
by Len Joy
Family LifeAdded on March 30, 2026
He's a baseball player with dreams of pitching in the major leagues, but he also needs to make ends meet and take care of his family. It's America in the 50s and change is coming fast.1st Place Top Shelf Book Awards Fiction - GeneralGold Medal Winner - Readers' Favorite Sports FictionFinalist - Beverly Hills Book AwardsSeptember 1953...Dancer Stonemason is three days from his major league debut. With his wife and son cheering him on, he pitches the greatest game of his life. And then loses everything.Told against the backdrop of America's postwar challenges from Little Rock to the Bay of Pigs to Viet Nam, American Past Time is the story of what happens to a man and his family after the cheering stops.Order your copy now and read a heartfelt story during an intriguing period in American history.What readers are saying:"Darkly nostalgic story of an American family through good times and bad. A well-crafted novel that will appeal to sports and history aficionados." - Kirkus Review"Len Joy has an eye for the humble, utterly convincing details of family life. This is 20th-century America seen neither through the gauze of nostalgia nor with easy cynicism, but rather with clear-eyed tenderness." - Pamela Erens - author of The Virgins"An all-American story that goes beyond the scope of the domestic and into the realm of history. A very engaging read." - Chinelo Okparanta - author of Happiness, Like Water"America Past Time is not only a baseball lovers' novel, but one that history buffs will enjoy as well. Men of all ages will love this book." - Eileen Cronin - author of Mermaid: A Memory of Resilience."Here is a 'baseball novel' that transcends sport and offers an in-depth portrait of a family and an era. For me the most poignant moment happens near the end when a scene related to the end of the Viet Nam war echoes against our present moment. Len Joy does write about a Past Time in America's history, but everything he details feels prescient now." - Kristiana Kahakauwila - author of This is Paradise"...a timeless classic." - Jersey Girl Book Reviews"In this impressive debut, Joy deftly emotionally explores the many ways in which our relationships, hopes and dreams can alter the course of our lives." - Mary Akers - author of Bones of an Inland Sea"Don't miss this book. Easy to buy, easy to read. You'll finish it fast because to you won't want to leave these characters." - Debbie Ann Ice - author of Find Sam
I finished this book some weeks ago and wanted to wait to review it, to see if the story stayed with me. So many books I initially love I don't remember much about weeks or even days later. This book held up. I've been thinking about why. It's not a hurtling read, nor is the writing so innovative your mind shatters. It's got baseball in it, and I hate baseball. However, the story is so clearly and simply told--the book doesn't get in the way of itself at all, and what you're left with is a clean
American Past Time is a sweeping novel that spans two decades in the life of one southern family. It begins in 1953 with the pivotal moment in the storyβDancer Stonemason, one step away from making the Major Leagues, is pitching in what should be his final minor league gameβheβs due to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals in three days. So, he should limit his amount of pitches and not stay in the game too long, and save himself for the big club. Of course, fate has a twisted sense of humor: Dancer
Len Joy writes with great compassion for his characters. As they struggle to care for each other, Dancer, Dede, Clayton, and Jimmy emerge as fully realized individuals trying to make sense of their imperfect lives. It's sometimes difficult to read about the choices they make that drive them deeper into brokenness, but throughout the struggle there is a thread of resilience that drives the story forward and gives the characters what they need to keep striving toward a life worth living. Joy sets

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