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Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Step Towards Falling in Books
Dec 14, 2018
Rating: 3.5
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
A Step Towards Falling</i> by Cammie McGovern is a book full of important messages. As with a couple of her previous novels, McGovern writes about characters with developmental disabilities, i.e. Autism, focusing on the ways in which they interact with the world around them and vice versa. This particular story is written with teenagers in mind, featuring topics such as dating and future prospects.
One of the narrators Emily, along with high school football player Lucas, are being punished for not helping a disabled student when they witnessed her being assaulted. In order to appease the school they are subjected to forty hours of community service – voluntarily helping to run the Boundaries and Relationships class at the Lifelong Learning Centre. Here they meet a handful of people with disabilities who need help to identify what is and what is not acceptable in potential romantic relationships. Although Emily and Lucas initially think members of the group are strange, they soon learn to see through their quirks and admire them for their positive personalities.
The second narrator, Belinda, is the assaulted girl. To begin with she is no longer attending school as her grandmother has deemed it an unsafe place. Belinda describes her life with childlike innocence, naively believing she is like everyone else and not understanding why she never receives the same privileges, e.g. joining after school clubs, getting a job. Whilst she slowly regains her confidence to return to school, Emily and Lucas begin to enjoy working at the LLC, however continue to feel guilty, as they are aware that although they are doing a great job, it is not doing anything to make Belinda’s life better. So, they aim to change that.
Although relationships feature heavily in this novel, <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is largely based on similar themes to Jane Austen’s <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> – incidentally Belinda’s favourite story. Each key character have their own prejudices towards other people and act as though they are better than everyone else. Emily instantly judges Lucas to be a popular, uneducated boy due to his position on the school football team. Likewise, Lucas judges Emily for hanging out with “nerdy” people who only care about grades and getting into good colleges. Belinda, despite being different due to her disability, believes she is better than other people in her class because she can read and use a computer, whereas many can barely string a sentence together.
What McGovern is stressing throughout this narrative is the importance of getting to know someone first instead of arrogantly assuming you know exactly what they are like based on appearance. As can be revealed in <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, someone who appears rude and distant may actually have a lovely, kind and considerate personality. Emily and Lucas learn this quite quickly, and Belinda is not far behind them. It is a shame that not many other people are as swift to realize this.
Although <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is a work of fiction it deals with issues that many high school students, and even adults, face even if they do not realize it. Football players are often presumed to be unintelligent, likewise clever, “nerdy” people may come across as distant and uncaring. The worst thing that most, if not all, are guilty of is the presupposed belief that developmentally disabled people are weird and to be avoided. This is entirely false, as McGovern reveals; they have the right to the same life as anyone else, the only difference is they may take longer to learn what comes naturally to most people.
As a novel, <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is a fairly gentle read about completely realistic events. Although there are references to Belinda’s assault, there is nothing majorly distressing. On the other hand, it is a bit too plain sailing, with no climax to speak of. Through her attempt to create an accurate representation of disabled people, McGovern fails to grip the reader or create excitement. There is no suspense or anticipation, which unfortunately makes the book a little disappointing.
Overall the story line may not be the most thrilling however it has a powerful voice and a satisfying ending. All teenagers, and adults too, should read this book and become more mindful of their behaviour and prejudices. Naturally this is not something that will be easy to completely eradicate, but as this book reveals, once you are aware of your inaccurate impressions it become easier to accept people the way they are, and become confident in getting to know their true personality.
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
A Step Towards Falling</i> by Cammie McGovern is a book full of important messages. As with a couple of her previous novels, McGovern writes about characters with developmental disabilities, i.e. Autism, focusing on the ways in which they interact with the world around them and vice versa. This particular story is written with teenagers in mind, featuring topics such as dating and future prospects.
One of the narrators Emily, along with high school football player Lucas, are being punished for not helping a disabled student when they witnessed her being assaulted. In order to appease the school they are subjected to forty hours of community service – voluntarily helping to run the Boundaries and Relationships class at the Lifelong Learning Centre. Here they meet a handful of people with disabilities who need help to identify what is and what is not acceptable in potential romantic relationships. Although Emily and Lucas initially think members of the group are strange, they soon learn to see through their quirks and admire them for their positive personalities.
