Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Lose Yourself is a riveting and passionately written sports tale which effectively emphasizes the power and allure of baseball. Wetzel's accessible novel keenly illustrates how baseball can profoundly affect the lives of everyone it touches, both on and off the field.
Prose: Wetzel's text is effervescent, vividly telling Brett Austen's story with wit and panache. He confidently builds tension and drama with a scrupulous attention to detail that really brings the "in-game" scenes to life.
Originality: Written with verve and style, Lose Yourself effectively covers all bases: life, love and sports. Wetzel brilliantly captures the magic of sport as well as offering up an often touching and sentimental study of family dynamics.
Character/Execution: Brett Austen is the central focus of Lose Yourself, but other characters such as sports reporter Dana Peck are equally fascinating. Wetzel expertly handles the emotional struggless between his well-developed characters with naturalistic and involving dialogue.
Blurb: A candid and vibrant sports drama.
Date Submitted: April 08, 2024
Wetzel’s writing sizzles like a fastball in the afternoon sun. In Lose Yourself, he offers a riveting glimpse into the psyche of all-star slugger Brett Austen and his pursuit of baseball history. Equally fascinating are the interwoven stories of a half-dozen characters outside of the spotlight who, like Austen, have life-altering choices to make while consumed with their own personal dreams and demons. It all culminates in the last game of the season where on the fateful day there is much more at stake than the final score. Couldn’t put this book down!
While Brett Austen may be the focal point, the All-Star's quest for .400 touches the lives of everyone from sideline reporters and ushers to lemonade hawkers and fans. Wetzel's second novel weaves their stories as the tension builds over nine innings on the final dramatic day of the season.
A kaleidoscopic look at the power and beauty of the sport both on and off the field, Lose Yourself is ample proof that baseball is life. Written with a keen eye for humanity, and wrapped around a story of high stakes, Vince Wetzel's latest novel is a powerful contemplation on choices we make and how we keep score. Baseball fans will gobble this up.
With Lose Yourself, Vince Wetzel has skillfully crafted six engrossing stories about life, love and baseball. And really, what else is there?
Six stories wrapped around one baseball game? Only Wetzel's vivid storytelling can do something like that! Weaving everything (and every character) together beautifully, I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what was next. Sports knowledge is not required - everyone will love this!
