Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Ballantine Books (2012), Edition: 1, 304 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. New Age. Sports & Recreations. Nonfiction. HTML:�Honest, touching, and beautifully rendered . . . Far more than a book about baseball, it is a deeply felt story of triumph and failure, dreams and disappointments. Jim Abbott has hurled another gem.��Jonathan Eig, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Man NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Born without a right hand, Jim Abbott dreamed of someday being a great athlete. Raised in Flint, Michigan, by parents who encouraged him to compete, Jim would become an ace pitcher for the University of Michigan. But his journey was only beginning: By twenty-one, he�d won the gold medal game at the 1988 Olympics and�without spending a day in the minor leagues�cracked the starting rotation of the California Angels. In 1991, he would finish third in the voting for the Cy Young Award. Two years later, he would don Yankee pinstripes and pitch one of the most dramatic no-hitters in major-league history. In this honest and insightful book, Jim Abbott reveals the challenges he faced in becoming an elite pitcher, the insecurities he dealt with in a life spent as the different one, and the intense emotion generated by his encounters with disabled children from around the country. With a riveting pitch-by-pitch account of his no-hitter providing the ideal frame for his story, this unique athlete offers readers an extraordinary and unforgettable memoir. �Compelling . . . [a] big-hearted memoir.��Los Angeles Times �Inspirational.��The Philadelphia Inquirer Includes an exclusive conversation between Jim Abbott and Tim Brown in the back of the book.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
Jim Abbott was one of those players who transcended his sport - you couldn't not root for him no matter what team he played for. His autobiography alternates between chapters about his personal life and an inning-by-inning account of the no-hitter he pitched for the Yankees in 1993. Admittedly, I
One of the most interesting sections of the book for me was when Jim described how he developed his unique solution for fielding and throwing with only one hand. I remember watching him "glove flip/ball transfer" over and over during his career and it remains one of the best individual moves that I recall. Reading his account of the hours of toil that went into making what for two-handed people is easy but for him was initially viewed as impossible, well it's inspiring - as is the rest of his story.
Playing in the American League, Jim didn't get to bat until his last year with the Brewers where he went two for twenty-four as a hitter. I don't recall ever seeing him bat but knowing his history and reading his story, those were surely two of the hardest-worked-for hits in baseball history.
This is a wonderful book about an incredible night in the life of one of the most inspiring athletes in history, and the personal chapters make it even better.
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was mainly interested in the no-hitter chapters; I love these pitch-by-pitch accounts of memorable baseball games. As I read, however, I started to pay more attention to the personal chapters; they are quite moving and very well written. One of the most interesting sections of the book for me was when Jim described how he developed his unique solution for fielding and throwing with only one hand. I remember watching him "glove flip/ball transfer" over and over during his career and it remains one of the best individual moves that I recall. Reading his account of the hours of toil that went into making what for two-handed people is easy but for him was initially viewed as impossible, well it's inspiring - as is the rest of his story.
Playing in the American League, Jim didn't get to bat until his last year with the Brewers where he went two for twenty-four as a hitter. I don't recall ever seeing him bat but knowing his history and reading his story, those were surely two of the hardest-worked-for hits in baseball history.
This is a wonderful book about an incredible night in the life of one of the most inspiring athletes in history, and the personal chapters make it even better.
