I've gotten to the point in this book where I'm disappointed to see that there is less to go than what I've read.  Honestly, it's rare that this happens with me.  There is just something special about these stories that is really striking a nerve with me.

This segment of reading (pp. 107-211) was more about the Negro Leaguers that Buck played with than with Buck himself, though Posnanski gives us plenty of insight into Buck's character as well.

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 Have you done your homework?  It's once again time for another periodic meeting of the Reporter Book Club.  This week, we'll discuss "Winter" (pp 27-51) and "Spring" (pp 55-103) from Joe Posnanski's The Soul of Baseball.

There's a lot of good stuff here.  Great stories and even better tall tales, Maddux vs Clemens , a plaintive afternoon with the greatest living ballplayer,  a shady Negro League busdriver, Sweet Swingin' Billy from Whistler, a big bag of Cracker Jack and seven dollar beers. There's even a Jerry Hairston, Jr. sighting!

Yowza!

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By now ya'll should be somewhat familiar with the Red Reporter Book Club and if you've decided to become a member of the RRBC you've probably got your copy of Joe Posnanski's book and you're ready and raring to start doing whatever people in book clubs do.

(If you want to get a copy and join us, it's not too late!  The first "assignment" is only 24 pages and it's such an easy read that you could probably knock it out during the drive home from Barnes & Noble.  C'mon and join in.  This thread should be active for at least a day or two so seriously, you've got time to get caught up.)

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So last Sunday, JD and Slyde invited me over to Rick's house for the weekly meeting of The Lords of SB Nation Book Club and let me tell you- the absinthe was a-flowin'!  After a while it didn't matter that I'd never even heard of The Room.  I was definitely the square peg of the group but still... Good times, good times...

JD: "Sure, Selby tore at me in all the right places but he simultaneously left me so numb that I guess I just didn't feel torn."

 Rick: "I don't know, JD.  Didn't the mirrors throughout give you pause?"

 JD (rolls eyes): "I got it.  I got it.  Just didn't feel it."

 Slyde: "You girls have been over this and over this.  It really starts to leave me numb after awhile."

 [Laughter from all.]

 [Except me.]

 Slyde: "Howabout something just a tad more pedestrian this time around."

 JD (rolls eyes): "hrrrmmm..."

 Slyde: "Just a tad!"

 JD (with disdain): "Let me guess- something not so dark as well? More Burroughs?"

 Slyde (emphatic but restrained): "I said: Just. A. Tad."

 Rick: "No wait!  I know! Why not something completely pedestrian?"

 JD (smugly): "Alan?.."

 [Chuckling from Rick and Slyde]

 Me: "Umm...hmm.. maybe a baseball book that everyone at Red Reporter would also enjoy reading?"

 [Laughter from all.]

[Except me.]

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