The Catcher Was a Spy

[satchel]

Has anyone read this Moe Berg biography? Is it any good?

I picked it up for a break while I was in the middle of editing a law review article, and with my editor's cap on I found the book very hard to read. Why would anyone allow a sentence like this to be published:

" 'As a ballplayer he was a gentleman,' continues McCarthy, who drives a utility vehicle -- 'for a utility catcher,' she says -- adorned with MOE BERG license plates."

Whatever. Anyhow, taking off the editor's cap, I'll try to read the book. From just the introduction, Berg sounds quite loony -- as if he worked for the OSS the same way John Nash did, if you catch my meaning.

[pathogan]

I enjoyed it, the debunking of the language bit[allegedly he spoke a dozen languages] the photographing of Tokoyo form the hotel roof, especially enjoyed the part where he was sent to dicsover what Werner Heisenberg knew[or didnt] about the Nazis developing atomic weapons..his last words[if true] are sweet...I liked it...

[pwdennis]

It isn't a baseball book but it is very interesting and quite well written. To quote someone whose name I have (momentarily) forgotten, Moe Berg was "an enigma wrapped inside a riddle ..."


The real Moe Berg was more interesting than the fictionalized version. The book isn't a must read but it is worth reading

[richie17]

I got a little bored halfway through - it's not a bad book, but I think something else distracted me and I never came back to it.

[clemente21]

I read it a couple of years ago - I liked it because it combined two of my favorite subjects (baseball and espionage/special ops). But it's not a book that I would necessarily reread.

[Craig S.]

A review of this book in Kirkus said that the author "reduces one of baseball's most colorful characters mostly to monochrome," and that's the way I felt about the book. Dawidoff did his research, but the presentation was dull - it reminded me of reading a Jimmie Foxx biography where it talked about how many fish he caught.

Of course, my criticism doesn't count for much, as I believe Mr. Dawidoff is the editor of that new baseball literary anthology.

[richie17]

your opinion's just as valid as anyone's... if I was thinking of getting the book I'd be interested to read this sort of thing.

I guess the book's a bit different, and is worth a look for that reason. Lets face it, Berg was completely unique. The book's not that dull really, you could do worse.

[KCBOOMER]

Originally posted by pwdennis
It isn't a baseball book but it is very interesting and quite well written. To quote someone whose name I have (momentarily) forgotten, Moe Berg was "an enigma wrapped inside a riddle ..."

Winston Churchill referring to the Soviet Union.

[Max Power]

Just saw the SportsCentury on ESPN Classic on this.............

..really wish someone would do a movie on his life..............

[GGC]

The SportsCentury episode was great and inspired me to borrow this book from the library. But I found it to be a ponderous tome.

[Wolf Hopper]

Originally posted by GGC
The SportsCentury episode was great and inspired me to borrow this book from the library. But I found it to be a ponderous tome.

Thanks - I will not run out and read it - - too many other good ones, confirmed, on the TO DO list...............

[WiredTiger]

I read it quite awhile ago so my memories may not be as fresh as others. I found it very itneresting and a decent read. The writing may not be great but the information and the story was very good.