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LibraryThing member dmcco01
Jim Abbott's wonderful autobiography takes us behind the scenes of a major league life that defied odds. I particularly appreciated Abbott's frank discussion of his self-doubts on the field and his struggle to discover his identity outside of his athletic career. I would highly recommend this book
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to all baseball fans and also to anyone who enjoys an inspirational story of perseverance and accomplishment. Show Less
LibraryThing member GaryLeeJones
A very thoughtful exploration not only of biographical events but of their emotional and psychological impacts on Abbott. The writing throughout is clear, often very moving. The structure takes some getting used to, as the telling moves freely back and forth between the chronological events of his
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life, the events of the no-hitter, and Abbott's associated responses both to the events and to the telling of the events, and their emotive links. The structure, in other words, is more like how our minds work than how our calendars work, but it is rewarding reading altogether. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrmapcase
Jim Abbott is a former MLB Pitcher, Olympic Gold Medalist, and college all-star. He also has just one hand, but he hasn’t let this define himself, which he tells as an engaging story of his life intermixed with his no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. He talks about the good times as well as
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the low points with admirable frankness. This is a good book for baseball fans or parents and kids dealing with a disability. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrgoetziii
Obviously a remarkably inspiring story, Jim Abbott's autobiography tells of his rise and career as a left-handed pitcher for the Angels, Yankees, White Sox, and Brewers. Abbott, who was born with a defective (nonexistent?) right hand, shares his own experiences and frustrations as he lived with the
If I have one quibble with the book it is with Tim Brown, the ghostwriter. I grew up in Los Angeles and am hence rather familiar with Brown's journalistic style. His style is more suited for that medium--newspaper articles are shorter--but can still be very frustrating even there. The problem with it is that he gets too cute with his use of language and of symbolism, and it appears that he is trying too hard to get across a message sometimes when a simple, declarative sentence would have done the job perfectly. He recurs to an image so many times in so concentrated a space that it almost makes the reader want to scream: "I GET IT!!" And not that he intends it, but it makes the reader feel a little dull-witted, which is never a good way for a writer to ingratiate himself. He is very skilled, but too skilled for his own good and one thing that comes with true maturity as a writer is the ability to recognize when enough is enough--enough use of a symbol, enough use of repetition, enough sentences or paragraphs or words. Brown does not have that discipline.
Still very much worth the read. The fact that the guy could do it at all--throw a ball, let alone field it, at a rudimentary level--is quite the feat and how he did it would deserve examination even had he not, say, pitched a no-hitter in the Major Leagues against a lineup with Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome.
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moniker of "one-handed" before "baseball player" at all stages of his life. One imagines his preference to escape the defect is born out of a stronger will than most ordinary men possess.If I have one quibble with the book it is with Tim Brown, the ghostwriter. I grew up in Los Angeles and am hence rather familiar with Brown's journalistic style. His style is more suited for that medium--newspaper articles are shorter--but can still be very frustrating even there. The problem with it is that he gets too cute with his use of language and of symbolism, and it appears that he is trying too hard to get across a message sometimes when a simple, declarative sentence would have done the job perfectly. He recurs to an image so many times in so concentrated a space that it almost makes the reader want to scream: "I GET IT!!" And not that he intends it, but it makes the reader feel a little dull-witted, which is never a good way for a writer to ingratiate himself. He is very skilled, but too skilled for his own good and one thing that comes with true maturity as a writer is the ability to recognize when enough is enough--enough use of a symbol, enough use of repetition, enough sentences or paragraphs or words. Brown does not have that discipline.
Still very much worth the read. The fact that the guy could do it at all--throw a ball, let alone field it, at a rudimentary level--is quite the feat and how he did it would deserve examination even had he not, say, pitched a no-hitter in the Major Leagues against a lineup with Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome.
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LibraryThing member CharlesBoyd
Imperfect, An Improbable Life, by Jim Abbott and Tim Brown is not a book about a pitcher who was a star in college, won a gold medal in the Olympics, pitched ten years in the big leagues, and pitched a no hitter in 1993, though Jim Abbott did all of those things. This is the story of a man who has
This would be a fine book even if Abbott wasn't a famous person, if he was a teacher, a carpenter, or anything else.
Inspiring is the word that best describes this book.
Read this book if you are baseball fan. Read this book if you're not a baseball fan. Read this book if you want to be inspired and want to get to know a remarkable person. Abbott is unfailingly honest and perhaps a bit too hard on himself. He pays tribute to the many people in his life who have inspired him and helped him. This is a man I’d like to meet, to talk to, to compare notes about life. Keep on keeping on, Jim. Best of luck.
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spent his entire life dealing with being born without a right hand, dealing with his own perception of himself because of that and dealing with the perceptions other people have of him. This would be a fine book even if Abbott wasn't a famous person, if he was a teacher, a carpenter, or anything else.
