>> Shari Werb: Good
evening, everyone.
I'm Shari Werb, and I'm Director
of the Center for Learning,
Literacy, and Engagement.
And we're just so thrilled
that you're here with us
at the Library of Congress,
both on site, and online tonight
for this conversation between
the Library of Congress,
Dr. Carla Hayden, and
Washington National's pitcher,
champion reader, and literacy
ambassador, Sean Doolittle.
[ Applause ]
This is going to be a fun night.
We've got a lot of energy here.
We're excited about
our new partnership
with the Washington Nationals,
also known as the team
that reads, and their important
work this year on literacy.
We hope you'll join us for
Library of Congress night
at the nationals on August 30th
when the Nats are
playing Oakland As.
And if you attend that game,
you'll see Dr. Hayden
throwing out the first pitch.
[ Applause ]
Perhaps Sean will
give a pitching lesson
on stage tonight.
We'll see.
The conversation tonight is part
of a new initiative we've
just launched called Live
at the Library.
Every Thursday night,
we're keeping the Jefferson
building open until 8:00 p.m.,
and you can visit
exhibits and reading rooms,
participate in various programs
and spend time with your friends
and colleagues at the library
after hours, purchasing food
and drinks, shopping, or
even just taking photos.
We've got great ones
here, opportunities.
We invite you to return here
for our many other events
and amazing collections.
Next Thursday evening,
our summer movies
on the lawn series
begins, and they start
at sundown every Thursday
evening from July 7th
to August 4th on the southeast
lawn of the Jefferson building.
And all the films
we show are part
of the library's
national film registry.
Our first film will be Top Gun,
classic version,
not the new one.
In addition, Afro
pop Band Elly Kay,
will perform before
the movie starts.
So, we invite you to
that event as well.
I have one more event for
you to put in your calendars,
our National Book Festival.
It's returning to an in person
event this year on Saturday,
September 3rd at the
Washington Convention Center.
[ Applause ]
It's free to the public, and
we hope to see you there.
Some of America's most beloved
writers will be there too.
And I want to assure you
that we'll have a few
events about sports.
The line up of writers will
be officially announced
on July 14th.
Now, I have a few small
housekeeping notes before we
get started.
I know we have many
Sean Doolittle fans
with us here tonight.
[ Applause ]
We'll have an opportunity
for you
to ask your questions
at the end.
We'll have mics in the aisles,
so be thinking about
your questions.
However, Sean will not be able
to sign any items tonight.
So, sorry about that.
Thank you for joining us
at Live at the Library.
And now it's time to
welcome Dr. Hayden
and Sean Doolittle to the stage.
[ Applause ]
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, they're
going to start [inaudible].
Look at this.
Oh, my goodness.
I knew you were like a big
deal, but this is something.
And thank you.
You like to read
too, so that's good.
So, let's get started,
let's get started.
This is so cool.
>> Sean Doolittle:
This is awesome.
>> Carla Hayden: Well, they
had warned me about the loo
>> Sean Doolittle: Doo.
>> Carla Hayden: Okay, full
disclosure, I'm from Chicago.
And I live in Baltimore.
So, you know, I'm
conflicted all the way,
but I'm a baseball fan too.
Thank you for being here and
everything, because of doo,
I understand, though, that one
little girl thought they were
booing you.
And she got so upset.
>> Sean Doolittle: She did.
But once they explained,
no, they're saying doo,
his last name's Doolittle.
>> Carla Hayden:
Yeah, she got that.
So, where did your love
of reading start, though?
Because you are a real reader.
>> Sean Doolittle: Reading
was always something
that was very strongly
encouraged
when I was growing up.
My mom was a teacher's aide, she
worked at the elementary school
and middle school,
and now she works
at the high school in my town.
My grandmother, her mom
was a teacher as well.
So, a family of teachers.
It was always, there
was always an emphasis
on your education
and your schoolwork.
And that came before, you know,
any baseball practice
or any game.
You have to get all your
homework done before you can
go play.
And so like when we would go
maybe down to Jersey Shore
for the summer, we would, we had
to go to the library and pick
out a book, a beach book,
so we had something to read.
And I remember, I remember in,
when I was in middle school,
I had a teacher, Ms. Harris,
who one of our ongoing
assignments throughout the
season, or throughout
the season.
[ Laughter ]
>> Carla Hayden: I've
had teachers like that.
>> Sean Doolittle:
The school season.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, good save.
>> Sean Doolittle: You know,
the school year was we
had to keep a journal.
And you had to read at least
20 minutes three times a week.
And that kind of got me
into the habit of reading.
I read, I was in like seventh
grade, and I read Into Thin Air
by Jon Krakauer, which is
like a really long book
about climbing Mt.
Everest, and like way
above like that reading level.
It took me the whole
school year to finish.
But I was hooked, you know,
when the Scholastic Book
Fair would come to school,
that was always like
one of my favorite days.
I usually brought home Calvin
and Hobbes, which kind of counts
as a book, I guess, but I
liked looking at all the books
and seeing all the
new Goosebumps
that had just come out.
>> Carla Hayden: Goosebumps.
>> Sean Doolittle: You know, so,
yeah, I guess it was something
that I gravitated
to pretty early on.
>> Carla Hayden: And
you just kept going.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Well, I took a break.
And I think in like high
school and college, you know,
there's certain books you
have to read in high school,
some of the, some of the
classics, some of which I liked,
some of which I didn't.
I probably didn't put forth
enough effort into reading them.
Because I circled back and
read them again like, you know,
once I was done in school.
And I realized, I was
like, oh, I guess,
I see what they were
getting at, you know?
You know, it turns out this
actually is a pretty good book,
you know?
Like The Jungle was
long, but it was good.
And I was like high school me
was like what is going on, like,
you know, so like I would say
like after college and really
like what, the biggest
change was in, around 2016,
I was still playing for
the Oakland Athletics,
but I was looking for, I
started to work really hard
on the mental side of my game.
We worked so hard on
training physically.
But sometimes we don't work
that hard on the mental part.
And I was looking for a
better, healthier way to kind
of decompress after games.
And I tried video games,
and, you know, Netflix,
and like doing different
things to kind of decompress
after a game, unwind,
and I ended up, you know,
picking, picking up a book.
And I was like, this is way
better, I like this better.
It helped me unwind
after games and come down
and really separate, you know,
baseball from when I come home,
you know, to my wife
and the dogs
and help me find a little bit
more balance, help me escape
and kind of occupy my
mind in another way.
So, really here in the last
I guess six or seven years,
I've really like fallen in
love with reading again, and,
you know, trying to
promote it as much as I can.
