Shoeless Joe

By W. P. Kinsella

The book that inspired the movie Field of Dreams.

The voice of a baseball announcer tells the Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella: "If you build it, he will come."

"He" is Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ray's hero.

"It" is a baseball stadium which Ray carves out of his cornfield.

Like the movie FIELD OF DREAMS that was made from this novel, SHOELESS JOE is about baseball. But it's also about love and the power of dreams to make people come alive….

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Mar 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9780007517756

W. P. Kinsella

William Patrick Kinsella, OC, OBC (born May 25, 1935) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. His work has often concerned baseball, First Nations people, and other Canadian issues.

Reviews for Shoeless Joe

[martinhughharvey_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook. This was the Kinsella book that became the movie 'Field of Dreams'. Can't recall the movie well enough to say how it differs but the book was delightful. The nostalgia and love for the wonderful game and pastime were palpable. What also touched me was Ray's earthy love for his wife Annie - nothing graphic but earthy and lovely. This really is a mystical, feel good masterpice.

[gatorhater · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the novel where "Field of Dreams" was written, watched the movie as I read throughout the book.

[scott_hercher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is difficult to read this book after seeing the movie. The film is, of course, a classic baseball movie, and so I found myself anticipating certain scenes, and noticing that certain lines occur in different parts of the story, and are even uttered by different characters. (For example, "Is this heaven?" in the book is asked by Joe Jackson, not Ray's father.) There are major characters that don't appear in the film (Eddie Scissons). Further, the story in the book spans a much longer time than the movie.

Nevertheless, the fundamental drama remains just as compelling. The additional characters add depth & complexity to the story. Scissons in particular gives a speech on baseball as religion that, while intentionally simplistic, combines with Salinger's speech on how baseball has always been the one constant theme in America, helps explain why no other sport can ever capture the imagination of the American public the way baseball can.

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I picked this off of my bookshelf to honor the memory of the author, who just passed away last Friday. This particular copy is the one I bought at the Field of Dreams in Iowa on 9-16-01! (I know the date because I left the receipt in the book!) Literally exactly 15 years before he died! Super crazy, huh? If I read it, will HE come (back)? Eee... I also left a leaf of husk from an ear of corn in that field, and it's still in there, between pages 250-251! I had intended to use it as a bookmark, but I think it should remain where it is. wow.I loved this read! Almost all of the great lines from the movie are pulled right from these pages! It's like a long love letter to the game of baseball! Having the author be J.D. Salinger was awesome! And I loved "The Oldest Living Chicago Cub" too! Just a great baseball read! I hope Mr. Kinsella is now in his own, well deserved, field of dreams!

[tfkaplan-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is the single human resources guide for effectively dealing with federal government organizational change issues. Third edition books are available directly from the authors.

[simchaboston · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite lyrical, sometimes to the point of overindulgence. Kinsella uses more metaphors per page than some authors use in a whole book, and it can get in the way of the story. I also agree with one of the earlier reviews that the movie adaptation is better. It kept all the magic of baseball (which Kinsella does evoke quite wonderfully) while dropping the unnecessary subplots of Ray's twin brother, who happens to have a girlfriend with the same first name as Ray's wife (cue eyeroll).

[etxgardener · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was the basis for the popular movie, "Field of Dreams." Kinsella's religion is the Church of Baseball, and while this book does have a narrative thread about a baseball-loving farmer trying to reconnect with his dead father, it is really more of a vehicle to tell fanciful baseball stories. If you love the game, you'll love the book, If not, you'll find yourself wishing he'd just get one with it. As I'm in the former category, I loved it.

[jessibud2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I love baseball and I truly adored the movie (Field of Dreams) adapted from this book. So when I found this unabridged audiobook at the library, I was delighted. In my experience, it isn't often that a film is better than the book it is based on but in this case, I would have to say, this was a shocking disappointment.W.P. Kinsella has written many books and as far as I know, is an acclaimed writer. But this audiobook, on 9 discs, was almost painful to listen to. For one thing, it is unfortunate (and no fault of the author) but I didn't like the reader's voice. It was kind of nasal and whiny and just grated on my ears. But the major thing that bothered me was the writing style. Someone must have told Kinsella when he was young to use lots of description in his writing. He listened. Nearly every sentence was filled with adjectives, metaphors and similes to the point where I was cringing. It's one thing to paint a picture in words for a reader. It's quite another to go completely overboard. What I knew as a lovely tale (on film) turned out to be a story told in florid language that just went on for far too long. Perhaps Kinsella wrote other, better stories. But I doubt I'll be seeking them out. I would see the film again, though.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The movie Field of Dreams is based on this novel. As is usually the case, the book is better than the movie, although the movie is great. I don't generally read a lot of sports-related novels, but this one is good. If you are a baseball fan and truly appreciate the nuances of the game, you will enjoy this. What's interesting to me is that the character of Terence Mann in the movie is actually J. D. Salinger in the novel, which adds a literary twist I found fascinating.

