Last Days of Summer 
asked by crafty1 on November 16, 2006 3:19 PM
In and of itself, the epistolary novel is nothing new; indeed, Ring Lardner wrote You Know Me Al, his classic diamond saga, as a series of letters home from fictional White Sox hurler Jack Keefe more than 80 years ago. With Last Days of Summer, Kluger has virtually reinvented the genre in his picaresque coming-of-age fable of future sportswriter Joey Margolis and his improbable relationship with Giants rookie sensation, Charlie Banks.
The place is Brooklyn, the time is the early '40s, and young baseball fanatic Joey needs a hero badly in his life. How that hero becomes Charlie--and ultimately Joey himself--forms the dimensions of the novel's field, but it's the way the game is played that's so remarkable. The story's told not through conventional narrative but by way of Joey's abstract scrapbook: letters, postcards, news clippings, box scores, report cards, matchbook covers, dispatches from FDR, telegrams, even an invitation to Joey's own Bar Mitzvah and the gift list from the affair.
Delightful throughout, Summer develops a deeper traction when Charlie goes off to war, then turns poignant in its seemingly preordained aftermath. It is a triumph of style, to be sure, but a triumph of style without loss of substance. --Jeff Silverman
Reviews
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I read this years ago when it first was published and recommended it to friends and family. We all agreed that despite the unusual format, it was wonderful and we found ourselves quoting it to each other for months. Steve Kluger is an incredible writer
reviewed by shagdag on November 29, 2006 10:09 AM
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My [...]son read this book and loved it, insisting that I read it. I love baseball books from the days of innocence (pre-free agent baseball).The letter format was interesting at first, but the choppiness of them began to get irritating. It was a bit repetitive, too. In short, it took me a while to get into this book, but I stayed with it, and did finally get drawn in by the second half of the book. I smiled a lot, laughed a few times, and fell for a lot of the "feel good" stuff. I think this is a very good young adult book, but fell just a bit short for me. Still, I'm glad I read it.
reviewed by literary on November 29, 2006 4:33 PM
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I've read this book countless times now. It is w/o a doubt my favorite read. I own 2 hardcopies and I've just ordered more paperbacks to give out as gifts. At $4.99 it is a steal.
reviewed by siriusfanboy on November 29, 2006 5:34 PM
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Let me state, for the record, I'm not a fan of baseball unless, of course, it's my husband or boys out on the field (and even then, I keep my mouth shut because I really don't know what I'm watching). That said, I wasn't sure how I'd do with this book, but I found myself heavily engrossed in it right from the first word and loved every bit of it.
Kluger's humor and imagination kept me turning pages late into the night. Heck, I didn't even do that with the chick lit books I usually devour! I adored the way he told the story, through dialogue and letters, a pleasant twist that I really enjoyed.
It took a great deal of courage, in my opinion, to bring the plot to its climax the way Kluger did. It could have gone in a number of other ways and brought back around to the conclusion just as easily without taking it to that extreme (nope, not going to give it away) -- but the fact that he did do it and was able to keep me reading to the very end despite making that move deserves a standing ovation. Job well done!
Whether you're a big fan of the game, a baseball widow during the season, man or woman, this is a delightful, poignant coming-of-age story to add to your summer reading list ... or any other season's list. I highly recommend this book.
Kluger's humor and imagination kept me turning pages late into the night. Heck, I didn't even do that with the chick lit books I usually devour! I adored the way he told the story, through dialogue and letters, a pleasant twist that I really enjoyed.
It took a great deal of courage, in my opinion, to bring the plot to its climax the way Kluger did. It could have gone in a number of other ways and brought back around to the conclusion just as easily without taking it to that extreme (nope, not going to give it away) -- but the fact that he did do it and was able to keep me reading to the very end despite making that move deserves a standing ovation. Job well done!
Whether you're a big fan of the game, a baseball widow during the season, man or woman, this is a delightful, poignant coming-of-age story to add to your summer reading list ... or any other season's list. I highly recommend this book.
reviewed by dignified1 on November 29, 2006 7:17 PM
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If you read for pleasure, then this book is for you. A page turner in which you may ignore your favorite television show just so you may read the hysterical and brazen letters between the boy and his chosen recipient (the White House, a major league baseball player, etc). The book illustrates the development of father/son relationship between the boy and the baseball player. Charlie Banks, the Gentile baseball player, demonstrates true love for the boy by assisting him to prepare for his Bar Mitzvah. While reading this book, one could envision a movie depicting this wonderful story.
reviewed by miceandmen on November 29, 2006 7:27 PM