The Art of Fielding

Best book I've read this year. The book is very much like a baseball game. Graceful moments, followed by “what just happened” moments. At times a bit slow. At times a bit frenetic. It kept me reading, and finally satisfied when it ended.The story of Henry “Skrim” Skrimshander college shortstop for a Westish College. It follows him and friends through twists and turns. All the people you meet are important, though not always in a way that is apparent when first introduced. The book is all character development, with the baseball serving as the stage, the college as the backdrop. I think it would make a great play, if you could sit for 8 hours.Henry is a straight laced kid through the book and amazingly this works. Usually this makes the character seem too one dimensional. The problems with Henry are mostly his own doing. But you never get the “just get over yourself” feeling. You struggle with Henry and can feel the doubt along with him. It's also interesting to me that the Henry never has a love interest. I can't remember the last time I read a book or saw a movie that didn't have the obligatory love interest for the main character.Owen (Henry's gay roommate) is such an interesting character that his story eclipses Henry's and delivers the climax of the book. His sexuality is critical, but not overwhelming. (I read this right after trying to read [b:The Song of Achilles 11250317 The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331154660s/11250317.jpg 16176791] and the homosexual aspects of that were so stilted I had to give up.)Mike is the broken down mentor even though he is slightly older than Henry. He has his own story about finding a place in the world is possibly the most normal and most unusual of the group.Pella is the daughter of the President of Westish and is probably the most damaged. She's young, married, and hurt. Yet, somehow she manages to be the most together part of the group.How these four and the many other characters circle, interact and close with each other make this book an amazing journey. Everyone has real issues and sometimes do the right thing, but often times are their own worst enemies. Amazingly this isn't cliche.

I picked this up at the local bookstore because it was $6, and the cover looked vaguely familiar. After reading the blurb on the back, however, which gave the impression that it was just another riff on melodramatic college experiences, I was worried it was going to be like Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simmons (which...ugh). Or even worse, Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot (because I love Eugenides and there is a unique sadness to reading a not-great novel written by someone whose writing you typically love). Instead, The Art of Fielding was perfectly charming. Every bit of it. Not earth-shattering, but wasn't trying to be. Nicely poignant, and felt like a treat to read.

I heard from several people that this book was really good even if you don't like baseball, and I will affirm: I do not like baseball (the ostensible topic of The Art of Fielding) but I did like this book. Hurrah!It reminded me a lot of [b:The Marriage Plot 10964693 The Marriage Plot Jeffrey Eugenides http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328736940s/10964693.jpg 15668403] but that could just be because I don't read that much adult fiction anymore and these are both adult books? And also they both take place in college? And both are about the themes of like... realizing your best isn't good enough and persevering and getting mental health help if need be. And stuff.Anyway if you liked The Marriage Plot you'll probably like this? And vice versa? I especially recommend it to Grinnellians and alums of other small Midwestern colleges. And I guess to baseball fans. Or whatever.

This book got great reviews so I put it on my “to read” list but kept putting off opening it up because I have no interest in baseball. I'm glad I found the audiotape at the library and finally “read” it. The characters came to life, the story didn't always go the way I predicted, and I found it interesting and well-written.