I devour the occasional book and recently picked up a classic I'm sure many have already enjoyed, but had to encourage those who have not read it to do so. The Glory of Their Times, by Lawrence Ritter. Simply makes me wish I could go back to those days and see, smell, hear, experience those days! Anyone else care to throw out (pun intended) a must read?!?
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I'd go with two that were also mentioned often in the movie thread:
The Natural by Bernard Malamud (different and darker than the film)
Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella (Field of Dreams was based on this) Fun and as serious.
The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach. Now that my son is 18, I'm probably going to let him read it too. Slightly mature themes.
Non-fiction: Where Nobody Knows Your Name - Life in the Minor Leagues of Baseball by John Feinstein. It's a well written behind the scenes view of the minor leagues.
I'm reading "The Only Rule is it Has to Work" by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller. About a pair of Sabrmetrics baseball writers that spend a year trying to induce the use of advanced metrics and data gathering into the management of the Sonoma Stompers, an independent professional baseball team in the Pacific Association. First of all, it's a true story and enjoyable to read. As such, it'a wonderful vehicle through which a newbie can gain a working knowledge of basic sabrmetrics, most of which are finding increasingly common usage now. Second of all, and maybe the most interesting part to me, is how the so-called "stats guys" deal with communicating personnel and in-game decision-making to the team manager, coaches, and players, and the various (and sometimes unpredictable) ways those guys take the information for use. Highly recommend.
Smart Baseball by Keith Law
"The Story behind the Old Stats That Are Ruining the Game, the New Ones That Are Running It, and the Right Way to Think about Baseball"
Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book...
As Dave Marr says, "It's a great SPORTS book.."
Actually, borrowing again from the movie thread, Moneyball was a pretty good read.
Lots of classics mentioned in these old threads. In reverse chronological order.
http://community.hsbaseballweb...topic/summer-reading
http://community.hsbaseballweb...pic/baseball-books-3
http://community.hsbaseballweb.../great-books-to-read
http://community.hsbaseballweb...ntly-how-about--you?
http://community.hsbaseballweb...pic/baseball-books-2
http://community.hsbaseballweb...topic/baseball-reads
http://community.hsbaseballweb...topic/baseball-books
IowaMom, we must have similar taste in books. 
I agree with both your suggestions.
Rick Ankiel; "The Phenomenon; Pressure, Yips & The Pitch That Changed My Life."
Josh Hamilton: "Beyond Belief."
Both Incredible true stories.
H. A. Dorfman wrote 4 Books that are essential if you really want to understand the game & learn something. These would be critical for players seeking to compete at a high level. I wish I had read these while I played.
(1)"The Mental Game Of Baseball;" (2)"Coaching The Mental Game" (Every Player Parent should be forced to read this book & submit a book report to the youth coach
(3)" The Mental ABC's Of Pitching;" (4)"The Mental Keys To Hitting."
I think this should mandatory reading for all parents of pitchers . A++
Other good stuff:
.......And of course anything written by Roger Angell
StrainedOblique posted:I think this should mandatory reading for all parents of pitchers . A++
+1
Enjoying the Ride posted:StrainedOblique posted:I think this should mandatory reading for all parents of pitchers . A++
+1
.....Passen's book takes the discussion about arm care and the subsequent responsibility bestowed upon parents to a whole other level
Just finished reading the Matheny Manifesto. It was a great read on Mike Matheny's insight into coaching youth sports
