published by: Doubleday Publishing
publish date: April 10, 2012
In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.
Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…
I adored this book. I know it's going to be one of the feel-good books of the summer. John Grisham wrote the baseball story that is about fathers and sons, and boys and their heroes. How could it not be wonderful?
The fastball that Warren Tracey threw changed the lives of Joe Castle, Paul Tracey, and Warren Tracey. Calico Joe tells the story of Joe Castle's rise to fame and his staggering accomplishments in a short amount of time. It tells of the day Warren Tracey changes all that and how all their lives are 30 years later. Paul Tracey is now a writer trying to come to terms with the past and being the son of one of the most hated men in baseball.
I don't know too much about the technical baseball stuff in this book. I did find myself skimming some of it at times. My daughters all play softball, but I don't really know all the ins and outs of the sport. However, I do know that it was an emotional book. I got all teary eyed at several times throughout the book. And the ending was perfect!
I recommend this book for everybody! It has universal appeal.
3 comments:
John has never been short of an exceptional writer.... from A time to kill to The Associte(which happens to be the last one i have read) He has never dissappointed, i know this will be expolosive too.
I know John's was always a blockbuster. I wish I could read though this as soon as possible. You always keep me inspired. More greece to your pen, Jonnie.
This book will never be confused with literature, but it is an easy, quick, and sappy baseball story that will be a fun read for baseball fans. Grisham has a tendency to find a sport and then craft a story around something that gives him an excuse to write a short novella. I've read Bleachers, and Playing for Pizza. While Bleachers had more of a story line and it had a more serious message, Calico Joe is sort of caught between a couple of concepts and just doesn't get there entirely.
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