Jonathan Eig
…Hayhurst, in his own foul-mouthed, sexist way, has a good story to tell, indeed an American classic. It feels true, and Hayhurst knows how to keep the reader turning pages…I couldn't help pulling for him, mostly because when he's not trying to sound like a serious writer with serious thoughts, he's funny. In fact, The Bullpen Gospels may be the funniest baseball memoir since Jim Bouton's Ball Four.
—The New York Times
Library Journal
Hayhurst's (www.dirkhayhurst.com) debut memoir recounts the author's experiences as a minor league pitcher working his way through the San Diego Padres organization. Mostly amusing and poignant but rarely hilarious or pithy, Bullpen Gospelsconveys through a series of anecdotes what it's like to be an earnest, self-effacing minor leaguer who wonders whether he's good enough for the majors. Actor Ray Porter's narration is engaging and lively; he expertly captures the vocal nuances of the wide variety of colorful characters in Hayhurst's tale, from no-nonsense coaches to a foul-mouthed grandmother. Recommended for adult baseball fans interested in digging into life in the minor leagues and learning what goes on behind the scenes when the cameras are off. [First published in April and now in its fifth printing, the Citadel Pr. pb was a New York Times best seller.—Ed.]—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
