To field a groundball must be considered a generous act and an act of comprehension. The buddhist baseball wisdom of aparicio rodriguez the. The art of fielding follows the story of henry skrimshander, an impressionable young baseball talent and the newest freshman member of wisconsins westish. The device that brings this all together is the eponymous book within the book, the art of fielding by aparicio rodriguez, henrys idol, a hall of fame shortstop for the st. Aparicio the cardinals sublime shortstop, aparicio rodriguez. Get an answer for what is an example of irony in chad harbachs the art of fielding. A scrawny kid from rural south dakota, skrimshander amazes schwartz at an amateur tournament by his fielding prowess. The record is held by aparicio rodriguez, who has written a guide book called, yes, the art of fielding. The art of fielding by chad harbach, paperback barnes.
The cardinals role in the book of the year derrick. The art was the only book hed brought with him, the only book henry knew deeply. The art of fielding by chad harbach chicago tribune. The art of fielding is a wise, warmhearted, selfassured, and fiercely readable debut, which heralds the coming of a young american writer to watch. What is an example of irony in chad harbachs the art of fielding. The book within the book was written by the fictitious aparicio rodriguez, a hall of fame shortstop for henrys beloved st. The art of fielding is a baseballthemed novel published by chad. As henrys hero, the famed shortstop aparicio rodriguez inspired, partly. The art of fielding follows the story of henry skrimshander, an. The art of fielding is a 2011 novel by american author chad harbach. Ultimately, the art of fielding by aparicio rodriguez is a lot like the art of fielding by chad harbach, in that they both transcend baseball.
Although owen is henrys complete opposite, to henrys surpise, owen owns a copy of henrys favorite book, the art of fielding, written by the infamous bigleague shortstop aparicio rodriguez. Chad harbachs first novel, the art of fielding, rode a strasburglike wave of. The art of fielding also has a similar postpostmodern, postironic appeal to franzens novels. Henry plunked his bags down on the ocher stain and drew his beatup copy of aparicio rodriguez s the art of fielding out of his shorts pocket. The novel or the book, rather, the art of fielding by aparicio rodriguez of course everybody will remember luis aparicio, the. There should be a biblical saying for if a new novel, for which the publisher has paid an enormous amount of cash, lives up to its hype, all. As a title, the art of fielding does double service. Rodriguezs book is a collection of numbered items of practical advice, epigrams, and aphorisms, some of them cryptic koans. When he is finished registering, henry finds his dorm and meets his roommate, owen dunne. Chad harbachs book the art of fielding is not only a wonderful baseball novel it zooms immediately into the pantheon of classics, alongside the natural by bernard malamud and. The novel was nominated for the guardian first book award, and was featured on several yearend lists. The most significant character around whom this ocean of allusions and fauxholy ceremonies swirls is henry skrimshander, a magnificently gifted shortstop and disciple of aparicio rodriguez, author. It centers on the fortunes of shortstop henry skrimshander and his career playing college baseball with the fictional westish college harpooners. What is an example of irony in chad harbachs the art of.
Among my favorite books as a kid were sports stories of the matt christopher ilk, especially basketball and. Louis cardinals hall of famer aparicio rodriguez a fictional combination of luis aparicio and ozzie smith and is an absolutely dazzling defender, having learned every word of rodriguezs treatise on playing shortstop, entitled the art of fielding. The cardinals role in the book of the year derrick goold. Like his hero, henry has made zero errors as shortstop. Henry loves baseball and idolizes aparicio rodriguez, the baseball playerphilosopher and author of the book the art of fielding. Chad harbachs book the art of fielding is not only a wonderful.
555 703 986 1038 384 1340 839 1077 1532 162 685 369 830 846 969 1448 729 1217 643 1103 691 632 1605 972 393 903 255 635 1553 802 446 1311 91 755 204 889 102 1430 842 862