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Confessions of a She-Fan: The Course of True Love with the New York Yankees [Hardcover]

Jane Heller
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 3, 2009
Two months into the 2007 baseball season, novelist Jane Heller, an obsessed Yankee fan heartsick over their poor play, announced her intention to divorce the team, on grounds of mental cruelty, in the pages of the New York Times. Her words inflamed the passions of sports lovers across the country, and her piece quickly became the newspaper’s most e-mailed and talked-about article in the week it ran.
The intense reaction of fans forced Heller to look inward, and to re-examine her feelings about winning and losing. Was she a “bandwagon” fan, as some branded her? A traitor? In this witty, observant, and decidedly female look at the nature of the bond between fan and team, Jane Heller goes in search of answers. With her husband as her traveling partner, she literally follows the Bronx Bombers through the rest of their challenging 2007 season, hoping to score interviews with the players, watch every game in every city, and inject some excitement into her marriage.
Through interactions with other fans, as well as members of the media covering the Yankees, plus game-by-game analyses, Heller learns personal life lessons about competition, loyalty, and acceptance—and about why baseball, like any truly romantic relationship, requires commitment, patience, and a deep, abiding love.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In May and October 2007, Heller published two charming op-ed pieces in the New York Times: on whether it was possible to divorce your team and on falling back in love with it. This book was written in between while she followed the Yankees (whom she has loved since growing up in Westchester) for half a season. Her book, however, is not about baseball or the Yankees as much as it is about Heller herself. She reports on the highlights of every game but fits them in between recounting how hard it was to get hotel rooms, flights, and tickets and how she never did get press access. The awkward locution of the title is reflected in a lot of the language (calling weak players “pussies” and Papelbon, of the Boston Red Sox, “Pap Smear” kind of collapses her feminist credentials). Still, she speaks the truth when she notes that the old Yankee Stadium was ugly and uncomfortable but for its beautiful emerald field and distinctive facade, and while she is crying and screaming and carrying on, one can hear the faint heartbeat of a true fan. --GraceAnne A. DeCandido

Review

"This is a Donna Quixote story about a cynical Yankee fan who spends a season traveling the country going to ball games and who in the end regains the joy, the magic, and the faith in her beloved team. Along the way, Yankee fans will fall in love with ‘the Yankees’ number one fan,’ Jane Heller."—Peter Golenbock, author of the New York Times bestsellers Dynasty and The Bronx Zoo
"A book for those of us men who thought women didn't get sports.… A delightful, insightful ride on the Yankee Clipper." —James Burrows, Emmy Award–winning director of Cheers and Will & Grace
"Jane Heller knocks it out of the park with Confessions of a She-Fan. In 1978, I discovered the Yankees (mostly I discovered Ron Guidry). I was hooked and have been ever since. My 1-year-old daughter is already in pinstriped onesies. I can understand perfectly the passion of a fellow ‘she-fan.’" —Kit Golden, producer of the Academy Award–nominated Chocolat
"Confessions of a She-Fan is a love story about baseball and a baseball story about love—one of the most unusual and delightful books about a true fan’s connection to the game I've ever read. It’s impossible to read without smiling out loud!" —David Fisher, coauthor with Terry Bradshaw of the New York Times bestseller It’s Only a Game
"Confessions of a She-Fan is stream-of-consciousness from someone who's both a passionate Yankee fan and a terrific writer. It's laugh-out-loud funny and it also moves you to tears." ---John Sterling
"Forget A-Rod. The one really suffering a "Single White Female" obsession with the Yankees is chick-lit author Jane Heller. She was so distraught with the losing ways of the 2007 Bombers, she vowed to "divorce the team on grounds of mental cruelty." Instead, she wound up following the Yanks on the road, husband by her side, trying to get insight into her fandom and fans in general. Now, as Heller finds herself competing on the bookshelves with her team's ex-manager, she gives us a couple of reasons why fans should select her book over his: 'I didn't hire someone to write my book for me' and 'Torre's book is deadly serious. Mine has jokes. In this economy, we fans need a laugh.'"---Billy Heller, New York Post

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Rodale Books (February 3, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1594868980
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594868986
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.8 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,115,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm so excited that all 13 of my novels of romantic comedy are out as e-books now. I really hope those who've never tried the books will download them and that those who've already enjoyed them will want to have these new editions too. And speaking of my novels, AN EX TO GRIND is still in development at Fox for a feature, with Cameron Diaz and Benecio Del Toro attached to play the leads. Fingers crossed that it reaches the big screen. After 9 movie options for my books I'm so ready!

Also exciting for me is the publication of my latest nonfiction book: YOU'D BETTER NOT DIE OR I'LL KILL YOU: A Caregiver's Survival Guide to Keeping You in Good Health and Good Spirits. Published by Chronicle, it's what I affectionately called "Nora Ephron's I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK meets Heidi Murkoff's WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING" in that it's a combo of my personal, often humorous essays about caring for a spouse with a chronic illness, interviews with other caregivers (of children, spouses and elderly parents), and advice from a wide range of experts. With over 65 million caregivers in this country, I thought it was time for a book that will entertain caregivers even as it provides lots of ideas for self-care. Check it out for yourself or someone you care about.

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
(14)
4.6 out of 5 stars
Laugh out loud funny, both in obvious and subtle ways. Kathy Spillman  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
It is amazing how someone can love a team so much. Thomas Zocco  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What a Delight! April 19, 2009
Format:Hardcover
I loved Confessions of a She-Fan. Loved it. It is a funny, funny look at the life of a female Yankee fan, that I think most female Yankee fans will identify with. Jane Heller explains why she loves baseball in a few perfect paragraphs that I am tempted to copy and carry with me for reference when confronted with anyone, male or female, who claims that baseball is boring. Heller retraces the entire 2007 Yankee season, and some of the post-season antics of that year. A few weeks into the season, she decides to follow the team as a basis for the book. The ups and the downs are wittily recounted. I really, really enjoyed reading this book, but it is clearly not for everyone. Red Sox fans (or really, any Yankee-hater) most likely won't see the point of her Yankee obsession. Also, the language can be salty at times, so hold off on letting your 13 year old neice read it just yet. This book is a must read for all Yankee fans and anyone curious to see what it is about baseball that causes such devotion. Her recognition of She-Fans is refreshing in this world of mainly male-dominated baseball coverage. As a bonus, Ms. Heller keeps a blog, which is included at this Amazon site. It is terrific as well; perhaps a sequel is in the works? We can only hope so, and we can only hope that this book ends with the Yankees 27th ring.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Outta the Park July 16, 2009
Format:Hardcover
Excerpt of my July 16 review on[...]

Despite living in Santa Barbara, novelist Jane Heller is a die-hard Yankees fan. (She has NY roots, of course.) Heller normally focuses on "chick lit" books (Some Nerve, An Ex to Grind), but this is her first non-fiction book.

It all started when she wrote an hysterical essay in early summer 2007 in The New York Times, demanding a "divorce" from the Yankees -- that infuriated and delighted fans across the country. That lead to a book contract, and Heller and her husband Michael hit the road, with the goal of attending (almost) every game, talking to players, and writing about the 2007 season from a "she fan's" POV.

The result is an funny yet amazingly nuanced non-fiction book that reads like a juicy novel. After hunting for it all over NYC (Hey! Barnes & Noble - get your act together) I finally found a copy at the Wall Street Borders. I started reading it at the beginning of Monday's Home Run Derby, which proved no distraction, and didn't go to sleep until I had finished it.

I've always wondered why I care so very very much about games that I absolutely have no control over -- and that's a constant theme in Heller's book. (Yes, part of it is that the Yankees tend to end up in the playoffs despite al odds and I'm the world's most competitive person -- I once had my friends form a tenants' union against me when playing Monopoly).

My recessive sports gene did not kick in until I moved to New York in 1998, and became curious about why Joe Torre switched pitchers. Within a year I was drinking the Kool-Aid.

My biggest revelation after becoming a beisbol addict was how powerful a baseball game is as "social networking" -- it empowers you to talk to just about anyone in this baseball-crazed city, from cab drivers to top executives. But it ALSO teaches intense lessons about how to succeed in business (a theme explored years ago by Betty Harragan, in Games Your Mother Never Taught You.)

