by David Ortiz
First published 2008
David Ortiz opens his memoir in an impoverished neighborhood of the Dominican Republic, where baseball reigns supreme and young boys dream of escaping through the game. The future Red Sox legend recounts his journey from those humble beginnings through professional disappointment with the Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins, who released him as an underperformer. Everything changed when Ortiz arrived in baseball-obsessed Boston. He transformed into one of baseball's most feared sluggers and beloved figures, helping the Red Sox capture their first World Series championship in eighty-six years and breaking the Curse of the Bambino. Ortiz details his record-breaking performances, his explosive rise to fame, and the unique pressures of playing in Boston's intense spotlight. He shares intimate stories from the Red Sox clubhouse and reflects on balancing his role as a Ruthian baseball figure with his identity as a devoted father of three and charitable advocate for children's health in his homeland.
Genres: biography, autobiography, memoir, baseball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, underdog
Setting: Boston, Dominican Republic
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
288 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin