The Art of Fielding Book Reviews

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Excellent. As a former collegiate ball player that went to a small school, I can completely relate to Henry. Everything that goes on in his mind, the hard work, grinding in a daily basis, the friendships created, the struggles...the list goes on. This book is absolutely fascinating and I would recommend it to anyone.

Gay Soap Opera. After having read numerous glowing reviews about this ostensible "baseball" novel I came to the realization about halfway through it that what I was reading was nothing more than a well-written gay soap opera; after which time I decided to put it down and sell it to my local used book dealer in disappointment.

The art of Fielding. One of the best books I've read in a long time.. Sorry to see it end. My advise, just buy it.

The Art of Fielding. Great story with interesting characters and a pleasurable read...EAF

The Art of Fielding. The book was highly readable, easy to get into, and entertaining. The author hooked me with his vivid descriptions of topics I enjoy: baseball and American literature. Then he spun a yarn involving these characters that became very tragic in parts. In fact, there was a couple months stoppage of this book and not just because I got really busy; the book contains some very graphic themes as the story unfolds. It's not a novel for the faint of heart as the gay relationship is described in graphic form. Then the implosion of Henry and his one gift and the downward spirals of Schwartz and pella before the author gives you a little redemption at the end. It ends with the road to happily ever after appearing in the distance, but not yet achieved. Each reader will have to draw their own conclusion. The presidents relationship with the student felt so implausible as I was reading. It felt like the author was leaving the realistic fiction world and going into fantasy if he was really selling that this relationship could happen/ would happen, and everything would be hunky dory. But then.... The way the novel concludes reminds you of the way Lake Michigan (a central thematic element of importance to Melville and Guert) can act: smooth sailing to stormy waters. In the midst of the storm things end, things change, and some things can never be the way they were before the storm. But after the storm, comes the calm. You pick up the pieces and move on.

Hard to put down. The characters felt so real and were encompassed in a flowing tale.

Soulful read. Great!!

Great Story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first 50 pages start slow but were important for character development. Although baseball serves as a backdrop for this book, I don't think you need an education in or a love for the game to enjoy it. I found myself interested in every character's journey. A great read...highly recommended.

I don't know baseball and loved it.. I really fell in love with this book. Not being a sports fan, I was hesitant, but the reviews have been so good I had to pick it up. I read it in paperback, all 512 pages, in less than a week. I read it before bed, at breakfast, between meetings at work, at lunch, having mid-day coffee... Could not put it down and thought about it when I wasn't reading it. A great novel and a really engrossing work of fiction. Wish it hadn't ended.

The Art of Fielding. Truly enjoyable read! Thought provoking. About friendship, love, loss, depression, camaraderie...

Loved it. Great read and very well written.

Accurate, sometimes painfully.. This book hurts so good. Its characters are crafted with the utmost care, to the point where many high school English teachers will undoubtedly ask who, really, is the main character? This is not a book about baseball, but rather, a book that manages to use baseball as a character in a story about youth, maturation, college, love, hope, and America.

Brilliant!. I fell in love with these fascinating, flawed, and unique characters. Was sad to have the book end.

The Art of Fielding. Fun read -- better for baseball fans though.

Pass on this. Super beginning and decent end but the middle is a struggle to work through.

A lyrical novel about people, some of whom happen to play baseball. Short chapters introduce then delve into the minds, thoughts, hopes, and fears of a lovingly crafted cast of characters. Interwoven, moments replay from different perspectives, adding insight about the compelling characters than find themselves at a lakeside Wisconsin college. Some of whom play baseball.

Art of Fielding. I bought this book based on the hype and enjoyed about the first half. After that the story seemed to lose its way and succumb to twists and turns that struck me as absurd (digging up the body and dumping it in the lake? Too much suspension of disbelief required for that one given the way the author handled it.). The author did a good job of introducing the characters - they were interesting and I looked forward to seeing what the author would do with them. Unfortunately he let the story devolve into a disappointing and rather unbelievable, convenient conclusion. It seemed he didn't quite figure out a beautiful way to tie up all that beautiful work in the beginning. It could have been great.

Is baseball life?. This book is about more than baseball. As a diehard baseball fan I picked this book up. As a lover of great storytelling and vivid prose I loved this novel. It has tremendous character development and a realistic look on life. While baseball ties this book together, it shows that life is not a game.

Better if you know baseball. The writing was excellent, and the story was a soulful one. But it seemed awfully long, perhaps I don't know baseball.

Spectacular. A can't-put-down read that will be gone before you know it like a delicious dessert.... Enjoy it while you can!

The Art of Fielding. Started out good, even great then went south with the homosexual affair between the president and a student. All that was nonsense and sickening. The character of Henry was quite undeveloped and he remained a child until the very end. I would not recommend this book to anyone for any reason other than how not to tell a story.

Great Story. A wonderful story about friendship during difficult and rewarding experiences. Vividly portrays aspirations unrealized by simply living . Something to which we can relate.

The Art of Fielding. Fantastic book! I find it ridiculous that anyone would think an interest in sports is necessary to enjoy this book. It was an absolute pleasure to read.

100 Words or Less. Frustrating! It’s so well written. Its characters are unique and well developed. So what’s my problem? I found myself not returning to this book. I’d sit it down after a good read, and then suddenly realize a week later I haven’t picked it up again. I reached a point where I made it a chore: “I will read one more chapter tonight!” Yet, again, there is sits on my iPad, halfway finished. I doubt if I’ll continued. So, it’s not a bad book. In many ways, it’s good. But for me, nothing lured me back. There’s no oomph to it all.

If you've ever played baseball, at any age.... ...you'll love this book. It is completely absorbing, and feelings that I felt when playing or watching The Game were instantly brought back throughout the book. The book will appeal to many people, not just people interested in baseball, as it deals with many different characters and many different feelings. Highly recommended.

An enjoyable read. As someone who knows nothing about baseball, I am surprised that I enjoyed the book, further more, I am now want to know more about baseball. Of course it is not a book about baseball, but surely understanding and appreciation the game would make reading the book less baffling (what exactly is a shortstop?) and more vivid. The main characters, Henry, Mike, Guert, Pella, and Owen are unique and very likable.

Art of Fielding. If you love baseball, you'll love this terrific book, which combines the poety of our national pastime, and the drama of the everyday lives of a group of college students.

Not just for baseball fans.. I've read too many reviews for this book that say "If you're not a baseball fan, don't bother!", and I want to clear up that nonsense in defense of this amazing piece of literature. I am not a baseball fan at all (not even a sports fan in general), so of course I was hesitant to start reading a book about a baseball team and it's players. However, this book is so much more than a piece of sports fiction. The intertwining of the characters (who were not all baseball players), the short vignette-like chapters, the detailed descriptions of emotions, settings, appearances...I could go on forever. I was completely shocked by how much I enjoyed every minute of this book- I did not want it to end. I found myself reading it while on the treadmill and during my breaks at work. I couldn't put it down. And that comes from a fashion design student, not a baseball fan.

Average writing and story. This reads like a first novel and it's not a great one. Tried to hard with the baseball and Moby Dick devices, much too ambitious writer.

Good Stuff. And not just for baseball fans. Some of the characters run out of gas, as does the author, but still a good yarn if you can stomach a dozen or so hours on a small Midwestern college campus.

The Art of Fielding. It is often that I read a book, finish it and start immediately retreading it. But that is precisely what I did with The Art of Fielding, it is beautifully written with each character having their own complex lives, relationships and challenges. They became people I deeply cared about. The insight this book has given me about men, baseball and love is invaluable. This not a review per se, but a thank you note to Chad. Bravo.

The Art of Fielding. This book was pure magic; baseball as a metaphor for life. The characters are three-dimensional, the plot compelling. There's a little of Henry in all is us. This is a novel to savor slowly, a celebration of life, love, and the futile pursuit of perfection. If you don't have a lump in your throat by the end of this tale check your pulse. Best book I've read in years.

