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Empty Seats
It's 1972. Three star baseball players head off to Jamestown, New York, after having been drafted to play for the Single-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos, thinking it would be an easy ride to the big leagues. Little did they know they'd be vying for a spot with every other talented kid who aspired to play professional baseball. Young, inexperienced, immature and without the support of their families and friends, they're often faced with split-second decisions--not always on the baseball diamond.
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 16, 2018
“I dream of different shades of green—emerald, jade, lime, pea green, sea foam, etc.—and put them together to envision the luxurious grasses in different baseball fields.”
Empty Seats follows a group of boys in the early 1970's who are playing AA division baseball with hopes of making it into the major leagues.
You don’t have to enjoy sports to fall in love with this book. While the theme is baseball, the depth of the story focused more on the life of these young boys, and how one man’s passion can put an insurmountable amount of pressure on a young boy’s life.
Without giving too much away, Jimmy’s story will leave me thinking about it for days to come. The ending literally came out of left field and I was not expecting the final blow. This is a perfect story which showcases that it is not necessarily the hand you are dealt in life, but how you play your cards. I was expecting Bobby to be the failure, because of his circumstances, but was surprised at how quickly he and Jimmy’s roles reversed.
Anyone who appreciates friendship and family will enjoy this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I would like to give it five stars, I am subtracting one star simply due to the outrageous price of this book coupled with a hefty amount of type -o’s. (Example: “Debbie and Donna look like they’re been crying.”) Not too bad, but for $8.00, I expect flawless work from the publishers editing department.
Empty Seats follows a group of boys in the early 1970's who are playing AA division baseball with hopes of making it into the major leagues.
You don’t have to enjoy sports to fall in love with this book. While the theme is baseball, the depth of the story focused more on the life of these young boys, and how one man’s passion can put an insurmountable amount of pressure on a young boy’s life.
Without giving too much away, Jimmy’s story will leave me thinking about it for days to come. The ending literally came out of left field and I was not expecting the final blow. This is a perfect story which showcases that it is not necessarily the hand you are dealt in life, but how you play your cards. I was expecting Bobby to be the failure, because of his circumstances, but was surprised at how quickly he and Jimmy’s roles reversed.
Anyone who appreciates friendship and family will enjoy this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I would like to give it five stars, I am subtracting one star simply due to the outrageous price of this book coupled with a hefty amount of type -o’s. (Example: “Debbie and Donna look like they’re been crying.”) Not too bad, but for $8.00, I expect flawless work from the publishers editing department.
August 15, 2021
As I read, "Empty Seats," by Wanda Adams Fischer, I recalled the movies, "Bull Durham," and "Field of Dreams," in which baseball is a metaphor for the American dream that anyone can reach the pinnacle of success. This novel follows the journey of three different baseball players who play on the same minor league team, but each of them takes a different pathway. Jimmy Bailey is living his father's dream of playing in the majors which his father could not fulfill because he had to support his family. Bud Prescott is from a well-to-do family from Athens, Georgia who had backup plans for a profession outside of baseball. Bobby Mangino comes from a single-family household in which his father deserted the family. Each young man, considered a star player in high school, must face the reality that only a few will ever make it to the major leagues. Each of their stories is told in parallel to highlight the different challenges that each young man faces playing baseball just out of high school.
Author Wanda Fischer has written an engaging story of three young baseball players with a keen eye for the sport and culture. The story is told in the first-person perspective by Jimmy Bailey, but the other two players are told in third-person. The most engaging story is for Bobby Mangino who has to overcome a rocky upbringing and debilitating accident that forces him out of baseball as a player but opens the door to other opportunities. The novel works best in the first half of the novel in which the young men's family backgrounds are revealed and they adjust to playing on a Single-A minor league team in Jamestown, NY. In the latter part of the book, each of the stories felt more rushed and could have gone into more detail on how each player felt as they strive to overcome their challenges. Each of their stories had the potential to be a stand-alone novel.
Overall, "Empty Seats," is an enjoyable read and an eye-opener that most players don't make it to the major leagues. I recommend this book to those who love the game of baseball and the stories of players trying to fulfill their lifetime dream of making it to the major leagues.
Author Wanda Fischer has written an engaging story of three young baseball players with a keen eye for the sport and culture. The story is told in the first-person perspective by Jimmy Bailey, but the other two players are told in third-person. The most engaging story is for Bobby Mangino who has to overcome a rocky upbringing and debilitating accident that forces him out of baseball as a player but opens the door to other opportunities. The novel works best in the first half of the novel in which the young men's family backgrounds are revealed and they adjust to playing on a Single-A minor league team in Jamestown, NY. In the latter part of the book, each of the stories felt more rushed and could have gone into more detail on how each player felt as they strive to overcome their challenges. Each of their stories had the potential to be a stand-alone novel.
Overall, "Empty Seats," is an enjoyable read and an eye-opener that most players don't make it to the major leagues. I recommend this book to those who love the game of baseball and the stories of players trying to fulfill their lifetime dream of making it to the major leagues.
July 20, 2018
This novel focuses on three players, all of them pitchers, drafted by the Montreal Expos to play Single- A ball in Jamestown, NY. What happens to them off the diamond, in the off- season is the primary concern of this novel. Bobby, an angry kid from Yonkers, with no fallback ideas, has his world turned upside down. Bud, a guy everybody likes from Athens, GA, goes to Vanderbilt. Jimmy, whose father has coached him since he was a baby, because his Dad had a career in the Minors, but his wife made him chose between her and the Majors. After playing in the Minors, Jimmy doesn’t adjust well to being back in Weymouth, MA.
This novel is set in early 70's. Neighbors of the main characters are drafted to go to Vietnam. No one has a phone with them all the time, or a way to film pitches in their pockets.
When bad things happen to two of the main characters, major league players and organizations do their best to help them out, which surprised me, but it ought not to have, perhaps. Baseball’s not my thing, but I really enjoyed this novel. “My life is nothing but a big bank of empty seats.” (196) Bought at Open Door Bookstore for $8.99, autographed, on 7.16.18.
This novel is set in early 70's. Neighbors of the main characters are drafted to go to Vietnam. No one has a phone with them all the time, or a way to film pitches in their pockets.
When bad things happen to two of the main characters, major league players and organizations do their best to help them out, which surprised me, but it ought not to have, perhaps. Baseball’s not my thing, but I really enjoyed this novel. “My life is nothing but a big bank of empty seats.” (196) Bought at Open Door Bookstore for $8.99, autographed, on 7.16.18.
June 2, 2018
Wanda Adams Fischer is a new author for me, but I’m a sucker for a good sports story so I figured I’d try out her novel Empty Seats. I’m glad I did and, based on this book, I’m promising myself that we will become well acquainted. This novel truly is, quite simply, wonderful. It has a truly genuine feeling of what minor league baseball must be like and does a wonderful job of presenting g a c developing its characters. The tale was well written and with a great plot. It had just what I wanted.
But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommended.
But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommended.
March 22, 2018
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am glad that I did! I really enjoyed reading it. It is a story about three young men who were baseball stars at their respective high schools who met one summer while playing in the minor leagues. After that season, the young men's lives take off in different directions. The story and its characters were very engaging and realistic. The author's knowledge of baseball shone through the writing. I loved the way that she was able to make me feel as though I was there (on the field, in the locker room, or just listening to the players), and she did a great job of weaving baseball details and real players into the story. I hope she writes a sequel --- what happens next in the lives of these three young men?
June 5, 2018
When I first saw this book, I was so drawn to it. I am a lifelong baseball fan, something passed on thru my family generations. And the fact that this is also a coming of age book, set in 1972, well – that was the year I graduated from high school, so that's something I could really identify with. I knew I had to read it.
Right away I felt like I was whisked back in time, that the author had reached in and pulled out my own memories, and set them down on paper. There is so much accuracy of description in what was going on then – in music, cars, politics, ideas, the whole general feeling of that era. This descriptive expertise is carried on throughout the book, with the feel and sight and smell of so many things, especially baseball.
The story revolves around three young men, recent high school graduates. They were stars on their school teams and have all been drafted by a professional team, the Montreal Expos (now defunct). They are on the same team in the lowest level of minor league. They are all pitchers, so they are competing against each other.
The three young men all come from very different backgrounds, and have very different personalities. One is from a relatively every day middle class-type family. His father gave up a chance at a Major League career for his wife, and has poured his time and soul into playing ball with his only son, teaching him all the tricks of the trade and all the intricacies of pitching, hoping his son can live the dream that he walked away from. The second boy is from a southern antebellum family. He's a friendly, easygoing boy, and treats everyone equally and with respect. The third boy is wound a bit too tight. He grew up without his father and with a rather dysfunctional mother. He's got a real chip on his shoulder, sticks to himself, and has no interest in making friends.
The book leads us through a detailed description of the early stages of spring training, the coaches, the players, all the way to the first game of the season. It was somewhat disappointing to me that the book then skipped the rest of the season. I would have liked to learn more about how the boys grew with their experiences over the summer. Anyways, the next thing you know, they are packing their things to go back to their respective homes for the off-season. All the boys, of course, assume they will be back next season, hopefully promoted to a higher level team. But life seldom turns out the way we expect.
Life throws these boys some wildly different curve balls. What happens to them, some things by their own doing, and some purely by chance, is what makes up the rest of the book.
The chapters jump around from one boy to another, which was a little confusing at first until you really got to know who each one of them is. I also felt that some of the ways in which they handled what life gave them wasn't totally realistic, especially in one boy's case. I can't really explain it better than that here, as I don't want to give out spoilers.
And then just when you think you have it all figured out, the book throws a fastball right into your gut. Didn't see that one coming.
One quirk about some of us big baseball fans: we fall in love with the look and smell of an empty baseball field, with the glimmering green grass, the white lines, all the promise ahead that it holds. I know it is always a special, favorite sight for me, and something I breathe in deeply, when I get that first peak at a baseball field before a game. This is something I know and feel in my soul.
Obviously the author is familiar with it too, as it is also written into her characters. It's a recurring theme throughout the book, that sight, touch, smell, complete with the Empty Seats waiting to be filled. Hard to explain if you've never felt it, but trust me, it is real!
So do I recommend this book? How can I not? No, it wasn't perfect, and there were some things I felt should have been done differently. But still, I'm sitting here an hour or so after finishing it, and I'm still mesmerized by it.
Even if you are not a huge fan of baseball, there is so much going on in the stories of these three young men, I think anyone that likes coming of age books should enjoy this. But if you're looking for romance, this isn't it. Except for brief mentions of possible girlfriends, romance does not play a part in this book,
I think this is possibly the longest review I've ever written, and I apologize for that. But there is just so much to say about this story.
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author, who was looking for interested readers. I never heard of her before and know nothing about her, except what it says in the book, and this review is entirely my own honest opinions.
Right away I felt like I was whisked back in time, that the author had reached in and pulled out my own memories, and set them down on paper. There is so much accuracy of description in what was going on then – in music, cars, politics, ideas, the whole general feeling of that era. This descriptive expertise is carried on throughout the book, with the feel and sight and smell of so many things, especially baseball.
The story revolves around three young men, recent high school graduates. They were stars on their school teams and have all been drafted by a professional team, the Montreal Expos (now defunct). They are on the same team in the lowest level of minor league. They are all pitchers, so they are competing against each other.
The three young men all come from very different backgrounds, and have very different personalities. One is from a relatively every day middle class-type family. His father gave up a chance at a Major League career for his wife, and has poured his time and soul into playing ball with his only son, teaching him all the tricks of the trade and all the intricacies of pitching, hoping his son can live the dream that he walked away from. The second boy is from a southern antebellum family. He's a friendly, easygoing boy, and treats everyone equally and with respect. The third boy is wound a bit too tight. He grew up without his father and with a rather dysfunctional mother. He's got a real chip on his shoulder, sticks to himself, and has no interest in making friends.
The book leads us through a detailed description of the early stages of spring training, the coaches, the players, all the way to the first game of the season. It was somewhat disappointing to me that the book then skipped the rest of the season. I would have liked to learn more about how the boys grew with their experiences over the summer. Anyways, the next thing you know, they are packing their things to go back to their respective homes for the off-season. All the boys, of course, assume they will be back next season, hopefully promoted to a higher level team. But life seldom turns out the way we expect.
Life throws these boys some wildly different curve balls. What happens to them, some things by their own doing, and some purely by chance, is what makes up the rest of the book.
The chapters jump around from one boy to another, which was a little confusing at first until you really got to know who each one of them is. I also felt that some of the ways in which they handled what life gave them wasn't totally realistic, especially in one boy's case. I can't really explain it better than that here, as I don't want to give out spoilers.
And then just when you think you have it all figured out, the book throws a fastball right into your gut. Didn't see that one coming.
One quirk about some of us big baseball fans: we fall in love with the look and smell of an empty baseball field, with the glimmering green grass, the white lines, all the promise ahead that it holds. I know it is always a special, favorite sight for me, and something I breathe in deeply, when I get that first peak at a baseball field before a game. This is something I know and feel in my soul.
Obviously the author is familiar with it too, as it is also written into her characters. It's a recurring theme throughout the book, that sight, touch, smell, complete with the Empty Seats waiting to be filled. Hard to explain if you've never felt it, but trust me, it is real!
So do I recommend this book? How can I not? No, it wasn't perfect, and there were some things I felt should have been done differently. But still, I'm sitting here an hour or so after finishing it, and I'm still mesmerized by it.
Even if you are not a huge fan of baseball, there is so much going on in the stories of these three young men, I think anyone that likes coming of age books should enjoy this. But if you're looking for romance, this isn't it. Except for brief mentions of possible girlfriends, romance does not play a part in this book,
I think this is possibly the longest review I've ever written, and I apologize for that. But there is just so much to say about this story.
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author, who was looking for interested readers. I never heard of her before and know nothing about her, except what it says in the book, and this review is entirely my own honest opinions.
August 25, 2018
Empty Seats by [Adams Fischer, Wanda]Empty Seats follows the story of three men and their dream to making it to the major leagues in baseball. On their way they discover how life can help or hinder their dreams.
I love baseball. This story took me into the game from a side that I only had a small amount of knowledge. It is written by someone who loves the game and wants to share her love with others.
This excellent book receives high praise from me and I recommend it to anyone who has a love of the game.
I love baseball. This story took me into the game from a side that I only had a small amount of knowledge. It is written by someone who loves the game and wants to share her love with others.
This excellent book receives high praise from me and I recommend it to anyone who has a love of the game.
November 7, 2018
The ending of Empty Seats by Wanda Adams Fischer is so different from the beginning, it almost reads like a separate book. The novel starts out as a story about baseball. Here's a quote from Jimmy Bailey's first chance to pitch for the Jamestown Falcons, a single A team in the Montreal Expos system. He's a relief pitcher, showing his coaches what he's got in a scrimmage with Geneva, another single A team.
Russ calls for a fastball. I lean down, coddle the ball, rock back on the pitching rubber, pull my left foot up in a perpendicular motion, bring my right arm back, and fire.
There's careful detail in this writing and, when Jimmy's team is fighting to win, the book gets very exciting. You don't have to be a baseball fan to feel it.
Then the season ends and the three main characters head back to their families. These are Bobby, Bud, and Jimmy, all pitchers trying to work their way up from single A. Here the book changes to a story of young men dealing with the problems life hands them in their own ways, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Baseball has very little to do with this part of the novel, although they still encounter fans from their high school days, still have to deal with their own dreams, and still keep in touch with each other. Here's a quote from this section. This one is also from Jimmy.
Yes, Bud, you are my friend.
You're the real deal.
The peacemaker.
The leader.
My friend.
The description of what it was like to be a young, minor-league baseball player in the early seventies was my favorite aspect of this novel. I had a little trouble transitioning to the tone of the second part, but both sections were well written and exciting.
Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul, White Horse Regressions, Hopatcong Vision Quest, and Under a Warped Cross.
Russ calls for a fastball. I lean down, coddle the ball, rock back on the pitching rubber, pull my left foot up in a perpendicular motion, bring my right arm back, and fire.
There's careful detail in this writing and, when Jimmy's team is fighting to win, the book gets very exciting. You don't have to be a baseball fan to feel it.
