Like Daniel Okrent's classic "Nine Innings," this new book by Will Leitch (founder of Deadspin, now a NY Mag editor) presents the anatomy of a single game. Unlike Okrent, however, Leitch casts his book as a letter to his future son and thereby turns his inning-by-inning retelling of a Cards vs. Cubs game into a springboard for addressing broader life issues. In fact, the game at Wrigley is really a novelistic MacGuffin, i.e., the thing that drives the plot but the audience couldn't care less about. Yes, any Cards game is important to superfan Leitch, but of greater interest to him -- and to the reader -- is the opportunity that it provides the transplanted New Yorker to reflect on his life in the Midwest, his career, and, most importantly, his dad. By the end, you admire the relationship shared by the Leitch men as well as their capacity to consume a remarkable amount of beer. (Ms. Leitch gets less ink but the book includes heartfelt observations on the evils of breast cancer.) Some parts of the book are very funny and others are surprisingly perceptive. In particular, the chapter on Steve Bartman is wonderfully written and marked by a sensitivity not associated with Leitch's work on Deadspin or even in his previous "God Save the Fan." Bottom line: This highly enjoyable book signals that Bill Simmons has a serious contender for the title of best sportswriter of our times.Get more detail about Are We Winning?: Fathers and Sons in the New Golden Age of Baseball.
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