Bang the Drum Slowly

Written by Mark Harris and Eric Simonson

Narrated by Ed Begley Jr., David Schwimmer and Full Cast

A new dramatization of one of the greatest baseball stories of all time. A poignant, touching, and often comic tale of a baseball team’s friendship and loyalty to a dying teammate. Adapted from the novel by Mark Harris.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Ed Begley Jr., John Freeland Jr., Henry Harris, Brent Hinkley, Bruce Nelson, Joshua Rifkind, David Robbins, Marcia Rodd, Elizabeth Ruscio, Enrique Sandino, David Schwimmer, Harry Shearer and Jonathan Silverman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works
• Release date: Jan 1, 2001
• ISBN: 9781580814102

Mark Harris

Mark Harris is a former environmental columnist with the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. His articles and essays have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, E/The Environmental Magazine, Reader's Digest, and Hope. He lives with his family in Pennsylvania. Visit his website at www.gravematters.us.

Reviews for Bang the Drum Slowly

[seriousgrace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When we rejoin Henry Wiggen he is now married to Holly and she is three months pregnant. Henry has been in the big leagues for several years and sells insurance on the side. His friend and fellow ballplayer, Bruce Pearson, is dying of cancer. Henry's life becomes a balance of baseball, family, and friendship as Bruce's condition is kept a secret from the rest of the team. Henry ("Author" as he is called by his teammates because of his first book) grows up a great deal in this second book. When Bruce's prostitute girlfriend wants Bruce to change his will Henry must step up to protect his friend. At the same time he becomes a father and a leader of the Mammoths.

[ccookie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

[Bang the Drum Slowly] by Mark HarrisFirst line:~Me and Holly were laying around in bed around 10 A.M. on a Wednesday morning when the call come (sic) ~I saw the film, with Michael Moriarity and Robert deNiro, many years ago and bought the book at a second hand bookstore, also many years ago but never read it. I was just about to pass it on, without reading it, when I saw the Spring Training Challenge and thought maybe this would be a good chance to give it a try.I did not enjoy it very much. Well, that is not entirely true. I enjoyed the basic story but I found that there was just too much baseball in it for me. My father died of Hodgkin’s Disease when I was 16 years old and, I remember being very touched when I saw the movie and was very impressed with Robert deNiro’s performance. For me the book did not have the emotional ‘punch’ that I was expecting. I guess if you are a real baseball lover, you would get more out of the book, since a lot if it is detailed information about baseball, trades, statistics etc.I would give this book 3 stars. liked it, didn't like it...

[byronemerson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I appreciated the insights into human behavior that permeated the book. Two messages from this book will be in my thoughts for the next few days: 1) Sometimes, we don't start living until we truly understand that we are dying. 2) Friends can make living worthwhile. And there is the bonus thought, that you can be a better friend that you think you are.