The second narrator, Belinda, is the assaulted girl. To begin with she is no longer attending school as her grandmother has deemed it an unsafe place. Belinda describes her life with childlike innocence, naively believing she is like everyone else and not understanding why she never receives the same privileges, e.g. joining after school clubs, getting a job. Whilst she slowly regains her confidence to return to school, Emily and Lucas begin to enjoy working at the LLC, however continue to feel guilty, as they are aware that although they are doing a great job, it is not doing anything to make Belinda’s life better. So, they aim to change that.
Although relationships feature heavily in this novel, <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is largely based on similar themes to Jane Austen’s <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> – incidentally Belinda’s favourite story. Each key character have their own prejudices towards other people and act as though they are better than everyone else. Emily instantly judges Lucas to be a popular, uneducated boy due to his position on the school football team. Likewise, Lucas judges Emily for hanging out with “nerdy” people who only care about grades and getting into good colleges. Belinda, despite being different due to her disability, believes she is better than other people in her class because she can read and use a computer, whereas many can barely string a sentence together.
What McGovern is stressing throughout this narrative is the importance of getting to know someone first instead of arrogantly assuming you know exactly what they are like based on appearance. As can be revealed in <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, someone who appears rude and distant may actually have a lovely, kind and considerate personality. Emily and Lucas learn this quite quickly, and Belinda is not far behind them. It is a shame that not many other people are as swift to realize this.
Although <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is a work of fiction it deals with issues that many high school students, and even adults, face even if they do not realize it. Football players are often presumed to be unintelligent, likewise clever, “nerdy” people may come across as distant and uncaring. The worst thing that most, if not all, are guilty of is the presupposed belief that developmentally disabled people are weird and to be avoided. This is entirely false, as McGovern reveals; they have the right to the same life as anyone else, the only difference is they may take longer to learn what comes naturally to most people.
As a novel, <i>A Step Towards Falling</i> is a fairly gentle read about completely realistic events. Although there are references to Belinda’s assault, there is nothing majorly distressing. On the other hand, it is a bit too plain sailing, with no climax to speak of. Through her attempt to create an accurate representation of disabled people, McGovern fails to grip the reader or create excitement. There is no suspense or anticipation, which unfortunately makes the book a little disappointing.
Overall the story line may not be the most thrilling however it has a powerful voice and a satisfying ending. All teenagers, and adults too, should read this book and become more mindful of their behaviour and prejudices. Naturally this is not something that will be easy to completely eradicate, but as this book reveals, once you are aware of your inaccurate impressions it become easier to accept people the way they are, and become confident in getting to know their true personality.
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated The Myth of Perpetual Summer in Books
Jun 19, 2018
Tennessee Williams meets Anne Tyler in award-winning novelist Susan Crandall's gorgeously penned family opus. Centered on the oldest daughter of a unique Mississippi family, The Myth of Perpetual Summer is certain to appeal to book clubs.
Moving back and forth in time between 1972 and the late 1950s and early '60s, after she learns that her younger brother has been arrested for murder in a crime that's captured national attention, Tallulah James leaves the California home she's made for herself and returns back to her southern hometown where every corner holds dozens of memories.
Wondering where it all went wrong, after she finds unexpected help for her brother's case from an old crush and family friend, Ross Saenger, Tallulah begins seeking out answers for the many mysteries of the past including the truth about her brilliant but unstable father's family tree as well as her parents' turbulent relationship.
After beginning with quite the plot hook, the pace slows down considerably with Myth requiring a good eighty or so pages to establish both its characters and momentum to the point that it's hard to put down.
Having drawn comparisons to both The Secret Life of Bees and Forrest Gump, Crandall's Myth is also reminiscent of Mary Karr's memoirs. But while Myth eventually leads a majority of its characters to well earned conclusions, it's still slightly disappointing to see how quickly the author wraps up certain plot points. In fact, it's a main source of trouble for the otherwise moving last hundred pages of the novel. And nowhere is Crandall's difficulty in judging her reader's interest better epitomized than her decision to spend far more time on a romantic backstory with Tallulah and a character who appears out of thin air (whom we could care less about) than the one that Crandall built for nearly the entire length of the novel that pays off in two pages.
