The Art of Fielding

By: Chad Harbach

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

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)

Not Quite ~

I wanted to like this book - and the writer has wonderful prose - but I just didn't fall in the love any character nor did the story line captivate me. I did like the narrator, but I wouldn't recommend this one. There are too many great books to read via audio, and this isn't one of them.

17 of 18 people found this review helpful

Entertainingly Simple

Although somewhat simple with some of the writing amateurish and predictable, I found the overall story entertaining and fun. I looked forward to each listening session and was usually quite entertained. The reader was excellent, and his character depiction very good.

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Don't buy into the hype

You have to be kidding me. After reading the reviews on this book I couldn't wait to check it out . What a disappointment. The writing style is juvenile, the characters are paper thin and there is nothing remotely believable or insightful. With so many quality writers out there, how did this one get so much press? I rarely give up on a book more than half way in but this one forced me to.

31 of 35 people found this review helpful

The Art of Fielding- A Work of Art

Where does The Art of Fielding rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would have to say that 'The Art of Fielding' is probably one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. The narrator is fantastic at the 1.5 or 2 speed on Kindle Fire. The story itself sucked me in and I couldn't wait to listen to more. I hated for it to end. It's a beautiful story and I truly believe this will become a classic.

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

Memorable moments are abundant in 'The Art of Fielding.' I would say that the most memorable is the first part. Henry's character sucks in the listener, as he is an underdog. As a too-small but amazing short stop, he has no aspirations to play further than high school but he's noticed by Schwartz, who gets him a deal at a small Wisconsin college. Thus the story begins of Henry, his roommate Owen, and Schwartz. All of the main characters, especially Henry, burned a picture in my mind that I will never forget.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the scene where Owen gets hit by the ball and Henry is absolutely sure he was dead, because I was convinced of that too. The book has some funny parts, but it's definitely a testament to honesty, friendship, and the belief in a person's own abilities, whatever they may be.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I was hesitant to read/listen to this book because it looked like it was 'just for guys.' I thought it would be boring and all about baseball. But, it ended up being one of the best stories I've ever read. If I had to make a 'tag line,' it would have to be something about how this book is for everyone who appreciates great fiction. If I had to make a tag for a movie, it would definitely be something about how you should never judge a book, or a short-stop by his cover.

Any additional comments?

The Art of Fielding is an amazing story. Don't hesitate to read or listen to it because it seems like it might be boring. The narrator is perfect in every way, the story is deep and comprehensive, and the characters will pull at your heartstrings and making a lasting impression. Chad Harbach has my attention, and I won't hesitate to buy anything else he writes!

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Pretentious Bore

In spite of the rave reviews this book, though very well written (and very well read), takes a cliched plot-line and drives it relentlessly into the ground. Underdog college team with diamond-in-the-rough shortstop prevails against all odds without much adult supervision. The characters are all one-dimensional, the only female in the novel is a mere plot convenience, rolled in and out of the story with mechanical indifference to her presumptive role. Ethically, the novel is a mess. A college president forms a homosexual relationship with a student, and except for some administrative wrist-slapping towards the end, the novel steadily keeps a blind eye on the grotesque power-relationship it is describing. (Put priest in place of president and see if you think well of the book.) Even worse, the novel tries to place itself on the same shelf as Moby Dick! I gather that the author is an admirer of Franzen's Freedom, another novel much praised in spite of its sloshing superficialities.

I should mention that I remain a devoted baseball fan in spite of my reaction here.

23 of 28 people found this review helpful

Disappointing.

Based on the high acclaim this book received, I thought it would be a fantastic story. However, I was disappointed. It had a generic, boring story, that didn't hold my interest.

9 of 11 people found this review helpful

Not worth your time

I simply don't know how this book made the top 20 books of the year on Amazon. I found it to be super boring and needlessly verbose. I wish that I could get the time back that I wasted listening to this book!

18 of 23 people found this review helpful

Love of baseball, literature and great characters

Wonderful book about life and love of baseball, literature (Moby Dick again), and family/friends, tradition and our commitments to each other.

Part coming of age, and also an examination of what is failure. Great characters and atmosphere.

My love of baseball, literature and great characters made this book a lot of fun for me.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Potential to write a better book is there

I read this book at the recommendation of a friend who loved it but it never really caught on for me or touched me in a way that got me really engaged. There are passages of the book that show evidence of a writer developing inside, but the delivery is not up to the potential. There are good characters in the story, but they are not fully developed at the level of a mature novelist and there's some hat-tipping and insider literary signposts that are cute but are more of a 'wink' at the reader than a substantive anchor for the story. I was able to read through to the end, partially because there was enough promise in the story to hold my attention, but not enough to make me want to stay there. The female characters were expecially weak. I will say there is quite a lot of heart in the telling. But the story left me unsatisfied on so many levels I wish I hadn't started out with such high expectations. When books like this get rave reviews, I'm not certain it's always a help for an author or the reader.

Also, the narration left something to be desired. Although clear and easy to follow which character was speaking, too many of the male characters had palid effeminate voices that didn't suit, such as the way the narrator read Henry's words. It really set you off in an entirely different direction on the character of Henry than the one who was being portrayed.

All that said I was glad I finished the book and I expect someday this author will produce a more mature and less self conscious work. I would only recommend the book to those who like campus novels or tales that mix sports and literature.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

With Bases Loaded, Novel Strikes Out

One hesitates to write a review of a book - any book - when one has not written or published a book - any book - and probably never will. But alas, here I am.

The Art of Fielding has one hell of a great dust cover - and there is some easy transition here to the adage "Never judge a book by . . . " but I will spare all of you.

Truth be told, this novel starts out like gangbusters. Spectacularly rewarding. The prose vivid and lively. Characters are rich and intriguing - plot is compelling. The roster of characters the author lines up to bat seem to be drafted from the Island of Misfit Toys - truly inspired.

But by the bottom of the 7th inning, each character's most admirable qualities are their undoing and the spirit of the book seeps out. I had to push myself to finish, if only out of respect for the author. But it was sour going in the home stretch.

If we wanted to feel miserable, we'd be spending time with our family - not reading a book.

The Art of Fielding leaves us with no one left to root for, staggering from the stands wondering what we had just witnessed - a mercy rule or simply a rain out.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful