Billy Chapel is a baseball legend, a man who has devoted his life to the game he loves and plays so well. But because of his unsurpassed skill and ...
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Sep 12, 2008
Joe
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I really wish this author had written more than two books, since the two that he did write are two of the best stories I've ever read. His son has done a good job continuing with the Killer Angels story and historical fiction novels, but I think For Love of the Game will have to stand on its own. The movie version is excellent, maybe even better than the book (although I saw the movie first, so I don't know). Regardless, it's worth reading.
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Mar 27, 2008
Jon
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Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Shaara's last book, published posthumously. I read this after enjoying the Kevin Costner movie. The book is short, but deep and intense. Short enough, in fact, that the movie adds without really removing in order more fully flesh out the relationship. It is a moving and compelling story, that affected my moods and brought me to the edge of tears several times. This story could make you look at your own life.
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Apr 17, 2011
Tom
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I can easily imagine the many ways in which someone could put down this book. Words like sentimental, overly sweet, etc. would be tossed around, and they would have merit. But I don't really care. Ultimately For the Love of the Game, a very short novel about an ace pitcher's last game, is about a perfect moment, the kind of moment where the universe gets together to make everything right. We can relate to this because most of us have been lucky enough to have a few perfect moments in our lives.
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Nov 14, 2011
Stephanie "Jedigal"
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I LOVED this book. Written in first person, and mostly stream of consciousness, this novella follows a little over 24 hours in the life of a soon-to-be-retired baseball major league pitcher. This is a hell of a day for this man, as he reflects on his childhood, his love life, his career, and his future. We follow his thoughts as he attempts to pitch a "perfect game", hoping (but unsure whether) his girl of the last four years is watching.
I found the stream-of-conscious More...
I found the stream-of-conscious More...
Jul 26, 2011
David
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This is a beautifully written baseball story. A declining great major league pitcher is approaching what is likely the final game of his career, thanks to a trade rumor he has just been told about. That same morning, his girlfriend of four years has decided to end their relationship. And so the book proceeds with the narrative of this last game, pitch by pitch (with a few fast forwards). While Billy, the pitcher, rests as his team bats, he reflects on his relationship with his girlfriend, re
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May 22, 2009
Alisa
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This book was found by author's son amongst his papers after his death. Though Michael Shaara is known for his other books, this one was evocative of the changing times in which we live. It made me cry (but I'm a bit of a crier), but also made me shiver, and consider those millionaire baseball players who took a bit of dirt home whenever they played last at Yankee Stadium last year. I was glad the movie was mostly truthful to the book, and maybe actually made the book an even better read. An
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Jan 15, 2012
Sean
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This was the first one I've read by Shaara and I have to say he blew me away. It was terse, but the breath of the text was so deep. Anyone that knows me knows that I read terribly slow, but I ate this book up. It was one of those few books which i literally couldn't put down (I actually fell asleep while reading it!). Don't be put off if you don't like baseball, hell after you finish it you might actually want to watch a bit of it, just to see the pitcher analyze the batter. It's about love
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May 20, 2010
Ed
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This is a lovely story. Written in a Hemingway-esque style, it covers the last two days in the baseball career of a future Hall of Fame pitcher.
The characters are well drawn and believable. The inner ramblings of pitcher Billy Chapel are particularly well done. The book takes us into the heart of baseball where time is an illusion and the past and the future somehow are joined.
It's basically a one day read and yet, I suspect, it will stay in my mind for a long time. More...
The characters are well drawn and believable. The inner ramblings of pitcher Billy Chapel are particularly well done. The book takes us into the heart of baseball where time is an illusion and the past and the future somehow are joined.
It's basically a one day read and yet, I suspect, it will stay in my mind for a long time. More...
Feb 02, 2008
Rick
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The novelist who wrote the brilliant historical novel Killer Angels was ill-served by his son in publishing this posthumous novel about baseball, made, I realized too late, into a conventional but somewhat more nuanced and credible but still saccharine movie with Kevin Costner. Shaara’s body of work is too slender to survive the insertion of such a gimpy effort. Nor does the encouraged comparison to Hemingway help. It is not totally unwarranted but not as intended. Hemingway’s oeuvre includes th
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Aug 27, 2011
Adam
rated it: 
Like old man and the sea...but with baseball instead of fishing. Billy chappel and baseball team up against the money makers who have ruined the game. Movie is better. Book seems unfinished or half baked.
Nov 23, 2009
I couldn't get past page 2. I saw the movie based on the book, and while the movie didn't follow the book, I liked the movie better.
Oct 18, 2009
Rich
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Meh . . . I think the best thing I can say about it is that it was way better than the movie, but that's a pretty low bar.
Jun 29, 2010
Lori
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I listened to this one and the narrator was not very good. But the story was simple and enjoyable.
Nov 01, 2011
Julia
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Corny, totally impossible to believe and downright manipulative. Hated it.
May 31, 2011
Janet
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Seen the movie years ago. Book was so much like it. But it was good to read.
Sep 07, 2010
Arthur
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How often do you get to say this.... I loved the Movie, didn't like the book
Apr 01, 2009
Spencer
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Michael Shaara's 'For the Love of the game' focuses on one issue, which is baseball. I think the main issue of the book which is not too obvious is devotion. Devotion comes up throughout the novel in many ways and it is shown by the character's love for baseball. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in reading about devotion to something you love and not giving up
Mar 21, 2008
Aubrey
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I was looking forward to this book because I'm a baseball fan and the premise seemed like something I'd be interested in (aging pitcher pitches one last game).
While the concept and plot were solid, I unfortunately just didn't find this novel to be very well-written. Shaara seemed to be shooting for a stream of consciousness style in the narrative, but it doesn't work for me.
While the concept and plot were solid, I unfortunately just didn't find this novel to be very well-written. Shaara seemed to be shooting for a stream of consciousness style in the narrative, but it doesn't work for me.
Mar 01, 2011
Gavin
rated it:
A great story about a man contemplating the future of his life. Told while the man is pitching a baseball game, this book will satisfy readers of baseball fiction looking for strong characters encased in melodrama.
(Just try not to picture Kevin Costner as the lead character!)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if fans of baseball
(Just try not to picture Kevin Costner as the lead character!)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if fans of baseball
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Jun 26, 2008
Aubrey
rated it:
I must say that I enjoyed the book more than I thought. I have seen the movie and obviously it's different from the book. I love the writing style, which I didn't appreciate until I was half way through the book. It really felt like I was in Billy Chapel's head as he walked through his final game and his life.
Jan 29, 2012
Thomas
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I enjoyed the movie many years ago and found it was pretty faithful to the spirit, if not the letter, of the book. This was my first read of a Michael Shaara novel. The premise is always a good one - aging athlete gets one last shot at glory before fading into retirement. Always makes a good tale.
Dec 17, 2009
Mike
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While Shaara does an exceptional job of describing the tension and excitement as each out passes and the pitcher progresses toward a perfect game, the sub-plot/romantic story is trite at best--the ending particularly so. Not one of the best baseball novels out there but entertaining nonetheless.
Dec 16, 2009
Caleb
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Read at at one go at Kinokuniya. Sports yarn about pitching a perfect game in baseball told as a kind of last hurrah of an athlete considered to be past it and washed out. In sum, cliched and dull.
Jun 01, 2008
Sumsul
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This book was about this pitcher who hoped to pitch a perfect game for the first time in his life. He was in a big pressure. It was a ok book.
