I always try to read a baseball book at the beginning of each year to kind of get excited about the upcoming Spring training and baseball season. But honestly, this was so much more than the average "baseball book" that I hardly know where to start!

Part autobiography, part history, a little drama, lots of nostalgia, some humor, and a huge dose of good ole baseball! This book taught me a lot about real baseball player. Those guys we idolize or demonize depending on what they did on the field, but who are really just human beings like the rest of us trying to be regular people living normal lives when they are away from the ballpark. For some it's easy, for others it is out of the question.

You will learn things about players you thought you knew but really didn't know at all. You will have some myths confirmed and others unmasked. You will laugh, you will cry, you will think, and yes, on some levels you'll get angry. Why? Well this is a book about baseball for sure, but it's also a story about how extraordinarily difficult the integration of "America's Favorite Pass Time" was in the early and mid 20th century.

This is a must read on so many levels. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, this book has something for everyone who loves good writing and a good story. Whatever you may think you like to read, pick up a copy of The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn and I promise you will find something that resonates for you.