The Entitled
by Frank Deford
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Book Summary Information
Author: Frank DefordEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-05-16
ISBN: 1402208960
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Book Reviews of The Entitled
Book Review: Only the Setting is Baseball
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a baseball freak. However, I do not generally read books about it (never read a Halbertsam). Reading "Entitled" still keeps me baseball book free, because only the setting is baseball. The book is about far, far more - culture diversity, natural talent as opposed to blue collar talent, public images and their accuracy and a bit of a mystery to boot.
The main character is the blue collar manager who worked his way up through the minors to get a major league managerial job. He has a super-superstar that reputedly really runs the show.
One of the joys of this book is that these stereotypes are shown to be just that - shallow images propagated by those who do not know the characters better. As the former editor of Sports Illustrated, Deford has an insider's knowledge about what makes images in the public's eye and how hard it is to shift them. He also shows the baggage and prejudice that comes with each image.
The superstar, who appears to be a shallow, self-centered prima donna surprisingly, may not be, or...maybe he is. The last quarter of the book tumbles with surprises and twists and turns when it is shown that nothing - seemingly - is as it seems. There is a bit of a mystery plot, but the thrust of the novel is the characters, their characterizations and how they both differ and are true to those characterizations. It is a wonderful character study.
One word of cauation. If you are a sports page reader, many of the descriptions of the workings of baseball franchises will be old to you. However, they are necessary and make the book very readable for those not familiar with baseball; much as if the book were set in a mining town or in some specialized industry.
The bottom line is that this is not a book about baseball. Primarily it is a character study and a close second, it is a book about how public images are made, accurate or not, and how those images influence the characters and those around them.
In addition to the above accolades, the writing is terrific. Highly recommended for baseball fans and non-baseball fans, alike.
Summary of The Entitled
"In men like Traveler and Alcazar we find the beating heart and struggling soul of baseball..."-Jeff MacGregor, Sports Illustrated; author of Sunday Money
Howie Traveler never made it as a player-his one major league hit and .091 batting average attest to that. He was
cursed with that worst of professional maladies, the ill fortune of almost.
Now after years of struggling up the coaching ladder, Howie's finally been given his shot: as manager of the Cleveland Indians. But America's pastime has changed. Whether Howie can spot a small flaw in a batter's swing won't matter if he can't manage his superstar outfielder Jay Alcazar, a slugger with enormous talent (and an ego to match).
No crisis on the field fazes Jay and no woman off the field ever rejects him. But one night at the hotel Howie sees something at Jay's door he wishes he hadn't...and it leaves Howie with an impossible choice.
From six-time National Sportswriter of the Year and NPR commentator Frank Deford comes a richly detailed, page-turning tale that takes you deep into America's game. From the dugouts to the tabloid scandals, from the lights of the field to the glare of the media, The Entitled is the great novel of baseball's modern era.
"The Entitled is a baseball masterpiece, like The Natural and Field of Dreams; the difference is the plot and the characters depict the true inside world of baseball. Frank Deford writes like he played in the majors for ten years. If you have a passion for baseball, this is a must read."
-Mike Schmidt, Baseball Hall of Fame
"Frank Deford is not just an immensely talented sportswriter, he's an immensely talented American writer. The Entitled is his wise and pleasurable portrait of a Willy Loman-like baseball manager finally getting his chance in the Bigs late in his career."
-David Halberstam
"Engrossing...Readers are exposed to a richly textured understanding of baseball and, no less, of estrangement, ambition, mendacity and the search for one's destiny-notwithstanding the cost in human or financial terms."
-Library Journal
"I loved The Entitled and could not put it down. It was a great read from start to finish with characters that reminded me of the many people I've known and played with-pure baseball."
??Lou Piniella, Manager, Chicago Cubs
" The Entitled contains all of the keen insider knowledge one expects of America's premier sports journalist. It also displays Frank Deford's gifts for dialogue and intricate plotting and his poignant grasp of character. It proves once again that Deford can play at the highest level in any league."
-Michael Mewshaw, author of Year of the Gun
"Deford scores another hit with this novel of athletes behaving badly...tackles timely and provocative issues without flinching."
-Publishers Weekly
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