Heart of the Order, The

A sharply observed debut novel that signals a significant voice in contemporary fiction, The Heart of the Order follows a ballplayer as he takes time to mend—physically and emotionally—from a spectacular injury.

Blake Alexander—“Xandy” to his teammates and fans—is the starting leftfielder for the Carolina Birds of the National League South, until a knee injury in Cincinnati leaves him facing a summer of rehab and a career in doubt. Eager to occupy himself around game time, Xandy trades his glove for an Acer laptop, and each night before first pitch, he settles into a lounger behind his borrowed house to write. What emerges from Xandy’s patio sessions is a series of reflections on the game he loves and beyond—from losing streaks to bullpen phones to his beguiling physical therapist, Jenn, who (like a third base coach) keeps giving him signs he can’t quite read. A winning narrator, with an observational style honed over years spent judging the spin on fly balls, Xandy shines as a fresh and memorable voice in American fiction.