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Calico Joe
A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball.
Whatever happened to Calico Joe?
When he arrived in Philadelphia, a cab delivered him to Veterans Stadium, where he was quickly fixed for a uniform, given Number 42, and hustled onto the field. The Cubs were already taking batting practice. Understandably, he was nervous, thrilled, almost bewildered, and when the manager, Whitey Lockman, said, "Get loose. You're starting at first and hitting seventh," Joe Castle had trouble gripping his brand-new bat. In his first round of major-league batting practice, he swung at the first two pitches and missed.
He would not miss again for a long time.
In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.
Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.
In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes Calico Joe a classic.
Whatever happened to Calico Joe?
When he arrived in Philadelphia, a cab delivered him to Veterans Stadium, where he was quickly fixed for a uniform, given Number 42, and hustled onto the field. The Cubs were already taking batting practice. Understandably, he was nervous, thrilled, almost bewildered, and when the manager, Whitey Lockman, said, "Get loose. You're starting at first and hitting seventh," Joe Castle had trouble gripping his brand-new bat. In his first round of major-league batting practice, he swung at the first two pitches and missed.
He would not miss again for a long time.
In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.
Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.
In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes Calico Joe a classic.
198 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
3568 people are currently reading
17828 people want to read
About the author
John Grisham
468 books87.9k followersJohn Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,980 reviews
March 30, 2016
The blurb on the front of the book reads the great American storyteller meets our national pastime. I remember when Calico Joe came out. The Cubs were in the midst of another losing season and the radio announcers had John Grisham in their booth to discuss his new baseball book. I did not get around to reading it until now, and of course I finished in 3 hours, as it's the time of year where I binge on baseball books.
Paul Tracey receives a phone call from his father's current wife that his father Warren is dying and might have three months to live tops. Warren, a mediocre journeyman pitcher, was an even worse father. Paul wavers back and forth if he should pay a visit to his father before he passes away, inevitably deciding to do so. The book is written half in present and half in flashback to the summer when Paul was 11 and Warren spiraled out of control, essentially ending Paul's childhood innocence.
It is 1973. The Cubs having floundered in 1969 were back in the pennant race. After injuries to their starting first baseman, they call up 21 year old Joe Castle from double a. He is an instant success and America falls in love with him immediately. To top things off, he is from small town Calico Rock, Arkansas and easily identifiable to Americans pursuing the American Dream. He easily becomes Paul's idol as well, and Paul immediately checks the Mets schedule to see when the Cubs will be coming to town.
All is going well for Castle and the Cubs until they meet the hated Mets in New York for a crucial four game series. Warren is scheduled to pitch for the Mets and Paul and his mother go to the game. The mood is electric. Joe hits a home run in his first at bat and Paul is ecstatic. And then the unthinkable happens. In his second at bat, Warren throws at Joe's head and knocks him unconscious. Paul and his mother leave the stadium and he does not watch another game for thirty years. Joe falls into a coma and never plays baseball again.
Fast forward to the present when Paul learns that Warren is dying. He decides that once and for all Warren should apologize to Joe and sets off cross country to make that reconciliation possible.
In order not to give much away, the rest of this quick read is about forgiveness and family with baseball as a backdrop. For a baseball fan like myself, I easily identified with baseball as motif for life. Even if you do not like baseball, this book is an enjoyable read. It is about a father and son making amends for what was and moving forward in life. I am glad I finally picked up Calico Joe and rediscovered John Grisham and am looking forward to reading and rereading more of his books.
Paul Tracey receives a phone call from his father's current wife that his father Warren is dying and might have three months to live tops. Warren, a mediocre journeyman pitcher, was an even worse father. Paul wavers back and forth if he should pay a visit to his father before he passes away, inevitably deciding to do so. The book is written half in present and half in flashback to the summer when Paul was 11 and Warren spiraled out of control, essentially ending Paul's childhood innocence.
It is 1973. The Cubs having floundered in 1969 were back in the pennant race. After injuries to their starting first baseman, they call up 21 year old Joe Castle from double a. He is an instant success and America falls in love with him immediately. To top things off, he is from small town Calico Rock, Arkansas and easily identifiable to Americans pursuing the American Dream. He easily becomes Paul's idol as well, and Paul immediately checks the Mets schedule to see when the Cubs will be coming to town.
All is going well for Castle and the Cubs until they meet the hated Mets in New York for a crucial four game series. Warren is scheduled to pitch for the Mets and Paul and his mother go to the game. The mood is electric. Joe hits a home run in his first at bat and Paul is ecstatic. And then the unthinkable happens. In his second at bat, Warren throws at Joe's head and knocks him unconscious. Paul and his mother leave the stadium and he does not watch another game for thirty years. Joe falls into a coma and never plays baseball again.
Fast forward to the present when Paul learns that Warren is dying. He decides that once and for all Warren should apologize to Joe and sets off cross country to make that reconciliation possible.
In order not to give much away, the rest of this quick read is about forgiveness and family with baseball as a backdrop. For a baseball fan like myself, I easily identified with baseball as motif for life. Even if you do not like baseball, this book is an enjoyable read. It is about a father and son making amends for what was and moving forward in life. I am glad I finally picked up Calico Joe and rediscovered John Grisham and am looking forward to reading and rereading more of his books.
July 30, 2012
The greatest triumph in today’s popular fiction could be the equal success John Grisham gets from his deepest hatred and his richest love.
Most know that Grisham the author of a number of good and best-selling legal thrillers hates the law. Or more precisely hates the act of lawyering. Fewer probably know that Grisham loves baseball. He coaches his son’s teams and gives mightily to building fields of dreams in both Virginia and, his native, Mississippi.
With “Calico Joe,” Grisham tells a wonderful story about baseball and redemption. Grisham has dipped into sports before with the winning "Playing for Pizza," about football. But here he has delivered a baseball allegory to rival the best ever – "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams."
Cub’s fans will truly enjoy.
No, the Cubs don’t miraculously make it to the World Series. (Even Grisham has to stay tethered to some degree of reality). But they are central to this story of a soaring career brought to an end way too early; to the redemption, not of the perpetrator but of the victim; and to all 10 year old boys’ need for heroes.
Please read and enjoy.
Most know that Grisham the author of a number of good and best-selling legal thrillers hates the law. Or more precisely hates the act of lawyering. Fewer probably know that Grisham loves baseball. He coaches his son’s teams and gives mightily to building fields of dreams in both Virginia and, his native, Mississippi.
With “Calico Joe,” Grisham tells a wonderful story about baseball and redemption. Grisham has dipped into sports before with the winning "Playing for Pizza," about football. But here he has delivered a baseball allegory to rival the best ever – "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams."
Cub’s fans will truly enjoy.
No, the Cubs don’t miraculously make it to the World Series. (Even Grisham has to stay tethered to some degree of reality). But they are central to this story of a soaring career brought to an end way too early; to the redemption, not of the perpetrator but of the victim; and to all 10 year old boys’ need for heroes.
Please read and enjoy.
April 3, 2024
Catching up…
Oh, how I love my neighbors and their generosity to my Little Free Library Shed. And, it just so happens that this one is going to be a discussion book for the Mobile Public Library in August which I have been invited to attend via Zoom. So, I am looking forward to the discussion. It was nice to re-visit this book again and catch up with all the characters.
Of course, this is not the typical Grisham. I love Grisham for his courtroom dramas. But he has been known to write other stories that have tugged at the heartstrings, and garnering readers attention.
So, if this isn’t courtroom drama, or a legal thriller, what is it?
Well. It is one of Grisham’s favorite pastimes, baseball. And even though baseball may not be a favorite type of story for me to read, it was something I enjoyed watching as a spectator in my younger days living in Southern California. (I was a Dodgers and Angels fan.)
And, this turned out to be quite a compelling and heart-felt story. So, I am grateful to have let myself be open to a different kind of reading experience.
This is a sweet, simple story. A story with a moral. Most importantly, a story about the importance of forgiveness.
“It’s known as the restorative powers of forgiveness.”
Joe Castle is a 21-year-old rather talented rookie first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His nickname is the name of the book, Calico Joe. His nickname comes from his hometown of Calico Rock, Arkansas. His talent is all those homeruns he seems to hit every time he comes to bat!
Unfortunately, there is a pitcher, Warren Tracey who doesn’t play fair, and his intentions are to challenge batters which sometimes include throwing balls directly at batter’s heads. Will he do this to Joe?
And then there is the pitcher’s son, Paul, the narrator of the story, who knows that ball is coming but, stands silent as he watches the pitch.
What is going to happen next will leave readers spellbound. But it doesn’t happen right away. Grisham builds to that moment. And when it finally does…many lives will be changed, including Paul’s.
And that is what keeps readers turning pages in this captivating, easy-to-read, beautifully written story.
What will happen years later is what brings this story to its amazing climax. Including the emotions of its readers.
Is redemption possible? Perhaps Kleenex might be welcome in this moment.
But that isn’t the only moment. There is more. Keep reading to its very satisfying end. You’ll need the Kleenex again.
Oh, how I love my neighbors and their generosity to my Little Free Library Shed. And, it just so happens that this one is going to be a discussion book for the Mobile Public Library in August which I have been invited to attend via Zoom. So, I am looking forward to the discussion. It was nice to re-visit this book again and catch up with all the characters.
Of course, this is not the typical Grisham. I love Grisham for his courtroom dramas. But he has been known to write other stories that have tugged at the heartstrings, and garnering readers attention.
So, if this isn’t courtroom drama, or a legal thriller, what is it?
Well. It is one of Grisham’s favorite pastimes, baseball. And even though baseball may not be a favorite type of story for me to read, it was something I enjoyed watching as a spectator in my younger days living in Southern California. (I was a Dodgers and Angels fan.)
And, this turned out to be quite a compelling and heart-felt story. So, I am grateful to have let myself be open to a different kind of reading experience.
This is a sweet, simple story. A story with a moral. Most importantly, a story about the importance of forgiveness.
“It’s known as the restorative powers of forgiveness.”
Joe Castle is a 21-year-old rather talented rookie first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His nickname is the name of the book, Calico Joe. His nickname comes from his hometown of Calico Rock, Arkansas. His talent is all those homeruns he seems to hit every time he comes to bat!
Unfortunately, there is a pitcher, Warren Tracey who doesn’t play fair, and his intentions are to challenge batters which sometimes include throwing balls directly at batter’s heads. Will he do this to Joe?
And then there is the pitcher’s son, Paul, the narrator of the story, who knows that ball is coming but, stands silent as he watches the pitch.
What is going to happen next will leave readers spellbound. But it doesn’t happen right away. Grisham builds to that moment. And when it finally does…many lives will be changed, including Paul’s.
And that is what keeps readers turning pages in this captivating, easy-to-read, beautifully written story.
What will happen years later is what brings this story to its amazing climax. Including the emotions of its readers.
Is redemption possible? Perhaps Kleenex might be welcome in this moment.
But that isn’t the only moment. There is more. Keep reading to its very satisfying end. You’ll need the Kleenex again.
April 26, 2023
Calico Joe tells two stories. Through a series of flashbacks, we follow the rise of a great baseball rookie, “Calico” Joe Castle, through the eyes of the then-eleven-year-old narrator whose father Warren is a pitcher on a collision course with Joe. In the present, the now middle-aged narrator, estranged from his dying father, is attempting to bring Warren and Joe together to reconcile.
The ‘clash’ between Warren and Joe is pretty predictable. And the attempted reconciliation feels out of character for Warren, even if he is dying. But those flaws aside, Calico Joe still drew me in. It is very well-written, dramatic, and moving. Recommended.
The ‘clash’ between Warren and Joe is pretty predictable. And the attempted reconciliation feels out of character for Warren, even if he is dying. But those flaws aside, Calico Joe still drew me in. It is very well-written, dramatic, and moving. Recommended.
January 5, 2019
4.5 stars.
John Grisham, obviously, is a very accomplished writer of tense legal thrillers, all of which are best sellers. Every once in a while, he strays from that genre and writes simply fantastic day-in-the-life type books of which I can't get enough. This is one of those books, and fits right along with "Playing for Pizza" and "A Painted House". Those two books weren't well received, but for some reason, I like those a whole lot more than the legal thrillers. There's something about how he captures emotions and passion of simple people, people with dreams and goals, people with problems, and how events often overcome both the dreams and the problems.
This is a quick read about a young hot-shot ball player out of Calico Rock, Arkansas, his meteoric rise in the majors, and the end of his career after just a few games in the summer of 1973. It is also the story of a young boy who idolized him, and the impact Calico Joe had on his life.
Highly recommended for baseball fans, and fans of good, solid writing.
John Grisham, obviously, is a very accomplished writer of tense legal thrillers, all of which are best sellers. Every once in a while, he strays from that genre and writes simply fantastic day-in-the-life type books of which I can't get enough. This is one of those books, and fits right along with "Playing for Pizza" and "A Painted House". Those two books weren't well received, but for some reason, I like those a whole lot more than the legal thrillers. There's something about how he captures emotions and passion of simple people, people with dreams and goals, people with problems, and how events often overcome both the dreams and the problems.
This is a quick read about a young hot-shot ball player out of Calico Rock, Arkansas, his meteoric rise in the majors, and the end of his career after just a few games in the summer of 1973. It is also the story of a young boy who idolized him, and the impact Calico Joe had on his life.
Highly recommended for baseball fans, and fans of good, solid writing.
February 18, 2024
This has to be one of John Grisham’s shortest stories. No lawyers no courtroom but still an extremely well researched book regarding the trials and tribulations of baseball.
February 12, 2021
Another Grisham Winner
Fantastic book. I love Grisham. I am a baseball lover and this book touched my heart.
The narrator makes the book seem so personal.
I highly recommend
Fantastic book. I love Grisham. I am a baseball lover and this book touched my heart.
The narrator makes the book seem so personal.
I highly recommend
May 25, 2022
Review originally published November 2012
Paul Tracy is a software writer with a love for baseball, and a need to find answers to his haunted past.
In 1973, when Paul was eleven, his hero was Joe Castle, a first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His father, Warren Tracy, was a down-and-out pitcher for the New York Mets. Paul wanted to play baseball and had a promising future, but he was continually criticized and abused by his alcoholic father.
Warren was a frustrated man who believed in a baseball code of protection and retaliation. His father’s attitude changed the lives of all the characters in this story, Calico Joe, by John Grisham.
Grisham’s method of writing combines real and fictional players in rearranged rosters and schedules. For example, he has fictional players Razor Ruffin playing for the Cubs, Benny Humphries with the Phillies, and Dutch Patton on the Braves roster. Most of the other names are real-life players from 1973, and the game events are believable.
Grisham captures the excitement that can come from attending or listening to a major league baseball game. He delivers an intriguing story most readers will enjoy in which the adult Paul Tracy is searching for his boyhood hero and seeking peace with his father.
You can find Calico Joe at your La Crosse County Library, located in West Salem, Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, and Onalaska. You can also reserve a copy at www.lacrossecountylibrary.org for pick-up at your convenience.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Paul Tracy is a software writer with a love for baseball, and a need to find answers to his haunted past.
In 1973, when Paul was eleven, his hero was Joe Castle, a first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His father, Warren Tracy, was a down-and-out pitcher for the New York Mets. Paul wanted to play baseball and had a promising future, but he was continually criticized and abused by his alcoholic father.
Warren was a frustrated man who believed in a baseball code of protection and retaliation. His father’s attitude changed the lives of all the characters in this story, Calico Joe, by John Grisham.
Grisham’s method of writing combines real and fictional players in rearranged rosters and schedules. For example, he has fictional players Razor Ruffin playing for the Cubs, Benny Humphries with the Phillies, and Dutch Patton on the Braves roster. Most of the other names are real-life players from 1973, and the game events are believable.
Grisham captures the excitement that can come from attending or listening to a major league baseball game. He delivers an intriguing story most readers will enjoy in which the adult Paul Tracy is searching for his boyhood hero and seeking peace with his father.
You can find Calico Joe at your La Crosse County Library, located in West Salem, Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, and Onalaska. You can also reserve a copy at www.lacrossecountylibrary.org for pick-up at your convenience.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
April 13, 2012
Fan of baseball? Not a fan of baseball? Doesnt' matter-this book is a must read! This is so much more than a book about baseball. It's about family, heartache, broken promises, disappointments, growing up...mostly forgiveness and resiliance. You ache for Paul Tracey, his sister and Mom. You are so so disappointed in his father, MLB pitcher, Warren Tracey. He is far from a role model; even farther from father of the year. How could this emotionally charged story have a positive ending-what's the saving grace? Grisham remarkably pulls it off-gets to the heart of the matter...making you root for, and get, that perfect, satisfying ending... but perhaps, not without a few tears!
June 16, 2023
This is quite unlike any other John Grisham’s thrillers. It is more of a homage to the game of Baseball. If you are not a fan or if you do not have in-depth sound knowledge of the game, then stay away from the novel. Chances are you will stop reading after the first ten pages!
May 31, 2020
In 1973, Warren Tracey is a pitcher for the Mets. Upcoming phenom Joe Castle plays for the Cubs. The story is told from the perspective of Warren’s son, Paul, who is eleven years old at the time of an incident involving both players. Joe Castle is Paul’s favorite player. John Tracey is his father. He is now an adult, and his father is dying.
A large portion of this slim novel is spent with unpleasant characters. The son despises his father for philandering, physical abuse, and abandonment of his family. The father is so mean he is almost cartoonish. Grisham mixes real baseball players of the time with fictional players of his own creation. Baseball fans will notice a couple of glaring inaccuracies (e.g., the Cubs do not hold spring training in Florida). It is a decent story with a predictable ending. The audio book is competently read by Erik Singer.
Grisham is known for his legal thrillers. You might say he has thrown the reader a “change-up” with this novel. Baseball fans will likely enjoy it more than those with no interest in the game.
A large portion of this slim novel is spent with unpleasant characters. The son despises his father for philandering, physical abuse, and abandonment of his family. The father is so mean he is almost cartoonish. Grisham mixes real baseball players of the time with fictional players of his own creation. Baseball fans will notice a couple of glaring inaccuracies (e.g., the Cubs do not hold spring training in Florida). It is a decent story with a predictable ending. The audio book is competently read by Erik Singer.
Grisham is known for his legal thrillers. You might say he has thrown the reader a “change-up” with this novel. Baseball fans will likely enjoy it more than those with no interest in the game.
December 22, 2024
Grisham is an excellent narrator and a great entertainer, so many of his books deserve at least four stars. Only if you do not like something about the subject, which is this case:
- the novel is too technical for the average European reader
- you feel embarrassed for Paul's childhood and Joe's destiny, because of Warren's exacerbated rudeness
- the good boys are too good, the villain too dark
- the final seems somehow artificial
So, three stars is a decent rating for a decent book. And nothing more...
