Do you like baseball? Are you sick of the strike? If so, how about trying some classic, juicy baseball stories. I am referring to Bernard Malamud's The Natural.

The Natural describes the life of a talented baseball player, Roy Hobbs, who has missed his time to play as a young rookie due to an unfortunate incident at the beginning of the story. By the time he is able to play to his potential, Hobbs finds success on the Brooklyn Knights team. The Natural describes Hobbs' impact on the Knights from their infamous seasons to their glorified year to the pennant.

The detailed story covers all the aspects of the MVP's life playing baseball. It includes his passions, his love life, his troubles with the team, and the corruption existing in baseball.

Although The Natural is a true account, it is, in fact, the greatest story describing a baseball player's lifestyle because the readers can understand it and see how each event leads to the next, how love can lead to misfortune, how hatred can lead to catastrophes, and how greed can overcome devotion.

By reading Malamud's classic, one can develop an understanding of baseball. Although Roy Hobbs wasn't a "natural" at the end, the book shows the readers the "natural" style of baseball and lives revolving around it. Review by A. H., Westerly, RI