Then the season ends and the three main characters head back to their families. These are Bobby, Bud, and Jimmy, all pitchers trying to work their way up from single A. Here the book changes to a story of young men dealing with the problems life hands them in their own ways, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Baseball has very little to do with this part of the novel, although they still encounter fans from their high school days, still have to deal with their own dreams, and still keep in touch with each other. Here's a quote from this section. This one is also from Jimmy.
Yes, Bud, you are my friend.
You're the real deal.
The peacemaker.
The leader.
My friend.
The description of what it was like to be a young, minor-league baseball player in the early seventies was my favorite aspect of this novel. I had a little trouble transitioning to the tone of the second part, but both sections were well written and exciting.
Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul, White Horse Regressions, Hopatcong Vision Quest, and Under a Warped Cross.
September 8, 2019
If you love baseball, you'll love this book
A great work of baseball fiction. I struggled to put it down, because every chapter left me wanting to know what happened next.
A great work of baseball fiction. I struggled to put it down, because every chapter left me wanting to know what happened next.
February 2, 2019
Empty Seats, by Wanda Adams Fischer, wants to be a poignant drama about the life lessons, choices, and pressures affecting three young men, all of whom happen to be baseball players. Ms. Fischer has created some very interesting characters with complexity and well-explained back stories, and she has an obvious love for the game of baseball. But, the novel does not fully succeed, either as a drama or as a baseball book. The first half is an elaborate baseball-themed set-up of the characters so that the second half can tell their main stories. Neither half of the novel is fully developed or satisfying, although there is a good story buried inside the narrative. If you are a baseball player, coach, or umpire and you’re buying Empty Seats as a “baseball book,” you’ll be disappointed.
The story begins by introducing the main protagonist, Jimmy, and two other players on a Single-A minor league team playing in the short-season NY/Penn league in the summer of 1972. The baseball portions of the novel are described with loving and substantial detail, but those details are often inaccurate. There is no particular suspense in a sports sense, and the featured character, Jimmy, pitches only one relief inning in one scrimmage game and then is not seen on the field again. We are told that Jimmy is a star – pitcher of the year in all of New England as a High School senior and drafted by the Expos. Yet, we see nothing of Jimmy’s talent. He’s a nervous 18-year-old kid and he appears to have no shot at making the big leagues based on what we read in this story. Jimmy’s nervousness may be caused by the intense pressure he’s under due to his father, who gave up his own major league dreams at the insistence of Jimmy’s mother (who is referred to throughout the book, including by Jimmy, only as “The Filly”). The father has been coaching and grooming Jimmy to be a star ball player since the first scene in the book when Jimmy was four years old. Jimmy’s dad needs him to succeed to fulfill his own vicarious dreams, although the father never shows up to watch Jimmy play. We also meet Bobby Mangino from Yonkers, who is a brash, standoffish, and rude older boy, who is a terrible teammate and seems to be the villain of the story. And we meet Bud, a likable and friendly boy from Georgia, who has the most talent and confidence on the team. The author gives us a lot of unnecessary and often inaccurate detail about two pre-season scrimmages and the first official game of the league schedule, then jumps to the end of the season, so that the games don’t really happen and there is no sense of in-game suspense or win/lose anxiety.
One glaring example of the author’s problems with baseball accuracy is the starting pitching rotation for this Single-A team. Bud starts the team’s first pre-season scrimmage, then is the starter and pitches 5.1 innings in the second scrimmage (the author does not tell us how many days intervened between, but it’s short-season ball so they have no time to take multiple days off), and then is again the starter in the first league game and goes another 5 innings. It seems that this manager is going to have Bud start every game. Jimmy, meanwhile, a supposedly highly-talented and drafted player, is relegated to the bullpen and pitches one inning in middle relief. Then (we’re told this only after the season is over) Jimmy spends the whole season in the bullpen in a “set-up” role in front of the team’s “closer.” This is 1972 remember – when “closers” didn’t really exist (especially at the Single-A level) and any pitcher who was any good at all was a starter. The author botches many other in-game baseball details, from the umpires (calling out “play ball” to restart the game after a hit), to the hitters (a right-handed hitter “pulls the ball” the opposite way to right field), to the pitchers (one adjusts his cap in the middle of his stretch, another thinks he can make his curve break left OR right), to the catcher (two fingers is the sign for a fastball), to the description of a “95-MPH fastball” knocking the catcher over, to the opposing player who wants to charge the mound during a scrimmage game after being hit by an 0-2 curve ball, to having Bud, the visiting team’s pitcher, warming up on the mound while the umpires and managers are having their pre-game meeting before the top of the first inning. She insists on telling us that the righty pitcher lands on his left leg (several times) as if we’ve never seen a baseball game. She finally lost me entirely when she described an infield pop-up that is called an “infield fly rule” with runners on first and third. (This is wrong, and totally unnecessary – just have the shortstop catch the pop-up.) As a book describing baseball, both in-game and during the few practice scenes (where the pitchers never stretch, run, take batting practice, or do any drills, but they do warm up randomly during a game without the pitching coach telling them to), it is just not accurate and therefore more frustrating than captivating. I’m sure it’s great for a reader who knows nothing about baseball, in which case it’s very descriptive (as long as you don’t know any better).
After the short season ends, the book becomes half a book about the curveballs that life throws at young men, how life is not always fair, and how things don’t always work out the way you want them to (unless they do). This half of the novel is similarly disappointing in that the action is clipped, the story lines are sketched with few details, the behavior of the characters is mostly out of step with what we think we know about them from the first half of the book, and ultimately there is no clear point or purpose to the story. If this were a true-life biography, you could forgive the author for not having a better story to tell, but this is fiction, so the story should have been much better.
Bobby (the bad teammate who pressured Jimmy into drinking his first beer and by the end of the season had turned Jimmy into a borderline alcoholic) is involved in a bus accident on his way back to Yonkers and suffers a spinal cord injury that leaves him a paraplegic. Bad break for Bobby, but somehow (without any real explanation) Bobby’s attitude totally changes and he becomes a sensitive, caring, and compassionate person as he struggles with his new reality that he will never be a ballplayer again.
Meanwhile, Jimmy returns home and is greatly affected by Bobby’s injury as he questions whether being a ballplayer can ever work for him and laments that he has no fallback plan for his life (unlike his two smart and accomplished sisters). Jimmy struggles to keep himself occupied as he falls into some bad habits and hangs with some bad company. (There is no explanation for why his father, who coached Jimmy relentlessly from age 4 to be a ballplayer, suddenly has no interest in working out with him or supervising his continued baseball development during the off-season and instead allows him to drift.) Jimmy ends up getting into a fight (which seems very out of character for him) and the other boy ends up dead. Jimmy is charged with manslaughter and faces a trial and possible prison. (This is not really a spoiler since it is the main plot of the “story” portion of the book.) Now, the novel becomes a crime/legal drama as Jimmy’s lawyer struggles to defend him. But, the author gives us only snippets of that story, and what she does give us is mostly wrong. I’m a lawyer, and as a crime drama this is not very realistic and in many cases dead opposite of how things really happen.
At the same time, Bud goes off to college (without a baseball scholarship, of course) and completes a year at Vanderbilt as a pre-med. (There is no explanation for how Bud can complete his spring semester at Vandy while also playing a full-season of Triple-A ball.) Bud doesn’t smoke, drink, or chase girls (even when one throws herself at him). Bud has a superior fallback plan for life without baseball, even though he seems to be the most likely of the three boys to make the majors.
So, the second half of the book follows the three stories through the off-season as Jimmy deals with his legal predicament, Bobby deals with his physical challenge, and Bud happily cruises through a charmed life. There is a big “surprise” toward the very end that is frankly not very surprising or tragic (although it’s clearly supposed to be), and then the book is over, without any suspense or closure.
The editing of the book is decent, although there are some obvious flaws. There is an excessive use of ellipses, and the dialogue is often stilted and oddly phrased. The author uses a first person present narrative for Jimmy’s story, and then a mixture of first and third person narrative for Bobby’s and Bud’s stories, including first-person thought bubbles. This is awkward and distracting. The use of an alternate font for some text (rather than italics) is also distracting, as is the author’s clumsy attempt to give a Dominican pitching coach an accent by having him say “chew” (in the alternate font) instead of “you” and “chore” instead of “your.” There are many very short chapters in which nothing in particular happens, and then huge leaps forward in the plot when I wish the author had let me experience what happened by writing about it rather than just referencing after the fact that a bunch of things happened while we were weren’t watching.
