What do you think?
Season of the owl
Hard cover
181 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 22, 2012
An obscure but entertaining baseball story centered around a murder, with clues revealed chapter by chapter. Wolff does a nice job of setting the story in small-town North Carolina in the late days of segregation. The rinky-dink minor league operation is presented in great detail, as you might expect from someone who has made his living in minor league baseball. I finished it in three nights, staying up late the last night to get through it and see how it ended.
October 20, 2013
Enjoyed it. Non violent, easy read, nice story an ending that surprised me. I remember reading about the 50's in the south but didn't live there until much later. I think he captured the times and the place very well.
January 24, 2021
My aunt gave this book to me for my birthday in 1980 and I recently decided to re-read it. Like then, it still has a magic that touches me deeply.
Back in 1980, my hometown was the home for the Single-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and I spent many evenings, like the main character Tom, watching the game, sometimes beyond the fence to catch home run balls. The joy of a small town baseball team was contagious and this really connected me to the main character, who showed the same love for his team, the Centerville Owls.
Now, with Major League Baseball's decision to eliminate a number of minor league teams, "Season of the Owl" has been imbued with a new power and elegiac elegance. No one really knows how strong the bond is between a local population and its baseball team until it leaves. Wolff captures this sentiment perfectly and even includes several items to test its mettle.
The summary on the book jacket captures what Wolff does so well: he takes time to develop the plot and does not "skim the surface like plastic speedboats". Wolff was president of the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team and you can note his passion for and love for the game. His touch is brilliant. The encounter between the white racists and black picketers was a powerful part of the story and made me reflect on the current sports situation with "taking the knee". It made me wonder, "have we made any progress?" Sometimes, I don't think we have.
Like a master mystery writer, Wolff does not let the discovery of a dead body overtake the rhythm of the story and we do not perceive who the culprit is until the very end. Very well done.
This is a book I will give to my nephew when he is the same age I was when I received it. I can only hope he will continue our tradition.
A beautiful and enjoyable book. The nostalgia and reminiscence were my favorite parts. A time when baseball was king and when we lived in a much simpler world.
Back in 1980, my hometown was the home for the Single-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and I spent many evenings, like the main character Tom, watching the game, sometimes beyond the fence to catch home run balls. The joy of a small town baseball team was contagious and this really connected me to the main character, who showed the same love for his team, the Centerville Owls.
Now, with Major League Baseball's decision to eliminate a number of minor league teams, "Season of the Owl" has been imbued with a new power and elegiac elegance. No one really knows how strong the bond is between a local population and its baseball team until it leaves. Wolff captures this sentiment perfectly and even includes several items to test its mettle.
The summary on the book jacket captures what Wolff does so well: he takes time to develop the plot and does not "skim the surface like plastic speedboats". Wolff was president of the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team and you can note his passion for and love for the game. His touch is brilliant. The encounter between the white racists and black picketers was a powerful part of the story and made me reflect on the current sports situation with "taking the knee". It made me wonder, "have we made any progress?" Sometimes, I don't think we have.
Like a master mystery writer, Wolff does not let the discovery of a dead body overtake the rhythm of the story and we do not perceive who the culprit is until the very end. Very well done.
This is a book I will give to my nephew when he is the same age I was when I received it. I can only hope he will continue our tradition.
A beautiful and enjoyable book. The nostalgia and reminiscence were my favorite parts. A time when baseball was king and when we lived in a much simpler world.
September 23, 2020
A nice story of a 14 year old boy, Tom, who lives with his uncle, Will. Will is the officer manager for the Owls, a minor league baseball team, therefore Tom spends a lot of his time at the baseball stadium.
A bunch of people picket the ball park with complaints over segregated seating in the stands.
Ticket sales fall and fights break out on the picket line. The team's future is jeopardized.
I felt the book was a little too long. Cut 0ut 100mpages and I would've liked it better.
A bunch of people picket the ball park with complaints over segregated seating in the stands.
Ticket sales fall and fights break out on the picket line. The team's future is jeopardized.
I felt the book was a little too long. Cut 0ut 100mpages and I would've liked it better.
April 23, 2012
Charming little murder mystery centered around a baseball team and small Carolina baseball town.
October 17, 2008
Was almost really good. Oldie from 1980 given to me by my dentist, who loved it. Kid growing up in minor league ballpark, dealing with integration.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews