If you love literature, I urge you to get hold of a copy of the Art of Fielding.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

This is a sublime debut from Chad Harbach, beautifully written with characters who pop into being off the page. Like the very best books, you don’t want it to end, you want those characters to continue existing and living out their lives, and to be able to share in their experiences, their triumphs and disasters, their loves, their hates, their sacrifices and their losses. This isn’t just a hard act to follow for Chad Harbach, this is going to be a hard act to follow for the author of the next book I read. The Art of Fielding is going to live long in the memory. For those who might worry that this a just a book about baseball, don’t. This is a book which has baseball in it, poetically-described baseball at that, but the story is about the fragility and ferocity of the human spirit, and if it doesn’t touch you emotionally, then you might actually be paralysed from the neck up. Buy, it, borrow it, read it, love it.

It feels great to be on holiday, despite the continuing wintry weather. This morning’s 6 mile run felt superb, beginning this holiday period in the right vein. For some, the Easter break is a deeply religious occasion. For me as a confirmed atheist, it is a simply a chance to spend quality time with the family and recharge the batteries. But there are also a bunch of things to look forward to, not least a wedding tomorrow and visitors next weekend. Doubtless there are plenty of runs, good food, a few drinks and trips out over the next week and a half before the spectre of work rears its unavoidable, bill-paying head, but in the meantime, let’s make the most of holidays.