The perils of being a Chicago Cubs fan are well known with the losing records and streaks that have plagued the team, but the Chicago Cubs also have Wrigley Field with its famous ivy-covered backfield brick wall. Columnist George Will, a lifelong Cubs fan, has written A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred, a fascinating look at the history and the lore of both team and field.

The book begins with the early Cubs who had winning seasons and continues with the story of the losing seasons, but behind those losses is a story about people like P.K. Wrigley who did not like baseball, Lewis Robert “Hack” Wilson, Mr. Cub Ernie Banks and announcer Ronald Reagan. Wrigley Field has endured through the years and become a national landmark, and this commentary is about that triumph.

Christina Callison

Christina Callison has been blogging about books for the library’s website since 2006. She has read hundreds of books that include mysteries, fantasies, horror, thrillers, non-fiction, general fiction, and some science fiction. She continues with her goal of finding new books and authors to recommend.