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Waiting for Teddy Williams
The book begins on the eighth birthday of Ethan "E.A." Allen in the remote village of Kingdom Common, Vermont. Noted for its fervent, if unrequited, devotion to the Boston Red Sox, the village sports a replica of Fenway Park's Green Monster on top of the local baseball bat factory. Here, in a region that lags decades behind the rest of New England, E.A. lives with his honky-tonk mother, Gypsy Lee, and the acid-tongued Gran, wheelchair-bound since the Sox's heart-wrenching playoff loss to the Yankees in 1978. Homeschooled, fatherless, and living on the wrong side of the tracks, E.A. is haunted by a dark mystery in his family's past. He has only one close friend to talk it over with - a statue of his namesake on the village green.
Into the world of the Allen family comes a drifter named Teddy, who is determined to do one decent thing in his life by teaching E.A. everything he knows about baseball. As E.A. grows up and learns the secrets of the game, we get to know Kingdom Common and its flinty, colorful people. We also meet the incomparable manager of the Red Sox, the Legendary Spence, "the winningest big-league manager never to win a World Series," and his macaw, Curse of the Bambino. When the Sox's new owner vows to move the team to Hollywood if they lose the Series again, Spence, his pitching corps decimated by injuries, has to take a chance on a young nobody from Vermont.
Into the world of the Allen family comes a drifter named Teddy, who is determined to do one decent thing in his life by teaching E.A. everything he knows about baseball. As E.A. grows up and learns the secrets of the game, we get to know Kingdom Common and its flinty, colorful people. We also meet the incomparable manager of the Red Sox, the Legendary Spence, "the winningest big-league manager never to win a World Series," and his macaw, Curse of the Bambino. When the Sox's new owner vows to move the team to Hollywood if they lose the Series again, Spence, his pitching corps decimated by injuries, has to take a chance on a young nobody from Vermont.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
19 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Howard Frank Mosher
22 books159 followers Howard Frank Mosher was an American author. Over the course of his career, Mr. Mosher published 12 novels, two memoirs and countless essays and book reviews. In addition, his last work of fiction, points North will be published by St. Martin's press in the winter of 2018.
Mosher was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1979. A Stranger In the Kingdom won the New England Book Award for Fiction in 1991, and was later filmed by director Jay Craven. In 2006, Mosher received the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2011 he was awarded the New England Independent Booksellers Association's President's Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Mosher was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1979. A Stranger In the Kingdom won the New England Book Award for Fiction in 1991, and was later filmed by director Jay Craven. In 2006, Mosher received the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2011 he was awarded the New England Independent Booksellers Association's President's Award for Lifetime Achievement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 15, 2016
A fun and quick read. Baseball fans will enjoy; Red Sox Nation will love.
February 26, 2017
Two of my favorite things in this world are baseball and Vermont. This story satisfies both. Fast moving & full of eccentric and interesting characters .
September 5, 2017
A Grand-Slam Homer of a book!! Delightful & enchanting, even if you're not a baseball fan. Surprised it's not been made into a movie -- it would be the perfect feel-good story on the big screen ;)
March 31, 2021
A funny tale about a young boy from Vermont who loves baseball, the Red Sox and his not so normal family. Confusing at times( probably just me) but entertaining. If you love baseball and the Red Sox you will enjoy this book
September 30, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. E.A. became one of my favorite all-time characters. I agree with another reviewer who called this a 'feel-good' book. SWEET read!
October 14, 2017
This book was full of warmth, charm and personality. It was about a 10 year old's love for baseball, as he's growing up in a small town in upstate Vermont that calls itself the capitol of Red Sox Nation.
His dream is to become a star of the Red Sox, and of course he pitches them to a World Series Victory as a 17 year old. Ironically the book was written in 2004, the year the Red Sox ACTUALLY did end the "Curse of the Bambino". The book references many of the facts and the history of that long stretch of Never winning it all......from Bucky Dent to Billy Buckner.
