A review by protoman21
Calico Joe by John Grisham

4.0

I enjoyed this story about a boy caught in the middle of a baseball tragedy that involved two men; one, his abusive father, and two, the rising star who had captured that hearts of America. The story is ripe with emotional impact and I found it to be well handled by Grisham. He could have gone over the top with sappiness, but he controlled it and effectively hit us at the right moments. The unbelievable story of Joe's first games as a big leaguer is thrilling and should bring out the little kid in any true baseball fan. I love baseball stories with heart and this one delivers. Paul is a very sympathetic narrator and a likeable character as a boy and a man. His father is horrible and you quickly learn to hate him, but Grisham keeps him real and doesn't turn him so evil that he is no longer believable. Another fine addition to Grisham's non-lawyer books.