In Ring Lardner's 'You Know Me Al: A Busher's Letters', readers are immersed in the world of minor league baseball through the correspondence of Jack Keefe, a young pitcher navigating his way through the challenges and triumphs of his career. Lardner's epistolary style captures the authentic voice of a naive and often boastful narrator, offering a satirical yet poignant exploration of the American Dream and the complexities of ambition and self-deception. Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century, this novel showcases Lardner's unique blend of humor and social commentary, making it a timeless classic in American literature. Through Keefe's letters, Lardner sheds light on the struggles and aspirations of the working-class athlete, inviting readers to reflect on themes of identity, success, and self-awareness. Recommended for those interested in sports literature, American realism, and the psychology of ambition.

The publication of You Know Me Al brought instant fame to Ring Lardner (1885-1933), one of the great American humorists of this century. Considered the satirist's greatest work, the book is a collection of letters from one Jack Keefe, a baseball "busher," to his longtime friend, Al Blanchard, in their midwestern hometown. The voice of Jack Keefe perfectly echoes the vernacular of the baseball players Lardner had covered for years as a newspaper reporter following the exploits of Chicago's Cubs and White Sox. Readers instantly recognized in Jack the full range of human foibles. This universality accounts for the enduring appeal of You Know Me Al. "Ring Lardner is the idol of professional humorists and of plenty of other people, too." -- E. B. White "His work is a contribution of genuine and permanent value to the national literature." -- H. L. Mencken "Mr. Lardner . . . lets Jack Keefe the baseball player cut out his own outline until the figure of the foolish, boastful, innocent athlete lives with us." -- Virginia Woolf

An annotated and copiously illustrated edition of the 24 short stories published between 1914 and 1919 by Ring Lardner, which include the stories collected later and known as "You know me, Al."

A writer's journey with the fan bases of Phish and Insane Clown Posse describes his unexpected discovery of how both groups have tapped the human need for community, a finding that coincided with his diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

A collection of stories and essays on America's favorite pastime, from the most popular writer ever on baseball.

This collection brings together twenty-one of Lardner’s best pieces, including the six Jack Keefe stories that comprise You Know Me, Al, as well as such familiar favorites as “Alibi Ike,” “Some Like Them Cold,” and “Guillible’s Travels.” For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.