Brooks on Books: Reggie Jackson: The Life and Thunderous Career of Baseball's Mr. October

There is kind of a potential problem with this book. First, let me say it's a great read, and the fascinating character that is Reggie Jackson always makes an intriguing subject. Perry covers the big issues and explores the contradictions and complications that are as much a part of the slugger as his massive home runs and famous "Mr. October" moniker.

Perry opens with an exciting account of the 1977 World Series game 6 in which Jackson belted 3 homers on 3 consecutive pitches. It's a gripping section, richly detailed with amazing insights into what Jackson himself was thinking as he experienced that awesome night. Impressed, I assumed Jackson cooperated heavily or at least submitted to some long interviews, and I flipped to the back to determine the extent of the slugger's involvement.

Here's the extent of the slugger's involvement: Nil. Reggie declined invitations to participate in this project. Problem is, Perry, as he admits in an author's note at the end of the book, goes beyond just perusing secondary sources and interviewing associates to get into Jackson's head. He puts himself into Jackson's head, based on his research, to produce what he feels confident are accurate descriptions of the star's thoughts.

Now, I will say that Perry does a good job throughout the text of explaining his theories on Jackson's frame of mind, and also this kind of projection lessens as the book goes on. He assures us that all "quotes and statements of fact are sourced and verified." However, Perry is still doing a lot of armchair psychoanalysis on issues like Reggie's conflicting attitudes towards race, and he may go far beyond what some readers are willing to accept.

If you're willing to accept this aspect of the book, you'll enjoy a solid account of a remarkable career, particularly the wild and successful year with the A's dynasty and the Yankees machine. There is enough detail of specific games without bogging down the narrative, and the highs and lows are well covered. One thing reading this book makes you want to do is go get biographies of colorful owners Charlie Finley and George Steinbrenner. I want to make special mention of how this bio reminds us what a turd Steinbrenner could be. Many of us decided to kind of look the other way when he passed away this year, perhaps rightfully so, but, man, the dude was capable of some petty, despicable actions, like leaking blatant lies to the media to discredit his enemies (such as on/off enemy Jackson).

I like how Perry is willing to explore the myths and legends attached to Mr. October's persona and evaluate their veracity. I wish Perry went a little deeper sometimes--for example, in Jackson's stay in Oakland, he was quoted as making some controversial comments regarding amphetamine use, comments he later disavowed, and the author bailed him out by accepting blame. Is that poor sportswriter still around? Perry interviews a lot of writers for this book, and in fact seems to rely on them heavily, but this story just kind of sits there. It seems clear that the guy fell on his sword to help out Jackson, but we don't get much beyond the surface.

Another quibble I have is the lack of material on Jackson's post-Yankees and especially his post-baseball career. Reggie is still a visible public figure, and I'd like to know more about his life after leaving the game. And one could question the definitiveness of any Jackson biography that fails to delve into his classic guest shot on "The Jeffersons" when George botched an easy grab of a home run ball and humiliated himself on television.

Still, Perry does his job here, crafting an entertaining account of a memorable life. It may not be the single definitive word on Mr. October, but it's a fine place to start for novices and a solid additional read for hardcore fans who have already consumed a lot of info on those legendary A's and Yankees teams.