World Famous Comics: The Southpaw (Second Edition)
The Southpaw (Second Edition)
From: Bison Books Publisher: Bison Books Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Bison Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 350 Publication Date: December 01, 2003
The Southpaw is a story about coming of age in America by way of the baseball diamond. Lefthander Henry Wiggen, six feet three, a hundred ninety-five pounds, and the greatest pitcher going, grows to manhood in a right-handed world. From his small-town beginnings to the top of the game, Henry finds out how hard it is to please his coach, his girl, and the sports page—and himself, too—all at once. Written in Henry’s own words, this exuberant, funny novel follows his eccentric course from bush league to the World Series. Although Mark Harris loves and writes tellingly about the pleasures of baseball, his primary subject has always been the human condition and the shifts of mortal men and women as they try to understand and survive what life has dealt them. This new Bison Books edition celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of The Southpaw. In his introduction to this edition, Mark Harris discusses the genesis of the novel in his own life experience. Also available in Bison Books editions are The Southpaw, It Looked Like For Ever, and A Ticket for a Seamstitch, the other three volumes in the Henry Wiggen series.
Amazon.com Review: "First off I must tell you something about myself, Henry Wiggen, and where I was born and my folks." The opening sentence of the first installment of Harris's majestic quartet of baseball-centered novels may not be as imprinted on the literary consciousness as "Call me Ishmael," but the true aficionados of sporting belles-lettres deemed it, right from its 1953 publication, a quality start. They are the words that introduced both Wiggen, one of the true all-star characters of postwar American fiction, and the story-telling device that is his memoir.
Wiggen, a big, burly lefthander who grew up halfway between New York and Albany, pitches as much with his head as his arm, and he tends to be somewhat out of synch with everyone around him--parents, teammates, coaches, even his girlfriend; no one has a grip on him. The novel traces the arc of his life from the small town where he grew up to his thrashing around the bush leagues to the spotlight that's on him every time he takes the mound for the fabled, fictional New York Mammoths. Through Wiggen, Harris takes the pulse of postwar America; what he finds is sometimes funny, sometimes disturbing, sometimes poignant, and always absorbing. Like a good pitch, Harris hurls a classic novel with considerable pace, plenty of movement, and a knack for artfully catching life's corners instead of powering its way obviously right down the pipe. --Jeff Silverman
One of the best baseball books ever "Bang the Drum Slowly" may be better known, and in some places more highly rated, but I enjoyed "The Southpaw" at least as much. Henry Wiggen is one of the most likable characters, even when he gets a little too big for his britches. And he is definitely a character, not far out of Mark Twain's central casting. Maybe things roll a little too easy for him and the Mammoths at times, but you're rooting for them all the way. If you like baseball fiction and haven't read "The Southpaw" yet, you owe it to yourself to order it. I've read it twice and will read it many more times.
a baseball book for fans and non-fans alike... being a big baseball fan, i'm always on the lookout for baseball literature. it wasn't until recently that i came across 'the southpaw,' but i'm sure glad i did.
in an era where so many authors feel duty-bound to dazzle their readers with their million-dollar vocabularies, clever turns-of-phrase, and over-wrought use of simile and metaphor, and continual one-upmanship, 'the southpaw' is a literal breath of fresh air. it's a lot like 'to kill a mockingbird' in that often the deepest and most meaningful of sentiments are usually expressed simply, thoughtfully, and don't require a lot $10 words to get it across. unfortunately, a lot of today's 'literature' is completely unreadable, a fate 'the southpaw' thankfully avoids.
mark harris is a very seductive writer, in the truest sense of the word. he so effortlessly pulls you into wiggens' world and its colorful (not 'quirky') cast of characters. you sometimes read four or five (or more) pages and not a thing happens to push the plot along, but so engaging is wiggens' voice, so likeable (using '1' instead of 'one' and 'a-tall' instead of 'at all') his guileless character, that you can't help but continue reading and enjoying every second of it.
at its core, 'the southpaw' is a simple story about a pitcher's journey from flame-throwing adolescent to star pitcher for the fictional new york mammoths, but what a journey it is. harris tackles a lot of topics (racism, segregation, economics, fidelity, power and class struggles, etc), and in doing so, elevates it from a simple, nostalgic yarn to a complex literary work simply told. literature need not be depressing and bleak (contrary to what some of my profs told me). 'the southpaw' is a prime example of great literature that doesn't wallow in its own gloom. i loved reading it. if you're a fan of baseball, and even if you're not, this book comes highly recommended.
Among the best baseball fiction ever written "The Southpaw" begins the great four book series on the career of New York Mammoth pitcher Henry Wiggen. Full of comedy, memorable characters and all the trials of a rookie in the major leagues. This is truly one of the best pieces of baseball fiction ever written, along with Philip Roth's "The Great American Novel", and I didn't want it to end. If you're a baseball fan you can't go wrong with this hilarious and loving tribute to the game.
Excellent - the first of four Henry Wiggin books. This is the first of the Henry Wiggin stories. The most famous being Bang the Drum Slowly. I have not before read any of these stories, but I will now make it a point of reading the other three.
The story reads like an autobiography of a rookie pitcher in his first season with the New York team. This style predates the several nonfiction books of athletes writing about a season in their career. Although the time period is several decades ago, the material is still relevant for any true baseball fan.
The main character is shown through his writings as developing from a single minded adolescent into a maturing adult. The story is especially good in having two strong females who are not stereotypical characters. The supporting characters are believable and fun in a Damon Runyon like way. I strongly recommend this book as an example of sports fiction at its best.
A Great Book on Baseball and Life Mark Harris' first installment in the Henry Wiggen series (there are four books total) is one of the finest baseball novels written. "The Southpaw" is the story of left-handed pitching phenom Henry Wiggen and his early career as a professional baseball star.
The novel is told in the form of Henry Wiggen's diary and the writing does take some getting used to as Henry's prose isn't particularly high caliber. It is, however, very real and its simplicity adds to the novel's sense of realism. Henry begins by talking about his father's (also a pitcher) career and then proceeds to discuss (briefly) his own high school career, his brief minor league career, and finally (in much more detail) his first season as a major leaguer.
The novel takes place in the early 1950s and as you read Henry's account you will be transported back in time to when ball players' contracts were in the $1K range and pitchers pitched 16-inning ball games and pitched on two-days rest. It's a great baseball book in that it gives some insight into the art of pitching and being a ballplayer in general, but it's much more than that. And those without an extensive knowledge of the wonderful game of baseball won't be lost or confused in reading it (it's not overly technical). Henry's essentially a young adult (early twenties at the end of the novel) and his growth experiences are listed (by Henry) right alongside his baseball experiences. "The Southpaw" is a fascinating read and provides a nice glimpse into baseball life (and life in general) in early 1950s America.
A great book and highly recommended reading--particularly for fans of baseball.
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