‘The Art of Fielding’

However, before you rush off to buy this book thinking (and who could blame you?) that it’s a book about the national obsession – cricket – be warned that this book is part of consignment sent here from the US, that the sport in question is baseball.

One reviewer was of the opinion that you didn’t have to know anything about baseball to enjoy the book.

I, however, found myself skipping through the pages (and there are many) devoted to describing a game of what I still rate as a variety of “rounders” (a game played by girls in the UK with much smaller bats but basically the same field, complete with bowler – or whatever that position is called in baseball – and catcher equipped with only a pair of gloves while no one, fielder or batter, wears hats).

So for those who know something of baseball, or are curious as to why UK readers lavished praise on this book, the story is set in Middle West America in a small liberal arts college with a failing baseball team.

Mike Schwartz spots a genius of a shortstop in Henry Skrimshander and arranges for him to attend Westish College.

He devotes himself to encouraging Henry – to the detriment of his own career both on and off the field.

College President Guert Affenlight falls desperately in love with Owen Dunne, a student. Henry seems set for the big league, scouts from all over the US come to see him play, offer him astronomical sums to sign with their clubs.

Until Henry mistimes a throw, the ball enters the dugout where Owen is reading a book and doesn’t see the ball heading in his direction…

The error shatters Henry’s nerves. Mike, meantime, is attracted to Guert’s daughter, Pella, but, realising that without his backing Henry is committing error after error in his game … As with most sport novels, the climax comes with the final game of the season as Mike, Henry, Owen and Pella examine their relationships and confront their deepest hopes and fears.

The title of this book refers to the title of a book of the same name by famed, fictional Hall of Famer shortstop Venezuelan Aparicio Rodriguez that is Henry Skrimshander’s “Bible”.

So, if you like books about sports in general and happen to be interested in baseball in particular, or even if you’re just curious to know why reviewers in the home of cricket heaped praise on this first novel, you’ll find The Art of Fielding at Nigel R Khan.

I admit I gave up half way through – but you never know, you may find it grips you from cover to cover, baseball references and all.