"Calico Joe" is a departure from the type of book the prolific Grisham usually writes. It is a short easy read and can be completed in one or two sittings. As someone who has always been a baseball fan, I picked up the book with interest.
It is the story of a rookie, Joe Castle, who comes from Calico Rock Arkansas, thus his nick-name. The story is told through they eyes of a young boy whose father is a failing pitcher for the New York Mets. Paul Tracey, our narrator, has lost respect for his mean and foul mouthed father,Warren, the protagonist of the tale. The story takes place in 1973, a hot summer when the Cubs find themselves in a race to the top of the league, driven by the talent of the young Joe Castle. Castle in his short career racks up legendary statistics, which seem quite impossible in the real world.
The story moves along until we reach the climax when our hero faces the bully, Warren Tracey, who is pitching for the Mets on that fateful day. You may guess how the story plays out. Young Paul grows up, the men grow old, and the story evolves into the feel good ending the reader hopes for, but not one likely in real time.
The book is simply written, and may be enjoyed by a young baseball fan. An easy read for a summer's afternoon.
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