Christine rated it it was amazing
This is essential reading for Cubs fans but also for anyone interested in a Chicago institution and in major league baseball - it's funny, moving, very well done. Becky Sarwate and Randy Richardson have created a highly readable and enjoyable encomium/series of interviews with some of the Cubs' most well known fans, with the focus on the team's 2016 World Series victory.
Evan rated it it was amazing
I received an advance reading copy of this book, for free, through Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for my honest review. While reading Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team & Their Stories of Pain, Loyalty, Hope, and (Finally) Joy by Becky Sarwate and Randy Richardson, I realized that my experience at the conclusion of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series closely mirrored the experiences of those interviewed for the book. While we all wanted to be with the Cubs in Cleveland, many were nowhere near Progressive Field that night (I was watching on TV on the West Coast). Many watched the game with their families (I watched with my parents). Many shed tears of joy (I did, and I still get choked up every time I watch a video of the final out). Many were inundated with congratulatory phone calls immediately following the game (Call after call. I heard from friends I hadn’t spoken with in years). It was interesting to read the 31 interviews in Cubsessions. They feature a diverse group of people, from various walks of life, experiencing a similar feeling at the same moment. Famous Cub fans: Bob Newhart (who is a national treasure), Tom Dreesen, Joe Mantegna, and Nick Offerman. Cub fans whom other Cub fans will recognize, but might not know by name: the guy who invented the Shawon-O-Meter, the Bleacher Preacher, the owner of Murphy’s Bleachers, and Ronnie Woo Woo. Cub fans famous enough to be interviewed, who I honestly never heard of, but Cub fans nonetheless. All remained loyal while suffering as our beloved team wandered for 108 years through the bottom half of the National League standings until finally reaching The Promised Land in 2016! Hallelujah! Holy Cow! Where’s the Tylenol? This book is a must read for any Cub fan. Reliving the night of Game 7, the greatest game ever played, will put a smile on your face. Also, 100 percent of the proceeds from book sales go to cancer and baseball charities. Go buy this book, and GO CUBS GO!
Brian Walsh rated it it was amazing
It's been said before, and perhaps better, but the beauty of Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team & Their Stories of Pain, Loyalty, Hope, and (Finally) Joy isn't just that it celebrates the 2016 World Series win. Behind the unique experiences that shape each interview's memories of fandom and celebration, there's the undeniable sense of community, even as a solo spectator. As a reluctant entrant into the world of sports culture, I found myself reading chapters drawn by celebrities I've always enjoyed (Ike Barinholtz, Nick Offerman) but returning to interviews I wasn't expecting to resonate as deeply, like Stephanie Izard and Bob Newhart. Cubsessions captures stories, yes, but more than that, it gives voice to a diverse community many Chicagoans and Illinoisans, fans and non-fans alike, have always been a part of, sometimes unknowingly. A necessary read for any Cubs fan, Chicagoan, Illinoisan, or anyone with ties to the area.
Samantha Hoffman rated it it was amazing
Cubsessions is a must-read, even if you're not a Cubs fan (you will be when you're finished). Here are the real stories of passion from some of the most famous diehard Cubs fans, stories told with heart and warmth, people like Scott Turow, Dennis Franz, Joe Mantegna and many more. And no, they didn't leave out the ever-annoying but enthusiastic Ronnie Woo Woo. This book is a heartwarming celebration of baseball's greatest team. Buy it for all the Cubs fans on your gift list. 100 percent of the proceeds from book sales goes to three charities: Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities, Scoreboard Charities, and the Chicago Baseball Museum.
Mark Trost rated it it was amazing
It's not just the Cubs. It's the echoes. The longing for belonging as kids. The communion of the like-minded. I thought this book was about baseball. Well it is. But it's not. It's sitting around the kitchen table and hearing your aunts and uncles talk about then. It's sitting in a bar and bantering over beers about who was the best and who was so damn overrated. It's sitting in a barber shop and listening to the old timers talk about all the things you wanted to talk about when you were old enough to have a voice. This is a book about hopes and dreams and wanting something you couldn't control but celebrating the maybes. I loved this book - and I'm not a big baseball fan. But I love reading someone's remembers. This is a wonderfully written book about being an us.
David W. Berner rated it it was amazing
I am not a born and bred Cubs fan, having grown up in Pittsburgh. But after many years in Chicago, one cannot ignore their story, their woes, and their triumphs. They are America's team. And this wonderful little book celebrates it all, along with all the interesting people, characters, and crazy fans who live and die in Cubbie blue. All you have to do is love baseball and it's mystical tug at your heart to enjoy this collection of stories from some of the Cubs' most extraordinary fans.
Liz rated it it was amazing
My husband is an avid Chicago Cubs fan and this book was the perfect gift for him. He really enjoyed it!
Sheila rated it it was amazing
So excited when I won this as a good reads giveaway! You don't have to be a die hard Cubs fan to enjoy the book but it certainly adds to the enjoyment if you are. Go Cubs GO!