Though limited by the decision to present us with only one character's point-of-view, while the romantic plotline was in great need of either more obstacles or reflection, so were other characters throughout, including the one that's sure to be a reader favorite in the form of Tallulah's protective older brother, Griff. A major protagonist in the novel's extended flashback, I couldn't help but have wished he played an even greater role in the present day '70s storyline as he did in the past.
From the blink and you'll miss it decision for a main character to run away to the solution of a murder – both of which occur in a mere page or two – while there's enough going on in the plot and character heavy book to forgive some of its lopsided storytelling, Myth should've spent less time on extraneous subplots and more ink on what really matters.
Nonetheless a lovely work of Southern Gothic fiction anchored by a strong female protagonist, Crandall's promising Myth may have its flaws. But like a good glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, you can't enjoy the sweet without the sour and thankfully there's enough of both here to keep you coming back for more.
Note – I received an ARC of the novel through Bookish First and if given the opportunity, I would've rated it 7.5 stars.
Moving back and forth in time between 1972 and the late 1950s and early '60s, after she learns that her younger brother has been arrested for murder in a crime that's captured national attention, Tallulah James leaves the California home she's made for herself and returns back to her southern hometown where every corner holds dozens of memories.
Wondering where it all went wrong, after she finds unexpected help for her brother's case from an old crush and family friend, Ross Saenger, Tallulah begins seeking out answers for the many mysteries of the past including the truth about her brilliant but unstable father's family tree as well as her parents' turbulent relationship.
After beginning with quite the plot hook, the pace slows down considerably with Myth requiring a good eighty or so pages to establish both its characters and momentum to the point that it's hard to put down.
Having drawn comparisons to both The Secret Life of Bees and Forrest Gump, Crandall's Myth is also reminiscent of Mary Karr's memoirs. But while Myth eventually leads a majority of its characters to well earned conclusions, it's still slightly disappointing to see how quickly the author wraps up certain plot points. In fact, it's a main source of trouble for the otherwise moving last hundred pages of the novel. And nowhere is Crandall's difficulty in judging her reader's interest better epitomized than her decision to spend far more time on a romantic backstory with Tallulah and a character who appears out of thin air (whom we could care less about) than the one that Crandall built for nearly the entire length of the novel that pays off in two pages.
Though limited by the decision to present us with only one character's point-of-view, while the romantic plotline was in great need of either more obstacles or reflection, so were other characters throughout, including the one that's sure to be a reader favorite in the form of Tallulah's protective older brother, Griff. A major protagonist in the novel's extended flashback, I couldn't help but have wished he played an even greater role in the present day '70s storyline as he did in the past.
From the blink and you'll miss it decision for a main character to run away to the solution of a murder – both of which occur in a mere page or two – while there's enough going on in the plot and character heavy book to forgive some of its lopsided storytelling, Myth should've spent less time on extraneous subplots and more ink on what really matters.
Nonetheless a lovely work of Southern Gothic fiction anchored by a strong female protagonist, Crandall's promising Myth may have its flaws. But like a good glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, you can't enjoy the sweet without the sour and thankfully there's enough of both here to keep you coming back for more.
Note – I received an ARC of the novel through Bookish First and if given the opportunity, I would've rated it 7.5 stars.
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Our Dark Stars in Books
Jan 9, 2018
Talia is a Starchaser. Eldest sibling in an ailing dynasty her 18th birthday should be a time to celebrate, however, it marks her shift in adulthood and sovereign in waiting. Her first task? She must accept a betrothal to the cruel Cassius, a lesser match but from a planet rich with Ore. Up until this time Talia has had a steadfast companion to share her dream, not a human but a "mock." a humanoid droid named Ailat. When Cassius forces her to chose between saving her family and saving her best friend, Talia makes the only choice she believes she can. Her choice is far reaching and through a series of events Talia finds herself in an escape pod, floating into space.
