Customer Reviews

The CURIOUS CASE OF SIDD FINCH

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
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If you didn't know George Plimpton and you read the book jacket blurbs, you might wonder just who this Sidd Finch really was. You might even remember that Sports Illustrated featured Finch in 1985, and you may not have noticed that it was their April (Fool) issue.

Plimpton weaves a whimsical tale of a young man who, by happenstance, spent enough time in a Himalayan monastery to learn how to throw a baseball 168 miles an hour (didn't know monasteries taught such things, did you?) He's unerringly accurate, to boot!

Starting with a seemingly innocent invitation to a burned-out journalist (Plimpton?) to enjoy a Goodyear blimp ride in Florida, the tale unfolds as baseball moguls try to inveigle Finch into signing on with the Mets. Finch, of course, is anything but your average kid from the Babe Ruth league. Finch finally signs, and with 81 strikes puts away the St. Louis Cardinals. Sensation reigns in the baseball world.

Does he go on to finish the season without giving up so much as a foul tip? Finch has many a surprise in store for friend and foe alike.

Sprinkled with Plimptonesque asides on a wide variety of subjects like Vietnam, the Mafia, sports management, and writers (he even describes himself at one point), this is a pleasant literary/sports romp. It's short enough to read in one evening and enjoyable enough to remain with you a lot longer.

Funny tale that is an extrapalation of an article that appeared in Sports Illistrated on April 1 about a pitcher for the New York Mets that supposedly could throw a baseball well over 100 miles per hour.

This is his story and what could have happened.

The character Sidd Finch is rather naive, but charming. These are qualities that the novel lacks. Readers that are in on the joke, will find this extension to the original Sports Illustrated article stretches the concept too thin. The plot at times becomes silly and the dialogue at times rambles toward nothingness.

The book involves baseball, though baseball is hardly the center of the book. Instead, the over-the-top attempts at humor make the book seem as though it were written for young adults. Sidd Finch is an eccentric Buddhist monk pitcher who was rescued from obscurity to pitch for the Mets. Naive to the ways of America and baseball, Finch finds himself in awkward positions so often, it becomes rather annoying. As the story develops, new characters are added with conflicts that are designed to make a novel from a magazine article. These new characters add little to the story. It is more amusing to read about the Mets of the 1980's in this story in fictional circumstances than reading about the fictional characters.

As other readers have noted, the book lacks a real sense of closure. This may have been the best way to end the Finch character, but it will still irritate some readers. The only real reason for continued interest in this book is the original scandal caused by the Sidd Finch story. Interested readers should seek those back issues of Sports Illustrated rather than reading this book.

Plimpton has teased out an April Fool's Sports Illustrated article on a monk turned superhuman baseball pitcher into a fun full-length novel. You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the curious mix of the New York Mets eager management and the shy unlikely pitching phenom, Sidd Finch.

The story revolves around a deadbeat ex-writer with writer's block who befriends Finch and his carefree college-dropout girlfriend. The book is filled with uniquely Plimptonian anecdotes and characters as it follows Finch through spring training and his Shea Stadium debut with the New York Mets.

Although very fun and a page-turner, you can feel that it is Plimpton's first novel. It suffers from pacing problems and I was a bit disappointed by the quick, sharp ending.

The Curious Case about Sidd Finch By: George Plimpton

Have you ever heard of a man that can throw a ball 168 mph. Well, if you read this book you'll find out that there once was a man that could throw the ball that fast. The man's name is Sidd Finch. He's a recruited pitcher from some where in the Himalayas. This man was a monk there and he learned how to throw a baseball 168 mph. Just read how he learns to keep his arm in condition and how he can keep the ball under control throwing the ball that fast. Along this man adventure he meet's a write who is retired and just happened to see Sidd throw the ball that fast. Sidd also meets a wind surfer girl. Through out the story this girl gets closer and closer to Sidd. And the Writer is wondering if she is just trying to expose him to the public and where he doesn't want to be. If he is disrupted he very well could die. If you read this book you'll be amazed at what kind of character Sidd is and you'll find out other thing s about him that will amaze you.

The book that I read was The Curious Case of Sidd Finch by George Plimpton. Out of a five star scale I gave it a 4. It is a funny book because it is fiction, so Plimpton can do a lot with the characters, mainly Sidd Finch. Hayden (Sidd) Finch is the main character in this book. He is this kid who has never played baseball before but has unbelievable skills. He can throw the ball 170 miles per hour with unbelievable accuracy. The New York Mets a professional baseball team would like him to play for their team. The book is mainly about Sidd finch's efforts and trying to play for the New York Mets baseball team. I liked this book because I am a big sports fan and I like reading about sports. I also like humor and this book also has that. Its funny reading about someone who can pitch that fast because it will never happen. So that's where your imagination can come into play. Its fun reading books that force your imagination to come forward and do something. It makes you, which therefore means that you are getting something out the reading.