Play for a Kingdom

Rating:
Summary: Sport not War should always be our Battlefield.
Review: A nice story based in the real hard times of the American civil war, the men on both sides who fought in it and the shared passion for the love of their sport, Baseball.

This is a common story of ordinary men fighting for survial and as it is now common knowledge, both sides really did meet up and play sports. This was done in high secrecy as if found out, those participating could be delt with hashly. Another reason is that spying would be just to easy... which is pretty much what this story bases itself on.

Rating:
Summary: A book to be remembered
Review: I picked this book up because like so many others my to passions are baseball and the civil war. Dyja has a wonderful way of creating characters you remeber and learn to care about even with a large cast of characters you have no problem remembering them all. The battle brutal battle scenes are very well done you can almost feel the animalistic survival instincts these men felt specifically the part when they are fighting hand to hand. The baseball scenes are also well done the wording and dialouge are fresh and vivid. This book really puts a human face on the tragedy that is war.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful novel about the true element of the Civil War!
Review: This book delves into the least studied element of the Civil War. Everyone's talking about teh generals, and the women, and the technology, and the slaves, and the politics. This book delves into the MEN who fought the bloody conflict. It looks at their feelings and emotions as Union and Confederate pickets exchange info during a series of baseball games. The mystery element is thrown in as the spies identity jumps in your imagination from character to character. He is, however, identified, and his character changes throught the different events in the story. There are, however, 2 things that I found bad about this book. 1-the cover has men with teh crossed rifles on their kepis. That was POST Civil War, during the Indian Wars on the plains in teh 1870s-1880s. 2-The use of the term Billy Yank. That was also POST Civil War. Unfortunately, many writers make both those mistakes. All in all, a wonderful book! Buy it! Read it! Make it a movie!

Rating:
Summary: Baseball and the Civil War - A Winning Combination!
Review: When you take two pieces of American history like baseball and the Civil War you are bound to have an interesting book. Mr Dyja has written a wonderful story that not only desrcibes the horrors of the war but uses baseball as a way for the north and south to get together outside the battlefield. Who will betray who? That is the central question as the story plays itself out. The battles are deadly for both sides and the play by play of the games is done with edge of your seat excitement. I would be interested to know if this book was based on any type of facts or is it just a wonderful story. If you are a civil war buff, a baseball fan, or both - you will enjoy this great book.