The All-American : Book Review

Do you like baseball? Are you fan of the movie, "A League of Their Own,?" Perhaps you're familiar with the 1950s Red Scare during the McCarthyism in America. If any of these topics raised an eyebrow, then I highly recommend Susie Finkbeiner's novel, "The All-American".

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THE ALL-AMERICAN

BY: SUSIE FINKBEINER

PUBLISHED BY: REVELL

GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION - 1950s

Quick Summary

• Historical Fiction

• Dual Character POV (Point of Views)

• Coming of Age

• Strong Family Upbringings

Book Summary

It's the 1950s where most girls dream of getting married, raising children, and keeping house. Not Bertha Harding. She dreams of being a Workington Sweet Pea for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Her sister, Flossie, has different ambitions, primarily found in the books she reads. But when their father is accused of being a Communist, their whole lives change drastically overnight. Yet dreams are hard to kill for Bertha when the chance arrives to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas. Against all odds, this coming-of-age story will show the thrill of chasing our dreams and remembering where we truly belong.

Thoughts

I could not get past that striking red book cover. I've seen this book shared on Bookstagram with great reviews and looked it up at my local library. I only took a little time to devour the story about the Harding Family. I loved the dynamics of the family characters, each one having their own strengths and quirks about themselves. If I was allowed to pick only one, my favorite character is Flossie. She's a reader and loves a good story. One of the memorable quotes from the book comes from Flossie:

"I decided that I was glad that I could live in a world where there are librarians."

Flossie changes the most in this story. Her adolescence shows through, believing only in happy endings and the good guys will win. Still, she soon learns endings aren't always happy, but we can fight to remember the good. 

Overall

This story was a great read in starting off my 2024 season. It gave me all the feels, from laughing to crying, because I was genuinely invested in reading about the Harding Family within each chapter. I highly recommend this one if you want a good historical fiction read.

There are a few trigger warnings: A past loss of a baby (SIDS), bullying.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.✨ (4.5 Stars)

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