From Oprah guest author, Gene Cartwright:
While the title suggest this novel, that reads like real life, is a story only about a son and his father, it is so much more; it is also about mothers and daughters, about parent and children.
This heart-touching, inspiring saga reveals that there are no insignificant events in the life of a child."
When fame and fortune are not enough. "A Texas-born billionaire''s love of baseball provides him with cherished memories in a childhood otherwise without a close heart and soul connection with his strict father. He learns there is no amount of success and fame that can purchase memories of things that never were.
From Pulitzer-Nominated author, Gene Cartwright, "I Never Played Catch With My Father." This surprisingly "controversial" novel led to an Oprah invitation, and an unprecedented two-year coast-to-coast book tour, and numerous appearances on national and local talk shows, radio programs, including NPR where he shared guest status with luminaries such as Dr. Drew Pinsky and others, discussing parenting.
So, what is this remarkable story about? And why do so many confuse it for non-fiction?
A Texas-born, billionaire baby boomer's life-long love of baseball, and an emptiness he still feels, shapes his adulthood. James Phalen is a Wall Street icon; his advice sought by presidents, he speaks and the financial world listens.
However, James Phalen's enormous success fails to erase memories of a childhood missing a 'heart and soul' relationship with his now ailing father-a church elder in his north-central Texas birthplace. His billions can purchase many things but not the memory of things that never were. What now?
Baseball is really a metaphor, in this story that reads like non-fiction. It is an object lesson for fathers and sons, mothers and daughter, for parents and children. We are reminded of what is truly important, and of time that passes all too quickly.
In an effort to finally close the "broken circle," James Phalen has to decide whether to continue immersing himself in his work, or catch "the last train home" while there is time.
About the Author: Gene Cartwright, a native of Texas, often says it was his great fortune to be born at the right address-his parents. Gene shared these loving parents with seven siblings. He insists his love of writing and learning was sparked by his mother, who taught him to read when he was barely four. It was his father who, together with his mother, taught him, and all the Cartwright children what to do with the knowledge gained, and to love each other unconditionally. Gene was fascinated, captured by the freedom reading afforded. What was more, he read and was inspired to put his own words to paper. He has always enjoyed both technical and literary pursuits. He wrote his first novel at 12. (90 pages longhand.) Also, at age 12, he was working with a local electrician actually wiring new homes and retrofitting older homes. Gene graduated high school and headed immediately to college (Prairie View A&M.) Four years later, and for almost 8 years thereafter, during what he now refers to as another life, Gene was an electrical engineer, designing lighting and power distribution systems. He next founded and owned a very successful consumer electronics company in Houston, Texas. A few years later, he saddled up and headed west. When pressed, he doesn't mind talking about working as an environmental engineer in California, and reveals details about his debut at the Improv as a guitarist and singer in a quintet he formed. Throughout his engineering pursuits and business activities, Gene continued to write and dream of being a published and a fulltime author. In 1996, that dream was realized. Gene has written 8 novels and several screenplays. For two years, his book tour for 'I Never Played Catch With My Father, ' took him from coast to coast: He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including Oprah, NPR stations and countless tv morning shows, news and sports shows. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Gene was the featured author in Ebony Magazine in the November '97 issue. Finally, Gene's greatest childhood thrill was his very first little league baseball game. And his pet peeve? Something he labels sacrilegious: the use of the aluminum baseball bats. _____________ Gene has recently completed a book of poetry, "Still Dreaming," and has written a half dozen screenplays. Presently, two novels are complete, three more novels, and a non-Fiction work are in progress.