100 years later, Will Perrault and his rag tag crew of misfits are on the hunt for salvage and after discovering Talia's pod they suddenly discover that they are targets with some very high profile hunters on their tail. A lot has changed since that fateful night for Talia and the tables have turned completely as mock became master and human became slave. As Talia awakes she cannot even begin to comprehend what has happened. As the truth of both the length of time Talia has been in stasis and the uprising of the mocks unfolds before her, Talia must fight to put right the wrongs of that terrible night.
Our Dark Stars is a gorgeous read, from the beautiful cover design to the words themselves. Talia is a wonderful character, full of both strength and vulnerability, she is able to hold her own and put aside her fears and grief to put right her wrongs. The chapters covering the fateful night 100 years prior are full of real heart pounding and also heartbreaking moments as Talia must choose between loyalty to her family and loyalty to her friend. Will's crew are a great bunch of characters, if you were a fan of the show Firefly you will find a lot to love with them as they bring humour to the darker sides of this story
Whilst I saw the reveal coming a mile off, it didn't spoil the enjoyment of the moment, which was terrifying in the face of how Talia came to be in that position. Our Dark Stars has some truly epic moments from space battles to strip clubs, but it is also a story about friendship, betrayal and redemption and how hope can be found in the most unlikely of places.
I really loved this book, I read it in 2 sittings and struggled to put it down. It's such an easy read, page after page just flow together - i'm glad the story was rounded off well but i'm also intrigued that there could be more of these characters story to come.
100 years later, Will Perrault and his rag tag crew of misfits are on the hunt for salvage and after discovering Talia's pod they suddenly discover that they are targets with some very high profile hunters on their tail. A lot has changed since that fateful night for Talia and the tables have turned completely as mock became master and human became slave. As Talia awakes she cannot even begin to comprehend what has happened. As the truth of both the length of time Talia has been in stasis and the uprising of the mocks unfolds before her, Talia must fight to put right the wrongs of that terrible night.
Our Dark Stars is a gorgeous read, from the beautiful cover design to the words themselves. Talia is a wonderful character, full of both strength and vulnerability, she is able to hold her own and put aside her fears and grief to put right her wrongs. The chapters covering the fateful night 100 years prior are full of real heart pounding and also heartbreaking moments as Talia must choose between loyalty to her family and loyalty to her friend. Will's crew are a great bunch of characters, if you were a fan of the show Firefly you will find a lot to love with them as they bring humour to the darker sides of this story
Whilst I saw the reveal coming a mile off, it didn't spoil the enjoyment of the moment, which was terrifying in the face of how Talia came to be in that position. Our Dark Stars has some truly epic moments from space battles to strip clubs, but it is also a story about friendship, betrayal and redemption and how hope can be found in the most unlikely of places.
I really loved this book, I read it in 2 sittings and struggled to put it down. It's such an easy read, page after page just flow together - i'm glad the story was rounded off well but i'm also intrigued that there could be more of these characters story to come.
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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Last Song in Books
Apr 27, 2018
My Summary: Ronnie does not want to spend the summer with her dad. Her dad left them three years ago, and she hasn’t really forgiven him for it. She hated him for it so much, that she refused to take his calls, quit playing the piano, and never read the letters he sent her. What is she going to do all summer stuck with a dad she hates in a small town with nothing but sand on every side of her, no clubs, no friends…
When she finds Will, the cutest volley-ball players slash aquarium volunteer in her back yard helping her protect un-hatched sea turtles from being eaten by raccoons, she judged him as not-her-type. She doesn’t expect to find a friend in a jock-rich-perfect-family boy, nor does she expect that this will be the best—most exciting, most scary, most fun, most painful—summer of her lifetime.
My Review: I’m not really sure where to start here, other than I am so utterly pleased with The Last Song, I cannot begin to find words to describe it.
Ronnie, Jonah (her brother), Her dad Steve, Will… all the characters really, were such real characters. I felt everything they felt, I laughed when they laughed, and I (nearly) cried when they cried.
