Wire to Wire: A South Baltimore Memoir

by Patrick Mcardle

A young man searches for belonging. A baseball team searches for respect. What if both could find answers over one year in Baltimore?

Patrick’s fledging life is off to an uninspiring start. When his best friend gets married, Patrick decides to move across the country to search for a connection he has never been able to find. Picking a city he’s only been to a handful of times before, he lands in South Baltimore the same year the Orioles spend every day of the summer in first place. Is this the year the Orioles finally gain respect and Patrick finds what he is looking for?

In his debut memoir, McArdle presents a bittersweet remembrance of one formative year in Baltimore looking back from the perspective of middle-age. McArdle has a way with the well-turned phrase and wry observations of different social interactions that will make you laugh out loud; while at the same time he also offers subtle but poignant musings on race, class, and navigating life as a young adult.

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2022

About the author

PATRICK F. McARDLE lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife, daughter and English bulldog. Wire to Wire is his first book. When not working or writing, you can find him wandering South Baltimore searching for cold beer at a reasonable price.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This relatable story covers a year in the life of a young man finding himself and the place we call "home" - while paralleling the emotional Baltimore Orioles season of 1997 to his own journey. With cunning prose and well-paced storyline I was drawn into his daily life, considering the choices we make in young adulthood that create our path and how home isn't always where you come from. Patrick recreates the experience of a great live sporting event on the page, drawing out the shared emotions of the crowd and the connections created with strangers that audiences enjoy. This book was transporting, engaging, and endearing - from wire to wire.

[Wendy Hannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this walk down the memory lane of the Baltimore of the 1990's through the lens of Patrick Mcardle. I recognize a lot of the Baltimore characters and establishments that the author refers to. The characters that I did not know were well developed. The baseball sections were also well-written and the writer's excitement during these games was almost palpable. It made me reminisce about my own fun days at Camden Yards. There was enough personal information about the writer to give you a peek into his life and outlook. Very enjoyable, easy read.

[Erika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I mistakenly thought this was a Baltimore memoir. I wondered why the Baltimore libraries didn't have this book, when they seem to carry all the Baltimore memoirs. After reading it, I know why. This is really a Baltimore Orioles of 1997 memoir. So much baseball! There were only a couple of short chapters that discussed what Baltimore was like in 1997; those were interesting. This is a book only for Orioles fans.

[Sarah Ego · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those that ever spent time living in Baltimore, pick up this easy read filled with nostalgia and some quirky, funny stories along the way. Baltimore is its own distinct city and the author captures this well.