The Art of Fielding is one of those old-fashioned, big-hearted, sink-into-it novels. The author's delight in his characters, all coming of age in different ways, is clear. It is a joy to be in such company. He writes of baseball with an ease that is very accessible. The opening chapter is delicious! My only complaint is that I felt the author's affection for his characters perhaps made him reluctant to do some judicious editing, from which I thought the book would have benefited overall. Still, it is a good read that I would recommend.