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Book Review
Aug. 31st, 2013 11:43 pmBrittle Innings
by Michael Bishop
This novel was really enjoyable, and quite perfect August reading. In 1943, 17 year old shortstop Danny Boles is recruited straight from high school into the Highbridge Hellbenders, minor league team in the Chattahoochee Valley League. A traumatic experience* during his trip to Georgia has rendered him mute. Upon arrival at the Hellbender boarding house and headquarters, Danny becomes the room-mate of "Jumbo" Henry Clerval, an unusually large and odd man who plays first base. Over the course of a season of baseball, Danny develops and navigates his relationships with his team-mates and various other members of the community, learns a lot about himself and the world around him, and unravels the mystery of Henry Clerval.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Brittle Innings was its pacing, which was a good balance of suspenseful and leisurely. Lots of things happen, but the overarching narrative is mainly tied to the baseball season and Danny's development, making it much more about process and progression rather than trajectory. The writing had a nostalgic warmth to it, partly due to the use of period slang, partly due to the vivid evocation of a Southern summer. I also appreciated the way Bishop weaves in issues of race, giving the story and setting a more truthful edge rather than wallowing in sentimental nostalgia for an idealized past.
*This is the first time I've seen the rape as plot point and character development trope used with a male character.
by Michael Bishop
This novel was really enjoyable, and quite perfect August reading. In 1943, 17 year old shortstop Danny Boles is recruited straight from high school into the Highbridge Hellbenders, minor league team in the Chattahoochee Valley League. A traumatic experience* during his trip to Georgia has rendered him mute. Upon arrival at the Hellbender boarding house and headquarters, Danny becomes the room-mate of "Jumbo" Henry Clerval, an unusually large and odd man who plays first base. Over the course of a season of baseball, Danny develops and navigates his relationships with his team-mates and various other members of the community, learns a lot about himself and the world around him, and unravels the mystery of Henry Clerval.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Brittle Innings was its pacing, which was a good balance of suspenseful and leisurely. Lots of things happen, but the overarching narrative is mainly tied to the baseball season and Danny's development, making it much more about process and progression rather than trajectory. The writing had a nostalgic warmth to it, partly due to the use of period slang, partly due to the vivid evocation of a Southern summer. I also appreciated the way Bishop weaves in issues of race, giving the story and setting a more truthful edge rather than wallowing in sentimental nostalgia for an idealized past.
*This is the first time I've seen the rape as plot point and character development trope used with a male character.
