What's on your baseball book reading list?

Great baseball writing is as interesting to me as the game itself. And I've got some catching up to do in the baseball book department.

Baseball reads better than any other sport. I don't know why. But it's clear that in sports literature, baseball has, by far, generated the most and the highest quality literature. Maybe it's the nature of the game: Longer pauses between action may make for more contemplative fans. Perhaps those pauses are perfect for writers, fertile ground for sprouting new ideas and sentences. Or, maybe baseball fans and writers are just smarter than fans in other sports. Better writers and more prolific readers. I like that answer better.

In any case, in one merciful month I will have completed the part-time MBA program at the University of Florida. And I know I'll have to deal with the emotional trauma of not having to calculate the weighted average cost of capital each day. To cope, I plan to throw myself into baseball books. I'm inspired by my recent reading of Baseball: The Writer's Game, which devotes a chapter each to a number of great baseball writers: Bill James, Roger Kahn, W.P. Kinsella and many more. But where was Roger Angell? How can you write a book on great baseball writers without Angell?

Anyway, I've picked out the first two books I'll start with. From there, the list is as haphazard as a Rick Ankiel pitching session. I also expect the list to evolve a bit. I'll offer my review of each one as I finish it throughout the summer and beyond.

Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans — Tim McCarver I know. McCarver is a blowhard. He didn't take the hint when Dion soaked him. But the guy has played and seen a lot of baseball. So I'm starting with this book, to see if I can brush up on my technical knowledge of the game.
The Boys of Summer — Roger Kahn Often called baseball's finest piece of literature, I'm looking forward to reading Kahn's poetic rendering of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the early 1950s, during and after their prime. After McCarver's technical droning, I'm going to want something with a more artistic flair to it.
Nine Innings — Daniel Okrent This book is about a single game between the Brewers and Orioles from June of 1982. It weaves relevant tangents into the course of the game, including a deep explanation of the Ted Simmons trade. Why that sounds interesting to me, I have no idea. It does though.
The Science of Hitting — Ted Williams The given classic on putting bat to ball. It's interesting to me that even after all these years, this book remains in the mix on Amazon's list of top-selling baseball books. Another read in the "technical" category.
Aces — Mychael Urban Billy Beane's A's are a fascinating ongoing topic. I'm looking forward to this look at Hudson, Mulder and Zito from last season.
Perfect I'm Not: Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches, and Baseball — David Wells I'm not a big fan of big David, but he is interesting. Hopefully his book will be, too.
Ball Four — Jim Bouton The classic that ended baseball's long age of perceived innocence. Bouton introduced the "tell all" genre into baseball literature. Memo to Jose Canseco: send Bouton a commission check. You owe him.
A Pitcher's Story: Innings with David Cone — Roger Angell I really enjoyed reading Angell's Game Time last spring. This book details Angell's season with David Cone—a season in which Cone struggled mightily. Angell is one of the all-time great baseball writers, so I figure I can't go wrong with this choice.
Pure Baseball: Pitch by Pitch for the Advanced Fan — Keith Hernandez Keith talks his way through a single game, covering baseball strategy in depth.
Where's Harry? — Steve Stone A collection of stories from my all-time favorite broadcaster, Harry Caray, written by a true pro: Steve Stone.
Three Nights in August — Buzz Bissinger This book covers a three-game series between the Cubs and Cardinals from August of 2003.
Emperors and Idiots: The Hundred-Year Rivalry Between the Yankees and Red Sox, From the Very Beginning to the End of the Curse — Mike Vaccaro This book, not out yet, details the 100-year history of the greatest rivalry in any pro sport: BoSox-Yanks. I don't particularly care for either team, but I want a deeper understanding of the history behind the animosity these teams—and their fans—share.
Cubs Nation: 162 Games. 162 Stories. 1 Addiction. — Gene Wojciechowski I don't really know exactly what this book is about. But I am a Cubs fan. And I enjoy reading Wojciechowski, much more than I enjoy spelling his name.
The Rookie: The Incredible True Story of a Man Who Never Gave Up on His Dream — Jim Morris The compelling story of one-time Devil Rays pitcher Jim Morris, who proved it's never too late to chase a dream.
The Numbers Game: Baseball's Lifelong Fascination with Statistics — Alan Schwarz Alan digs into the history of stats in baseball—who invented what, why baseball fans are so drawn to numbers and what it all adds up to.

So there's the big list. Have I missed any great ones? Any new books on the horizon I need to get on my list?