WHERE NOBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

John Feinstein is no stranger to taking a huge sports topic and breaking it into manageable glimpses for listeners. And count him among the group of authors who succeed at narrating their own words. Being that this is his reporting, he clearly knows the right emphasis and appropriate tones. Here, he opens up the world of minor-league baseball, where players either dream of making it to the big leagues or strive to make it back. He finds an assortment of people—players, managers, an umpire—and alternates between their stories. He does an especially good job of weaving in facts and details (exactly how much does a minor league player make?) while keeping their stories straight. No imitations here, no drawls—just the facts and anecdotes, about ballplayers and their dreams. M.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2014]