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I Don't Care if We Never Get Back: 30 Games in 30 Days on the Best Worst Baseball Road Trip Ever
Ben, a sports analytics wizard, loves baseball. Eric, his best friend, hates it. But when Ben writes an algorithm for the optimal baseball road trip, an impossible dream of every pitch of 30 games in 30 stadiums in 30 days, who will he call on to take shifts behind the wheel, especially when those shifts will include nineteen hours straight from Phoenix to Kansas City? Eric, of course. Will Eric regret it? You might ask, Are Dodger Dogs the same thing as Fenway Franks? As Ben and Eric can now attest, most definitely.
On June 1, 2013, Ben and Eric set out to see America through the bleachers and concession stands of America’s favorite pastime. Along the way, human error and Mother Nature throw their mathematically optimized schedule a few curveballs. A mix-up in Denver turns a planned day off in Las Vegas into a twenty-hour drive. And a summer storm of biblical proportions threatens to make the whole thing logistically impossible, and that’s if they don’t kill each other first.
Charming, insightful, and hilarious, I Don’t Care If We Never Get Back is a book about the love of the game, the limits of fandom, and the limitlessness of friendship.
On June 1, 2013, Ben and Eric set out to see America through the bleachers and concession stands of America’s favorite pastime. Along the way, human error and Mother Nature throw their mathematically optimized schedule a few curveballs. A mix-up in Denver turns a planned day off in Las Vegas into a twenty-hour drive. And a summer storm of biblical proportions threatens to make the whole thing logistically impossible, and that’s if they don’t kill each other first.
Charming, insightful, and hilarious, I Don’t Care If We Never Get Back is a book about the love of the game, the limits of fandom, and the limitlessness of friendship.
342 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2014
42 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Ben Blatt
2 books31 followersBen Blatt is a former staff writer for Slate and The Harvard Lampoon who has taken his fun approach to data journalism to topics such as Seinfeld, mapmaking, The Beatles, and Jeopardy!. Blatt’s work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, and Deadspin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
May 20, 2025
Summer to me is baseball and the endless quest to read road-trip books. As a teacher I have summers off but we do not have many opportunities to travel, so I do so vicariously through books. Whether it is an ultimate sports or Americana road trip or a leisurely trip down a river, I am game for all of them and read road trip or travelogue books in the summer with the best of them. I first discovered this book ten years ago when I just started reviewing books on Goodreads. At the time, my reviews might have been a few sentences, enough to jog my memory, but hardly comprehensive enough to pay homage to a book. At the time my kids ranged in age from four to nine. My summers were devoted to them as I ran camp mommy day camp complete with day trips, library summer reading, and a few trips to the ballpark. I had already been a patron at the same branch library for eight years at that point so a librarian must have given me this book, knowing my love for baseball. Ten years later, my kids by doing the math range in age from fourteen to nineteen. Three graduate from their current course of study this year, and I am practically an empty nester. I have promised my son a baseball road-trip when he receives his rabbinical ordination. He is about a year away from that, and it is this book, that he has also read countless times, that planted the kernel of that idea in our heads.
Baseball fans dream of attending all thirty stadiums, maybe over a summer, or over the course of years. Likewise, college graduates plan summer forays to Europe or South Asia before they have to enter the real world. What if a college graduate decided to combine the two by taking a month to visit all thirty ballparks? The idea has entered my mind many times if only I was untethered or owned an RV and could include my cats on the trip. Unfortunately until my husband and I reach retirement age, a trip across America is out of the question. For (at the time in 2013) soon to be college graduates Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster, all they had in the summer of 2013 was time. Ben is a stat geek who loves baseball and desired a career as a sabermetrician. Eric could not care less about baseball but enjoyed banter with Ben over the course of their college careers. Ben first posed the idea to Eric during their sophomore year, and Ben even developed an algorithm to plan the trip. The summer following their graduation from Harvard, Ben’s algorithm spit out a scenario where 30 games in 30 days was possible. All Ben needed was a co-pilot to assist him in crossing the country multiple times. Eric knew that this might be his only chance to see America. He never understood baseball- his sport of choice had been horse racing; however, he was intrigued with the premise and agreed to the trip and Ben’s wacky parameters- not missing a single pitch in any of the games. What followed was really the craziest baseball road-trip I have ever heard of.
For most games, Ben and Eric bought nosebleed tickets unless they knew a friend of a friend who could get them into premium seats that included free food. This occurred in Yankee Stadium, Oracle Park in San Francisco, and Citi Field. Ben insisted on a hot dog and beer at every park and Eric bought 30 foam fingers for posterity. In between the friends lived on fast food and learned how to maximize gas stops. They visited Cooperstown, Williamsport, and the Louisville Slugger Factory and probably saw every possible scenario at a baseball game. Along the way, Eric made the trip palatable by trying to prank Ben. Meanwhile, Ben got the chance of a lifetime to meet the ultimate stats nerd Theo Epstein who in 2013 was building the Cubs into a winner. It is surreal writing that because in 2025 it is almost as if the Theo years never took place. In Chicago, Ben and Eric had to adjust their trip because a White Sox game got rained out. Ben proclaimed that he would have to rerun his algorithm and Theo laughed at that suggestion. The trip slogged on through a tornado, torrential rain, and meeting Eric’s mother in Tampa at a real hotel where she did their laundry. The two learned to despise extra innings, saw rookies hit their first home runs, and nearly saw a no hitter. Both men discovered themselves and America just in time to enter the real world at the end of a summer of a lifetime.
Ben realized the trip would not have been possible without Eric and their other co-pilots. All the friends who came along for the ride ended up with speeding tickets and points on their licenses. Other than Ben, none of these friends enjoyed baseball and admittedly to doing the trip to help him to fulfill his dream. I appreciate that both men shared their feelings and emotions about baseball, America, and themselves throughout the book. In this culture, it is rare that hetero men are open about emotions or friendships, and these two friends enjoyed a friendship that should be lauded upon. Yes, there were pranks and high jinx and an epic argument about syntax along I-5 in Washington and Oregon; however, how often in literature or life do we get to see men being open with emotions and not engage in competition. Eric in the end did the trip for Ben, and halfway through Ben came to the realization that there would be no trip without Eric. That to me is friendship as much as the camaraderie one experiences on a little league team. Eric delivered one of the biggest contradictions when he noted that the two had to somehow get through a pride parade in order to watch the epitome of hetero men engage in a 19th century sport. And somehow they did, ensuring that the 30 games in 30 days became a reality.