The story line is very cute and what you might expect from the title and concept. It has more humor and wit than most baseball stories and was a pleasant diversion as a light read. The biggest flaw in the story is that it's too predictable and pat, mixing in almost every cliche and every bit of homespun wisdom and baseball lore. It stuck to its guns though, and simply didn't try to be anything else than what it was, much to its credit.
The book is PERFECT for a child from little league age on up. It's every kids' dream come true!
I would have loved this book as a youngster, but still enjoyed it even though i knew the story line pretty much before I read it.
His dream is to become a star of the Red Sox, and of course he pitches them to a World Series Victory as a 17 year old. Ironically the book was written in 2004, the year the Red Sox ACTUALLY did end the "Curse of the Bambino". The book references many of the facts and the history of that long stretch of Never winning it all......from Bucky Dent to Billy Buckner.
The story line is very cute and what you might expect from the title and concept. It has more humor and wit than most baseball stories and was a pleasant diversion as a light read. The biggest flaw in the story is that it's too predictable and pat, mixing in almost every cliche and every bit of homespun wisdom and baseball lore. It stuck to its guns though, and simply didn't try to be anything else than what it was, much to its credit.
The book is PERFECT for a child from little league age on up. It's every kids' dream come true!
I would have loved this book as a youngster, but still enjoyed it even though i knew the story line pretty much before I read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2022
Charming if lightweight (especially for this author) novel about a young Vermont boy, who grows up worshipping the Boston Red Sox, and his near single-minded efforts to become a ball player for the Sox. The Teddy Williams in the title is not the star Red Sox player of the 1940's and 1950's, but a drifter who helps our hero, then 12 young old Ethan "E.A." Allen, become a better ball player and an even better man. The novel is full of invention, playfulness and a bevy of memorable characters, including the title character, Red Sox manager Spence, who is trying to break the near century-old Curse of the Bambino (pre-2006), the Kinneson brothers (one a judge and the other the town newspaper editor), and even a statue of the historic Ethan Allen, who offers advice to young E.A. throughout the novel. A satisfying, enjoyable read with plenty of welcome humor, particularly at the expense of some small-town bullies and one big-town baseball team owner.
April 19, 2024
I am not an active baseball fan, but I really enjoyed this book. My father was one of those fellows who had his radio tuned to the baseball game (Harry Carey doing the play by play) by his side his when he was woodworking in the basement, grilling in the yard, or hanging on the porch having a beer. Growing up in St. Louis, we naturally rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals, but I only knew the basics of the game. This story gave me a peek into the complexities of pitching, management, and the commitment to the game. It was so very well written, and EA was just right, neither too sweet nor too tart. I became invested in his journey to greatness. All the characters were interesting, and I cheered for the good guys and booed the bad ones. The story was just long enough, and ended in just the right place. I now have a new author to look for. Thank you Mr. Mosher, for a lovely, interesting, heartwarming story.
May 15, 2024
Four stars if you're from Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine or if you love baseball or if you suffered through the Red Sox long dry spell, or if you like to get a taste of a worlds you don't know about (baseball/New England homegrown characters). It was fun to read about the places we from VT, NH, ME know. Characters and story were fresh and fun.
November 14, 2017
I really loved Ethan as a character. The story never got boring, and it was pretty funny. It's a nice, light read, but still pulls at your heart strings. Rooting for a character is fun and engaging. Also, I love the Red Sox, so obviously this book called my name.
October 17, 2024
Fun book to read while we are down to the final four teams in the postseason, this book was somewhat historical in nature, and gave me kind of a more heartfelt version Major League vibe. I think it would be a good movie.
February 25, 2018
I’ve learned to love Vermont, baseball, and most of all the aligned and misaligned characters in Howard Frank Mosher’s novels.
July 3, 2018
Delightful.
July 26, 2018
Hilarious.
May 13, 2021
I absolutely loved this book.
September 21, 2021
3.5 stars - silly and 2 dimensional at times, but a captivating fun read. I do like many of Moshers works.
October 6, 2021
Didn't finish...maybe would have gotten better but got pulled away by other books I wanted to read.
March 19, 2023
Another fun book about Kingdom Common VT. I'm a big Mosher fan!
