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Read Thread: RIP David Halberstam

RIP David Halberstam
Board: Reading Room
Apr 24, 2007 5:59am
Thread (disabled) Board
Well...we lost a great author yesterday.

David Halberstam earned a Pulitzer for his work on the VIetnam Era...I have found some of his work to be very valuable to assign to undergraduates because of the accessibility of his writing style.

I personally loved his work on baseball.

"Summer of 49" is the story of a pennant race between the Red Sox and the Yankees. (Familiar story?)

This book contains a few glaring trivial errors that annoy stat geeks....but this rich tale is great social history because it illustrates so well what was going on in American society 60 years ago by using this event as a superstructure on which to hang his interpretation. It is great history.

But more than that, it is a great read. This is what history often lacks. It is rare that a historian is such a masterful wordsmith.....I highly recommend that you pick this book up...even if you are not a true baseball fan...or even if you are not a fan of either the Yankees or the Red Sox....I think you will find this particular book quite enjoyable, and you will be amazed at how quickly the pages turn.

--GoSox
Re: RIP David Halberstam & Kurt Vonnegut
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #87810 by GoSox
Apr 24, 2007 10:55am
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Don't forget that Kurt V died recentlyalso-unfortunately, his passing has been somewhat overlooked given recent news. He is one of the 20thCentury's best authors and a man very ahead of his time.
Here's to you Kurt, we'll miss you!
Re: RIP David Halberstam & Kurt Vonnegut
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #87879 by kwmom
Apr 24, 2007 11:34am
Thread (disabled) Board
Recent news? I thought it was well covered actually...aside from the hit piece put out by Fox...