Inspiring is the word that best describes this book.
Read this book if you are baseball fan. Read this book if you're not a baseball fan. Read this book if you want to be inspired and want to get to know a remarkable person. Abbott is unfailingly honest and perhaps a bit too hard on himself. He pays tribute to the many people in his life who have inspired him and helped him. This is a man I’d like to meet, to talk to, to compare notes about life. Keep on keeping on, Jim. Best of luck.
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LibraryThing member fdholt
Imperfect is the story of a left handed pitcher who played for the University of Michigan, competed in the 1987 Pan American games and won a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, went on to a major league career with the California Angels and New York Yankees. He was one of the very few players who
Written in an informal style (definitely helped by co-writer Tim Brown), the book is organized around the perfect game, inning by inning, a style that is popular with recent sports biographies. Alternate chapters fill in the story of Abbott’s life. He is clear that his disability does not define who he is and that he pitched in the major leagues because he could do so, not because of the lack of a hand.
The final copy will contain photographs, which will enhance the story. However, the book would have been helped by an index as well as pages with Abbott’s stats so that a reader would not need to look elsewhere. I would recommend this book to baseball fans as a look into the making of a pitcher, and, on another level, as a book about overcoming disabilities. Jim Abbott is a remarkable athlete and a remarkable man!
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bypassed the minor leagues and, on September 4th, 1993, he pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against the Indians. He received enough votes for the Cy Young award in 1991 to place third. He retired in 1998 with a final ERA of 4.25 and a career win-loss of 87–108, in spite of pitching for some pretty dismal teams and losing his fastball. Impressive stats, especially for an ordinary pitcher. But Jim Abbott was special. Born without a right hand, he overcame the odds and pitched in the major leagues for 10 seasons. (He did not play in 1997.)Written in an informal style (definitely helped by co-writer Tim Brown), the book is organized around the perfect game, inning by inning, a style that is popular with recent sports biographies. Alternate chapters fill in the story of Abbott’s life. He is clear that his disability does not define who he is and that he pitched in the major leagues because he could do so, not because of the lack of a hand.
The final copy will contain photographs, which will enhance the story. However, the book would have been helped by an index as well as pages with Abbott’s stats so that a reader would not need to look elsewhere. I would recommend this book to baseball fans as a look into the making of a pitcher, and, on another level, as a book about overcoming disabilities. Jim Abbott is a remarkable athlete and a remarkable man!
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LibraryThing member mysterymax
Imperfect is a very telling title for this book, as it is far more about Jim Abbott's lack of a right hand, than about baseball. In fact, it is mostly about the mental challenges he faced because of that lack.
The best part of the book is when Abbott recalls the games he played in. The no-hitter
I saw Abbott pitch once, and it was a great experience. I was quite excited when I saw this book, but I was disappointed. In one place Abbott comments on his arrival with a new team and states that if he were around long enough, pretty soon his disability would be forgotten. And as much as he seems to long for that to happen and to be seen that way, the major overtone of the book is that of Abbott's never letting himself do what he wanted of others, to simply see himself as a ballplayer, which enough challenges for anyone.
I don't want to take away from what Abbott accomplished. He is an inspiration. For everyone. For we must all find within ourselves the determination to become exceptional with whatever starting material we have. But I would have liked the book to be more about the games he played, the teams, and the other players he met throughout his career.
The best part of the book is when Abbott recalls the games he played in. The no-hitter
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that he pitched is told inning by inning, every other chapter. But the chapters aren't evenly balanced in terms of length. The chapters dealing with his no-hitter are generally quite short, usually only a couple of pages. Equally good are the tales about playing against the Cuban team, in front of Castro, and the final game in the Olympics.I saw Abbott pitch once, and it was a great experience. I was quite excited when I saw this book, but I was disappointed. In one place Abbott comments on his arrival with a new team and states that if he were around long enough, pretty soon his disability would be forgotten. And as much as he seems to long for that to happen and to be seen that way, the major overtone of the book is that of Abbott's never letting himself do what he wanted of others, to simply see himself as a ballplayer, which enough challenges for anyone.