- the novel is too technical for the average European reader
- you feel embarrassed for Paul's childhood and Joe's destiny, because of Warren's exacerbated rudeness
- the good boys are too good, the villain too dark
- the final seems somehow artificial
So, three stars is a decent rating for a decent book. And nothing more...
April 12, 2019
The book title and author's name are the reason I borrowed CALICO JOE by John Grisham from the library. As I am not a huge baseball fan, I probably would not have chosen this if I knew it was about baseball. It's a good thing that I didn't know because I enjoyed listening Erik Singer read the unabridged audio version of CALICO JOE. Erik Singer was the perfect choice for narrator as his voice drew me into the story and made me feel that I was there with Paul Tracy.
The book's style mixes fact and fiction - introducing fictional players into well-known actual teams such as the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs and lets them interact with actual people such as Yogi Berra, and letting dramatic fictional Baseball matches take place in actual stadiums.
My interest was piqued and I "Googled" Calico Joe and Wikipedia and this is part of what I found:-
"Author Grisham once dreamed of a career as a professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals.[1] This, his first baseball novel, is about a beanballthat ends the career of a promising player .[1] The novel is inspired by the real-life story of Ray Chapman, the only professional baseball player killed by a pitch.[2] The book was also inspired by some of Grisham's personal baseball experience; as noted in the forward, when a teenager Grisham played baseball, and developed a dislike of aggressive, bad-mannered pitchers; at the age of 19, Grisham saw a ball flying very near to his face, at the speed of about ninety miles per hour - and quit the game, promptly and permanently."
"...[The Washington Post's Steven V. Roberts]Roberts describes the novel as a fable with a moral that "Good can come out of evil; it’s never too late to confess your sins and seek forgiveness."[3] The story is also about relationships, such as the Castle brothers', and the Father-son Tracey relationship, and the relationship between Joe and his hometown community."
"In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzled Cubs fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records. Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracy finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever."
- Quote from back of CD case
This well written story about family, relationships, and forgiveness would most likely appeal to baseball fans.
4 sportsmanlike stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️
The book's style mixes fact and fiction - introducing fictional players into well-known actual teams such as the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs and lets them interact with actual people such as Yogi Berra, and letting dramatic fictional Baseball matches take place in actual stadiums.
My interest was piqued and I "Googled" Calico Joe and Wikipedia and this is part of what I found:-
"Author Grisham once dreamed of a career as a professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals.[1] This, his first baseball novel, is about a beanballthat ends the career of a promising player .[1] The novel is inspired by the real-life story of Ray Chapman, the only professional baseball player killed by a pitch.[2] The book was also inspired by some of Grisham's personal baseball experience; as noted in the forward, when a teenager Grisham played baseball, and developed a dislike of aggressive, bad-mannered pitchers; at the age of 19, Grisham saw a ball flying very near to his face, at the speed of about ninety miles per hour - and quit the game, promptly and permanently."
"...[The Washington Post's Steven V. Roberts]Roberts describes the novel as a fable with a moral that "Good can come out of evil; it’s never too late to confess your sins and seek forgiveness."[3] The story is also about relationships, such as the Castle brothers', and the Father-son Tracey relationship, and the relationship between Joe and his hometown community."
"In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzled Cubs fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records. Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracy finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever."
- Quote from back of CD case
This well written story about family, relationships, and forgiveness would most likely appeal to baseball fans.
4 sportsmanlike stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️
August 14, 2017
Calico Joe
John Grisham
CALICO JOE is not like any other John Grisham book I have ever read. It is a story about fathers and sons and forgiveness and letting go of events in the past. My husband is a life long Cubs fan and I pulled him right in with the story of Calico Joe. Paul Tracey gets a call from his father's current wife. His father Warren is dying. He was an okay pitcher for the New York Mets back when Calico Joe was playing for the Cubs. He was a horrible father and was very abusive to his wife as well as his children. The best days were when Warren was on the road traveling with the Mets.
Paul wrestles with the idea that since his father is dying, maybe it would be the right time to find Joe Castle and get the two of them to meet once again. When Paul was eleven years old, his father did something to CALICO JOE that was horrible, unthinkable and changed Joe's life forever. The story goes back and forth to when Paul was a child and to now an adult. My heart broke over and over again for Paul and his mom and how disgusting his father treated them. Warren is a very mean man not only to his family but to other players as well. Then when he does that horrible act, it changes the lives of Joe, Paul, and Warren as well. I dare you to read CALICO JOE without getting emotionally invested in all of them. You won't be able to do it.
Warren is a very jealous man, but especially of CALICO JOE. He can't stand the fact that his own son is just like the rest of America, worshipping Calico Joe. Warren will never be known as a role model and it doesn't seem to bother him at all. Your heart will break for Paul and Joe just like mine did so don't even try to fight it. John Grisham totally hits this heart tugging story out of the park! I hated Warren from the very first pages. How could he not feel any remorse at all for what he had done? You don't have to love baseball, or even sports to love this wonderful and emotional story. At times, I felt like I was right there at the game, smelling the hot dogs, and cheering every time I heard the crack of the bat!
John Grisham
CALICO JOE is not like any other John Grisham book I have ever read. It is a story about fathers and sons and forgiveness and letting go of events in the past. My husband is a life long Cubs fan and I pulled him right in with the story of Calico Joe. Paul Tracey gets a call from his father's current wife. His father Warren is dying. He was an okay pitcher for the New York Mets back when Calico Joe was playing for the Cubs. He was a horrible father and was very abusive to his wife as well as his children. The best days were when Warren was on the road traveling with the Mets.
Paul wrestles with the idea that since his father is dying, maybe it would be the right time to find Joe Castle and get the two of them to meet once again. When Paul was eleven years old, his father did something to CALICO JOE that was horrible, unthinkable and changed Joe's life forever. The story goes back and forth to when Paul was a child and to now an adult. My heart broke over and over again for Paul and his mom and how disgusting his father treated them. Warren is a very mean man not only to his family but to other players as well. Then when he does that horrible act, it changes the lives of Joe, Paul, and Warren as well. I dare you to read CALICO JOE without getting emotionally invested in all of them. You won't be able to do it.