When my son was in middle school, he read this book for the first time for an independent reading assignment. One of the prompts was to interview the author so I emailed Ben, told him that my son loves baseball and math, and would like to interview him for a book report. Unbelievably, Ben emailed me back and was willing to take a chance on a question and answer session with a 12 1/2 year old. At the time, my son also idolized Theo Epstein because the Cubs had finally won the World Series the year before. Getting to interview Ben was nearly as thrilling for him at the time. Since that interview, Ben has written one other book and has gone on to writing newspaper magazine articles, all of which manage to include statistics. Baseball, not as much as before this trip that left him with core memories of a lifetime and months of exhaustion. My son and I are still planning a trip for next summer. I want to start crossing off ballparks and have a few in mind that are must sees. Thirty in thirty would not be feasible for us, but five in five most certainly would work. I have been looking forward to a trip like this for years, since I read Ben and Eric’s account for the first time ten years ago. Their craziness during a trip that was as much about baseball as friendship made me crave the ultimate baseball road-trip. My son and I might be big enough baseball fans that someday we might actually pull something like this off.
4 stars
Baseball fans dream of attending all thirty stadiums, maybe over a summer, or over the course of years. Likewise, college graduates plan summer forays to Europe or South Asia before they have to enter the real world. What if a college graduate decided to combine the two by taking a month to visit all thirty ballparks? The idea has entered my mind many times if only I was untethered or owned an RV and could include my cats on the trip. Unfortunately until my husband and I reach retirement age, a trip across America is out of the question. For (at the time in 2013) soon to be college graduates Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster, all they had in the summer of 2013 was time. Ben is a stat geek who loves baseball and desired a career as a sabermetrician. Eric could not care less about baseball but enjoyed banter with Ben over the course of their college careers. Ben first posed the idea to Eric during their sophomore year, and Ben even developed an algorithm to plan the trip. The summer following their graduation from Harvard, Ben’s algorithm spit out a scenario where 30 games in 30 days was possible. All Ben needed was a co-pilot to assist him in crossing the country multiple times. Eric knew that this might be his only chance to see America. He never understood baseball- his sport of choice had been horse racing; however, he was intrigued with the premise and agreed to the trip and Ben’s wacky parameters- not missing a single pitch in any of the games. What followed was really the craziest baseball road-trip I have ever heard of.
For most games, Ben and Eric bought nosebleed tickets unless they knew a friend of a friend who could get them into premium seats that included free food. This occurred in Yankee Stadium, Oracle Park in San Francisco, and Citi Field. Ben insisted on a hot dog and beer at every park and Eric bought 30 foam fingers for posterity. In between the friends lived on fast food and learned how to maximize gas stops. They visited Cooperstown, Williamsport, and the Louisville Slugger Factory and probably saw every possible scenario at a baseball game. Along the way, Eric made the trip palatable by trying to prank Ben. Meanwhile, Ben got the chance of a lifetime to meet the ultimate stats nerd Theo Epstein who in 2013 was building the Cubs into a winner. It is surreal writing that because in 2025 it is almost as if the Theo years never took place. In Chicago, Ben and Eric had to adjust their trip because a White Sox game got rained out. Ben proclaimed that he would have to rerun his algorithm and Theo laughed at that suggestion. The trip slogged on through a tornado, torrential rain, and meeting Eric’s mother in Tampa at a real hotel where she did their laundry. The two learned to despise extra innings, saw rookies hit their first home runs, and nearly saw a no hitter. Both men discovered themselves and America just in time to enter the real world at the end of a summer of a lifetime.
Ben realized the trip would not have been possible without Eric and their other co-pilots. All the friends who came along for the ride ended up with speeding tickets and points on their licenses. Other than Ben, none of these friends enjoyed baseball and admittedly to doing the trip to help him to fulfill his dream. I appreciate that both men shared their feelings and emotions about baseball, America, and themselves throughout the book. In this culture, it is rare that hetero men are open about emotions or friendships, and these two friends enjoyed a friendship that should be lauded upon. Yes, there were pranks and high jinx and an epic argument about syntax along I-5 in Washington and Oregon; however, how often in literature or life do we get to see men being open with emotions and not engage in competition. Eric in the end did the trip for Ben, and halfway through Ben came to the realization that there would be no trip without Eric. That to me is friendship as much as the camaraderie one experiences on a little league team. Eric delivered one of the biggest contradictions when he noted that the two had to somehow get through a pride parade in order to watch the epitome of hetero men engage in a 19th century sport. And somehow they did, ensuring that the 30 games in 30 days became a reality.
When my son was in middle school, he read this book for the first time for an independent reading assignment. One of the prompts was to interview the author so I emailed Ben, told him that my son loves baseball and math, and would like to interview him for a book report. Unbelievably, Ben emailed me back and was willing to take a chance on a question and answer session with a 12 1/2 year old. At the time, my son also idolized Theo Epstein because the Cubs had finally won the World Series the year before. Getting to interview Ben was nearly as thrilling for him at the time. Since that interview, Ben has written one other book and has gone on to writing newspaper magazine articles, all of which manage to include statistics. Baseball, not as much as before this trip that left him with core memories of a lifetime and months of exhaustion. My son and I are still planning a trip for next summer. I want to start crossing off ballparks and have a few in mind that are must sees. Thirty in thirty would not be feasible for us, but five in five most certainly would work. I have been looking forward to a trip like this for years, since I read Ben and Eric’s account for the first time ten years ago. Their craziness during a trip that was as much about baseball as friendship made me crave the ultimate baseball road-trip. My son and I might be big enough baseball fans that someday we might actually pull something like this off.
4 stars
July 1, 2014
This book is funny. No, it is hilarious. Being a reader of travel memoirs in quantity, this one shines. Is it the most literate journey ever recorded? Is it the depth of human misery or a compassionate journey of empathy supreme? No. It is not.
It is simply the best travel driving trip record I have ever read for modern USA. It also says as much about baseball fan people as it does about friendship and other "after college" changes of lifestyle wind.
Will you enjoy this if you absolutely loathe baseball? You might, but I doubt you'll get most of the nuance. Are you a numbers person or a person who notices detail or do you have the spatial relationship savvy of an engineer? Then maybe you will get more of the context.
This was a long-planned trip to prove an algorithm plotted out to hit 30 different ball parks of the 30 different MLB league teams within 30 days by car. Its origin plotted total comes out about 18,000 miles, but you will read the actuality of the 22,000 miles driven outcome.
