Reading The Mind of Bill James was a trip down memory lane. Scott Gray, in building his portrait of this unusual person picks some of my favorite passages from Bill's work. I laughed out loud as I reread some of my favorites, especially the Spark Anderson/Enos Cabell rift on good attitudes. But the book is more than just a VH-1 show called "I Love Bill James." It's a book that explores how Bill thinks and why he thinks that way.

Because of that, it's not just a book for baseball fans, but a book for writers, scientists, politicians; anyone who thinks about the world around them. Bill is never afraid to ask why. He's never afraid to question conventional wisdom and assumptions, including his own. In addition, he possesses the added gift of language, which allows us to understand his argument and be entertained at the same time.

I'm going to have my daughter read this book; not because she likes baseball all that much, but the lessons in thought will help her through her life. If you've never read James, this book will send you to the library to check out his works. If you've been reading Bill since the beginning, you'll gain new insights into how Bill operates. It's definitely worth the read for baseball and non-baseball fans alike.