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Current mood:  satisfied Category: Sports
Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic
by Alyssa Milano
Hardcover, 229 pages (plus glossary)
Published March 24, 2009
by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins
Part autobiography, part history, part primer, Safe at Home is Alyssa Milano's love letter to baseball. Starting with her enthusiasm for Yankees games as a youngster and progressing through her move to Los Angeles, subsequent disconnection from the sport and rekindled passion for the Dodgers, and ending with her recent involvement with Major League Baseball broadcasting and fashion, Milano depicts in great detail the experience of being a fan from a unique, yet familiar perspective. At the same time, the book takes an in-depth look at Milano's relationship with her family, describing how their shared enjoyment of baseball fostered a bond with her parents and brother that would provide comfort during difficult times, and joy throughout her life.
At first blush, it may seem that Safe at Home would appeal only to those who share Milano's fanaticism. Not so. Part of what makes the book so enjoyable is its accessibility to fans of any degree, even non-fans. For the uninitiated, the book works as a bit of an introduction to baseball (even providing a glossary of baseball terms), and as a history of some of the sport's memorable characters and defining moments. Yet for the long-time fan, the book works on a different level. While written by a Dodger fan, Milano's description of her love of the game transcends mere team allegiance. She relates the intensity, the joys, the heartbreak, and the camaraderie of fandom in such a way that fans of any team can find similarities in their own experiences. Seasoned baseball enthusiasts will find many an occasion to laugh out loud as Milano's personal anecdotes reflect moments from their own lives.
Milano also uses baseball as a springboard to delve into her personal life and examine the troubles, questions, and self-doubt that she has dealt with as she's grown up both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Like the humorous moments of fandom, many readers will find similarities between their own trials and the personal issues that Milano deals with in the book. While perhaps exacerbated by living in Hollywood, the body issues, the questions of life's purpose and direction, and the failure of personal relationships that Milano describes are shared by many.
Still, there's always that one shining beacon of hope: baseball.
Safe at Home guides readers through the universal ups and downs of both life and baseball, celebrating every moment, even the tough ones. In the end, it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read.
5:23 PM
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