Synopsis
Considered by many to be the greatest baseball novel ever written, this classic morality tale features one of the most memorable characters in all of literature, Roy Hobbs -- a talented athlete whose promising career is derailed by a youthful indiscretion. When Roy makes a comeback as an aging player, his struggle to achieve greatness in the midst of recreant temptations becomes the subject of an epic story about our national need for heroes and our simultaneous desire to see them fail.
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Review
Roy Hobbs, the protagonist of The Natural, makes the mistake of pronouncing aloud his dream: to be the best there ever was. Such hubris, of course, invites divine intervention, but the brilliance of Bernard Malamud's novel is the second chance it offers its hero, elevating him--and his story--into the realm of myth.
About the Author
Bernard Malamud, one of America's most important novelists and short-story writers, was born in Brooklyn in 1914. He took his B.A. degree at the City College of New York and his M.A. at Colombia University. From 1940 to 1949 he taught in various New York schools, and then joined the staff of Oregon State University, where he stayed until 1961. Thereafter, he taught at Bennington State College, Vermont. His remarkable, and uncharacteristic first novel, The Natural, appeared in 1952. Malamud received international acclaim with the publication of The Assistant (1957, winner of the Rosenthal Award and the Daroff Memorial Award). His other works include The Magic Barrel (1958, winner of the National Book Award), Idiots First (1963, short stories), The Fixer (1966, winner of a second National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize), Pictures of Fidelman (1969), The Tenants (1971), Rembrandt's Hat (1973, short stories), Dubin's Lives (1979) and God's Grace (1982). Bernard Malamud was made a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters, USA, in 1964, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1967, and won a major Italian award, the Premio Mondello, in 1985. Benard Malamud died in 1986.
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The Natural
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 959230-75
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The Natural
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 45650106-6
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The Natural
Seller: Foxtrot Books, Yankton, SD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Trade Paperback. Condition: Fair. Book- Fair. 241 pp. All books are clean and unmarked unless stated. Seller Inventory # 13872
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0809435942I5N00
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
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Unknown. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0809435942I5N00
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Unknown. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0809435942I5N00
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: Cotton Candy Books, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
unknown_binding. Condition: Good. Good: A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, highlighting of text, writing in margins. No missing pages. Seller Inventory # mon0000001696
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
unknown_binding. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_452617149
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The Natural (Time Reading Program Special Edition)
Published by
Time-Life Books, Inc., 1980
ISBN 10: 0809435942
ISBN 13: 9780809435944
Used
Trade Paperback
Seller: Gavin's Books, Santa Maria, CA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Trade Paperback. Condition: Used - Very Good. Minor yellowing to book block, label of former owner on inside cover, binding tight with no spine creases. Seller Inventory # 86020
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The natural (Time reading program special edition)
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. Paperback edition. (Classic literature, baseball, sports fiction, American literature). Seller Inventory # S05Q-00040