Henry Skrimshander is the star shortstop for the Westish College Harpooners. He is the fulcrum around which the lives of four other people revolve and they are profoundly affected when his star begins to fade.

Not since Russo's Empire Falls have I encountered such characters that breathe with life. Whenever I put the book down, I felt like the characters were sitting on the couch beside me waiting for me to get back to the action. There was one more individual whose life turned on Henry's actions - my own. Much like the other characters, I found myself hanging on his every movement.

Harbach is a master at dialogue and manages to have his characters say just the right thing at the right moment. What they say can either bring tears to your eyes or make you laugh out loud but it is always believable.

The Art of Fielding is a little about baseball and a lot about the pain and joy of living out our passions.