The Boys of Summer is a book about baseball; It's also a book about life, racism, journalism, and loving a sport team. In the first half of the book Roger Kahn talks about growing up as a kid, his father, his hometown, and his lifelong love of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the second half of The Boys of Summer Kahn tracks down each of his now retired heroes and writes a chapter about each player. In between is the critical moment when fan and team intersect - Kahn's opportunity to cover the Dodgers as a sports writer for the Herald Tribune.

There's a lot to like in this book. The author's account of his boyhood dream of playing for his home team is well written and easy to relate too. The depiction of Kahn's father and their relationship is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book.

The Boys of Summer gives an inside look at both the goings on inside a newspaper and a major league ball club. Both are interesting. The complex relationship between sports writer and player is especially captivating. Kahn offers an uncompromising account here, even if it casts himself in a less than favorable light. Lots of profanity in this one, if that bothers you.

The second half of the book is the best in my opinion. The old Dodgers have all aged and moved away from Baseball when Kahn finds them again. The prospect of looking at an athlete after retirement is a fascinating one to be sure, but still better is seeing how the personality of each ball player impacts the trajectory of their life after retirement.

Throughout the book is woven the courageous life of Jackie Robinson. He endured written threats of being shot the next time he stepped up to bat, consistent racial taunts during games, and being segregated from his team each time they stopped at a hotel for the night. Through it all he maintained his fearlessness and competitive edge during a brilliant career. When you look at the mental struggles of other athletes it's hard to believe he accomplished what he did.

Although Jackie Robinson is given the spotlight there are many other interesting and memorable players. Most are very well written. If you enjoy baseball then I probably don't need to sell this to you anymore, but it's also a fine book for anyone who has ever loved a sports team. The author's portrayals of himself, his father, and the human aspects of the ball players also make for good reading even if you don't enjoy sports.