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Quick answer: If you liked Moneyball, read Michael Lewis's The Blind Side and The Big Short, then Freakonomics, Friday Night Lights, The Undoing Project and Thinking, Fast and Slow. All show how numbers, stories and surprising ideas change how we see games and life.
Michael Lewis's 2003 book follows Billy Beane and the Oakland A's as they use data to compete against richer teams, challenging old baseball wisdom. It is fast, funny and influential beyond sport. The books below offer similar stories about data, sport and outsiders who change the rules.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Blind Side | Michael Lewis | Adult | football and family |
| The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Adult | the crisis |
| Liar's Poker | Michael Lewis | Adult | Wall Street memoir |
| Flash Boys | Michael Lewis | Adult | high-frequency trading |
| The Undoing Project | Michael Lewis | Adult | psychology of judgment |
| Boomerang | Michael Lewis | Adult | global debt crisis |
| Freakonomics | Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner | Adult | economics of everything |
| Thinking, Fast and Slow | Daniel Kahneman | Adult | readers who like psychology |
| Friday Night Lights | H. G. Bissinger | Adult | Texas high school football |
| Fever Pitch | Nick Hornby | Adult | football fandom |
| The Art of Fielding | Chad Harbach | Adult | college baseball |
| Shoeless Joe | W. P. Kinsella | Adult | baseball magic |
| Calico Joe | John Grisham | Adult | baseball and family |
| Bleachers | John Grisham | Adult | football and nostalgia |
| The Natural | Bernard Malamud | Adult | baseball myth |
1. The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
The story of a gifted lineman and the family who took him in. Warm and informative.
Best for: football and family.
2. The Big Short by Michael Lewis
A handful of investors bet against the housing bubble before 2008. Clear and angry.
Best for: the crisis.
3. Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis
Lewis recalls his time as a bond trader. Funny and candid.
Best for: Wall Street memoir.
4. Flash Boys by Michael Lewis
Follows traders who discover that high-speed trading rigs the market. A thriller-like read about technology and money.
Best for: high-frequency trading.
5. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
The partnership of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Warm and clever.
Best for: psychology of judgment.
6. Boomerang by Michael Lewis
Lewis travels to countries hit by the financial crisis. Funny and sharp.
Best for: global debt crisis.
7. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Levitt and Dubner apply economic thinking to crime, parenting and sumo wrestling. Witty and curious.
Best for: economics of everything.
8. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Kahneman explains the two systems of thought and our biases. Long, but illuminating for negotiators.
Best for: readers who like psychology.
9. Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger
A season in the life of a football-mad Texas town. Gripping and honest.
Best for: Texas high school football.
10. Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
Hornby's memoir about his obsession with Arsenal. Funny and tender.
Best for: football fandom.
11. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
A gifted shortstop loses his nerve at a small college. Warm and literate.
Best for: college baseball.
12. Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella
A farmer builds a baseball field in an Iowa cornfield. The basis for Field of Dreams.
Best for: baseball magic.
13. Calico Joe by John Grisham
A young baseball star and a brutal pitch change two families. Short and emotional.
Best for: baseball and family.
14. Bleachers by John Grisham
A former star returns to his hometown for his coach's last days. Nostalgic and quick.
Best for: football and nostalgia.
15. The Natural by Bernard Malamud
A mysterious young pitcher becomes a great hitter. Dreamy and classic.
Best for: baseball myth.
How to Choose
For more Lewis begin with The Blind Side, The Big Short or The Undoing Project. For ideas about data and psychology choose Freakonomics or Thinking, Fast and Slow. For sport as story pick Friday Night Lights or Fever Pitch. For baseball fiction read The Art of Fielding, Shoeless Joe or The Natural. Moneyball is about sport but also about decision-making, so these picks suit readers who love both. Moneyball was adapted into a 2011 film starring Brad Pitt, and its ideas about analytics have spread across sports. The book gives much more of the history and personalities than the film.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Moneyball about?
How the Oakland A's used statistics to build a competitive team on a small budget.
Who wrote it?
Michael Lewis.
When was it published?
2003.
Is there a film?
Yes, a 2011 film.
Do I need to like baseball?
No, the book is about ideas and people.
Is it still relevant?
Yes, as a case study of analytics.
Is it a quick read?
About 300 pages.
What should I read next?
Try The Blind Side or Freakonomics.
Which book here is best for high-frequency trading?
Try Flash Boys by Michael Lewis, which suits readers looking for high-frequency trading.
Which book here is best for economics of everything?
Try Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, which suits readers looking for economics of everything.
Which book here is best for football fandom?
Try Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, which suits readers looking for football fandom.
Which book here is best for baseball and family?
Try Calico Joe by John Grisham, which suits readers looking for baseball and family.
Which book here is best for the crisis?
Try The Big Short by Michael Lewis, which suits readers looking for the crisis.