>> Carla Hayden: I understand.
And you said [inaudible]
that you really like fiction.
You're not a non fiction type.
>> Sean Doolittle: I
gravitate more towards fiction.
I like, I like fantasy fiction,
I like dystopian fiction,
I like reading as a way
to escape a little bit,
like you mentioned, like
we talked about before.
But I think like
the awesome part
about that genre is there are
so many parallels and metaphors
to current issues, social
issues, cultural issues
that we're dealing with
now in the real world.
They're just, they're
taking place in these books.
And it might be taking place
in this magical faraway place
in another, in outer
space, or in another world.
But the parallels are there.
And you're still, you're still
getting something out of it,
because you're still
exercising your brain,
and it's making you
think about these things.
Maybe it's just not, they're
not handing it to you, you know,
it's not non fiction,
but you're seeing the way
that the characters are dealing
with some of the situations
and some of the oppression that
they're, you know, fighting
or trying to rise up against.
And the authors will,
the authors will use their
life experience, you know,
their backgrounds,
wherever they come from,
to kind of weave these messages
and these themes into, you know,
even a fantasy fiction book.
And so it's really, for
me, it's my favorite
because it's the
best of both worlds.
You're still, you're still
having to use your brain
and think, but you're also, you
know, escaping a little bit.
In the off season, I will read
some non fiction, you know,
maybe some baseball books.
>> Carla Hayden: Or fiction.
However you [inaudible].
Well, before I ask you about
one of your favorite books,
[inaudible], I have to ask you.
And, in fact, when some of my
colleagues knew you were coming,
and they said, ask him
this, ask him that.
So, here's one.
We understand that you
bring a book whenever you're
on the road with a team.
The question is, what do your
teammates think about that?
Here you are on the
road with a book.
>> Sean Doolittle: They're
used to it now, I think,
and most of the time the stuff
I read around the field is stuff
that I think is helping me,
like I touched on before,
like mentally prepare
for a game.
Like, we have an awesome
mental skills coach that works
with guys in and around
the clubhouse and the team.
And we, so through him,
I've been reading a
lot of philosophy.
We did some stoic philosophy and
Buddhism and working on like,
I'm trying to, I'm trying
to find a little bit
of balance before a game, you
know, because I'm going to come
in in a pressure situation late
in the game, and I need to be
in the right head
space for that.
And I think everybody
gets to that point,
you know, differently.
But I need to, I need
to kind of be able
to calm myself before the game
so that I can manage my energy
levels throughout the day
so then I'm not overamped
before the game, you know,
I don't expend all my
energy in the bullpen.
I need to, I need to, I need
to chill out sometimes really.
But then sometimes too,
like there have been times
during the rain delay,
or if I know I have the
day off, I might pull
out like another book, and my
teammates will be like, oh,
what are you, what
are you reading?
And it will be like
some weird fantasy book.
And they're like, they
just look at me like what?
And I'm like, it's kind of
like like Game of Thrones,
or like Lord of the Rings.
And they're like, oh, cool.
>> Carla Hayden: You have
to translate a little bit.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah, I'm
like, well, there's wizards,
and like there's
magic, and, you know,
this kingdom is being
overthrown.
And they're like,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah, Sean.
Yeah, Sean.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: So, it
sounds like your reading kind
of informs and helps
you with your pitching?
>> Sean Doolittle: It can.
It can.
>> Carla Hayden: Wow.
>> Sean Doolittle: You know,
like I think, I think for me,
like the way that my brain
works, I can only focus
on baseball for so many hours
of the day before I'll
start overthinking things
and driving myself crazy.
So, I do, I need another outlet.
Reading has been absolutely
one of those outlets.
Spending time with
my wife and dogs.
But also too like
there are things
that I've learned
through reading.
There are books that
can, that can help me,
especially mentally
prepare for getting ready
to pitch and stuff like that.
>> Carla Hayden: You are one
of the best ambassadors
for reading.
Read, and you can be like Sean.
Oh, wow, that is, now that's
really something there.
The question of, do you ever
take it into the bullpen?
That's what they say.
Where is the book?
>> Sean Doolittle: No,
it's in, it's usually
in my backpack or in my locker.
But no, we do have iPads
in the bullpens now.
And that's where all
of our scouting reporting
information is.
And we have video of
the opposing hitters.
So, I bet I could probably
put an eBook on there.
>> Carla Hayden: I
think you should.
Just sneak it in.
>> Sean Doolittle: So,
if you see me out there,
I've got my feet
up on the fence,
and you see a guy
that's just like.
>> Carla Hayden: You're reading.
You heard it here first.
>> Sean Doolittle: They'd
be like, he's either pouring
over those scouting reports or
he's in the middle of something.
>> Carla Hayden: Or he's
onto the second chapter
of favorite book.
>> Sean Doolittle:
He's in the middle
of a chapter and he can't stop.
The phone rings.
They're like, hey, ready,
you have to warm up.
And I'm like hold on.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, that
would really be great.
As a librarian, we
would love that.
Can't stop now, I
have to read this.
Well, I looked up [inaudible].
There was an article
in Sports Illustrated.
And it was about you.
And the headline said an
activist and a bookworm,
that you were the
conscience of baseball.
As a librarian, you know, that
really, that did it for me,
because you're like a role
model for children and teens.
And you're making reading cool.
So, when you go out,
yeah, you are, I mean,
and you did a story time.
>> Sean Doolittle: I'm cool?
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
Yes!
[ Applause ]
Yeah, you read as much as I do.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Aaron's backstage.
I just, Aaron, did
you hear this?
Dr. Hayden said I'm cool.
>> Carla Hayden:
Yes, you're cool.
[ Applause ]
Yes. And so you get out,
you do the story time
at the Arlington Public Library.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: So, what did
you, well, what did you read?
But also, what did
you tell the kids?
>> Sean Doolittle: We read
a book called Baseball Is.
And it was really cool.
I read the book.
And then the kids
got to ask questions.
And that was really fun.
It was the, let's see, I think
it was the third event we've
done as part of our
summer reading.
We do, we also do reading
for kids and fans I guess,
they're kids' books, but you
guys can come if you want.
And that's part before Sunday
day games, up around like 12:00,
12:15 we'll be up there on
the second level and be,
we'll be reading,
and we do partner
with public library for that.
And the kids, if the kids read
books throughout the summer,
they can earn free
tickets to Nats games.
>> Carla Hayden: Nice.
>> Sean Doolittle: So, it's
kind of like our version
of the Pizza Hut BOOK IT!
[ Applause ]
So, we don't have the cool,
we don't have the
cool hologram buttons.
But we do, you know,
we have Nats tickets.
