Read all about it! - Some interesting new books about the Dodgers

The icy coldness of a period without baseball begins to thaw as our hearts begin to warm and beat quicker: Spring training is around the corner! Baseball has always inspired people to write about the sport and luckily loads of authors have written about our boys in blue. 2018 seems to be another good year to pick up or download a copy of a Dodgers related book. A list of six books being published this year.

First to hit the shelves is Fairly at Bat which will be released on February 1st.
"Fairly at Bat is a dramatic, funny, and altogether entertaining romp through a 50-year career as a player and broadcaster, including as a member of three World Series champion Dodgers teams in the 1950s and ‘60s."
I must admit I know fairly (pun intended) little about Ron, other than him being a broadcaster and the winner of three world series with the Dodgers. This book might change that. Yes, he became the voice of the hated ones in San Francisco, but everybody makes mistakes.

Jackie Robinson: An Integrated Life
"Jackie Robinson’s story is not only a compelling drama of heroism, but also as a template of the African American freedom struggle. J. Christopher Schutz reveals the real Robinson, as a more defiant, combative spirit than simply the “turn the other cheek” compliant “credit to his race.”"
Jackie Robinson is not an easy subject to write a book about. There are so many books about this legend, you might wonder why someone would write another. Release: February 15th

"The Dodgers: 60 Years in Los Angeles chronicles the team’s impressive history since arriving in the West Coast. Covering the amazing feats of Dodgers greats such as Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela, and Kirk Gibson, author Michael Schiavone offers an in-depth history of the team since their arrival in 1958 and through the 2017 season."
This is Michael Schiavone's first all sports book (his other sports related book was about labor relations in US sports). He's against some stiff competition, because good books about Dodgers seasons have been around for decades. The big plus for this book is the inclusion of the awesome 2017 season. To be honest... they should write an entire book about 2017 alone. Release: April 3rd.

Brothers in Arms: Koufax, Kershaw, and the Dodgers’ Extraordinary Pitching Tradition by Jon Weisman. Weisman is known for 'high fives, pennant drives and Fernandomania' digs into Dodgers lore once again.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, with enduring legacies both on and off the diamond. Chief among the hallmarks of the organization is an unparalleled pitching dominance."
Since pitching is in my opinion THE best position and the Dodgers have had some of the best ever, this book goes to #1 on my wish list. Interviews with Koufax, Drysdale, Valenzuela, Hershiser and Kershaw.... awesomeness! Available May 1st.

Charles Ebbets: The Man Behind the Dodgers and Brooklyn's Beloved Ballpark "Ebbets became president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, taking over a chronic second division team in poor financial condition. Over the next 25 years, he built four pennant winning clubs while making the franchise one of the most profitable in baseball."
Branch Rickey, Walter O'Malley and... Charles Ebbets, these guys did things that shapeds the Dodgers Organization as we know it today. Reading about this threesome, for me, is a must and I'm glad there will be an extensive book (235 pages) about the man who realized a field we still know today. In stores June 28th.

Blue Monday: The Expos, the Dodgers, and the Home Run That Changed Everything "Author and Montreal Expos historian Danny Gallagher leads readers up to the unforgettable day in October 1981 when Rick Monday of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a home run off of Montreal Expos pitcher Steve Rogers in the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a berth in the World Series."
I must admit that this is a period in Dodgers history I know very little about but I love Rick Monday and the 1981 team which went on to win the World Series and was the start of my Dodgers fandom.
Out: November 6th.

(The texts between "" are taken from amazon.com)