Book Log 2016 #20: Up, Up and Away by Jonah Keri

So we went to Montreal for a few days this past summer, and I spent some time trying to decide on what regionally-appropriate literature to pair with the trip. I was all set to pick up some Mordecai Richler, and then the hold I put out on this book came up. Goodbye Barney's Version, hello Montreal Expos!

This history of this star-crossed and doomed franchise is told in great and entertaining detail, as befits a book written by a fan. Keri's personal investment with the team is clear, as the story of the team is interspersed throughout with personal memories and observations, which adds depth and texture to an already engrossing narrative. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that after reading this, I actually felt slightly sympathetic for Jeffrey Loria, the owner who sold the team to Major League Baseball and more or less sealed its relocation fate (note: only slightly sympathetic, I still think on the whole baseball would have been better off if Loria never became an owner).

An excellent book for baseball fans, especially those who remember the Expos as a going concern.