Warren is a very jealous man, but especially of CALICO JOE. He can't stand the fact that his own son is just like the rest of America, worshipping Calico Joe. Warren will never be known as a role model and it doesn't seem to bother him at all. Your heart will break for Paul and Joe just like mine did so don't even try to fight it. John Grisham totally hits this heart tugging story out of the park! I hated Warren from the very first pages. How could he not feel any remorse at all for what he had done? You don't have to love baseball, or even sports to love this wonderful and emotional story. At times, I felt like I was right there at the game, smelling the hot dogs, and cheering every time I heard the crack of the bat!
July 9, 2024
Calico Joe by John Grisham different than his usual novels about the legal The novel revolves around the lives of two major characters: Joe Castle, player for the Chicago Cubs, and Warren Tracey, a pitcher for the New York Mets. The story takes place in 1973. Told by Warren Tracey son, Paul. The story follows themes such as Redemption and Forgiveness, Hero’s and Disillusionment, Dysfunctional family relationships. I found it mostly about forgiveness of self. Once the main character was able to forgive and ask for forgiveness, he was able to let go. This is a heart warming book which even brought tears to my eyes.
May 11, 2016
If you are a baseball fan, this is a great read. It's a small book so doesn't take very long.
December 14, 2018
I read Playing for Pizza by Grisham. It was a story of a failing football player going to Italy to play in the league. That was a very good book anyone would enjoy, even a non-football fan. But Calico Joe just has too much baseball talk and too many players names for the average reader. I know baseball and I was a little bored through 4-5 chapters.
It was not a long book, so I stayed with it. I am glad I did. The story is much more about a father-son relationship, and how the father (not a good guy) scarred his son. It even choked me up a couple of times later in the book.
Some of the baseball stuff is pretty interesting. The big baseball issue the story revolves around is the unwritten rule of throwing at batters for retaliation. This used to happen a lot, but it is really not part of the game now.
It made me look a few things up. Only one player has ever been killed in a game.
The book is not for everyone, but it was interesting.
It was not a long book, so I stayed with it. I am glad I did. The story is much more about a father-son relationship, and how the father (not a good guy) scarred his son. It even choked me up a couple of times later in the book.
Some of the baseball stuff is pretty interesting. The big baseball issue the story revolves around is the unwritten rule of throwing at batters for retaliation. This used to happen a lot, but it is really not part of the game now.
It made me look a few things up. Only one player has ever been killed in a game.
The book is not for everyone, but it was interesting.
March 2, 2012
John Grisham has hit this one out of the park. It isn't masquerading as rocket science; it is simply a tender tale of baseball, told with all the glory, and even the horror, that sometimes may accompany the game.
It is hard to know, at first, if this book is for adults or young adults, especially because of the cover which appears a bit juvenile, but perhaps it is for both, even though the subject matter may get dicey, with the inclusion of a dying parent who has also been physically abusive and sadistic, throughout much of his life. However, I thought Grisham handled those difficult concepts precisely, so they were not overwhelming, but were rather easy to deal with, leaving the reader with a lesson in humility, as the story dealt with feelings of remorse and hoped for redemption.
Baseball lovers, everywhere, will have to love and identify with this brief, less than 200 page book, covering some real and some made up out of whole cloth, baseball lore. Although, I thought the book started out a little too simplistically, almost like a fairy tale, with all the parts falling into place perfectly as if a puppet handler was moving the characters around, the story, in the end, fell into place perfectly. It is packed with tender emotions: excitement, compassion, disappointment, joy, tragedy, and finally, comprehension and forgiveness. It takes the reader through all of these feelings with a gentle grace.
It is 1973: it is the Cardinals vs the Cubs. Fate converges to bring Joe Castle to a magic day on the baseball field. He is brought up to the major leagues to play in the pennant race for the Cubs; he is a rookie with the chance of a lifetime, an up and coming star because two of the Cub's players have been injured. He breaks records left and right and becomes America’s hero.
Paul Tracey, son of a mediocre Mets player, Warren Tracey, adores baseball and worships Joe, angering his jealous father. When a horrific, not so accidental injury during the pennant race takes Joe permanently out of his baseball career, the world mourns his loss and is in an uproar and aims its fury at Warren, the pitcher who injured him.
For the next 30 years, Warren’s son Paul thinks about the accident, and he believes it was caused deliberately by his dad. He is driven by a need to try and make amends. His dad has never shown remorse and merely considers the injury a risk of the game. When Paul hears that the dad he has been estranged from, for years, is dying, he reaches out to him to help him make peace with Joe Castle, before his death. He is not a much loved parent; he abandoned his family, has been distant, neglectful, and abusive, not inspiring any attachment or even sadness for his suffering, from those he left behind. How he decides to conclude his life is an important theme of the book. How Paul arranges for his father and Joe to meet and make peace, is the lesson of the book.
Baseball lovers everywhere will have to love Joe and identify with his hero quality, his quiet humility, and his amazing success, especially today because we are in the era of the great football player Tebow and the basketball whiz kid, Jeremy Lin. The fantasy Grisham creates, coupled with some real historic events, make this little charmer a page turner.
It is hard to know, at first, if this book is for adults or young adults, especially because of the cover which appears a bit juvenile, but perhaps it is for both, even though the subject matter may get dicey, with the inclusion of a dying parent who has also been physically abusive and sadistic, throughout much of his life. However, I thought Grisham handled those difficult concepts precisely, so they were not overwhelming, but were rather easy to deal with, leaving the reader with a lesson in humility, as the story dealt with feelings of remorse and hoped for redemption.
Baseball lovers, everywhere, will have to love and identify with this brief, less than 200 page book, covering some real and some made up out of whole cloth, baseball lore. Although, I thought the book started out a little too simplistically, almost like a fairy tale, with all the parts falling into place perfectly as if a puppet handler was moving the characters around, the story, in the end, fell into place perfectly. It is packed with tender emotions: excitement, compassion, disappointment, joy, tragedy, and finally, comprehension and forgiveness. It takes the reader through all of these feelings with a gentle grace.
It is 1973: it is the Cardinals vs the Cubs. Fate converges to bring Joe Castle to a magic day on the baseball field. He is brought up to the major leagues to play in the pennant race for the Cubs; he is a rookie with the chance of a lifetime, an up and coming star because two of the Cub's players have been injured. He breaks records left and right and becomes America’s hero.
Paul Tracey, son of a mediocre Mets player, Warren Tracey, adores baseball and worships Joe, angering his jealous father. When a horrific, not so accidental injury during the pennant race takes Joe permanently out of his baseball career, the world mourns his loss and is in an uproar and aims its fury at Warren, the pitcher who injured him.
For the next 30 years, Warren’s son Paul thinks about the accident, and he believes it was caused deliberately by his dad. He is driven by a need to try and make amends. His dad has never shown remorse and merely considers the injury a risk of the game. When Paul hears that the dad he has been estranged from, for years, is dying, he reaches out to him to help him make peace with Joe Castle, before his death. He is not a much loved parent; he abandoned his family, has been distant, neglectful, and abusive, not inspiring any attachment or even sadness for his suffering, from those he left behind. How he decides to conclude his life is an important theme of the book. How Paul arranges for his father and Joe to meet and make peace, is the lesson of the book.
Baseball lovers everywhere will have to love Joe and identify with his hero quality, his quiet humility, and his amazing success, especially today because we are in the era of the great football player Tebow and the basketball whiz kid, Jeremy Lin. The fantasy Grisham creates, coupled with some real historic events, make this little charmer a page turner.
April 14, 2012
A great Grisham tale that takes us outside the law firms and onto the fields of America's pasttime. Grisham delivers an excellent branch off and great read for this short novella, as he examines the game of baseball and the issues that plague one family surrounding it.
Dealing in two timelines; 1973 when a rookie amazes the baseball world, and the present day when the son of a former great (and fan back in 1973) is dealing with events back in 1973, the book seeks to bring as closure that has been lingering for close to 40 years. A pitcher who went rogue on a rookie who was amazing the League, and the way families deal with end of life events. Grisham tugs at the heart strings as he simultaneously has you following the amazing rookie that is burning up the record books.
I quite liked this break from the usual Grisham masterful books. WELL DONE!
Dealing in two timelines; 1973 when a rookie amazes the baseball world, and the present day when the son of a former great (and fan back in 1973) is dealing with events back in 1973, the book seeks to bring as closure that has been lingering for close to 40 years. A pitcher who went rogue on a rookie who was amazing the League, and the way families deal with end of life events. Grisham tugs at the heart strings as he simultaneously has you following the amazing rookie that is burning up the record books.
I quite liked this break from the usual Grisham masterful books. WELL DONE!
April 21, 2012
I feel like I should preface this review by saying that I don't like baseball, in fact I think I would rather watch paint dry, it is just as exciting. So it was with great trepidation that I picked up this book and how very surprised by how much I loved this book by the end. The book isn't really about baseball, it just happens to be the catalyst for many of the actions in the book.
I really liked the dual time periods in the book, the start of Calico Joe's red hot career, his down to earth attitude about what was happening to him, along with the hero worship of a little boy who really has an "in" with professional baseball, along with what is happening in the present dealing with those same characters.
In both the past and the present I loved Joe, thought he was a class act in either time period, his actions telling to his character. Paul was another character that I loved right away. My heart broke for him in the past, his knowledge of what was going to happen, and then having to live with it. As an adult Paul was just as sweet as that little boy and just as brave. I like how he dealt with Warren, matter of fact and not caring about him, because really he doesn't deserve it. Warren, on the other hand, is a piece of crap in either time period. I almost hate to say it, but Warren's present is just what he deserved.
The ending was great, because really the people that needed the connection to happen were Joe and Paul. I loved the surprise that Joe had for Paul, love that it was important to him, and love that Paul got it back. I wish that we would be able to see what Paul writes at the end, because I think that he could finally give Joe the recognition he deserved.
I really liked the dual time periods in the book, the start of Calico Joe's red hot career, his down to earth attitude about what was happening to him, along with the hero worship of a little boy who really has an "in" with professional baseball, along with what is happening in the present dealing with those same characters.
In both the past and the present I loved Joe, thought he was a class act in either time period, his actions telling to his character. Paul was another character that I loved right away. My heart broke for him in the past, his knowledge of what was going to happen, and then having to live with it. As an adult Paul was just as sweet as that little boy and just as brave. I like how he dealt with Warren, matter of fact and not caring about him, because really he doesn't deserve it. Warren, on the other hand, is a piece of crap in either time period. I almost hate to say it, but Warren's present is just what he deserved.
The ending was great, because really the people that needed the connection to happen were Joe and Paul. I loved the surprise that Joe had for Paul, love that it was important to him, and love that Paul got it back. I wish that we would be able to see what Paul writes at the end, because I think that he could finally give Joe the recognition he deserved.
July 18, 2012
The place where this book failed was at the beginning.
Grisham, a gifted writer of course, made a choice to write in the point of view of a boy whose father is a baseball player, and has since grown up. Much of the book is this man looking back about events and decisions that happened around his father -- especially one event inside baseball.
The problem with choosing this point of view is that everything the boy saw and remembered later was from the outside -- from the stands, from far away. I already know what professional baseball looks like from far away, I wanted to see it up close.
This is not a spoiler, the son's relationship with his father is highly estranged (outlined on page 1). Since it is so distant, all of the feelings and motivations of his father are also removed from our view. The one professional baseball player close enough to touch is distant and cold -- not really what I was hoping to find in a Grisham novel about baseball.
My hopes had been to go with Grisham and stand on second base, to hear the jokes in the dugout, to sweat over the 3-2 count while gripping the ball behind my back as I prepared for my next pitch. I wanted to see that a player's relationship with his wife had affected his swing because I'm inside his head ... instead, I get pages and pages of fake statistics and artificial results of games that didn't happen ... all tracked from the viewpoint of a boy who would have liked to idolize his dad, but couldn't.
Finally, I think Grisham gave up. Often his characters would break with their original descriptions. Some players would be defined as highly protective, and then turn around with open arms to the seeming threat, other characters would be written as surly and unreachable, but they would arbitrarily change their minds and "do the right thing" with no further explanation necessary.
It could have been a great game on the field with Grisham, but instead it was a tired conversation, sitting in the stands, years after the game was over.
Grisham, a gifted writer of course, made a choice to write in the point of view of a boy whose father is a baseball player, and has since grown up. Much of the book is this man looking back about events and decisions that happened around his father -- especially one event inside baseball.
