Customer Reviews

Swap

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This is the story of a young man who grew up trading baseball cards, and then later switched to trading baseball wives. Against the odds, Sheldon became a minor celebrity in his Ohio hometown. Born with a hearing defect and raised by a single parent, he still managed to play professional baseball, even though an unfortunate incident got him busted back to the minors.

Born down in a rust-belt town
The first pitch he threw was when he was real young
His friend was like a dog, chicks in heat so much
That he spent all his life just getting it up

That friend would be Tom, a fellow ball player who shared his exploits with the team, but his personal thoughts only with Sheldon. Tom married Lucy, a political activist fighting for the underdog and unaware of his dalliances. Lucy grew up poor, and was doing her best to be a good wife, mother and superhero until the day things clicked with Sheldon.

Got in a little hometown jam
When things got a little out of hand
Soon he came up with his swap plan
To go and become Lucy's man

Sheldon was married to Eleanor, a gorgeous woman with a monstrous past. Eleanor was rarely happy, and then one day she discovered that she and Tom had at least one thing in common.

The story moves fairly slowly, although fans of baseball and movie trivia won't notice this at all, and ever so often the author spices things up with a ribald recollection or two. Despite the title, the book is mostly about Sheldon, Tom, Lucy and Eleanor as individuals, and is rather skimpy on the actual logistics and details of the actual swap. Some questions are answered in the epilogue, but by then you're already more into the sideshows than the main attraction.

An interesting concept, and chock full of movie facts, this one is a gem of popular culture.




Amanda Richards, July 15, 2007

Have you ever been out on a double date and found you have more in common with your friend's date than your own? Or maybe you have had impure thoughts about your best friend's wife. If so, Swap is the book for you.

Sheldon and Tom are two minor league baseball stars with one thing in common: their marriages are failing. Sheldon's is failing because his wife has lost interest in him and she has eyes for another man, - his best friend, Tom. And Tom's is failing because he has never quite grasped the concept of fidelity, and his wife has eyes for another man - his best friend, Sheldon. So how do Sheldon and Tom decide to resolve the situation? Quite simply, they just swap wives.

Swap is a fictional tale inspired by the New York Yankee family swap that occurred back in the seventies. The story is told from each of the four protagonists' point of view, providing insight into each character. Sheldon is a partially deaf baseball player who had a stint in the Major Leagues. Tom is a very conspicuous womanizer who is very proud of his extramarital activities. Tom's wife, Lucy, is a political activist; Sheldon's wife, Eleanor, a victim of an abusive father, is struggling in her search for a happy and contented life. These characters come together to tell a brazen story that at times can be poignant, but is also hilarious and outrageous throughout.

Swap is also a tale for movie lovers, as it is full of movie trivia: readers will find themselves playing the movie trivia game along with Sheldon's mother, a movie nut and one helluva a character who adds wisdom and good sense to the plot, along with movie quotes for every occasion. (So, if you know who played Frank Miller in High Noon, Swap is a must buy. Hint- it wasn't Lee Van Cleef).

So if you are a mad movie enthusiast who likes a saucy tale with baseball and wife swapping, this is the book for you.

Once you get past the cheesy cover art, you'll find an entertaining book. Chock full of pop-culture, bar room banter and great movie references, it's a fun book to read.

Sheldon Marsh is a half-Jewish, hearing-impaired baseball pitcher living in Youngstown, Ohio. Sheldon has a wonderful relationship with his movie-obsessive mother -- who always offers him a film title for relating to life's 'up and down' situations and life circumstances. But life is generally pretty dull and uninspired in the rust-belt decay of Youngstown. And even worse, Sheldon's wife Eleanor with whom he has a rather rocky relationship. Then Sheldon comes up with a novel idea -- exchange wives, kids, and even dogs with his friend and fellow baseball team player Thomas. That way Sheldon will have a new life! "Swap" by Sam Moffie is an original novel showcasing the humor and the unexpected consequences of our choices in life. Of special note is Moffie's quite evident gift for dialogue and his knack of crafting the twists and turns of the story line so as to hook and keep the reader's rapt (and sometimes gleeful) attention from first page to last. An ideal addition to community library fiction collections, "Swap" is a very highly recommended and entertaining read.

