Duchovny hits home run with new novel

“Bucky F—— Dent” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), by David Duchovny

Actor David Duchovny, recently seen as Fox Mulder on “The X-Files” TV revival, follows his humorous New York Times best-seller “Holy Cow” with another funny and heartfelt story, “Bucky F—— Dent.”
Ted Fullilove doesn’t have much of a life. He lives alone, works at Yankee Stadium in a Mr. Peanut costume, and is estranged from his father.
Although he works for the Yankees, he’s passionate about the Boston Red Sox. In the 1978 season, the Sox have a lead that looks insurmountable, and Ted wonders if this finally will be the year the Sox break the Bambino curse. Ever since the owner of the Red Sox traded away Babe Ruth to the Yankees at the end of the 1919 season, the Yankees have had success and the Red Sox have wallowed in misery.
Ted’s father, Marty, who is stricken with cancer and dying, loves the Red Sox. Though they haven’t spoken in years, Ted decides to move in with Marty so he can take care of him. Their relationship is strained, but they find solace and comfort together with baseball. Marty wants to live long enough to see the curse of the Sox broken. As the season progresses, Ted begins to steal newspapers and makes sure Marty hears the Sox are winning, though the Yankees are actually gaining in the standings.
Baseball fans will know why Duchovny gave the title to this book, and he does a terrific job of blending quirky and emotional writing in this story that is ultimately about the relationship between a father and his son.
Duchovny has hit this one out of the park. Jeff Ayers, AP