Brett Friedlander

The most interesting part of this book, and it afflicts many biographies, is the mythologizing of the mundane. This book is afflicted more than most because it is largely about a myth. Moonlight Graham, so the story goes, was only offered the briefest glimpse of his greatest desire--to play major league baseball--and the seed of this disappointment remained planted in his soul even beyond the day of his death. The movie FIELD OF DREAMS blew this myth up to full blown Americana. In reading this fairly well written and researched biography, the tone differs from the text. You realize that he would have actually preferred football if he were given the size and despite fits and spurts of quality play, his baseball numbers in the minors for the most part were pretty pedestrian. Despite this he is presented as a can't miss prospect who always just missed getting that break. The twists and turns of a given life can seem important, but few have a lasting impact. Here, extra import is given to the mundane to help drive the narrative. Too much of this leads to a hollow biography. And that's how I felt at the end. Not enough is known about what Archibald Graham actually thought about the key moments of his life...or even what he thought those moments were. That's the problem with becoming famous after you pass, the interior life was too little remarked upon, especially for a private person, so that much is left to speculation and just enough hyperbole to fill a couple hundred pages. Also, as with most biographies, the early parts are the best. Cool to find out that a town near me that I have seen the sign for for years is actually named after his family. Many members of his family were famous in their own right, and despite the saintliness of a small town doctor Archie Graham, actually deserving as much or more praise for serving their relative communities. Funny thing was, when Archie couldn't play because of school or injury and age, he really didn't seem to miss it. We are all myths waiting to happen.… (more)