In Days Of Awe

With his life torn apart by gambling allegations, a suspension from baseball, the breakup of his marriage, and facing the scorn of fans, former star pitcher Joe Singer holes up in Southern California trying to put his life back together

During the Days of Awe, which fall between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews ask forgiveness from those they've sinned against. Nearly everyone in Goodman's immensely appealing second novel (after The First Time I Saw Jenny Hall ) wants forgiveness, including Joe Singer: "born to a boy's adventure tale, he'd landed ass-up in tragedy." The adventure was becoming baseball's best pitcher; the tragedy was being banned for "throwing" a game; put up to the scam by his father, Joe feels he has shamed his race, his team and himself. Recently moved to California, Joe seeks atonement from "the wrathful God of Jewish athletes" after his Monday-and-Wednesday affair (he has another woman on Tuesdays and Thursdays) is violently ended by a psychotic husband. He falls in love with Frannie, who wants forgiveness for hateful thoughts she's harbored since her father ax-murdered her mother. But Frannie lives with Des, an activist minister who runs a shelter and heads up a political campaign for gun control. Joe finally finds atonement, but only after he surmounts danger and guilt in equal measure through a series of funny, suspenseful events. Although readers may want Joe to lighten up, readers will enjoy this introspective yet briskly paced novel that never takes itself too seriously. Author tour.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is a novel about redemption and about being a Jew. The hero, disgraced pitcher Jewish Joe Singer (he is accused of throwing a game), is trying to atone for his betrayals--of his father, of the women in his life, of all Jews (who have precious few Jewish athletic heroes), and of baseball. Disregarding the fact that he is being stalked by the murderer of a former lover, he works with runaway youths and campaigns publicly for gun control. He also tries to obtain the forgiveness of the commissioner of baseball--who is less forgiving than God. This author is not in Chaim Potok's class, but the book may appeal to the same audience.
- Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, Ia.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.