Baseball: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture [Paperback]

Edward J. Rielly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Baseball: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture looks at American society through the prism of its favorite pastime, discussing not only the game itself but a variety of topics with significance beyond the diamond. Its 269 entries, which vary in length from two hundred to twenty-five hundred words, explore the game’s intersection with race, gender, art, drug abuse, entertainment, business, gambling, movies, and the shift from rural to urban society.

 

Filled with larger-than-life characters, baseball legends, sports facts and firsts, important milestones, and observations about daily life and popular culture, this encyclopedia is not only an excellent reference source but also an enjoyable book to browse.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Rielly’s book offers a fascinating look at baseball through American popular culture, dealing with aspects of baseball that have an impact on society as well as society’s influence on the game. . . . This unique work offers readers encyclopedic coverage of the game as a social institution, with considerable focus on its relationship with society.”—Booklist

(Booklist )

“An informative, entertaining book.”—Choice

(Choice )

“Baseball: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture is an entertaining read for both the diehard baseball fanatic and whoever wants to gain an appreciation for the game.”—Mordecai Specktor, The American Jewish World

(Mordecai Specktor The American Jewish World )

“Readers will discover biographical information on people as diverse as Jackie Robinson, Hank Greenberg, Walt Whitman, and Ernest Hemingway, as well as interesting essays on ‘Australian Baseball,’ war and baseball, ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’ the meaning of ‘Free Agency,’ and the legend surrounding Abner Doubleday.”—School Library Journal

(School Library Journal )

About the Author

Edward J. Rielly is chair of the English department at Saint Joseph’s College in Maine, where he teaches, among many other courses, “Modern Literature, Baseball, and Society.” His previous books include Baseball and American Culture: Across the Diamond and The 1960s.

Product Details

• Paperback: 371 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803290055
• ISBN-13: 978-0803290051
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,492,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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