Any good books out there involving history or sports?

[Indianademocrat91]

Want to read one over winter break when I'm at home and away from the dorms at school.

[pacalo]

1. I don't know if you remember Jay Johnstone. He was a big practical jokester

known for his hitting skills; I remember him when he played for the Dodgers. During the 1981 world series, he walked up & down the dugout with his stomach stuffed with who-knows-what, imitating Tommy LaSorda.

He wrote a book called "Temporary Insanity" about all the pranks he pulled on people & it's a good read. It's still available on Amazon. I loved it!

http://www.amazon.com/Temporary-Insanity-Jay-Johnstone/dp/0553261673

[applegrove]

2. "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker. About the decrease in

violence over the ages and across cultures. I really enjoyed it.

[nuxvomica]

6. I may pick up that one

That's an interesting and no-doubt controversial premise, speaking to the very question of what it is to be human. Thanks for posting cuz I'd never heard of it before.

[XemaSab]

3. Depending on your sense of humor

the Flashman books are either hilarious or appalling.

They're about this dude who goes into the British military in something like 1850, and he serves in virtually every major conflict of the day. He's a horrible, horrible coward, and his only talents are horsemanship, languages, and whoring.

IIRC, the first book takes place during the First Afghan War, and it's lulz all the way around.

[taterguy]

4. The Bronx Zoo by Sparky Lyle

I don't even like the Yankees but this account of their mid-70s team is really entertaining.

[Blue_Tires]

5. "Clemente" by David Maraniss

wonderful read...a man like that won't be born again...

[Odin2005]

7. The book I'm reading now, "American Nations".

It talks about the various regional cultures of the US and Canada and their history. Fascinating reading.