Speedball Four

Other than magazines, the newspaper and the Internet, I'm not much of a reader. Let me rephrase: My readings skills are top-notch, I just rarely make the time to read books. On the flights to and from Florida for Thanksgiving, I devoured Wrecking Crew by John Albert, the non-fiction story of a bunch of drug/gambling addicts, wannabe rock stars, failed actors and, in one case, a crossdresser that finds various states of redemption and enjoyment by forming a rec-league baseball team in Los Angeles.

I may be writing about it for Magnet, so I won't go into much detail, but it's heartwarming, funny and insightful, particularly Albert's closing lines about just what playing on the team meant to him. The tale's not so much about the team's success, though they do improbably end up winning a title, but rather how most of them took the team so seriously because of how much they got out of the experience.

It probably doesn't mean much for a non-reader to recommened a book, but I can't praise this one enough. I had to be prodded (not physically, pervs) by a publicist to delve into Wrecking Crew, and I'm so glad I finally did.