[bostonian71 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite lyrical, sometimes to the point of overindulgence. Kinsella uses more metaphors per page than some authors use in a whole book, and it can get in the way of the story. I also agree with one of the earlier reviews that the movie adaptation is better. It kept all the magic of baseball (which Kinsella does evoke quite wonderfully) while dropping the unnecessary subplots of Ray's twin brother, who happens to have a girlfriend with the same first name as Ray's wife (cue eyeroll).

[samsattler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just as there is comfort food, there is comfort reading. And for me, there is no better comfort reading than W.P. Kinsella’s classic baseball fantasy, Shoeless Joe. I re-read this one every few years to remind myself why I fell in love with the game in the first place – and why that romance has lasted for over 50 years now. What is not to like about a novel about baseball, family and second chances? Keep in mind that this is not Field of Dreams, the great Kevin Costner movie based on Kinsella’s novel. Shoeless Joe is better.Ray Kinsella, an accidental farmer, lives with his wife and little girl on a rented Iowa farm. Ray is still learning on the job, and things are not going well. But despite the family’s financial problems, Ray is willing to plow up a substantial portion of his cornfield when he hears what seems to be the voice of a baseball announcer saying to him, “If you build it, he will come.” Weird as that is, Ray instinctively knows that he is Shoeless Joe Jackson, one of the disgraced Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing the 1919 World Series (and his father’s favorite baseball player). So build it, he does. Building the stadium, though, is just the beginning of Ray’s quest, a quest that will lead him on a cross-country road trip to the hideaway home of reclusive author J.D. Salinger. Ray knows that he needs to bring Salinger back to his little Iowa ballpark, but he does not know why – and Salinger is having none of it, so Ray kidnaps him. On the way back to Iowa, Ray stops in Boston to deliver on the promise he made to Salinger to bring him to a game at Fenway Park if he would just get in the car. Late in the game, Ray’s personal announcer makes another appearance to give Ray and Salinger a hint about what they need to do next.Shoeless Joe is, especially for hardcore baseball fans, a thing of beauty. It is primarily a novel about the beauty of second chances. Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox get to play baseball again; Ray reconciles with the twin brother he lost track of years earlier; old men who barely missed out on the opportunity to play major league baseball get a chance to see their younger selves compete with and against ghost players from the past; Ray gets to see his father as a young man. And Ray gets a second chance to save his farm from his scheming brother-in-law.This is a book about following one’s dreams, taking chances, and joyously living the only shot at life any of us will ever be blessed to have. When I need to remind myself of these principles, I reach for Shoeless Joe. It has done the trick for three decades – and I hope there are still several more re-reads in my future.Rated at: 5.0

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Most people already know this story through the film version, Field of Dreams. For anyone who isn’t familiar with it, it’s the story of Ray, an Iowa man who builds a baseball diamond in the middle of a cornfield on his farm. A voice tells him, “If you build it, he will come.” His wife Annie supports his wild scheme with no questions and he builds the field. Soon long-dead baseball players like Shoeless Joe Jackson appear on the diamond to play baseball.On the surface the book is obviously about baseball, but as someone who isn’t a fan of the sport, I can promise it’s really about so much more. It’s about dreaming big, supporting the people you love and finding your true home. The writing is lyrical and nostalgic. I love Kinsella’s reverence for the sport. He treats both the game and the Iowa cornfields like they are something holy and precious. I’m sure that reading it as I drove through Iowa played a big part in the fact that I felt so connected to the story. We are travelers right alongside Ray on his quest to follow the instructions being given to him.Some people around him can see the magic and some can't. This aspect of the story made me think of reading. Some people pick up a book and are carried away by the beauty of the story, others get nothing from it and the experience is forgettable. I'm so grateful to be one of the ones that can see the magic.BOTTOM LINE: Pack this book in your suitcase the next time you take a road trip through the beautiful Midwestern states. It’s a reminder to appreciate all the things you love in your life and to always notice the magic.“My impulse is to turn back, but I know I won't, even though it is so easy not to do something.”“Growing up is a ritual -- more deadly than religion, more complicated than baseball, for there seem to be no rules. Everything is experienced for the first time.”“America has been erased like a blackboard, only to be rebuilt and then erased again.”"Iowa City is a town of grandfathers fighting a losing battle against time. We have a drugstore with a soda fountain," I say. "It's dark and cool and you can smell malt the air like a musty perfume. And they have a cold lemon-Cokes and sweating glasses, a lime drink called Green River, and just the best chocolate malts in America."**One major change from the book to the film is the character of the reclusive writer. The role is beautifully played by James Earl Jones in the movie, but in the book it’s J.D. Salinger!

