Best books … chosen by Tom Werner
Here, the favorite baseball books of the chairman of the Boston Red Sox, an award-winning TV producer whose credits include That ’70s Show, The Cosby Show, and Roseanne.
Below, the favorite baseball books of the chairman of the Boston Red Sox, an award-winning TV producer whose credits include That ’70s Show, The Cosby Show, and Roseanne.
Take Time for Paradise by A. Bartlett Giamatti (out of print). The late commissioner may be baseball’s most poetic author, and this book eloquently conveys why the sport is our greatest game. Along the way, Giamatti talks about the significance of such totems as home plate: “Everyone wants to arrive at the same place, which is where they start.”
Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris (Bison, $15). A classic film but an even better novel. The story chronicles the raucous shenanigans of a fictional group of New York ballplayers. The only time I have ever cried more at an ending was when I watched Red Sox lefty Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, complete his 2008 no-hitter.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Game Time by Roger Angell (Harvest, $15). Any list of this kind should include the writings of Angell, the finest sportswriter of our era. This compilation happens to include his 2001 prediction that Fenway Park would be torn down as soon as the “new management” found a place to put “a nice, modern $500 million park with luxury suites and limo parking.” Angell is a great writer, but I didn’t claim he is a prophet!
In the Best Interests of Baseball by Andrew Zimbalist (Wiley, $15). Professor Zimbalist talks about sports economics in a way that even non–econ majors can grasp. This book analyzes the almost two-decade-long tenure of the game’s current top executive, Bud Selig. At its conclusion, you may understand why I believe Selig is the greatest commissioner in baseball’s history.
The Year I Owned the Yankees by Sparky Lyle (out of print). Lyle imagines buying the Yankees from George Steinbrenner in the most hilarious baseball book I have ever read. Early on, while cleaning out the Boss’ desk, the ex-pitcher finds a branding iron with the Yankee logo on top. “I wondered,” he says, “if that was the reason why players like Mickey Rivers and Judge Lewis never went into the shower after a game.”
The Teammates by David Halberstam (Hyperion, $14). Knowing that Ted Williams is dying, three ex-teammates make a pilgrimage to see Teddy Ballgame one last time. This book isn’t so much about legendary ballplayers as about the dynamics of six-decade-old male friendships. Finishing it, I missed not only Williams but Halberstam.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Kim Jong Un’s triumph: the rise and rise of North Korea’s dictator
In the Spotlight North Korean leader has strengthened ties with Russia and China, and recently revealed his ‘respected child’ to the world
-
Crossword: September 13, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War II
Feature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short stories
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationships
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
Aysegul Savas' 6 favorite books for readers who love immersive settings
Feature The Paris-based Turkish author recommends works by Hiromi Kawakami, Virginia Woolf, and more
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of war
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more