The Curse of the Bambino

This is a good book for anyone just diving into Red Socks history. It may not include everything, but it has all the great (but more often not so great) moments that makes the Red Socks club so interesting. I would only recommend that the author update his book (or if he already has that you buy his update) to include the 2004 World Series win.

I find it both ironic and funny that all the negative reviews about this book are from Red Saux fans. I give a lot of credit to that guy from NE who actually admits that this book is a good read. I've read this book 85 times and counting. I'm just looking forward to the revised edition that includes game 7 of the ALCS, but...oh yeah...there's no curse.

As a 52 year follower and fan of the Sox and lifetime New Englander, I can't understand the negative reviews of this great book. Yes, it's hard to relive many of the heartaches... when they happened it was hard to believe, it still is. But they did happen. This book represents clearly the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction because if it was fiction no one would believe it. There have been so many unbelievable incidents over the years that many people have looked for reasons that would explain so many fiascoes. That's what this book is about. A terrific telling of history that makes you wonder...hey, what the heck is going on here? What have we done to deserve this?I recommend it highly!

Dan Shaughnessy's style mixes straight sportswriting with non-stop pop-culture referencing. Augmented by panged quotes from sources ranging from former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neil to random fans from throughout "The Nation." Players from each era of Red Sox collapse - Johnny Pesky, Denny Galehouse, Bill Lee and yes, Bill Buckner - give their impressions of what it's like to serve the most terminally cynical sportsfan populace in the world. It even features text from interviews with the descendents of Harry Frazee - the Sox owner who dealt Babe Ruth in order to finance his play, "No, No, Nanette." This book is the Book of Revelation for citizens of Red Sox nation, in which the author coins that term, the now constantly referenced title. If you're a fan of baseball, it's a must read. If you're a Red Sox fan, you can recite it.

This book is great. The reader feels the pain of the writer. There is just enough sarcasm to keep you upbeat when the stories are so glum (Go Sox!)