Shoeless Joe

by W. P. Kinsella

Overview

The inspiration for the beloved film Field of Dreams, Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella is the story about the beauty and history of baseball, and the power and endurance of a dream.

“A moonlit novel about baseball, dreams, family, the land, and literature."—Sports Illustrated

“If you build it, he will come.” These mysterious words, spoken by an Iowa baseball announcer, inspire Ray Kinsella to carve a baseball diamond in his cornfield in honor of his hero, the baseball legend Shoeless Joe Jackson. What follows is both a rich, nostalgic look at one of our most cherished national pastimes and a remarkable story about fathers and sons, love and family, and the inimitable joy of finding your way home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780395957738
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/28/1999
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	110,752
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	1020L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

W. P. Kinsella (1935–2016) was the author of numerous works of fiction, including the best-selling Shoeless Joe, for which he won the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship, The Iowa Baseball Confederacy, and eleven highly acclaimed short story collections.

Date of Birth:

May 25, 1935

Date of Death:

September 16, 2016

Place of Birth:

Edmonton, Alberta

Education:

University of Victoria

Website:

http://wpkinsella.com

Table of Contents

I.	Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes to Iowa	1
II.	They Tore Down the Polo Grounds in 1964	21
III.	The Life and Times of Moonlight Graham	103
IV.	The Oldest Living Chicago Cub	155
V.	The Rapture of J. D. Salinger	257

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"W. P. Kinsella plays with both myth and fantasy in his lyrical novel, which was adapted into the enormously popular movie, 'Field of Dreams.' It begins with the magic of a godlike voice in a cornfield, and ends with the magic of a son playing catch with the ghost of his father. In Kinsella's hands, it's all about as simple, and complex, as the object of baseball itself: coming home. Like Ring Lardner and Bernard Malamud before him, Kinsella spins baseball as backdrop and metaphor, and, like his predecessors, uses the game to tell us a little something more about who we are and what we need." Amazon.com

Editorial Reviews

"W. P. Kinsella plays with both myth and fantasy in his lyrical novel, which was adapted into the enormously popular movie, 'Field of Dreams.' It begins with the magic of a godlike voice in a cornfield, and ends with the magic of a son playing catch with the ghost of his father. In Kinsella's hands, it's all about as simple, and complex, as the object of baseball itself: coming home. Like Ring Lardner and Bernard Malamud before him, Kinsella spins baseball as backdrop and metaphor, and, like his predecessors, uses the game to tell us a little something more about who we are and what we need." Amazon.com —

From the Publisher

If you’ve seen FIELD OF DREAMS, then this audiobook—the basis for the movie—is a must-listen. W.P. Kinsella’s fantastical, romantic, historical fiction on the importance of baseball and family comes to life in Grover Gardner’s narration. He uses a gentle tone for Ray Kinsella, who, despite being close to losing his farm, rarely seems stressed. Gardner is relaxed as this wonderful story carries listeners from Iowa across the country and back again. Ray’s traveling partner, J.D. Salinger (whose name Salinger insisted be changed in the movie), often has a slightly clipped voice, fitting his perpetual annoyance. Archie, a young ballplayer, is a bit green, and the wonder comes through in Gardner’s tone. Gardner fits the first-person approach, helping the listener cheer for Ray to overcome his plight. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2021 - AudioFile