AngelsWin.com Offseason Book Review:
Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella
By Rob MacDonald aka Papa_Mac
It’s a long off season and something needs to fill the void until the Angels take the field again. There are some great baseball books to be read, especially Robert Goldman’s “Once They Were Angels.” Enjoy the inaugural AngelsWin Offseason book Review.
W.P. Kinsella’s story Shoeless Joe is better known by most as the movie “Field of Dreams” starring Kevin Costner. If you have seen the movie, you already know the story. Not reading the book, though, would be the same as reading the box score and recap on line instead of watching the game at the Big A. You know the result and how that was accomplished but are missing the details and most importantly for this book, the journey.
Kinsella weaves a tale about finding peace, living dreams, and finding a bit of heaven on earth while mixing in his love of baseball. Ray Kinsella has found his heaven and is fighting to keep it while helping the other characters find their’s. Eddie “Kid” Scissons, J.D. Salinger (replaced by James Earl Jones’ Terrance Mann in the movie), and Ray’s wayward brother Richard each find peace at the magical field. You will still feel the magic wash over you as you read the baseball speech which is used verbatim in the movie. The baseball talk, although somewhat dated, will soothe your itch for baseball. The story is an easy read and carries the same pace as a ballgame.
On Deck: The Entitled by Frank Deford
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