Southpaw

Wiggen, a big, burly lefthander who grew up halfway between New York and Albany, pitches as much with his head as his arm, and he tends to be somewhat out of synch with everyone around him--parents, teammates, coaches, even his girlfriend; no one has a grip on him. The novel traces the arc of his life from the small town where he grew up to his thrashing around the bush leagues to the spotlight that's on him every time he takes the mound for the fabled, fictional New York Mammoths. Through Wiggen, Harris takes the pulse of postwar America; what he finds is sometimes funny, sometimes disturbing, sometimes poignant, and always absorbing. Like a good pitch, Harris hurls a classic novel with considerable pace, plenty of movement, and a knack for artfully catching life's corners instead of powering its way obviously right down the pipe. --Jeff Silverman

Book Description
This is a story about coming of age in America by way of the baseball diamond. Lefthander Henry Wiggen, six foot three, 195 pounds, and the greatest pitcher going, grows to manhood in a righthanded world.

From his small-town beginnings to the top of the game, Henry finds out how hard it is to please his coach, his girl, the sports page and himself all at once. Written in Henry's own words, this exuberant, funny novel follows his course from bush league to the World Series.

"A great book, highly dramatic, colorful and absorbingly exciting." (Saturday Review)

Download Description
A classic baseball story featuring lefthanded pitcher Henry Wiggens.

The story reads like an autobiography of a rookie pitcher in his first season with the New York team. This style predates the several nonfiction books of athletes writing about a season in their career. Although the time period is several decades ago, the material is still relevant for any true baseball fan.

The main character is shown through his writings as developing from a single minded adolescent into a maturing adult. The story is especially good in having two strong females who are not stereotypical characters. The supporting characters are believable and fun in a Damon Runyon like way. I strongly recommend this book as an example of sports fiction at its best.


A Great Book on Baseball and Life   February 17, 2002
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Mark Harris' first installment in the Henry Wiggen series (there are four books total) is one of the finest baseball novels written. "The Southpaw" is the story of left-handed pitching phenom Henry Wiggen and his early career as a professional baseball star.

The novel is told in the form of Henry Wiggen's diary and the writing does take some getting used to as Henry's prose isn't particularly high caliber. It is, however, very real and its simplicity adds to the novel's sense of realism. Henry begins by talking about his father's (also a pitcher) career and then proceeds to discuss (briefly) his own high school career, his brief minor league career, and finally (in much more detail) his first season as a major leaguer.

The novel takes place in the early 1950s and as you read Henry's account you will be transported back in time to when ball players' contracts were in the $1K range and pitchers pitched 16-inning ball games and pitched on two-days rest. It's a great baseball book in that it gives some insight into the art of pitching and being a ballplayer in general, but it's much more than that. And those without an extensive knowledge of the wonderful game of baseball won't be lost or confused in reading it (it's not overly technical). Henry's essentially a young adult (early twenties at the end of the novel) and his growth experiences are listed (by Henry) right alongside his baseball experiences. "The Southpaw" is a fascinating read and provides a nice glimpse into baseball life (and life in general) in early 1950s America.

A great book and highly recommended reading--particularly for fans of baseball.


Baseball as Americana   August 21, 2001
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Mark Harris wrote perhaps the finest baseball novel ever with "The Southpaw." The book portrays the coming of age of a young left-handed pitching prodigy, Henry Wiggen, as he tries to make his mark in the majors in the 1950s. The book is written as a memoir by Wiggen himself after his rookie season with the New York Mammoths. The Mammoths are chasing a pennant and Wiggen is seeking to become "an immortal" and a man. Laconic, wry, amusing and gripping all at the same time, Wiggen's memoir slowly but surely draws in the reader. I had to get up at 5 in the morning to finish the last 100 pages to find out what happened to Henry and the Mammoths. Truly a "perfect game" for Harris.