• The Art of Fielding

  • A Novel
  • By: Chad Harbach
  • Narrated by: Holter Graham
  • Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (2,084 ratings)

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The Art of Fielding  By  cover art

The Art of Fielding

By: Chad Harbach
Narrated by: Holter Graham
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Publisher's summary

A disastrous error on the field sends five lives into a tailspin in this award-nominated tale about love, life, and baseball.

At Westish College, a small school on the shore of Lake Michigan, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for big league stardom. But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended.

Henry's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners' team captain and Henry's best friend, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert's daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.

As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. In the process they forge new bonds, and help one another find their true paths. Written with boundless intelligence and filled with the tenderness of youth, The Art of Fielding is an expansive, warmhearted novel about ambition and its limits, about family and friendship and love, and about commitment - to oneself and to others.

©2011 Chad Harbach (P)2011 Hachette

Critic reviews

"Reading The Art of Fielding is like watching a hugely gifted young shortstop: you keep waiting for the errors, but there are no errors. First novels this complete and consuming come along very, very seldom." (Jonathan Franzen)

"Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding is one of those rare novels - like Michael Chabon's Mysteries of Pittsburgh or John Irving's The World According to Garp - that seems to appear out of nowhere and then dazzles and bewitches and inspires until you nearly lose your breath from the enjoyment and satisfaction, as well as the unexpected news-blast that the novel is very much alive and well." (James Patterson)

"Chad Harbach has hit a game-ender with The Art of Fielding. It's pure fun, easy to read, as if the other Fielding had a hand in it - as if Tom Jones were about baseball and college life." (John Irving)

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What listeners say about The Art of Fielding

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not just about baseball, but about human nature

Would you listen to The Art of Fielding again? Why?

I usually don't listen to books a second time, but this would be one that I just might.

What does Holter Graham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings a personality to the characters.

Any additional comments?

I couldn't wait to get back to it. There was always something pivotal that was going on.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Knocked it out of the park!

If you could sum up The Art of Fielding in three words, what would they be?

Coming of age.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Art of Fielding?

When Owen Dunne got hit by the baseball in the dugout.

Which character – as performed by Holter Graham – was your favorite?

Mike Schwartz

If you could take any character from The Art of Fielding out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Guert Affenlight. I would want to know details about his travels and reading.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have already recommended this to everyone I know. I have even stopped to talk to strangers about it.

What did you like best about this story?

It was touching and authentic.

Which character – as performed by Holter Graham – was your favorite?

All of them.

If you could rename The Art of Fielding, what would you call it?

Commencement

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Simply brilliant!

Captivating prose! The depth and beauty of every.single.passage cannot be adequately expressed. Narration is out of this world.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very engaging

What made the experience of listening to The Art of Fielding the most enjoyable?

I loved the story, the baseball, the characters and the narrator. Great listen. The perfect spring story to pick up.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I'm so glad this was a book club selection

I don't think I ever would have considered picking up a book with this story line, but I would have missed out on an incredible story. Just magical, well told, well paced. I loved the baseball stuff. I loved how the characters shifted over time. I loved the characters. Just great.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Spectacular Debut

What did you love best about The Art of Fielding?

I loved the pace. Harbach takes his time with the books central conflict, and each of the five main characters gets ample time in the sun.

What about Holter Graham’s performance did you like?

Graham's performance brings each of the viewpoints to life. He distinguishes them well without ever resorting to caricature. He even handles a Hispanic accent at one point with a light and deft touch.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There are some very funny, moving moments in the book. Overall, the writing is quite emotional but never sappy.

Any additional comments?

Pella Affenlight is the most peripheral of the main characters and often seems to function as a sexual surrogate for what Henry and Mike need most, a therapist. Still, this is quibbling a bit, as I'm certain this is a role many athletes find necessary in their partners. The book is quite good and overall, I kept listening even when I probably didn't have the time. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Baseball as a Life Lesson

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a can't miss selection. Good story, interesting characters and good narration.

What other book might you compare The Art of Fielding to and why?

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

Have you listened to any of Holter Graham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first but he is very easy to listen to.

If you could take any character from The Art of Fielding out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Schwartz because he is my kind of guy!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • BB
  • 08-03-15

Great book

I loved this story. It takes a while to get into, but once you do it is well worth it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Easy Listen

As an athlete and a baseball fan I really enjoyed this story. It goes a little sideways towards the end but other than that, I would recommend.

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