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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
First half too long and needs an edit but slowly gets better when you're half way in. I nearly put it down but then I persevered, came to love the characters and didn't want it to end. Assured.
The cover of my edition is awful with a half-hearted attempt at retro lettering and a pretty bad picture library stock shot of a teenage in a baseball cap. The cover certainly does not reflect the depth of the writing and the issues tackled.
The cover of my edition is awful with a half-hearted attempt at retro lettering and a pretty bad picture library stock shot of a teenage in a baseball cap. The cover certainly does not reflect the depth of the writing and the issues tackled.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Poorly written, unrealistic dialogue ("This is a good year for Jewish ballplayers. That Braun kid from the Brew Crew is going like gangbusters,"), overwrought and trite reference to Melville, terrible character names (Skrimshander? Affenlight?) and just not an interesting story. Unable to force my way through the last 80 or so pages, despite my great love of baseball. Just disappointing.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Un livre qui m'a mis une grande claque ! Jusqu'à où peut ont aller pour sa passion ?
I read half the book, decided I wasn't sure if I really liked it, put it down for a while and then finished it in a day and decided I did like it. The book was more than the characters, it was about figuring out who you really are. And this is sometimes a painful and humbling experience. Just like life.
The Art of Fielding is the type of book that as soon as you’re finished reading it, you want to pick it up and start again. The character development achieved by Chad is beyond incredible. Schwartz, Pella, Guert, Owen, Henry .... Every single one of them is relatable and so so very real. I’d recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Shockingly, I liked this book. I don't like baseball. That's actually a huge understatement. I find baseball tedious (which makes life hard for me in this land of Red Sox I live in). Homer Simpson said it best: "I never realized how boring this game is without beer.”
So when more than one person told me to read this novel, I put it off. And put it off. Because it's a novel about baseball, right?
Wrong. This is an amazing book about people. Their relationships with each, with themselves, with the sport. Yes, there is some baseball in this book. But it's a minor point. This book is beautifully written and I enjoyed every page of it.
So when more than one person told me to read this novel, I put it off. And put it off. Because it's a novel about baseball, right?
Wrong. This is an amazing book about people. Their relationships with each, with themselves, with the sport. Yes, there is some baseball in this book. But it's a minor point. This book is beautifully written and I enjoyed every page of it.
I really, really liked this one. I thought Harbach did a great job of keeping all of the stories straight to where I never had to try to remember who was who. I'm a bit surprised at what the group decided to do at the end (no spoilers) but, overall, thought it was a really great read!
"You told me once that a soul isn't something a person is born with but something that must be built, by effort and error, study and love. And you did that with more dedication than most, that work of building a soul--not for your own benefit but for the benefit of those who knew you."