But as much as I love the game, I'm so not a "groupie" -- I have zero interest in meeting (most) players, or getting autographs (although one of my favorite possessions is a signed pix of Scooter with Sinatra, that my bro gave me). Think about it -- would you really want to endure a long dinner with 80% of the players? Sure, Moose, Leiter, Mo or Jeter -- but I'd be bored to tears if I had to spend 15 minutes with preening A-Rod, and I don't speak Spanish so that would rule out Melky. I'm much more interested in talking to the managers, administrators, and media -- especially folks like Michael Kay, Joe Girardi, Brian Cashman, and Kevin Dart. I'd happily give up a weekend in Hawaii to have a quiet lunch with any one of them.

And that turns out to be the real heart and soul of Heller's book -- her plot line revolves around whether she'll be able to break through the NYY administrative moat (which makes getting a visa to Cuba look easy) and get the coveted press credentials she needs to get access to players for her book. In the end, the book is more about the beat reporters and the "traveling circus" of away games -- and that's what makes it absolutely magical. I won't give away the ending, but let's just say it involves one of my all-time favorite players.

I flat-out loved this book on so many levels:

* As a journalist, I resonated to her subtle revelations about how tough it is to cover the Yankees, and how guarded folks like Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling must be to cope with all the demands on them, and yet how warm and caring they prove to be.

* Because I go to a lot of away games as part of my job, I thought she absolutely nailed the "traveling circus" -- including the dynamics of rooting against the home team (especially at Fenway). And the unique rituals of away parks (eg, the "O" at Camden, the umpire intros at McAfee, etc.)

* Her light, respectful touch gave dignity to even some of the young naive women who don't really understand the Jose Canseco perils of being too eager of a fan. And she gracefully explores how much going to even one game can mean to many folks who are facing astounding personal challenges.

* Her insight into the politics of access to the team, and how "who you know" can make all the difference in the world; and yet how the surprises of unexpected encounters ultimately prove productive.

* Why it's a lot more fun, if you are a true baseball fan, to sit in the upper deck, and why night games are usually better than weekend games.

* The sheer joy of watching nine talented athletes take the field almost every day of summer, and the sheer bliss in February when Pitchers & Catchers finally report.

[...]
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars "She Fan" Book October 14, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love reading this book - I literally laugh out loud in a lot of places...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Confession of a She-Fan
Very easy read. Holds your attention...especially if you're Yankee fan. Tons of inside information about people in the front office. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Keith Wease
5.0 out of 5 stars She-Fan for ALL fans!
Jane Heller's account of her year with the Yankees is an excellent read for ALL Bronx Bomber fans. Her writing is crisp and humorous as she navigates her way through American... Read more
Published on December 30, 2010 by John Groh
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Ride.
Although I am not a Yankees fan, I really enjoyed this book. It almost seems as if you are sitting in the seats as Jane Heller describes her seating location and the weather at... Read more
Published on September 17, 2010 by Thomas Zocco
5.0 out of 5 stars Let's Go Yankees!....
I've been a fan of Ms. Heller's books for years...I think I've read about 8 or 9 of them...but as a huge Yankee fan, when I discovered that 'Confessions of She-Fan' existed, I... Read more
Published on August 22, 2009 by Heidi L.
5.0 out of 5 stars A real page turner, Jane's not a bandwagon fan for sure!
Without a doubt, Jane's a yankee fan. If you don't take my word for it, check out her website for her blog. The proof's in the pudding there. Read more
Published on April 30, 2009 by Kristen M. Driscoll
5.0 out of 5 stars review by another displaced Yankee fan
Having been a lifelong Yankee fan I love the observations and stories in this book. I lived on Martha's Vineyard for 4 years - try being a Yankee fan there! Read more
Published on April 7, 2009 by Sharona Duran
1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the effort
A self indulgent diary of the author's quest to follow her beloved Yanks for the 2007 season. Do we really need all the information she provides about the hundreds of details... Read more
Published on March 20, 2009 by Joseph C. Sweeney
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a Sports Book for and about WOMEN
I got this for my husband who is a huge Yankees fan, but I started to read it and couldn't put it down. What a HOOT Jane Heller is. Read more
Published on February 28, 2009 by J. Chase
5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth your time...
What a delightful book. It's written from a woman's POV, but that makes it even more unique, fascinating, and fun. Read more
Published on February 18, 2009 by Nom D. Plume
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!
This is a must read! Forget the Torre story, She-Fan is told from a female point of view, most often humorous but also quite poignant. Read more
Published on February 16, 2009 by sparky4eva
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