Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic

Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finley's Swingin' A's

De: Jason Turbow

Narrado por: Jason Turbow

The Oakland A's of the early 1970s were the most transformative team in baseball history. Never before had an entire organization so collectively traumatized baseball's establishment with its outlandish behavior and business decisions - or with its indisputable winning record: five straight division titles and three straight championships. The high drama that played out on the field was exceeded only by the drama in the clubhouse and front office.

But those A's, with their garish uniforms and outlandish facial hair, redefined soon virtually every aspect of the game for coming generations. Under the visionary leadership of Charles O. Finley, the team assembled such luminary figures as Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, and Vida Blue. Finley acted as his own general manager and, with an insatiable need for control, dictated everything from the playlist of the ballpark organist to the menu for the media lounge. The advent of free agency spelled the end of Finley's reign; within two years his dynasty was lost.

A sprawling, brawling history of one of the game's most unforgettable teams, Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic is a paean to a turbulent yet magical time.

©2017 Jason Turbow (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Great book

Very entertaining book about the Oakland A’s. Great stories. Worth the listen. The only downside is that the narrator seems to talk very fast at times, and then slows down to sound normal.

The team that made me fall in love with baseball.

Even though I’m from Bernie, MO and am I am a die hard St. Louis Cardinal fan, THIS is the team that made me fall in love with baseball. My earliest memory as a 10 year old was watching the 1972 World Series and watching Gene Tenace hit two home runs his first two at bats. These guys were fantastic, and colorful as their awesome green uniforms. I was thrilled in 1981 when Tenace came to my beloved Cardinals. This book was a fascinating read with crazy characters and stories. Charley Finley was almost in line with Bill Veck with his legacy. Those guys and those uniforms will always hold a special place in my heart even at 61 years old.

Hard to Believe

Amazing story about a three-time World Series champion team that could not stand each other.

Great insight, funny story on the A's!

A great listen, it was easy to listen to and I regularly made time to get back to it whenever I could. This autobiographical story was done well...

Before George Did Anything, Finley Did Everything

I enjoyed this audiobook very much. I enjoyed the tales of the team. But more often I listen in shock at the antics of the team’s owner, Charlie Finley.

Jason Turbow limns Finley as part George Steinbrenner, a dash of Otto von Bismarck, some J.R. Ewing, and maybe a modicum of Santa Claus. Turbow’s Finley is a sui generis phenomenon. Finley enriches an already extraordinary story of the “three peat” champions.

A few minor mistakes.

A few mistakes such as mentioning the Yankees 5 World Championship from 1949 to 1954 when it was actually 1949 to 1953 to name one.

What an Incredible Account of a 70's Dynasty

If you thought "The Bronx Zoo" seemed crazy, this is complete insanity. I have always considered Bill Veeck as the maverick, but now I can honestly say that Charlie Finley's rise and fall makes me see Veeck as the congenial owner. The sheer number of fights in the A's clubhouse among themselves is mind-boggling. They won three World Series in spite of the hatred of Charlie Finley and his penny pinching.

It's the dawn of the free agent era and scary how quickly it took down the dinosaur of owners, Charlie Finley. And to think that only Catfish Hunter and Reggie Jackson attended his funeral.

Well done Jason Turbow. Great job in finding the stories from different sources and in bringing them life as narrator. Excellent for any baseball fan.

Great book

If you have any interest in the A’s of the 1970s.this is a great book to listen to. Very well read and entertaining.

Great History Book

What did you like best about this story?

I lived through the A's dynasty, beginning as a young teen. I didn't appreciate the total lack of community support in Oakland, the depth of talent that Finley and his scouts discovered or that the A's sported baseball's first facial hair in something like half a century. This is a story about baseball. The author makes no attempt to tie the team to a societal revolution. It's a great inside look at friendships, fights, stalemates between owner and players, personalities, events and even a little baseball strategy.

What does Jason Turbow bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Turbow is the rare author who serves as a good narrator. He kept the story engaging.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not one, but many relates. He gives a balanced portrayal of the innovative, bombastic, larger-than-life Charlie O. Finley. We see the duplicity and the sincerity in the man, as well as his bungling negotiations with players and his generosity when players performed exceptionally. Finley was a complicated man, and I thought that Turbow explores him in depth and in a balanced manner.

Hire a narrator

I grew up watching the A's of the early 70's, and I learned a lot a new information from this well researched book. The book was well written with good pacing and overall structure.

I am not sure if there was a recording problem early in the performance, but the author sounded slow and sped up at the same time. Further into the book, the author's performance was solid.