October 10: The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

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One of the biggest fiction advances for a book of late was paid to first time novelist Chad Harbach for his delightful novel, The Art of Fielding. At 500+ pages, one has to wonder if Harbach was paid by the word. Whether for the word or for the story, I hope Harbach earns every penny of the advance…and then some; his novel is one you will settle into for hours, resurfacing only when necessary.

Westish, a small college on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan, is host to a fine baseball team whose current season provides the backdrop for all the experiences of five main characters. There’s Henry Skrimshander, a freshman and a very talented shortstop destined for the big leagues. Owen Dunne is Henry’s roommate who would rather read classics in the dugout than watch the game. Mike Schwartz, the team’s captain, might be sacrificing his own future while he invests in the careers of his teammates. Not on the team, but a big fan for all the wrong reasons, Guert Affenlight, the college’s president, falls into a relationship that could upend his life. And finally, Affenlight’s daughter, Pella, returns to Westish to recapture her college years after escaping an ill-fated marriage.

Every now and then, a life affirming novel comes along that gets everybody talking, and The Art of Fielding is such a book. Harbach’s team is like family; we cheer their victories, feel their losses, and grow up a little more with every lesson learned. Anyone claiming to be a reader should not miss this grand slam of a book. 



WBUR Boston on The Art of Fielding (Link)
NPR reviews The Art of Fielding (Link)