Customer Reviews

Thurman Munson: A Baseball Biography

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I need to first state that I am a HUGE Thurman Munson fan. I have almost every book written about him. I couldn't wait to read this book but after I finished I was pretty disappointed. There really is nothing new in this book. We know that Munson was a great player, that he loved his family, that he had a difficult relationship with his dad, etc. Devine seems to have taken the easy route in writing this book which is to say that he got most of his information from already printed sources. He doesn't seem to have spent a lot of time doing original research. For example: there are NO interviews of his own. He didn't speak to any teammates, players from other teams, much less any of his family. If you have the books written about Munson or the articles from newspapers or magazines then there is really no need for this book. On the other hand, if you want a one stop synopsis of all of these media, then this is a good book for you. Just don't expect to learn anything new.

In documenting Munson's life,Devine took on the task of resurrecting an intriguing life long overshadowed by death. On August 2,1979, Munson died when a plane he was piloting crashed near his hometown of Canton, Ohio, leaving behind a wife, three children, and a Hall of Fame-worthy career. The sudden passing made such an impact on the emotions of America that he became readily identified with it. What most forgot was a unique man and ballplayer. Munson was a dominant on-field star who captured several awards - Rookie of the Year,Most Valuable Player,three time Gold Glove catcher,captain of three consecutive pennant-winning Yankee teams-within a span of eleven seasons. He captured at least one of those awards in seven of nine full seasons. As a man,he was a reluctant star caught in the middle of the most storeid era in the history of baseball's most storied franchise, the "Bronx Zoo" period which included daily in-fighting and annual pennants. Munson,the captain, was encouraged by the media to join the fray, but instead he spoke loudly with his bat and glove on the field. The sum total of Munson's life and career is argued in this book to be largely unappreciated by the Hall of Fame and the American mind. Devine makes a compelling case for a change of perception in each.

I ordered this book before it was published and I jumped on it when it finally arrived at the house. After about an hour of reading I had to take a break from the book and I have never picked it up again. The writing was terrible, I felt like I was reading a book designed for sixth graders. The book has no style, it never draws you into the life of Thurman Munson. After the first chapter I had to wonder why I thought this guy was so great that I'd want to read his biography. It seems to me that someone with such a great life as Munson would be an easy target for a great book--it would almost write itself. But Devine took any and all life out of this great character. I'll keep the book only to add to my collection and it will gather much dust on that shelf.

Wow - the worst-written baseball bio I've seen in a long time. I grew up a non-Yankee fan, but I always admired Munson. I thought he would be a ripe subject for examination, but Devine's writing just dulls the whole book. Not recommended.

I go to school with Chris Devine, and not only is Chris a great writer and Thurmun Munson: A Baseball Biography, an awesome book, but Chris is also divine in personality and definitely in looks as well!

I go to school with Chris Devine and not only is he a great writer, and Thurman Munson; A Baseball Biography a great book, but Chris is also divine in personality and in looks!