>> Carla Hayden:
Tickets to the game.
That's pretty good.
>> Sean Doolittle:
But it's cool.
The kids, some of the questions
that we get are really fun.
And then we'll sign
some autographs.
And it's awesome to get out
into the community a little bit,
and to promote libraries.
Right? Because I think libraries
have a really important role
to play, especially
now in what we're going
through in our country.
They provide a safe space.
They provide a community center.
They are really integral.
I mean, you look at the
way librarians have stood
up to these people from hate
groups that have come in
and tried to disrupt
some of the programs
that they have going on.
And like librarians are
heroes because they're
on the front lines
of some of the stuff.
[ Applause ]
And, and so, and so I think
right now, like libraries,
more than ever, have a
really special role to play.
So, I'm really proud that, you
know, the Nats have partnered
with the public library.
And I've been able
to be a part of that.
It's been really special.
And, you know, I get to
hang out with the kids
and read some books,
so it's a win win.
>> Carla Hayden: Do you
recommend any books?
>> Sean Doolittle: To the kids?
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Sometimes they ask, you know,
what my favorite books were
when I was their age
and stuff like that.
And so I'll share some
of the stuff that I read.
And a lot of times
they look at me funny.
But, you know, and for kids that
age, like we're talking maybe
like ages probably
five through ten.
They're a little bit younger.
And so I think at that age,
it's about, it should be fun,
reading should be fun.
So, to find something that you
like, whether it's baseball,
for me at that age, I remember
like I was super into sharks.
And when we got to go to
the library at school,
I always went straight
for this shark book.
And like most of the time I
just looked at the pictures.
But like there was some
shark facts in there.
And, you know, but they were
also, it was on the stock next
to all the sports books.
And I read a lot about
baseball and football
and basketball and
stuff like that.
Like find something at that age.
It can be a graphic novel.
It can be a comic book.
Like whatever, whatever,
wherever you're at,
interest wise, because
when you start talking
about literacy rates, we don't
need to get that deep into it,
but like we should
be helping kids
like find a way to enjoy it.
And so like I really don't have
very many types [inaudible]
to recommend.
I'm just like, hey, look,
what do you, what do you like,
what do you like to do?
Do you like baseball?
We'll find you some
baseball books.
There's a Nat Geo book, it's
called Baseball by the Numbers.
It's a kids book.
I wrote the introduction for it.
So, I'm a published author.
So
[ Applause ]
So, sometimes, sometimes
I'll plug that, you know?
>> Carla Hayden: Why not?
>> Sean Doolittle: You know.
>> Carla Hayden: You
do a book signing.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Okay, yeah, there we go.
>> Carla Hayden: So,
that aspect, though,
of just encouraging
them to enjoy it.
It shouldn't be like
a punishment.
>> Sean Doolittle: No, no.
And it shouldn't
>> Carla Hayden: Finish
your broccoli or something.
>> Sean Doolittle: Or,
yeah, finish your vegetables
and go read two chapters.
Like, you know?
But I think that's what it's
about is finding
something that they like.
I always picked, checked
out baseball books.
I read, there was an author
named Matt Christopher.
And they pulled one
of his books for me
when I was getting a tour.
And it was, I got
goosebumps, not the book.
>> Carla Hayden:
You'd like that too.
>> Sean Doolittle: I
did like Goosebumps.
I did like those.
I read a lot of the Goosebumps.
Matt Christopher
wrote sports books
about all different sports.
I loved those.
So, you know, find
something that you like.
And maybe try to learn
something about it
or read about it, you know?
>> Carla Hayden: The librarians
met here last weekend.
You could have really
been a hit.
You just touched on everything.
Now, do you ever
recommend books to adults?
Because I know you're a reader.
And so they say,
hey, Sean, what's
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah, I think
one of my favorite parts now
about social media, and
there's not a lot left,
but one of the things I like is
like there's a pretty cool
corner of book Twitter
where people are exchanging book
titles and recommending, well,
you know, because sometimes I
would take pictures of the books
that I bought or read, and
people would say, well,
if you like this, check
out this next time you go
to the bookstore or library.
So, I will recommend
books if people ask.
But I've also had
people be like, you know,
what are you reading right now?
And I'll tell them like the name
of this fantasy series
I'm reading.
Like, oh, I'm on book two of
>> Carla Hayden: I
was going to ask you
about independent bookstores
and which one you like.
So, I think they're calling.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah, yeah.
Or I'll be like I'm on book two
of the Raven's Shadow series
by Anthony Ryan, and they're
like, they're like what?
And I'm like, you know, don't
worry about it, you know,
so like I do, but I like getting
recommendations from people
so that, you know, I don't
stay too much in my bubble
of what I like to read.
Because like I said, like
I think it's important
to read books by authors
who have different life
experiences than you.
Because that gets woven
into their writing.
It's not always, it's
not super heavy handed,
but like it's important to get
those, it's important to try
to see things through
someone else's eyes.
And you can get that in
books written by people
from different walks of life
than what you've been through.
>> Carla Hayden: Like the author
that we talked about
that you like.
>> Sean Doolittle: Oh, yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Octavia Butler.
>> Sean Doolittle: Oh, yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: When I saw
that you, you really liked her.
>> Sean Doolittle: You can
clap for Octavia Butler.
>> Carla Hayden:
Yeah, it's okay.
[ Applause ]
One of your favorite books of
all time, Parable of the Sower.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: And so
what is it about that book?
>> Sean Doolittle: How
much time do we got?
How much time do we got?
>> Carla Hayden: Because she,
she's from a different
background.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: And
quite interesting.
>> Sean Doolittle: So, I think
that book is my favorite
for so many reasons.
I think because you
can read the book
on so many different levels.
It works on a number
of different levels.
It can be a dystopian story
about a world overrun
by corporate greed.
The people are living
in walled communities,
climate change has wreaked
havoc on the environment,
there's massive political
and social upheaval,
there's violence, and, I mean,
it's this bleak landscape.
And Lauren, the protagonist
of the story,
ends up basically
escaping and traveling
up to Northern California,
attracting people
to her community that she
wants to build called Acorn.
And she starts this religion.
But it's loose, it's loose,
because she's still working
on developing it as she goes.
And that's called Earthseed.
And I love it because it ends
on somewhat of a positive note,
which not a lot of
dystopian books do.
They're going for a
little bit of a utopia.
But like not all the way.
Because like she says,
like she acknowledges
that like it will
never be perfect.
Like there will always
be something
to change or to work on.
But you could read it
as a feminist story,
you could read it as
Afro, it's Afrofuturist.
