ronsens's review against another edition
3.0
Erfüllt ziemlich viele Klischees, die wohl mit "typisch" amerikanischer Literatur in Verbindung gebracht werden können (allerdings ist das dann auch eine etwas langweilige Herangehensweise) und bestätigt meine Vorbehalte gegen reines "plot-driven", Figuren, die mit bestimmten Charaktersets ausgestattet und aufeinander losgelassen werden und dahingehend "funktionieren", liest sich schon ganz unterhaltsam, aber bringt dann auch wenig mehr, teilweise sogar annähernd ärgerlich, wenn die "Themen" recht banal abgehandelt werden (Homosexualität ist keine Krankheit, achwas, die einzige Frauenfigur ist auch etwas äh beschränkt gezeichnet trotz "Brillianz" usw. und am Ende findet nach all dem Struggle jede Figur ihr Deckelchen, beziehungs- und jobtechnisch, das geht dann auch nie aus der Gewinn-/Verliermatrix raus, deren Ideologie es doch andererseits zu kritisieren meint, oder) Wird aber sicher n erfolgreicher Film draus.
dbjorlin's review against another edition
4.0
"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."
elisabeth1st's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out as something far more and better than I thought it would be. A literay novel about baseball, character, passion, and pursuit. It was that and far more than I think the author was capable of examining, developing, and completely encompassing. I really wanted this novel to be great. I thought parts were. I wish it ended 100 pages earlier. I don't regret the time invested but I don't agree with the accolades awarded.
sandeestarlite's review against another edition
5.0
I kept expecting to not like this book. Baseball...college... Not my favorite topics in a novel. But well developed characters and an interesting story made for a good read!
nancidrum's review against another edition
4.0
Good read! I rounded it up to 4 stars. It would have been a solid 4 stars except I felt in places it dragged a bit and maybe could have been about 100 pages shorter. I thought the characters were well-written and the storyline was good. I don't normally read longer books like this, but I needed it for a challenge and it actually read fairly fast and kept my interest throughout most of it. I like baseball, but I don't think it's necessary to love baseball in order to like this book.
queenali's review against another edition
4.0
This is Henry Skrimshander's story.
In his third year of college, he is guaranteed a prime spot in the upcoming Major League drafts by every statistical account of his perfect season. Henry is a star. Everyone loves Henry. His team of Harpooners would lay down their lives for Henry. And yet, this is not Henry's story at all. This is a story of how the pieces of our lives are held so intricately together, often without our realizing, and the ricochet of even one misalignment can amplify destruction endlessly. Just as a spectator in baseball learns that the most interesting or important parts of the game are hardly in watching the baseball itself, readers of Harbach's expansive tale will learn to watch Henry as reflected in those around him.
Those who, unlike Henry, "never found anything in himself that was really good and pure, that wasn't double-edged, that couldn't just as easily become its opposite."
Those who, we find, are the ones we recognize as ourselves.
In his third year of college, he is guaranteed a prime spot in the upcoming Major League drafts by every statistical account of his perfect season. Henry is a star. Everyone loves Henry. His team of Harpooners would lay down their lives for Henry. And yet, this is not Henry's story at all. This is a story of how the pieces of our lives are held so intricately together, often without our realizing, and the ricochet of even one misalignment can amplify destruction endlessly. Just as a spectator in baseball learns that the most interesting or important parts of the game are hardly in watching the baseball itself, readers of Harbach's expansive tale will learn to watch Henry as reflected in those around him.
Those who, unlike Henry, "never found anything in himself that was really good and pure, that wasn't double-edged, that couldn't just as easily become its opposite."
Those who, we find, are the ones we recognize as ourselves.
tommooney's review against another edition
3.0
THE ART OF FIELDING by Chad Harbach
It's an alright book that is sort-of about baseball but really just a campus/jock soap opera. Basically a baseball version of the tv adaptation of Friday Night Lights. The ending is needlessly dragged out for 50 pages and the whole thing is a bit over-long.
But it's a good book for holidays - light, fast, easy - aint gonna rip up any trees though.
It's an alright book that is sort-of about baseball but really just a campus/jock soap opera. Basically a baseball version of the tv adaptation of Friday Night Lights. The ending is needlessly dragged out for 50 pages and the whole thing is a bit over-long.
But it's a good book for holidays - light, fast, easy - aint gonna rip up any trees though.
berthe33's review against another edition
4.0
This novel is definitely one of my favorites this year. Writing is sublime.Characters are believably human, not caricatures. Oh...and it's got baseball. I didn't want it to end.
dana_in_denver's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great book about baseball, but totally not about baseball. I loved the way the characters were developed. I looked forward to every chance I could get to keep reading this book.