Bull durham meets Jerry springer and Maury Povich with anything else you can throw in there if you will. this Book will make you laugh and also take you into a crazy time of a Wife trade off.this book deals with sex, baseball,Politics and Movies. that is a Book that fits alot of America and it's interests. the Book was a trip. as a New York Yankee fan I need something to take my attention away from this below the norm year that is going on with the real team. this Book provides a good laugh and then some. very entertaining and will keep your interest.

Two couples - but each is with the wrong spouse. Although the premise of Swap is the story of two couples who trade spouses, children, and houses, in actuality that has very little to do with the book. Swap is really more of a study of the four people involved in the trade, with Sheldon Marsh, a minor league baseball player who once made it in the big leagues, at the center. There is really very little discussion about the swap itself (including some intriguing suggestions that the swap was a newsworthy event), although it certainly covers why the swap is made.

Sheldon is married to Eleanor, who is resentful of his affection for his mother and his disability (he is deaf in one ear). Although their marriage starts out well, they soon become miserable. Lucy is married to Tom, Sheldon's best friend and teammate, but Tom is a philanderer and womanizer. Sheldon falls in love with Lucy, Eleanor finds Tom exciting, and the swap is made.

Readers who prefer a linear story will not find it here, as the narrative jumps forward and backward in time throughout the book; however, you soon come to realize that the timeline does not matter because getting to know the characters is the true point of the book. While this may be confusing at first, once you let go of the need for a beginning-to-end story you can focus on Mr. Moffie's rich characters - which are caricatures - yet so real you feel as though you really know them by the end of the book.

Readers with delicate sensibilities will want to note that there are some explicit scenes and raunchy language in the book. It is a raucous tale that will both make you laugh and repulse you at the same time, and it will certainly entertain you. Last but not least, be sure to read the epilogue at the end for some amusing "where are they now" updates on all the characters.


Jennifer Walker
Apex Reviews

This book reads like a very entertaining Richard Russo novel (Empire Falls). Sheldon Marsh is the main character whose entire life has been influenced by his mother and her love for movies. Sheldon and his mother spend their waking hours likening the real world to movies they have seen. When they are not doing this they are seeking advice from their favorite bartender they have nicknamed The Ralph.

Sheldon a former major league pitcher, has issues with his wife and comes up with the brilliant idea of changing wives with his best friend Tom, who is also a pitcher that plays with Sheldon on the Indians minor league team. The author does a brilliant job of giving separate character studies of Tom and the two player's wives (Elizabeth and Lucy). Each one has their own issues.

I really enjoyed this entertaining and sometimes hilarious look at another small town with wacky things happening. The author also gives a listing of each character at the end with what happened with the rest of their life (like the end of Animal House). I have just received the author's second book and look forward to another great read!

This wildly entertaining book reminds me of the "Seinfeld" episode in which George tries to combine sex, food, and television ("you're like Caligula," Jerry said). Only here, first-time author Sam Moffie combines sex ... with baseball and movie trivia. Not to knock food and TV, mind you, but by my way of thinking, on this one Swap beats Seinfeld hand's down.

The best thing about the book is Moffie's clever writing style. It escapes my ability to fully describe, but it's got a unique, stream of consciousness sort of feel to it, that breaks convention and quickly translates into belly laughs. The comedy is subtle at times, uproarious at others, and always sharp as a razor. Fast-moving, amusing, and always "on", the book deserves a wide readership, and would make a good movie, too [although ... I read somewhere that Affleck and Damon owned the rights to cinematize the Fritz Peterson - Mike Kekich wife swapping incident, so Moffie had better sell these rights, quick].

I'm sure you have all heard stories about two couples who feel they would be better off and/or have more in common if they switched partners. Well, hold on to your seats because that is what Sheldon is up to!

