One for the Books: Hit a home run with one of these baseball-themed books

Chicago Tribune

5 days ago

Step up to the plate with these must-read baseball books that celebrate America's favorite pastime.
From heartwarming tales of underdog triumphs to the 'Shot Heard Round the World,' baseball-themed romances and more, these novels capture the spirit of the game in all its glory. Whether you're a lifelong fan or simply love a good sports story, here's a lineup of standout reads that really hit it out of the park!
'The Art of Fielding' by Chad Harbach
Harpooners baseball star Henry Skrimshander's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. Westish College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners' team captain and Henry's best friend, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert's daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life. As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties and secrets.
'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis
'Moneyball' tells the true story of how the low-budget Oakland A's, led by unconventional GM Billy Beane, used data-driven analysis to challenge baseball's old-school thinking — and win. Michael Lewis follows a cast of overlooked players, outsider statisticians and bold executives who proved that brains could beat budget. Both a gripping sports story and a sharp business tale, 'Moneyball' reveals how numbers changed the game forever.
'Underworld' by Don DeLillo
Set against the backdrop of one of baseball's most iconic moments, the 1951 'Shot Heard Round the World' that clinched the game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, this novel intertwines a pivotal day in sports history with the chilling dawn of the Cold War, marked by Russia's first hydrogen bomb test. 'Underworld' then unfolds the intertwined lives of Klara Sax and Nick Shay, tracing half a century of American life through the turbulence of the Cold War and beyond.
'Shoeless Joe' by W. P. Kinsella
'If you build it, he will come.' These mysterious words inspire Ray Kinsella to create a cornfield baseball diamond in honor of his hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson. What follows is a rich, nostalgic look at one of our most cherished national pastimes and a remarkable story about fathers and sons, love and family and the inimitable joy of finding your way home.
'The Brothers K' by David James Duncan
A richly layered novel blending family tensions, baseball, politics and religion, both funny and heartbreaking. Narrated by Kincaid Chance, the youngest of seven children, it follows the family's journey from the Eisenhower era through the Vietnam years, shaped by their father's lost baseball career and their mother's deepening religious fervor.
'The Universal Baseball Association' by Robert Coover
J. Henry Waugh immerses himself in his fantasy baseball league every night after work. As owner of every team in the league, Henry is flush with pride in a young rookie who is pitching a perfect game. When the pitcher completes the miracle game, Henry's life lights up. But then the rookie is killed by a freak accident, and this 'death' affects Henry's life in ways unimaginable. In a blackly comic novel that takes the reader between the real world and fantasy, Robert Coover delves into the notions of chance and power.
'Caught Up' by Liz Tomforde
Kai Rhodes, a single father and star pitcher for Chicago's MLB team, is barely keeping it together. After burning through a string of nannies, his coach steps in, hiring his own daughter, Miller Montgomery, as a last resort. She's everything Kai doesn't need: young, free-spirited and only in town for the summer. Fresh off a major culinary award, Miller is a high-end pastry chef facing creative burnout. Hoping for a reset, she agrees to spend her break caring for Kai's son. What starts as a temporary arrangement quickly turns into something deeper, as unexpected sparks fly, and emotional walls begin to crumble.
'Homerun Proposal' by Maren Moore
The plan was simple: hit a home run, then lose my virginity. Only … the proposal landed in the wrong hands. It was meant for my best friend, but fate had other plans, and Lane Collins, his infuriatingly handsome and charming older brother, got it instead. Lane is Orleans University's All-Star baseball captain: cocky, a talented pitcher, and the ultimate player on and off the field. The guy I've secretly crushed on since we were kids. When Lane signs on to my proposal and offers to teach me everything, there's only one rule: once it's over, we walk away. But with my heart in play, this game just got a lot more complicated.