Reviews for Shoeless Joe

The average rating for Shoeless Joe based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-07-12 00:00:00 Stefano Boych W. P. Kinsella passed away this weekend. Fittingly, we have selected his novel Shoeless Joe, the basis of the movie Field of Dreams, as our fiction selection for the baseball book club for October 2016. Featuring the characters who star in the film as well as additional personae and locations, it was a joy for me to reread this novel filled with examples of magical realism on and off of the baseball diamond. Although Kinsella hails from western Canada, at the time of this novel's publication he and his wife spent their summers driving through the United States to view America's pastime. He was a gem of a writer and a true fan of the game, and his love of baseball shines through the pages. The year is 1979. Ray Kinsella lives in a farm house outside of Iowa City with his wife Annie and their daughter Karin. One day he hears a voice telling him, "If you build it, he will come." Ray believes the voice refers to Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other eight members of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal who had been banned from the game for life. Jackson was also the favorite player of Ray's father, and instead of being brought up with stories of nursery rhymes, Ray heard stories of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and, of course, Shoeless Joe. Upon hearing the voice, Ray decides to plow under his corn and build a baseball field, deeming him crazy to all but his wife and daughter. After constructing a gleaming field and meeting Jackson, the voice speaks to Ray again, telling him to "Ease his pain." After wracking their brains, Ray and Annie realize that Ray must drive over 1000 miles and take reclusive author J. D. Salinger to a Red Sox game. Unlike the movie which skips directly to Boston, in this printed version Ray attends games in Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York on his journey east. The scene in a Cleveland Greek diner contains magical symbolism that would have been enjoyable to see on screen but wouldn't have leant itself to the flow of the film. Frank and Wandalie the waitress were memorable characters all the same. The novel moves from Boston to Moonlight Graham in Chisolm, Minnesota and back to Iowa City. We meet Eddie Scissons the oldest living Chicago Cub and find out that Ray has a twin brother named Richard who has worked for a traveling circus for the past fifteen years. Both play pivotal roles in the book but were also kept out of the film version. Additionally, having attended college in Iowa City, I found the landmarks Kinsella the author mentions to be reminiscent of a simpler time, which is the imagery he created with his magical field. Kinsella ends with the same speech by Salinger that he recites on screen: "I don't have to tell you that the one constant through all the years has been baseball.." As a fan of the game, this soliloquy resonates to me as to why I eagerly await spring training each winter. Baseball is the one presence in many of our lives that gives us hope each spring and moves on cyclically through the years. W. P. Kinsella has penned what I feel is the definitive baseball novel. His field is magical for all who view it live as I have, in print, or on screen. It was a pure joy to reread and I look forward to revisiting Kinsella's other work as well. As always, 5 delightful stars.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-12-04 00:00:00 Rick Lam 3.5 to 4 Stars Usually the book is better, in this case I think it was the movie. Shoeless Joe was made into the movie Field of Dreams. While the book was pretty good, the movie tidied up the narrative quite a bit, streamlined the messy parts, and hit the high emotional moments just right to hit home. In fact, if you remember the movie and all the key tear-jerking moments . . . they are all there in the book, just kind of glossed over. Also, this is 100% a book about baseball for people who like baseball. If you do not like baseball, there is no point in reading it. Back to the movie; they did a fairly good job at making it accessible to people who do not like baseball even though that is a key plot point. The book, however, is in-your-face baseball lore, baseball statistics, baseball gameplay, etc. I can't even say give it a try even if you don't care for baseball. Nope . . . if you don't have a passion for baseball, do not waste your time. I do like baseball and overall I enjoyed the book. But now I need to go do a re-watch of the movie because of all the fond memories I now have of it being better than the book. And, I better get my tissues ready!