There are some inside Red Sox references from that author, who is from the Boston area (like Jimmy) and is a long-time Sox fan, including an appearance by Bill “spaceman” Lee, and there are vivid descriptions of the physical and emotional responses that the characters have to each other and to playing baseball. But, ultimately, the book is not successful as a baseball book, not successful as a legal drama, and not successful as a commentary on life and fate or the value of hard work or whatever the point was that the author thought she was making. There is an interesting story inside this book about a boy dealing with the pressures put on him by his father, about his failure to take advantage of his opportunity as a ballplayer, about his bad choices that threaten to ruin his dream (or was it his father’s dream and he sabotaged it on purpose?) and about how people have to overcome obstacles in their lives. That story is not particularly well told in this book, but it’s down there if you look for it.
The story begins by introducing the main protagonist, Jimmy, and two other players on a Single-A minor league team playing in the short-season NY/Penn league in the summer of 1972. The baseball portions of the novel are described with loving and substantial detail, but those details are often inaccurate. There is no particular suspense in a sports sense, and the featured character, Jimmy, pitches only one relief inning in one scrimmage game and then is not seen on the field again. We are told that Jimmy is a star – pitcher of the year in all of New England as a High School senior and drafted by the Expos. Yet, we see nothing of Jimmy’s talent. He’s a nervous 18-year-old kid and he appears to have no shot at making the big leagues based on what we read in this story. Jimmy’s nervousness may be caused by the intense pressure he’s under due to his father, who gave up his own major league dreams at the insistence of Jimmy’s mother (who is referred to throughout the book, including by Jimmy, only as “The Filly”). The father has been coaching and grooming Jimmy to be a star ball player since the first scene in the book when Jimmy was four years old. Jimmy’s dad needs him to succeed to fulfill his own vicarious dreams, although the father never shows up to watch Jimmy play. We also meet Bobby Mangino from Yonkers, who is a brash, standoffish, and rude older boy, who is a terrible teammate and seems to be the villain of the story. And we meet Bud, a likable and friendly boy from Georgia, who has the most talent and confidence on the team. The author gives us a lot of unnecessary and often inaccurate detail about two pre-season scrimmages and the first official game of the league schedule, then jumps to the end of the season, so that the games don’t really happen and there is no sense of in-game suspense or win/lose anxiety.
One glaring example of the author’s problems with baseball accuracy is the starting pitching rotation for this Single-A team. Bud starts the team’s first pre-season scrimmage, then is the starter and pitches 5.1 innings in the second scrimmage (the author does not tell us how many days intervened between, but it’s short-season ball so they have no time to take multiple days off), and then is again the starter in the first league game and goes another 5 innings. It seems that this manager is going to have Bud start every game. Jimmy, meanwhile, a supposedly highly-talented and drafted player, is relegated to the bullpen and pitches one inning in middle relief. Then (we’re told this only after the season is over) Jimmy spends the whole season in the bullpen in a “set-up” role in front of the team’s “closer.” This is 1972 remember – when “closers” didn’t really exist (especially at the Single-A level) and any pitcher who was any good at all was a starter. The author botches many other in-game baseball details, from the umpires (calling out “play ball” to restart the game after a hit), to the hitters (a right-handed hitter “pulls the ball” the opposite way to right field), to the pitchers (one adjusts his cap in the middle of his stretch, another thinks he can make his curve break left OR right), to the catcher (two fingers is the sign for a fastball), to the description of a “95-MPH fastball” knocking the catcher over, to the opposing player who wants to charge the mound during a scrimmage game after being hit by an 0-2 curve ball, to having Bud, the visiting team’s pitcher, warming up on the mound while the umpires and managers are having their pre-game meeting before the top of the first inning. She insists on telling us that the righty pitcher lands on his left leg (several times) as if we’ve never seen a baseball game. She finally lost me entirely when she described an infield pop-up that is called an “infield fly rule” with runners on first and third. (This is wrong, and totally unnecessary – just have the shortstop catch the pop-up.) As a book describing baseball, both in-game and during the few practice scenes (where the pitchers never stretch, run, take batting practice, or do any drills, but they do warm up randomly during a game without the pitching coach telling them to), it is just not accurate and therefore more frustrating than captivating. I’m sure it’s great for a reader who knows nothing about baseball, in which case it’s very descriptive (as long as you don’t know any better).
After the short season ends, the book becomes half a book about the curveballs that life throws at young men, how life is not always fair, and how things don’t always work out the way you want them to (unless they do). This half of the novel is similarly disappointing in that the action is clipped, the story lines are sketched with few details, the behavior of the characters is mostly out of step with what we think we know about them from the first half of the book, and ultimately there is no clear point or purpose to the story. If this were a true-life biography, you could forgive the author for not having a better story to tell, but this is fiction, so the story should have been much better.
Bobby (the bad teammate who pressured Jimmy into drinking his first beer and by the end of the season had turned Jimmy into a borderline alcoholic) is involved in a bus accident on his way back to Yonkers and suffers a spinal cord injury that leaves him a paraplegic. Bad break for Bobby, but somehow (without any real explanation) Bobby’s attitude totally changes and he becomes a sensitive, caring, and compassionate person as he struggles with his new reality that he will never be a ballplayer again.
Meanwhile, Jimmy returns home and is greatly affected by Bobby’s injury as he questions whether being a ballplayer can ever work for him and laments that he has no fallback plan for his life (unlike his two smart and accomplished sisters). Jimmy struggles to keep himself occupied as he falls into some bad habits and hangs with some bad company. (There is no explanation for why his father, who coached Jimmy relentlessly from age 4 to be a ballplayer, suddenly has no interest in working out with him or supervising his continued baseball development during the off-season and instead allows him to drift.) Jimmy ends up getting into a fight (which seems very out of character for him) and the other boy ends up dead. Jimmy is charged with manslaughter and faces a trial and possible prison. (This is not really a spoiler since it is the main plot of the “story” portion of the book.) Now, the novel becomes a crime/legal drama as Jimmy’s lawyer struggles to defend him. But, the author gives us only snippets of that story, and what she does give us is mostly wrong. I’m a lawyer, and as a crime drama this is not very realistic and in many cases dead opposite of how things really happen.
At the same time, Bud goes off to college (without a baseball scholarship, of course) and completes a year at Vanderbilt as a pre-med. (There is no explanation for how Bud can complete his spring semester at Vandy while also playing a full-season of Triple-A ball.) Bud doesn’t smoke, drink, or chase girls (even when one throws herself at him). Bud has a superior fallback plan for life without baseball, even though he seems to be the most likely of the three boys to make the majors.
So, the second half of the book follows the three stories through the off-season as Jimmy deals with his legal predicament, Bobby deals with his physical challenge, and Bud happily cruises through a charmed life. There is a big “surprise” toward the very end that is frankly not very surprising or tragic (although it’s clearly supposed to be), and then the book is over, without any suspense or closure.
The editing of the book is decent, although there are some obvious flaws. There is an excessive use of ellipses, and the dialogue is often stilted and oddly phrased. The author uses a first person present narrative for Jimmy’s story, and then a mixture of first and third person narrative for Bobby’s and Bud’s stories, including first-person thought bubbles. This is awkward and distracting. The use of an alternate font for some text (rather than italics) is also distracting, as is the author’s clumsy attempt to give a Dominican pitching coach an accent by having him say “chew” (in the alternate font) instead of “you” and “chore” instead of “your.” There are many very short chapters in which nothing in particular happens, and then huge leaps forward in the plot when I wish the author had let me experience what happened by writing about it rather than just referencing after the fact that a bunch of things happened while we were weren’t watching.
There are some inside Red Sox references from that author, who is from the Boston area (like Jimmy) and is a long-time Sox fan, including an appearance by Bill “spaceman” Lee, and there are vivid descriptions of the physical and emotional responses that the characters have to each other and to playing baseball. But, ultimately, the book is not successful as a baseball book, not successful as a legal drama, and not successful as a commentary on life and fate or the value of hard work or whatever the point was that the author thought she was making. There is an interesting story inside this book about a boy dealing with the pressures put on him by his father, about his failure to take advantage of his opportunity as a ballplayer, about his bad choices that threaten to ruin his dream (or was it his father’s dream and he sabotaged it on purpose?) and about how people have to overcome obstacles in their lives. That story is not particularly well told in this book, but it’s down there if you look for it.