What's eerie about it now
looking, thinking about it
in the times that we're living
in now, that book was written
in 1993, it's set in
the future in 2024.
>> Carla Hayden: We
only have two years.
>> Sean Doolittle: So, I think
it's, it's remarkable to think
about what, what Octavia
Butler had been thinking about,
these issues that she
had been thinking about.
And, I mean, she was,
she was really spot on,
unfortunately, about
a lot of them.
And the book is, it's as much
about survival in the immediate,
the day to day, what Lauren has
to do to survive in this world.
But it's also almost
like a guidebook for how
to make the world
a better place.
Like, yes, you're trying to
get through the daily struggle.
But you're also, you have your
eyes fixed on a better vision
for the future, a better world,
massive change for the better.
And I think there's so
many lessons in that book
that we can apply to
where we're at today.
There's also, there's another
book, Parable of the Talents,
came out five years later,
and she had a third book
in the works that
was never finished,
and obviously never published.
But Parable of the Talents,
like most second installments
of a trilogy, is a little
bit, it's a little bit darker,
and it doesn't quite
have the ending,
it doesn't wrap up very nice.
But, and there was a third
one coming, it was going
to be called Parable
of the Tricksters.
But I strong, I cannot recommend
Parable of the Sower enough.
If anybody hasn't read it,
I strongly recommend
checking it out.
Or if you have read it, I'm
going to start reading it again,
because when I was prepping
for this, I was like, man,
this is so on the nose.
Like I want to revisit it.
So, she's one of my favorites.
And that's absolutely, you
know, one of my favorite books.
>> Carla Hayden: And she came
from a totally different
background.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah,
she came from a very
different background.
She grew up in Pasadena, you
know, being a black woman
in the science fiction fantasy
space, she was a trailblazer.
And if you look at that genre,
it still has a lot
of room to improve.
It's very, it's dominated
by a bunch of white dudes.
And they're writing about
basically like the fantasies
that they're writing
take place largely
in like what would be
like medieval Europe.
So, like to find a science
fiction fantasy author who's a
black women who's writing
about a dystopian health scape
in America that has all of these
things, all of these issues
that people have been sounding
alarms on for a long time,
she's kind of, she kind
of turned the industry
on its head a little bit.
And people, people
didn't see it coming.
And I think she's, it's
taken her maybe longer
to be appreciated as more time
has passed since that novel,
as more people realize
how prophetic it was.
So, I mean, we were looking
at her notes backstage.
And the way that she dove into
these different issues of racism
and class disparity and climate
change and stuff like that,
it's fascinating the way
that she gets all of those
into a very readable
and page turning story
without it feeling super
heavy handed and still being,
you know, very accessible.
>> Carla Hayden: So,
those are the types
of books you gravitate towards.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah, yeah.
I love, and I think
that's why I like,
you know, this fantasy stuff.
Like it's a lot of current event
issues that are wrapped up in,
you know, worlds that might
look a little bit like ours.
But, you know, they're dealing
with the same, with
the same issues.
And these people, these
people who are marginalized
and oppressed are trying to
break the cycle and do something
and create some positive
change and escape.
And I think there's a
lot of, a lot of lessons
that you can learn from it.
It also works, and
it's just a cool story.
Like there's a magician who's
like doing some cool stuff,
like, you know, sometimes
that's cool too.
Sometimes, yeah,
sometimes that's enough,
you know, like, you know, so
>> Carla Hayden: So, are
there characters in some
of these books that you identify
with in your personal,
or as a player too?
>> Sean Doolittle: Oh,
I don't know about that.
Shoot.
>> Carla Hayden:
You can hear him.
You can he's going
through his card catalog.
Okay?
>> Carla Hayden: I don't really
know if I can necessarily say
that I identify with them.
There are characters that
I think are inspiring,
like Lauren from
Parable of the Sower.
I don't think I'm like, I don't
think I'm cool enough to do any
of that stuff, you know?
You know, some of the stuff
they get into is pretty wild.
And so it's not necessarily that
I see myself in the characters.
I think it's more so
like drawing inspiration,
and almost learning from them
as I'm reading the books.
>> Carla Hayden: Now, you did
a little, and speaking of cool,
you did a little shout
out to your wife.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden:
Telling her that.
So, we know that she's
an avid reader too.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: So, do you all
ever like get in a book fight?
>> Sean Doolittle: A little bit.
A little bit.
>> Carla Hayden:
How does that work?
>> Sean Doolittle: A little bit.
I'm currently winning.
You know, she's got
three degrees.
And I'm sitting here at
the Library of Congress,
you know, talking to you.
[ Laughter ]
But I think, but I think
>> Carla Hayden: That's bad.
>> Sean Doolittle: I
think, but I think,
I think we balance each
other out in reading.
And I think in life in general.
She reads a lot of non fiction,
and a lot of stuff that has
to do with current
events or social issues.
Or maybe even stuff that's tied
to what she's been studying.
She studies theology.
And she's taking a break
from school right now.
So, there's, sometimes
she reads things
to brush up or stay fresh.
And she'll encourage
me to read those.
And she'll make recommendations.
And I'll recommend
a book about magic.
And she's gotten like
halfway through a couple
of my recommendations.
I did get her to read, I
did get her to read Parable
of the Sower, and she
absolutely loved it.
She really did.
And it was really cool to hear
her, you know, close the book
and be like, did
you know about this?
>> Carla Hayden:
I recommended it?
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
Yeah, I read it.
>> Carla Hayden: So,
it sounds like, yeah,
that's how you got it.
Well, the bookstore
personally just called.
We heard, though,
that you really
like the independent bookstores.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: And
so you travel a lot.
Do you visit bookstores
when you're in town?
>> Sean Doolittle:
Yeah, I try really hard.
I started, you know,
really doing it in 2019
at the beginning of the season.
One of the things I love most
about my job, and there's a lot
of things, is that I get to
travel, and I get to go to a lot
of really cool places
and different cities
around the country.
And throughout my career, I've
tried really hard to get out
and explore the cities.
I think it's an awesome
opportunity, you know,
even if it's just going for
a walk, leaving the hotel
and going for a walk,
or trying to figure
out public transportation,
and, you know,
get off the grid a
little, get away from maybe
like the touristy
areas of the city.
And, you know, find an
independent bookstore a lot
of times will get you off the
beaten path and into, you know,
the real parts of
some of these cities.
So, it's been an
awesome adventure.
I love supporting, you know, a
local business that's doing good
for the community,
that's not Amazon.
So, it's a win win really.
And I've really enjoyed
like, again, like I said,
on book Twitter, like being
able to share where I went,
and then getting recommendations
from other people
about different bookstores
that they really liked
that I could check out
the next time I go there.
