Chad Harbach has realized the dream of the Great American Novel: The Art of Fielding is a literary marvel, a magical debut, a novel that is as clever as it is heartfelt, exploring the farewell to youth, passion and love, friendship and family.

The God of Baseball has gifted Henry Skrimshander with a rare talent: the slight, unassuming boy from the provinces is the greatest baseball talent in decades. When he is accepted into the Westish College team, his rise to greatness seems preordained. For months, he makes not a single mistake. But then a routine throw goes horribly wrong, intertwining the fates of five people.

Henry faces a new opponent: self-doubt. His mentor, Mike Schwartz, bitterly realizes that he has forgotten himself for Henry's sake. Henry's gay roommate, Owen, must recover from a harsh blow. Dean Affenlight discovers true love late in life and slips into a dangerous affair. And his daughter, Pella, flees from her husband to Westish, seeking more than just sex on campus.

As the dramatic climax draws inexorably closer, they are all forced to confront their deepest desires and fears. In the end, one of them will be buried twice, and the lives of the others will never be the same.

The Art of Fielding tells of the things that define us – both our mistakes and our obsessions. Anyone who wants to understand what it means to be a human being here and now must read this book.

“Debut novels of such perfection and pull are very, very rare.” Jonathan Franzen

“Wonderful to read, pure pleasure.” John Irving.