EMPERORS AND IDIOTS The Hundred Year Rivalry Between the Yankees and Red Sox, from the Very Beginning to the End of the Curse

Vaccaro chronicles the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox, a conflict made more intense by Boston's failure to win a World Series from 1918 through 2003. Vaccaro ignores no details in his lengthy, yet surprisingly entertaining, chronicle, which ends in 2004, when the Sox win the Series and rid themselves of "The Curse." As always, Scott Brick's reading is excellent. He exudes empathy for the frustrations of Red Sox fans, yet he also appreciates the sense of entitlement surrounding the Yankees. Brick switches gears smoothly when quoting players or coaches, and his game accounts sound like they emanate from a seasoned announcer. Even casual baseball fans will find Vaccaro's painstakingly researched story interesting, although the shifts between current and historic events can be distracting. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]