"Casey at the Bat" from The Book of Guys

"In the Ernest Thayer original, it's a tragedy when Casey strikes out, but of course that depends on which ballpark you're in. In my version, the game is not in Mudville, it's in Dustburg, and people are overjoyed. When I wrote this, the line about the pigeons made me laugh out loud, and I almost laughed out loud at the line about the crowd grabbing hold of the bumpers and rocking him to and fro.  A cruel poem." -Garrison Keillor, from the introduction in The Keillor Reader

READ "Casey at the Bat" here >>>

"Casey at the Bat" is one of 21 stories included in The Book of Guys, which is marking 25 years since its original publication in 1993.

WATCH Garrison read "Casey at the Bat" aloud

As Garrison Keillor says, "Guys are in trouble these days.  Years ago, manhood was an opportunity for achievement and now it is a problem to be overcome.  Guys who once might have painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or composed Don Giovanni are now just trying to be Mr. O.K. All-Rite, the man who can bake a cherry pie, converse easily about intimate things, cry, be vulnerable, be passionate in a skillful way, and yet also be the guy who lifts them bales and totes that barge. Being all-rite is the wrong way to seend your life.  Guys are meant to be lovers and artists and adventurers, meant to be noble and free-ranging, bold, prosperous, good-humored, audacious.  So it's time for guys to free themselves from women, let women deal with their own lives, and stop feeling guilty.  It's time for women to take over the world so that guys can do this."

These 21 tales about guys and their troubles and foibles will have you laughing whether you are a man or a woman so sit back and enjoy.  Available as a book or as a book on tape (nominated for Best Spoken Word Audio).

Get the Book

Get the CD

"Keillor takes delicious swipes at the media, fad causes, political correctness and American tabloid culture as he convincingly sketches the precarious state of his fellow males, longing for the days when they could just be guys." - Publishers Weekly

 


714 comments

  • Hello everyone, i have a very important information about herpes virus, i was a victim of hsv1&2 until i met doctor Ahonsie, it still feels like a dream to me. it has been two years now, i have not experience any breakout of herpes. I new about him through a post made on social media, a lady shares her experience and then i decided to contact him and ever since i contacted i was encourage and with no doubt i was cured from herpes simplex in just two weeks. He also treat other illnesses like HPV, HIV, CANCER, THYRIOD, PENIS ENLARGEMENT, and more contact him via Email: drahonsie00@gmail.com / WhatsApp: +2348039482367. https://drahonsie002.wixsite.com/dr-ahonsie https://www.facebook.com/drstellaherbalhome?mibextid=ZbWKwLThanks

    Joseph R. Jones
  • THE BEST BITCOIN RECOVERY AGENT/CONTACT WIZARDLARRY RECOVERY EXPERTS

    I would have been in a complete mess if it weren’t for Wizard Larry Recovery and his team, who helped return my $520,000 USD investment back into my Bitcoin wallet! Thank you, Wizard Larry Recovery Expert! I nearly lost everything I invested with this online broker that defrauded me of my Bitcoin investment.

    Webpage Wizardlarryrecovery . c o m

    Email address Info@wizadlarryrecovery . c o m

    Email Address Wizardlarry@mail . c o m

    Godson Jimmy
  • I Want To Testify About Dark Web Blank ATM Cards. What’sapp : +2348159250336 (The Official Automatic Teller Machine) They Sell Automatic Blank ATM Cards That You Can Use To Withdraw Money At Any ATM Machine Around The World Wide. Order Your Blank ATM Card Now With The Official Automatic Teller Machine.

    What’sapp : +2348159250336

    Email Address : carolblankatmcard@gmail.com

    Official carol
  • During my academic journey at the University of Denver I was always eager to explore new opportunities and cultivate a successful career. After graduation I dedicated my efforts to securing remote positions in the fintech sector, a field that captivated my interest. A few months ago I received an enticing offer from a blockchain company for a role in Payroll processing. Everything about the company appeared legitimate; their website was meticulously designed, the interviews were conducted with professionalism and they provided corporate documents that seemed authentic. I felt a surge of excitement as I envisioned my future with them. As part of the onboarding process they informed me that I would need to complete a brief training phase. To participate they requested a deposit of $45,000 in USDT asserting that the funds would be cycled through a mock Payroll system. Despite a nagging suspicion that something was amiss I convinced myself that their documentation was credible and the onboarding team was remarkably responsive almost insistent. Trusting my Instincts I proceeded to transfer the funds believing I was making a prudent investment in my career. within just a few hours everything took a drastic turn. Communication abruptly ceased; emails went unanswered the Telegram accounts I had been in contact with Vanished and the company website suddenly displayed a 404 error. A sinking feeling enveloped me as I realized that I had fallen victim to a scam. I discovered GRAYWARE TECH SERVICE a group that specializes in cyber fraud and cryptocurrency scams. I reached out to them immediately not expecting much; I was acutely aware of how challenging it could be to trace and recover cryptocurrency. To my astonishment their employment scam analysts swiftly sprang into action. They identified several red flags in the corporate documents I had received and confirmed that they were fabricated using digital templates. More importantly they traced the USDT transaction to an OTC Merchant on Huobi a platform often utilized to obscure fund trails. Through Coordinated efforts involving on-chain analytics legal Notifications and Collaboration with exchange compliance departments GRAYWARE TECH SERVICE successfully intercepted and recovered $42,000 USDT within just 24 hours of being engaged. This outcome exceeded all my expectations. If you’ve been targeted or scammed by fraudulent job offers involving cryptocurrency do not lose hope. GRAYWARE TECH SERVICE may be the team that can assist you in reclaiming your lost funds they certainly did for me. You can reach them on whatsapp+18582759508 web at ( https://graywaretechservice.com/ )    also on Mail: (contact@graywaretechservice.com

    Royce Cremin
  • I never thought I’d need to recover lost Bitcoin. I was always cautious, double-checking addresses and securing my accounts. But one phishing link changed everything. It looked identical to a crypto platform I trusted. Moments after entering my login details, my Bitcoin was gone, sent to an unknown wallet.
    The financial loss was painful, but the helplessness was worse. I knew that blockchain transactions are irreversible, and most forums confirmed my fear: “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
    Then I found Morphohack Cyber Service, a recovery team that tracks stolen cryptocurrency, I reached out to them via E-mail (Morphohack@cyberservices . com).
    I was skeptical, but with nothing left to lose, I reached out. From the start, they were clear and professional. They explained their method, tracing the stolen funds across the blockchain to find where they ended up.
    In my case, the Bitcoin had passed through several wallets before arriving at a centralized exchange. Morphohack acted fast, working with the exchange to freeze the assets using blockchain evidence.
    Weeks later, I got the email I didn’t think would come, my Bitcoin had been recovered.

    If you ever face a similar loss, act quickly and contact experts like Morphohack Cyber Services. Their help made the difference between a permanent loss and a second chance.

    Nicholas Merten

Leave a comment