Monday, July 18, 2011

Abducted by Monday Memories 7.18.2011

Sorry I haven't posted this week, but I've been crazy busy!

Went and saw Harry Potter with my book club. It was awesome!!!

Then I went and agreed to dog sit for TWO different friends of mine! What was I thinking?

Also I've been working really hard with my friends Andrea and Jeremy to put up some great Harry Potter posts over at our reviewsin5 website.

But I am back today to post another Monday Memory hosted by Annette!



July is a very important month for me because, as far as I am concerned, it marks the beginning of the real baseball season!

In July players from all the different teams come together to play in the All Star Games. Now, I am a huge Red Sox fan! I mean HUGE!!! And I have watched them go into the All Star Break leading their league only to come back and loose their fire. At the same time I have seen them go into the All Star Break getting beat and yet when they come back they are unstoppable! That is why over the years I have learned to never trust the standings until after the Break.

Well the Break was last week and as of the standings this morning the Red Sox are leading their division by 1.5 games to the yankees.

GO SOX!!!


Since I'm so thrilled that we can finally get excited about baseball again I thought today would be a great day to share the memory of my favorite book about baseball.



I first read Shoeless Joe back in 2004 so about seven years ago. I remember reading it on my lunch break at work. I would get it out of my locker and immediately start reading it while I was walking to the break room.

This is the book that the movie Field of Dreams was based on. There are some changes to the characters and a lot is left out of the movie, but Field of Dreams does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the book.

2004 was also the year the Red Sox finally won the World Series, I read this book shortly after that win so I was still on a pretty big high. I remember gushing over all the baseball comments in the book. Personally, I feel that in the movie Field of Dreams, Ray Kinsella merely appreciates baseball, where as in the book he is a baseball FANATIC! I think that is why I connected so much to the book at that time, because I was on such a high I could really enjoy reading a book about someone who loved baseball as much as me.

The author, W.P. Kinsella, gives his novel a very lyrical and loving tone that flows into each page. And the story is one of redemption and forgiveness, as well as hope and contentment. And since it is only 272 pages, I bet I could read it again before the summer is over!

If you hate baseball, then I'm sorry to say, you may not like this book. Yes, the story is about so much more, but the author does praise the game pretty consistently throughout the story, and that may start to weigh on you after a while.




But if you love the film Field of Dreams, you should definitely give it a shot!



Have a great week everyone!

4 comments:

Annette Mills said...

I either didn't know or forgot that Field of Dreams was based on this book. I've not read it, but I've certainly heard of it. I know it's been popular with the boys! Thanks!

fakesteph said...

Ahhh... I grew up in Northern New Jersey so I'm a Yankee fan. It killed me when the Red Sox won back in 2004 (which is why people hate Yankee fans, we really do enjoy those long losing streaks). BUT I saw the Red Sox in Fenway Park on a high school trip. It was an amazing experience.

Even though, I'm not big into baseball (besides knowing I'm a Yankee fan because my dad is), it was fun reading about something you are so passionate about!

Kate @Midnight Book Girl said...

Despite my severe lack of interest in baseball, I love how much you love it. As a soccer fan I understand what it's like to have others think your favorite sport is lame and boring. Still not interested in picking up the book, but I didn't know it was the basis of Field of Dreams either... not that I watched the movie in full though.

Unknown said...

I'm kind of "meh" about baseball. I do enjoy going to the ballpark though and watching a game with a brew in one hand and a hotdog in the other. It's an activity that is, to me, the essence of summer.

I've been reading all of youse guys' wonderful posts on Reviews in 5, but every time I go to comment I get a "site not found" message. Just want to let you know that I'm reading and appreciating them.

 
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