November 18, 2018
An Engrossing Read!
I am a fan of baseball since my son played this sport, and have volunteered enough to learn the stuff. Absolutely loved the story. It had the struggle, the hard work, the sweat, the success, and the downfall (which made me very sad). Recommended it to my son and fortunately I own this book to be read within the family.
I am a fan of baseball since my son played this sport, and have volunteered enough to learn the stuff. Absolutely loved the story. It had the struggle, the hard work, the sweat, the success, and the downfall (which made me very sad). Recommended it to my son and fortunately I own this book to be read within the family.
October 13, 2018
A Fan’s View of the Pressure Cooker that Is Professional Baseball
With so many excellent books on baseball written by veteran players and coaches, you might wonder why you’d read one by a spectator? And admittedly, sometimes the thoughts or words of the fictional characters in Empty Seats sound a bit more like the hyperbole of a fan than the analysis of a player, e.g., “Bobby sends a fireball his way, and slugger-boy doesn’t even see it until it’s landed in Russ’s mitt and the umpire calls it.” But the story’s not about baseball strategy or history; it’s about broader themes in life. One, for example, is the sense of belonging provided by sports. When the team wanted to visit an injured player and the hospital was limiting visitors to family members, one coach summed it up well, saying, “Can’t chew see that we come from the same mother? Mother beisbol!”
But the themes pivotal in the story are those magnified by the pressure cooker that is professional sports. How do you handle the mental stress of going from being the best in your hometown to just another kid trying to make the big leagues? Where do you find the drive to maintain the demands of training – in yourself? In the expectations and needs of others? What is your Plan B, if baseball doesn’t work out? It is among these themes that Empty Seats makes its twists and turns, some surprising but all feeling real.
For my tastes, the ‘redemption’ scenes were a bit too syrupy and some of the seedier aspects of the game came across as bland. For example, what appeared a serious addiction from the perspective of one player’s behavior was based on his craving for a few beers. The story could have been edgier with ease. The characters tended toward stereotypes, especially in the secondary figures. And finally, the repetition of certain events was an issue, particularly toward the end of the book. There were too many instances where the reader was part of a scene and then later, heard one or more characters describe it to one or two others.
Overall, you don’t have to be a fan of baseball to enjoy Empty Seats. Its messages apply anywhere a person pushes him- or her- self beyond the norm.
With so many excellent books on baseball written by veteran players and coaches, you might wonder why you’d read one by a spectator? And admittedly, sometimes the thoughts or words of the fictional characters in Empty Seats sound a bit more like the hyperbole of a fan than the analysis of a player, e.g., “Bobby sends a fireball his way, and slugger-boy doesn’t even see it until it’s landed in Russ’s mitt and the umpire calls it.” But the story’s not about baseball strategy or history; it’s about broader themes in life. One, for example, is the sense of belonging provided by sports. When the team wanted to visit an injured player and the hospital was limiting visitors to family members, one coach summed it up well, saying, “Can’t chew see that we come from the same mother? Mother beisbol!”
But the themes pivotal in the story are those magnified by the pressure cooker that is professional sports. How do you handle the mental stress of going from being the best in your hometown to just another kid trying to make the big leagues? Where do you find the drive to maintain the demands of training – in yourself? In the expectations and needs of others? What is your Plan B, if baseball doesn’t work out? It is among these themes that Empty Seats makes its twists and turns, some surprising but all feeling real.
For my tastes, the ‘redemption’ scenes were a bit too syrupy and some of the seedier aspects of the game came across as bland. For example, what appeared a serious addiction from the perspective of one player’s behavior was based on his craving for a few beers. The story could have been edgier with ease. The characters tended toward stereotypes, especially in the secondary figures. And finally, the repetition of certain events was an issue, particularly toward the end of the book. There were too many instances where the reader was part of a scene and then later, heard one or more characters describe it to one or two others.
Overall, you don’t have to be a fan of baseball to enjoy Empty Seats. Its messages apply anywhere a person pushes him- or her- self beyond the norm.
July 17, 2018
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (7/18)
“Empty Seats” by Wanda Adams Fischer is a must read even if one is not a baseball fan. The author’s distinct, relatable characters revolve around three local high school baseball stars that are called up to the minor leagues to see if “they have it.” But her story encompasses so much more: friendship, expectations, defeat and coming of age.
What boy hasn’t thought of being in the major league, being famous and making millions of dollars? Sadly, many don’t make it, and life has other plans for them. Having grown up in a family where my brothers played little league through high school baseball and my dad a baseball coach for many years, I certainly can relate to the expectations that if one wants to make it to the big leagues, nothing else matters.
“Empty Seats” follows three young men from varied backgrounds who are excellent local pitchers. One young man’s father gave up his dream of being a professional baseball player due to his wife’s wishes; another comes from the south and is a true, gentle soul who makes friends with everyone, while the third boy, angry at the world, comes from a home without a father, and has a very dysfunctional mother.
Given the author's love of baseball and complete understanding of the game and all its components she has an excellent ability to draw readers into the game. Readers will smell the green grass and feel the excitement of playing on a major baseball field. Cesar, the coach of the pitchers, had me laughing throughout the book. He makes a statement, “Chew think you know everything about the game? Chew know nothing! Nada!” Given most of these young players were kings of baseball at home, they were somewhat shocked at this statement.
The chapters switch narration between each boy, and I find that it gives one the chance to get to know each player and his mindset. I enjoyed the fact that Fischer was able to vividly describe how each boy returned home hoping they will be returning next year. There are many obstacles and challenges that each one experiences during the summer at home. Some are caused by their own doing and others are by chance.
Fischer draws one in with the emotions, upsets and love of the game. You will be on the field with them all and hoping for the best. “Empty Seats” by Wanda Adams Fischer is a true coming of age story and an honest portrayal of aspiring baseball players. I highly recommend this book to everyone even if you aren’t a big fan of the game. You will learn many things about baseball and life.
“Empty Seats” by Wanda Adams Fischer is a must read even if one is not a baseball fan. The author’s distinct, relatable characters revolve around three local high school baseball stars that are called up to the minor leagues to see if “they have it.” But her story encompasses so much more: friendship, expectations, defeat and coming of age.
What boy hasn’t thought of being in the major league, being famous and making millions of dollars? Sadly, many don’t make it, and life has other plans for them. Having grown up in a family where my brothers played little league through high school baseball and my dad a baseball coach for many years, I certainly can relate to the expectations that if one wants to make it to the big leagues, nothing else matters.
“Empty Seats” follows three young men from varied backgrounds who are excellent local pitchers. One young man’s father gave up his dream of being a professional baseball player due to his wife’s wishes; another comes from the south and is a true, gentle soul who makes friends with everyone, while the third boy, angry at the world, comes from a home without a father, and has a very dysfunctional mother.
Given the author's love of baseball and complete understanding of the game and all its components she has an excellent ability to draw readers into the game. Readers will smell the green grass and feel the excitement of playing on a major baseball field. Cesar, the coach of the pitchers, had me laughing throughout the book. He makes a statement, “Chew think you know everything about the game? Chew know nothing! Nada!” Given most of these young players were kings of baseball at home, they were somewhat shocked at this statement.
The chapters switch narration between each boy, and I find that it gives one the chance to get to know each player and his mindset. I enjoyed the fact that Fischer was able to vividly describe how each boy returned home hoping they will be returning next year. There are many obstacles and challenges that each one experiences during the summer at home. Some are caused by their own doing and others are by chance.
Fischer draws one in with the emotions, upsets and love of the game. You will be on the field with them all and hoping for the best. “Empty Seats” by Wanda Adams Fischer is a true coming of age story and an honest portrayal of aspiring baseball players. I highly recommend this book to everyone even if you aren’t a big fan of the game. You will learn many things about baseball and life.
May 1, 2018
Excellent read. This isn’t a book about baseball, but baseball is a very important part of it. The story considers the transition from youth to adulthood. It examines the lives of 3 young men who believe their destiny is major league pitching. However, life gets in the way and choices have to be made enroute. Wanda Fischer, first time author, addresses the emotions, successes and failures each young man encounters and the effects it has on family, friends and society. It will make you laugh, cry and get angry. Definitely recommend for ages 16-100.
