You Know Me, Al

By: Ring Lardner

Narrated by: Dennis McKee

You Know Me, Al is a classic of baseball, the game and the community. Jack Keefe, one of literature's great characters, is talented, brash, and conceited. Self-assured and imperceptive, impervious to both advice and sarcasm, Keefe rises to the heights, but his inability to learn makes for his undoing. Through a series of letters from this bush-league pitcher to his not-quite-anonymous friend Al, Lardner maintains a balance between the funny and the moving, the pathetic and the glorious.

Nostalgic in its view of pre-World War I America, a time before the "live" ball, a time filled with names like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Eddie Cicotte, this is not a simple period piece. It is about competition, about the ability to reason, and most of all it is about being human.

(P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

A surprise find

I hadn’t heard of this book before but really enjoyed it. It’s a fictional account of a naive baseball pitcher from the early 1900’s writing letters to his friend back home, describing events of his personal and baseball life, which show him to be both clueless and arrogant almost beyond belief.
I was quite entertained.

Interesting

Almost could of socked him in the jaw a few times myself but upon finding he was to much like myself . I decided to let bygones be . 😉 Check it out.

A favorite of mine in print and audio

I've read this short book several times and enjoyed it. This audio version was fun because the reader brings a "country boy" inflection and expression which was perfect and brought the character to life.

Left handers beware

If you don’t like this book you’re probably some critic or a left hander that couldn’t break a pane of glass with his fast one.

Great version of a true baseball classic!

I'm a lifelong baseball fan and thankfully this popped up on my recommendations. I did some looking before purchasing and found out this is considered a classic American baseball tale that was originally written pre 1920. It is defiantly unique in the style it's written. Basically like reading letters written by the main character to his best friend Al. Admittingly odd through the first chapter or so, but as you further along in the book you really get a unique look into life not only as a baseball player, but as an American living in 1913 Chicago. Daily struggles, amenities and the lack of, as well as various costs of loving are learned from following Jack , the main character through his baseball journey. I enjoyed it so much I have a hardback printed in 1925 to add to my home library!