August 5, 2021
Well, it ended well...mostly. But lots of name calling, alcohol abuse, illegal activity justified poorly, sleeping around...really not a YA book. I kept thinking "there are so many better books, why am I reading this still?" (Book club book.)
August 27, 2007
Waiting for Teddy Williams is a baseball story that reads like a great modern myth. It involves a young protagonist and baseball phenomena Ethan Allen, a boy from northern Vermont, who lives, eats and sleeps baseball. Allen whose namesake was a leader-to-be of the 18th century Green Mountain Boys, fought against the New Yorkers for Vermont and for himself. The real Ethan Allen, proved to be an early "Yankee hater".
Mosher is a fabulous writer and creative storyteller, producing images that are clear and mentally pleasing. Writers can often over use oddities in characters, introducing traits just to cause a stir within the reader. The characters Mosher writes are just quirky enough to be believable, interesting and loveable, remaining true to themselves and to the readers.
In the novel, Allen is the son of Teddy Williams a baseball man, ex-convict and drifter, who appears unexpectedly into the life the young Allen. Williams, no relation to the famous Number 9, spends time with the boy, trains him and develops Ethan's baseball talents, the ones that Teddy himself could only use catching for a prison team in Texas.
Mosher fills the book with memorable and outrageous scenes, lined with character-based humor. Allen's mother, Gypsy Lee works as an escort and a honky-tonk singer in order to put food on the table. Her work is introduced and presented as matter-of-fact, and often leads to hilarious images and situations. She is a strong, likeable character, the backbone of young Allen, and the novel flourishes in nearly every scene she is involved in.
As strong myths go, things can be too good or too predictable to be true. Ethan's rise to the Red Sox and how the team uses him would never occur. Mosher's fictional Red Sox would never have won anything based on the season's scenario Mosher creates. This though is Mosher's point: the Red Sox will never ever win a championship. There is numerous mentions of 1918, Carlton Fisk, Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, and the Red Sox as the loveable losers that they are. It will take a miraculous improbability for a championship to come to the City of Boston. It is rather unfortunate for the book, released the same year the team actually did win the World Series.
There are also a few minor factual inaccuracies found (i.e. World Series Game Seven would never be a day game), but generally these will be missed by most, except the scholars of the game. Despite this, the book is well written and interesting. It is a well-struck work that curves just foul. It is a one-run heartbreaking loss that can still be appreciated by the lovers of the game as well as the lovers of fine writing.
Mosher is a fabulous writer and creative storyteller, producing images that are clear and mentally pleasing. Writers can often over use oddities in characters, introducing traits just to cause a stir within the reader. The characters Mosher writes are just quirky enough to be believable, interesting and loveable, remaining true to themselves and to the readers.
In the novel, Allen is the son of Teddy Williams a baseball man, ex-convict and drifter, who appears unexpectedly into the life the young Allen. Williams, no relation to the famous Number 9, spends time with the boy, trains him and develops Ethan's baseball talents, the ones that Teddy himself could only use catching for a prison team in Texas.
Mosher fills the book with memorable and outrageous scenes, lined with character-based humor. Allen's mother, Gypsy Lee works as an escort and a honky-tonk singer in order to put food on the table. Her work is introduced and presented as matter-of-fact, and often leads to hilarious images and situations. She is a strong, likeable character, the backbone of young Allen, and the novel flourishes in nearly every scene she is involved in.
As strong myths go, things can be too good or too predictable to be true. Ethan's rise to the Red Sox and how the team uses him would never occur. Mosher's fictional Red Sox would never have won anything based on the season's scenario Mosher creates. This though is Mosher's point: the Red Sox will never ever win a championship. There is numerous mentions of 1918, Carlton Fisk, Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, and the Red Sox as the loveable losers that they are. It will take a miraculous improbability for a championship to come to the City of Boston. It is rather unfortunate for the book, released the same year the team actually did win the World Series.
There are also a few minor factual inaccuracies found (i.e. World Series Game Seven would never be a day game), but generally these will be missed by most, except the scholars of the game. Despite this, the book is well written and interesting. It is a well-struck work that curves just foul. It is a one-run heartbreaking loss that can still be appreciated by the lovers of the game as well as the lovers of fine writing.
August 13, 2008
It doesn't rank up there with the greatest sports books ever written, but this is an adept, character-driven Frank Mosher read for most fans of the sports novel genre and a must for anyone who claims RedSox Nation as birthright.
The story centers on a fatherless young boy, son of the local red-haired, fun loving libertine and role-playing harlot, who follows baseball as his religion and sees the Red Sox as his savior (albeit one with significant and historical weaknesses). Young E.A. (Ethan Allen) has aspirations of one day winning the "World Serious" as a Red Sox and in the process liberating his "Gran" from her self imposed paralytic state brought on by years of supporting the cursed Sox.
Growing up in, yes, get ready for it, Kingdom Common, Vermont, the very setting of his best seller "On Kingdom Mountain" and site of at least 9 other “kingdom” novels, EA is surrounded by a bevy of colorful country characters as he follows his destiny equally driven, supported and obstructed by the local cast of impassioned Red Sox Vermonters.
A fun, if formulaic story line, like most Mosher novels the story is not as much the “thing” as are the characters Mosher brings to life. Just as he did with Jane Hubbell Kinneson and her forbears, Mosher sets us down in the middle of a New England town, seemingly untouched by time, people and/or events outside its borders and parades past us such characters as a benevolent country judge, demonic junk yard operator and possessed goat who terrorizes the environment atop his “blade” (most powerful and most destructive tractor ever made), a Cajun baseball omniscient, a luckless hobo with secret talents, and an ornery, yet caring, advice-giving military statue that oversees the local common and baseball diamond.
Though not as strong a story line as On Kingdom Mountain, a personal favorite, and possibly blunted by the 2004 Red Sox World Series win, Waiting for Teddy Williams is still an enjoyable August read as we await the final pennant push and wrestle with all of those baseball demons of our own.
The story centers on a fatherless young boy, son of the local red-haired, fun loving libertine and role-playing harlot, who follows baseball as his religion and sees the Red Sox as his savior (albeit one with significant and historical weaknesses). Young E.A. (Ethan Allen) has aspirations of one day winning the "World Serious" as a Red Sox and in the process liberating his "Gran" from her self imposed paralytic state brought on by years of supporting the cursed Sox.
Growing up in, yes, get ready for it, Kingdom Common, Vermont, the very setting of his best seller "On Kingdom Mountain" and site of at least 9 other “kingdom” novels, EA is surrounded by a bevy of colorful country characters as he follows his destiny equally driven, supported and obstructed by the local cast of impassioned Red Sox Vermonters.
A fun, if formulaic story line, like most Mosher novels the story is not as much the “thing” as are the characters Mosher brings to life. Just as he did with Jane Hubbell Kinneson and her forbears, Mosher sets us down in the middle of a New England town, seemingly untouched by time, people and/or events outside its borders and parades past us such characters as a benevolent country judge, demonic junk yard operator and possessed goat who terrorizes the environment atop his “blade” (most powerful and most destructive tractor ever made), a Cajun baseball omniscient, a luckless hobo with secret talents, and an ornery, yet caring, advice-giving military statue that oversees the local common and baseball diamond.
Though not as strong a story line as On Kingdom Mountain, a personal favorite, and possibly blunted by the 2004 Red Sox World Series win, Waiting for Teddy Williams is still an enjoyable August read as we await the final pennant push and wrestle with all of those baseball demons of our own.
November 13, 2016
A very enjoyable read about the bonds between father and son . . . painted with the backdrop of baseball!
This is the tale of a young boy growing up in rural Vermont: playing town baseball and following the Red Sox. Both of which, as the reader learns, has its highs and lows. Learning the finer points of the game comes from many different characters as the young boy grows, and his talents come to the forefront . . . especially as he gets a whiff of his dream of playing for the beloved Sox!
