The Art of Fielding A Novel

At Westish College, the baseball star Henry Skrimshander flourishes until one of his throws goes disastrously off course. In the aftermath of the error, the fates of five people are upended. Henry finds himself mired in self-doubt, his life's purpose called into question. Guert Affenlight, the college's president, has fallen helplessly in love. Mike Schwartz, the student-coach, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. Owen Glass, Henry's gay roommate, is caught in his own drama of unexpected love. And Pella Affenlight, the president's daughter, has returned to Westish after an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life. As the season counts down to its climax, these five confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. Written with an almost superhuman affection and insight into character and emotion, THE ART OF FIELDINGis a tender depiction of young people finding their paths and a riveting exploration of ambition, family, and love.

Chad Harbach grew up in Wisconsin, and graduated from Harvard in 1997. He was a Henry Hoyns Fellow at the University of Virginia, where he received an MFA in Fiction in 2004. He is currently a co-editor of n+1, which he cofounded, and lives in Virginia.