New book feeds Sox frenzy

Just when Fenway was getting friendly again, Bosox brass are bracing for a new book that promises to spill -- for the first time -- the ``sensational" behind-the-scenes story of the Theo Epstein-Larry Lucchino contretemps. Due to be released July 11, ``Feeding the Monster" by Newton native Seth Mnookin is ``juicy, gripping, and overflowing with thrilling detail," according to a blurb on Amazon.com. Mnookin, whose last book, ``Hard News," chronicled the travails at The New York Times, began reporting the Red Sox book at the end of '04, and he had unprecedented access to the ballpark last season. (The guy even got a key to Fenway and a desk in the front office.) Reached in New York, Mnookin wouldn't dish details, but he did say the book includes: new information about Epstein's famous Thanksgiving dinner with Curt Schilling; the petty jealousy Nomar Garciaparra felt toward some of his better-paid teammates, and the reasons Theo walked, and then returned. (Asked if Epstein and Lucchino like each other these days, Mnookin mumbled, ``Uh, they have a deep working relationship.") It's clear Simon & Schuster has big hopes for the book. The publisher is releasing ``Feeding the Monster" to all bookstores on the same day, a tactic that's usually reserved for bestsellers. ``It's always hard to predict reactions," said Mnookin. ``I'm sure some people won't be happy, but then the team seems more focused now on controlling the PR operation."

The early word on ‘The Departed’

Martin Scorsese's Boston-based gangster movie ``The Departed" won't open until Oct. 6, but the legendary director recently screened the unfinished flick in Chicago. And? Well, according to a review posted at www.aintitcool.com, the movie starring Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Jack Nicholson is neither very good nor very bad. ``I was hoping this would be the movie that finally gets Scorsese a little gold statue," writes the anonymous reviewer. ``It probably isn't." Instead, the director's remake of the Hong Kong classic ``Infernal Affairs" is ``a glorious sloppy mess of a movie. . . . A straight-up pulpy thriller with a few twists thrown in." That said, Damon, playing a mobster who infiltrates the State Police, wins praise. ``He slips into this role like it's a comfortable pair of shoes he's been breaking in all his life. (Damon's) scenes with (Vera Farmiga) are some of the best in the movie."

Film fest honors Dennehy, Ladd

Brian Dennehy picked up an award at the Newport International Film Festival on Saturday, presented to him by his pal Joe Pantoliano. ``We're buddies," said Pantoliano, who's set to play the mayor of Providence, R.I. , in CBS's new show, ``Waterfront." ``We did a movie that absolutely no one remembers, but we did have a lot of great poker games, which I remember." Actress Diane Ladd, who's got three Oscar nominations to her credit, also received an award, presented to her by actress Joanna Going.

For someone so upset about all the ``fake fans" spawned by the Sox success, Herald baseball writer Tony Massarotti sure seems to be capitalizing on the club's popularity. After the Sox won the World Series, you'll recall, Massarotti cashed in with the quick-and-dirty ``A Tale of Two Cities: The 2004 Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry and the War for the Pennant." Now, he's got another book deal, this one with St. Martin's Press, helping Sox slugger David Ortiz write his memoir. Massarotti wrote recently that all new Sox fans are frauds who ``couldn't distinguish between a baseball and a coconut," but he apparently thinks they can read.

Aida Turturro, who plays Tony Soprano's sister on ``The Sopranos," talks to patients at the Joslin Diabetes Center tomorrow. The cousin of actor John Turturro has diabetes.

Aerosmith screamer Steven Tyler was a no-show at the Victory Programs party at the State Room the other night, but drummer Joey Kramer was there. . . . Meanwhile, Tyler's daughter Liv looked like a million bucks at the Cartier party in New York.

And how about Medford's Maria Menounos of ``Access Hollywood" interviewing guests at the AFI tribute to Sean Connery? Hubba hubba.

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