The Thrill of the Grass

The Thrill of the Grass is a collection of short stories centered on baseball and its impact on American life. The stories range from realistic accounts of players and fans to tales with supernatural and magical elements. The book follows various characters whose lives intersect with baseball in different ways - from groundskeepers and scouts to players and devoted followers of the game. The narratives take place across different time periods and locations in North America. Baseball serves as both the subject matter and a lens through which Kinsella explores themes of nostalgia, tradition, faith, and the bonds between generations. The stories examine how America's pastime connects to deeper questions about meaning, belonging, and the preservation of what people hold sacred.

Readers value the baseball-focused short stories for their magical realism and emotional depth. Many note that while baseball provides the framework, the stories explore deeper themes of relationships, aging, and nostalgia. Readers appreciated: - Blend of fantasy and reality in baseball settings - Character-driven narratives - Humor mixed with poignant moments - Quality of writing compared to Kinsella's novels Common criticisms: - Some stories feel repetitive in theme - Baseball knowledge required to fully appreciate certain stories - A few readers found the magical elements jarring Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (224 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (12 reviews) One reader noted: "The stories capture the spirit of baseball rather than just the mechanics of the game." Another commented: "Like Field of Dreams, these tales mix the supernatural with America's pastime in a way that feels natural." Some readers mentioned the title story and "The Last Pennant Before Armageddon" as collection highlights.

The Natural by Bernard Malamud A story of baseball, myth, and redemption follows a gifted player's return to the game after a mysterious 15-year absence.

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella A farmer builds a baseball field to summon the spirits of baseball legends and reconnect with his past.

The Universal Baseball Association by Robert Coover An accountant creates an intricate baseball simulation game that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach The lives of five people intersect at a small college when a baseball prodigy's career takes an unexpected turn.

The Greatest Show on Dirt by James Bailey A behind-the-scenes look at minor league baseball follows a groundskeeper's season at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

🌟 W.P. Kinsella wrote this collection of baseball short stories while teaching at the University of Calgary, drawing inspiration from his students' perspectives on America's pastime. ⚾ The title story, "The Thrill of the Grass," was inspired by the 1981 Major League Baseball players' strike, when fans were left with empty ballparks and artificial turf growing dull without maintenance. 📚 Several stories in the collection feature Indigenous characters, reflecting Kinsella's long-standing interest in First Nations culture, which he also explored extensively in his non-baseball fiction. 🏆 The book helped establish Kinsella as one of North America's premier baseball fiction writers, leading to his later success with "Shoeless Joe" (which became the film "Field of Dreams"). 🌱 Kinsella often used magical realism in his baseball stories, blending supernatural elements with realistic baseball scenarios to explore themes of hope, redemption, and the spiritual connection between humans and the game.