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Going, Going, Gone!
(Best Books of 2022 -- Kirkus Reviews.) An earthquake decimates San Francisco’s baseball stadium. Two players and their manager are trapped. With water rising, the trio crawls through a gash in the wall. Naked and penniless, they climb through the muck onto shore. Downtown San Francisco is on fire. They can not find their stadium, or any new buildings, or the parking lot with their fancy cars. No one has a cell phone to call for help.
André Velez, the self-absorbed superstar; Johnny Blent, the faithful-to-his-wife rookie infielder; and their baseball-is-life manager, Bucky Martin, have been transported through time into the 1906 earthquake. Can they figure out what happened? Or how to get back to their 21st-century lives?
In a world without television cameras, social media, or Sabermetrics, the players make money the only way they know how. But the 1906 they’re inhabiting isn’t one from our history books. Soon, the three find themselves part of an international baseball challenge against the rump remnant of the Confederacy and its all-star team, featuring Walter Johnson, Martín Dihigo, Ty Cobb, and Ty’s murderous, menacing baseball brothers.
“A wild ride…amazing…absolutely fascinating…so much fun!” – Eric Schubring, WOJB - FM, Wisconsin Public Radio
“Something special…a baseball novel you will love and enjoy.” – Rob Hakala, WATD - FM, Cape Cod, Mass.
“Interesting and fun.” – Warren Lawrence, WKNY - FM, Kingston, New York
“An oasis in the desert.” – Paul McCaffrey, The Paulie Mac Podcast
“Riveting…lyrical…Readers will stick with this riotous page-turner to the last out.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review).
“Do you ever wish you could live in somebody else’s mind? I’d like to live in Steve Hermanos’ mind for a day.” – Tony Rhein, The Paulie Mac Podcast
Praise for “O Gigantic Victory!”
“It’s perfect.” – Ken Burns
“Hermanos makes me hunger for the upcoming season.” – New York Times
“Brilliant and hilarious!” – Brian Murphy, KNBR sports radio, San Francisco
André Velez, the self-absorbed superstar; Johnny Blent, the faithful-to-his-wife rookie infielder; and their baseball-is-life manager, Bucky Martin, have been transported through time into the 1906 earthquake. Can they figure out what happened? Or how to get back to their 21st-century lives?
In a world without television cameras, social media, or Sabermetrics, the players make money the only way they know how. But the 1906 they’re inhabiting isn’t one from our history books. Soon, the three find themselves part of an international baseball challenge against the rump remnant of the Confederacy and its all-star team, featuring Walter Johnson, Martín Dihigo, Ty Cobb, and Ty’s murderous, menacing baseball brothers.
“A wild ride…amazing…absolutely fascinating…so much fun!” – Eric Schubring, WOJB - FM, Wisconsin Public Radio
“Something special…a baseball novel you will love and enjoy.” – Rob Hakala, WATD - FM, Cape Cod, Mass.
“Interesting and fun.” – Warren Lawrence, WKNY - FM, Kingston, New York
“An oasis in the desert.” – Paul McCaffrey, The Paulie Mac Podcast
“Riveting…lyrical…Readers will stick with this riotous page-turner to the last out.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review).
“Do you ever wish you could live in somebody else’s mind? I’d like to live in Steve Hermanos’ mind for a day.” – Tony Rhein, The Paulie Mac Podcast
Praise for “O Gigantic Victory!”
“It’s perfect.” – Ken Burns
“Hermanos makes me hunger for the upcoming season.” – New York Times
“Brilliant and hilarious!” – Brian Murphy, KNBR sports radio, San Francisco
- GenresBaseball
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
6 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Steve Hermanos
5 books2 followers"Going, Going, Gone!" was awarded the Kirkus Reviews star.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 20, 2023
3.4. I’m a baseball fan. Kept my attention. Definitely cared what was gonna happen. But honestly… I was expecting it to be better… Expecting more… Don’t know what I was expecting, but with all the reviews, I really thought I was gonna like it more.
May 2, 2022
A wild ride
Steve Hermanos' "Going Going Gone" is a fantastic and fantastical tale -- imaginative, surprising and fun at every turn. It brings the joy of baseball that you remember from being a kid (you know, back when you actually played the game and didn’t just watch it), and mixes that joy with the sense of wonder of walking out of "Star Wars" or "The Matrix" for the first time. The quality of the writing is crisp, like watching a hitter crack a sharp single to left, while the deft interweaving of plot and character is like a pitcher setting up a hitter then putting him mercilessly away with a well-placed slider on the corner. It interweaves American history in ways that are startling and sometimes unsettling. But you realize as you are flung along in a roller coaster of a plot that many of these issues are still in play today.
The characters of Blent, Velez and Martin represent not only different type of players and managers that make their way into and excel at the modern-day MLB, but also essential facets of the American character. By finding themselves in a slightly different 1906 America, they are each forced to reckon in their own way not only with a USA they don’t recognize, but also, with a USA that they very much do. Surrounded by some of the greatest players in the history of the game, our three time traveling ballplayers also must seek out colorful characters like Twain, Tesla, and Teddy Roosevelt, if they ever want to find a way back home.
The most entertaining aspect of the story is that while not shying away from the shadier aspects of both our national pastime and our past, it never fails to pause and revel in the essential complexity and joy of our game and the overgrown boys who play it. That even though our heroes play a child’s game, it nevertheless can reveal a quality of character through winning, losing and camaraderie in a way that is quintessentially American. There’s something about the good writing in this book that does that as well, but with storytelling.
