|
Phillies Confidential: The Untold Inside Story of the 2008 Championship Season (Confidential)
Average Customer Review : 3.5/5 based on 3 reviews
Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price : $19.95
Price : $13.57
Customers who bought this also bought
Champions: A Look Back at the Phillies Triumphant 2008 Season
2008 Philadelphia Phillies: The Official World Series Film
The Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Collector's Edition
Phantastic!: The 2008 Champion Philadelphia Phillies
Editorial Reviews
Gary Matthews--All-Star player, coach, and broadcaster--led the Phillies into the World Series in 1983 after an MVP performance in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now the Sarge gives readers a seat in the Phillies dugout as he recounts the day-to-day journey that led to the team's first World Series appearance since 1993. From the off-season acquisition of Brad Lidge to the early-season struggles of Ryan Howard to the team's down-to-the-wire quest for the NL East crown, Phillies Confidential is both an insider's peek into the 2008 clubhouse and a must-have, commemorative keepsake of a Phillies season for the ages.
Spotlight Reviews
Half good (2009-01-06)
Customer Review : 3
It's a fun read for Phillies fans looking to relive the championship season, but Gary Matthews' "writing" is clearly just transcribed talking. Matthews repeats himself frequently and occasionally contradicts himself, but more annoying is the focus he puts on his own playing days and stories about the Cubs that are barely relevant.
Thankfully, the portions written by Gary Matthews alternate with better-written portions by journalist Scott Lauber. (For some reason, Lauber's passages are typeset in a condensed sans serif font that is difficult to read. Matthews' passages, while barely coherent, are at least set in a traditional serif font.)
It's written as a diary, which lets fans experience the highs and lows of the season as they happen, rather than from the perspective of knowing that they've won it all. If you can get past (or just skim) Matthews' sections, it's a lot of fun.
Gary Matthews Should "Phurlough" Writing (2009-01-06)
Customer Review : 2
Gary Matthews must be one of the nicest, most personable men in baseball. I mean, he'd have to be for writing of this caliber to actually be published.
I was very excited when I heard about this book, and to be honest it is laid out very well. The story is told by month, and it alternates between a well-written newspaper-style summary of a particular game or story and a not-so-well-written Gary Matthews' first-person take on that particular story. What ruins it is Gary Matthews himself. I am convinced that all Matthews did for his piece was speak into a tape recorder after a selection of games or evenings and then transcribe his thoughts word for word into the book. It was obviously done as the season progressed and not retrospectively, and it is purely his opinions with very little about his conversations with players, experiences, or behind-the-scenes trivia. I'm also convinced that the process of editing was forgone in favor of getting the book to press, as no editor in his right mind would have let this go without at least correcting some grammar and repetition. Often times, Matthews doesn't even provide a coherent opinion.
Case in point -- Gary Matthews talking about Jimmy Rollins' early season injury: "I'm sure it's tough on him. I'm sure he wants to play. But no, I haven't really talked to him about it--having gone through injuries myself, you're either in the party or you're not, you're either playing or you're not. Period. You can do all of the talking in the world, but you're either out there or you're not. Sure, guys sympathize with you when you're hurt, but the sympathy really comes from wins and losses. It's a hard fact, but that's just how it goes." What in blazes is the point of this paragraph? What insight is revealed? Wouldn't it be more desirable to save the environment by just saying "I feel bad for the guy" and saving half a page & the trees killed to produce it? Sadly, the writing generally goes downhill from this on many pages.
Finally, I am disappointed with the minimal-to-zero references to the Phillies fans. Almost nothing is written about interaction between the players and the fans or fan opinion / sentiment during the season. When it comes down to it, isn't baseball all about the fans, especially the great ones we have in the Delaware Valley? The book smacks of Phillies organizational bias for this reason.
Other than the chronological recap, I have been disappointed by what I had hoped would be the best Phillies World Series literary recap on the market.
Gary - In the future, please remember that people generally shouldn't write the same way that they broadcast. This especially goes for you.
Phabulous Phillies Story (2008-12-02)
Customer Review : 5
Received the book yesterday and could not put it down. Even though I knew how it was going to end, it was great reading about the entire season again. Seeing it from Sarge's viewpoint was fantastic. Great book!
|
|
