Friday, January 8, 2010

The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt


Synopsis From Back Cover:

Consider the possibilities: In the middle of a pennant race, a team's star shortstop falls in love with his second baseman. Which is exactly what happens to Randy Dreyfus, the best-hitting, best-fielding, best-looking, and most happily married young shortstop in the major leagues.

Now I'm gong to have to admit that this is a reread, probably for the 10th or 11th time by now and I still love it every time I read it. I'm actually still waiting for the movie to come since Ben Affleck bought the movie rights to it years ago. So Ben if you are reading this, please get to making this movie.

Randy is a lot like a few friends of mine, other than they aren't rich and famous. He is a guy who is living his life and having to deal with an issue he never really took the time to look at before. Not until he started having odd feelings about his second baseman D.J. who also happens to be black. He is a guy who thought he had everything you could want in life, a happy if bland marriage, two kids, a successful career, and admiration from thousands of kids that wanted to grow up and be just like him. How little he knew of himself.

This is a book about discovery, about finding out who you really are and accepting it. It's told with a lot of humor and wit and will have most readers laughing at loud, and not always where you think the laughs would come from. Randy's conversations with the shrink he starts to go to because he can't understand why this is happening to him and the shy, awkward why he handles D.J. at first will have you smiling and remembering what it's like to be in his shoes. Who doesn't remember the first time they really, truly fell in love and how excited and scared it made you feel.

I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a good love story with a happy ending for everyone involved. I read this for the GLBT Reading Challenge 2010 hosted by Amanda.

10 comments:

Zia said...

Sounds like a great book Ryan. Adding it to my wishlist so I can read it someday.

Stephanie said...

This sounds good, and I am intrigued by the title. I am adding this to my list.

IceJewel said...

10th or 11th time !!
I love happy endings ! Will check this one for sure. Great review :)

Anonymous said...

I love happy endings!

I have an award for you, if you get a chance to stop by.

http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/awards-4/

Staci said...

I'm definitely reading this book for the challenge...loved your thoughts on it!

Anonymous said...

You know, I've heard of this book, but I've never known what it was about. I might just read it to see how the conundrum turns out.

Anyone else think the two balls on the cover as funny? Sorry, the 10-year-old boy in me coming out.

Okay-my word verification is balzss. Ha!

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Must really be a great read to read it that many times! Wow. Sounds interesting.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Nice review. This does sound really good. I love happy books with humor. I have heard about this before but didn't know what it was about. I must check it out.

-Lauren

Rob said...

I think I should have started the GLBT challenge with a book like this. Your review makes me want to dust off my copy of Dreyfus Affair and have a look. I purchased it several years ago at a used bookstore in Palm Springs.

Stephanie said...

I love this book to and I read it because I heard Ben Affleck was going to do it. I also emailed Lefcourt about how much I loved it and he sent me a great email back. I'll never forget him for that. As for a note you made, I never read than Ben bought the rights to it. Where did you get that info? I hope he did. He's too old to play Randy now, but he's a very good director, and could definitely still make something great of that movie.