The Pinch Hitters - by Roger Stevenson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Will Livingston and his best friend, Sugarbread, aren't about to let the paucities of war deprive them of the adventures of childhood. The Pinch Hitters chronicles one South Carolina family facing the flight of young adults in their call to wartime duty after Pearl Harbor in 1944. When the enlistment of the four military-age siblings leaves their farm in the hands of Granny Jack, the widowed owner, she soldiers on with the help of the resident sharecropping family, an elderly neighbor, and a German prisoner of war farm laborer. With a child's pragmatism, Will navigates the challenges and joys that arise from planting season. Will's observations of those who "came to bat" for the young men who left the farm to fight in World War II is an education in integrity and courage, with a love of baseball at its metaphorical core.

Review Quotes

"In The Pinch Hitters, Roger Stevenson seamlessly weaves together historical insight and captivating narrative, offering readers a poignant glimpse into a small farm community nestled in the South Carolina cotton belt during the tumultuous year of 1944. As the Second World War rages on, with most able-bodied men in uniform and serving overseas, the fabric of farm life frays under the relentless strain of wartime challenges. Stevenson deftly illuminates a lesser-known facet of the war, revealing the impact of some of the tens of thousands of German military prisoners relocated to camps in America. He explores the complex interplay between captor and captive, as well as the unforeseen ways in which their coexistence reshaped the dynamics of rural life by providing an unexpected pool of agricultural workers. Along the way, he reveals the color and texture of the South Carolina landscape and the tenacity of the human spirit."

"The Pinch Hitters engages the reader with deft descriptions of life on a South Carolina farm during World War II. The characters become real as they interface with oft-forgotten farm laborers from a German prisoners-of-war camp. Each chapter entices you to keep turning the page - a great read."