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The All-American: (Historical Women's Fiction with Woman Baseball Athlete Set in 1952) Paperback – July 11, 2023

by Susie Finkbeiner (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 175 ratings
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A 2024 Michigan Notable Book

"A moving novel, fit for inspiring any reader to dream big and believe that anything is possible."--BookPage

***

Two sisters discover how much good there is in the world--even in the hardest of circumstances

It is 1952, and nearly all the girls 16-year-old Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys--she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

When Bertha's father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down on them. Disgraced and shunned, the Hardings move to a small town to start over where the only one who knows them is shy Uncle Matthew. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she'll never forget.

Join award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner for a summer of chasing down your dreams and discovering the place you truly belong.

***

"Finkbeiner excels at illuminating history and the human condition through the voices of young people. Fans of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own will enjoy this, as will readers of women's fiction."--Library Journal

"In the vivid, episodic historical novel The All-American, a family targeted by McCarthy-era hysteria grows closer while they're awaiting justice; their dreams are kept alive despite the intrigue that ensnares them."--Foreword Reviews
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Revell
  4. Publication date
    July 11, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.92 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0800739361
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0800739362
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"An absolute winner."--Tosca Lee, New York Times bestselling author

It is 1952, and nearly all the girls Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys--she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

When Bertha's father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she'll never forget.

Join award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner for a summer of chasing down your dreams and discovering the place you truly belong.

"A true home run from start to finish!"--Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The London House and A Shadow in Moscow

"A deeply moving must-read."--Jennifer L. Wright, author of If It Rains, Come Down Somewhere, and The Girl from the Papers

"Pitch perfect. If you enjoy fiction that makes you think and makes you feel, this book is for you."--Katie Powner, author of Where the Blue Sky Begins

"Susie Finkbeiner has mastered the art of writing family stories that tenderly balance heartbreak and hope."--Amanda Cox, Christy Award‑winning author of The Edge of Belonging and The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery

About the Author

Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of All Manner of Things, which was selected as a 2020 Michigan Notable Book, as well as Stories That Bind Us, The Nature of Small Birds, and other novels. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan. Learn more at www.susiefinkbeiner.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (July 11, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0800739361
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0800739362
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.92 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 175 ratings

About the author

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Susie Finkbeiner

Susie Finkbeiner

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Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of The Nature of Small Birds, Stories That Bind Us, and The Pearl Spence Series. Her novels The All-American and All Manner of Things were both selected as Michigan Notable books.

Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
175 global ratings
The best kind of novel
5 Stars
The best kind of novel
The sweetest characters and story that made the read well worth the time and energy. The best of Susie’s novels. The best dialogue and relationships in the book. You’ll love reading it.
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Top reviews from the United States

lorried
5.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected...
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
Verified Purchase
...but so very good. It was hard to put down. The characters were well developed and it had a twist I never expected.
God knows what will happen in each of our lives. Rarely does life look like we expected.
I love baseball. I loved the movie, "A League of their Own". I love that this book tells a story with imperfect characters. Read and see. I was not disappointed.
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Kate
5.0 out of 5 stars All the feels
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
Sometimes a book comes along that after you finish, you just sit perhaps for days thinking about what a joy it was to read.

One of the best historical fiction books I have ever read. The characters became new friends that I want to visit with every year.

I laughed out loud, and I broke down and sobbed but never would I change a single moment of joy, love, and awe of reading such an incredible book such as this.
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Laura DeNooyer-Moore
4.0 out of 5 stars Two sisters coming of age in 1950s
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
This novel sets readers smack-dab into 1952 where sixteen-year-old Bertha Harding dreams of playing baseball instead of baking brownies and keeping house. The story is set in Michigan, outside Detroit. I loved the Michigan setting, the 1950s, and baseball.

If you don’t care for baseball, fear not! This book is about far more than that. 
Though slow-paced with no heart-thumping plot, this story is peopled by real, three-dimensional characters caught in family dynamics, heartaches and joys, dreams fulfilled, dreams lost. The chapters are more episodic in nature, but still riveting. That’s because the author makes your care about these people. 

Chapters alternate between Bertha and Flossie’s complementary points of view. Teenage Bertha the tomboy loves baseball. Eleven-year-old Flossie thrives on literature, much like their author father. The sisters enliven the story with their distinctive personalities and voices.

Reading this story opened my eyes to what it was like living during the Red Scare. The scariest part was the unfounded accusations—lies that destroyed reputations and uprooted families. As counterpoint, humor and a sweet high school romance lift the heaviness from time to time. Though I didn’t like aspects of the ending, I loved the family interactions throughout, the way Dad and Mam (who happens to be British!) are devoted to their family.
2 people found this helpful
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Abigail Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars A story of overcoming together
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
The All American was a book where, more than once, I wanted to jump inside its pages and shake some sense into some of the lesser characters. This was especially true when it came to the accusation that Bertha and Flossie’s father, Will, was a member of the Communist Party.

I hate to say the old adage, “History repeats itself,” but how true it is, and how true it was for this story. Because of one person’s words, neighbors who never had a squabble with the Harding family now shunned them all because of what one person said. Rocks were thrown and words painted. People all too easily believed what they heard. The search for truth, sadly, was neglected between these pages just as it is today, and it frustrated me to no end.

But drawing out the reader’s emotions in this way is what makes for a powerful story, and there’s no doubt that Susie Finkbeiner has this gift.

I appreciated how Finkbeiner chose to “attack” the situation. Despite all they’d lost, the family left their home and sought refuge and a fresh start with Will’s brother, Matthew. The move may have shaken their already rocky foundation, but the opportunities that came from it were a godsend, especially for Bertha and Flossie.

And speaking of God, He was definitely present throughout the story, though not the main focus. One of my favorite lines was when Mom told Flossie that everyone at some point has a difficulty to bear, no matter how heavy or light, and though we may not understand God’s ways, all we really need to do is trust that we’re not carrying it alone.

The Harding family was easy to like, and I enjoyed being a fly on the wall during their interactions with each other and with others. Each chapter was in the perspective of either Bertha or Flossie, and we were able to get a deeper look into their thoughts and feelings, a look into a part of their lives that may have otherwise remained hidden.

This is a story I would recommend to anyone who enjoys meeting new families and cheering them on as they overcome challenges together. And how could anyone pass up a book that also involves the AAGPBL?
3 people found this helpful
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JMattis04
5.0 out of 5 stars Family centered, great characters!
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Another read by Susie Finkbeiner that held my attention from start to finish! Not as much about communism in the storyline as I was anticipating based on the blurb, but still greatly enjoyed it and recommend!
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Sherry K
3.0 out of 5 stars This book pulls on your heart
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
This story makes you think and feel deeply. It is packed with real emotion, with real life characters. Don't miss this one.
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Josh and Marilyn Kelley
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining glimpse into mid-century middle America
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
“All American” is a well-paced, enjoyable read that introduced me both to women’s professional baseball and McCarthyism. Unlike many Christian novels, faith is very present in a way that felt natural—not a hint of preachiness. Without giving any spoilers, I can add the power of what I saw as the book’s theme: just because we don’t like a story’s ending, that doesn’t mean that the Author made a mistake.
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L. Rich
4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Women's Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2024
A sweet story about a young woman from Michigan who plays America's favorite past time, baseball. Filled with poignant stories of family, baseball, life, and death.
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