So, it's been, it's
been really fun.
In D.C., we are absolutely
spoiled
with awesome independent
bookstores, so
[ Applause ]
>> Carla Hayden: Could you share
a few of your favorites, though,
from around the country?
>> Sean Doolittle: My
favorite's in D.C. I want
to give them a shout out.
I love Capitol Hill Books.
So, I've tried, I've tried
a couple different ways
of going in there.
And sometimes I've tried
to go in like with a plan,
or like I'll look online
and I'll be like I'm going
to go after like this book.
But you've got to
just go in cold.
And like just be willing to
spend like a couple hours,
like just going through,
like it will be amazing,
you'll be amazed at what
you find in there, you know,
three stories of floor
to ceiling books.
And it's just, it's
just so much fun.
Like it's an awesome space.
They run an awesome
Twitter account.
So, that's absolutely one
of my, one of my favorites.
And it's one of the things
I tell people to check
out when they come to
D.C. We also really
like East City Bookshop.
And Solid State on H Street.
Those are kind of like
our home, those are like
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
>> Sean Doolittle: But,
you know, traveling around,
like I've gotten to check
out some really cool ones.
They're, let's see, I'm going,
I'm trying to think
of different cities.
I played for the
Mariners last year.
There's a really cool bookstore
called Elliott Bay Books
in Seattle.
Vroman's in Pasadena,
in L.A., is really cool.
Magers & Quinn in Minnesota.
Our hometown bookstore back
in Oak Park in Illinois,
it's called The Book
Table, that's awesome.
Books & Books in
Miami is really cool.
I'm
>> Carla Hayden: This
is quite a crowd.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Philly bookstores,
what am I thinking of,
Shakespeare & Company?
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, yeah.
>> Sean Doolittle: They
have a cool thing there.
They have a printing
press in the bookstore.
So, like anything that's public
domain, you can go in there
and like they'll make the
book, like right in front
of you, and it's really cool.
I'm just sipping on a coffee
like watching it come together.
And you can pick out
which cover you want.
>> Carla Hayden: We do have a
good [inaudible] over there.
>> Sean Doolittle:
That's pretty cool.
>> Carla Hayden: If you
want to get inspired.
>> Sean Doolittle:
That's pretty cool.
I guess I should also
say, McNally Jackson
in New York City, they
have, they have a store
in Soho and in Brooklyn.
That's where I started, that's
where I came up with the idea.
So, I guess I have to
shout them out as well.
The one in Soho is my favorite.
That sounds so snooty.
>> Carla Hayden: Well,
that's where it is.
>> Sean Doolittle: I heard it.
I heard it, though.
And it didn't
>> Carla Hayden: It's okay.
It's okay.
>> Sean Doolittle: But it's
got a coffee shop inside.
And so like I'll grab like a
bunch of books and kind of sift
through and narrow down,
and, you know, it's just,
I could spend, I could
spend hours doing it.
I love it.
>> Carla Hayden: So, I
can imagine in your house
that books are everywhere.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Oh, yeah, everywhere.
They're doorstops, coasters
are just books, like furniture,
like we made the whole
TV console out of books,
so we just stacked it up.
No, we'll try to go through,
we'll try to purge every
so often and donate ones that
maybe we haven't gone back to,
or that we haven't
read in a while,
ones that we've read a couple
times and we can do it.
Because both of us, I really
like holding the book,
like it's probably more like
environmentally responsible
to read eBooks, which, you know,
but I'm trying to, in my head,
I'm like, well, if we donate
them and then other people go
on to read it, like it will
get, it will be worth it maybe.
But there's some that I want
on my shelf in the house
so that people know how
smart I am when they come in.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, no.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
Like you're coming, like you
better bring your A game.
Like look at this.
Look at this.
>> Carla Hayden: See, I
was getting all excited.
It's like, oh, that's for show.
Okay. But that's all
right, that's all right.
So, you do reread
books, obviously.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Not very often.
But there's just so much
good stuff out there.
Like I don't really
watch TV shows.
I don't really reread books.
Like when there's so many,
there's always something
new coming out.
There's always, the way the
world is changing so quickly,
like there's always, there's
always a new topic that I want
to dive into that's
piqued my interest,
I want to learn more
about, like there's always,
there's always something, you
know, coming down the pipe
that I want to check out.
So, rereading Parable of the
Sower will be the first time
in a long time that
I reread a book.
But I think it's, I think
it's an appropriate book
for the times that we're in.
>> Carla Hayden: I'm
definitely going to get it.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Now,
have you ever thought
about writing yourself?
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah,
I've thought about it
for like a couple minutes.
And then I was like how
does anybody do this?
And I actually think
about that quite a bit,
like when I'm reading a book,
and I'm like, how do you,
how did they come up with,
how do they come up with this?
Like how do you do this?
If anybody has ever
written a book,
they're like, they're a hero.
And like, I'm like this is wild.
Like, and I think that's why
like I see whether it's like,
what is it, BookList or
Goodreads, when you go
and see the ratings
of, you know,
people that have read the
book, what they think of it,
like zero to five stars,
like people are giving
it three stars.
And I'm like, what are
you, out of your mind?
Like this book was fun, you
know, this book was fun.
And like you try it.
You know? Five stars every time.
[ Applause ]
>> Carla Hayden: Critics, yes.
>> Sean Doolittle: People
give me a hard time,
because all my ratings
are four or five stars.
And I'm like, I liked it.
What do you want me to do?
I thought it was good.
And they're like, I
can't trust your ratings.
Like you're not I'm
like, I'm not a critic.
I read the book.
I liked it.
I gave it five stars.
>> Carla Hayden:
You're not a book snob.
>> Sean Doolittle: No.
>> Carla Hayden: Good.
We don't like that.
Well, now, I told you that,
you know, some of the questions
that my colleagues wanted to
ask you and things like that.
I'd like to ask you something.
>> Sean Doolittle:
What do you got?
>> Carla Hayden: Well,
when we have this big thing
with the Nats, and
we're going to be
out there promoting the
book festival, there's going
to be all that, and we're
going to be out there,
I've got to do a pitch.
>> Sean Doolittle: You're
throwing out the first pitch.
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
And I was wondering
if you had any tips.
They've already told me don't do
this, which is what I was doing.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah,
you want to throw it out.
Yeah, yeah.
Are you going to do you
think you're going to throw
from the mound, or are you
going to come in front?
[ Laughter ]
Hey, I'm going to be honest.
I would throw from in front
of the mound if I could.
>> Carla Hayden: Okay.
Okay, I'm good, I'm good.
So, don't get up there.
