Customer Reviews

Full Swing: Hits, Runs and Errors in a Writer's Life

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When you finish reading "Full Swing," including the funny and touching final two chapters of this conversational memoir, you will feel that you know Ira Berkow well. The author, a prolific writer (17 books and many articles) and a sports columnist for the New York Times for over 25 years, has produced an honest, seamless, conversational memoir which pulls the reader into the heart of a richly led life. Anecdotes abound, many about the sports, entertainment and political figures he has known and interviewed. Berkow pulls no punches in describing his own stuttering development as a writer, growing up on the West Side of Chicago, his early career as a reporter in Minneapolis, and his later move to New York City, where he worked first for a newspaper syndicate and later as the by-liner of the "Sports of the Times" column.

The book is a walk through Berkow's life, often retracing his steps, making frequent, leisurely stops to explore people, places, ideas, successes, regrets, loves both lost and found, yet managing in the course of his peregrination to tie it all together such that the reader comes to understand the inner self of this talented, introspective, honest and thoroughly unpretentious writer, and ultimately wishes he could spend more time with him.

The major press book reviews have cited anecdotes and quotes from various sources, including Red Smith, the sports writer whom Berkow succeeded at the Times, Richard Nixon, Groucho Marx, and numerous others such as Willie Mays, Eddie Waitkus, Hank Sauer, Al Kaline, Pete Rose, Phil Jackson and Mohammed Ali. But it is really the stories about the non-sports personalities from his past, including those in his own family, that best describe and define Berkow as a person. One such story about his cousin, a lawyer whose career ranged from a public defender to a federal judge, and who dealt with "the most monumental and noble of causes," is central to Berkow's exploration of the significance of one's own contributions, whether they are made in the public or private sphere.

"Full Swing" will appeal especially to those readers who, despite a slightly guilty conscience, always turn first to the sports pages.

This is a book that many high school students will be able to indentify with. Ira Berkow floundered as he tried to decide what to do with his life when he graduated from high school. He, like others, had people who helped him out in various ways. His father bought him a book entitled "30 Days to A Powerful Vocabulary" when he was in high school. This gift which was initially not readily appreciated became a powerful influence in expanding Ira's vocabulary when he became interested in writing. The noted sportswriter Red Smith took time to constructively criticize some of Ira's writing when requested. Most young people drift into a career, and Ira Berkow is a good example for those of high school and college age to read about whether they plan on becomming a writer or not. Another thing I liked about the book is the numerous anecdotes of people such as Muhammad Ali, Hank Sauer, Michael Jordan and others that I have not read in other books. Here is one I will pass on about our present President, George Bush. When Bush was part owner of the Texas Rangers he and his team partners threatened to move the team from the Dallas-Fort Worth area unless the residents of Texas paid for a new ballpark. A tax was set that was shared by both the rich and poor. Since there were more poor people in the area than rich, the tax was a burden mainly by those who couldn't afford to pay it. With this money, a new ballpark was built and the owners sold the team which was now worth more due to having a new stadium. When the team was sold Bush became rich with his share coming to $14 million. This from a conservative who supposedly tries to save taxpayers money. This book is a treat. It is not a rehash of stories found in other books. You will not be disappointed.

Ira Berkow's FULL SWING could also have been featured in our Sports section - but it'd be a shame to limit its audience to sports enthusiasts alone. Berkow is a sports columnist and feature writer for the New York Times, but his journey to that point was long and hard - and is chronicled here in FULL SWING: HITS, RUNS, AND ERRORS IN A WRITER'S LIFE. From his early years as a poor student who flunked out of college in his first semester to his later passion for writing and determination to become a writer, FULL SWING charts a course through the literary and sports world which will engage and delight fans of Berkow. From his early inspirations to his tales of life at the Times, FULL SWING is a lively survey of a literary life and many achievements.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

I like books written by people who live extraordinary lives or were part of an extraordinary event. Dry Guillotine by Rene Belbenoit is a classic example and recently I've read Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. If you ask me Ira Berkow has lived an extraordinary life. Full Swing is a wonderful book. I enjoyed reading about all the people in his life , famous people or everyday people. The relationships he formed and the stories that evolved from them are all gems. Mr. Berkow has honed his writing style and skills to near perfection and it shows in this terrific book.

I read a lot of it but didn't finish it. Couldn't. I was looking for stuff about sports figures from the author's era. Interesting stuff. Instead, I received mostly stuff about the author, about how he made it in life and the newspaper world, with a few bumps along the way. Not interesting, to be honest. I should get my money back.