The Pitcher

I am blown away by this novel. It gave me more chills than "The Field Of Dreams" and "The Natural" combined. I choked up more times reading this, soon to be classic tale, than a team that leaves 11 men on base during a game. I kid you not; it's that moving. This is much more than a story of the love of a game, or a mother's dream for her child. This is a perfectly crafted piece of literary fiction that is relevant to contemporary issues of the day. You will come to respect and admire Maria and her son Ricky. If you're like me, you will be fascinated by the Pitcher Jack Langford. All I could see when I read about him was Clint Eastwood (about 25 years younger). You'll love his evolution and root for him as well as Maria and Ricky. If this isn't made into a movie, Hollywood is missing out on a potential blockbuster as big or bigger than "Sandlot" or "The Natural". It weaves in hot button issues like illegal immigration, health care, and domestic violence in a way that isn't preachy or over the top. It is sentimental but not maudlin. These issues and the dream of a mother and child to have "their moment to shine" is brilliantly done in a manner that is at times humorous, tension filled, and totally satisfying. The last 25 % of the book will have you in angst as the the twists of the story unfold into a totally fulfilling conclusion. This novel is a must read for men and women of all ages. I just can't put into words how impressive this book is, but I have no doubt that this future best seller is Mr. Hazelgrove's "moment to shine".

I bought this book for my grandson to read for a book report. He ended up reading only part of it, but I read the entire book. I give the book 5 stars and an A+ with the caveat that there are curse and swear words in it, which permeated the book, especially the first half. I understand that this is how people talk, and that the author was trying to be authentic and portray people as they are; and I agree to this approach to a point. It is an effective approach. I just did not find it appropriate for my particular situation and for my 11 year old grandson. So I blacked out as many of the words as I could and skipped over swear words when I read to him out loud. The "flavor" and emotion and nuances of the characters were fortunately described well by the author in his writing; he use such detail and color - You can see, hear, and feel each character (even the dog) just through the author's writing, without the swears, which shows what a great writer he is. You know, for me the bad language was overkill. I do not enjoy reading books with a voluminous amount of curse and swear words and just plain vulgarity and the like, but it probably is not an issue for others. The book was fabulous in term of plot and characters and story line. It made me cry, it touched me so much, in very many spots and instances. It was a book with a feel good ending; you could tell it was coming but the author leaves the reader in suspense as to how he is going to get there. Incidentally, the retired Major League pitcher in the story reminded me of my dad, who was a star baseball player in college and who, after college, advanced to the minor leagues and was forever a baseball enthusiast who taught my sisters and me to love the game. So, from that perspective, the story was endearing and part of why I related to it so well. I think it might be hard to thoroughly enjoy the book if you do not like baseball, or have little familiarity with the sport. There is a theme throughout the book of racism of whites [others] towards Hispanics; hint - the mother and son are Hispanic - and less of a theme, but nonetheless one intentionally inserted, of prejudice against illegal aliens. Again, I think the author was trying to write from the perspective of the characters, whether their perspectives were limited or informed. The beautiful thing about this book is how "the pitcher" starts out as the crotchety ex-major leaguer, and that characterization is maintained throughout the book until the very end; then seamlessly, and without labored and unnecessary explanation, "the pitcher" turns into Ricky, the boy. It is because the story is so good. It is just the most magical and emotionally satisfying transformation, which also made me cry - in a good way. There were incredible odds against the mom (She was poor and in very grave health.)and her son (He had mean rivals and racists all out against him.) So his goal to make the high school baseball team was a super, almost insurmountable challenge. So I wont divulge any more. It is just a great read and I recommend it (except for the bad words).

A remarkable novel. The pros: Well written without being over the top. Great characterizations. Powerful narrative with judicious and economic use of language. A classic hero's journey presented within the context of baseball. The cons: Some of the racism endured by the Latino family is a bit heavy-handed (racism's bad - we got it), and the ending was a trifle too happy for my tastes, but then again, it will probably delight most. I was teetering between a four and a five star, and then went back and reread some sections and decided that the strength of the writing pushes it past four and a half, more into the four and three-quarter range. So I rounded up. With so many books out there, it's hard to find something worthwhile. The Pitcher is worthwhile, from a satisfying and lucid voice whose work I'd read again. I should also say I have exactly zero interest in baseball, so if you can hold my attention for an entire novel based on a topic I could care less about, you've got some storytelling chops.

Wish I had read something like this as a teen. It would have given me the hope and inspiration all boys need. This is just a story of a boy and a man, of dreams, and a strong mom who would not let her son fail. I have long maintained that a boy needs a man in his life, a positive role model. And, in order to be successful at any vocation or skill, one needs a mentor. It is almost impossible to succeed without strong and loving guidance. Ricky had the best of both worlds: mom and man as mentors. Being from the North Side, I resent that the author didn't use a Cub as The Pitcher. The book shares fond recollections of Wrigley Field and Chicago; thank you. Of course, since The Pitcher starred in and won a World Series, that would have changed the book from a novel to pure fantasy! Read it; you'll love it.

Feelgood book

Brilliant. Beautifully-drawn characters. Sentiment without melodrama. And you don't have to like baseball to enjoy 'The Pitcher'.