Scoring from Second - by Philip F Deaver (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Why do accomplished writers (and grown-ups) like Ron Carlson, Rick Bass, and Michael Chabon (to name but a few of those represented here) still obsess over their baseball days? What is it about this green game of suspense that not only moves us but can also move us to flights of lyrical writing? In Scoring from Second: Writers on Baseball some of the literary lights of our day answer these questions with essays, reminiscences, and meditations on the sport that is America's game but also a deeply personal experience for player, observer, and fan alike. Here writers as different as Andre Dubus and Leslie Epstein, Chabon and Floyd Skloot, Michael Martone and William Least Heat-Moon reflect on the game they grew up with, the players who thrilled them, and the lessons that baseball holds for us all. From the one-season wonder to the long-haul heroes to the hall of fame, the game that has framed so many American summers-and lives-comes to quirky, instructive, and always entertaining life in these pages. Philip F. Deaver is the author of How Men Pray and Silent Retreats and winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. He is writer-in-residence and associate professor of English at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Lee K. Abbott is the author of seven collections of short stories, including Wet Places at Noon and All Things, All at Once: New & Selected Stories. He is a professor of English at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Contributors: Jocelyn Bartkevicius, Rick Bass, Larry Blakely, Earl S. Braggs, Christopher Buckley, Rick Campbell, David Carkeet, Ron Carlson, Michael Chabon, Mick Cochrane, Hal Crowther, Andre Dubus, Leslie Epstein, Gary Forrester, Lee Gutkind, Jeffrey Hammond, Jeffrey Higa, Peter Ives, Richard Jackson, William Least Heat-Moon, Lee Martin, Michael Martone, Cris Mazza, Kyle Minor, Dan O'Neill, Susan Perabo, Rachael Perry, Kurt Rheinheimer, Louis D. Rubin Jr., Luke Salisbury, Floyd Skloot, Tom Stanton, Michael Steinberg, Tim D. Stone, and Robert Vivian.

Review Quotes

"Another winner from the University of Nebraska Press."--Library Journal

"[T]hese pieces by such noted writers as Christopher Buckley, Andre Dubus, and Chris Mazza address not just a sport but a sport's place in the fabric of our lives. . . . The writing is polished, and the sentiments will touch a chord."--Library Journal Xpress

"Baseball fans who yearn for the days of Ring Lardner will find in this collection ample evidence that gifted writers still celebrate America's national pastime. . . . There are numerous other double-play delights here. . . . Predictably, some contributors betray passions for a favorite team--Yankees or Red Sox, Cardinals or Cubs. But the heavy hitters hit the ball over all these partisan fences, reminding readers that a great game unites us all. Fans will treasure this book."--Booklist

"Enjoyable and insightful observations about a sport that has a richer literary tradition than any other sport in the US. . . . The entries' ability to remain fresh and entertaining speaks well of their quality and Deaver's discernment."--Todd Starkweather, American Book Review-- (5/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Philip F. Deaver is the author of How Men Pray and Silent Retreats and winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. He is writer-in-residence and associate professor of English at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Lee K. Abbott is the author of seven collections of short stories, including Wet Places at Noon and All Things, All at Once: New & Selected Stories. He is a professor of English at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Contributors: Jocelyn Bartkevicius, Rick Bass, Larry Blakely, Earl S. Braggs, Christopher Buckley, Rick Campbell, David Carkeet, Ron Carlson, Michael Chabon, Mick Cochrane, Hal Crowther, Andre Dubus, Leslie Epstein, Gary Forrester, Lee Gutkind, Jeffrey Hammond, Jeffrey Higa, Peter Ives, Richard Jackson, William Least Heat-Moon, Lee Martin, Michael Martone, Cris Mazza, Kyle Minor, Dan O'Neill, Susan Perabo, Rachael Perry, Kurt Rheinheimer, Louis D. Rubin Jr., Luke Salisbury, Floyd Skloot, Tom Stanton, Michael Steinberg, Tim D. Stone, and Robert Vivian.