Don't Let Us Win Tonight: An Oral History of the 2004 Boston Red Sox's Impossible Playoff Run by Allan Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is no lack of books about the 2004 Red Sox World Series win. As someone who essentially remembers none of that October outside of the baseball games (and quite vividly at that), I've found myself very willing to pretty much revisit that Sox year any opportunity I get. Allan Wood, who has run one of my favorite Red Sox blogs for as long as I can remember, has collaborated on a great entry into the canon with Don't Let Us Win Tonight.
My favorite part of Wood's blog is that it's often very matter-of-fact and workmanlike in its approach while also having a good deal of levity behind it. That model is also apparent in this book, which intersperses quotes from news reports and interviews with personal interviews with the players and personalities themselves with the narrative of how the three playoff rounds went. It's a very straightforward affair, and it doesn't spend a lot of time musing on much, leaving those sorts of thoughts to the players instead.
If I have a complaint, it's that it feels very reliant on existing quotes. I feel as if I've read a lot of Schilling's quotes on the matter a thousand times already, making much of the book feel like a retread from time to time. This, of course, is due to me pretty much mainlining baseball from March to October most years, and for a reader coming at this blind, or at least after a time away, the issue will be less apparent.
Overall, a great entry. Perfect for those new to the Sox or who aren't old enough to remember it first hand, and a great reminder of one of Boston's all time greatest sports moments.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment