The Legend of Mickey Tussler (Mickey Tussler, #1) in Q&A with author Frank Nappi

Jan 21, 2013 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I really enjoyed this book. I read it every free chance I had. It was endearing, sweet, and totally engrossing.

The scene was set beautifully by Mr. Nappi. I was there...I could smell the dirt of the infield. I could smell the grass of the outfield. I could smell the summer breeze. I could see the crowd and the players. I was there. It was a reading experience that I rarely have, but Mr. Nappi put me in the game.

Mickey is such an amazing individual as is Arthur Murphy for ...more

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May 25, 2012 Paige Bradish rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviwed

I received The Legend of Mickey Tussler from the author for my honest review.

When I was first asked to read and review I was a little skeptical because although I do love baseball it’s not my favorite topic to read about all the time. But after reading the synopsis and learning about the main character Mickey who has autism but still wants to be a baseball store. His story is very inspiring.

We meet Mickey while he is still living on his farm with his mother and his abusive father. Immediately I I received The Legend of Mickey Tussler from the author for my honest review.

When I was first asked to read and review I was a little skeptical because although I do love baseball it’s not my favorite topic to read about all the time. But after reading the synopsis and learning about the main character Mickey who has autism but still wants to be a baseball store. His story is very inspiring.

We meet Mickey while he is still living on his farm with his mother and his abusive father. Immediately I felt sorry for him because people didn’t really understand autism back then so basically anyone that had it was just labeled a retard. This Is exactly what poor Mickey had to deal with everywhere even from his own father. But luckily coach for the Milwaukee Brewers Arthur Murphy comes along and gives Mickey the chance of a lifetime.

I ended up really enjoying this story. I loved Mickey’s character a lot. He was entertaining, always had something positive to say no matter what was going on. He was a very talkative person and I loved that, so it annoyed me when the people he was babbling to would get annoyed because he was just talking I mean he can’t really help it. But I think I got over that quickly because Mickey didn’t seem to mind much when people told him to shut up.

His mom, Molly is another person I felt bad for because she was stuck in a nightmare that she couldn’t get out of. She hated the fact that her husband abused her and Mickey both verbally and physically. She really needed a way out and thankfully baseball was her savior as well.

I was a little afraid that because this book is about baseball that some of the game scenes would bore me but they didn’t at all. Every time there was a game in the book I actually felt like I was watching one and I was on the edge of my chair every time there was a stressful game!

I very much enjoyed this book which I gave a 4 out of 5 stars, and I can’t wait to check out what happens next in the companion novel Sophomore Campaign. ...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Susan Ashcraft rated it really liked it

Shelves: historic-f, fiction, novel, sports, people

In 1948, Arthur Murphy, manager of the minor league baseball team the Milwaukee Brewers, has been sent out on the road to find some new talent. When he comes across 17 year old Mickey Tussler throwing crab-apples into a barrel with fantastic speed and accuracy, he believes he has found the man. He quickly realizes that while Mickey might have the best arm he has seen in all his years of baseball, Mickey's not quite like everyone else. Murph's not worried though. He thinks that Mickey's ability w In 1948, Arthur Murphy, manager of the minor league baseball team the Milwaukee Brewers, has been sent out on the road to find some new talent. When he comes across 17 year old Mickey Tussler throwing crab-apples into a barrel with fantastic speed and accuracy, he believes he has found the man. He quickly realizes that while Mickey might have the best arm he has seen in all his years of baseball, Mickey's not quite like everyone else. Murph's not worried though. He thinks that Mickey's ability with pitching will overcome any obstacles that will be put in the way.

Mickey Tussler has not had an easy life. Mildly autistic, Mickey has always been a bitter disappointment to his father. His ability to throw has opened up an incredible opportunity for Mickey with the farm team. He's unease around the other players is slowly overcome as most members of the team slowly accept him. Pee Wee, a teammate of Mickey, befriends Mickey. He understands the hardships of beings different as his sister is deaf and has always faced challenges and prejudices due to her inability to hear and speak.

As the season progresses the team slowly comes together. Most of the players realize that Mickey is a main part of why they are winning and are coming to accept his oddities. One man on the team though is angry. Angry and jealous. Lefty thinks of himself first, last and always. A good pitcher in his own right, Lefty believes he is better than Mickey and the rest of the team. He thinks Mickey shouldn't be playing and is willing to do whatever it takes to get him off the team.
This is a moving account of life in the late 1940's after the war, a boy's coming of age, a boy overcoming tremendous obstacles to become accepted in the everyday world and a well written account of the hardships and joys of baseball.

A wonderful cast of characters which include Mickey, pitcher extraordinaire but due to his autism an odd duck; Pee Wee, fellow baseball player, a caring and accepting man; Lefty, unable to see anything or anyone but himself; and several other interesting people.

The story has a nice even tempo. It starts to pick up pace as the Brewers get closer and closer to the end of the season and a chance at the playoffs. The baseball scenes are well written and give you the feeling of being there in the stands, in the dugout and on the pitching mound. Touches of humor, conflict and friendship keep the story from being flat.

The ending however fell flat for me. I just didn't feel it was keeping with the rest of the book. It almost felt like it was tacked on simply to end the story.

All in all, a great story that will appeal to many people. This isn't just for baseball fans, it would also appeal to anyone who likes a great people story or for anyone who likes to see the underdog come out ahead. I do look forward to reading Sophomore Campaign which is the sequel to The Legend of Mickey Tussler. ...more

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May 02, 2012 Shalini Ayre rated it really liked it

Set in 1948, minor league Milwaukee Brewers have a poor record. Arthur 'Murph' Murphy is charged with finding a way to improve and rejuvenate the flagging team. Scouring the countryside, he has a car accident and as he searches for a phone he spots Mickey Tussler, a strapping 17 year old farm boy pitching apples into an empty barrel.

Murph's feeling is that Mickey can and will save the team. Everyone else, including owner Dennison, is not so sure. Dealing with autism, Mickey is often in a place t Set in 1948, minor league Milwaukee Brewers have a poor record. Arthur 'Murph' Murphy is charged with finding a way to improve and rejuvenate the flagging team. Scouring the countryside, he has a car accident and as he searches for a phone he spots Mickey Tussler, a strapping 17 year old farm boy pitching apples into an empty barrel.

Murph's feeling is that Mickey can and will save the team. Everyone else, including owner Dennison, is not so sure. Dealing with autism, Mickey is often in a place that few people understand. With an honest, childlike point of view and a simple introduction of "...Mickey here is going to do some pitching for us." a world of possibility is opened up and the whole team, including Murph learn that behind the beautiful game of baseball there can be a lot of ugliness.

This is a story more about baseball and its characters rather than a young boy's struggle with autism and fitting into 'everyday' life, but it is simply and beautifully told. The characters met are rich, vibrant and Nappi conveys each personality with an emotion and depth that you soon find yourself cheering for some and hoping others will get their comeuppance!

Despite only having a little understanding of baseball, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. With his background in teaching English and creative writing for over twenty years, it will be of no surprise to find beautifully descriptive prose. The eloquence of sentences made me feel the exhilaration of a baseball game as if I was there watching in the stands, it made me simmer with annoyance at Mickey's father and his lack of compassion for his son. However, I was a bit disappointed that the story didn't focus more on Mickey and how 1940s America dealt with autism and I think Nappi missed a trick here. In short, it's still a great novel especially if you love baseball. A recommended read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive review. ...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Marc Zirogiannis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: baseball

I'm not typically a huge fan of "sports" books nor am I a huge fan of baseball - more of a football guy. However, my friend had recommended the "Mickey Tussler" series to me. She had just read Sophomore Campaign, the sequel, - but I figured I should start with the first book in the series. I enjoyed the writing and I enjoyed the plot. I understood why my friend recommended the story to me. I certainly want to read Sophomore Campaign - and will begin that novel later today. I would also like to s ...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Donald rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It’s 1948, and Arthur Murphy, the manager of the old Milwaukee Brewers minor league baseball team, accidentally discovers pitching phenom Mickey Tussler, a 17 year-old farm boy. Mickey is throwing apples at a blazing speed when Murphy spots the kid’s talent, and quickly envisions the future of his pitching rotation. But Mickey has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, and Murphy has to learn how to communicate with him. Of course the bigger obstacle is removing the kid from the clutches of his It’s 1948, and Arthur Murphy, the manager of the old Milwaukee Brewers minor league baseball team, accidentally discovers pitching phenom Mickey Tussler, a 17 year-old farm boy. Mickey is throwing apples at a blazing speed when Murphy spots the kid’s talent, and quickly envisions the future of his pitching rotation. But Mickey has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, and Murphy has to learn how to communicate with him. Of course the bigger obstacle is removing the kid from the clutches of his abusive father, not to mention convincing the owner of the Brewers to take a chance on Mickey. Then not only does Mickey actually have to learn how to pitch properly, he has to adjust to a new environment which includes some shady characters who don’t necessarily want him to succeed.

To me the novel is as much about the old-school, baseball lifer Murphy as it is about the young man with autism. Discovering Mickey gives Murphy a second wind, as it were, in his career, as he had been wondering if “he was getting to old for this,” the “this” being the thankless job of a minor league baseball manager in post-war America. Murphy eventually becomes a father figure to the boy, and their relationship is tested and eventually strengthened through some rough times during the season. The story is fleshed out with many rich characters, like Lefty Rogers the ace of the staff who doesn’t take too kindly to Mickey’s sudden arrival (not to mention success), the veteran catcher and leader of the team, Boxcar Miller, and Pee Wee McGinty, the shortstop who is tasked with watching out for Mickey.

But keep in mind and be aware that this is 1948, a time before political correctness and autism awareness. Some harsh words are thrown Mickey’s way from his father and other players. Nappi handles it well and doesn’t sugar-coat things; he shows the ignorance and meanness, especially considering the story takes place in the competitive nature of pro sports.

Note: I received a free copy of this novel through the Goodreads Giveaways program. ...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Claire Hall rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: baseball, fiction

“The Legend of Mickey Tussler” is a great novel, and it’s about baseball. But like all great baseball novels, it’s about so much more than just the great American game; it’s about the hopes, dreams, challenges and fears that we all deal with.

The time is 1948; the place is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Brewers, then a minor league team, are struggling, when their manager Arthur Murphy stumbles across a dream come to life: a naturally gifted potential pitcher named Mickey Tussler. The seven ...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Niki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book, I like the Authors writing style , I don't really follow the sport, but I thought that this story is historical one. I adore Mickey, he fights and shows them all that they are wrong. It is a awesome book I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book for a honest review ...more

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