Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball (Paperback)

by Dan Shaughnessy (Author) "IT'S EMBARRASSING TO ADMIT, but I kept a diary in high school..." (more)
Key Phrases: Senior Year, Boston College, Newton North (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Caustic Boston Globe columnist Shaughnessy, bete noir of many a Red Sox fan, dials back the snark to tell a parent's story-his son, Sam's, senior year of high school, and the baseball season that accompanies it. Giving a chapter to each month, Shaughnessy tells of the prom, late-night parties and college visits that can make senior year stressful for parent and student alike; though, comparing his own experience to his son's, Shaugnessy frequently finds Sam has an easier go of it, snagging dates and above-average grades with equal ease. The young man's story really unfolds on the baseball diamond, where his considerable talents as a power hitter bring him the attention of Division I college programs. However, success doesn't do much to protect him from adolescent depression; as Sam writes in his college application essay, "When I go 0-4, I want to hang myself in the closet." Though Shaughnessy rests on too many "back in my day" digressions, anybody whose kid has played on a team will identify with him, sweating out each at-bat in the bleachers. Baseball fans will enjoy the book on another level, as well, not only for the detail with which Shaughnessy renders his son's games, but also for candid tales of legends like Earl Weaver and Reggie Jackson.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
"A finely told coming-of-age story that captures the bond between a father and son, a bond strengthened through the love of sports." (Detroit Free Press )

"A heartfelt, humorous, and engaging book filled with the lasting lessons of life." (Tim Russert )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; Reprint edition (May 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547053827
• ISBN-13: 978-0547053820
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #103,906 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great book if you are having trouble sleeping, July 9, 2007

By	Juan "Juan" (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball (Hardcover)

This book is a snoozefest. Luckily I didn't waste my own money, I got it as a gift. I just hope whoever gets my copy from the Goodwill doesn't have to pay more than a quarter for it.

49 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Tedious. , July 10, 2007

By	John J. Nevins "jess nevins" (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball (Hardcover)

The phrase "singing above your range" springs to mind with this book. Simply put, a sports columnist--which is what Shaughnessy is--may be capable of snark or thoughtful commentary on current events in sports, but may not be capable of making the quotidian involving or moving. I think I understand the book Shaughnessy wanted to write--unfortunately, he's not good enough as a writer to write that book.

Fairly quickly I found myself not caring about father or son or what happened, and was in that most distressing place for a reader: checking to see how many more pages I'd have to read before the book was over and I could read something more interesting.

This book wasn't actively bad, nor was it offensive. It was just tedious, and a waste of time.

56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Self-indulgent, a waste of time, July 9, 2007

By	Jakeymon (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Senior Year: A Father, A Son, and High School Baseball (Hardcover)

I read this book while on a long hunting trip in Alaska. I was out to shoot me a bear and it seemed to me that something like this would keep me warm on those long summer nights above the artic circle. I ended up bagging a big old bear and that made the trip worthwhile. Unfortunately, I did not like this book. It seemed like the sun would never set while I was up there and I think this book literally slowed down time so much that the sun got stuck. I was really expecting something more along the lines of "Hoosiers" meets "Porky's" and what I got was nothing like that. NO stars.