>> Sean Doolittle:
You can if you want.
>> Carla Hayden:
Don't get up there.
>> Sean Doolittle:
You can if you want.
I'll be back there
behind the plate.
I'll catch it.
>> Carla Hayden:
Oh, you'll be there?
>> Sean Doolittle:
I'll be there.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, thank God.
[ Applause ]
Oh, well now, okay, good.
Because, you know, thank you.
I trust you.
And so you'll be there,
and somebody will catch it.
>> Sean Doolittle:
I'll catch it.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, this
could be better than I thought.
I've been a little
stressed about it, you know?
Well, I've got a Library
of Congress hat for you.
[ Applause ]
Because I am already ready.
You see the outfit?
I'm ready.
I'm going to be there.
Oh, thank you.
>> Sean Doolittle: We're
trying to convert each
into you're going to
be a Nats fan now.
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah, yeah.
>> Sean Doolittle: You're
going to be a Nats fan.
>> Carla Hayden: Well, I grew up
with like Ernie Banks and that,
yeah, got to give Ernie a thing.
But I'm getting there.
[ Applause ]
So, we'll both do it.
Okay, you'll be there.
We'll be good.
And I'm going to read
the Octavia Butler book.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Gonna get it.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: And we
have something for you.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Something for me?
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
Books. Now, somebody's
supposed to bring them out.
Come on out.
Bring the books.
Well, we thought you might
want some baseball books.
>> Sean Doolittle: Oh, yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: The
Library of Congress has one
of the largest collections
of baseball cards.
And so when I first got here,
because I'm a baseball fan,
we did a book, and I
got to do the forward.
So, we could do a
book signing together.
We could do that.
And this is going to
sound kind of funny.
>> Sean Doolittle:
It's autographed.
>> Carla Hayden: Of course.
[ Applause ]
And we had the first
ever baseball exhibit.
I was kind of pushing for it.
And so here's a book about it,
wow, because of that collection.
Because, and one
of the collections
that we have is the
Branch Rickey collection.
He was a talent scout manager.
And we were so pleased
when Henry Hank Aaron got
to see his scouting report.
He had never seen it.
And the curator was very
nervous, because, you know,
he was reading it and
everything, looking serious.
And she said, well,
sir, what do you think?
He said, he was right.
And then my favorite Branch
Rickey one, he was very honest,
he said, can't hit,
can't run, don't hire.
That was it.
Three, three things.
So, thank you for being here.
We really appreciate you being
an ambassador for reading.
You are cool.
[ Applause ]
Okay, you've got to give a doo.
You've got to do the doo.
Thank you, sir.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Thank you, thank you.
[ Applause ]
>> Carla Hayden: Maybe
we should practice now.
But they want you to leave.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Okay, I've got to go.
>> Carla Hayden: Thank you.
Were you going to do
question and answer?
Oh, we have time for questions.
Do you want to ask him some?
>> Sean Doolittle: For me?
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
>> Sean Doolittle: Sure.
>> Carla Hayden: Okay.
I think we have some mics.
And there's somebody there.
>> Audience member: Hello.
>> Carla Hayden: Let's take
off our hats and sit down.
Come on and sit down.
You can get the question,
there are two mics there.
>> Audience member: Okay.
>> Carla Hayden: Well, cool.
>> Sean Doolittle: All right.
>> Audience member: Sean,
so you mentioned that you
like to have your books
around to impress people.
And at my house, I
definitely have one book
that is there solely to impress
people, because I can't seem
to actually make my way through
it, and that's Infinite Jest.
And I'm wondering if there's
one book that you have
that you just really haven't
been able to get through,
or have been meaning to pick up,
but you just can't
seem to get to.
>> Sean Doolittle: The
only book that I started
and couldn't finish, and I tried
a couple of times, was Catch 22,
which, I don't know,
that was a spicy,
when I said that on Twitter,
that was a spicy take.
Like when I start, I feel
like when I start something,
I've got to finish it.
So, there's been a few that
I've kind of slogged through.
But I've been able to enjoy
almost everything I've read.
But I couldn't get past
the first hundred pages.
I've tried a couple times, and I
had to, I had to give it a rest.
>> Carla Hayden: Let it go.
There's no guilt.
>> Sean Doolittle:
There's too many books.
>> Carla Hayden: Yeah.
Don't like it, put it down.
>> Audience member:
Hello, Mr. Doolittle.
First, I would like to
thank you and your wife
for using your platform that you
have to focus on [inaudible].
[ Applause ]
Thank you for that.
I'd also like to ask if there
are any particular books
that you recommend that maybe
spurred your activism, your,
the causes that you and
to a large extent a lot
of us hold dear that
really touched you
and you recommend to others.
>> Sean Doolittle:
That's a good question.
I'm sure there are.
And I don't have my phone out
here, because I have a list
of all the books I've
read on my phone.
I can't, I'm drawing
a blank right now.
You kind of put me on the
spot, and I'm drawing a blank.
>> Audience member: Well,
I'll give you my cell.
>> Sean Doolittle: I have read,
like there have been a lot
of books, so like
I'm really involved
with the Players Association,
the union that represents
the baseball players,
and so I've tried to,
I've tried to read,
I've tried to read labor books,
because, because I think,
I think, I think the Players
Association has a really unique
position as a very visible
labor union in a time
where the labor movement
is doing a lot
of really inspiring things.
The Starbuck workers
come to mind,
the Alabama coal miners come
to mind, you know, so trying,
books like, one of the best ones
that I read was a book
called Beaten Up and Worked
Down by Steven Greenhouse,
Mike Davis wrote an incredibly,
it's dense, but it's incredibly
powerful and comprehensive book
on labor that took me
a while to get through,
but I absolutely loved it.
And then when it came
to baseball, you know,
Lords of the Realm by John
Helyar is considered to kind
of be the gold standard.
But there were other books
like Baseball's Power Shift
by John Krister Swanson and the
Great Baseball Revolt of 1890
by Robert Ross, that, you know,
really kind of tied it together
and brought it back
to baseball for me.
But as far as like social, like
stuff that's going on right now,
a lot of that comes from
fiction, and a lot of that comes
from authors developing
these characters trying
to navigate this world.
And I don't think, you know,
like I'm not a big non fiction
person, so like you don't have
to pick up a book and feel
like you're like doing research
in order to learn about, you
know, what's going on right now.
Like, so that's why I like, I've
been able to get that from a lot
of the books, the fiction
books that I've read.
>> Audience member: Hi.
So, I actually grew up in a town
where you went to high school.
And I know it's not a place
that fosters a lot of activism,
and I know you just spoke
about how books have helped,
but how has baseball played
a part in your activism?
>> Sean Doolittle: Well,
shout out, Medford,
New Jersey, by the way.
That's really cool.
And I appreciate
you coming tonight.
That's really cool.
I think baseball has given
me the platform to do a lot
of the work that my wife
and I have been involved in.
It's opened doors for us
that I don't think we would have
otherwise thought were possible.
We've gotten to meet people.
And traveling and getting
involved in the communities
that we've played in, and
trying to give back, you know,
the fans support us so much
by coming to the games,
and we want to give back to
the communities that we play.
And so I think, I
think recognizing,
recognizing how lucky I am to
play Major League Baseball,
and to play a sport
for a living, only,
it's only 23,000 people
that have ever played
in the major leagues, in the
history of the major leagues.
So, there's almost that
many people here right now.
But, but like realizing
how lucky I am,
the things that I have access
to, I realize are things
that not enough people
have access to.
Whether it's the safety nets of,
you know, the income that comes
with being a player, or
healthcare, or pensions
and benefits, and
stuff like that.
And I think that when
you, when you end
up in a position that's
essentially at the top
of the food chain, you
have an obligation,
you should be looking for ways
to bring people up with you.
And so that's kind of been like
one of the themes that my wife
and I have tried to focus
on and get involved in.
[ Applause ]
>> Audience member: Is
there a certain book
that you either have made
go viral within a clubhouse,
or that you would
like to see take off
within the Nats or
any baseball team?
>> Sean Doolittle: I did get
a bunch of guys reading some
of those baseball labor books
that I had talked about before,
starting in like 2020
during the shutdown,
because we did have some
serious labor issues trying
to negotiate the
restart to the season.
So, reading books like Lords of
the Realm, and even recommending
to our younger guys,
trying to get them
to understand the
history of our union
and what guys before
us have fought for,
recommending books like, there's
a book called A Well Paid Slave,
which is Curt Flood's biography.
And he's absolutely one of,
he's like every player's hero,
because he, laying down his
career for the right for us
to be able to choose what
teams we want to play for,
and have a say in the
direction our careers go.
So, I think like when it comes
to books in the clubhouse,
those are the closest
ones that I have gotten
like multiple guys
to get interested in.
I tried earlier this year
with somebody was asking
me what I was reading,
and at the time I
was reading The Lies
of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.
I don't know if anybody's
read it.
It's a fantasy.
It's a fantasy book.
It's the first in the
Gentlemen Bastards trilogy.
And I was like, you've
got to check this out.
It's like one of the most
fun books I've ever read
so far, like I love it.
And the guy started reading
it, and he was like, yo,
there's like a glossary
in the back.
I was like, yeah, like
he's world building.
Like we're building
a new, a new world.
Like he's got to explain there's
backstories and folklore,
and like this world's existed
for a really long time before,
you know, this book is set, like
he's got to fill in the gaps.
And, you know, there's
different things you've got to,
I was like, but just, you
know, the first 50 pages kind
of lay the groundwork.
And then you'll be good to go.
And he's like, I'm flipping
to the back, and I'm like,
I'm like, yeah, it's awesome.
And he's like, he's like, no.
>> Carla Hayden: He
didn't make it through.
>> Sean Doolittle: No.
So, I tried.
I'll keep trying.
Don't worry.
>> Audience member: I just
wanted to know if possibly you
and Josh Bell were book buddies,
or do you have any
particular Nats that you
like to talk books with?
>> Sean Doolittle: I like
your shirt, first of all.
>> Audience member: Thank you.
>> Sean Doolittle: And,
so I think, like JB and I,
like our selections of books
I think complement each other
really well.
So, we do discuss
what we're reading,
and we make recommendations
to each other,
which I think has been
good, because like I said,
like if it was, if I was
left to like my own bubble,
like there's only like one
kind of book I would read,
it would be like dystopian
fantasy fiction, and like,
you know, so it helps
me branch out.
He reads a lot of books that
are like personal growth kind
of stuff, stuff that falls
closer to the category
of what I was talking
about before,
reading some philosophy stuff,
stuff that helps him get
in a good headspace
to, you know,
prepare himself before a game,
or stuff that will help him
in the off season, just life
stuff in general, I guess,
stuff that's more non fiction.
So, I think we've been able to
exchange some ideas and talk
about what we're reading
and kind of, like I said,
complement each other
on some ideas.
>> Audience member: Thank you.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Well, one more.
>> Audience member: Hi, Sean.
>> Sean Doolittle: Hi.
>> Audience member: Thanks for
signing my hat the other day.
>> Sean Doolittle: What's that?
>> Audience member: Thanks for
signing my cap two nights ago.
>> Sean Doolittle:
You're welcome.
>> Audience member:
Appreciate that.
So, for me personally,
I'm kind of a slow reader.
Never been a really
good reader in general.
I don't know where my
sister went, but she's,
she can probably
read a book a day.
For me, it could take me months,
maybe a year to read one book.
I'll put it down,
pick it up again.
But for you, like what's like
the longest it's ever taken you
to finish a book, like when
you opened it to when you were
>> Sean Doolittle: It varies.
There's some books
that I can fly through
and read in a couple days.
And then there's other books,
like it might take a
little bit more work.
It depends on how I'm vibing
with the way the
author wrote the book,
their style of writing maybe,
if there's dialogue in the book
or not, like how I'm
vibing with that.
You know, I don't, don't, I
don't think there should be any,
any pressure to read the
book at a certain pace.
When I read non fiction,
I read super slow.
I can only, I can read a
couple pages at a time.
And then I've got
to put it down.
When it comes to, you know,
when, I think the thing
about reading is like it's
competing with our attention
with a lot of other things,
right, whether it's like stuff
on your phone or
video games, TV,
like there's other
stuff going on.
So, like even for me, like
as much as I love reading,
like there's sometimes where
like I'll sit down in the chair,
and like my book will be like
right here, and like I'll pull
out my phone, and I'm like
20 minutes go by and I'm just
like what happened, like
I haven't read anything,
I've read my phone,
and that's it.
Like, you know, so like going
through, getting into some kind
of habit of like, all right,
like I'm just going to sit here
for like a half an hour,
and maybe I can get
through a chapter, whatever,
like, you know, turn your phone
over so it's not lighting up,
or, you know, do it at the end
of the day before you go to
bed, that's one thing like where
in baseball we're really
conscious of recovery and sleep.
And you recover a heck of a
lot better, you sleep a heck
of a lot better if
you're not looking
at a screen right
before you go to bed.
So, I've tried to make
that part of my routine,
where I'm getting, even if
it's just like a few pages,
I might be, I might
be tired or whatever,
but even if I'm just reading
a few pages before bed.
