BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

SHATTERED--Struck Down, But Not Destroyed
By Frank Pastore with Ellen Vaughn


OVERVIEW: The memoir of former MLB pitcher Frank Pastore is about overcoming dysfunction and broken dreams. His Major League Baseball career was shattered in a split second. A line drive off the bat of Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Steve Sax struck the Cincinnati Reds pitcher on his right elbow, and the hurler was never the same. A promising MLB career was all but ended one pitch and one swing. A number of men would have let this misfortune destroy their lives. At one point in his life it would have destroyed Frank Pastore's too. Shattered is part sports book, taking you on road trips to clubhouses and professional baseball fields. And it's part romantic novel, detailing the journey of two young kids who fall in love and eventually elope, evading not only Frank's wife's family but the law as well, for she was only 16 years old. Pastore's memoir is also a story of brokenness, betrayal, and burnout. But most of all, this is an uplifting story of how an unpredictable God can surprise any of us with his goodness and love.

MY REVIEW: Shattered is a sports book but it is more than that. For me, it is about how God can make something beautiful of the shattered fragments of our lives if we will allow him to. I was encouraged to read about how even though he was shattered he was not destroyed. His life was shattered but his soul was saved. Pastore found himself asking that question so many have asked in the time of trouble, "Why is this happening to me?" He was asking this of a God he didn't even believe in. It was this injury that sent Frank, a lifelong atheist, on a journey that would change not only his mind but also his whole life. I agree with Chuck Colson who said, "Frank Pastore is not just a big-league player; he's a big-league thinker...Shattered is a great read--fun, fast, and a real page-turner...We can all relate to his story. It's hilarious, poignant, insightful."

(This excellent book was given to me by Tyndale Book Publisher for an honest review.)

2 comments:

Loren said...

I absolutely love when God can change a life from doubt and unbelief to one who is Saved and changed by HIS grace! Truly a story where God can take what the enemy meant for harm and turn it into HIS goodness!

Thank you for sharing this Clif!

Mevely317 said...

Hi Clif,
Being "not so" fond of baseball, I almost missed your review today -- which would have been a real shame. This book ... a great parable, sounds like a worthy read!