Our Game Reviews

  • Well done Jeff! I finished the book appropriately enough on Opening Day! It truly is a story whose time has come. My best friend's niece is a star softball player at her high school. She is graduating this year and I plan on sending her a copy as a graduation gift. Some of my favorites..."Baseball is what lights you up." "All-Star week calls to all Americans to relax and enjoy the summer as it was intended and promises that Labor Day is still off in the distant future." (Ollie) - The one thing that he loved most about baseball was that it created optimists whose time has come. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and how it celebrates the game both past, present, and future.

    MAY B.

  • I love a good story. I love to read an author's first book. I love baseball and all it symbolizes. And I love learning facts through fiction. This book delivered the things I love, so I give it a 4.5 rounded up. Author Jeffrey Shafer gives us the story of Maria, a college softball player who is debating between graduate school and playing professional softball. But what she really wants is a chance to join the boys of summer and play professional baseball. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this story but Shafer does a good job of weaving in their stories. Benjamin Hughes is one of the most successful African American entrepreneurs in the country and is an owner of a professional baseball team. The commissioner of baseball sees a chance to make a mark on the game that he loves. Debbye, Maria's softball coach, is facing some demons. Jessica Sizemore is one of the last remaining players from the All-American Girls Baseball League from 1940s. Her niece, Samantha, is a teammate of Maria's. And there's more! It is not surprising that there are other characters who do not want Maria's dream to come true. While a mysterious boss and members of "the company" show up to coach and support Maria, Ken and two co-conspirators do their best to sabotage their efforts to ensure that a woman will never step foot into a major league baseball batter's box. Throughout the story, baseball is the thread that brings hope to those who feel forgotten or left out. Baseball reminds the reader why baseball remains our national pastime. Why baseball is "Our Game."

    LORRAINE

  • I recommend this book to anyone who finds it mentally satisfying to encounter a read that guides you to a "eureka" moment. A place that defines a new understanding/perspective on a subject. I recommend this book to any reader that finds entertainment in a wide range of introspective characters and also appreciates an author/narrator with a good sense of humor. Since BookBaby's description of "Our Game" is so concise, this review is focused on the delightful style of the author's writing. I found the narrative to be written with equal amounts of relatable playfulness and genuine empathy. The narrative is abound with everyday observations that may typically go unnoticed by me, the reader. The narrator skillfully uses mindful word choices and at times, a poetic turn of a phrase, to jolt me into awareness. I love to read for that very reason. It should be further noted that I know nil about baseball. Among other reasons, I give this book a 5 star rating because the author was able to skillfully keep me fully engaged in the plot and subplots as I became familiar with various baseball players, teams and ball parks. The plot is perfectly supported by its cast of characters, the settings and the author's in-depth knowledge of Major League Baseball. The subject of this book gave me the opportunity to reevaluate my perception of the sport, its athletes, and the important role baseball/sports play in our collective societal conscience. Furthermore, the subplots cannot be overlooked in this review as they provide such additional action and so smoothly compliment the main plot. In closing, I suspect that every reader will enjoy the unexpected and delightful twist at the end of the story. Enjoy your read.

    JOANN S.

Look Daddy, there’s a girl coming to bat!

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