Sheldon grew up in a close relationship with his mother, a single mom. His mother taught him "everything" there is to know in life! He is hearing impaired and half-Jewish. He loved baseball. It's not that he didn't like football but there was a problem because football is a game where you need to hear the whistle. When Sheldon's mom was pregnant, she caught a bad cold and as a result, Sheldon ended up with a hearing loss in his right ear. That was pretty much the end of any hopes of playing football.

Sheldon became a pitcher in the major leagues and then held the same position in a minor league. After his baseball career, he and his mother owned a bar.

During his baseball career Sheldon married Eleanor. They had a daughter. Sheldon was not happy in his marriage. His best friend, Tom is married to Lucy. When Sheldon is around Lucy he seems to feel much happier. After all, Tom does not really appreciate Lucy because he is "running around" on her. Another thing that bothered Sheldon is his wife's actions to his hearing loss. Sheldon did not know that at first Eleanor did not make fun of his disability but actually tried to protect him from those who did poke fun at him. However, as Eleanor became unhappier in their marriage, Sheldon felt she focused on his lack of hearing as a way to "jab the knife of unhappiness".

Sheldon comes up with what he considers a great idea. He and Tom should swap partners!

The reader will not know what actually took place during the swap or how it really happened. There is a very interesting epilogue that brings the reader up-to-date on what happens to each character after the swap. I really enjoyed this section because it was interesting to see how the "swap" worked out for some and not so well for others.

Sam Moffie shows us that he really has a great sense of humor, an imagination that is very creative and the will to make the readers laugh. There are many situations in this book that will make you laugh out loud such as the "bedwetting story". I won't go into the details because it will spoil the story for you but you will surely have a good laugh. Sheldon's mother is a movie buff and the reader will enjoy the way she incorporates what she is about to say in relation to a movie she has seen.

The author does an excellent job portraying his characters. This book is divided into four chapters dedicated to each character - Sheldon, Lucy, Tom and Eleanor. The one that stands out most in my mind is Sheldon's mother. Sam Moffie's descriptions of her and the relationship she and Sheldon have with each other will make you feel like you really know her after reading this book. In fact, the author gives you detailed information about each character and holds nothing back.

Swap has plenty of reading involving baseball and sex. Don't let the sex part, along with some explicit language, scare you off. When you read this book you will see that if everything is taken into context, the references to this subject really go along with the story and are there to make it more of a fun read.

We all need a good laugh now and then, so I recommend that you buy a copy of Swap . You will find it a very entertaining read.

This is the story of Sheldon Marsh who lives in Youngstown, Ohio. Growing up Sheldon's passion was baseball. After playing as a Major League and then Minor League pitcher, he became co-owner of a bar in Youngstown with his mother. During his baseball career he met and married Eleanor.

Eleanor, Sheldon's wife, is usually depressed because of her childhood. Marrying and moving away was going to be her escape from her past. It didn't work.

Tom is Sheldon's best friend. They don't have a thing in common, and Sheldon's not sure why they are such good friends--but they are always there for each other. Tom has a major problem with fidelity. The fact that he is married doesn't stop him at all.

Lucy, Tom's wife, is very active in political circles. She is busy and has a very productive life. She was totally shocked when she discovered Tom's infidelity.

An idea begins to form in Sheldon's head. The more he is around Lucy, the more he thinks he wants to be with her rather than Eleanor. The idea grows: Why not swap partners? The Epilogue tells us what happens to the characters after the Swap but we never hear about anyone's thoughts or reactions at the first mention of it.

Swap has an interesting, possibly fun concept, but I found that the whole book was from Sheldon's point of view. Nowhere did we actually hear from the other participants. How did they feel? What did they think of their situations? Each one had a part of the book devoted to them--but it wasn't from their perspective. Knowing their feelings about their situations and how they felt about their lives would have made a more interesting read.

Armchair Interviews says: One man's perspective on four people's lives.