The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball

Jones Yang, Dori. The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball. 2017. 241p. ISBN 978-1-943006-33-5. Available as an eBook from Overdrive.

Woo Ka-Leong and his brother are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. The Emperor of China has decided that in order to modernize his country, promising students must go abroad and learn English and technical skills in the United States, before returning to China with advanced degrees to guide the country into the modern age. After studying English in Shanghai for a year, the two brothers and a contingent of about 30 other students head East across the Pacific, then on a train from San Francisco to Hartford. Along the way, the train is robbed, but Elder brother stops them from stealing their gold.

In wintry New England, the students realize that America is very different than what they learned. Welcomed into the Swann’s home, Leon adapts well to his new life, but Elder Brother doesn’t. Leon becomes intrigued by the game of baseball when he discovers the glove of the Swann’s only son, Owen, who died in a tragic accident a year earlier. That accident also incapacitated Miss Charlotte, the Swann’s youngest daughter. He’s also fascinated by trains and steam engines.

Taught by Miss Julia, the Swann’s oldest daughter, the two Chinese boys are often reunited with others in their educational mission, but always return to their foster home. Leon learns how to play baseball, and joins the local team. As Elder Brother’s moods continue to descend into depression and anger, Leon’s progresses quickly in English. With school entrance exams and baseball playoffs coming soon, Leon’s and Elder Brother’s acculturation to American society will be severely tested, and they will need to decide whether they wish to pursue their education or uphold their Chinese traditions.

A great historical novel, The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball presents details of life in the late 19th century New England, as well as the perspective of someone trying to learn the language and adapt to a new society. Fans of history and those interested by recent immigration debates will appreciate how alienation and integration can often go hand in hand.