Home Game

I am a Cub fan...so Bret Boone is not exactly my favorite baseball player!  He was a Red, a division foe.  But when I saw Home Game: Big-League Stories from My Life in Baseball's First Family I decided to give it a whirl despite him playing with the bad guys solely because I like to read a good baseball book during the season, especially a good Cubs' season.

In Home Game, Boone and Kevin Cook talk about Boone's baseball legacy, the grandson of baseball all-star Ray Boone, son of all-state Bob Boone, and brother to All-Star Aaron Boone.  Boone discusses his relationship with these men and how his grandfather and father inspired and taught him to be a professional player, though perhaps not a scholar like his father.  Boone then takes his through his professional career as he scuffled to make the majors, despite at times being small.  Eventually he himself would become an All-Star.  In his later years he looked again to the men who inspired him with making adjustments to maintain his career.  Finally, Boone details his retirement and post baseball years as he considers coaching.  

Honestly, at times I really enjoyed Home Game as  read about the rising star of Boone in the minors and beyond.  And I truly grew to appreciate the careers and personalities of Ray and Bob Boone.  Ironically these two men have a very different personality than Bret.  These men were learned, calm and honestly thinking men of the game.  Bret on the other hand was fiery, intense and born to hit.  My personality tends to admire men like Ray and Bob more than Bret's tenacious yet fiery attitude.  

Honestly, I found myself really impressed by this book, written by a man who claims to only have read one book before writing one.  But Boone is very opinionated, including sharing some opinions about my favorite player of all time and his Hall of Fame status.  In the end, I may not agree but he clearly would stand next to his opinions.  

Home Game is a good baseball book, worth a read to a baseball fan.  I enjoyed the stories of games and off-seasons where adjustments were made and stories where shared between baseball men  So despite the fact that I view Boone as the enemy, I had a good time reading his book.

Book Provided For Purposes of Review