Many have already read the book, judging by the fact that it's been on the bestseller lists for years. It's a magnificent book, full of danger and sadness and amazing feats of real-life heroism. While the movie reportedly attempts to show what happened to the doomed fishermen, Junger's book only suggests what might have happened, an honest approach that makes their disappearance even more tragic. Along the same lines is the just-released In The Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. What happened to the Essex served as the inspiration for Herman Melville's Moby Dick .
Real life is always creepier and crunchier than fiction, even classic fiction.
Fair Ball by Bob Costas and Loose Balls by Jayson Williams. Through Pete Rose-colored glasses, he sees the game as a bastion of honor and discipline and all that is right with America. I personally believe that baseball surrendered its exalted status decades ago through a concerted pattern of greed, disrespect and ineptitude among all concerned. But you can't fault a guy like Costas, who wears his passion on his sleeve and is fighting for what he believes in, even if it is the once-great sport of baseball. Jayson Williams, on the other hand, is one of the funniest people in America.