I hate it when books suffer from "happy-land syndrome—" where everything works out just too perfectly that it seems silly. The Last Song seemed to work perfectly, but it didn’t have that plot-manipulated feel to it. It didn’t feel like Sparks was just trying to move the story along and causing things to line up too perfectly to be realistic—it felt like the story was writing itself, and it was perfect. The pacing didn’t feel rushed or slow. It was not a thriller, but I did find myself sitting on the edge of my seat dying to find out what happens. I read it through in two or three days (which is fast for me right now, what with school the way it is!). There are twists, there are surprises—some beautiful, some painful, but all wonderful.
The writing was contemporary. It was easy reading and it wasn’t Dostoevsky, but it wasn’t bad either. The humor was light and witty and sarcastic, sometimes laugh out loud, and more times than I can count my sister would look up from her homework and say “Haley. What is so funny?” The perspective alternated between several different characters, but it wasn’t disorientating. It was all from third person perspective, but I still felt like I could get inside the character’s head.
The end was perfect. That’s all I can really say about it because any information would totally ruin the story. All the loose ends were tied, all the questions were answered, and the ending was open to the future but closed in a wonderful conclusion. Suffice to say I grinned so wide I couldn’t see, and my cheeks are still sore.
Audio Review: Let’s just say that I almost gave up reading The Last Song when I started listening to the audio. Pepper Binkley read Ronnie’s perspective and had a high pitched voice, she read a little too fast (which is rare. Most of the time readers are way too slow), there was no differentiating between voices of characters so you couldn’t tell who was talking, and she seemed up tight and nervous. Scott Sowers read the various men’s perspectives, and he read alright. He was a little slow and his voice took some getting used to but he was otherwise ok. I did get too frustrated to get far in the audio book though. I ended up quitting and reading the paperback. I recommend reading The Last Song over listening to it.
Content: blissfully clean. There was romance between Will and Ronnie, but no sex. It wasn’t needed, either. I feel like the fact that they didn’t sleep together added to the book rather than took away from it. It was also clean of foul language. There was some mention of God and the Bible, but never did it feel like Sparks was preaching.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
When she finds Will, the cutest volley-ball players slash aquarium volunteer in her back yard helping her protect un-hatched sea turtles from being eaten by raccoons, she judged him as not-her-type. She doesn’t expect to find a friend in a jock-rich-perfect-family boy, nor does she expect that this will be the best—most exciting, most scary, most fun, most painful—summer of her lifetime.
My Review: I’m not really sure where to start here, other than I am so utterly pleased with The Last Song, I cannot begin to find words to describe it.
Ronnie, Jonah (her brother), Her dad Steve, Will… all the characters really, were such real characters. I felt everything they felt, I laughed when they laughed, and I (nearly) cried when they cried.
I hate it when books suffer from "happy-land syndrome—" where everything works out just too perfectly that it seems silly. The Last Song seemed to work perfectly, but it didn’t have that plot-manipulated feel to it. It didn’t feel like Sparks was just trying to move the story along and causing things to line up too perfectly to be realistic—it felt like the story was writing itself, and it was perfect. The pacing didn’t feel rushed or slow. It was not a thriller, but I did find myself sitting on the edge of my seat dying to find out what happens. I read it through in two or three days (which is fast for me right now, what with school the way it is!). There are twists, there are surprises—some beautiful, some painful, but all wonderful.
The writing was contemporary. It was easy reading and it wasn’t Dostoevsky, but it wasn’t bad either. The humor was light and witty and sarcastic, sometimes laugh out loud, and more times than I can count my sister would look up from her homework and say “Haley. What is so funny?” The perspective alternated between several different characters, but it wasn’t disorientating. It was all from third person perspective, but I still felt like I could get inside the character’s head.
The end was perfect. That’s all I can really say about it because any information would totally ruin the story. All the loose ends were tied, all the questions were answered, and the ending was open to the future but closed in a wonderful conclusion. Suffice to say I grinned so wide I couldn’t see, and my cheeks are still sore.
