The Art of Fielding

The Art of Fielding
by Chad Harbach

It's true, I do love baseball, but I'm certain The Art of Fielding is not just for baseball fans. This surprisingly satisfying first novel by Chad Harbach centers around Henry Skrimshander, a scrawny small-town kid who is an absolute savant on the infield. Set in a fictional college campus, Henry is surrounded by a handful of rich characters, the sort you like all the more for their flaws. There is Owen, Henry's self-described "gay mulatto roommate", a strict environmentalist who spends his time between innings with his head in a book; President of the college Guert Affenlight, who finds falling in love a completely new experience in his 60s; Guert's daughter Pella, who married too young and has returned home for something of an unconventional fresh start; and Mike Schwartz, the lumbering and arthritic captain (and glue)of the team. When Henry's errorless streak is suddenly and unexplicably broken it sets in motion an unravelling of long held ambitions and expectations. The characters' journey through the unpredictablility of love and life expectations makes The Art of Fielding a richly enjoyable book. -- recommended by Steph E. - Anderson and Bethany Branch Libraries

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ Publisher's official Art of Fielding web site ] | [ Wikipedia page for Chad Harbach ]

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