I’ve read all of Joseph Epstein’s essay collections over the years. I consider Epstein one of the best essayists alive. Since March Madness begins this week, I thought this would be the perfect time to celebrate Masters of the Games, Joseph Epstein’s new collection of his sports essays. Cast your eye on the range of subjects below. Not all of them deal with basketball, but that sport is well represented (and I like the cover). If you need an intelligent sports fix, I highly recommend Masters of the Games. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduciton: Obsessed with Sport
ESSAYS:
A Boy’s Favorite Author
This Sporting Life
Confession of a Low Roller
Balls-Up
Ep, the Bills Are Six-Pont Dogs
The Thrill of Defeat
Open Another Can of Quarterback
The Old Ball Game
Wrigley Field
Red Smith
JOCKS
Joe DiMaggio: Where’d He Go?
Michael Jordan: He Flies Through the Air
Hank Greenberg: Designated Mensch
Bob Love: The Unknown Superstar
STORIES
The Goldin Boys
Danny Montoya
Out of Action
SHORT TAKES
Hats Off
A Sartorial Double fault
The Running of the Bulls
Basketball is not my favorite sport (I pay no attention to the college game until the NCAA tournament) but I have read some books on the subject, including one by William Goldman and Mike Lupica about the Knicks, and books by Jim Carroll (THE BASKETBALL DIARIES) and David Halberstam. The contents look like they have baseball abnd football chapters, so that helps.
Jeff, Joseph Epstein writes compellingly about all the major sports. But I suspect his favorite sport is baseball.
My favorite sports writer was Red Smith, followed by Roger Angell and Will Murray. I don’t believe I’ve heard of this fellow, at least as a sports writer. Does he do a column? What newspaper?
I used to be glued to the tube starting the first Thursday of the NCAA tournament through the final game, but in the last few years I’ve kind of lost interest. Now I have to be bored before I bother.
Rick, Joseph Epstein wrote for THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR, the WALL STREET JOURNAL, and the NATIONAL REVIEW. I believe Portland is hosting some early rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. If I was out there, I’d be buying tickets.
Used to regularly read Roger Angell and Roger Kahn but no more.
Patti, sports writing is a declining genre. There are more photos in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED now than words.
George, we knew some rounds would be here, but having just spent a few days at the Doubletree, which is a few blocks from the Moda Center, we figured we’d get home. I cane see it better from the living room chair anyway.
I just took this book off my desk after cataloguing all the books I bought in Florida the past three weeks while enjoying spring training and book scouting. I found this one in a Barnes & Noble in Coral Springs, but didn’t see it anywhere else. Figured I had to buy it for my large sports journalism collection seeing that I hadn’t read much of Epstein’s work. I think the book had me with the first essay titled A Boy’s Favorite Author.
Kent, you’re in for a lot of great reading with MASTERS OF THE GAMES. Epstein is clever and witty.