Between the Lines: Nine Principles to Live By

This is a book about nine principles by which Orel Hershiser credits the success of his career and life. The book is written in a conversational tone and reads easily and quickly. He does a good job of illustrating these principles with stories from his baseball career as well as his personal life.

I believe it is important to judge the principles of the book on their merit rather than how well the person has stuck to them. I have not tried to research Hershiser to see if he continues to demonstrate these principles in his life.

What I liked:
I liked the conversational tone of the book. Because the premise of the principles is based mainly on his own experience, it is important not to consider this a researched conclusion, one size fits all solution. That being said, I thought the principles were well thought out. The presentation got me thinking about what they would look like in my life. Books that get me thinking get a star just for that. Hershiser also acknowledged that following these principles is challenging and takes practice. I like that honesty.

What I didn't like:
The last two or three chapters felt a bit rushed and didn't have the meat the previous chapters did. That being said, they were the principles that are more difficult to write about–especially using stories about one's self. It can easily turn into self-praise.

For the most part, this book kept my attention and I didn't struggle to come back and pick it up. This can be a real challenge for nonfiction for me.