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From
Paris Review and
New Yorker cartoonist Jason Novak, a witty history of the scrappy beginnings of baseball, told in 101 one-sentence biographies.
About the author
Jason Novak is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Paris Review, and the Believer, among other places. He lives in Oakland, California.
Summary
From Paris Review and New Yorker cartoonist Jason Novak, a witty history of the scrappy beginnings of baseball, told in 101 one-sentence biographies.
Foreword
Endorsements (potential): Dave Zirin, LeAnne Howe, Josh Ostergaard, Sandy Koufax
Early access BLADs
National print, radio, and online campaign
Dedicated sports publicist for national radio campaign
Targeted bookseller mailing
Excerpts possible at Paris Review, New Yorker
Advertising: Bookforum, SABR Baseball Research Journal
Promotion at: BookExpo America, ALA Annual, Heartland Fall Forum
Promotion on Coffee House Press e-newsletter, website, and social media channels
Giveaways on Twitter, Instagram & Goodreads
Targeted publicity to promote author's speaking engagements
Additional text
“A Schadenfreude spit-take of history.” —Los Angeles Times
“The real work of the book is drawing attention to the black, Cuban, and Native American players despite horrible racism. . . . Novak’s handles their stories with care and Baseball Epic is a wonderful entrant because of it.” —The A.V. Club
“While flag-waving, replays, and statistical noise ruin the joy of contemporary baseball, Jason Novak has written and illustrated a Gorey-esque history of the dead-ball era that is delightfully morbid, intriguing, and a hell of a lot of fun. And maybe best of all, Novak’s magic comes from stories rather than numbers.” —Josh Ostergaard
“Jason Novak’s graphic essay bridges the mundane, the dangerous, and the divine in the era of the dead ball. We see the fingers of fate upon each of Novak’s ball players. Plays add up. Sacrifices add up and conclude mostly off the field. Jim Shaw had multiple scrapes with death until he shot himself hunting rabbits. Ditto Bill Hobbs. Ditto Charlie Armbruster. Chief Johnson was shot dead over a dice game. Benny Kauff wore his celebrity casually. Cheeky clothes likely led to his rigging the 1919 World Series. Baseball Epic offers subtle, harsh, but sweet images of the men and women who played for the love of the game.” —LeAnne Howe
“Novak provides a window into the personalities and untold histories of the sport.” —Vol. 1 Brooklyn
“This sometimes funny, sometimes sad book will enchant any baseball fan and also serves as a window into a period of American history that most of us know too little about. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this treasure.” —David Unowsky
Praise for Jason Novak
“A witty and delightfully morbid book that will make you wonder why on earth anyone would want to be a Roman Emperor.” —Mike Duncan, best-selling author of The Storm Before the Storm
“This twisted and fantastically illustrated survey of the brutal fate of every Roman Emperor is a strong reminder to study history—because we sure as hell don’t want to repeat it.” —Wendy MacNaughton, best-selling author of Pen & Ink
