But after the stepfather's criminal conviction, the narrative transitions into the story of the recent Bulls dynasty. Here is where book's self-indulgent love for Chicago turns to insufferable, sentimental cheese. In addition to slathering extra layers of sentimental goo on the Bulls--more than Simon previously appropriated for either Butkus's or Ditka's Bears--Simon covers ground already covered expertly and thoroughly by David Halberstam in Playing for Keeps. Only unlike Halberstam, Simon all but kisses Michael Jordan's behind, assessing no blame and even offering excuses for the star's occasional bad behavior. To me, the blatant sycophancy (is that a word?) on the part of the author makes me wonder if he willfully compromised his journalistic integrity or if that occurrence was inadvertant. Either way, I was thoroughly disappointed and had to stop reading. As do most Chicagoans, Simon simply got unBearably self-indulgent in his love for his city.

11 of 13 found the following review helpful:

Calling All Chicagoans Abroad!  Aug 22, 2000
By Lisa Lyons "llyons56"
Having been a fan of Simon's weekly radio program on NPR and finding out we were both Chicagoans born around the same time, I purchased this book for my father and found myself loathe to give it up to him! I am not a true sports fan, merely a starry-eyed optimist who always roots for the underdog (especially now I live in Los Angeles!) so I always held a soft spot in my heart for the Cubbies. But this book is so brimming with love and life for the game, not only of baseball but the grrrrrreat Chicago Bears and the awesome Chicago Bulls, that I wish I could go back and see all the games that Simon so gloriously describes. Except I don't have to, because with his prodigious gifts as a writer, he makes you see it through his eyes, wide with respect and more than a little adoration. I can't recommend this book enough for anyone who ever had a passion for a team, an individual or a city like Chicago. You won't regret taking this journey with Simon and I eagerly await his next trip. By the way, I was lucky enough to make his acquaintance at a book signing recently and found him to be even more delightful in person, truly a "mensch." He deserves all the kudos he's received for his work and many more.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

For any sports fan!  Mar 03, 2002
By nick newton
I admit, as a transplanted Chicagoan and die-hard sports fan, its hard to be objective about this book. Scott Simon cleverly weaves his own personal remembrances of growing up in Chicago, into an historic timeline of sports and politics, which amounts to must read for anyone who wants a true glimpse into the soul of 'the city with big shoulders'.
I laughed hard and often at the family anecdotes, its easy to see where Simon gets his sense of humor, thrilled at reliving the Cub season of '69 and saddened, once again, at Brian Piccolo's courageous battle with cancer.
After finishing 'Home and Away', I was compelled to send copies to a few of my sports buddies...less fortunate souls having grown up in cities of less character.
I am a fan of the city, its teams (except the Sox...go Cubbies), and this writer ,who embodies it all so well in this book.
Bravo.

6 of 8 found the following review helpful:

Five Stars for Chicago Sports Fans... All Fans  Jun 13, 2000

Scott Simon does indeed offer us a *fan's* memoir with "Home and Away." He marks his life with recollections of the ups and downs (and there have been more of those) of Chicago sports teams. In doing so, he manages to cast off the millstone of cynicism that pervades professional sports nowadays. Simon demonstrates how he drew great inspiration from his sports heroes, even when they themselves did not live up to their public images. There is nobility to be found in athletic competition, and it is there if we search for it and uncover it, as Simon does.

Yes, the focus is on Chicago sports, but it seems that any sports fan who has suffered the bitter disappointments and exalted in the triumphs will nevertheless find much to enjoy in "Home and Away." Simon pays special attention to the Chicago Cubs and their seemingly timeless march towards a far-off "next year," the colorful ,85 Bears who defied the corporate-gray image afflicting many NFL teams, and of course, the 90's Bulls -- the only sports dynasty Chicago has ever had. Don't look for much "dirt" to be thrown around here; Simon is a fan after all, and approaches his subject with a "golly gee" sort of idealism of a kid. Does that make this less of a book? Hell, no... Simon succeeds in showing sports fans the "kid" qualities that we often forget, or worse yet, try to deny. In doing that, he makes a strong case that our child-like attraction to the teams we root for is something to be remembered, cherished, and passed on to future generations. High fives for Scott Simon!

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