Karen's Reviews > Calico Joe

Catching up…

Oh, how I love my neighbors and their generosity to my Little Free Library Shed. And, it just so happens that this one is going to be a discussion book for the Mobile Public Library in August which I have been invited to attend via Zoom. So, I am looking forward to the discussion. It was nice to re-visit this book again and catch up with all the characters.

Of course, this is not the typical Grisham. I love Grisham for his courtroom dramas. But he has been known to write other stories that have tugged at the heartstrings, and garnering readers attention.

So, if this isn’t courtroom drama, or a legal thriller, what is it?

Well. It is one of Grisham’s favorite pastimes, baseball. And even though baseball may not be a favorite type of story for me to read, it was something I enjoyed watching as a spectator in my younger days living in Southern California. (I was a Dodgers and Angels fan.)

And, this turned out to be quite a compelling and heart-felt story. So, I am grateful to have let myself be open to a different kind of reading experience.

This is a sweet, simple story. A story with a moral. Most importantly, a story about the importance of forgiveness.

“It’s known as the restorative powers of forgiveness.”

Joe Castle is a 21-year-old rather talented rookie first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His nickname is the name of the book, Calico Joe. His nickname comes from his hometown of Calico Rock, Arkansas. His talent is all those homeruns he seems to hit every time he comes to bat!

Unfortunately, there is a pitcher, Warren Tracey who doesn’t play fair, and his intentions are to challenge batters which sometimes include throwing balls directly at batter’s heads. Will he do this to Joe?

And then there is the pitcher’s son, Paul, the narrator of the story, who knows that ball is coming but, stands silent as he watches the pitch.

What is going to happen next will leave readers spellbound. But it doesn’t happen right away. Grisham builds to that moment. And when it finally does…many lives will be changed, including Paul’s.

And that is what keeps readers turning pages in this captivating, easy-to-read, beautifully written story.

What will happen years later is what brings this story to its amazing climax. Including the emotions of its readers.

Is redemption possible? Perhaps Kleenex might be welcome in this moment.

But that isn’t the only moment. There is more. Keep reading to its very satisfying end. You’ll need the Kleenex again.