Prospect [Hardcover]

Bill Littlefield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1989

Like W. P. Kinsella's SHOELESS JOE and Michael Shaara's FOR THE LOVE OF A GAME, PROSPECT is a "gentle, big-hearted" (Kirkus Reviews) novel steeped in the lore and mythology of baseball. At its center stands Pete Estey, a lifelong baseball scout who finds himself divorced, retired, and prematurely consigned to a retirement home, where his only diversions are the nightly ballgame on the radio, his memories, and his droll observations of his fellow pensioners. When an attendant at the home presents him with one last prospect for the major leagues, though, Pete discovers it to be the most important of his career.
"Perceptive and engaging" (Los Angeles Times), PROSPECT tells the story of an unlikely kinship and an even more unlikely success and explores the boundless possibilities for rebirth both on and off the field.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Like Mark Harris's Bang the Drum Slowly , this wonderful first novel uses the world of baseball to examine life's larger issues. Pete Estey is a retired baseball scout who, though relatively healthy (albeit tired and depressed), has chosen to live out the string in a rest home in Florida. At Fair Haven he meets Louise Brown, an elderly black woman who works at the home as a volunteer. Louise tries to interest Pete in her great-nephew, "the ballplayer." Pete is skeptical, says he's retired anyway. But when a fire forces Pete out of Fair Haven he goes to live with Louise, who introduces him to Jack Brown, and Estey's interest in the young ballplayer brings the retired scout back to life. Related in alternating chapters by Pete and Louise, the narrative recounts their efforts to get Jack a tryout with the Washington Lions. To do so they have to circumvent the modern-day scouting system (which assumes that if the computers don't know about a ballplayer, the player isn't worth knowing). Littlefield writes convincingly from the points of view of both his appealing characters, conveying the reality of old age without pity or false sentiment. The pacing near the end of the book sags slightly, but this remains a strong, heartfelt work. Major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Retired from baseball scouting and waiting for death in a rest home, Pete Estey becomes friends with Louise, an employee at the rest home. After a fire, Louise offers her home to Pete and tries to make him feel life is worth living. Her grandnephew, Jack Brown, is a born ball player; and Louise maneuvers to get the two together for the benefit of both. There is a great deal of charm in the relationship between Pete and Louise and a variety of insights into the process of growing old. There is also a substantial amount of baseball lore, to be expected in a first novel by a sports commentator. Written with more warmth than cynicism, this should have wider appeal than the subject matter might suggest. See LJ 's "First Novelists," p. 41.
- Robert H. Donahugh, Youngstown and Mahoning Cty. P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 227 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (T); 1ST edition (March 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395491681
• ISBN-13: 978-0395491683
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,453,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As far as baseball novels go, it's hard to beat this one., June 10, 2003

By 

Duncan Dwyer (Portland, ME United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prospect (Hardcover)

Prospect is a perfect mid-summer, screen-porch, grass-stained, barefoot kind of read. If you are a true lover of the game of baseball, you absolutely must read this book.
To be honest, I'm not sure how Prospect would read to someone who isn't a baseball fanatic. Littlefield's writing is concise and rich (unlike many sports writers who decide to try their hand at novel writing), but so much of the magic of this book is a product of how well he captures the humanity and spirit of the game. In many ways, this book is so much about baseball that it is somehow more. Like the game of baseball itself, Prospect is a beautiful human drama.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book has nostalgia, a real-life message and it's fun!, April 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Prospect (Hardcover)

This book has it all: A real-life message to that elderly that life is not over just because the latter years have arrived. A white/black friendship. (The black lady gets to be the heroine.) Baseball and the nostalgia of the way the game used to be....and just plain silly fun in the personalities of some of the people (including Babe Ruth, who makes an appearance by sliding down a flag pole). When I finished reading it, I wanted to remain connected with these characters so much that I turned to the front of the book and read it over again. I have never done that before or since. I read it in the Reader's Digest Condensed Book version. I tried to buy the book, but could not find it several years ago. Now I see that it is out of print. What a shame. It was a first book for Mr. Littlefield. I wonder if he has written any others? If so, I would certainly eagerly buy and read them