The Art of Fielding in DC Public Library

Dec 28, 2011 Shannon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: friendship

Wonderful novel and an engaging story, simply but richly told. The plot follows the college baseball career of Henry Skrimshander, a promising shortstop. Though it's a complex psychological novel, this book really is about baseball, and small college life. It's also about love and friendship and about the difference between what you think you're meant to do and what you wind up doing. It' not intellectually demanding but neither is it pure confection. Harbach is no poet but there are some fun si ...more

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Mar 28, 2016 Robert rated it really liked it

Shelves: baseball

I have some capital F Feelings about 'The Art of Fielding.' It is an extremely impressive work and one of the most vivid examples of universe-building I've ever encountered. Harbach paints his setting in lush literary watercolors -- it makes you wish you could be there to experience Westish College, to read all the fictional works that populate the world, to interact with this version of reality. This is a part I loved.

But I think what makes 'The Art of Fielding' a very, very good book rather th I have some capital F Feelings about 'The Art of Fielding.' It is an extremely impressive work and one of the most vivid examples of universe-building I've ever encountered. Harbach paints his setting in lush literary watercolors -- it makes you wish you could be there to experience Westish College, to read all the fictional works that populate the world, to interact with this version of reality. This is a part I loved.

But I think what makes 'The Art of Fielding' a very, very good book rather than a really great one is the slight yet apparent ways you can see author Chad Harbach's influence as the god of this universe. Think of a sleight-of-hand magician: The essential quality of a great sleight-of-hand magician is that they make their illusions appear so seamless that you become comfortable suspending your disbelief. A not-so-great sleight-of-hand magician would draw unwanted attention to technique and hand movements, preventing you from falling into the illusion.

There are parts of 'The Art of Fielding' that feel a whole lot like the latter. The impressive and ambitious narrative structure sometimes comes across as too clinical, and you can see Harbach's fingerprints all over plot turns and character decisions. The middle part of the book is a symphony of frustratingly poor decisions made by characters who seem driven to act in a manner more congruent with Harbach's grand master plan than with the contexts, situations, and rules of the universe. Sometimes you come across an indulgent passage or allusion, or a string of dialogue that feels insincere and out of place, and you think "c'mon, man." If the world of 'The Art of Feeling' were a sleight-of-hand illusion you're dying to lose yourself in, these lapses in authorial judgement would be the unwanted sight of the 8 of spades lodged in the magician's palm.

Is that the most nitpicky critique possible of an otherwise really good novel? You bet it is. But I suppose this book had already quickly established itself a considerably high quality floor, and my slight disappointment has to do with the ways in which 'The Art of Fielding' never quite reached its ceiling.

All that said, the book is largely about literature and baseball (among other more important things), so it was right up my alley and I'm very glad I got to read it. The characters were all very rich and Harbach's ability to retain craftsmanship while nudging emotions is admirable. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy books with multiple narrators, stories about people dealing with great expectations and mental illness, and anyone who digs Herman Melville.

Special thanks to my pal Anna-Claire for gifting me this book. ...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2012

A campus-based soap opera exposes some profound truth and beauty. Generally a recipe for success. I sort of wanted to know more about the character of David:

"... the kind of man who wilted around men but bloomed when dealing with women--supremely heterosexual, indifferent to or disdainful or or afraid of other men, but also supremely attuned to women's needs and interests."

Anyway, apt descriptions all around. Nice writing. Nice being an understatement, but I'm not feeling creative.

Baseball is st ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Aliza rated it really liked it

I understand the criticism that the main character, Henry, is a bit of a blank slate, but to me the entire ensemble (Owen, Mike, Pella, Affenlight) is riveting enough to make up the difference. And the writing is beautiful.

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