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ttodd86's review against another edition
2.0
As a fan of the Sox, I was very interested in Francona's perspective on events. While some of this is interesting, it is not much of a book.
First off, I'm not sure why the book is "by" Francona since there is no attempt to even hide the fact that he did not actually write the book in the text. For example, it quotes him often. Actually, that in may tell us more about Francona and his ego than anything in the rest of the book.
So, Dan Shaugnessy wrote it and he's a hack, so readers should know going in that it is not going to be particularly well written.
Casting all of that aside, however, if Francona wanted to get his story out there, he might have thought about waiting a few more years -- maybe 10 years, and then done this. A lot of it reads petty and comes back to the same points again, and again, and again. Oh, and then it hammers them again.
Interesting to read if you are a fan of the team, not worth if it you are not a fan. I actually think less of Francona -- both as a coach and as a person -- than I did before I read the book. That was probably not his goal.
First off, I'm not sure why the book is "by" Francona since there is no attempt to even hide the fact that he did not actually write the book in the text. For example, it quotes him often. Actually, that in may tell us more about Francona and his ego than anything in the rest of the book.
So, Dan Shaugnessy wrote it and he's a hack, so readers should know going in that it is not going to be particularly well written.
Casting all of that aside, however, if Francona wanted to get his story out there, he might have thought about waiting a few more years -- maybe 10 years, and then done this. A lot of it reads petty and comes back to the same points again, and again, and again. Oh, and then it hammers them again.
Interesting to read if you are a fan of the team, not worth if it you are not a fan. I actually think less of Francona -- both as a coach and as a person -- than I did before I read the book. That was probably not his goal.
duparker's review against another edition
3.0
Was this the book of the year? Nope. Was it full on unknown truths, oddities or wisdom? Nope. Was it a fun read, with some witty parts to it? Yes. The book reads really well, and has a simple flow to it, logically breaking the chapters into years and eras. I didn't find it to be a biography so much as a data dump. There is a lot of reminiscing, but it isn't a memoir.
If you are a Red Sox fan, you'll enjoy this. I think you might if you are a baseball fan. If you care about neither, why are you looking at this book?
If you are a Red Sox fan, you'll enjoy this. I think you might if you are a baseball fan. If you care about neither, why are you looking at this book?
cmvogt5's review against another edition
3.0
This is a nice review of Tito's time in Boston. I enjoyed it. But as someone who follows the Sox fairly closely it didn't add anything really new that I hadn't already heard from WEEI or the Globe. Good summer reading for a baseball fan.
callieisreading's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating look at the Francona years of the Boston Red Sox (2004-2011), which encompassed 2 World Series victories (including the first in 86 years) as well as the biggest collapse in baseball history in September of 2011. Many people were obviously exhaustively interviewed by Dan Shaughnessy for this book, and his many hours over many years in the clubhouse as a reporter are obvious- Shaughnessy clearly knows his way around this organization. The book is well written, though I did find it to be repetitive- I found myself often reading about a situation or a conversation, only to have it re-expained only a few pages later. I wondered if this was a newspaper thing- if people are going to be reading articles that are published days or weeks apart, then you have to go back and recap things that might have been talked about earlier... but in this case, the book is such a quick read that it was a detriment, though only a small one.
Francona is the real star here, and his quotes are funny, insightful, and honest. I felt very sympathetic towards him anyway before reading this (the way he was dissed and dismissed was, in a word, gross), and his book only makes me feel even more strongly in his corner.
Obviously this book isn't for anyone. I don't even really know how people outside of Boston would feel about it. But for Red Sox fans, it is very, very good.
Francona is the real star here, and his quotes are funny, insightful, and honest. I felt very sympathetic towards him anyway before reading this (the way he was dissed and dismissed was, in a word, gross), and his book only makes me feel even more strongly in his corner.
Obviously this book isn't for anyone. I don't even really know how people outside of Boston would feel about it. But for Red Sox fans, it is very, very good.
scottpm's review against another edition
5.0
I did not want to put this down. It was like watching a disaster unfold. Readers got a great look inside the workings of the Red Sox.
mattmatt3409's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked Tito Francona and I think he got a bad rap in the last couple of years in the Red Sox organization. I felt that the Red Sox were spending like the Yankees and as a Boston fan we should have distinguished ourselves from our rivals. I loved the stories about Manny being Manny, I loved his athleticism and hitting prowess but he was a headache and caused me frustration as I watched my team. I was glad they traded him. I also thought our owners were half assing it since they bought the stupid soccer team across the pond. Overall it was a great book recounting what I was watching over the years. Go Red Sox!!
jasonwith_y's review against another edition
5.0
With all the flights back and forth home for weddings and birthdays managed to get through Tito's book. Turned out to be be perfect timing, as last night was really the final bookend on the Francona years.
Definitely learned more about the intricacies of the baseball world and got a different perspective on the sometimes conflicting agendas of the field management, baseball operations, and ownership.
The best part of the book without doubt was the treasure trove of "Manny being Manny" anecdotes. So many good ones.
Definitely learned more about the intricacies of the baseball world and got a different perspective on the sometimes conflicting agendas of the field management, baseball operations, and ownership.
The best part of the book without doubt was the treasure trove of "Manny being Manny" anecdotes. So many good ones.
shoelessmama's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, if you are a big Red Sox fan odds are you won't learn anything new from this. It was fun to re-live 2004 and 2007 (especially 2004) and reading about how everything fell apart in the ending chapters was interesting but otherwise this was a pretty ho-hum read. I'm glad I listened to it and our freshly painted playroom will probably make me think of the sox from now on. I new going into this that it was going to be full of language- Baseball aside, this is Boston we're talking about. So, if a lot of language bothers you I would steer clear of this one. 5/10
daybreak1012's review against another edition
4.0
I'd say I already knew a good portion of this book's contents, but there was a significant amount I didn't before reading. Going in, I knew what to expect from anything penned by Shaughnessy (insert eye roll here -- does anyone take more seeming pleasure in spotlighting anything negative?), but try as he might, he cannot sully Tito in my eyes. What I really took away from this book is exactly what I perceived already: the Red Sox ownership is so far out of touch with what a real baseball fan wants from the game and from their team. I cannot imagine what it is like to work for them, but the words 'frustrating' and 'unpleasant' spring immediately to mind. I, like Tito, felt like this book is vindicating and redemptive. Five-plus seasons removed from the end of Francona leading the Red Sox, I had no idea I still needed that, but upon closing this book for the final time, it has become clear to me that I very much did. (I really struggled with dropping this to three stars, purely for the Shaughnessy factor, but I couldn't make myself do that to Tito, who will forever get the benefit of my doubt after everything he brought to the team I love. He deserved every one of those four stars as far as I am concerned.)
kelliebeaupre's review against another edition
4.0
This is an awesome insight into baseball operations and how people act towards one another. At times I had to stop reading because I was in such hate with the ownership. I had to remind myself this is one side of the story, but a juicy one.