The New Paltz Outlaws: A Story of Sex, Violence and Baseball

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Summary: Much more than baseball...
Review: As a female, I definitely recommend this book to other females who want some insight in to the young, hot-blooded, American male psyche. It is not just about baseball and a small town. This book was refreshing, easy to read in a day, and very funny. Many of the characters I could easily picture. What really struck me about this wonderful book was not only does it capture your interest, but if you are paying attention, it contains many important lessons about life! Anyone who needs a break from the daily grind should pick up a copy and read it. It may help you re-focus on what's truly important or even give you the courage to do something you've always wanted to do. Enjoy!

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Summary: New Paltz
Review: As someone who has spent a great deal of time in New Paltz I can safely say this is the most inaccurate and ridiculous depiction of a wonderful history filled town. "A barefoot outfielder that lives amongst the forest animals"??? You have got to be kidding me!! Who does this appeal to? I have read Bazooka Joe Comics that are more interesting. The only thing I would recommend this book for is to get your campfire started "amongst the forest animals".

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Summary: This book is an insult to my intelligence
Review: As someone who has spent a great deal of time in New Paltz I can safely say this is the most inaccurate and ridiculous depiction of a wonderful history filled town. "A barefoot outfielder that lives amongst the forest animals"??? You have got to be kidding me!! Who does this appeal to? I have read Bazooka Joe Comics that are more interesting. The only thing I would recommend this book for is to get your campfire started "amongst the forest animals".

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Summary: New Paltz
Review: I am a student at SUNY New Paltz, which is the setting of this book. I found this novel to be very interesting and humorous. It is amazing how much truth is in this book and how many similarities there are between the town of New Paltz he portarys and the reality of the actual town. I honestly would recomond this book to anyone who wants to read a funny book about a small town.

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Summary: Lance Bangor: The "Peter Pan Syndrome" Goes Baseball
Review: I discovered this book when my doorbell rang and a "mystery friend" left it for me! Being a girl, the baseball theme wasn't appealing to me, but I was surprised at how much I got into the book nonetheless.

The story centers around Lance Bangor, a young guy who happens upon a career in baseball, but manages to systematically screw up every perfect opportunity he's given. He's a wild man who loves his buddies and women, and much of his occupational downtime revolves around "tearin' up the town" -- partying and sex. But, in spite of fame and fortune, Lance is never really satisfied and always wonders what else is out there, and his lack of self-control and inability to grow up are ultimately his downfall. Even his stint as a stripper and porn star, which initially strokes his ego and satisfies his urge to "please the ladies," ultimately leaves him used up and burned out at a young age and longing for home. But, real contentment and satisfaction are hard to come by for Lance, and even his family has expectations he finds impossible to live up to. In the end, Lance makes a last-ditch effort to follow his dream and make peace with himself and his beloved Outlaws buddies.

In spite of being a bad boy, it's hard not to like Lance. He childishly describes life as a "game on a giant chessboard," but then acknowledges that deep inside he's just an "insecure boy who just wants to be loved." That's an honest admission of a feeling many of us have struggled with, and, like Lance, we've also sought fulfillment in things that ultimately leave us wanting more. So, we catch a glimpse of Lance's weaknesses, vulnerability and longing for love -- gee, what woman doesn't find this appealing in a man! But BEWARE: like Peter Pan, Lance is a great guy to have fun and hang out with, as long as you don't ever expect him to actually grow up.

All in all, I fell head-over-heels for Lance, enjoyed hearing about the crazy teammates who were his friends, and appreciated seeing Lance's experiences through his eyes. Lance's character obviously doesn't take life too seriously or hold on to things (or people) too tightly, and admittedly that's very opposite of me. So I didn't always like the choices he made and I didn't always think he was a nice guy -- but at least I understood him. And something tells me that was the author, Farrell Kaye's, real goal.

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Summary: The Lance Bangor Saga Begins
Review: i picked up this book by the reccommedation of a friend and i must say i was impressed with the efforts of this first time writer. at first i thought i was going to be a book about baseball but as it turns out its a book about friendship and a naive kid that travels the world looking for anything that resembles the town he loves so much. his friends remind me of my friends and there are times where you love the character and times where you hate. but all and all you can't wait til he gets back to his hometown. i like how the author makes references to the odyssey by homer as he is definitely inspired by greek mythology and oddly enough andrew dice clay.

in the end, i wont ruin it for you, you can see that lance bangor's life has come full circle and i love how in the end he comes to understand everything about whats important in life.

believe me after you read this book, you will want to have a barbque with all of your friends from college

Rating:
Summary: "The Peter-Pan Syndrome" Goes Baseball
Review: I read this book when a "mystery friend" surprised me by dropping it at my front door one night. As a girl, I'm not interested in sports, but read it merely for entertainment value. Lance Bangor, the main character, is a young, cocky baseball player who represents everything any girl WOULDN'T want in a man -- except charm. His personal life and career are plagued with immaturity and irresponsibility, and he's frequently looking for a good fight or a good f***. While many opportunities for success present themselves, Lance always manages to screw things up. Of course, he's charismatic and loves a good time, so there are plenty of women and party times for the New Paltz Outlaws. Sadly, though, Lance goes through life feeling unsatisfied, always looking for more, fearing the familiarity and routine of a lasting relationship. Still, you catch glimpses of him yearning for a true love with enough passion and depth to capture his wild heart.

The chapters were often short, the quotes at the beginning a little corny, and the descriptions of some of the characters downright silly, but I did find it intriguing to get into Lance's head. His vulnerability as an "insecure boy just wanting to be wanted" made me ache for him and feel sad for his lack of contentment, but Lance apparently doesn't hold too tightly to things in life. His descent into stripping and amateur porn makes for some entertaining stories (does the hot-looking author bring his exotic dancer experiences to life here?), but by his early 20's Lance has already seen and done it all and just wants to "go home" to New Paltz. Who can't relate to that scenario?

While I've never been emotionally wired to handle the casual approach Lance takes to women, I'll admit to wanting to love this heartbreaker even though he's clearly the "devil in bluejeans!" Overall, it was an insightful and amusing look into the mind of Lance Bangor, though this character is a painful reminder of the bad boys I've known in life. They're alot of fun, but don't expect them to change or grow up -- they typically never do. Like Lance, they see themselves as "rogue angels who dare to break the rules and make some risky moves in the universal chess game on the gameboard Earth." The author, on the other hand, could crash on my couch any day :)!

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Summary: An excellent, funny book!
Review: I stumbled across The New Platz Outlaws searching for interesting books on baseball and all I can say is what a great time I had reading it. This book is just plain fun. The characters are just like friends you've known your whole life and could always count on. The Outlaws are a crazy bunch from an Ego driven hotshot pitcher to a first baseman with a hilarious split personality and a Catcher with a massive temper (who happens to be my personal favorite). You'll have a great time reading about the rise and fall of Lance Bangor(the pitcher)and his many escapades from major league pitcher to stripper to stuntman back to pitcher. This first time author really has a knack for story telling and a quick wit that'll leave you in stitches. Do yourself a favor and give this book a shot, You won't be able to put it down.