As the title suggests, the focus of the book is Ted Williams' on-the-field career. Each year is covered in detail, as the narrative presents numerous game accounts and detailed stats against a carefully drawn historical backdrop. Classic Williams anecdotes are stripped of embellishment and presented as the events truly occurred.

Readers develop a genuine feel for what Ted Williams the ballplayer was really like and how he played the game day in and day out – from his maniacal determination at the plate, to his physical and mental preparation, to his misadventures on the bases and in left field. The war years are covered, as are Williams' ongoing feuds with Boston fans and the press.

But unlike many books about the complex man, psychology and myth-building take a back seat to on-the-field action and drama. TED WILLIAMS: A BASEBALL LIFE is a work of fine scholarship, while remaining a fast-paced and highly entertaining read.