February 21, 2018
This book totally engages the reader. The characters are real; their backgrounds are varied and true to life; their experiences reflect the enormous challenges their lofty goal presents them with. Wanda develops her characters clearly and the reader quickly identifies with them and cares about them. The situations they grew out of, as well as the young men themselves, are an accurate composite of the minor league ballplayer of today. This book reveals how difficult it is for the star high school player to be prepared for what awaits them in professional baseball and suggests the wisdom for many to grow and develop in college before embarking on a professional career. More than that, this book transcends sports with each character dealing with life decisions for himself and those around him.
June 14, 2018
Book blurb: They were all stars in their hometowns. Then they were drafted to play minor league ball, thinking it would be an easy ride to playing in the big time. Little did they know that they'd be vying for a spot with every other talented kid who aspired to play professional baseball. Young, inexperienced, immature, and without the support of their families and friends, they're often faced with split-second decisions. Not always on the baseball diamond.
My review: This is the story of three young men, Jimmy, Bud and Bobby, playing minor league baseball, and their ups and downs during that time. One thing I enjoyed about the book is the feature of short chapters, a la James Patterson. This resulted in a quicker read, making it easier to pick it right back up when I found it necessary to put it down. That being said, Empty Seats was indeed a page-turner. The stories were well told, and intersected nicely. There was a lot of back story to Jimmy, but it was Bobby who really got to me. He grew on me, just in time to break my heart.
Another factor that I have to appreciate about the book is that it is sports fiction, something that I would not have ordinarily chosen to read. This is something that I enjoy about reviewing, the ability to step out of the proverbial box. But, I had forgotten how much I love baseball! How exciting it was to read this book! Sometimes it made me feel like I was right there. If you are now or ever have been, a baseball fan, then this book will no doubt resonate with you. If you like a good story with characters that you will be drawn to, then this book will be for you too. Wanda Adams Fischer writes a terrific debut novel, one that I was completely invested in.
My review: This is the story of three young men, Jimmy, Bud and Bobby, playing minor league baseball, and their ups and downs during that time. One thing I enjoyed about the book is the feature of short chapters, a la James Patterson. This resulted in a quicker read, making it easier to pick it right back up when I found it necessary to put it down. That being said, Empty Seats was indeed a page-turner. The stories were well told, and intersected nicely. There was a lot of back story to Jimmy, but it was Bobby who really got to me. He grew on me, just in time to break my heart.
Another factor that I have to appreciate about the book is that it is sports fiction, something that I would not have ordinarily chosen to read. This is something that I enjoy about reviewing, the ability to step out of the proverbial box. But, I had forgotten how much I love baseball! How exciting it was to read this book! Sometimes it made me feel like I was right there. If you are now or ever have been, a baseball fan, then this book will no doubt resonate with you. If you like a good story with characters that you will be drawn to, then this book will be for you too. Wanda Adams Fischer writes a terrific debut novel, one that I was completely invested in.
June 16, 2018
Empty Seats by Wanda Adams Fischer is a book following Jimmy Bailey and his struggles getting from the minor league in baseball to the majors. Jimmy is a baseball player from Boston, Massachusetts. His dad taught him all he knows, but will that be good enough to become "great"?
One day, a scout sees the potential in him and offers him a deal to join the Expos, a minor league team based out of Jamestown, New York. Jimmy decides to take the deal, and he thinks his baseball career is set, but he soon learns it won't be as easy as he imagined. When he starts playing for the Expos, he learns that everyone else on the team is just as good as he is, if not better. He realizes that he is going to have to get a lot better to make it to the big leagues. Jimmy also finds that the world is a lot bigger than just Boston.
Will Jimmy make it to the big leagues? Can he even pass this stage in his journey? Find out in this exciting book!
Opinion:
I'm not usually a fan of sports books. However, this book was a wonderful surprise, and I enjoyed reading it! It was entertaining and kept my attention from the get-go. I liked the character development through the story and the fact that it didn't feel like a generic sports story. One of the parts in the book that I liked was where Jimmy learned that drinking alcohol didn't solve life's problems. I'd really like to see a book two continuing this story. It ended with me wanting more. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up because it has death and drinking.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age 15
One day, a scout sees the potential in him and offers him a deal to join the Expos, a minor league team based out of Jamestown, New York. Jimmy decides to take the deal, and he thinks his baseball career is set, but he soon learns it won't be as easy as he imagined. When he starts playing for the Expos, he learns that everyone else on the team is just as good as he is, if not better. He realizes that he is going to have to get a lot better to make it to the big leagues. Jimmy also finds that the world is a lot bigger than just Boston.
Will Jimmy make it to the big leagues? Can he even pass this stage in his journey? Find out in this exciting book!
Opinion:
I'm not usually a fan of sports books. However, this book was a wonderful surprise, and I enjoyed reading it! It was entertaining and kept my attention from the get-go. I liked the character development through the story and the fact that it didn't feel like a generic sports story. One of the parts in the book that I liked was where Jimmy learned that drinking alcohol didn't solve life's problems. I'd really like to see a book two continuing this story. It ended with me wanting more. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up because it has death and drinking.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age 15
September 25, 2018
This is not quite what I thought it was going to be. I didn’t know really what I thought about this book. It’s not my kind of book I would normally read so I was nervous I wouldn’t enjoy it. I thought it would be a mans type book, sports and all, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was more than just a sport. It had layers and depth in the behind the scenes life of these boys and their families. A look into growth, love, faith, trust, really deep home morals and values, etc. It was an interesting take and well done. There are some areas structure wise that could use some tweaking but otherwise it was written pretty fluently and was easy to get drawn into. It’s a great read to sit back with in a lazy Sunday.
October 5, 2018
Very Nice Story
I so enjoyed this book. It is about young men trying to get to the major leagues. They are in AA Division Baseball with the dream to move up. Jimmy is the main character that I liked the most. If you love family and relationships, you will like this book.
The author did a great job with detail throughout. Baseball is a great sport and a lot of folks like myself like to read a baseball story from time to time and this one was very enjoyable. I liked the way Wanda laid out each chapter. Thanks for writing such have a fabulous tale about a young man and his family, and how he met his friends along the way.
I so enjoyed this book. It is about young men trying to get to the major leagues. They are in AA Division Baseball with the dream to move up. Jimmy is the main character that I liked the most. If you love family and relationships, you will like this book.
The author did a great job with detail throughout. Baseball is a great sport and a lot of folks like myself like to read a baseball story from time to time and this one was very enjoyable. I liked the way Wanda laid out each chapter. Thanks for writing such have a fabulous tale about a young man and his family, and how he met his friends along the way.
August 6, 2018
Compelling Baseball Story
This book takes you through that sweet spot of life for young pitchers trying to make it to the “show.” It focuses on three young men and their quest for the major leagues just as “life” happens to them. Poignant and moving in parts, this book is a dedicated homage to baseball. I think the author would have been a great sports writer had the times allowed it.
This book takes you through that sweet spot of life for young pitchers trying to make it to the “show.” It focuses on three young men and their quest for the major leagues just as “life” happens to them. Poignant and moving in parts, this book is a dedicated homage to baseball. I think the author would have been a great sports writer had the times allowed it.
March 4, 2018
I received a copy as a Goodreads giveaway and I enjoyed reading this book. It is a good choice for baseball fans. I like the way it depicts how is to play minor league ball and the life of kids who aspire to play professionally. And although all the characters in Wanda Adams´ novel are fictional, her love for the game is not.
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January 12, 2018Here's the link to the Kirkus review. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
This is my book.
This is my book.
July 5, 2021
Author Wanda Adams Fischer delivers a story that begins with three pitchers entering Minor League baseball with the Montreal Expos. Each of these young men spent their early lives wanting to play ball in the major leagues, idolizing the players of the 1960s. The different paths and home lives Jimmy, Bud, and Bobby traveled to reach the minors don’t prepare them for the choices they make along the way.
Wanda provides good character development and brings in the passion that people of the times had for the game. The coaches and team building provided these men a chance to grow up surrounded by a diverse group all bent on success. There are several areas where the life lessons are more challenging than the pitchers or families anticipated.
I found the author immersed me in a story that begins with a theme of baseball, then travels through the seasons of life. I liked how Wanda wove in horrible events of the times and how Bud’s grandmother’s determination impacted his life choices. Her example highlighted below is a startling reminder of how each person can stand up for the right things and defeat the wrong.
