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Title details for A Nice Little Place on the North Side by George Will - Available

A Nice Little Place on the North Side

Wrigley Field at One Hundred

by George Will
Mark Deakins
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
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2 of 2 copies available
Now with bonus material on the Chicago Cubs' World Series win, the New York Times-bestselling history of America's most beloved baseball stadium, Wrigley Field, and the Cubs’ century-long search for World Series glory
In A Nice Little Place on the North Side, leading columnist George Will returns to baseball with a deeply personal look at his hapless Chicago Cubs and their often beatified home, Wrigley Field, as it enters its second century. Baseball, Will argues, is full of metaphors for life, religion, and happiness, and Wrigley is considered one of its sacred spaces. But what is its true, hyperbole-free history?
 
Winding beautifully like Wrigley’s iconic ivy, Will’s  meditation on “The Friendly Confines” examines both the unforgettable stories that forged the field’s legend and the larger-than-life characters—from Wrigley and Ruth to Veeck, Durocher, and Banks—who brought it glory, heartbreak, and scandal. Drawing upon his trademark knowledge and inimitable sense of humor, Will also explores his childhood connections to the team, the Cubs’ future, and what keeps long-suffering fans rooting for the home team after so many years of futility.
In the end, A Nice Little Place on the North Side is more than just the history of a ballpark. It is the story of Chicago, of baseball, and of America itself.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    March 25, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780804166195
      • File size: 148433 KB
      • Duration: 05:09:14

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      George Will puts on his literary baseball cap and dives into the history, romance, and realities of the venerable Wrigley Field, which he likens to a clipper ship: The field on Chicago's North Side remains "elegantly practical," he says. Mark Deakins's voice reflects the reverence, and romance, that fans have with the stadium and its inhabitants, the Cubs. Deakins is solid enough--except for the mispronunciation of a player's name--while running through the litany of historical accomplishments and tribulations (mostly the latter) surrounding the old park. He stays consistent as the focus starts with history and shifts to esoterica on the park. Will's passion--and frustration--come through in the narration. M.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      April 28, 2014
      More than just about a ball park with a powerful mystique, Willâs (Men at Work) book on Wrigley Field offers a rich history of the city of Chicago through its hapless baseball team. In celebration of the ballparkâs 100th year, Will compiles a random batch of anecdotes and history about the franchise that inhabits this much loved though antiquated structure with its famous ivy-covered walls. (âIt is not a good sign for fans when their teamâs venue is better known for the attractiveness of its flora than for the excellence of the athletes who have played there,â Will quips.) Broad-ranging topics include beer and its legendary importance in baseball, the long-standing resistance to installing lights for night games, personality quirks of the father-son owners, chewing gum kings William and P.K. Wrigley, and colorful takes on famed Cub Ernie Banks and (mostly) beloved sportscaster Harry Caray. The reader will learn about numbersââattendance, beer prices, stadium stats, monies paid for the teamâand enjoy reflections by the author, who understands firsthand the trials and tribulations of being a Cubs fan. Rooting for the Cubs, he writes, is âa lifelong tutorial in delay gratification.â As Will illustrates in his book, thereâs plenty for Cubs fans to celebrate from the past 100 years, even if a world series isnât one of them.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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