Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told through Baseball Cards Audiobook

" As an author of creative nonfiction, I occasionally come across examples of the genre and think, "Man, I wish I would have written that." THE KNOW-IT-ALL by AJ Jacobs (about his mission to read the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica) was certainly one of those books. Brilliantly funny. CARDBOARD GODS is another. I bought the book for the concept -- using baseball cards to tell the story of childhood angst and exploration. Great idea. But I'm writing this rare (for me) review because I just LOVED the way that concept played out. Josh Wilker really knows how to extrapolate profundity from the seemingly mundane, how to turn a 3-page essay into a story that touches the soul, how to turn a phrase as smoothly as Trammell and Whitaker used to turn the double play. Reading CARDBOARD GODS was like watching Greg Maddux pitch, like watching Carew wield a bat. Sure, I was a 1970s baseball card collector,too, and I got a kick out seeing those names and faces -- Ivan Dejesus! Biff Pocoroba! Kurt Bevacqua! -- that were such a vivid part of my childhood. But this book is a very adult reminiscence. And it is written beautifully. So for me, there was some envy and surprise involved in the reading. It was an unexpected home run -- sort of the way Wilker must have felt when Bucky Dent took his infamous swing... "

" I saw myself in this book in so many places that it was kind of spooky at times. Josh's feelings on baseball, baseball cards and growing up really resonated with me and brought back memories that I haven't recalled in many years. Like Josh, my obsession with baseball cards met an inevitable conclusion, but my love for the game continues even if it will never again reach that fevered pitch of youth where I would live and die by how my Astros did that night. I thought this book would be gimmicky with the baseball cards theme being forced and feeling contrived, but Wilker did a great job of tying each card into the story of his life in a way that sent my mind back to my collection time and time again. I cried when Josh surprisingly said that his childhood was happy, and my heart soared when his Red Sox finally won the World Series and he got to celebrate with his brother. I never have the desire to reach out to an author and personally tell him how his story impacted me, but I found myself wanting to do that with Cardboard Gods, probably because in many ways his story is my story. "

" The concept of using baseball cards to tell the story of the author's life is a cool concept. "

" Brilliant blend of memoir and sports comedy. His website is hilarious too. "

" If you enjoy memoirs and if baseball was ever a part of your life, then you'll love Cardboard Gods. Wilker sorts thru his own childhood with the help of his baseball card collection. Some cards are specifically tied to individual events, but Wilker finds a way for most of the cards and players to represent the essential pieces of his childhood and young adult life. "

" I was very excited when I won this as a first-reads. The concept of this book sounded very intriguing...he tells of his childhood through his baseball cards. Some of the chapters were great, others not as good. I enjoyed his younger years better than later on. I think this book may be a better read for guys though; they may relate better. "

" The story of growing up in the 70's in an unusual family(two Dads). Each page is about a baseball card--and his descriptions of every nuance of the card and the player are fantastic--but at the same time tells a bit more of the story. "

" 3 stars is probably charitable. Had its moments, but overall was quite a downer. "

" A memoir of a somewhat awkward childhood told through baseball cards... I loved it. "

" Great book for sports lovers! I didn't think I would like it but I was pleasently surprised. "

" Fun memories of my youth collecting baseball cards. I had many of the cards in the book. The author tells his stories of growing up in an alternative family in the 70's through baseball cards. "

" The first 2/3 of this book reads like the journal of boys, of a certain age, who grew up to be men of a certain age. The self-examination, perhaps not so much. "

" A wonderful book about growing up weird in the 70's. Each chapter is based on memories of a different baseball card. It may sound gimmicky, but this is great writing. "

" One of the best memoirs I've read in a while. You don't have to have been a baseball card collector to feel the sadness in this book. Also, the only book I've ever read where the dedication page gave me goosebumps(it's the last page.) "

" This book was written for me. At first I thought it would be cheesy, but it was one of the best memoirs I've ever read. "

" The journey of life as told through baseball cards. "

" I wasn't sure what to expect when I first received this book but to my pleasure I learned Josh Wilker is a talented writer! Wilker portrays his life story in a poignant yet humorous way that enables the reader to reminisce at the same time. I highly recommend this book for all readers. "

" Great book for sports lovers! I didn't think I would like it but I was pleasently surprised. "

" An extremely original and beautiful memoir that any lover of baseball would appreciate and enjoy. "

" A wonderful book about growing up weird in the 70's. Each chapter is based on memories of a different baseball card. It may sound gimmicky, but this is great writing. "

" The story of growing up in the 70's in an unusual family(two Dads). Each page is about a baseball card--and his descriptions of every nuance of the card and the player are fantastic--but at the same time tells a bit more of the story. "

" One of the best memoirs I've read in a while. You don't have to have been a baseball card collector to feel the sadness in this book. Also, the only book I've ever read where the dedication page gave me goosebumps(it's the last page.) "