- Paperback: 112 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber (1 April 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571224768
- ISBN-13: 978-0571224760
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.6 x 1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 663,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Dana's the toast of the art world - a hot property. So when her work hits a crisis she goes into decline. Holed up in a psychiatric hospital, she's looking for help. It comes, not from her insurance company, but from some unlikely friends and the inspirational swing of baseball legend Darryl Strawberry.
The Sweetest Swing in Baseball received its world première at the Royal Court Theatre, London in March 2004.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
i had never read the book before but seeing my idol the wondeful Gillian Anderson perform and bring this brilliant story to life made me want to read it again. it sits pride of place on my bookshelf. a powerful psychological story. a must read
caroline pitcher
caroline pitcher
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A different direction for Gilman
13 Oct 2007
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Rebecca Gilman has always been a social issue writer. From topics such as stalking in 'Boy Gets Girl' to modern racism in 'Spinning Into Butter', Gilman was always searching to tackle issues that face our times.
Gilman moves away from that direction in her newest work, "The Sweetest Swing In Baseball", and while there is a minor issue here about art and what makes it important, that topic is very much on the backburner, not front and center as it is with her other plays.
Gilman's new technique is to just tell a story. While this may not sound problematic, it doesn't quite pan out here. I'm not saying that "The Sweetest Swing In Baseball" doesn't tell a good story, actually it can be quite entertaining and charming at times, it just doesn't have the scope and vision of her previous works. There's not really much of a message behind the words. Much like Kenneth Lonergan's "Lobby Hero", this seems to be a case of a potentially great playwright merely treading water, not swimming forward.
One way that Gilman's play does benefit from this new direction though is in her sparse style. Gilman has always been a sparse writer. Her scenes are short and to the point. Here that actually helps the play as it makes it harder to detect the fact that there isn't really any depth.
Gilman still utilizes her quick wit and there are some cutting lines and scenes. I have always enjoyed her ability to write characters that speak like normal, everyday, real people and not hyperarticulate, dictionary-memorizing creations. That talent is still very much on display in this piece and I am thankful for that.
Although I'd like to see Gilman return to form in her next work, this play is still entertaining and most modern audiences would probably enjoy a production of it.
Gilman moves away from that direction in her newest work, "The Sweetest Swing In Baseball", and while there is a minor issue here about art and what makes it important, that topic is very much on the backburner, not front and center as it is with her other plays.
Gilman's new technique is to just tell a story. While this may not sound problematic, it doesn't quite pan out here. I'm not saying that "The Sweetest Swing In Baseball" doesn't tell a good story, actually it can be quite entertaining and charming at times, it just doesn't have the scope and vision of her previous works. There's not really much of a message behind the words. Much like Kenneth Lonergan's "Lobby Hero", this seems to be a case of a potentially great playwright merely treading water, not swimming forward.
One way that Gilman's play does benefit from this new direction though is in her sparse style. Gilman has always been a sparse writer. Her scenes are short and to the point. Here that actually helps the play as it makes it harder to detect the fact that there isn't really any depth.
Gilman still utilizes her quick wit and there are some cutting lines and scenes. I have always enjoyed her ability to write characters that speak like normal, everyday, real people and not hyperarticulate, dictionary-memorizing creations. That talent is still very much on display in this piece and I am thankful for that.
Although I'd like to see Gilman return to form in her next work, this play is still entertaining and most modern audiences would probably enjoy a production of it.
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