Really good modern novel. It feels like a classic American novel with modern touches. A really good read.

Best book I have ever read.. I know this says five outta five, but let me tell you this book deserves a ten outta five. I have never read a book so winding, so addictive, and so absolutely enticing. Honestly, Harbach gives the reader something to think about through The Art Of Fielding's seventy odd chapters. Harbach takes the story of young Henry and turns it into an epic, also sculpting the stories of others around them. When I purchased this book, I honestly thought it was going to be like your rise to fame story from one persons point of view. As a ball player myself, I can say that being near the top can cause mass confusion. Again, I recommend this book three times over for its absolute awe striking ability. Amazing book number one for author Chad Harbach, you have me hooked sir!

The Art of Fielding. A great read. Not as much about baseball as the title would indicate. Would recommend to baseball fans or literary scholars alike.

Slow starting. Story starts off slow so give it a chance. You'll be glad you did.

The Art of Fielding. After a slow start, this book picked up steam quickly, and, just like that, it became a can't-put-down-page-turner. The characters are compelling, and the story is, well, awesome. Bravo!

Inspiring Tale. Beautifully written and inspirational tale about life. Once the burden of making mistakes in life is lifted, all else flows like a shortstop's fielding, and Harbach is brilliant.

Can't. Stop. Reading.. Exquisite!

Overrated but Intriguing. Strip away the Melville references and the tiresomely clever character and place names, and you're left with a tragicomedy of sex and family dysfunction in a small liberal arts college, with your usual philandering scholars, disagreeable coeds, and gay subtext (or supertext). Which goes to show that the way to impress and entertain in these latter days is to be self-consciously metatextual. The only elevated material here is the young genius whose unlikely name is the least absurd of the book's Moby Dick allusions. His rise and fall and the passionate love of his best friend (the Ahab of his Dick) were the half of the book that didn't make me want to stop reading and throw it back to the library.

I miss them all. Download it and read it. You'll be glad you did.

The Art of Fielding. Modestly entertaining at times but disappointing overall. Odd plot line, especially the relationship of the college president and Owen. Was constantly hoping for a magical feel like The Natural by Malamud, but it just never came. Henry's fate was implausible and a letdown given the extent of his character development in the first half of the book.

Fantastic Book. Great piece of writing. Characters are well developed and the plot keeps turning on you. Definitely helps to have an appreciation for baseball, but a phenomenal read even if you don't. Highly recommend it!

Art of fielding. An unexceptional story which is skillfully written. The background Baseball talk is authentic enough but without sufficient action or Distinctive personalities to distinguish the book. on the other hand, the subplot of sexuality, friendship, and death in an academic setting rings true and unfortunately leaves the baseball story as disposable background.

The Art of Fielding. Great read! I enjoyed the characters, the story, and the style. I am a sports nut, but you don't have to be to enjoy this!

Brilliant, even if you don't know baseball. I know nothing about baseball and this is one of my favorite books. It is not a book about baseball; a few of the characters play baseball but there is no fixation on the technicalities of the game and it's easy to follow. This is an amazingly written, perfectly paced novel with lots of great vocab words that anyone can enjoy. Ps the song Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men is basically this book in musical form, so if you read this and then listen to the song!

Well-written intermingling of characters and storylines. This was an interesting book that was about quite a bit more than baseball. Don't expect an action-packed page turner, but there are plenty of storylines to keep you reading. I would have rated this a 5 if not for the unrelated-to-the story liberal causes the author felt the need to plant through the book. That, plus the fact a gay couple story line is pursued, were some of the main reasons this book made it on so many Best Book lists.

The Art of Fielding. I didn't really expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, since I knew it was about baseball. However, it had a great story line and the characters became like old friends. I hated to leave them when the book ended.

A Great Book for a Great Game. Such a treat, so many wonderful lines and phrases, and one of my favorite endings in recent memory. I absolutely love reading and baseball. And i loved this book.

The art of fielding. This is such a beautifully written book. I ate and drank the words, thoughts and emotions. Just glorious. What a story!,

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