Audio Review: Let’s just say that I almost gave up reading The Last Song when I started listening to the audio. Pepper Binkley read Ronnie’s perspective and had a high pitched voice, she read a little too fast (which is rare. Most of the time readers are way too slow), there was no differentiating between voices of characters so you couldn’t tell who was talking, and she seemed up tight and nervous. Scott Sowers read the various men’s perspectives, and he read alright. He was a little slow and his voice took some getting used to but he was otherwise ok. I did get too frustrated to get far in the audio book though. I ended up quitting and reading the paperback. I recommend reading The Last Song over listening to it.
Content: blissfully clean. There was romance between Will and Ronnie, but no sex. It wasn’t needed, either. I feel like the fact that they didn’t sleep together added to the book rather than took away from it. It was also clean of foul language. There was some mention of God and the Bible, but never did it feel like Sparks was preaching.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Full Dark No Stars in Books
Apr 14, 2020
Casual Review
Full Dark, No Stars is a collection of four short stories by Stephen King. These stories include 1922, Big Driver, Fair Extension, and A Good Marriage. As Stephen King admits in the Afterword at the back of the book these four stories are disturbing and hard to read at times but they are well worth it. In these four books Stephen King explores the possibility of each person having at least one more person inside them, the person that comes out when we experience something too traumatic for our typical self to handle. What happens when this person we keep hidden deep inside of us gets let out? Can we put this person back and go on to live a normal life or does it change us forever?
1922
This story reminded me largely of Poe's Tell-Tale Heart and I am sure many other bookworms will see the resemblance between these two stories. Wilfred Leland James is a farmer living on 80 acres of land with his wife and his son. When his wife is given 100 acres of adjacent land when her father dies, Wilfred is thrilled until he learns that she plans on selling all of it off to a big company and that there is nothing he can do to stop her. She is determined to sell the land and move to the city, taking their son with her either Wilfred wants to go or not. Their respective stubbornness starts a chain of events that can only end in pain and misery for all involved.
Big Driver
Tess is a mystery writer of the sort that writes simple little mysteries often read by older ladies and their book clubs and who occasionally makes guest appearances to talk about her books. When she takes a shortcut home suggested to her after one such event she finds herself in a world that she doesn't even dare to write about. A stranger stopping to help her ends up having other plans for her and leaves her for dead after raping her multiple times. Tess manages to survive and makes her way home but the damage has been done in more than one way and she sets out to get revenge on all she believes to be involved in what happened. Is it possible though that she doesn't know the full story?
Fair Extension
Dave Streeter has cancer and doesn't have much time left to live, under a year for sure. He is extremely jealous of an old friend of his from school who seems to have it all while Dave and his family are not struggling but they also are not doing as well as what his old friend is. Then one day while heading home and contemplating his life. he sees a man along the extension by the airport with a little stand set up. This man offers Dave an extension on his life but Dave has to offer someone that he hates up to this man in exchange, not to kill him but someone must pay the price.
A Good Marriage
One day while Darcy's husband is away on business and she is looking for batteries she stubbles on a box that her husband has hidden under a table in the garage. When she tries to push the box under the table the rest of the way she pushes the box up against something that she ends up wishing she never investigated. When she looks at what the box hit she ends up discovering that her husband has been harboring a horrible secret from even before they were married but this puts her in a very bad spot. She fears no one would believe that she did not know about what he was doing until now and she also fears the stigma that the discovery will leave on their children. At the same time though she must do something about what she found out.
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1922
This story reminded me largely of Poe's Tell-Tale Heart and I am sure many other bookworms will see the resemblance between these two stories. Wilfred Leland James is a farmer living on 80 acres of land with his wife and his son. When his wife is given 100 acres of adjacent land when her father dies, Wilfred is thrilled until he learns that she plans on selling all of it off to a big company and that there is nothing he can do to stop her. She is determined to sell the land and move to the city, taking their son with her either Wilfred wants to go or not. Their respective stubbornness starts a chain of events that can only end in pain and misery for all involved.
