THE UMPIRE HAS NO CLOTHES

This book is written by Jonathan Lowe. You thought Walter Witty was a real name? It's subtitled "Diary of a Sports Atheist," and that's exactly the perspective you get. Narrator Barry Abrams deftly controls the tone of his delivery. Like a deft race-car driver, he knows when to turn on the sarcasm, when to back off. Or like a coach demanding more from his team, he can ratchet up the emotions that this ranting book demands. The book's premise is that sports obsessions have formed a black hole of meaningless reverence in our culture. Self-aware fans might chuckle, but nonbelievers who have no time for sports will nod like bobbleheads. The book reads like the styles of Rick Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and Dave Barry have all been merged. It's entertaining at this length; any more would be too much. M.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2015]