The Field of Plenty - by Luke Beling (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A winner on the football gridiron and beyond." Paul Volponi, multi-award-winning author of The Final Four

Mitchell Baker's meteoric rise as a star punter and field-goal kicker stunned everyone-except his father, Ken. Ken meticulously groomed Mitch into the athletic sensation he became. But just as Mitch's career peaks, tragedy strikes: he loses the most crucial game of his high school career, and shortly after his father dies. Struggling to cope, Mitch falls into a pill addiction and reconnects with Uncle Paul, a mysterious family friend and self-proclaimed miracle worker.

Unraveling a web of deceit spun by Uncle Paul and his late father, Mitch confronts the painful truths about his past. He's thrust into a dilemma-questioning the very foundation of his upbringing. In this turbulent journey, Mitch faces off against his rival Teddy Jones and finds an unlikely ally in the troubled yet captivating Bianca Black.

Confronted with the raw realities of his own broken self-identity, Mitch navigates the chaos of loss both on and off the field, and he must determine what's real ... and what's worth fighting for.

Review Quotes

"Luke Beling's The Field of Plenty is a deep meditation on loss, grief, family legacy, and the ways in which human beings heal. Throw in a main character navigating the minefield between high school and college, his pure passion for kicking footballs, and a cast of side characters filled with quirks? You've got a winner." Geoff Herbach, author of Cracking the Bell and Stupid Fast

"A poignant debut from an author to watch. Heartfelt prose threaded with hope about lessons learned--for better or worse--about the power of identity." T.L. Simpson, author of Strong Like You and Cope Field

"Luke Beling explores all the sore, tender parts of how families strive and survive-the struggles, inexpressible losses and golden promises, that long careening toward what we believe we want. In Mitchell Baker he has created a character that carries the big questions at the heart of every soul, all of which boil down to the simple: 'Who are you, and what do you want?' There's a great story here." Kirby Gann, author of The Barbarian Parade and Ghosting

"A stunning literary debut by Luke Beling, taking the reader past the playing field and into the heart of the matter of sports, life, passion and internal fortitude. The Field of Plenty is a winner on the football gridiron and beyond." Paul Volponi, multi-award-winning author of Black and White, The Final Four, Rikers High and Hurricane Song

"The author has crafted a stunningly visceral and mesmerizing coming-of-age tale that gracefully rolls along and then crashes on the unsuspecting reader like an unforgiving ocean wave. In this immersive and intelligent work, the only sure thing in protagonist and placekicker Mitchell Baker's tumultuous young life is that the flight of a football hurtling toward the uprights is wholly unpredictable." Craig Leener, author of There's No Basketball on Mars