​Baseball: An Illustrated History is written by Geoffrey Ward and based on extensive research for the 1994 Emmy Award-winning National Public Television documentary titled Baseball, by Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns. 
 
The sport is a uniquely American.  It's a blend of two British games, Cricket and Rounders.  It was played as early as 1778 by American Revolutionary War soldiers at Valley Forge.  It is the only game that is played with a ball in which the ball is not involved in scoring.  
 
In 1839 Abner Doubleday drafted written rules for this hybrid game. Doubleday's rules dictated that it would be played on a square, and there would be a "base" at each 90-degree angle of the square.  To score, a batter, starting at the home base (home plate), would have to circumnavigate and touch all four bases. Doubleday called the game base-ball.  On one level the game is incredibly simple, but at another level it can be incredibly complex. 
 
Baseball is a sport of emotion and devotion.  It grew with America and became a part of our nation's soul. Its history parallels the American experience.  It spans the quest for racial justice, clashes of labor and management, and many other   

By Faye Herold, Library Committee Cochair, originally published in the October 2023 issue of the 1666 Coffman Newsletter

1. Recent and Relevant shelves and our Library website: A Library Committee member keeps these full and up-to-date with our latest purchases and donated books. Check the website out: Coffman Library
2. Bestseller lists: You don’t need to subscribe to the New York Times. For example, the Westport Library in Westport, CT, publishes the current “New York Times Best Sellers” every week as side-by-side fiction and nonfiction lists; go to Westport Library.
3. Your book club: Bet you already do this. If not, ask around or visit a public library website. For example, the Ramsey County Library’s “Explore” newsletter publishes each branch library’s upcoming book club meetings and titles. Go to rclreads.org.
4. Your friends or family: They may be looking to purchase your next gift. Tell them you want a good book!
5.  Judge a book by its cover: Why not? Open it up and read the first couple paragraphs. Maybe it’s for you. (I tried this recently. Big mistake. I returned the book unread.
6. Favorite author(s): Look for their next offering or search out an author’s earlier books.
7. Favorite subject(s): True crime? Biographies of Presidents? Civil War histories? Self-help books? Browse our Library shelves in your subject areas.
8. Websites that recommend books: Goodreads and others; Amazon has its own “best books” lists.
9. Bookstore displays: Did you know that Barnes and Noble has a room devoted to used books?
10. E-reader or e-audio sources online: Download to your Kindle, Nook, or Kobo and read without leaving your easy chair. Metro area public libraries subscribe to Libby, the free library reading app from OverDrive. (Note: you may need help to sign up for Libby.) Popular e-books often have long waiting lists. Amazon or Audible will get you your book faster for a price.

What’s your favorite way to discover a good read? I hope you find something new here!