Will extra innings or a Midwest rain storm continually traveling East ruin it? Can they get foam fingers in every single park? Will the CRV make it? Will a parent or friend show up in coastal home regions? How cheap are cheap tickets? Will they really meet Theo Epstein or get into a broadcasting booth? What advantages are there for being of short stature. (Hint:tremendous.) Can we hit a Bobble Head Day by pure happenstance?
Can you get free fly baseballs even if you are not a darling moppet with pigtails who changes her cap style to look pitiful in different prime fan areas until she fills all her drink holder spots? What motivations or agendas do American young males never speak of to each other regarding friendship's absolute limits? How many speeding tickets can you risk to meet the goal when it is in dire jeopardy? Why are you going to Kentucky between two games in Ohio? How many hot dogs can you eat? Why does the GPS say you are not in the USA when you think you are in New Mexico? If you have an extra 90 minutes can you get Cooperstown in there?
These are just a few minor questions of interest in this book.
As a fellow traveler for baseball, although mine is almost all by airplane- I want to thank Ben & Eric for some primal heads up on the ones (stadiums)I have not approached yet. Definitely will try that "Park in the Park" at the Padres, for instance.
The only thing I was disappointed about in this book was that they did not give all the stadiums adequate description, IMHO. They did about 1/2 very well, but in some of their most harried and private moments (both)they described circumstances more than stadium reality. But I will forgive them as they had to be in such exhaustion that all must have started looking somewhat alike. It was a glut. But come on- you need to mention that gorgeous bridge beyond the outfield at the Pirates, for instance. Or the Patio or Fundamentals at the White Sox, or the Rockpile at Denver. But these parks were all at do or die times, so I still make it a 5 star and cut them some slack.
Only at 21 years of age could you survive through this grid!
I think I am at 21 parks, but I have to redo two that are now replaced with newer models. Just did the Angels and the Dodgers in June. Dodger Dogs are GOOD, and their fans make tremendous noise despite being small in number. Baseball people are just the best.
OH, I'm definitely of the "I don't care if I EVER get back" side re "the song". Not, never. Traditionalist, yes, although I do not believe you have to be there for the very first to the last pitch to count it as game attendance. They were harder on themselves then they needed to be, so I hope their record stands.
It is simply the best travel driving trip record I have ever read for modern USA. It also says as much about baseball fan people as it does about friendship and other "after college" changes of lifestyle wind.
Will you enjoy this if you absolutely loathe baseball? You might, but I doubt you'll get most of the nuance. Are you a numbers person or a person who notices detail or do you have the spatial relationship savvy of an engineer? Then maybe you will get more of the context.
This was a long-planned trip to prove an algorithm plotted out to hit 30 different ball parks of the 30 different MLB league teams within 30 days by car. Its origin plotted total comes out about 18,000 miles, but you will read the actuality of the 22,000 miles driven outcome.
Will extra innings or a Midwest rain storm continually traveling East ruin it? Can they get foam fingers in every single park? Will the CRV make it? Will a parent or friend show up in coastal home regions? How cheap are cheap tickets? Will they really meet Theo Epstein or get into a broadcasting booth? What advantages are there for being of short stature. (Hint:tremendous.) Can we hit a Bobble Head Day by pure happenstance?
Can you get free fly baseballs even if you are not a darling moppet with pigtails who changes her cap style to look pitiful in different prime fan areas until she fills all her drink holder spots? What motivations or agendas do American young males never speak of to each other regarding friendship's absolute limits? How many speeding tickets can you risk to meet the goal when it is in dire jeopardy? Why are you going to Kentucky between two games in Ohio? How many hot dogs can you eat? Why does the GPS say you are not in the USA when you think you are in New Mexico? If you have an extra 90 minutes can you get Cooperstown in there?
These are just a few minor questions of interest in this book.
As a fellow traveler for baseball, although mine is almost all by airplane- I want to thank Ben & Eric for some primal heads up on the ones (stadiums)I have not approached yet. Definitely will try that "Park in the Park" at the Padres, for instance.
The only thing I was disappointed about in this book was that they did not give all the stadiums adequate description, IMHO. They did about 1/2 very well, but in some of their most harried and private moments (both)they described circumstances more than stadium reality. But I will forgive them as they had to be in such exhaustion that all must have started looking somewhat alike. It was a glut. But come on- you need to mention that gorgeous bridge beyond the outfield at the Pirates, for instance. Or the Patio or Fundamentals at the White Sox, or the Rockpile at Denver. But these parks were all at do or die times, so I still make it a 5 star and cut them some slack.
Only at 21 years of age could you survive through this grid!
I think I am at 21 parks, but I have to redo two that are now replaced with newer models. Just did the Angels and the Dodgers in June. Dodger Dogs are GOOD, and their fans make tremendous noise despite being small in number. Baseball people are just the best.
OH, I'm definitely of the "I don't care if I EVER get back" side re "the song". Not, never. Traditionalist, yes, although I do not believe you have to be there for the very first to the last pitch to count it as game attendance. They were harder on themselves then they needed to be, so I hope their record stands.
August 12, 2014
This book gets one star for being about baseball and a second for being about a baseball roadtrip...that said getting through it was a challenge. The authors writing, cloying and self-important, provides little enjoyment or nuance. One gets the sense that in their minds they frame this trip may be the most difficult thing they have ever had to "endure" and it becomes a challenge to cheer them on. It's not a bad read for baseball fans. I just wish it had better narrators.
March 15, 2015
I was fine with the authors' point of view going between Eric, Ben and "we"; I'd seen it used in another collaborative book previously. That aside, I can see why other reviewers weren't thrilled by this one. Doing something for the sake of doing it isn't exactly the greatest way to generate enthusiasm in readers, rather it just makes them want to get the thing over with, too.
Not being a huge baseball fan, I'm not sure most who are would find that aspect all that satisfying; at most, there are a few games where the action is described in detail, but one or two could almost involve a trip to see, say ... Shakespeare plays at various festivals instead for all the attention to the game. As a travel narrative, road-trip-adventure it's flawed by the relationship between Ben and Eric. Perhaps I should say that it would be helpful if there were any relationship, instead they come off as co-workers assigned together to a grueling business trip. We hear little about America itself as they drive between games on highways at a breakneck pace, seeing little and interacting rarely with locals. As a matter of fact, at the end they admit that there was little differentiation for them between the games - just a checklist. In that respect, a much better book might have resulted from taking two or three seasons to do it in a more leisurely manner, rather than a manic "30 in 30" approach.