I don't want to take away from what Abbott accomplished. He is an inspiration. For everyone. For we must all find within ourselves the determination to become exceptional with whatever starting material we have. But I would have liked the book to be more about the games he played, the teams, and the other players he met throughout his career.
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LibraryThing member jsewvello
Jim Abbott pitched for four teams, including two years with the Yankees. In one of those games he threw a no-hitter. Since I am a Yankee fan, I was very pleased to receive this book. I thought the book was great and very inspirational. Jim Abbott has lived a great life. I know that this is an
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advanced copy of the book, but I wished that it would have contained pictures and his career statistics. Other than that, I enjoyed reading the book very much. Show Less
LibraryThing member zzshupinga
ARC provided by Goodreads
When I was growing up I wasn’t really into sports. I could barely play them and they just didn’t do much for me. But I did like reading baseball stories and I remember reading in “Sports Illustrated for Kids” about Jim Abbott...the one handed baseball pitcher who
The story alternates between Jim’s life growing up and one of the defining moments of his baseball career...the day that he threw a no-hitter in 1993 against the Cleveland Indians. Jim walks us through that day, from getting up and eating breakfast with his wife, to arriving at the ballpark, to the nerves throughout the day, to the very last out. He gives us a look into what it’s like to hear the boos and the roar of the crowd for this defining moment. And just how this story relates to his life.
Jim’s story begins with his daughter and her kindergarten class. He came for bring your parent to class day and she asked a question that he had never been asked before, yet one that permeated his life. “Do you like your little hand?” And from that point forward Jim shares with us his desire, his drive, and his perseverance to be known for more than just his hand, but for being a baseball pitcher and more importantly for being a good human being.
And that is actually my favorite aspect of this book. Jim being humble, thankful for what he had, for what others didn’t have, for what he could do to help others like him. It’s not necessarily what he wanted, but he did it anyway. Not by trying to make any grand gestures and appearances, but by simply being himself. Greeting the fans, talking to them, answering each and every letter that came his way just to let them know not to give up. His story reveals that he’s more than just a baseball pitcher, but a good person. And I’m sure some folks are reading this thinking “oh it’s an autobiography he could just be making it up,” but that’s not the way it reads at all. Jim isn’t bragging about anything and he doesn’t really try to make any of these aspects stand out, but they do anyway because that's the type person he is.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball. It’s a book about a humble man who was also a baseball pitcher. It’s filled with humor, insight into the sports world, and humanity. I highly recommend this book and it’s one that folks should read at least once. And then see how they feel about reading it a few more times after that.
When I was growing up I wasn’t really into sports. I could barely play them and they just didn’t do much for me. But I did like reading baseball stories and I remember reading in “Sports Illustrated for Kids” about Jim Abbott...the one handed baseball pitcher who
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pitched for the US Olympic Team and threw a no-hitter for the New York Yankees. And something about that story resonated with me, his perseverance, his desire to be known not as the one handed pitcher but just as a baseball player, and ever since then he’s been one of my favorite athletes. So I was really excited about having the chance to read his story. And what a powerful story it is.The story alternates between Jim’s life growing up and one of the defining moments of his baseball career...the day that he threw a no-hitter in 1993 against the Cleveland Indians. Jim walks us through that day, from getting up and eating breakfast with his wife, to arriving at the ballpark, to the nerves throughout the day, to the very last out. He gives us a look into what it’s like to hear the boos and the roar of the crowd for this defining moment. And just how this story relates to his life.
Jim’s story begins with his daughter and her kindergarten class. He came for bring your parent to class day and she asked a question that he had never been asked before, yet one that permeated his life. “Do you like your little hand?” And from that point forward Jim shares with us his desire, his drive, and his perseverance to be known for more than just his hand, but for being a baseball pitcher and more importantly for being a good human being.
