Customer Reviews

The New Paltz Outlaws: A story of sex, violence and baseball

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As someone who has spent a great deal of time in New Paltz I can safely say this is the most inaccurate and ridiculous depiction of a wonderful history filled town. "A barefoot outfielder that lives amongst the forest animals"??? You have got to be kidding me!! Who does this appeal to? I have read Bazooka Joe Comics that are more interesting. The only thing I would recommend this book for is to get your campfire started "amongst the forest animals".

It seems Farrell Kaye is familiar with playing games alright, but apparently doesn't limit himself to baseball. His ultimate goal is obviously aimed at using and abusing his unsuspecting victims (in this case, the readers) while he gets off on watching us swallow his illusory stories and fantasy tales. Here, it's the story of "Lance," his obvious alter ego, an irresponsible wanna-be baseball star who systematically screws up every opportunity life presents him due to his inability to grow up and see life as more than a "big game of chess." The parallels between Lance and Farrell Kaye are hard to ignore, especially that of male stripper and porn star. It's sad that apparently Kaye has adopted the characteristics that so many in the sex industry have learned --lies and manipulation. Kaye lies to his readers by attempting to pass off a book that is so self-absorbed and amateurish as "literature" and manipulates them by actually expecting us to feel warm and fuzzy toward a chump who's an irresponsible, drunken rebel who's into sex and himself! Can you say "NARCISSIST??" As much as I would have wanted to say I enjoyed this book and even had a glimmer of compassion for this character, I just can't do so. Rather, the end result of my brief acquaintance with Lance and Farrell Kaye has been nothing short of painful. I highly recommend that you RUN in the other direction from any association to this book and author. I certainly wish I had.

I grew up in New Paltz, and I happened across this title while looking for books on my hometown. All I can say is that it was an abomination. Simply unacceptable.

First, Microsoft Word wouldn't accept this grammar and spelling in this book, much less any editor.

Second, I might have been intrigued by the story, had not I known what he was going to do at every turn by the description on the back of the book. The ego on this guy is incredible. The book is literary masturbation for the author. Lance Bangor becomes everything Kaye ever wanted to be, from the best pitcher in the history of history to a sex symbol who everyone wants.

The plot goes nowhere. Characterization for each character is little more than a nickname and a single quirk. Dialogue is described, not written. Not to mention the town characterized hardly resembles New Paltz. The whole thing is poorly written. What can you expect from a book whose main allegory is the Transformers movie.

From reading the dedications, it would seem as though the author has hard time separating fiction from reality. His book is about him and his friends. Hence, it is only amusing to him and his friends. Please avoid.

I stumbled across The New Platz Outlaws searching for interesting books on baseball and all I can say is what a great time I had reading it. This book is just plain fun. The characters are just like friends you've known your whole life and could always count on. The Outlaws are a crazy bunch from an Ego driven hotshot pitcher to a first baseman with a hilarious split personality and a Catcher with a massive temper (who happens to be my personal favorite). You'll have a great time reading about the rise and fall of Lance Bangor(the pitcher)and his many escapades from major league pitcher to stripper to stuntman back to pitcher. This first time author really has a knack for story telling and a quick wit that'll leave you in stitches. Do yourself a favor and give this book a shot, You won't be able to put it down.

This book centers around the exploits of Lance Bangor, a minor league pitcher/actor/exotic dancer.He plays for The New Paltz Outlaws, a team of misfits (like a schitzophrenic first baseman) and criminals(a catcher charged with attempted murder). It follows his career, and his side tracking into differant paths after he is banished from the game

All in all, this book is truly enjoyable. The characters, although a little underdeveloped at times, will keep you laughing throughout. The zany situations that Lance and his friends get into make this a very easy read. It flows nicely, with the exception of sometimes being a little repetitve and preachy about what is wrong with organized sports.

If you are looking for a book that will give you a good laugh, then this one is perfect. Aside for some grammatical errors, it is well written, with a fresh outlook by first time author Farrel Kaye.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good baseball book, or anyone who could use a few good laughs.

I am a student at SUNY New Paltz, which is the setting of this book. I found this novel to be very interesting and humorous. It is amazing how much truth is in this book and how many similarities there are between the town of New Paltz he portarys and the reality of the actual town. I honestly would recomond this book to anyone who wants to read a funny book about a small town.

i picked up this book by the reccommedation of a friend and i must say i was impressed with the efforts of this first time writer. at first i thought i was going to be a book about baseball but as it turns out its a book about friendship and a naive kid that travels the world looking for anything that resembles the town he loves so much. his friends remind me of my friends and there are times where you love the character and times where you hate. but all and all you can't wait til he gets back to his hometown. i like how the author makes references to the odyssey by homer as he is definitely inspired by greek mythology and oddly enough andrew dice clay.

in the end, i wont ruin it for you, you can see that lance bangor's life has come full circle and i love how in the end he comes to understand everything about whats important in life.

believe me after you read this book, you will want to have a barbque with all of your friends from college

By any traditional standards, "The New Paltz Outlaws" is a severely flawed book. However, I found myself strangely drawn to Farrell Kaye's broken prose, outrageous grammatical errors and one-dimensional characterizations.

I have read other Amazon reviews and believe that despite the extreme contrast of opinions, all are right-on. The book is a horrible representation of a Hudson Valley college town and offers nothing new (or accurate) about baseball. And still, there is something there not right for every reader...but perfect for a select few.

Just as "cringe comedy" seems to be taking off in America (sitcoms like "The Office" and "Arrested Development", stand-up comedians like Jim Norton, Club Soda Kenny and Frederica Bimmel), Farrell Kaye may be the pioneer of cringe literature. Though I nearly dropped the book in disgust after three pages, I soon thereafter found a strange attraction to "The New Paltz Outlaws" that I cannot clearly define.

Kaye is a master at making his reader (perhaps just me) laugh at lines not meant to be funny and squirm while reading prose designed to convey serious emotion. Literary devices are so transparently employed that they serve as a mockery of the genre - the author offers a coming-of-age story in which no one really comes of age (some may actually regress because of the journey).

To be sure, there was not a moment that I cared about Lance Bangor or any of Kaye's characters. Readers without patience and an off-center sense of humor will not enjoy the book - loathing may be more common. However, if you can look at "The New Paltz Outlaws" as something other than pure literature, you may be in for a treat. Entirely accidentally, it seems that Farrell Kaye has stumbled upon a unique genre and may be at the forefront of a new movement. He may be the best or worst thing to happen to 21st century American writing (more likely the latter than the former) and I anxiously await his next effort.

As a female, I definitely recommend this book to other females who want some insight in to the young, hot-blooded, American male psyche. It is not just about baseball and a small town. This book was refreshing, easy to read in a day, and very funny. Many of the characters I could easily picture. What really struck me about this wonderful book was not only does it capture your interest, but if you are paying attention, it contains many important lessons about life! Anyone who needs a break from the daily grind should pick up a copy and read it. It may help you re-focus on what's truly important or even give you the courage to do something you've always wanted to do. Enjoy!