“ … Much to the chagrin of some of her neighbors, she had also allowed a group of civil rights workers from the north to use part of Lindenwood as a classroom, as they sought to teach black residents to read and write as part of a voter registration drive in the 1960s. She’d had to fend off a few visits from the Ku Klux Klan about that. She had confronted them, all alone, on the front lawn of Lindenwood, roaring at them to go home, calling them out by identifying them by their voices.
“You can’t fool me behind those white hoods!” she yelled. “I know who each and every one of you is! I helped some of your families when you were in need, and this is how you thank me? And if you light that cross on my lawn, or set my house on fire, you might as well kill me, too. Kill everything you see here, but you won’t kill my spirit. You think you stand for ‘the old south?’ You’re nothing but a bunch of hoodlums!”
And they went away. They came back a couple of times, acting tough again, but she scoffed at them gave them the same lecture. Each time, she shamed them into going home without completing their mission, or without interfering in hers, often by threatening to call their mothers or grandmothers to report their rude behavior. …”
Baseball as an American tradition during the 1970s ignited the passion of many a city and fan. Those unable to attend the game live the radio and detailed announcers brought the plays to life. Television watching was limited, but kids played baseball in the streets in suburbia.
The love for the game is shared within this coming-of-age story. I recommend this for readers who like baseball, but also like to understand the influences of our pastimes on our lives. It makes me wonder what our children of the 2020s will do with their lives or how social media will influence their behavior.
Wanda provides good character development and brings in the passion that people of the times had for the game. The coaches and team building provided these men a chance to grow up surrounded by a diverse group all bent on success. There are several areas where the life lessons are more challenging than the pitchers or families anticipated.
I found the author immersed me in a story that begins with a theme of baseball, then travels through the seasons of life. I liked how Wanda wove in horrible events of the times and how Bud’s grandmother’s determination impacted his life choices. Her example highlighted below is a startling reminder of how each person can stand up for the right things and defeat the wrong.
“ … Much to the chagrin of some of her neighbors, she had also allowed a group of civil rights workers from the north to use part of Lindenwood as a classroom, as they sought to teach black residents to read and write as part of a voter registration drive in the 1960s. She’d had to fend off a few visits from the Ku Klux Klan about that. She had confronted them, all alone, on the front lawn of Lindenwood, roaring at them to go home, calling them out by identifying them by their voices.
“You can’t fool me behind those white hoods!” she yelled. “I know who each and every one of you is! I helped some of your families when you were in need, and this is how you thank me? And if you light that cross on my lawn, or set my house on fire, you might as well kill me, too. Kill everything you see here, but you won’t kill my spirit. You think you stand for ‘the old south?’ You’re nothing but a bunch of hoodlums!”
And they went away. They came back a couple of times, acting tough again, but she scoffed at them gave them the same lecture. Each time, she shamed them into going home without completing their mission, or without interfering in hers, often by threatening to call their mothers or grandmothers to report their rude behavior. …”
Baseball as an American tradition during the 1970s ignited the passion of many a city and fan. Those unable to attend the game live the radio and detailed announcers brought the plays to life. Television watching was limited, but kids played baseball in the streets in suburbia.
The love for the game is shared within this coming-of-age story. I recommend this for readers who like baseball, but also like to understand the influences of our pastimes on our lives. It makes me wonder what our children of the 2020s will do with their lives or how social media will influence their behavior.
June 16, 2020
Empty Seats follows three guys (Jimmy, Bobby, and Bud) on their journeys to make it to the big leagues. The main character, Jimmy, tells his story in first person, while Bobby and Bud tell their stories in third person. Each of their journeys is quite different. The story starts with all three of them meeting in the Single A division for the Montreal Expos. Bobby has a chip on his shoulder from not getting picked up the previous season. He's had a hard life with an absent father and a mother who struggles to provide for her two sons. Bud comes from a wealthy family and has the most talent (and the most opportunities). And Jimmy was the baseball star in his small town and was fulfilling his dad's dream of trying to make it to the big leagues since his dad gave up that dream to marry Jimmy's mother.
The story goes back and forth through the trials and tribulations that each of these boys face. I loved learning their backstories and watching their interactions with one another. I loved the baseball practice and game scenes as the author did a great job putting the reader's butt right in one of those empty seats. But the season flew by and then they were heading back home. I wasn't expecting that. I thought the story would focus more on their games and their struggles within the game, so that threw me for a curve ball.
As the characters headed home, the real problems began. I don't want to give away what happens, but Bobby and Jimmy's lives take a turn for the worse. And even then, Bobby's story became more uplifting and had a better turnout than Jimmy's. I completely wasn't expecting the ending, and it left me feeling empty in my heart.
Overall, I loved the three characters and I enjoyed their backstories. The book could use a bit more editing. There were time gaps that were a bit confusing for me. I think part of that was caused by the short chapters and switching from one character to another so quickly. And I feel that the ending was just a bit too dark for me. I just kept thinking that someone would come to Jimmy's rescue because it just didn't add up. But I guess things like that do happen in life sometimes. Still, the situation with his dad felt over the top for me. Again, that's just my personal take - it didn't feel realistic to me. If you like baseball stories and you don't mind shocking endings, then you would probably enjoy this story.
The story goes back and forth through the trials and tribulations that each of these boys face. I loved learning their backstories and watching their interactions with one another. I loved the baseball practice and game scenes as the author did a great job putting the reader's butt right in one of those empty seats. But the season flew by and then they were heading back home. I wasn't expecting that. I thought the story would focus more on their games and their struggles within the game, so that threw me for a curve ball.
As the characters headed home, the real problems began. I don't want to give away what happens, but Bobby and Jimmy's lives take a turn for the worse. And even then, Bobby's story became more uplifting and had a better turnout than Jimmy's. I completely wasn't expecting the ending, and it left me feeling empty in my heart.
Overall, I loved the three characters and I enjoyed their backstories. The book could use a bit more editing. There were time gaps that were a bit confusing for me. I think part of that was caused by the short chapters and switching from one character to another so quickly. And I feel that the ending was just a bit too dark for me. I just kept thinking that someone would come to Jimmy's rescue because it just didn't add up. But I guess things like that do happen in life sometimes. Still, the situation with his dad felt over the top for me. Again, that's just my personal take - it didn't feel realistic to me. If you like baseball stories and you don't mind shocking endings, then you would probably enjoy this story.
September 22, 2020
Empty Seats has a strong start, with the promise of a beautiful story of a team building itself up to be something great, and then ultimately being separated.
Unfortunately, that's where it stops.
I found myself engrossed in about the first quarter of this book, and let's be clear, I don't like sports but I tend to love engrossing sports stories (think anime like Haikyuu or movies like Million Dollar Arm). And that's what Empty Seats promised in the first quarter of the book, but it just didn't deliver at least not in my opinion. The season ends far too quickly, skimming the surface of the three main characters and their relationship, making me wonder why I should care about these boys.
Don't get me wrong, there is potential there. Perhaps if the author had spent more time building the boys up as a team, and then showing the events of the off season I would have felt it all more deeply. Instead, I was just left with a feeling of apathy. Add to that missed punctuation, and hopping from first to third person narration sometimes within in the same chapter, and this story just falls flat for me.
With the right editor, or beta readers, Empty Seats could be a fabulous sports story that would gut its readers and leave them bleeding long after it was done. But as it stands, it does not deliver on the promise of an epic sports novel.
The author is clearly passionate about the subject, and it shows. But the writing itself needs work, and as I said, with the right community around her she could write beautifully moving stories.
Thus, for me, Empty Seats is a 2.5⭐️ read.
Unfortunately, that's where it stops.
I found myself engrossed in about the first quarter of this book, and let's be clear, I don't like sports but I tend to love engrossing sports stories (think anime like Haikyuu or movies like Million Dollar Arm). And that's what Empty Seats promised in the first quarter of the book, but it just didn't deliver at least not in my opinion. The season ends far too quickly, skimming the surface of the three main characters and their relationship, making me wonder why I should care about these boys.
Don't get me wrong, there is potential there. Perhaps if the author had spent more time building the boys up as a team, and then showing the events of the off season I would have felt it all more deeply. Instead, I was just left with a feeling of apathy. Add to that missed punctuation, and hopping from first to third person narration sometimes within in the same chapter, and this story just falls flat for me.