The problem with choosing this point of view is that everything the boy saw and remembered later was from the outside -- from the stands, from far away. I already know what professional baseball looks like from far away, I wanted to see it up close.
This is not a spoiler, the son's relationship with his father is highly estranged (outlined on page 1). Since it is so distant, all of the feelings and motivations of his father are also removed from our view. The one professional baseball player close enough to touch is distant and cold -- not really what I was hoping to find in a Grisham novel about baseball.
My hopes had been to go with Grisham and stand on second base, to hear the jokes in the dugout, to sweat over the 3-2 count while gripping the ball behind my back as I prepared for my next pitch. I wanted to see that a player's relationship with his wife had affected his swing because I'm inside his head ... instead, I get pages and pages of fake statistics and artificial results of games that didn't happen ... all tracked from the viewpoint of a boy who would have liked to idolize his dad, but couldn't.
Finally, I think Grisham gave up. Often his characters would break with their original descriptions. Some players would be defined as highly protective, and then turn around with open arms to the seeming threat, other characters would be written as surly and unreachable, but they would arbitrarily change their minds and "do the right thing" with no further explanation necessary.
It could have been a great game on the field with Grisham, but instead it was a tired conversation, sitting in the stands, years after the game was over.
May 31, 2012
This was a pleasant read; I like baseball, so that made it easy. It wasn't a page-turner in classic Grisham sense, but I read through it pretty quickly anyway. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, which is why the word "pleasant" came to mind - just pleasurable reading. Despite the potential for sentimentalism there really wasn't anyway; it was almost as if the son was disinterested in the whole thing, not as in, not interested, but removed from being concerned about the consequences. Just thought that getting the two old men together was the right thing to do, and did it, not having stake in how it would turn out. Which is how it reads too - the story didn't pull me in, in a way that I particularly cared about the characters, but I still wanted to keep reading.
I liked the image, towards the end, of Warren, old & exhausted, falling asleep on the drive to the airport with his Mets hat on; the way that the son was now taking care of the father.
There were a few little baseball-ish things that reminded me of the sometimes almost holy place the sport has held for me in times past; like the son as a boy, talking about how he would spend hours in his room at night keeping track of several games (getting stations from Philly, Boston, Montreal, & Baltimore), or how the only televised games outside of the World Series and the All Star Game were the "games of the week," where you know people across the nation would be watching.
I liked the image, towards the end, of Warren, old & exhausted, falling asleep on the drive to the airport with his Mets hat on; the way that the son was now taking care of the father.
There were a few little baseball-ish things that reminded me of the sometimes almost holy place the sport has held for me in times past; like the son as a boy, talking about how he would spend hours in his room at night keeping track of several games (getting stations from Philly, Boston, Montreal, & Baltimore), or how the only televised games outside of the World Series and the All Star Game were the "games of the week," where you know people across the nation would be watching.
April 15, 2012
A MUST READ for all baseball fans!!! Brings back memories from your own favorite teams---- Cincinnitti pitcher hitting Cardinal's Pujols on his broken wrist last year---remembrance for me. We all love our teams and players!! I happened to finish this book on Friday, April13, when the Cubs beat my Cardinals 8-5, when one of our great pitchers, Wainright, pitched on comeback from Tommy John's surgery. I so wanted him to do great! So, we all have our great memories!!
Hitting on the head-----terrible. Really enjoyed hearing ( I listened on Audible) this story of a great player I had not heard about, but so glad I have now. Once again, personal memories. The Cardinals new manager is the youngest rookie manager in the National League. And why is he still not playing the game---head concussions!!
BUT-- this book is also great as a father-son relationship book. Best one I've read since Pat Conroy's "The Great Santini"!! Children are not the only bullies that need to STOP BULLING!! Kids have dreams that often get destroyed by their parents bullying! This book shows the results of that in a wonderfully, emotionally, literary story! Thanks, John Grisham!
Hitting on the head-----terrible. Really enjoyed hearing ( I listened on Audible) this story of a great player I had not heard about, but so glad I have now. Once again, personal memories. The Cardinals new manager is the youngest rookie manager in the National League. And why is he still not playing the game---head concussions!!
BUT-- this book is also great as a father-son relationship book. Best one I've read since Pat Conroy's "The Great Santini"!! Children are not the only bullies that need to STOP BULLING!! Kids have dreams that often get destroyed by their parents bullying! This book shows the results of that in a wonderfully, emotionally, literary story! Thanks, John Grisham!
December 15, 2017
Calico Joe is a pleasant parable on the vicissitudes of life in professional sport, where one decision made in the heat of the moment can destroy a promising career, and also on the holding of life-long grudges, forgiveness and redemption.
I've long been a fan of Grisham's courtroom and legal novels, and although this is a stark departure from that genre, I enjoyed the book very much.
The author handles Calico Joe with compassion and a distinct lack of hyperbole.
Centered around a baseball player who had it all before him but for whom it all came crashing down, this story should appeal to sports and literature lovers alike.
I've long been a fan of Grisham's courtroom and legal novels, and although this is a stark departure from that genre, I enjoyed the book very much.
The author handles Calico Joe with compassion and a distinct lack of hyperbole.
Centered around a baseball player who had it all before him but for whom it all came crashing down, this story should appeal to sports and literature lovers alike.
August 26, 2016
I enjoyed this story and would have marked it higher if only there was less details on baseball. Maybe it would have worked better for me if it was based around a sport I am more familiar with. On the positive side there were some excellent characters and the plot was solid but a little simple. Another John Grisham novel that is a change from the court room classics he is more known for.
December 1, 2015
This short book (only 4 1/2 hours of listening) packs a punch on many levels. It alternates between the summer of 1973 and present time and is a story about baseball fans and players, fathers and sons, redemption and forgiveness.
Paul Tracy, the son of a Mets pitcher, tells the story from the vantage point of his 12-year-old self and from his 40-ish married father-of-two self. Calico Joe Castle, a phenom of the 1973 Cubs team, is called up from the minors and starts his career with 12 hits in 12 at bats, 5 of which were home runs. He just got better from there and captured the awe of baseball fans everywhere regardless of team affiliation. For anyone who loves baseball, the passages about that summer describing the games, the fanatical fans and the thrill of seeing someone so phenomenal are, well, thrilling themselves.
