Baseballissimo

Bidini travels to Nettuno, Italy to play baseball and write about the country's relatively unknown baseball culture. The small coastal town has produced several Major League Baseball players and maintains a passionate connection to America's pastime. The author joins a local baseball team while exploring the town's history, from its WWII connections to its ongoing love affair with the sport. Through interviews with locals and his own experiences on the field, he documents how baseball became integrated into Italian life. His immersion in Nettuno spans an entire season, during which he balances playing baseball with investigating the town's unique cultural fusion of Italian and American influences. The narrative follows both his personal journey and the team's progress through their campaign. The book examines how sports can transcend national boundaries and create unexpected cultural bridges. It presents baseball as a lens through which to view the evolution of post-war Italian society and identity.

Readers appreciate Bidini's exploration of small-town Italian baseball culture and his personal journey with the Nettuno Baseball Club. The book resonates with baseball fans who enjoy learning about the sport's international presence. Readers highlighted the vivid descriptions of Italian life, food and local characters. Several reviews note Bidini's ability to weave together the baseball narrative with cultural observations. Common criticisms include a slow start and too much focus on personal reflections rather than baseball. Some readers found the writing style meandering and the baseball content too sparse. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (49 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (11 ratings) Sample review quotes: "Great insight into Italian baseball but gets bogged down in travel memoir territory" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful descriptions of Italy, but wanted more about the actual games" - Amazon reviewer "Perfect blend of baseball, travel writing and Italian culture" - LibraryThing reviewer

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn A sportswriter chronicles his relationship with the Brooklyn Dodgers, interweaving personal memories with the players' lives after baseball.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham An American quarterback finds redemption and connection through football in small-town Italy.

The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski A writer travels America with Negro League legend Buck O'Neil, collecting stories and wisdom from baseball's past.

An American Journey by Peter Golenbock The story follows an American baseball scout discovering talent and cultural insights across Latin America.

A Nice Little Place on the North Side by George Will The history of Wrigley Field becomes a lens for examining baseball's role in American culture and community.

🌟 Author David Bidini played in a Canadian rock band called the Rheostatics before becoming a writer and following his passion for baseball in Italy ⚾ The book chronicles Bidini's season with the Nettuno Baseball Club, one of Italy's oldest baseball teams, founded in 1945 by American soldiers during WWII 🇮🇹 Nettuno, Italy became a baseball hub when American soldiers taught locals the game during their WWII liberation of the town, earning it the nickname "The City of Baseball" 📖 While writing about baseball, Bidini weaves in rich details about Italian culture, food, and family life, creating a unique blend of sports memoir and travel writing 🏆 The Nettuno Baseball Club has won multiple Italian Baseball League championships and helped establish Italy as one of Europe's strongest baseball nations