In spite of that, I can recommend the book with limited enthusiasm. It's well written, they don't always snipe at each other. I was left wondering about their relationship today though -- did the experience leave them with a "one day you'll appreciate this" feeling later?
Not being a huge baseball fan, I'm not sure most who are would find that aspect all that satisfying; at most, there are a few games where the action is described in detail, but one or two could almost involve a trip to see, say ... Shakespeare plays at various festivals instead for all the attention to the game. As a travel narrative, road-trip-adventure it's flawed by the relationship between Ben and Eric. Perhaps I should say that it would be helpful if there were any relationship, instead they come off as co-workers assigned together to a grueling business trip. We hear little about America itself as they drive between games on highways at a breakneck pace, seeing little and interacting rarely with locals. As a matter of fact, at the end they admit that there was little differentiation for them between the games - just a checklist. In that respect, a much better book might have resulted from taking two or three seasons to do it in a more leisurely manner, rather than a manic "30 in 30" approach.
In spite of that, I can recommend the book with limited enthusiasm. It's well written, they don't always snipe at each other. I was left wondering about their relationship today though -- did the experience leave them with a "one day you'll appreciate this" feeling later?
May 27, 2014
Enjoyable tale of two guys who visit 30 baseball stadiums in 30 days. It is enjoyable, in part, because of their friendship and because Ben reveres baseball while Eric loathes it. There are interesting facts peppered in, as well as a look at the numbers of baseball. (I may hate the Cubs but I got a kick out of Ben's love for all things Theo Epstein.) I did wish they'd offered more of a commentary on their White Sox game- sometimes the chapters centered more on the drive and travel logistics than on the games themselves, which was disappointing. Still, baseball fans will appreciate their adventure and muse on their own love of the game.
August 4, 2022
What would you do if you had the chance to go on an epic road trip across America? Would you seek out the historical sites, the many different places to get a good meal, the different communities that reside in our nation? Would it be about politics, music, art, or sports? What would you want to do, and would you want to do it in a short amount of time? For Ben Blatt, the obvious answer would be to see all 30 major league teams play at home in the span of 30 days, and with his friend Eric Webster he attempted that feat in the summer of 2013. They would go on an epic road trip, crisscrossing the country to visit all 30 home ball parks in 30 days. It sounds both exhausting and exhilarating.
"I Don't Care If We Never Get Back" is an entertaining odyssey on the roads of America with two college friends, one a devoted baseball fan and the other an agnostic when it comes to the Church of Baseball, who spend one glorious month trying to do the impossible. Blatt and Brewster take turns on the narrative, rendering it in a third-person style most of the time that is distracting at first but easy to get into the flow of once the book really gets going. It sounds insane to try and travel by car to each stadium in Major League Baseball by car, and it is, but it's also a very fun road trip to live through vicariously, with all the pit stops and speeding tickets existing for the poor schmucks living it, not the reader. Blatt and Brewster's quest is a last-chance effort before the onset of adult responsibilities to have one great adventure, and to fulfill a lifelong dream. It's insane, yes, but as Blatt and Brewster prove, it's doable.
Initially, I wasn't sure if I'd like the book, but I got sucked in because I'm a sucker for this sort of living-experience journalism, and Blatt and Brewster as a team are a compelling narrative force. We experience the highs of travel and the lows of reality crashing into projected algorithms in equal measure, and the book is just fun in so many ways. I don't know that I'd ever want to embark on such a crazy quest myself, but this book is in the vein of A.J. Jacobs' work and entertaining as hell.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll never want to eat a hot dog again, but you will have a great time going out to the many ballparks that Ben and Eric visit in this book. And you might even learn something about endurance and friendship in the process.
"I Don't Care If We Never Get Back" is an entertaining odyssey on the roads of America with two college friends, one a devoted baseball fan and the other an agnostic when it comes to the Church of Baseball, who spend one glorious month trying to do the impossible. Blatt and Brewster take turns on the narrative, rendering it in a third-person style most of the time that is distracting at first but easy to get into the flow of once the book really gets going. It sounds insane to try and travel by car to each stadium in Major League Baseball by car, and it is, but it's also a very fun road trip to live through vicariously, with all the pit stops and speeding tickets existing for the poor schmucks living it, not the reader. Blatt and Brewster's quest is a last-chance effort before the onset of adult responsibilities to have one great adventure, and to fulfill a lifelong dream. It's insane, yes, but as Blatt and Brewster prove, it's doable.
Initially, I wasn't sure if I'd like the book, but I got sucked in because I'm a sucker for this sort of living-experience journalism, and Blatt and Brewster as a team are a compelling narrative force. We experience the highs of travel and the lows of reality crashing into projected algorithms in equal measure, and the book is just fun in so many ways. I don't know that I'd ever want to embark on such a crazy quest myself, but this book is in the vein of A.J. Jacobs' work and entertaining as hell.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll never want to eat a hot dog again, but you will have a great time going out to the many ballparks that Ben and Eric visit in this book. And you might even learn something about endurance and friendship in the process.
July 11, 2024
This is a really fun read. The goal is to watch baseball games in all 30 major league parks in 30 days.
They'll drive from park to park and criss-cross across the country. And they will be at every single game from the first pitch to the last. It's an ambitious schedule. Traffic, construction, extra innings and rainouts could ruin the whole plan.
It's told from the collaborative point of view of Ben, who loves baseball and devised the optimal road trip algorithm, and Eric, his college friend who doesn't like baseball at all. There are lots of funny moments as these two friends spend every waking (and sleeping) moment side by side for an entire month.
The writing is typical breezy humorous blogger style. They add enough stats and interesting facts (I assume that's Ben's contribution) to keep the book interesting.
I still would like to visit every major league ball park. I just don't want to do it in a 30 day window!
This counts as a book about a road trip for the 2016 PopSugar Reading Challenge.
5 /41
They'll drive from park to park and criss-cross across the country. And they will be at every single game from the first pitch to the last. It's an ambitious schedule. Traffic, construction, extra innings and rainouts could ruin the whole plan.
It's told from the collaborative point of view of Ben, who loves baseball and devised the optimal road trip algorithm, and Eric, his college friend who doesn't like baseball at all. There are lots of funny moments as these two friends spend every waking (and sleeping) moment side by side for an entire month.
The writing is typical breezy humorous blogger style. They add enough stats and interesting facts (I assume that's Ben's contribution) to keep the book interesting.
I still would like to visit every major league ball park. I just don't want to do it in a 30 day window!
This counts as a book about a road trip for the 2016 PopSugar Reading Challenge.
5 /41
May 15, 2015
Things I love, in no particular order:
1) Math nerds
2) Road trips
3) Baseball
This book had me at linear optimization. The premise of 30 games in 30 days is one of those wonderful ideas that I am glad to know someone else has already done, and I know how difficult that can be. I tried to visit minor league games on a recent road trip, and was only successful in Albuquerque, and that game got rained out (torrential thunderstorm) before the end of the first half inning.
Because others have already done it, I won't need to do it, so that is a relief.
The balance in this book between sarcasm and friendship, loving the road trip ethos, and questioning a road trip that threatened to suck the love out of the very thing they had come to do, pleased me greatly.
1) Math nerds
2) Road trips
3) Baseball
This book had me at linear optimization. The premise of 30 games in 30 days is one of those wonderful ideas that I am glad to know someone else has already done, and I know how difficult that can be. I tried to visit minor league games on a recent road trip, and was only successful in Albuquerque, and that game got rained out (torrential thunderstorm) before the end of the first half inning.
Because others have already done it, I won't need to do it, so that is a relief.
The balance in this book between sarcasm and friendship, loving the road trip ethos, and questioning a road trip that threatened to suck the love out of the very thing they had come to do, pleased me greatly.
September 22, 2014
I wanted to love this book! Visiting all 30 baseball parks is on my bucket list. And while I did get through this book, I got bored. I kept going because I wanted to know it ended, which was very anticlimactically. The way the authors write in both third and first person can get very confusing (and even more frustrating). I even found myself starting to read some of their banter on the roadtrip and would skip past the entire conversation because it just wasn't funny. Don't get me wrong, there are some good stories in the book. But just wasn't what I was hoping it would be.
April 20, 2017
Review title: Baseball fantasy, fractured reality
A couple new college graduates, one a stat-loving baseball nerd, the other a California kid and president of Harvard Lamson whose favorite sport is horseracing, take off days after graduation on the trip of a lifetime, a dream that turns into a more nuanced reality.
Ben, the baseball nerd, was the brains behind the trip, creating a computer algorithm to plan the trip with the optimal sequence of games and start times to hit all the home fields in the majors. Eric agrees to take part in the trip to see the country and provide driving backup and navigation support. They quickly learn that the confined space of a Toyota RAV4 is the ideal laboratory for learning as much about life and relationships as about ERAs and OBPS; 23,000 miles in the lab leads to highs and lows, arguments and agreements that drive the story.
Weather, time zones, traffic jams, extra innings, and speeding tickets are part of the reality that play havoc with the perfect schedule and turn the perfect fantasy into the fractured reality of the real America (and side trip to Toronto to end the trip). The schedule did not survive intact, but Ben and Eric continued on; you'll need to read on to find out if they were able to complete 30 in 30.
But perhaps more interesting than the baseball is the learning about life. Ben is not only a state geek, a Boston Red Sox fan who admired General Manager Theo Epstein more than the winning team he put on the field, but an introverted person who was unobservant about emotions and relationships. When Eric is joined by his parents for a couple of the games, the relationship between Ben and Eric is stressed when Eric's mother inadvertently reveals some of Eric's emotions he has revealed to his parents that Ben hasn't heard or observed yet. Both guys are credited as writers, and interestingly when referring to both they use the first-person terms "we, our, and us", but when referring to themselves individually they use third person terms or names. Though it isn't stated in the book, I assume that each person is writing the sentences about himself in the third person, an assumption based in part on revelations of inner thought processes the other could not have know. But given the progress of their friendship, their trip, and the book that tells their story, I would also assume that the writing process was very much a team exercise that may have influenced their individual sections.
But this isn't just a buddy road trip story, it is also a baseball story told with wit and humor. We get a chance to think about the meaning of "Take me out to the ball game" and the Star Spangled Banner--when you hear those two songs every day for 30 days in 30 different stadiums you notice that there are differences in what fans sing, and when they have 8 or 12 or 16 hours in the RAV4 to the next stadium, our boys have time to hash out the differences. Sure there is some existential philosophy (this is a baseball book, after all, and baseball is always a metaphor for everything) but it is also a funny book worthy of Eric's Harvard Lampoon heritage. It reads fast and pulls you along for all 30 days. Bring your own hot dogs.
A couple new college graduates, one a stat-loving baseball nerd, the other a California kid and president of Harvard Lamson whose favorite sport is horseracing, take off days after graduation on the trip of a lifetime, a dream that turns into a more nuanced reality.
Ben, the baseball nerd, was the brains behind the trip, creating a computer algorithm to plan the trip with the optimal sequence of games and start times to hit all the home fields in the majors. Eric agrees to take part in the trip to see the country and provide driving backup and navigation support. They quickly learn that the confined space of a Toyota RAV4 is the ideal laboratory for learning as much about life and relationships as about ERAs and OBPS; 23,000 miles in the lab leads to highs and lows, arguments and agreements that drive the story.
Weather, time zones, traffic jams, extra innings, and speeding tickets are part of the reality that play havoc with the perfect schedule and turn the perfect fantasy into the fractured reality of the real America (and side trip to Toronto to end the trip). The schedule did not survive intact, but Ben and Eric continued on; you'll need to read on to find out if they were able to complete 30 in 30.
But perhaps more interesting than the baseball is the learning about life. Ben is not only a state geek, a Boston Red Sox fan who admired General Manager Theo Epstein more than the winning team he put on the field, but an introverted person who was unobservant about emotions and relationships. When Eric is joined by his parents for a couple of the games, the relationship between Ben and Eric is stressed when Eric's mother inadvertently reveals some of Eric's emotions he has revealed to his parents that Ben hasn't heard or observed yet. Both guys are credited as writers, and interestingly when referring to both they use the first-person terms "we, our, and us", but when referring to themselves individually they use third person terms or names. Though it isn't stated in the book, I assume that each person is writing the sentences about himself in the third person, an assumption based in part on revelations of inner thought processes the other could not have know. But given the progress of their friendship, their trip, and the book that tells their story, I would also assume that the writing process was very much a team exercise that may have influenced their individual sections.
But this isn't just a buddy road trip story, it is also a baseball story told with wit and humor. We get a chance to think about the meaning of "Take me out to the ball game" and the Star Spangled Banner--when you hear those two songs every day for 30 days in 30 different stadiums you notice that there are differences in what fans sing, and when they have 8 or 12 or 16 hours in the RAV4 to the next stadium, our boys have time to hash out the differences. Sure there is some existential philosophy (this is a baseball book, after all, and baseball is always a metaphor for everything) but it is also a funny book worthy of Eric's Harvard Lampoon heritage. It reads fast and pulls you along for all 30 days. Bring your own hot dogs.
September 16, 2014
the book barely made 3 stars for me. as a baseball book it is extremely lacking. all stadiums the same? some times they do not even report who won a game. as a travel book it is almost only about miles and hours driven with almost zero description of the country they are driving through. still it is a fun easy read about 2 buddies taking a dream trip. i probably would have lasted only a couple of days with a couple of guys who are not that interesting.
for 2 writers, the use of the first person and third person to describe the story sometimes in the same paragraph is very distracting.
for 2 writers, the use of the first person and third person to describe the story sometimes in the same paragraph is very distracting.
October 29, 2014
This book got better as it went on. The premise seems cool and fun -- go to all 30 MLB ballparks in 30 days. The reality, of course, is that there's *a lot* of driving in all that, which can be a challenge to make interesting. Because of issues with the narrative technique of the two-person memoir (alternating between first and third person), it took me a while to remember which of the co-authors was a baseball-loving stats nerd (Ben) and which was the baseball hater (Eric), so the beginning was some slow-going. But, it picked up, at least a little.
October 1, 2014
Here's my issues with the book:
-The authors are less interested in baseball than they are the probability of seeing 30 games in 30 days. Their disinterest in the game becomes tiresome quickly.
-Their constant transition from first-person to third-person, sometimes in the same paragraph, was confusing and distracting.
-The authors are less interested in baseball than they are the probability of seeing 30 games in 30 days. Their disinterest in the game becomes tiresome quickly.
-Their constant transition from first-person to third-person, sometimes in the same paragraph, was confusing and distracting.
May 8, 2016
It took a little bit to get used to the switching between first and third person. For someone that likes baseball, this was entertaining. I'm not sure why but I found the parts about the foam fingers especially funny.
June 10, 2018
These guys are nuts
I did a baseball tour in 1994. There were 28 teams then. One of the stadia (the Kingdome) developed structural problems before I got there, and I saw games in the two Bay Area venues before I left. So I saw 25 stadia in 74 days. I was by myself for all of the driving.
Doing the trip as fast as possible where a stray restroom stop could throw you off: nuts.
The book is highly entertaining; I laughed a lot. There were many descriptions of some of the physical and psychological problems of long road trips that rang very true. It’s a tough thing to do, even with two full-time drivers and several helpers.
Of course, the book is actually about a good friendship tested and made better through a tough journey.
Heartily recommended.
I did a baseball tour in 1994. There were 28 teams then. One of the stadia (the Kingdome) developed structural problems before I got there, and I saw games in the two Bay Area venues before I left. So I saw 25 stadia in 74 days. I was by myself for all of the driving.
Doing the trip as fast as possible where a stray restroom stop could throw you off: nuts.
The book is highly entertaining; I laughed a lot. There were many descriptions of some of the physical and psychological problems of long road trips that rang very true. It’s a tough thing to do, even with two full-time drivers and several helpers.
Of course, the book is actually about a good friendship tested and made better through a tough journey.
Heartily recommended.
April 3, 2017
This was a surprisingly fun book to read. I don't care much about baseball and even less about algorithms and statistics, but this race to see 30 home games in 30 days grew on me with every chapter. Near the end of the book, when they were speeding from Houston to Chicago, I was on the edge of my seat urging them on. When their foray into Canada almost ended in disaster, I was so anxious for them, so relieved that they made it.
I liked the quirky writing style of using three voices: Ben, Eric, them. It made the adventure much more personal.
More power to them for doing something only a 20-something could ever imagine trying. They'll remember June 2013 for the rest of their lives.
I liked the quirky writing style of using three voices: Ben, Eric, them. It made the adventure much more personal.
More power to them for doing something only a 20-something could ever imagine trying. They'll remember June 2013 for the rest of their lives.
April 4, 2017
Tore through this book that is as much about the culture of baseball as it is about the game itself. The scores and innings run together and are largely forgettable, but it's the few moments here and there, whether at the end of the game or before it even begins, that last. Great read.
May 24, 2020
I was surprised at how easy to read this book was. I had thought it would be much more detailed, but the trip was the important thing, not the games, or the players, or the ballparks. However, I don't think I like the authors very much. Many times, I wanted to smack these two dumb boys. They could be selfish, petty, and childish. But they did finally see the real important thing about this ridiculous endeavor: the friendship. That sounds trite, I know. But what else could justify this extravagantly wasteful exercise?
February 27, 2017
A book that had me laughing cover to cover, these two guys go on the most impossible baseball road trip and somehow live to tell the hilarious tale. A must read for baseball fans!
March 24, 2015
ALRIGHT! WOO-HOO! You're a 20-something guy, just graduated college, and you are ready! Fucking ready! Woo-hoo (again)! It's time for the classic American experience: ROAD TRIP! And with an excellent twist... you're going to visit all 30 MLB ballparks in 30 consecutive days.
Fuck! Woot, woot!
We're talking... Adventure. Excitement. Drinkin. Cursin. Watching the game. Chase a girl or two. Get into (and out of) trouble. Fall down. Get up. Have the time of your life...
[pause]
Nope. Not Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster.
I gave up on this book on page 97. In this passage, the authors describe their anxiety over the safety of driving... (scratch scratch) yes, driving. These 20-something year-old men are also deeply concerned with the anxiety of their mommies.
QOTD
Thankfully, I'll spare you my full (and stupid) sociological treatise on why everyone's turning into a douchebag these days (snort). In short, the ingredients are: incredible wealth, helicopter parenting, political correctness, a litigious culture, and technology that never disconnects. Toss those into a blender for a decade or two, and there you have it. It's two 20-something guys seemingly without an ounce of testosterone or any semblance of passion or fire between the two of them. They complain constantly, like old women. (all apologies to you fishwives out there) They're tired. They're tired because they drove a lot and only got 6 hours of sleep?!? I couldn't believe it was two grown men taking this awesome trip.
Well, 1 bill-star.
I told my 15 year-old son TY, "Ya know, I won't worry about you driving around when you're 20-something." He looked at me oddly and replied, "Sounds like a plan."
Cha!
yow, bill
Fuck! Woot, woot!
We're talking... Adventure. Excitement. Drinkin. Cursin. Watching the game. Chase a girl or two. Get into (and out of) trouble. Fall down. Get up. Have the time of your life...
[pause]
Nope. Not Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster.
