REVIEW: The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner
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.
CW: Past death of a child (description sounds like SIDS), past issues with alcoholism, bullying,
Spoiler: Show
Dear Ms. Finkbeiner,
Can I be honest and say that it was the cover that caught my eye? I also love the idea of a young baseball crazy teen who dreams of being in the All American Girls Baseball League. In fact I was so focused on her that I almost missed that there is a second, younger, sister who grabs the stage whenever she’s in a scene. I also wanted to know how the accusations against their father would play out.
Bertha (Yes, for a heroine with a period name!) Harding knows she doesn’t want to be learning how to make a pie crust but that’s what young girls were taught in home-ec. Her lopsided pie won’t win any prizes but her father treats it as if it’s gold. Bert would much rather be playing baseball with the neighborhood boys. After finally being allowed to show what she can do, she’s been a regular with them – just “one of the boys.” So it takes her aback when Leo asks to hold her books when they walk home and then invites her to the spring dance.
Flossie (Florence but Mam only calls Flossie that when Flossie is in trouble) is the reader of the two sisters. Tiny for her age, Flossie has been subjected to name calling and bullying in school but she’s feisty. The library is her refuge (yay) and book heroines have helped her through being an outcast. Impulsive Flossie doesn’t have much of a filter and if she thinks something she says it. Often things just tumble out of her mouth. Older brother Chip is now married and out of the house but still a vibrant presence in family life.
Their father, a well-known liberal author, works in a shed in their back yard while their English mother keeps the house spic and span. It’s a loving family but there are distressing things in the family’s past including a younger brother who died in infancy. Things take a painful turn when a neighbor, pressured to “name names,” denounces Mr. Harding as a member of the Communist party. Just like that, both sisters are shunned and taunted, Mrs. Harding is having to drive two towns over to find a store that will sell food to her, and rocks are thrown through their windows.
Mr. Harding might want to tough things out but Mam has had enough. After they move across state to live with Uncle Matthew, Flossie discovers a friend but has to make a choice about the type of wider acceptance she’s always wanted. It turns out that Uncle Matthew has connections and helps Bert try out for her dream. But life still has some fastballs to throw.
The historical detail in this book is wonderful. It also makes me want to pull out my copy of “A League of Their Own” (yes, I realize that movie was set in the 40s and this book in the early 50s). Mam’s strength and no-nonsense attitude defy anyone to think of her as a mere housewife. Bert keeps pushing until she’s accepted by the boys as an equal on the diamond. Flossie – well she’s pushy in her own way and probably gets away with a bit more than she should be allowed in 1952 but I bet she comes into her own (well, based on the epilogue I know she does) in the 60s.
I love the family’s tight-knit relationship. Despite the fact that they seem to resemble “Father Knows Best,” the Hardings have their quirks and issues which make them seem real, including past alcoholism. Still Mr. Harding is the type of father who listens to and mentally challenges his children, loves his wife, and responds thoughtfully to the charges against him. The sweet is mixed with bittersweet yet the overall feeling is hopeful. I wonder about a few subplots. Shy Uncle Matthew is a character I would like to have seen fleshed out a bit more while Flossie’s friend Lizzie had a background that was never really explained. There is an epilogue that while it confirms my thoughts on how Flossie would develop gives no hints about Bert.
This is the type of book I think of as one that practically reads itself. The pages flew by and I wanted to know “what happened next.” While it’s from Revell, the faith issues are very subtly handled with the Harding family being religious but not pushing it at the reader. There’s even a bit about why Mr, Harding no longer attends church. It’s my first time reading a Susie Finkbeiner book but I plan to look for more. B
~Jayne
AmazonBNKoboBook DepositoryGoogle
Jayne, just wanted to say I’m reading this now and it’s very good – if really feels like a YA novel, and that’s not a criticism.
@Tanya: It does feel like YA and thanks for mentioning that. I need to add it to the tags. Glad to hear you’re enjoying it.