Feeding the Monster - A Book Review

Newly minted author Seth Mnookin got access to a special reporter not ever before given to an aspiring writer for an interesting inside story of the famous Boston Red Sox. So he's written maybe the most entertaining book ever about a pro sports team in America. In Feeding the Monster he tells just how everything comes together, how a bunch of loners goes from anonymity to glory, how a bunch of misfits turns into a winning team. What adds real entertainment and fun to the story is the often comical moments, including a behind the scene look at how the players and coaches really feel about each other and how it actually works out for them. All of this will make you laugh out loud, which is just what a good story needs.

One thing I did like about Feeding the Monster is that it felt like it was written in the person of the team and not some outside analyst. This is a good thing because it allows the story to speak to real life sports fans like I used to be. Reading it feels like you are there in the middle of the action, rooting for the Red Sox. It's almost like they're having their own dinner party with all the players and coaches eating dinner. You almost feel like you've been there in person.

This is not like most books. A good many have all been written as if they were for a general audience. This one has a specific audience in mind. It is written almost like an autographed baseball and it is filled with inside jokes and humorous moments. It has a unique style of writing that is not typical and that makes it very entertaining to read.

There are some minor characters that add just the right touch to the story, such as Bobby Orr. The introduction of Orr as an author and his background in baseball is well told as well. Then there are Manager Joe Girardi and his relationship with the team and what he does to succeed at his job. There is even a look at the many trades that the Red Sox have made throughout the years that lead to the current team as we know them today.

Throughout this entertaining story, we learn about the characters that make the Red Sox the team they are today. We learn about the players, coaches, management and even fans as well. The author did a nice job of balancing the characters in a way that it didn't feel like the story was coming from a certain team or a particular person. It felt more real, as if it were written by a fan.

It also doesn't hurt that the book is colorful, fun and filled with entertaining stories of how the authors themselves became fans of their favorite teams. Some of the quotes are comical, but at the same time, they still tell a little bit of history about how and why the teams became who they are today. It's interesting and unique and something that I would recommend to anyone looking for an interesting, outside perspective on their favorite teams and players.

The Feeding the Monster, just like the team it is aimed at, is an entertaining read. However, there are some parts of it that could use some work. For example, the timeline from the beginning of the Shea situation up to the trade involving Alex Rodriguez and Rickey Henderson to the point where the Yankees decided to send him packing was a bit overlong. In some ways, this just seemed unnecessary, since the story line did work wonderfully. Also, in the end it became a love story between Alex Rodriguez and Rickey Henderson that didn't quite work.

Overall, Feeding the Monster is a fun book. I liked the journey of Alex Rodriguez and Rickey Henderson, and it gave the readers a little glimpse into what might have been had these two players stayed with the team. There were some good stories and there were some that fell flat, but overall I am very satisfied with the quality of the story. This book will be a best seller, but don't expect it to be as successful as the others in the series. It just didn't live up to the level of the others.