Paul also tells the present-day story of his estranged relationship with his very difficult father, who is portrayed as a nasty pitcher and a nasty father/husband who leaves the family not too long after that summer of 1973. His father is diagnosed with cancer and is dying. Paul wants to have one last chance for his father to make amends. The passages about what led to wanting to make amends and what transpires in the process are heart-rending and touching.
I listened to this book over Father's Day weekend and thought that was just about perfect. The narrator was outstanding! I loved Grisham's other book about sports, Playing for Pizza so I had high hopes for this one. While they are very different books, I was not disappointed.
Paul Tracy, the son of a Mets pitcher, tells the story from the vantage point of his 12-year-old self and from his 40-ish married father-of-two self. Calico Joe Castle, a phenom of the 1973 Cubs team, is called up from the minors and starts his career with 12 hits in 12 at bats, 5 of which were home runs. He just got better from there and captured the awe of baseball fans everywhere regardless of team affiliation. For anyone who loves baseball, the passages about that summer describing the games, the fanatical fans and the thrill of seeing someone so phenomenal are, well, thrilling themselves.
Paul also tells the present-day story of his estranged relationship with his very difficult father, who is portrayed as a nasty pitcher and a nasty father/husband who leaves the family not too long after that summer of 1973. His father is diagnosed with cancer and is dying. Paul wants to have one last chance for his father to make amends. The passages about what led to wanting to make amends and what transpires in the process are heart-rending and touching.
I listened to this book over Father's Day weekend and thought that was just about perfect. The narrator was outstanding! I loved Grisham's other book about sports, Playing for Pizza so I had high hopes for this one. While they are very different books, I was not disappointed.
April 19, 2012
It’s not my kind of book because it was sad and depressing. But it was well done if you like this genre.
Most of the book has me thinking about the terrible tragedy But it didn't feel good to me. It felt too-little-too-late. There is also a story about the pitcher's son who is on a journey which was interesting. But his recollections of life with his father were sad. There are many readers who will enjoy this, but it's not for me. The author has done some great entertainment in the past, but this book is not entertaining. It's introspective.
I’ve always loved Grisham for his character creation. And I liked seeing the creation of Warren the pitcher. Warren was a self-absorbed, philandering, wife-beating drunk. He was mean. He hurt his children. I liked reading about him because I’ve seen and known men like this. I liked the acknowledgment that they exist. Confirmation provides comfort somehow.
The narrator Erik Singer was excellent. This book is shorter than a typical novel - maybe a third the length.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 4 hrs and 35 mins. Swearing language: moderate. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1973 and 2003 various locations in the U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: tragedy and relationships fiction.
Most of the book has me thinking about the terrible tragedy But it didn't feel good to me. It felt too-little-too-late. There is also a story about the pitcher's son who is on a journey which was interesting. But his recollections of life with his father were sad. There are many readers who will enjoy this, but it's not for me. The author has done some great entertainment in the past, but this book is not entertaining. It's introspective.
I’ve always loved Grisham for his character creation. And I liked seeing the creation of Warren the pitcher. Warren was a self-absorbed, philandering, wife-beating drunk. He was mean. He hurt his children. I liked reading about him because I’ve seen and known men like this. I liked the acknowledgment that they exist. Confirmation provides comfort somehow.
The narrator Erik Singer was excellent. This book is shorter than a typical novel - maybe a third the length.
DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 4 hrs and 35 mins. Swearing language: moderate. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1973 and 2003 various locations in the U.S. Copyright: 2012. Genre: tragedy and relationships fiction.
July 15, 2012
If your write 24 novels and have a number of them made into movies, your reputation is already set. You don’t have to beg publishers to read your latest work, to take a chance and publish it, to fund your book tour.
So John Grisham gets a pass for a thin book like Calico Joe. The story has been written many times: rookie rises to the major leagues as part of a losing team, goes on a tear at the plate, breaks a few records, the team lands in first place, crowds come to see him at home and away. Naturally, the phoenix falls at the hands of a grizzled veteran who resents the new guy and throws a pitch at his head. Years later, redemption is the inevitable plot device.
I’m a baseball fanatic, so I could not pass up this book. The cover picture is Wrigley Field before a Giants-Cubs game; a baseball is disappearing off the upper right corner, afterjets trailing. I finished it in a couple of sittings. The writing style is, in the words of a friend, ‘airplane reading’; there are no surprises.
Soon to be a Hallmark TV movie.
So John Grisham gets a pass for a thin book like Calico Joe. The story has been written many times: rookie rises to the major leagues as part of a losing team, goes on a tear at the plate, breaks a few records, the team lands in first place, crowds come to see him at home and away. Naturally, the phoenix falls at the hands of a grizzled veteran who resents the new guy and throws a pitch at his head. Years later, redemption is the inevitable plot device.
I’m a baseball fanatic, so I could not pass up this book. The cover picture is Wrigley Field before a Giants-Cubs game; a baseball is disappearing off the upper right corner, afterjets trailing. I finished it in a couple of sittings. The writing style is, in the words of a friend, ‘airplane reading’; there are no surprises.
Soon to be a Hallmark TV movie.
April 6, 2013
A quick but interesting read - especially with baseball season having just started. Not Grisham's usual lawyer fare. Also, I don't think someone would like this if they don't follow baseball (even if they are a Grisham fan). The plot does not revolve entirely around baseball (there is some dysfunctional father/son relationship stuff too), but if Grisham had just paraphrased the baseball parts of this book, it would have been about 20 pages long. In summary: read and enjoy if you are a baseball and Grisham fan, all others proceed cautiously!
October 16, 2016
Book read for Book Discussion group
I loved this story! This is, at heart, a story of fathers and sons. Although the father in this story was a pitcher for the Mets, he wasn't the made for TV professional player; he made terrible decisions at home and on the field. His son, Paul, discovers that his father is dying of cancer. He doesn't want to try to mend fences between them, it's far too late for that, but he would like his father to apologize to Calico Joe. His father intentionally threw a pitch at Joe during the 1973 season that ended Joe's career and very nearly killed him.
I loved this story! This is, at heart, a story of fathers and sons. Although the father in this story was a pitcher for the Mets, he wasn't the made for TV professional player; he made terrible decisions at home and on the field. His son, Paul, discovers that his father is dying of cancer. He doesn't want to try to mend fences between them, it's far too late for that, but he would like his father to apologize to Calico Joe. His father intentionally threw a pitch at Joe during the 1973 season that ended Joe's career and very nearly killed him.
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