And that is actually my favorite aspect of this book. Jim being humble, thankful for what he had, for what others didn’t have, for what he could do to help others like him. It’s not necessarily what he wanted, but he did it anyway. Not by trying to make any grand gestures and appearances, but by simply being himself. Greeting the fans, talking to them, answering each and every letter that came his way just to let them know not to give up. His story reveals that he’s more than just a baseball pitcher, but a good person. And I’m sure some folks are reading this thinking “oh it’s an autobiography he could just be making it up,” but that’s not the way it reads at all. Jim isn’t bragging about anything and he doesn’t really try to make any of these aspects stand out, but they do anyway because that's the type person he is.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball. It’s a book about a humble man who was also a baseball pitcher. It’s filled with humor, insight into the sports world, and humanity. I highly recommend this book and it’s one that folks should read at least once. And then see how they feel about reading it a few more times after that.
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LibraryThing member librarygeek33
I read this book, uncharacteristically for me, because of the picture on the cover. It shows a one-handed pitcher wearing a NY Yankees uniform standing on the pitcher's mound. Furthermore, the notes said that he pitched a no-hitter and the gold medal game at the Olympics. Being an avid Red Sox fan
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(in the past), how could I not have heard of this guy? My motivation turned out to be very telling. It seems Jim Abbott spent his early years trying to succeed in baseball while shying away from the inescapable label of being "the one-handed pitcher." He eventually comes to see the wisdom of his parents who taught him to treat his situation as an opportunity, not a curse, and each increase in his level of play as a gift. He ultimately grew into his role as an inspiration for people with similar disabilities. I found Jim's personal musings to be the best aspect of the book and made it much better than the average baseball memoir. The action jumps around in time, with the centerpiece being an account of his no-hitter. The scattered pitch-by-pitch narrative was not my favorite part of the book, but I have to admit that I had tears in my eyes at the end so, who can complain? Show Less
LibraryThing member jlhilljr
This has been one of the best 20th century American biographies I have read. Jim Abbot's life is a simple, all-American life that has been anything but simple or typical. This book has a genuine honesty and refreshing lack of cliche. I generally do not care for biography, but I certainly make an
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exception here. Show Less
LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
As a Michigan Woman, I remember Jim Abbott coming to pitch for the Wolverines. I've followed with pride and admiration his subsequent glories: Pan Am Games, Gold medal in the Olympics, major league career, third in Cy Young voting, and that outstanding no-hitter with the Yankees. Reading
Early in the book, he describes his daughter's innocent 'Daddy, do you like your little hand?' As we follow his story we learn of his complicated relationship with his right arm and with his self-perception. I found this an inspirational book. Most of us have been beset with feelings of being different, having to overcome some setback or heartache, or bouts of self-doubt. Jim Abbott replied to his daughter, "I do honey. I like my little hand. I haven't always liked it. And it hasn't always been easy. But it has taught me an important lesson: that life isn't always easy and it isn't always fair. But if we can make the most of what we've been given, and find our own way of doing things, you wouldn't believe what can be happen."
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'Imperfect', one gets all of the glories but also the pain, determination and sometime disappointments. All competitors, especially the successful ones, would say the road to accomplishment was not without its bumps. For Abbott, the path was steeper than for most because he accomplished this while onlympossessing one hand. The book is framed by an inning by inning examination of that epic no-hitter, taking breaks in between to reflect on his childhood, and college and pro careers. Early in the book, he describes his daughter's innocent 'Daddy, do you like your little hand?' As we follow his story we learn of his complicated relationship with his right arm and with his self-perception. I found this an inspirational book. Most of us have been beset with feelings of being different, having to overcome some setback or heartache, or bouts of self-doubt. Jim Abbott replied to his daughter, "I do honey. I like my little hand. I haven't always liked it. And it hasn't always been easy. But it has taught me an important lesson: that life isn't always easy and it isn't always fair. But if we can make the most of what we've been given, and find our own way of doing things, you wouldn't believe what can be happen."
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Awards
Michigan Notable Books (2013)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
304 p.; 6.42 inches
ISBN
0345523253 / 9780345523259
Other editions
Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott (Paper Book)
Imperfect : an improbable life by Jim Abbott (Paper Book)
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