I gave up on this book on page 97. In this passage, the authors describe their anxiety over the safety of driving... (scratch scratch) yes, driving. These 20-something year-old men are also deeply concerned with the anxiety of their mommies.
QOTD
It was by far the largest and longest scheduled stretch of the trip. Upon first seeing the results of the algorithm, neither of us could hide our concerns. We weren't sure it was possible for us to complete, and specifically we weren't sure if it was possible for us to complete without perishing in the process.
But our anxiety was nothing compared to the uncontrollable worry of our mothers... Unlike their often irrational fears in the past, their concerns had legitimate merit this time, as Eric's mother had made crystal clear.
- I Don't Care If We Never Get Back
Thankfully, I'll spare you my full (and stupid) sociological treatise on why everyone's turning into a douchebag these days (snort). In short, the ingredients are: incredible wealth, helicopter parenting, political correctness, a litigious culture, and technology that never disconnects. Toss those into a blender for a decade or two, and there you have it. It's two 20-something guys seemingly without an ounce of testosterone or any semblance of passion or fire between the two of them. They complain constantly, like old women. (all apologies to you fishwives out there) They're tired. They're tired because they drove a lot and only got 6 hours of sleep?!? I couldn't believe it was two grown men taking this awesome trip.
Well, 1 bill-star.
I told my 15 year-old son TY, "Ya know, I won't worry about you driving around when you're 20-something." He looked at me oddly and replied, "Sounds like a plan."
Cha!
yow, bill
May 31, 2016
Two young men set out on a road trip across America, to see 30 games in all 30 MLB parks in 30 days. One is a baseball fanatic who adores Theo Epstein. The other hates it. Hilarious misadventures follow.
This book was a travel memoir: It was about the journey, and their friendship, and less about actual baseball. I should have realized I would enjoy it, since the co-authors were both writers for the Harvard Lampoon, like Simon Rich - I enjoy smart, funny writing. I mean, it's clear they're only 21 and 22, but they tell a good story.
* Page ix: "When he was angry, he was always on the lookout for other things to be angry about, because it was a tragedy to let such passionate anger die."
* Page 3: "There was a $13 charge to cross the George Washington Bridge. Washington himself had only been charged with treason when he crossed a river, and even accounting for inflation that seemed like a decent deal."
* Page 89: "Ballparks are judged by how much fun you can have by not watching the game."
* Page 89: "An interesting game was an interesting game regardless of its stadium, but an uninteresting game was only as uninteresting as its stadium."
* Page 91: Ben suggests this trip will fascinate his future grandchildren. Eric was skeptical. "I thought you didn't want children." "But everyone wants grandchildren."
* Page 97: "We did our best to allay their fears as we secretly tried to calm our own. To admit to a mother that you were about to do anything with even the tiniest risk of harm was a risk in its own right."
* Page 114: "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio!" he screamed, our euphemism for less family-friendly expletives.
* Page 173: The anthem before a sports contest was like grace said before a meal, a "Thank you, America, for giving us the freedom and opportunity to partake in this trivial and comparatively inconsequential game, Amen. Now let's go throw things at each other."
* Page 180: "Our route looked like what would happen if a drunk airplane decided to go on a baseball bender."
* Page 198: "She had done what mothers do best, embarrassing their children in frustratingly productive ways, saying what their children could not say for themselves."
* Also, Runza.
[ pop sugar reading challenge 2016: a book about a road trip ]
This book was a travel memoir: It was about the journey, and their friendship, and less about actual baseball. I should have realized I would enjoy it, since the co-authors were both writers for the Harvard Lampoon, like Simon Rich - I enjoy smart, funny writing. I mean, it's clear they're only 21 and 22, but they tell a good story.
* Page ix: "When he was angry, he was always on the lookout for other things to be angry about, because it was a tragedy to let such passionate anger die."
* Page 3: "There was a $13 charge to cross the George Washington Bridge. Washington himself had only been charged with treason when he crossed a river, and even accounting for inflation that seemed like a decent deal."
* Page 89: "Ballparks are judged by how much fun you can have by not watching the game."
* Page 89: "An interesting game was an interesting game regardless of its stadium, but an uninteresting game was only as uninteresting as its stadium."
* Page 91: Ben suggests this trip will fascinate his future grandchildren. Eric was skeptical. "I thought you didn't want children." "But everyone wants grandchildren."
* Page 97: "We did our best to allay their fears as we secretly tried to calm our own. To admit to a mother that you were about to do anything with even the tiniest risk of harm was a risk in its own right."
* Page 114: "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio!" he screamed, our euphemism for less family-friendly expletives.
* Page 173: The anthem before a sports contest was like grace said before a meal, a "Thank you, America, for giving us the freedom and opportunity to partake in this trivial and comparatively inconsequential game, Amen. Now let's go throw things at each other."
* Page 180: "Our route looked like what would happen if a drunk airplane decided to go on a baseball bender."
* Page 198: "She had done what mothers do best, embarrassing their children in frustratingly productive ways, saying what their children could not say for themselves."
* Also, Runza.
[ pop sugar reading challenge 2016: a book about a road trip ]
July 1, 2025
Like many baseball fans, I have a goal of visiting all 30 baseball stadiums. (It's tricky, of course, as stadiums come and go; I've visited a few that are no longer in existence.) I'm currently at 13, so almost half; my husband is at a few fewer. We've already done one road trip and are sketching out what we want to do this summer. We are not crazy enough at the moment to contemplate doing all 30 in one season, much less in the 30 days that Ben and Eric do their trip in.
Toward the end of the trip, Ben, an avid baseball fan, realizes that doing the trip has led him to not care at all what happens in the baseball game. Watching the games becomes something of a chore, as they spend that time contemplating the leg they'll start on as soon as the game finishes. There are some doozies, where they have 16+ hours to go to get to their next game. So instead of enjoying the games and the stadiums and each team's quirks, the road trip becomes something of a joyless slog.
The book itself doesn't feel like a slog, but it also isn't particularly fun. It's mostly about Ben and Eric getting annoyed with each other; Eric seems annoyed by most everything, including baseball, of which he's not even a fan. He doesn't like baseball. He went to keep his friend company, but being trapped in a car for that long doesn't make them closer (though it probably does with the trip well behind them). Ultimately, I would've appreciated more baseball and fewer diversions. There's a balance that the book just didn't quite strike for me. It didn't help that I didn't find either Eric or Ben particularly likable. Positive side, though, is that I did recognize the vast majority of the baseball players mentioned!