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think everything has been said about this book already. Personal observations are: A few differences from the movie, notably the "Terrence Mann" character. Much better in the book, Ray's brother, the time sequence is switched up a little here and there, and Annie is supportive but very subdued. I read this book as a "buddy" read with my husband. I think there were a few time when the author went off on rants and my husband sort of tuned out.But, other than that this was a whale of a read. I'm not even a baseball fan!

[tgraettinger_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the book that became the movie, "Field of Dreams". Love 'em both (the book and the movie).

[davidpwhelan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story about following ones dreams, no matter how crazy they seem. Ray Kinsella hears a voice and sees a vision that sets him off on a quest to build a baseball diamond and bring back those who can appreciate it. W.P. Kinsella, the author, has a wonderful writing style, and his descriptions can take you into elements of Ray's trip even if you have never experienced a ball park or carnival midway. I always enjoy re-reading the book when he describes Iowa City, the university campus, and Pearson's Drugstore, which all bring back memories for a former Hawkeye.

[asauer_9 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

One of the few examples that I can think of where the movie is better than the book. Not just because they are different, but because the cliches in the book are so glaring. The movie is certainly loaded with cliches, but it works, somehow. The book is not worth the time.

[arkrayder · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this story. Its one that will stay with me, it left me in tears after reading it. It is more than a book about baseball, but cherished memories and loved ones. I was introduced to it by my Fiancee, and can't thank her enough for that. I love you Belle.

[daniel5estes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you're like me, reading Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella for the first time after being a long time fan of the movie, then you're in for a treat. Of course, if you expect it to read like a novelization of Field of Dreams, then you'll be disappointed.The story is a deliberate and passionate journey of a man following a crazy voice in his head to build a baseball field in place of the crops on his Iowa farm. He risks his family's livelihood for the sake of a dream, and because he loves his wife, daughter, Iowa and baseball. The writing is leisurely as if stretching back across the 20th century from the very time of Shoeless Joe Jackson. Give yourself time to get enveloped in this one.

[tjwilliams_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As the basis for the Best Picture nominated film Field of Dreams, it’s impossible now to read WP Kinsella’s Shoeless Joe without conjuring images of Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, and James Earl Jones. And yet, Shoeless Joe is such a timeless book that, no matter whose faces are placed in the roles of Ray Kinsella, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and JD Salinger, the depth and spirit of the story remain unchanged.Ray Kinsella’s journey, from his cornfield-turned-ballpark to Fenway Park and then to the Iron Range and Moonlight Graham’s Chisholm, Minnesota is the story of man longing for meaning in his life. He never really wanted to be a farmer, but fell in to the profession when he married a young Iowa girl and found himself incapable of leaving. When a voice tells him to mow down his corn and build left field so that, “he will come”, Kinsella does not hesitate in the slightest. He follows of the voice’s commands to the point of kidnapping JD Salinger from his secluded New Hampshire home. Kinsella needs purpose in his life beyond the day-to-day business of running his farm. Ultimately, he finds in purpose in the realization that “he” was not Shoeless Joe, but Ray’s own father, and he realizes that his entire journey brought him back to his family.

[booksandwine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am not a baseball person by any means, despite Cooperstown being 45 minutes away. Maybe that is why I did not love this book. Maybe it's because I'm a curmidgeonly young person who hates those tourists who find it in their best interest to do 30 MPH in a 45 MPH, and the main character Ray, reminded me of those tourists. To be brutally honest, I could not read this book without hearing Kevin Costner in my head. I also kept picturing James Earl Jones as the author, even though the author (JD Salinger) was white. Maybe I should take this as proof that I shouldn't watch a movie before reading a book, but I won't. What can I say? The characters were one-dimensional. The writing was akin to someone in writing class who has promise, but no voice of their own, in other words, it was conventional. The antagonist, Ray's brother in law, was continually described as twirling his moustache. Ray's wife was perfect even though her boobs were small(so I'm shallow). Ray's child was always being compared to flowers and nature. Lame.I think this book would be excellent for baseball fans. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to say I liked the movie better.