Big Driver
Tess is a mystery writer of the sort that writes simple little mysteries often read by older ladies and their book clubs and who occasionally makes guest appearances to talk about her books. When she takes a shortcut home suggested to her after one such event she finds herself in a world that she doesn't even dare to write about. A stranger stopping to help her ends up having other plans for her and leaves her for dead after raping her multiple times. Tess manages to survive and makes her way home but the damage has been done in more than one way and she sets out to get revenge on all she believes to be involved in what happened. Is it possible though that she doesn't know the full story?
Fair Extension
Dave Streeter has cancer and doesn't have much time left to live, under a year for sure. He is extremely jealous of an old friend of his from school who seems to have it all while Dave and his family are not struggling but they also are not doing as well as what his old friend is. Then one day while heading home and contemplating his life. he sees a man along the extension by the airport with a little stand set up. This man offers Dave an extension on his life but Dave has to offer someone that he hates up to this man in exchange, not to kill him but someone must pay the price.
A Good Marriage
One day while Darcy's husband is away on business and she is looking for batteries she stubbles on a box that her husband has hidden under a table in the garage. When she tries to push the box under the table the rest of the way she pushes the box up against something that she ends up wishing she never investigated. When she looks at what the box hit she ends up discovering that her husband has been harboring a horrible secret from even before they were married but this puts her in a very bad spot. She fears no one would believe that she did not know about what he was doing until now and she also fears the stigma that the discovery will leave on their children. At the same time though she must do something about what she found out.
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Moneyball (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Baseball economics has long a source of serious debate amongst fans, players, and teams. The contentious issues of how to divide the revenue in an equitable manner led to the cancellation of the playoffs and World Series in 1994 and is still largely unresolved today. While smaller market teams are given funds from a luxury tax imposed on larger payroll teams, it still fails to provide an even competitive playing field when large market teams, such as the New York Yankees, can field teams with a $225 million-plus payroll while the smaller market teams have to make do with budgets often under $40 million.
Naturally, this has put many teams at a competitive disadvantage and most feel that they have no chance to win long-term, even as they develop cheap homegrown talent in their minor-league systems. They lose said talent to the larger market clubs once players become eligible for free agency. It is against this backdrop that the new film “Moneyball” starring Brad Pitt is set.
The film was based on the book of the same name which tells the story and philosophy of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane. Beane was a highly recruited baseball player at a high school who turned down a scholarship to Stanford for his shot at the major leagues. Unfortunately for Beane, his career was a major disappointment punctuated with numerous stops between the pros and the minor leagues which resulted in a very mediocre and forgettable career.
Beane got himself a job as a scout and in time worked his way to being the general manager of the Oakland A’s. As the film opens, Oakland has just lost a deciding Game 5 the New York Yankees, whose payroll at the time was almost $120 million greater than Oaklands. Adding further insult to injury, Oakland is unable to re-sign its three biggest stars as they accept large contracts with the Yankees, Red Sox, and other large market teams.
Unable to get any additional funds from his owner, Beane travels to Cleveland in an attempt to find affordable talent via trades. Beane is categorically rebuffed and told that he couldn’t afford many of the players that he’s asking about and that the ones he can afford are not be available to him.
Beane notices a young man, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) during the negotiations, whose quiet input was heeded by the Indians, even though this is Peter’s first job since graduating from Yale with an economics degree. Beane gets Peter to confide in him about his beliefs that the traditional baseball method for evaluating talent is all wrong and that there is a better way to do it.
Intrigued, Beane hires Brand to be his assistant general manager and the two set out to rebuild the Oakland A’s on a budget. Needless to say this does not sit well with many of the talent scouts or manager Art Howe (a very believable Phillip Seymour Hoffman), who sees the recruiting of washed-up has-beens and never-weres by Beane as misguided and ridiculous.
But Beane and Brand are determined, and using statistical formula that looks at such things as on-base percentages and runs scored as opposed to batting average, home runs, and RBIs, the A’s quickly put together an unlikely team. It doesn’t immediately play out well for the hopeful general manager because Howe is unwilling to play many of the new players that have been brought on. Oakland quickly sinks to the bottom of the league, and many begin to question the sanity of Bean’s approach, to the point that even his young daughter worries that his days as a general manager are numbered.
