The Last Days of Summer – A Novel
By Steve Kluger
Published by Avon Books, Inc.
p. 353
I happened upon this book a few weeks ago when I was perusing the ‘K”
section in the fiction area (as in Kinsella) of my favorite bookstore.
I’m not really sure what drew me to it or why I even picked it up
to begin with but I must admit that I am glad that I did. This has got
to be one of the most entertaining books that I have read in a long time
– I was literally laughing out loud as I was reading it. This is
not a new book, it was actually published in 1998 but it was so good that
I just had to share.
So, what is it all about? The Last Days of Summer is
a book comprised totally of correspondence - letters, postcards, progress
reports, notes from a psychologist, and newspaper clippings and box scores.
It is a fictional account of New York Giants third baseman Charlie Banks
(yes, I will confess that I actually looked to see if there had been a
player by that name) and twelve-year old Joey Margolis.
The story takes place in 1940’s Brooklyn and Joey
lives with his mother and his devoutly religious aunt, hates the Dodgers
(I like him already!) and is the sole Jewish kid in a neighborhood of
Italian Catholics. He gets beat up by the other neighborhood kids on a
regular basis, has an absent father and is uneasy about Hitler’s
rising power.
The prologue consists of letters to Joey from FDR and
the White House press secretary thanking him for his concern about the
situation in Denmark. Okay, so he is a precocious pre-teen. We learn that
in addition to being concerned about World Affairs, Joey is a baseball
fan. He has been following the career of Charlie Banks since his minor
league days, evidenced by several newspaper clippings. Joey boasts to
his friends that Charlie is a friend of the family and will be coming
over to dinner so he has to figure out how to get Charlie to acknowledge
him – before he gets clobbered again.
In Joey’s first letter to Charlie he tells him that he has an incurable
disease and begs for a homerun dedication on the radio. All that he receives
is a form letter and a picture. In the next letter he tries a slightly
different tactic and tells him that he is blind. Unfortunately it results
is a second form letter and another picture. Joey is persistent if anything
and illegally obtains Charlie’s home address and writes to him there.
By the third letter Charlie catches on and sends a personal, albeit unkind
response. Which leads to a nasty response from Joey and so the tone of
the book is set. Most kids would be happy with a simple autograph or photo
but Joey wants Charlie to become his friend and he continually badgers
him. For some inexplicable reason, Charlie is hooked and continues the
correspondence.
Part of what really makes this story work is the variety and the descriptiveness
of the communications that we see. Between the report cards with explicit
notes from concerned teachers and the principal, notes from the psychologist
after court-ordered therapy sessions, letters from the Rabbi and correspondence
from various members of the White House Staff, we really get to know Joey,
who genuinely endears himself to the readers.
Of course, the dialogue between Joey and Charlie is what really makes
the book a success in my opinion. It is easy to read – and understand
(I finished it in one morning). It is also not only hilariously funny
but poignant at the same time. I would highly recommend it to anyone –
baseball fan or not. Baseball is only a small part of it; the focus is
more on life and on how much your life can be changed by a single relationship.
Something that I think we can all relate to. If you are looking for a
true baseball book this is not it, but if you are looking for a good book
and enjoy a baseball theme then I implore you to read this - I’ll
bet you’ll be hooked too.
I definitely give this book 4 out of 4 balls - worth an immediate walk
to get yourself a copy
Our Rating System is based on a four ball system
as follows: One Ball: Average. It has something to say but is nothing special. Two Balls: Something men usually have - also means its a cut above
average, and worth reading/owning. Three balls: Stands out from its peers and is highly recommended. Four Balls: More than just what two men have when hanging out
together, it means it is an exceptional book that truly earns a walk -
straight to the local book store to get a copy.
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