The Boogie Down Book Club: New York Yankees and the Meaning of Life

I came across a book a few weeks ago called New York Yankees and the Meaning of Life by Derek Gentile. It's basically a book of quotes made by the Yankees or about the Yankees. It spans pretty much the entire history of the Yankees, from the beginning all the way to the present. The book is broken up into different sections, each section covering a certain topic. For example, there are sections about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, George Steinbrenner, Yankee Stadium. I could go on and on but if it's about the Yankees, it's in there.

The book runs about 400 pages and is a pretty easy read. Each quote spans two pages. The first page lists the quote and also includes a little write-up about the subject matter. The second page is a photo that goes along with the quote. There are a lot of photos in there I've never seen so that was an added bonus.

The book has quotes from a wide array of people. According to the product description, the book has some of "the wittiest, pithiest, and most philosophical writings, quotes, sayings, and quips ever brought to bear by the Yankees. Illustrated with a lavish collection of photographs and images from today and yesterday." That pretty much sums the book up in a nutshell.

If you're a Yankee fan, you'll definitely enjoy this book. Besides being very entertaining, it's also a decent look back at the history of the franchise. If you pick it up, you won't be disappointed. To whet your appetite, here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

• Good evening ladies and gentleman, and welcome to Yankee Stadium. - Bob Sheppard
• They didn't get along. Gehrig thought Ruth was a big mouth and Ruth thought Gehrig was cheap. They were both right. - Tony Lazzeri
• Kid, you're too small. You ought to go out and shine shoes. - Casey Stengel, to Phil Rizzuto
• I always thought that record would stand until it was broken. - Yogi Berra, to Johnny Bench
• No wonder you're all mixed up. You got a white man's first name, a Spanish man's second name, and a black man's third name. - Mickey Rivers, to Reginald Martinez Jackson
• I am dead set against free agency. - George Steinbrenner
• Hanging out with him sucks. All the women flock to him. - Tim Raines, on Derek Jeter
• The only stage I need is the World Series. - Alex Rodriguez
• I hope his co-workers kicked the s--- out of him. - Hank Steinbrenner

That's just a small sample. The book is full of some pretty good stuff. As I said above, if you're a Yankee fan, you'll love this book.

Peace, love and Pinstripes,

J-Boogie