A smart, rollicking narrative that delivers on all fronts…
Nikola-Lisa’s latest book celebrates off-the-field shenanigans of the American professional baseball player, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, who largely because of his home-run hitting between 1919 and 1935, became, and perhaps remains to this day, America’s most celebrated athlete. Beginning with Babe Ruth’s international fame and adulation, this biography goes back to Babe Ruth’s comical hijinks off the field, presenting a humorous, yet extremely revealing picture of the Yankees’ star hitter. Babe Ruth could have pursued several vastly different careers, from professional golf to boxing and acting to football: “He could have been a…/ JAZZ MAN/ a real razz-ma-tazz man,/ a foot-stomping’ rag man,” writes Nikola-Lisa as he delves into Babe Ruth’s love for music, “ Yes, he could have been-/ but he wasn’t.” Incorporating a fun narrative, a combination of free verse poetry and detailed text, assembled against a faded background, the book weaves in unique, and at times witty anecdotes from Babe Ruth’s off-the-field life, detailing his love for farming, music, and sports other than baseball. Details illuminating some of the challenges that the star faced, along with a timeline of certain events in his life, are infused nicely into the story. Black-and white cut-out images show Babe Ruth looking his usual great self. As the story unravels, Babe Ruth is revealed as a kind-hearted individual who never forgot his roots even after becoming famous. He touched the lives of others both through his generosity and bonding with fans. These tantalizing glimpses of a sports hero’s life, whose passion for baseball not only revolutionized the game but it also helped pull America out of the gloom of the Great Depression, is a must-have for school and public library shelves.
The Things He Could Have Been: Stories of Babe Ruth
W Nikola-Lisa
Gyroscope Books
Pub date September 15, 2023
ISBN 979-8986017310
Price $14.99 (USD) Paperback