Steve Hermanos' "Going Going Gone" is a fantastic and fantastical tale -- imaginative, surprising and fun at every turn. It brings the joy of baseball that you remember from being a kid (you know, back when you actually played the game and didn’t just watch it), and mixes that joy with the sense of wonder of walking out of "Star Wars" or "The Matrix" for the first time. The quality of the writing is crisp, like watching a hitter crack a sharp single to left, while the deft interweaving of plot and character is like a pitcher setting up a hitter then putting him mercilessly away with a well-placed slider on the corner. It interweaves American history in ways that are startling and sometimes unsettling. But you realize as you are flung along in a roller coaster of a plot that many of these issues are still in play today.
The characters of Blent, Velez and Martin represent not only different type of players and managers that make their way into and excel at the modern-day MLB, but also essential facets of the American character. By finding themselves in a slightly different 1906 America, they are each forced to reckon in their own way not only with a USA they don’t recognize, but also, with a USA that they very much do. Surrounded by some of the greatest players in the history of the game, our three time traveling ballplayers also must seek out colorful characters like Twain, Tesla, and Teddy Roosevelt, if they ever want to find a way back home.
The most entertaining aspect of the story is that while not shying away from the shadier aspects of both our national pastime and our past, it never fails to pause and revel in the essential complexity and joy of our game and the overgrown boys who play it. That even though our heroes play a child’s game, it nevertheless can reveal a quality of character through winning, losing and camaraderie in a way that is quintessentially American. There’s something about the good writing in this book that does that as well, but with storytelling.
April 21, 2022
Going, Going, Gone has an engaging premise and is a delightful read. I had to give it four stars instead of five just because I have spend over a decade crafting a historical fiction story around the friendship between Christy Mathewson and Hal Chase. Even though Hermanos gently apologizes for the liberties he took with Jane Mathewson, I felt like I would be cheating on my own plot if I were to give it all five stars. Make no mistake. It is a worthy read.
I have no idea how I found this book. I had to have searched for it because I special ordered it from my favorite local bookstore. Somehow I was compelled to order two copies and I couldn't figure that part out either. Why on earth would I have done that? It wasn't a mistake though. I remember ordering two copies. Still, I couldn't figure out why I would have ordered two copies.
...Last night when I was in the midst of the story's resolution on page 501 I felt a vague form of science fiction taunting me. A Garcia's of Albuquerque t-shirt, really? How did that happen? Was it the "Help Stamp Out Gringo Food" version? Not only did I attend Jr. High and High School with Dan Garcia, I helped him get through Junior year English class. Now I know where that second book I ordered was meant to land. I'm calling Dan today.
I don't know the author. I had never even heard of him before I ordered the book. But, I hope he reads this and lets me know why on earth he included that particular detail in his charming story.
I have no idea how I found this book. I had to have searched for it because I special ordered it from my favorite local bookstore. Somehow I was compelled to order two copies and I couldn't figure that part out either. Why on earth would I have done that? It wasn't a mistake though. I remember ordering two copies. Still, I couldn't figure out why I would have ordered two copies.
...Last night when I was in the midst of the story's resolution on page 501 I felt a vague form of science fiction taunting me. A Garcia's of Albuquerque t-shirt, really? How did that happen? Was it the "Help Stamp Out Gringo Food" version? Not only did I attend Jr. High and High School with Dan Garcia, I helped him get through Junior year English class. Now I know where that second book I ordered was meant to land. I'm calling Dan today.
I don't know the author. I had never even heard of him before I ordered the book. But, I hope he reads this and lets me know why on earth he included that particular detail in his charming story.
March 7, 2022
Whether you are seeking superbly crafted fiction, or a wonderful baseball oriented tale - you want to read Going, Going, Gone ! by Steve Hermanos. The author has crafted an unforgettable tale of two contemporary players and their coach jerked by seismic events back to the early twentieth century. This story resonates with the interaction of the three protagonists and baseball luminaries like Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson ( and his beautiful wife ), Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Martin Dihigo, Rube Foster, John McGraw, Willie Keeler and a good many others. The temptation to visit the world, albeit a time altered one, populated by such fascinating characters is irresistible. And these legendary players are joined in intrigue by Albert Einstein, Nicholas Tesla and Theodore Roosevelt.... Going, Going, Gone ! is a compelling, comic, and thoroughly enjoyable romp back in time.
June 16, 2023
Outstanding book, well researched, and paced to keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through! And if you’re like me—someone who went straight to the recaps of yesterday’s games in the morning papers—there are plenty of games described, vividly enough that you can “see” them happening. This is the third baseball/time travel novel I’ve read and as a huge fan of both, I couldn’t ask for more. Well, except maybe a sequel!
March 8, 2022
The author has spun a fabulous tale revolving around two enduring themes: baseball and time travel. The main characters grow as people as the story progresses and it is a delight to follow. Storied baseball figures come alive and this is perhaps my favorite aspect. A remarkable story told by a master story teller. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
July 7, 2022
Going, Going, Gone is the baseball novel you cannot put down. Steve Hermanos has crafted a masterpiece that appeals to all lovers of the great game of baseball. I cannot wait for Hermanos’s next book!
February 7, 2022
Thank you to the author for another great book!!! Loved the characters! Loved the setting. A great read even if you’re not a baseball fan!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews