I'm Glad You Didn't Take it Personally

It was an enjoyment to read. The Houston Astros was one of my favorite teams. Jim Bouton tells of his experiences. Thanks.

We can't expect this to be as great as Ball Four, and it's not. But on the other hand, it's something that Ball Four isn't, and couldn't have been -- a celebration and epilogue of the phenomenon that was Ball Four. After all, at the time that "B4" was written, there wasn't any phenomenon -- it was just another baseball manuscript, maybe wasn't even going to be published. But it became a surprise best-seller and a huge STORY, and this second book tells the story of that story.Some of the most interesting and delightful portions of this book are the reviews and letters about Ball Four. And expert comments. For example, Willie Mays: "I don't read them kind of books."If you loved Ball Four, you'll revel in this book. If you merely liked "B4," skip this one.

This relatively small but engaging book tells the story of Bouton's last half season (not counting his comeback in '78), his work in broadcasting, and all the aftermath of publishing _Ball Four_.It reads exactly like a continuation of _Ball Four_, and in fact I'm surprised that the two have never been amalgamated into a single edition. Here Bouton shares the ways in which his first book changed his life, making him both famous and (to some) notorious. A number of letters he received are included, as are some of the book's early reviews and reactions. In rereading it for this review, I not only laughed a lot, but I came away astonished once again at the conniption big league baseball had.If you like _BF_, you've got to find this one.

As Jim Bouton continually updates "Ball Four" every decade, his summary of his life's upheaval created by the book makes for entertaining reading, especially from a satiric iconoclast like himself. This is the basis for "I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally" a title which came from sportswriter Dick Young, after Bouton reminded him about when he referred to Bouton as a "social leper". This sequel to "Ball Four" deals with the book's success, the financial wheeling and dealings that the neophyte Bouton fell into, and mostly about Bouton's failing baseball career, which "Ball Four" brought into focus. The loss of his career, the upheavel it creates and the loss of the cameraderie of the dugout pained Bouton, and we easily fall into his plight, as well as the unbridled success that the book gave him. Following reprints of "Ball Four" have updated his personal/professional saga, but none of the updates are as readable (or as funny) as "I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally".