too much worshipful deference to his subject - although LaRussa is identified as a co-author, so maybe this is really an uncritical autobiography. Bissinger (who is the author of "Friday Night Lights") claims to be fascinated with and drawn to LaRussa's allegedly intense and brooding mood - something I always identified as boredom. The best parts of the book, in my view, stood on the game accounts, which were too rushed and shallow - I think because Bissinger (who is the author of "Friday Night Lights") was in a hurry to take the reader back to LaRussa's brooding strategy and post-game rituals. Whatever. Read it if you are tempted - I gave it my best shot.
Great book for true baseball fans December 10, 2006
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I thought this book was intellegent and I enjoyed reading how La Russa deals with being a manager, he talked about the loss of Darryl Kile. It shows TLR is a real sensitive guy and loving person to his team and family and he gets a long really well with the owner, a respectful guy, and a true hero.
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