With the right editor, or beta readers, Empty Seats could be a fabulous sports story that would gut its readers and leave them bleeding long after it was done. But as it stands, it does not deliver on the promise of an epic sports novel.
The author is clearly passionate about the subject, and it shows. But the writing itself needs work, and as I said, with the right community around her she could write beautifully moving stories.
Thus, for me, Empty Seats is a 2.5⭐️ read.
February 10, 2019
This book follows the fictional story of three young baseball players in the minor leagues in the 1970s. Jimmy, Bud, and Bobby are three pitchers who hope to be called up to the majors. It follows their personal and professional trials in what can be a brutal profession.
I would have loved to have given this 4 stars because the author clearly knows and loves the game from the bottom of her heart and that affection shines through in every detail. The first quarter of the book is tremendously engaging and you don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it. However, after that the POVs often switch multiple times in numerous chapters from third person to first person then back again. It was often unclear whether we were going back to Jimmy's POV (the main character) and then when I reread it, it was actually the internal voice of the character that had previously been in third person. It got to be confusing. There were also several short chapters where nothing much happened and when Bobby suddenly talked to an old woman when previously he never talked to anyone seemed very much out of character.
I think the story would have been better served if the author had just focused on Jimmy and his character arc from an impressionable young man trying to find his own way while dealing with family and professional pressures. There is so much heart here that I hope the author mines it for her future work.
I would have loved to have given this 4 stars because the author clearly knows and loves the game from the bottom of her heart and that affection shines through in every detail. The first quarter of the book is tremendously engaging and you don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it. However, after that the POVs often switch multiple times in numerous chapters from third person to first person then back again. It was often unclear whether we were going back to Jimmy's POV (the main character) and then when I reread it, it was actually the internal voice of the character that had previously been in third person. It got to be confusing. There were also several short chapters where nothing much happened and when Bobby suddenly talked to an old woman when previously he never talked to anyone seemed very much out of character.
I think the story would have been better served if the author had just focused on Jimmy and his character arc from an impressionable young man trying to find his own way while dealing with family and professional pressures. There is so much heart here that I hope the author mines it for her future work.
July 16, 2019
So, I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I do enjoy the game and I really liked this book. Not being a huge fan means that I did not have much of a background, especially when it came to the minor league system and how it functions. But it did not matter. Empty Seats explained everything you need as you go along.
Following the careers of Jimmy, Bobby and Bud as they chase down their plan A, the dream of playing for the Major Leagues, the novel focuses on how all of them faced the challenges that came their way. Bud was the one with the charmed life right from the start. Jimmy never seemed to have a clue about what was going on around him; more of a robot than an actual character. For me, Bobby, was the star of the trio; he not only faced adversity, but doing so changed him. Even though I did not like him much in the beginning, I found myself looking forward to Bobby's chapters.
I have only one complaint about the book. Jimmy's story did not really feel like it ended. It just stopped, without any resolution to the tensions that were built. I was left hoping for a little bit more.
Overall, though, Empty Seats was a great read, and I would encourage fans and non-fans of baseball to check it out.
Following the careers of Jimmy, Bobby and Bud as they chase down their plan A, the dream of playing for the Major Leagues, the novel focuses on how all of them faced the challenges that came their way. Bud was the one with the charmed life right from the start. Jimmy never seemed to have a clue about what was going on around him; more of a robot than an actual character. For me, Bobby, was the star of the trio; he not only faced adversity, but doing so changed him. Even though I did not like him much in the beginning, I found myself looking forward to Bobby's chapters.
I have only one complaint about the book. Jimmy's story did not really feel like it ended. It just stopped, without any resolution to the tensions that were built. I was left hoping for a little bit more.
Overall, though, Empty Seats was a great read, and I would encourage fans and non-fans of baseball to check it out.
January 12, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading EMPTY SEATS by Wanda Fischer. The book is about three hometown high-school baseball heroes from different states, Jimmy, Bobby, and Bud, who find that life will not be as easy as they thought after being drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1970s. They are pitchers who joined others playing for a Single-A ball club in Jamestown, New York. They were all starters back home, but here, they found others better qualified and joined others with the same aspirations as them. The road to the big leagues was going to be way more difficult than they imagined.
The story continued through their first season and then followed them individually through the off-season. The characters are well-developed and likable. Each goes his own way and encounters life-altering events. Their decisions will pave the way for their future.
I thought the story was compelling and entertaining, pulling me in from the very first page. There are twists and turns within this story of male bonding and friendship.
I thought the story was well-written but would have liked to see Jimmy's story continue to see where his path finally led him. I'd highly recommend EMPTY SEATS for readers 12 and up.
The story continued through their first season and then followed them individually through the off-season. The characters are well-developed and likable. Each goes his own way and encounters life-altering events. Their decisions will pave the way for their future.
I thought the story was compelling and entertaining, pulling me in from the very first page. There are twists and turns within this story of male bonding and friendship.
I thought the story was well-written but would have liked to see Jimmy's story continue to see where his path finally led him. I'd highly recommend EMPTY SEATS for readers 12 and up.
September 24, 2019
This was a dip into a new genre for me, and considering I'm not an avid sports fan, I was happily surprised.
Taking place in the 1970's, this is a book about several 'boys' entering the AA league. They come with high hopes and from very different pasts, but all dream of success and a life of baseball. But the dream isn't what they expected. Troubles and unexpected situations not only throw tough curve balls at them but might be more than some can handle.
Baseball drips from every page, and it is good that way. This book takes a look at the players, letting the characters take center light and draw the reader in. Each character has their very own reason for being there and each one carries their very own problems and pasts. I was amazed at the diversity in these pages, and it's this depth which makes it a good read.
While the sport comes to life in all of its excitement, frustration, pain and detailed moments, it's the human aspect which makes this tale shine. The emotions come across real and the decisions are understandable. Friendships form, inspiring ones. And others drift away. It's more than a sports read; it's a read about trails in life.
Taking place in the 1970's, this is a book about several 'boys' entering the AA league. They come with high hopes and from very different pasts, but all dream of success and a life of baseball. But the dream isn't what they expected. Troubles and unexpected situations not only throw tough curve balls at them but might be more than some can handle.
Baseball drips from every page, and it is good that way. This book takes a look at the players, letting the characters take center light and draw the reader in. Each character has their very own reason for being there and each one carries their very own problems and pasts. I was amazed at the diversity in these pages, and it's this depth which makes it a good read.
While the sport comes to life in all of its excitement, frustration, pain and detailed moments, it's the human aspect which makes this tale shine. The emotions come across real and the decisions are understandable. Friendships form, inspiring ones. And others drift away. It's more than a sports read; it's a read about trails in life.
October 12, 2020
A story about baseball and about being a teenager in 'simpler' times. Jimmy, our first-person narrator, starts out as a likable character, who's eventually seduced by the various negative influences around him. Two other characters on the team alternate between first and third-person narration, which was a bit jarring.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the baseball field and the practices but found the seemingly irrelevant tangents (including a looooong scene involving Bud's grandmother's funeral) to bring me away from the action rather than invest me further in it. I would have liked to focus in more on Jimmy, his baseball career, and his time living with a host family and playing the game.
The book veers away from baseball altogether as it follows the three main characters back to the off-season and their regular lives, where more drama ensues. Jimmy's behavior and that of his family - particularly his mother, "The Filly" (cringe! how can he call her that in his head?) was downright confounding.
Overall, an interesting book with some nice descriptive language that would've been more my cup of tea if it had kept its head in the game and its plot on the ballfield.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the baseball field and the practices but found the seemingly irrelevant tangents (including a looooong scene involving Bud's grandmother's funeral) to bring me away from the action rather than invest me further in it. I would have liked to focus in more on Jimmy, his baseball career, and his time living with a host family and playing the game.
The book veers away from baseball altogether as it follows the three main characters back to the off-season and their regular lives, where more drama ensues. Jimmy's behavior and that of his family - particularly his mother, "The Filly" (cringe! how can he call her that in his head?) was downright confounding.
Overall, an interesting book with some nice descriptive language that would've been more my cup of tea if it had kept its head in the game and its plot on the ballfield.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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