Baseball Abstract
The Baseball Abstract was an annual book written by Bill James from 1977-1988. The Abstract contained James' original sabermetric research as well as general commentary on baseball, specifically teams and players. The first five editions (1977-1981) were self-published; beginning in 1982, they were mass marketed by Ballantine and became a commercial success. The series was instrumental in introducing sabermetrics to a wide audience.
The usual format of the Abstract was to have an opening section that included an introduction to James' work and philosophy as well as essays on various topics, followed by a section with an essay on each major league team, a section with player ratings and comments, and a section with miscellaneous essays, a glossary, and an appendix.
Rich Lederer of Baseball Analysts has written a through review of each Baseball Abstract.