The film does a good job at showing the inner workings of baseball and Pitt does an amazing job showing the complex nature of Beane. He is a single father dealing with the failure of his playing career, and his inability to get Oakland to be a consistant winner. He puts everything he has into this so-called outrageous scheme and is willing to see it through no matter the cost. Chris Pratt does great supporting work as Scott Hatteberg, one of Beane’s reclamation projects as does Stephen Bisop as aging major-league slugger David Justice.
The film stays very true to historical events and shows the characters as they are, flaws and all. While a true story, Peter Brand, is a fictional charcter based on Paul DePodesta who introduced Beane to the analytical principles of sabermetrics. The movie remains a very interesting character study as well as an examination of the delicate relationships between players, front offices, and ownership where wins and dollars are paramount even when many teams are struggling to make do with less.
That being said the film was a very enjoyable and realistic look at the inner workings of baseball that should not be missed.
Naturally, this has put many teams at a competitive disadvantage and most feel that they have no chance to win long-term, even as they develop cheap homegrown talent in their minor-league systems. They lose said talent to the larger market clubs once players become eligible for free agency. It is against this backdrop that the new film “Moneyball” starring Brad Pitt is set.
The film was based on the book of the same name which tells the story and philosophy of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane. Beane was a highly recruited baseball player at a high school who turned down a scholarship to Stanford for his shot at the major leagues. Unfortunately for Beane, his career was a major disappointment punctuated with numerous stops between the pros and the minor leagues which resulted in a very mediocre and forgettable career.
Beane got himself a job as a scout and in time worked his way to being the general manager of the Oakland A’s. As the film opens, Oakland has just lost a deciding Game 5 the New York Yankees, whose payroll at the time was almost $120 million greater than Oaklands. Adding further insult to injury, Oakland is unable to re-sign its three biggest stars as they accept large contracts with the Yankees, Red Sox, and other large market teams.
Unable to get any additional funds from his owner, Beane travels to Cleveland in an attempt to find affordable talent via trades. Beane is categorically rebuffed and told that he couldn’t afford many of the players that he’s asking about and that the ones he can afford are not be available to him.
Beane notices a young man, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) during the negotiations, whose quiet input was heeded by the Indians, even though this is Peter’s first job since graduating from Yale with an economics degree. Beane gets Peter to confide in him about his beliefs that the traditional baseball method for evaluating talent is all wrong and that there is a better way to do it.
Intrigued, Beane hires Brand to be his assistant general manager and the two set out to rebuild the Oakland A’s on a budget. Needless to say this does not sit well with many of the talent scouts or manager Art Howe (a very believable Phillip Seymour Hoffman), who sees the recruiting of washed-up has-beens and never-weres by Beane as misguided and ridiculous.
But Beane and Brand are determined, and using statistical formula that looks at such things as on-base percentages and runs scored as opposed to batting average, home runs, and RBIs, the A’s quickly put together an unlikely team. It doesn’t immediately play out well for the hopeful general manager because Howe is unwilling to play many of the new players that have been brought on. Oakland quickly sinks to the bottom of the league, and many begin to question the sanity of Bean’s approach, to the point that even his young daughter worries that his days as a general manager are numbered.
The film does a good job at showing the inner workings of baseball and Pitt does an amazing job showing the complex nature of Beane. He is a single father dealing with the failure of his playing career, and his inability to get Oakland to be a consistant winner. He puts everything he has into this so-called outrageous scheme and is willing to see it through no matter the cost. Chris Pratt does great supporting work as Scott Hatteberg, one of Beane’s reclamation projects as does Stephen Bisop as aging major-league slugger David Justice.
The film stays very true to historical events and shows the characters as they are, flaws and all. While a true story, Peter Brand, is a fictional charcter based on Paul DePodesta who introduced Beane to the analytical principles of sabermetrics. The movie remains a very interesting character study as well as an examination of the delicate relationships between players, front offices, and ownership where wins and dollars are paramount even when many teams are struggling to make do with less.
That being said the film was a very enjoyable and realistic look at the inner workings of baseball that should not be missed.