The All-American
A Novel
About
"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
Endorsements
"The very best kind of novel--with characters you instantly love and cheer for, sparkling prose, and a sense of nostalgia that brings to vivid life the dreams and challenges of another time and the timeless longings of the heart. Bravo, Susie Finkbeiner--The All-American is an absolute winner."
Tosca Lee, New York Times bestselling author
"In The All-American, Finkbeiner pens two remarkable and unforgettable heroines growing up during the deceptively peaceful year of 1952, as the House Un-American Activities Committee gets underway, turning neighbor against neighbor. You'll root for Bertha, Flossie, and the entire Harding clan as they navigate love, life, and loss in this charming coming-of-age story. A true home run from start to finish!"
Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The London House and A Shadow in Moscow
"Marked by an immersive time period, distinctive voices, and rich character depth, The All-American is everything you'd expect from a Finkbeiner book . . . and so much more. This beautifully layered tale explores loyalty in its many forms, causing the reader to truly probe where our deepest allegiance lies when life gets hard--with our families, our country, or our God. A deeply moving must-read."
Jennifer L. Wright, author of If It Rains, Come Down Somewhere, and The Girl from the Papers
"The All-American stopped me in my tracks. The voices of the two sisters were pitch perfect and hooked me right away so that I couldn't put this story down. I loved the era, the lessons, the baseball . . . everything! This is Susie Finkbeiner's best one yet. 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. The All-American will draw you into the lives of the Harding family, and you won't be able to help rooting for them at every turn--whether it be the woes familiar to coming of age or those of historical significance. This story will remain wrapped around your heart long after the final page is read, and you'll wish you could call up Flossie and Bertha and ask them to be your best friends forever."
Amanda Cox, Christy Award‑winning author of The Edge of Belonging and The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery
"Susie Finkbeiner positively hits this one out of the park! The All-American is layered, nuanced, captivating, and thought-provoking. The exploration of the all-American sport and the great American novelist juxtaposed against this historical backdrop is truly striking. I cried, I laughed, I cared deeply about the characters thanks to Finkbeiner's brilliant characterization, and I'm still pondering after closing the last page. All the markings of a standout story and a storyteller who has honed her craft until it sings. As Bert would say: 'What a gal!'"
Amanda Dykes, Christy Award Book of the Year author and author of All the Lost Places, Yours Is the Night, and other novels
"The All-American is a pure delight to read. Finkbeiner gives us characters real enough to love and stories that are honest enough to speak into our own sorrows. I didn't want the book to end!"
K.J. Ramsey, therapist and author of The Book of Common Courage and The Lord Is My Courage
"Once again, Susie Finkbeiner has written an absorbing story with characters who feel like family by the end. Kid sister Flossie faces the trials of life with irrepressible spunk, and older sister Bertha will reignite your hope that chasing your dreams is worth the heartache. You can't help but root for both sisters as they discover who they were meant to be beyond the veil of fear."
Sara Brunsvold, author of The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
"Honestly, you had me at baseball. But even beyond the greatest sport on earth, I thoroughly enjoyed this ride. Pick up the bat, get in the box, and dig in--Susie Finkbeiner is simply a great writer."
Buck Storm, author, songwriter, recording artist
The Author
-
Bree Rose Photos Susie Finkbeiner
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...
Continue reading about Susie Finkbeiner