Making It Home

Life Lessons from a Season of Little League

By: Teresa Strasser

Narrated by: Teresa Strasser

"This is a story about a team that becomes a family and a family that becomes a team. . . a wonderful book ." -- Cal Ripken, Jr.

"A MUST READ!"--USA TODAY (ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2023)

An achingly heartfelt and surprisingly funny memoir about family, grief, and moving forward.

When her brother dies from cancer, and then her mother just four months later, Teresa Strasser has no one to mourn with but her irresponsible, cantankerous, trailerpark-dwelling father. He claims not to remember her chaotic childhood, but he’s a devoted grandpa, so as her son embarks on his first season pitching in Little League, Teresa and Nelson form a grief group of two in beach chairs lined up behind the first base line.

There are no therapeutically trained facilitators and no rules other than those dictated by the Little League of America, and the human heart. For Teresa and her father, the stages of grief are the draft, the regular season, and the playoffs. One season of baseball becomes the framework for a memoir about family, loss, and the fundamentals of baseball and life. They cheer, talk smack about other teams, scream at each other in the parking lot, and care way too much about Little League.

Making It Home is a bracingly honest journey through grief, self-doubt, and anxiety armed with humor and optimism. After all, America’s pastime may be just a game, but it always leaves room for redemption, even at the bottom of the lineup.

So smart, insightful, and clever

Teresa tells a story better than anyone. Thanks for taking us along for the season.

Beautiful real-life grief and baseball story

Teresa is a gifted writer. She shares her unconventional upbringing and how it affected her relationships with her parents and her beloved brother. Take all this and add an exciting little league season with Teresa and her dad Nelson nervously watching from the outfield slowly coming to terms with some heavy grief and even a little repair of their complicated relationship. Great book.

Keeping it real with tears and laughter

After hearing Teresa share a part of her story on Mike Rowe’s podcast I knew I needed to give the whole book a listen. I am so glad I did. As a Christ-follower who believes in the hope of an eternity, it was powerful and enlightening to hear the heart of someone with a different faith-perspective mourning the loss of loved ones.
The baseball mom aspect had me in stitches as I am THAT MOM cheering on my boys. The complex family dynamics had me thinking about my own family’s story and how it has made me the person I am. I was laughing with full out snorts one moment and found tears in my eyes the next.
I will definitely be listening to this one again.
Just a heads up - There is quite a bit of swearing throughout, so just keep that in mind if listening with little ears around.

Great storytelling

This book is both deep and breezy. It covers heavy topics like death, trauma, forgiving when it’s hard, with a sense of humor and humility, like talking to a friend over coffee. Highly recommend!

I’m only 4 chapters in and it’s already one of my favorites!

I can’t wait to finish this gem. I’m only 4 chapters in and I’ve already cried a dozen times.
Please do yourself a favor and download this book ASAP.