A highly praised new literary fiction that is also a book about baseball. I could hardly resist that combination, and I am very glad I did not. "The Art of Fielding" is a baseball novel with a thoughtful and sophisticated take on the game. But it is also a campus novel filled with sweet and articulate characters, lovely prose, a compelling plot and a substantial literary self-awareness ("Bull Durham" as written by Herman Melville?). In short, very much recommended.
The Art of Fielding
Started by birtelcom, Jan 21 2012 11:49 PM
5 replies to this topic
#2
metzol
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Posted 08 April 2012 - 11:53 AM
This book is starting to get some buzz. I will check it out.
#3
metzol
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Posted 05 June 2012 - 07:25 PM
This will be a Father's Day gift from my daughter. I look forward to some hammock time with it.
#4
metzol
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Posted 27 July 2012 - 06:52 PM
I read this last week. Plot-wise, the book was very effective, a page turner. I read the 500 page book in three days.
Writing-wise, there are passages of pure brilliance, the author is a true wordsmith and knows how to use a thesaurus.
But.....
I found most of the characters to be very unlikable, if not unbelievable. I also hated the names he gave all of the characters and the dog too. What kind of name is Contango for a dog?
My biggest criticism was the not so subtle political correctness streaming through the book. It was almost a PSA on saving the environment. But the thing that got me was what he called freshmen (this book takes place on a campus). He called them freshpersons. Every time I read that word I cursed inwardly.
Writing-wise, there are passages of pure brilliance, the author is a true wordsmith and knows how to use a thesaurus.
But.....
I found most of the characters to be very unlikable, if not unbelievable. I also hated the names he gave all of the characters and the dog too. What kind of name is Contango for a dog?
My biggest criticism was the not so subtle political correctness streaming through the book. It was almost a PSA on saving the environment. But the thing that got me was what he called freshmen (this book takes place on a campus). He called them freshpersons. Every time I read that word I cursed inwardly.
#5
mikevailrules
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Posted 06 August 2012 - 06:36 AM
i dunno Zol, I read that as satire. (fresh persons and the environmental stuff)
I disagree on the characters, I didn't find any of them unlikeable. Complicated and at times morally bankrupt, but I knew people like the college students when I was younger, and I know people like the adults now. I found them extremely real.
This was an excellent book. Baseball and Melville. What could be better?
I disagree on the characters, I didn't find any of them unlikeable. Complicated and at times morally bankrupt, but I knew people like the college students when I was younger, and I know people like the adults now. I found them extremely real.
This was an excellent book. Baseball and Melville. What could be better?
QUOTE (ils @ Sep 1 2008, 03:21 PM) *
MVR is 100% correct.
ils, on 23 August 2009 - 03:47 PM, said:
I don't get it
MVR is 100% correct.
ils, on 23 August 2009 - 03:47 PM, said:
I don't get it
#6
metzol
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Posted 06 August 2012 - 06:48 PM
Yeah, I really didn't want to disparage it, because I did enjoy it immensely. I think they were just rookie mistakes.i dunno Zol, I read that as satire. (fresh persons and the environmental stuff)
I disagree on the characters, I didn't find any of them unlikeable. Complicated and at times morally bankrupt, but I knew people like the college students when I was younger, and I know people like the adults now. I found them extremely real.
This was an excellent book. Baseball and Melville. What could be better?
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