Edited to note that they also call I-95 "the 95," and Californians, please stop. We don't do that here.
Toward the end of the trip, Ben, an avid baseball fan, realizes that doing the trip has led him to not care at all what happens in the baseball game. Watching the games becomes something of a chore, as they spend that time contemplating the leg they'll start on as soon as the game finishes. There are some doozies, where they have 16+ hours to go to get to their next game. So instead of enjoying the games and the stadiums and each team's quirks, the road trip becomes something of a joyless slog.
The book itself doesn't feel like a slog, but it also isn't particularly fun. It's mostly about Ben and Eric getting annoyed with each other; Eric seems annoyed by most everything, including baseball, of which he's not even a fan. He doesn't like baseball. He went to keep his friend company, but being trapped in a car for that long doesn't make them closer (though it probably does with the trip well behind them). Ultimately, I would've appreciated more baseball and fewer diversions. There's a balance that the book just didn't quite strike for me. It didn't help that I didn't find either Eric or Ben particularly likable. Positive side, though, is that I did recognize the vast majority of the baseball players mentioned!
Edited to note that they also call I-95 "the 95," and Californians, please stop. We don't do that here.
January 10, 2016
I am a fan of baseball, but I don't have a team. In general, I like to watch a good game of baseball, where both teams are present and paying attention and giving it their all. I'm also a big fan of the nostalgic feelings surrounding baseball, having willingly (and enthusiastically) watched most baseball movies and read my fair share of W. P. Kincella's works.
So, in theory, I can understand how author Ben might have been messing around to create the original schedule for 30 games in 30 days. And I can totally get behind eventually doing a new version of that schedule, a few years later, fresh out of college and ready to see the country. And I can enjoy reading the book about that month-long journey and get wrapped up in the excitement and the close calls and all the commentary. But, like author Eric, I think I would find the actual experience mind-numbingly dull after only a few games.
As i mentioned, though, this is a good read... Better than I expected. There's no pandering to the clueless reader, no explanation of points and runs and stats, much. There is some talk about big names in the game, but not the kind of in-depth historical reflection that you might have seen in Ken Burns's documentary. What this book is is an honest reflection about baseball, friendship, family relationships, the MLB, our country, and the choices we makes as they relate to our hopes and dreams.
For me, this book requires a little more attention than a beach read, but it's no Moneyball.
So, in theory, I can understand how author Ben might have been messing around to create the original schedule for 30 games in 30 days. And I can totally get behind eventually doing a new version of that schedule, a few years later, fresh out of college and ready to see the country. And I can enjoy reading the book about that month-long journey and get wrapped up in the excitement and the close calls and all the commentary. But, like author Eric, I think I would find the actual experience mind-numbingly dull after only a few games.
As i mentioned, though, this is a good read... Better than I expected. There's no pandering to the clueless reader, no explanation of points and runs and stats, much. There is some talk about big names in the game, but not the kind of in-depth historical reflection that you might have seen in Ken Burns's documentary. What this book is is an honest reflection about baseball, friendship, family relationships, the MLB, our country, and the choices we makes as they relate to our hopes and dreams.
For me, this book requires a little more attention than a beach read, but it's no Moneyball.
May 28, 2014
I once did what I thought was an "epic" baseball tour with a friend from school. Starting in Ontario, we went to three baseball games in four days, driving a grand loop that took us to games in Detroit, Baltimore and Boston.
That was hardly epic in comparison to what Blatt and Brewster undertook here. They set out to visit 30 MLB ballparks in 30 days travelling by car - THAT is epic.
When I first picked up the book I thought it would be a quaint little travelogue that talked about every ballpark's features and quirks, maybe a bit of local colour and amusing tales from the road. It started that way, but not for long.
Less than halfway through their computer-plotted course, human error blows the whole thing up and the guys scramble to re-draw their itinerary. Later, the elements intervene to blow things up again. As the games and miles click by, the story becomes less about the ballparks than the race to get to all 30 of them within the allotted time. Funny and breezy stuff.
That was hardly epic in comparison to what Blatt and Brewster undertook here. They set out to visit 30 MLB ballparks in 30 days travelling by car - THAT is epic.
When I first picked up the book I thought it would be a quaint little travelogue that talked about every ballpark's features and quirks, maybe a bit of local colour and amusing tales from the road. It started that way, but not for long.
Less than halfway through their computer-plotted course, human error blows the whole thing up and the guys scramble to re-draw their itinerary. Later, the elements intervene to blow things up again. As the games and miles click by, the story becomes less about the ballparks than the race to get to all 30 of them within the allotted time. Funny and breezy stuff.
September 8, 2014
This book was getting 2 stars for most of the way through it. It wasn't particularly well written--the authors had a habit of alternating between third person singular and first person plural, sometimes in the same paragraph--and nothing about the plot or the two main protagonists made it particularly engaging. But then Eric's mom spilled the beans in Florida. Eric, she told Ben, had gone on the road trip because, and only because, he didn't want to let Ben down. And just like that, the dynamic of the book changed completely. The book is somewhat about baseball and a MONSTROUS road trip, but more than that, it's about two very different guys who hadn't bothered to work out why they were friends. If I had just spent that kind of time and space with someone, I'd never want to see them again, so I'd love to know what happened to the friendship after the trip was finished.
May 29, 2016
Such a fun, light, enjoyable read! As two men, Eric and Ben decide to take on the unlikely road trip of 30 ball parks in 30 days across North America- I was constantly curious to know if they would make it as many obstacles arose throughout. I appreciated the story was mostly told with "we" aka both characters as the narrator but also sometimes jumped between Ben and Eric's version of the situation. Also breaking down each chapter for the ball park and road trip to travel there made it fun to follow along on how they made it through their journey!
September 14, 2014
Cute in theory, but the trip itself is completely inadvisable. I never would have agreed to such a schedule, but I guess both authors now have a story they can tell for the rest of their lives. On another note, the narration felt weird to me. The authors talk in the 3rd person as Eric or Ben but then also in the first person plural as a we. My brain kept getting hung up on this fact while reading. This book is enjoyable but not without its flaws.
October 30, 2014
This book was about two recently graduated Harvard friends, who attended 30 major league baseball games at all 30 different baseball parks in a 30 day period. As I also have attended games at each teams park (over a 30 year period), I thought it would be an interesting read, however, it was OK at best.
September 10, 2014
I wish they had alternated writing the chapters.
Perfect for anyone who loves baseball, road trips and stadiums.
Perfect for anyone who loves baseball, road trips and stadiums.
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