Diminished Capacity

Diminished Capacity, by Sherwood Kiraly


This book is a nice quick read that I finished in a two-day hardcore reading session. It is an easy read, but one of the most fun books I have read in a while. The characters alone would be enough to entertain you, but the things they have to go through together make it that much better. This is a fully enjoyable book.

When Cooper Zerbs has to deal with his Uncle Rollie, who has Alzheimer’s, going back to the small Missouri town where he grew up and moved out of makes the start of an interesting weekend. The pair joins up with Cooper's recently divorced high school girlfriend and her son to travel to Chicago to sell an extremely rare baseball card. The only thing is, an uncle with Alzheimer’s and a main character with a recent head injury are not the best pair to try and transport and sell a baseball card. Half the time they can't even remember where they last hid it to keep it safe. This card is a very valuable secret, which means that Uncle Rollie is constantly whipping it out to tell everyone, which leads to trouble with other card collectors in desperate times who hear about it, know its value and will do anything to try and get it away from the forgetful pair.

Like I said, the characters make this book. I don’t know how anyone could not be a fan of someone who sets up a typewriter on a dock with strings leading into the water so fish can write their poetry. A woman who agrees to drive with her son to Chicago because she is interested in selling a painting to a new chain of organic vegetable restaurants makes a perfect mate for the main character who is just as forgetful as the uncle he is trying to help. The desperate baseball memorabilia collectors at the convention show you how far one will go for your passion, no matter how odd. And when the silent boy ends up saving the day, you can’t help but feel proud. The characters are only one reason why this book is a must read. The plot is not very complicated, but as a reader you will still find yourself glued to the book until it is complete.

I would recommend this book to any reader looking for a quick fun read over a weekend or vacation or whatever, but I would especially recommend it to baseball lovers, any collector, and possibly to those who know or are related to someone affected by Alzheimer’s disease. You will leave this book smiling and possibly with sore sides from all that laughing.

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read.”
- Mark Twain

This book was made into a movie starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda, Virginia Madsen, Dylan Baker and Bobby Cannavale. You will find the preview below for your viewing pleasure.