I have just read and listen to Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season. Yes, you read right. I have both read and listen to it. For the first time I got both my review copy of the book and the audio at the same time. I therefore decided to read part of it and listen to part of it.

Did it make a big different? Well it actually did. Let me start by saying that this is a really special book. If you live in the US or another country where baseball is a recognized sport you will enjoy this book…or at least you will understand it. That is my biggest problem with Faithful. I don’t know who you play baseball… In the book King and O’Nan cover the last season through their favorite team, The Boston Red Sox. And it’s amazing that The Sox actually won the word series that very same season…what are the odds?

Anyhow, I really enjoyed the books sound. Both King and O’Nan (who I haven’t read anything else by - yet) have a really good voice when they write. They can both talk about the most regular things with an interesting voice. In Faithful you can easily see who has written what. King’s text is bold and O’Nan’s isn’t. It’s quite interesting to see who has written what and you do not need to read much to see that it’s O’Nan that is the one keeping track of the details. So, it’s an interesting written book and the problems with the it comes when they are given detailed descriptions of the games. I don’t know what an inning is and I don’t understand what it is to have men on the bases. See what I mean?

So, it’s a very strange book to read. There you are enjoying what you read and then all of a sudden you don’t really understand what they are talking about. And when you don’t understand it’s easy to loose your interest. So after reading part of the book I decided to listen to the rest of it and it was actually easier.

Why you ask? Well, I’m not really sure but I believe it’s because it goes faster and you are sucked into what you listen to in a different way. Adam Grupper (reading O’Nan’s parts) and Ron McLarty (reading King’s parts) do a very good job narrating the book. It’s a good thing that they have so different voices though. If they didn’t it would be impossible to know who’s talking (writing), King or O’Nan.

It’s also fun to see that O’Nan is such a fan. I recognize myself in being a King fan in him being a Sox fan. He tells about how he poses as a reporter and get a ball sign while doing it. He knows no real reporter would do that be then he isn’t a reporter, right? Really nice reading!

So, even though this is a book that I’ll probably won’t read a second time it has brought one really nice thing with it. I’m really eager to try another book by O’Nan. Hopefully he will fill in the voids now that King’s books won’t be out as close as they use to. I’ll let you know at a later time…

So, should you read this one? Well, I think that you should but if you don’t understand baseball you’ll have a bit of a hard time getting through it. Please don’t give up though. Even though it’s not my favorite book I’m really glad I finished it.

If you want to comment or discuss this review, please mail me.