Reviewed by Joyce Sparrow

Two 40-ish-year-old women have taken on the task and responsibility of explaining the history and intricacies of major league baseball to their sisterhood who may not understand the difference between a walk-off and a bunt.

With a quick, chatty style, the book contains 38 chapters of objective and subjective information about America’s greatest pastime, from strikeouts and pitch counts to annoying commentators.

The text lays out the complicated financial structure of baseball with its reserve clauses and contract negotiations that have been settled by the Supreme Court.

The authors explain the ins and outs of field play to explain baseball as a game of threes: three strikes, three bases, and three outs. From the simple to complex, the authors break down the runs, hits, and errors of the game. There is a feature on how to keep a scorecard-and the authors offer a free scorecard on their web site.

If readers want to know about the origins of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”-this is the book. Although the book is marketed for females, anyone new to the game of baseball will appreciate this easy-to-read overview. The book includes an extensive list of sources and a comprehensive index.

The book is highly recommended for baseball fans and novices. It is a must for public library collections.

Armchair Interviews agrees.