Buy a book! Prove my wife wrong!
Posted: December 22nd, 2007 | Filed under: Baseball | 18 Comments »
So it was my delightful wife who said to me when she saw me counting countless Pozcars ballots … “What exactly are you getting out of this Pozcars thing?â€
What a silly question. I am getting so much out of the Pozcars, you know, like, um, well, you know, lots of stuff. I told her that the wife of that guy who invented Google probably asked the same question. And look at him now. A billionaire. A bajillionaire. Google is like taking over the world, it’s bigger than U.S. Steel, bigger than the Mafia in Godfather II, bigger than anything. So there.
“But he — actually there were two of them so they — created a search engine that analyzed the relationship between Web sites and thus provided a more intuitive ranking system which allowed people to more easily find what they are looking for on the vast and intricate Web. You’re counting votes for a meaningless award that you named after yourself. Plus those two guys were still in college when they created Google.â€
“Well, yeah, you could look at it that way, but …â€
“My question,†she said, “is why didn’t you tell the voters that in order to become a Pozcars voter they simply had to buy your book?â€
“Well, because that would, uh, sully the innocence, um, you know, the integrity, er, um …â€
OK, so if you haven’t done it, would you buy the book already? They have apparently restocked at Amazon. Makes a great Christmas present for everyone in your family and also for people you don’t know. This will almost certainly be the last book push, at least until the paperback comes out.
Coming up (maybe — you better knock down that Amazon number people): Belichick in Cleveland monster post; The Toy Cannon; Chess with Priest; Pozcars Results.
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You probably should mention that Jim Caple today on Page 2 on espn.com said that your book is the best baseball book of the year and an enjoyable read.
Just wanted to let you know that your repeated insistence on us buying books has paid off–just ordered my copy. Love the blog, keep it up. (Any thoughts on Fukudome?)
‘Course, Caple got the title wrong, so hopefully people search by author…
Oh but also, when TSOB comes out in paperback, I should buy a large stack and hand them out to strangers as part of a large-scale Random Acts of Awesomeness campaign.
I bought the book today at a bookstore, to give as a Christmas present… after I read it. I do that a lot.
Waiting ’til after Christmas to make sure no one bought it for me, but come 12/28 (multiple holiday times), it’s mine one way or another.
Joe,
You know you could probably use Excel to count those votes with some copy and paste action. Or you could even make the voting form in Excel. If you want help doing it, I’ve had a lot of experience programming the things. Oh, and I’ve got a $25 off coupon at Amazon. I’m sure I’ll get around to purchasing your book too, since I haven’t heard one negative thing about it anywhere.
Joe ~ Tell Margo that I like your blog so much that when my father-in-law asked to borrow my copy of TSOB, I told him no … and then went out and bought him a copy of his own.
If you’re still undecided, I’ve reviewed TSoB here: http://whateverettreads.blogspot.com/2007/10/joe-posnanski-soul-of-baseball-road.html
Sorry, Joe, but it was a library copy. I’m also waiting until after the holidays.
Just so you know, I bought the book ages ago, and I’ll be buying whatever it is you publish next.
Hell, I even bought Breaker Boys on your say so.
OK, since I was accepted as a Pozcars voter (and dutifully completed my ballot), I bought two books.
What does Margo think about that?
I’m planning on buying one for myself for Christmas if I don’t get it as a gift. I’m assuming they sell it down at the NLBM so I can pick it up there.
I admit I bought your book (2 copies) after I’d been reading your blog for awhile, but before the Pozcars. Maybe you can get some residuals from Bill James. Some of us are going to be buying his Historical Abstract because of the Pozcars.
Joe,
bought a copy for a friend and will buy mine after Christmas if no one gives it to me (pretty slim chance, I am afraid; my family is not into sabermatics or baseball blogs, and have probably not heard my hints). A pointer though; don’t point out that the paperback is coming out when trying to sell the hardbacks, or you will scare away the cheapskates like me!!!!!
My mother let it slip that I’ll be getting TSOB for Christmas. Presumably one with a signed bookplate. Now I’m counting the minutes until present-opening time.
My offer of help is still on the table, Joe.
I bought the book last night and just finished reading it. Great stuff. Without the soul of baseball blog and this blog, I doubt I would of heard enough about it to buy it.
…still no bookplate for me. Mom and Dad said they requested one, though, so I haven’t given up hope on the item whose arrival would be Joyous Christmas Part II.
Man, what a bunch of weenies. Joe, I’ve bought 27 copies of the book as presents, and am getting ready to get another 10 from Amazon. Half the people I gave the book to have bought copies for other people.
I’m also proud to say I was the first reviewer of the book on Amazon (“A Life Well Lived”). It’s the finest sports book I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a lot of them.
Well…Reilly’s “Missing Links” was pretty good too. Thanks, Joe, for the Buck book.