So, it's hard to say, like
there have been a couple books
that have taken me
a couple months.
I read a book by Brandon
Sanderson, The Way of Kings.
I don't know if anybody's
read it.
It's a very long fantasy book.
But that took me
like two months.
And it was fine.
Like it was so fun that like I
came back to it and I, you know,
I could read a little
bit each day.
But I'm looking at my
bookmark, and I'm like,
I'm not making any progress.
You know? So, like
it's all good.
Like go at your own pace.
And that's all the more reason
like if you are a slow reader
and it is going to take you
time to get through a book,
like make sure you're reading
something that you enjoy,
that you find, that
you're connecting with.
And if you're not,
find something else.
There's too many good
things out there.
>> Carla Hayden: It would
have to be the right book.
>> Audience member:
Thanks, brother.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Now,
we're going to end
on a question this young
lady wanted to know.
>> Audience member: I just,
you've talked about your dogs.
I love my dogs.
I love reading.
They kind of go together.
But you have like the
best fetch [inaudible].
>> Carla Hayden: That's
a good [inaudible].
>> Sean Doolittle: We
they're not oh, the question.
The question, she asked
about our dogs, and if,
she said do you think your
dogs realize that you're one
of the best fetch players?
And we do, we have two dogs.
We have Fia and Rooney.
They're both Red Heeler mixes.
Fia is almost three, and
Rooney is almost two.
They, Red Heelers have tons of
energy, so they do need to go
to the park and get
some of that energy out.
And it's one of our favorite
things to do with the dogs.
And they're not fetch
dogs, so they don't care.
Like I'll throw it, and they
kind of, they'll look at it,
and then they'll look back
at me, and they'll be like,
I am not running to get that.
It's too far away.
Like they're herding
dogs, right?
So, they want to make sure
like, they want to make sure
that like my wife and I
are like in the right spot.
So, like they'll run
around, they'll play
with some other dogs, and
then they'll come back
and like do a couple
circles around us.
And then like they'll go play.
But like they're not,
they're not great
at fetch, which, you know
>> Carla Hayden:
It's kind of ironic.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah, no.
>> Carla Hayden:
It's like, oh, okay.
One more.
>> Audience member:
You talked a little bit
about your all time
favorite book.
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
>> Audience member:
Do you have any,
or did you have any all time
favorite books as a kid?
>> Sean Doolittle: Yeah.
So, I alluded to one before,
they pulled it out for me
when I was getting the tour,
it was a book called The
Kid Who Only Hit Homers.
It was by Matt Christopher.
And he wrote, he wrote
books about a lot
of different kids
playing sports.
And those were, those
were some of my favorites.
I was really into the
Goosebumps series.
There was a book called
Wayside School is Falling
Down that I really liked.
Yeah.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh,
that got a lot of
>> Sean Doolittle: I was really
into Calvin and Hobbes books.
And those only barely count.
But I liked, I liked, I used
to like flip through them,
and then I would draw the
characters, and I liked that.
And I think my parents were
just happy I wasn't outside
like getting into trouble.
And they were like,
that's not really a book.
Come home from the book fair,
they're like, what did you get,
and I'm like a comic book,
and they're like,
okay, fine, whatever.
>> Carla Hayden: I think
you turned out all right.
>> Sean Doolittle: I think
we had one more over here.
>> Carla Hayden: Oh, one more?
>> Sean Doolittle:
Yeah, we have one more.
Yeah.
>> Audience member:
Thank you, Sean.
Thank you for being here.
This is awesome.
So, I was just wondering,
like I know that a lot
of your teammates have very
different world views from you.
And I was just wondering if
books have been something
that has allowed you to kind
of have conversations that can
like bridge some of that.
And also, you don't have
to answer this question,
but my other question is like
if you could have everybody
on the team read one
book, what would it be?
>> Sean Doolittle: Wow,
that's a really good question.
That's a really good question.
The first book that jumped to
mind was Parable of the Sower,
just because it is all
encompassing with so many
of these things, from
climate change to, you know,
income disparity,
gender and race issues,
because I think one
thing that people who are
like somewhat okay with the
status quo kind of suffer from,
it's like a lack of imagination
about like the direction
that we're going,
that we could go
if things continue
going this direction.
So, like that's another
thing that fantasy fiction
and dystopian fiction can
do is like, well, you know,
it might sound hysterical,
or it might sound, you know,
overblown, but there are, it's
a warning, right, it should be
like a shot across the bow
or a wake up call maybe.
So, I know it's only one, it's
one of the books we talked
about the most, but, for
fiction, because I think,
I think it's readable, doesn't
have a glossary in the back,
there's no maps or anything
like that, it's set in America,
it's set in California.
That's the first one
that came to mind.
But when it comes to, you
know, politics and stuff
in the clubhouse, I think,
I think there's just,
there's almost like a, there's
like an unspoken understanding
about who I am and what I do.
And I think they respect
the fact that my wife
and I are really
involved in the community,
and we're not just running
our mouth on social media,
that we do try to get involved
and so some homework and,
you know, back up our
words and stuff like that.
So, politics doesn't
get discussed
in the clubhouse I think as
much as people might think.
We do talk a little
bit about it.
But at that point, it's
like, man, like these are,
we're all adults,
and it could be tough
to really change someone's mind.
So, I think like, you know, just
by having a couple discussions,
so I've always felt like the
best way is to lead by example
and not get, not get drawn
into a bad faith argument
and allow the things that we
do outside of the field kind
of speak for us when it
comes to that kind of stuff.
But like I said, like I think
there's a mutual understanding
about where we're at,
you know, where guys,
where different guys are coming
from, what different guys feel
and believe on certain
things like that.
So, and I've been,
I've been very lucky
that the Nationals have given
me a little bit of a leash
to do some things
in the community.
And not just to do them, but
to help set them up, you know,
one thing that I'll never forget
was in, for Pride night in 2019,
when they got, they got
rainbow cakes for everybody
that was there right after the
Supreme Court decision came
down, and I thought, you know,
that was absolutely beautiful.
And they've been so
supportive of me and my wife
that I'm really lucky that I
landed here because I don't know
if there's a lot of teams
around the league that would,
that would, you know,
at least be
as encouraging and supportive.
So, we're very grateful
for that.
[ Applause ]
>> Carla Hayden: They've
given us the thing.
So, you're going to
have a team book club.
>> Sean Doolittle:
Yeah, me and JB,
we're going to start
a book club.
>> Carla Hayden: Watch for that.
Well, thank you.
[ Applause ]
Oh, there you go.
[ Inaudible ]