In a League of Her Own: A Novel by Kaia Alderson
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Web ID: 198758425 reviews
Only Woman Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
In the 1930s, the world of baseball and the nation still focused on a racial divide. For Effa Manley, she had to fight men of both races for a seat at the table. Author Kaia Alderson highlights a little-known figure in African American women’s history with In a League of Her Own. The story centers around Effa, who is able to pass as a white woman but identifies strongly with her family’s heritage. She defies the conventions of the times and gets a divorce. Her second marriage, though, provides her a gateway into her beloved world of baseball. However, even with her husband’s support, the other men resist her involvement. Her determination for success pays off when her team wins the championship. Yet the struggle for success is filled with ups and downs, as illustrated by the author. In a League of Her Own details the story of a woman with a dream whose journey leads her to being the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. ~ Amy for Novels Alive
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Baseball history a plus
The story of a remarkable woman who was able to immerse herself into all black league baseball administration at a time when women were generally not participating in management positions in any businesses. The first half of the book focused on her her personal life which did not have a great deal of relevance to the story.old time baseball fans will enjoy the historical aspects of the book
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Breaking barriers
I knew about the African American baseball leagues in Harlem in the 1920s to 1940s, but I never knew the drama behind the scenes with the owners, etc. Effa Manley and her husband owned the Eagles in the Baseball League. He took care of the players and was the face of the team. she took care of all the business items and the behind the scenes details. She had a passion for business, fashion, and hats, but never had the money to open her own shop. Once she married John Manley, he had the money to keep her well taken care of but bought a baseball team instead of putting money into her dreams. Effa was a smart, strong Black woman who did not want to sit on the sidelines at league meetings and pushed the other male owners to allow her a seat at the table. I enjoyed the baseball half of the book more than the first half, but you needed the first half of the story to understand her background and skills. I love learning about women who broke boundaries and did the unexpected when they were supposed to be wives and mothers without their other ambitions. If you want to read about an interesting woman who was successful in her business, I highly recommend this book. #InaLeagueofHerOwn #NetGalley Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Historical women's fiction involving baseball
As the story opens, Effa is trying to get her feet on the ground after a divorce in 1930s Harlem. Anxious to start her own business, she also loves baseball. She eventually remarries to a gentleman who buys a baseball team. She deals with the business side of baseball amidst an all boys club that wants no part of a woman in baseball. One of the many subplots deals with her support of civil rights, especially for African American women. At the end of the novel, I was reading the acknowledgments and came to learn that the title character is based on the real life Effa Manley, a black businesswoman in the male dominated baseball industry, and, currently, the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. From the author's bio, "Kaia Alderson is a historical women’s fiction author with a passion for discovering “hidden figures” in African-American women’s history." That passion and her thorough research produces an incredible tale of the life of Effa Manley. Don't miss this one -it's an excellent read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing Book!
Loved this book and learning about the incredible woman Effa Manley.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com