Between the Pages

The Art of Fielding is an intriguing and warm book, with – for me anyway – a kind of old-fashioned feel to it. I felt like it seemed to be set in say the 1950s, rather than the modern day.

Henry Skrimshander is a star of the baseball team at Westish College and seems destined for great things. But one day he makes a throw which goes disastrously wrong, and which sets Henry’s life, and those of four others, on a very different path to what was planned. Henry’s confidence diminishes, which has an effect on his game, while his friend and unofficial coach Mike Schwartz realises that he has spent his college life helping Henry determine his future, at the cost of his own. The college president, Guert Affenlight falls hopelessly in love for the first time in a long time, while his daughter Pella comes to the college seeking to escape her unsuccessful marriage. And Henry’s charismatic roommate Owen embarks on a dangerous affair with possible serious consequences.

I really liked the book, and felt for most of the characters. I liked Henry and Mike, Guert too…Pella not so much, although I did think she was relatable. However, I ADORED Owen. He lit up every scene he was in, and was exactly the kind of friend you would want in your life.

The story itself is more a narrative of these people’s lives, sometimes unremarkable and mundane, but with the occasional significant event, as opposed to being a series of highly dramatic moments. Often the most dramatic moments happen on the baseball field and at this point I do think it’s worth pointing out that if you don’t like or follow baseball, large parts of this book might not grab you. It would be a big help if you have a least some knowledge of baseball positions etc going in.

So all in all, it’s a hard sort of book to describe, but I liked it a lot. It’s a story to savour rather than to devour, which is why I took my time with it. Very enjoyable.