I heard this highly recommended on the Radio 2 book club, part of a 3-fer offer in The Works

(13/02/14) This is a fine debut, a sporting novel, a campus novel, just literary enough and just human enough to have a foot in both camps. As President Affenlight quotes, ‘This too shall pass’, the great antidote to life’s highs and lows, those twin imposters. The story follows the interconnected lives of the [fictional] Midwest lakeside Westish College President, his daughter Pella, Mr. America football and baseball captain Mike Schwartz, the sublimely talented shortstop Henry Skrimshander and his roommate Owen Dunne. Although Henry starts as the lead character it turns into an ensemble piece, as each character exposes their dreams, hopes and fears, mired variously in depression, grief, indecision & lack of direction, inappropriate affairs, rejection, fear of failure and fear of success – this too shall pass. I loved the way all the separate stories ebbed and flowed around each other, creating a unique and rich, if not wholly believable, coming-of-age novel. An unexpected death brings the remaining 4 back together, and all end up following their own stars, despite their personal demons – this too shall pass! A word of warning, the baseball is a bit technical and for me detracts from the novel a bit, I guess someone could translate the book into Football (soccer) or Cricket allegories for the non-Americans!

This is going to the Ipswich bookcrossing social to share :)

Sorry for being on the drag with registering this book - it came warmly recommended by its previous reader, and I don;t take his recommendations lightly. Looking forward to reading something I would not have ordinarily picked up.

I enjoyed this, couldn't help compare it to John Irving, with nearly as much emotional depth and so,e of the philosophical glimpses.
If this book falls nto your hands and you haven't read "A Prayer for Owen Meany", I'd be curious to hear ow you think it compares.

Some of the baseball was above my head, but I appreciated he sentiments.

This book is to be left on the mantelpiece upstairs in Caffe Nero.

If you are the finder, you can make a journal entry here - you can remain anonymous if you want! I hope you enjoy the book and that you'll get a chance to leave it somewhere else for someone else to find in due course. There is an old (but still very informative) article on bookcrossing to be found here:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2005/jul/31/fiction.features1

Local bookcrossers meet on the second Saturday of each month from 12-1 (ish) upstairs jn Coffee Link on Neptune Marina. New people are always welcome, and you don't need to bring anything. You will recognize us by the pile of books on the table. Tis brings me to the potential danger of such meetups - you may leave with more books than you brought :)

If you like the idea of bookcrossing, more free books can be found in Ipswich bookcrossing zones:
Caffe Nero, the Buttermarket, (upstairs on the mantlepiece)
The Greyhound pub on Ivry Road (shelf opposite the bar)
Coffee Link, Neptune Marina (upstairs, book case on far wall)

Colchester:
Slack Space, Eld Lane
Love Coffee Aroma, High Street
Purple Dog, Eld Lane
Foresters Arms, Castle Road
Hospital Arms, Crouch Street
15 Queen Street
Fox Pub, Layer de la Haye
Jardines Bistro, Wivenhoe


Please do stop for a coffee or drink while you're there.