Book and Film Club: The Natural w/ The Great Escape Book Store

On the way to a tryout with the Chicago Cubs, young baseball phenom Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is shot by the unstable Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershey). After 16 years, Hobbs returns to pro baseball as a rookie for the last-place New York Knights. Despite early arguments with his manager, Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley), Hobbs becomes one of the best players in the league, and the Knights start winning. But this upsets the Judge (Robert Prosky), their owner, who wants Hobbs to lose games, not win.

For those interested, The Great Escape Bookstore will be holding a discussion of Malmud’s novel on April 4 at 7pm at Kingston Road United Church (975 Kingston Road).