So many memories of playing ball with my dad came rushing through my mind as I read this story. So many dreams of playing in the big leagues, as we played catch in the backyard. I couldn't help but think of the "field" we used when growing up: a maple tree for 1st base, corner of the garden for 2nd, elm tree for 3rd, and a dirt patch for home. You had to hit line drives to get on base instead of towering fly balls, otherwise your perfect hit would get knocked down by the tree limbs and you'd be stuck with either a pop out or a single. The distance between 3rd and home was about twice as long as from 2nd to 3rd. Left center field dipped down about a foot as it tiered into the garden. And you didn't dare hit it foul to the right into "that" neighbor's yard, as you'd risk getting yelled at going into their backyard to fetch the ball. It was perfect!
There are many cliches in this book and the ending is a bit predictable, but that doesn't matter. You read it for the love of baseball. You read it for the memories of younger days. You read it to fulfill your own dream of making it to "the show." A great read, indeed!
This is the tale of a young boy growing up in rural Vermont: playing town baseball and following the Red Sox. Both of which, as the reader learns, has its highs and lows. Learning the finer points of the game comes from many different characters as the young boy grows, and his talents come to the forefront . . . especially as he gets a whiff of his dream of playing for the beloved Sox!
So many memories of playing ball with my dad came rushing through my mind as I read this story. So many dreams of playing in the big leagues, as we played catch in the backyard. I couldn't help but think of the "field" we used when growing up: a maple tree for 1st base, corner of the garden for 2nd, elm tree for 3rd, and a dirt patch for home. You had to hit line drives to get on base instead of towering fly balls, otherwise your perfect hit would get knocked down by the tree limbs and you'd be stuck with either a pop out or a single. The distance between 3rd and home was about twice as long as from 2nd to 3rd. Left center field dipped down about a foot as it tiered into the garden. And you didn't dare hit it foul to the right into "that" neighbor's yard, as you'd risk getting yelled at going into their backyard to fetch the ball. It was perfect!
There are many cliches in this book and the ending is a bit predictable, but that doesn't matter. You read it for the love of baseball. You read it for the memories of younger days. You read it to fulfill your own dream of making it to "the show." A great read, indeed!
May 20, 2015
Being the middle of baseball season (at least here in Vermont), I needed another fix after "Blockade Billy." Overall, "Waiting for Teddy Williams" is a very enjoyable baseball fantasy/fairy tale. The games and practice scenes in particular are well-written and mesmerizing. I particularly like how Mosher keeps you guessing and does not succumb to obviousness or inevitability (and that he implies that people from Boston are kinda assholes). That being said, I can't say the same about all the non-baseball aspects of this novel. In particular, I hate the mother; she is just a mish-mash of multiple stock characters, including the free spirit/wild child, poor-country-girl-who-is-actually-knowledgeable-and-smarter-than-everyone-else, and "hooker with a heart of gold." Even her name (Gypsy Lee)is trite given her characteristics. As such, I can't take her seriously and don't care about her. Also, I cannot suspend my disbelief when it comes to Mosher's portrayal of the Vermont legal and justice system - either he is woefully ignorant of how things work or has deceitfully disregarded reality and logic for the sake of his story. Regardless, the small town Vermont setting is very familiar and three-dimensional (and not just idealistically bucolic, as Vermont is often portrayed), and the tongue-in-cheek homage to the local population is refreshing as well. A good light (but not too light, as it has some things to say about family, heritage, hard work, and fortune) read for early summer.
October 31, 2012
I thought that Waiting for Teddy Williams, by Howard Mosher was one of the best books i have ever read. It was very exciting and had a ton of plot twists. The book kept me guessing on every page. In my opinion, the author of this book really knew what he was doing.
There were so many good parts in this book, but my favorite part was when E.A. and his dad push their neighbors tractor off a cliff into a river. They call their neighbor Devil Dan because he has always been giving them trouble and telling them that he is going to push down their house someday with his tractor.
Even though this was a really good book, I still had some difficulties getting through the first part of the book. The beginning was kind of boring and I had to push myself to get through it. E.A. was just a little kid that loved baseball and nothing interesting really happened. Once I got past those beginning parts I was flying through the book and having fun doing it.
Overall, this was a great book. I would recommend it to people that appreciate the sport of baseball as much and maybe even more than me.
