Book description
"With elegance, wit and precision, John Thorn traces the lineage of baseball, a melting pot of cultures and diversions that became quintessentially American. Baseball in the Garden of Eden is a must read for anyone who claims to know the game." -Jane Leavy, Author of The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and The End of America's Childhood and Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy "Baseball's creation myth-Abner Doubleday in a Cooperstown pasture in 1839-has the merit of being enchanting but the defect of being false in every particular. Now comes another of John Thorn's many contributions to our understanding of baseball, proof that the game is even older and more interesting than most fans know." -George F. Will, Author of Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball "What a garden of delight! John Thorn takes us through the tangled history of the game's origins with great good humor and flair. He accepts nothing on face value, but gives all sides their due. A pleasure for fans, but also for anyone with an interest in history and myth." -Kevin Baker, Author of Strivers Row "No one knows baseball history as well as John Thorn or writes about it more ably. And there is no one better suited to record-with affection, amusement and sometimes hilarity-the chicanery, misrepresentation and downright lies that have obfuscated the fascinating story of the origins and development of our national game." -Robert W. Creamer, Author of Babe: The Legend Comes to Life and Stengel: His Life and Times "No sport clings to its myths like baseball, which means it takes a baseball historian of the first rank like John Thorn to turn those myths upside down and inside out. Baseball in the Garden of Eden offers enlightenment for every fan. It is also a joy to read." -Michael Shapiro, Author of Bottom of the Ninth and The Last Good Season "An invaluable, enduring and unique history of the early game and how it swiftly changed, in some ways for the worse, and yet survived and thrived." -David Nemec, Author of The Great Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Baseball "The One True Game's old creation myths are nowhere near as interesting and as much fun as the truths that Thorn digs up about the conspiracies, vices, and raucous behavior of baseball's earliest innings." -Robert Lipsyte, author of An Accidental Sportswriter "No one, absolutely no one, knows more about the history of our national pastime than John Thorn, and this new book ought to settle once and for all many of the questions fans have about baseball's origins. Superb." -Ken Burns "John Thorn's Baseball in the Garden of Eden reveals a secret history of the early game that is more fantastical (and funny) than any concocted story." -Jim Bouton, Author of Ball Four "If you love history or baseball, you will enjoy Thorn's impeccably researched tome; if you love both, you will be mesmerized." -Dave Sheinin, The Washington Post jQuery(function() { jQuery( "#tabs" ).tabs(); });
Stickers
ListenBook's versatile features have made my audiobook experience more enjoyable than ever. The app is perfect for people who love to multitask. I can listen while cooking.
Osprey
Downloading over WiFi saves so much time. Very efficient. I love how customizable the playback speed is. It makes listening so much more enjoyable.
Roller Girl
I'm hooked on this app's intuitive features – from chapters to playback controls. 🏃♂️📚 Combining exercise and exploration – this app keeps me motivated on my daily jogs! 🏃♂️📖 The user-friendly interface and smooth navigation make this app a pleasure to use daily. I love the ability to customize the skip buttons. It’s so convenient.
SmartieQuest
ListenBook has made managing and enjoying audiobooks, lectures, and speeches effortless and enjoyable. With this app, I've turned my everyday moments into meaningful opportunities for growth and learning. The app is perfect for people who love to multitask. I can listen while cooking. I'm so glad I chose the audiobook version! The narrator added layers of meaning I might have missed reading silently. Their interpretation of the material felt thoughtful and authentic. The recording was technically perfect - no reverb, no peaking, just clean, pleasant audio. The perfect balance between dramatic reading and natural storytelling. Felt like a friend telling me an amazing story rather than someone just reading words.
Wild Kitten
ListenBook has become my go-to app for all things audio – from lectures to speeches, it's got it all. ListenBook has rekindled my love for learning, one audio experience at a time. 📚 Embracing reading in the digital age – this app makes accessing books a seamless and enjoyable experience. 📱🎉 ListenBook’s bookmarking feature is incredibly useful. I never lose my place in a book.
Plum Moon
This app has turned long waits into exciting opportunities to dive into a new story. With this app, I've found a way to make long flights and road trips more enjoyable and enlightening. This app's ease of use has made reading an integral part of my everyday life. 🏃♂️📚 Combining exercise and exploration – this app keeps me motivated on my daily jogs! 🏃♂️📖 Navigating audiobooks seamlessly – this app's design is top-notch.
Blackfire
Book Groups on ListenBook make it easy to categorize and access my audiobooks. 📱 My pocket-sized library – this app makes reading accessible anytime, anywhere! 📚📱 Unlocking a world of literary wonders – this app's extensive format support and user-centric approach have rekindled my love for books. 📱🔊 Looping playback and shuffle features keep my audiobook sessions engaging and fresh. Supports a wide range of formats flawlessly. Very happy with it.
Sly Silvermoon
ListenBook's extensive statistics feature adds a new level of insight to my audiobook habits. The app is so easy to set up. I was listening to my books in no time.
Hoboken Nightingale
I'm thrilled to finally have a way to enjoy books while keeping up with my busy schedule. Audiobooks at my fingertips – this app's functionality is truly impressive. The app is perfect for people with busy schedules. I can listen on the go.
Low Voltage
I can't imagine my audiobook routine without ListenBook's intuitive and user-friendly design. 🎶 Swapping background music for the soothing voices of narrators – audiobooks have become my soundtrack for daily life. 🎵📚 ListenBook has transformed how I enjoy audiobooks. It's an indispensable part of my routine. ListenBook is like a personal audiobook library in my pocket. Organized and easily accessible. The interface is so clean and clutter-free. It’s a pleasure to use.
Icy Avenger
ListenBook's seamless integration with CarPlay enhances my daily commute, making it a productive and enjoyable experience. With ListenBook, my audio content is organized, accessible, and ready to inspire me. Listening to books while doing chores? This app makes it possible! This audiobook made my workouts fly by! The engaging narration kept me motivated to keep listening, which meant longer gym sessions. The narrator's energy matched the material perfectly - upbeat when needed, somber when appropriate. A great example of how narration can enhance text.
Achilles Mountain
🎶 Forget background music, I've got enchanting stories to accompany my chores! 🎵📚 The perfect balance between dramatic reading and natural storytelling. Felt like a friend telling me an amazing story rather than someone just reading words.
Pepper Prada
With this app, audiobook listening has become an integral part of my daily routines – it's pure bliss. The app's performance is top-notch. It's stable, responsive, and optimized for a seamless audiobook experience. Kudos to the developers! Finally, an audiobook player that supports all formats! No more converting files.
Parallax Sugar
ListenBook's dedication to providing a top-quality audio player is evident in every aspect of the app. 🎧 Fueling my audiobook addiction with this fantastic app – pure listening pleasure! 📚🔥 The noise reduction feature is a game-changer for clearer dictaphone recordings. The ability to download audiobooks directly is fantastic. ListenBook is very convenient. I love the ability to import books from my computer. It’s so easy.
Darling Peacock
I love the ability to change the playback speed. It’s perfect for my needs. ListenBook is the ultimate audiobook player. The app is packed with features like customizable skip intervals, playback speed, and sleep timers. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it a joy to use. Five stars! This was a workmanlike audiobook that did the job without flair. The narration was clear and the pacing appropriate, though the delivery lacked some emotional depth. The production quality was acceptable with no major technical issues.
Chip Queen
📚 Who needs TV when you have this app? Every moment is a storytelling session! 📺🎧 ListenBook's statistics feature is both enlightening and motivating. It's incredible to see the time I've invested in learning through audiobooks. Sharing audiobooks through AirDrop is a delightful way to share the joy of storytelling with friends and family. It fosters connections and conversations. I love the auto-rewind feature. ListenBook always picks up right where I left off. This audiobook exceeded all my expectations! The narrator's ability to convey emotion through voice alone was remarkable. I laughed, I gasped, I might have even teared up at points - all because of the incredible vocal performance. The story came alive in a way reading alone couldn't achieve.
Hog Butcher
The ability to switch between devices seamlessly is a game-changer for busy readers. I love the compatibility with iOS 16. The app runs smoothly and flawlessly. Adjusting the tone of the voice is a unique feature that adds a personalized touch to the listening experience. Elegant design and easy-to-use interface. Very happy with ListenBook. ListenBook’s support for CarPlay is great. I can listen to audiobooks in my car easily.
Bowler
ListenBook's features make it the ultimate audio companion for any audiobook enthusiast. 🏃♀️📚 Combining exercise and exploration – audiobooks make my runs more exciting! 🏃♀️🎧 Effortlessly enjoying audiobooks on the go – kudos to this app's functionality. ListenBook's loop and shuffle playback features add versatility to my audiobook listening experience. Download options are abundant, from WiFi to iTunes. It's all about convenience with this app.
Zesty Dragon
The audio filters on ListenBook enhance the sound quality, making every listening session a treat for my ears. ListenBook's user-friendly controls and innovative features have made it an indispensable tool for my audiobook enjoyment. ⭐️ Kudos to the developers for creating an app that's both functional and user-friendly. I can navigate and enjoy my books effortlessly. 📚👏 Audiobook multitasking made simple – this app's design is a game-changer. ListenBook is the best audiobook player I’ve ever used. The app is reliable, fast, and packed with features like customizable themes and playback speed. The sleep timer is a lifesaver for bedtime listening. Great job, developers!
Snowflake Pixie
ListenBook's drag-and-drop download feature from web browsers is incredibly convenient. Downloading audiobooks has never been this easy. Adjusting the tone of the voice is a game-changer. It's like customizing my listening experience.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience