DJM

This is an excellent book, especially (but not necessarily) if you really like baseball. Even a casual fan, or an intellectually-minded business person, will find this book interesting. It's all about abandoning preconceived notions and focusing on the facts in front of your nose - even when everyone is trying to distract you (or is actively working against you). Then, execute. If you do the right thing long enough, you'll be a success. It's a David and Goliath story. Just imagine if there had been a Billy Beane around to save the Roman Empire, for example (okay, that's a stretch). All that said, however, I feel the book suffers greatly by being abridged. In fairness, I dislike abridgments in general, especially non-fiction abridgments. If the author and editors decided that the words should be there in the first place, why mess with it. I encourage everyone to boycott abridgments on general principles. It may be okay for the odd second-rate thrill novel, but I don't understand abridging a work of non-fiction. Nevertheless, I still recommend this production of Moneyball, but I will purchase the unabridged version when it becomes available, and enjoy this story all over again, the way it was meant to be heard.

This was my first by the author and the start was a little slow for my taste. The story takes place in a very unfamiliar social setting, which can be a rather frustrating to the uninitiated. The writing is beautiful, however, and it was well worth the effort and patience to see it through to the end.

I firmly am in the "timeless classic" camp. This is a book of tremendous import, but also one that is witty, clever, inventive and insightful. This is a nice audio performance; restrained enough that it doesn't get in the way of the work itself. You simply must read this book.

I'm not going to say much about this book. It was my first Carl Hiassen book, and I'm glad to have found such a treasure! The writing is a mixture of Elmore Leonard and Kurt Vonnegut. There is a truth and accuracy to the dialog and characters, with a story that is biting, satirical, and an extremely insightful parody of Florida and the rest of this looney bin we call modern society. The audio presentation is superb. I laughed, I laughed, and I laughed some more. I have shared this program with two others, both of whom are as blown away as I am. I frankly do not understand how anyone could give this audiobook less than five stars. This is really great stuff - don't miss it!

This is a stunning book. It has some weak moments: somewhat misogynous (including a violent rape scene that I found disturbing), and it clearly is a product of its time. However, it does, in large part, transcend that time and it accomplishes every author's dream - it becomes enduring and universal. I do not agree with Ms. Rand's philosophy. I feel that she thrusts it oppressively upon the reader in an incredibly tedious fashion in other of her works. Those books suffer for it. That is not the case here, however. This book soars. This book proves that this woman could write. You have missed something very special if you do not read this book. In this particular case, the production does justice to the work itself. The narrator is perfect for the work and the total experience is greater than the sum of its parts.

I highly recommend this to all Rice fans, and especially to those who are unfamiliar with her work, but curious. Rice puts her considerable descriptive talent to excellent use - she really makes the time period come alive. The story is compelling, and I found the characters to be very accessible, which surprised me. I enjoy the vampire and witchcraft books, but they may seem daunting to many. If you want a sample of Anne Rice's exceptional talent without the substantial commitment that some of her work requires, this is the place to start. Tim Curry gives an outstanding performance. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is that it was too short - I would love to hear the unabridged version.