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Rating: 
Summary: I learned so much from this book!
Review: I'm not much of a baseball fan, and Satchel Paige has always just been a name to me, but a friend showed me this book and I couldn't resist reading it. I do like history, philosophy, and stories about people with integrity who overcome obstacles to do what they love and live by their own standards, and Satchel Sez pleased me on all of those levels. For those of you who are as uninformed as I was before I read this book, Leroy "Satchel" Paige started out with a job carrying suitcases at the age of seven and went on to become the greatest pitcher baseball has ever known, with stats that far outshine the records set by white players who were allowed careers in the big leagues. Satchel played in the Negro Leagues for almost his entire career - he spent a few years in the Major Leagues. He was eventually named the oldest rookie when he was in his sixties. "Age is a question of mind over matter," he said. "If you don't mind, it don't matter." The book is colorful, fun, and easy to read, pairing quotes and anecdotes by and about Satchel with lots of photographs of the man himself. Satchel's humor and easy-going nature are captured here, but at the same time the book portrays his grace and dignity, a side of him that has often been overlooked due to racial stereotypes. Satchel has lots of advice to give on everything from baseball to aging to women to stomach trouble. Some examples are: "Slow down, you last longer," "Be satisfied in your own world," and "Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Home plate don't move." He also offers inspiration, such as, "You have to believe in yourself. When you believe, you do." One of my favorite quotes could be applied to the racism he faced: "It's not what you don't know that hurts you. It's what you know that just ain't so." I'm also impressed by Satchel's goodwill. For sure, he trash-talked and was never modest about his genius, but he was generous at the same time. Once he didn't show up to the Negro League equivalent of an All-Star game because the owners of the teams refused to donated all of the proceeds to returning wounded GIs. When he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (Negro League players were supposed to be recognized separately), he said, "There were many Satchels." I am simultaneously impressed, informed, and inspired by Satchel Sez, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: I learned so much from this book!
Review: I'm not much of a baseball fan, and Satchel Paige has always just been a name to me, but a friend showed me this book and I couldn't resist reading it. I do like history, philosophy, and stories about people with integrity who overcome obstacles to do what they love and live by their own standards, and Satchel Sez pleased me on all of those levels. For those of you who are as uninformed as I was before I read this book, Leroy "Satchel" Paige started out with a job carrying suitcases at the age of seven and went on to become the greatest pitcher baseball has ever known, with stats that far outshine the records set by white players who were allowed careers in the big leagues. Satchel played in the Negro Leagues for almost his entire career - he spent a few years in the Major Leagues. He was eventually named the oldest rookie when he was in his sixties. "Age is a question of mind over matter," he said. "If you don't mind, it don't matter." The book is colorful, fun, and easy to read, pairing quotes and anecdotes by and about Satchel with lots of photographs of the man himself. Satchel's humor and easy-going nature are captured here, but at the same time the book portrays his grace and dignity, a side of him that has often been overlooked due to racial stereotypes. Satchel has lots of advice to give on everything from baseball to aging to women to stomach trouble. Some examples are: "Slow down, you last longer," "Be satisfied in your own world," and "Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Home plate don't move." He also offers inspiration, such as, "You have to believe in yourself. When you believe, you do." One of my favorite quotes could be applied to the racism he faced: "It's not what you don't know that hurts you. It's what you know that just ain't so." I'm also impressed by Satchel's goodwill. For sure, he trash-talked and was never modest about his genius, but he was generous at the same time. Once he didn't show up to the Negro League equivalent of an All-Star game because the owners of the teams refused to donated all of the proceeds to returning wounded GIs. When he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (Negro League players were supposed to be recognized separately), he said, "There were many Satchels." I am simultaneously impressed, informed, and inspired by Satchel Sez, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: A primer on baseball's greatest showman, Satchel Paige
Review: It is assumed that you already know something about Leroy "Satchel" Paige when you start reading "Satchel Sez." After the introduction you are immediately hit with a Pop Quiz about Satchel where you had better know how he got his nickname, what year he was born in, and who was the best man at his wedding, or you might as well hang in up right then and there. David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut have put together an amusing little book that takes Paige's "witty quips and savvy observations" (the latter qualifies as the "wisdom" part of the sub-title) and surrounds them with vintage photographs, cartoons, newspaper articles and other memorabilia from his fabled career. The wit and wisdom provided deals with not just baseball but also health, wealth, women and race relations. While it is clear Paige was a showman of the first order, an ability exceeded only by his pitching prowess, "Satchel Sez" also deals with the "World" Paige lived it, with its Jim Crow laws and blatant racism. Most baseball fans who come to this book will do so because they have heard some of Paige's most famous comments (#1 would be his sixth rule on how to stay young: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you"). They will discover many more lines equally as good if not better. The vast majority of people who read this book are going to learn something new about Paige, which is always a pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: A primer on baseball's greatest showman, Satchel Paige
Review: It is assumed that you already know something about Leroy "Satchel" Paige when you start reading "Satchel Sez." After the introduction you are immediately hit with a Pop Quiz about Satchel where you had better know how he got his nickname, what year he was born in, and who was the best man at his wedding, or you might as well hang in up right then and there. David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut have put together an amusing little book that takes Paige's "witty quips and savvy observations" (the latter qualifies as the "wisdom" part of the sub-title) and surrounds them with vintage photographs, cartoons, newspaper articles and other memorabilia from his fabled career. The wit and wisdom provided deals with not just baseball but also health, wealth, women and race relations. While it is clear Paige was a showman of the first order, an ability exceeded only by his pitching prowess, "Satchel Sez" also deals with the "World" Paige lived it, with its Jim Crow laws and blatant racism. Most baseball fans who come to this book will do so because they have heard some of Paige's most famous comments (#1 would be his sixth rule on how to stay young: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you"). They will discover many more lines equally as good if not better. The vast majority of people who read this book are going to learn something new about Paige, which is always a pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: A primer on baseball's greatest showman, Satchel Paige
Review: It is assumed that you already know something about Leroy "Satchel" Paige when you start reading "Satchel Sez." After the introduction you are immediately hit with a Pop Quiz about Satchel where you had better know how he got his nickname, what year he was born in, and who was the best man at his wedding, or you might as well hang in up right then and there. David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut have put together an amusing little book that takes Paige's "witty quips and savvy observations" (the latter qualifies as the "wisdom" part of the sub-title) and surrounds them with vintage photographs, cartoons, newspaper articles and other memorabilia from his fabled career. The wit and wisdom provided deals with not just baseball but also health, wealth, women and race relations. While it is clear Paige was a showman of the first order, an ability exceeded only by his pitching prowess, "Satchel Sez" also deals with the "World" Paige lived it, with its Jim Crow laws and blatant racism. Most baseball fans who come to this book will do so because they have heard some of Paige's most famous comments (#1 would be his sixth rule on how to stay young: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you"). They will discover many more lines equally as good if not better. The vast majority of people who read this book are going to learn something new about Paige, which is always a pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and poignant!
Review: One cannot help but be moved by this little book of various sayings of and articles about Satchel Paige. Yet this is one of the most delightful reads I have experienced in quite a while. David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut have put together a collection of witicisms and rare articles that will delight the baseball fan and history buff. Beautifully illustrated with vintage photographs and pictures, this book is a gem. A reader will learn about the spirit of a man who looked Jim Crow in the face and won!
Rating:
Summary: Fun and poignant!
Review: One cannot help but be moved by this little book of various sayings of and articles about Satchel Paige. Yet this is one of the most delightful reads I have experienced in quite a while. David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut have put together a collection of witicisms and rare articles that will delight the baseball fan and history buff. Beautifully illustrated with vintage photographs and pictures, this book is a gem. A reader will learn about the spirit of a man who looked Jim Crow in the face and won!
Rating:
Summary: A jewel, just like Satchel
Review: Satchel Paige. Just saying the name brings to mind a personality as vibrant and singular as any seen in the world of baseball. This short, effective book presents a glimpse into the truly marvelous wit and wisdom of the pitcher who seemed terminally young, throwing baseballs with purpose and precision into his 60s. A pitcher who once struck out 24 batters in one game. A player many claim was the ultimate master of the pitched ball. A competitor with constant chatter and quips. A man who was relegated to second-class citizenship because he was African-American, yet with whom all the white teams of the 1930s wanted to play against in the barn-storming games because he was such a draw. Take a peak at this book and you'll glean a new insight into the man who became a legend. The authors have captured the essence of Satchel via quotes about and by Paige, lots of photographs, stats, stories, and memorabilia all wrapped in a wildly successful graphic design.
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