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Double Play
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Plot Summary of Double Play
"Returning from WWII, Joseph Burke seeks to find life, love and employment in the new America. He is recently divorced and scarred by the process. He becomes a fighter but is not quite good enough, and
without alternate skills, becomes a bodyguard. He is hired to guard a young, wild, narcissistic young woman. After a scene of passionate lovemaking in the public park, Burke finds himself in love with the young woman, but is ultimately fired by her father and once again finds himself seeking employment in the only field he knows.

Burke then becomes bodyguard to Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who is the first black player in the all-white American sport of baseball. Keeping Jackie alive, uninjured and able to PLAY BALL! takes all of Burke's physical and mental ability. During the year that they are together, he learns hard lessons about family, society, friendship and racism. It is a turning point in both their lives.

Organized crime rears its ugly head. There is also jealousy, retaliation and a return of his former love interest, who has married, but is unable to forget Burke. Who lives and who dies and who gets the girl are questions to be answered.

The book is rich in historical detail and a fun, fast read."

Deborah Spaulding, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Double Play
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30%




Tone of story - Dry-cynical
Time/era of story: - 1930's-1950's
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - militia/racists
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - champion of justice
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How much violence does he/she use? - a significant amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Profession/status: - criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
The antagonists are: - racists/KKK
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
City? Yes
City: - Dirty, dangerous (like New York)

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths? - 3-4
Sex Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - descript. of breasts - descript. of other female areas
Amount of dialog - mostly dialog
Most similar books to Double Play
Diamonds are Forever by Ian Fleming
One Lonely Night by Mickey Spillane
A Red Death by Walter Mosley
The Daffodil Affair by Michael Innes
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy


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Robert B. Parker Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Lydie Barquet  

SCHOLARS:
BethG  Eric Raybon  michael watson  Deborah Spaulding  danzel  Kevin R. Tipple  


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