Saturday, January 16, 2016

A Book of Walks

Book: A Book of Walks
Author:Bruce Bochy
Edition:paperback, WellSpring Center in the Redwoods
Read:January 13, 2016
102 pages
Genre:  Outdoor,  Essay
Rated: 3  out of 5


Thoughts:
In the forward, Steve Kittman notes that Bochy's approach to situations is:
  • Be yourself
  • Don't overthink (the situation)
  • Trust your people and trust your gut
  • Lose yourself in a long walk.

Taking My Dog For A Walk

Bochy talks about taking his dog out and the relationship he has with him. Just a plain old fun chapter. The walk he takes us on is in San Diego where he managed before San Francisco.


Back to the Pfister in Milwaukee After A Tough Road Loss
What was Bochy thinking when he walked through a bad part of Milwaukee with $600 in his pocket? Well mostly just trying to relax and put a hard loss out of his mind. Sort of differentiates between mindless wandering and not walking with your mind.



Climbing Camelback to Look Down on the Arizona Desert
Old age and lots of wounds with a bit of youthfulness causes Bochy some problems.


'Walking From Ohio to Kentucky and Back, Over a Historic Suspension Bridge
He goes into some of the history behind the building of this suspension bridge. When I walk, I like to understand what goes on behind a trail. Who has traveled it before, why was it build. In this case the bridge was the forerunner to the Brooklyn Bridge. Intersting stuff.


In New York My Wife and I Spend Hours in Central Park
In some ways, this walk shows it is more interesting do a walk than describing it. But he does make a point that it can be good to go into someplace and just enjoy the location than be someone which everybody knows.


On My Way to the Ivy-Covered Walls: Walking Chicago's Lakefront Trail
His description of walking without headphones is one of the better passages in the book. He describes the sounds you hear while walking



My Everest: To the Golden Gate Bridge
Not sure what he means by his Everest.  I have done this walk before, while long, it is not physically hard. Is this the pinnacle of his walks? It is a pretty nice walk.

But there is an element of humility in this chapter. When he describes how when he is out walking and tourists recognize him, nodding and waving, just like he is part of the San Francisco scene like the sea lions barking. A good understanding of his place, not a big head-even for a guy who wears a size 8+ cap.

He also notes we are all like tourists sometime. Isn't that the truth. What is a tourist but someone who is seeing things without living there? If we are not living in a moment, we are only a tourist in life, not truly living. That is the problem with irony, it removes ourselves from living, makes us aloof.


Evaluation:
Usually with a baseball manager, you associate walks with going to the pitcher's mound to bring in relief. But Bruce Bochy, the manager of the San Francisco Giants has written a book about the walks he has had outside of the park, in the cities where his teams have played. It is a small book with nine chapters. The writing is not good, but it is interesting to read Bochy's thoughts on what he enjoys in his walks and why he takes a stroll.

There are several things which would make this book better. First, the maps he provides leave you scratching your head on where locations are. Before trying to trace his steps, get a better map. Second, this is definitely not a trail guide. Third, the writings is almost like his words were transcribed from some musings he did. This is not a tour book, so those things are excusable. It is a tour of Bochy's mind.

I do not know that you will learn great management strategy. But not everything needs to be utilitarian, somethings are to be enjoyed. So if you are looking for new places to walk, this little book is probably not it. But if you are a Giants fan and want to enjoy the manager a bit more,  you could do a lot worse.

 

Good Quotes:
  • First Line: For millions of San Francisco Giants fans, it feels like Bruce Bochy is a member of the family.
  • Last Line: It was very, very cool.
  •  Most of our important thinking comes ahead of time. (Publisher's Note)
  • Remain seated as little as possible, put no trust in any thought that is not born in the open, to the accompaniment of free bodily motion—nor in one in which even the muscles do not celebrate a feast. Friedrich Nietzsche, Ecco Homo, Why Am I So Clever
  • Dogs are just beautiful. They don't care if you win or lose. They don't care what's happening when you're not with them. They're always glad to see you. It's a great way to go through life.  chp: Taking My Dog For A Walk
  • ...we all have our aches and pains, especially as we get up there a little in years, and yet you can't let that slow you down. You've got to get out there and walk anyway. Sometimes the walking the walking will loosen you up and make you feel better. chp: Climbing Camelback to Look Down on the Arizona Desert 
  • That's part of the joy of walking for me, being focused on whatever I see along the way, alert to everything from a couple of song birds making a bird bath out of a fountain to some friendly faces smiling at me... chp  On My Way to the Ivy-Covered Walls: Walking Chicago's Lakefront Trail
Table of Contents:
  • Publisher's Note: A Walk Will Do You Good
  • Taking My Dog For A Walk
  • Back to the Pfister in Milwaukee After A Tough Road Loss
  • My Wife and I, Walking Up the Steps to Coit Tower
  • Climbing Camelback to Look Down on the Arizona Desert
  • 'Walking From Ohio to Kentucky and Back, Over a Historic Suspension Bridge
  • In New York My Wife and I Spend Hours in central Park
  • On My Way to the Ivy-Covered Walls: Walking Chicago's Lakefront Trail
  • My Everest: To the Golden Gate Bridge

References:
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