[miked_181283 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful story.... this is the book that the movie "Field of Dreams' was based on. The movie was great but this is better....with the book you get the full 7 course dinner not a lite version a movie can only allow. The movie does a good job and is fairly true to the book, except the character Terrance Mann (played by James Earl Jones) is actually J.D. Salinger in the book. There are a few other differences as well, and the book has Ray's brother and a couple other characters not from the movie. A great baseball book for all ages!

[calvetti_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever seen a movie - and wondered if the book was really better (you know, like they ALWAYS say)? Well, here is your chance. Most people have seen the film "Field of Dreams." That movie, staring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, and the University of Michigan's own James Earl Jones, tells the story of a man losing his farm to foreclosure because he has decided to build a baseball field in the middle of a corn field in Iowa. Once the field is built, many former players come from the field to play ball. By former players - I mean dead players - who are led by a man who is possibly the greatest baseball player of all time - "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Also - Ray Kinsella, the main character who built the field, gets a chance to see his father come back from the dead to play catch again. There are a few differences, the author that Kinsella goes to meet in Boston is JD Salinger, as opposed to the fictitious Terrance Mann played by James Earl Jones in the movie. And the book really shows more character development in Ray, his wife, JD Salinger, and "Moonlight" Graham. If you love baseball and movies, this is a must read. This book will give you a new appreciation for baseball and the small nuances of the game.

[charlie68_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Better than the movie.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ray is a man possessed by love. Love for his family, love for the sprawling farmland of Iowa, and most importantly, love for the game of baseball. It's this love that makes Ray take chances with all three. Spurred on by a mystical voice Ray builds a left field out in part of his cornfield. But, the voice doesn't stop there. Soon it has Ray driving to Vermont to kidnap J.D. Salinger and from there the adventure really begins. Battling debt, childhood devils, and indecision Ray leans on his ever-understanding wife (and later, Salinger) to build a cornfield stadium that only a few can understand. It's a magical story, perfect for Christmastime when the season is all about dreams and believing in the impossible.

[othemts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kinsella was one of my favorite authors growing up and this is one his best books. Adapted into the wonderful film "Field of Dreams", the book is even better including a more thorough back story, JD Salinger, and the oldest living Chicago Cub! Plus no one tops Kinsella's voice for baseball magic realism.

[ablueidol · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Well it’s supposed to be about dreams, magic, life and not about baseball...wrong it’s about baseball and an American understanding that baseball is a way to unlock dreams, magic, and life.But I am not an American follower of Baseball so along with Underworld by Don DeLillo it went over my head (although DeLillo’s books first chapter was a stunning, lyrical depiction of the centuries’ baseball World Series final moments). So is Shoeless Joe...stunning, lyrical writing? No, assume wooden, workaday.Think I am being harsh? Well I look forward to a story based of a brickie who puts a goal up in Norfolk. George Best then appears to help him build the football pitch and gradually all the world ** players appear (Lev Yashin as goalie, Carlos Alberto Torres, Nílton Santos as full backs, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore as centre backs etc for one last game with the Brickie’s long lost father as the ref. That I would understand so Nick Hornby get writing it. But for the moment I am sticking to the film of the book-Field of Dreams. And making a mental note to be wary of any book that has a sports theme!** run past me again how in Baseball one country = a world series whilst the 2006 World cup has 198 counties competing and over 700 million people watched the actual finals

[nesum_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those few cases in life when the movie was considerably better than the book. The conflict between the main character and his father drives the movie, but is completely absent in the novel. The changes made by Hollywood were actually wonderful.The book is okay, but it does not have that driving conflict to sustain it. I wholeheartedly recommend the film, but the book is not nearly as good.

[pctrainer98 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book at the Field of Dreams site in Iowa. I enjoyed the book. I read it after I had seen the movie several times. It was interesting to read the layout of the field. It was different then in the movie.

[simonw11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this curtesy of one of Mcrosoft Readers free book releases. It or more likely the short story it was based on. is the basis for the film Field of Dreams.An elegic book about baseball and second chances reccomended to everyone whether you give a damn about the sport or not.