Richard Wright, Orvil E. Dryfoos Professor of Public Affairs and Geography
Topic
This isn't just another baseball book. On the surface, it's the compelling story of how the Oakland Athletics have achieved baseball success with one of the smallest payrolls in the game. So on one level, the book, chock-full of colorful characters – including Dartmouth alum Sandy Alderson '69 – can be read as the application of innovative statistics to a game where data are abundant. Another reading is broader: Lewis shows how institutions can gain an edge by being open to new perspectives, rigorous self-evaluation, and, yes, a little luck.