There were so many good parts in this book, but my favorite part was when E.A. and his dad push their neighbors tractor off a cliff into a river. They call their neighbor Devil Dan because he has always been giving them trouble and telling them that he is going to push down their house someday with his tractor.
Even though this was a really good book, I still had some difficulties getting through the first part of the book. The beginning was kind of boring and I had to push myself to get through it. E.A. was just a little kid that loved baseball and nothing interesting really happened. Once I got past those beginning parts I was flying through the book and having fun doing it.
Overall, this was a great book. I would recommend it to people that appreciate the sport of baseball as much and maybe even more than me.
August 22, 2011
I wanted to like this one more than I did. Mosher is a Vermont writer who has written about the Northeast Kingdom- the very rural and poor northeast portion of that state-in several great books. This novel is about a boy growing up there and his eventual path to the Boston Red Sox. However, the plot is so absurd that at some point one had to accept it as almost magic realism in order to reconcile it with reality. Nevertheless, some inexcusable editing problems (the star player's stats were completely unrealistic and the climax play in the book had a crucial and basic error of baseball involved) made it hard to excuse all the fun. That being said, Mosher writes well of summers in rural New England, and certainly made this native son a little nostalgic. Nevertheless, read Mosher's other books before jumping into this one.
February 23, 2012
I am a fan of "coming of age" stories, New England of past years, and a Red Sox fan so this book touched all three buttons and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Since I spent ages 10-15 in a small NH town I could relate to the setting and the offbeat characters. I read the book sitting on the dock of a camp on Lake Winnepesaukee, having arrived in New Hampshire to attend the 40th reunion of the graduates of that small town school.
While the reviews below give some of the major plot outline, I enjoyed Mosher's ability to create the setting, the use of some fairly interesting plot twists and "red herrings" keep it interesting as it moves to an easily anticipated conclusion.
Still, it brought back some great memories for this member of the "Red Sox Nation".
While the reviews below give some of the major plot outline, I enjoyed Mosher's ability to create the setting, the use of some fairly interesting plot twists and "red herrings" keep it interesting as it moves to an easily anticipated conclusion.
Still, it brought back some great memories for this member of the "Red Sox Nation".
January 14, 2015
I loved everything about this book! Coming of age & baseball, quirky characters, simple but elegant writing. This book is a vividly written portrait of a young man’s coming of age in a small town in Vermont. The book begins on the 8th birthday of Ethan “E.A.” Allen in the remote village of Kingdom Common, noted for its fervent devotion to the Boston Red Sox. E.A. lives with his mother, Gypsy Lee and Grandmother, a rifle wheeling, wheelchair bound, acid tongued baseball fan. Ethan is home-schooled by his eccentric mother and lives on the wrong side of the tracks. We follow EA as he moves toward his dreams of meeting his father and playing major league baseball. The author's depiction of small town life is a real gem - you really just want to pack up and live there.
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February 5, 2009Do you have to be a baseball fan to enjoy Howard Mosher's quirky tribute? Well, no. But it will help you appreciate all the knucklers and sliders. Overall, Mosher has written a lovely and timeless, if at times slight and predictable, sports fable. Several critics say it ranks with the very best in baseball literature. Plus, the oddball denizens of rural New England make wonderful background characters, even if critics disagree about the fullness of the major ones. "Like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer _
August 12, 2018
No baseball aficionado, me, which is one of the reasons I avoided reading this novel. I am, though, a fan of Mosher in general and of Kingdom County stories in particular so it was only a matter of time before I picked it up. And worth it. This tale—part the story of E.A, youngster in Kingdome county and as charming and idiosyncratic as I’ve come to expect, part baseball fantasy—might be a tad dated because the Red Soxes have won the World Series since it was published but well worth the read.
October 23, 2011
I agree with my brother's assessment of this book...I really wanted to love it. It's about a kid growing up in upstate Vermont and playing for the local men's baseball league at a very early age. It was set in a super small town, kind of like where we grew up so it was able to relate to that. It was a good story a pretty solid read, but I didn't love it. If you're looking for an easy read about a small town and a baseball story, this is worth the quick read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews