Book Description
From the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed The Greatest Game Ever Played comes The Grand Slam, a riveting, in-depth look at the life and times of golf icon Bobby Jones.In the wake of the stock market crash and the dawn of the Great Depression, a ray of light emerged from the world of sports in the summer of 1930. Bobby Jones, an amateur golfer who had already won nine of the seventeen major championships he'd entered during the last seven years, mounted his final campaign against the record books. In four months, he conquered the British Amateur Championship, the British Open, the United States Open, and finally the United States Amateur Championship, an achievement so extraordinary that writers dubbed it the Grand Slam.A natural, self-taught player, Jones made his debut at the U.S. Amateur Championship at the age of 14. But for the next seven years, Jones struggled in major championships, and not until he turned 21 in 1923 would he harness his immense talent.What the world didn't know was that throughout his playing career the intensely private Jones had longed to retreat from fame's glaring spotlight. While the press referred to him as "a golfing machine," the strain of competition exacted a ferocious toll on his physical and emotional well-being. During the season of the Slam he constantly battled exhaustion, nearly lost his life twice, and came perilously close to a total collapse. By the time he completed his unprecedented feat, Bobby Jones was the most famous man not only in golf, but in the history of American sports. Jones followed his crowning achievement with a shocking announcement: his retirement from the game at the age of 28. His abrupt disappearance from the public eye into a closely guarded private life helped create a mythological image of this hero from the Golden Age of sports that endures to this day.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as "Greatest Game," but still a worthwhile read.......2007-07-22
Frost's follow-up effort to the outstanding "The Greatest Game Ever Played" - the movie adaptation of which will be released by Disney this fall - this meandering tale tracks the career of Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, climaxing with his assault on the Grand Slam (back then, it was the US and British Open and Amateur titles) in 1930. After winning the Slam, Jones retired from tournament competition, at the age of 29. After reading Frost's harrowing account of his physical and mental anguish during the ordeal, you'll certain understand why.
Aesthetically, this book doesn't hold together nearly as well as "Greatest Game". Frost includes far too much "background" information (most of which is, quite honestly, common knowledge) about everything from the origins of World War I to the Scopes "Monkey Trial". The bits of early 20th-century lore than festooned the pages of "Greatest Game" were a welcome addition to the storyline, helping us to understand the time and place. Here, they are an annoying intrusion. Despite this unfortunate slip, Frost's prose is still enjoyable to read, and the story will be of interest to anyone who has an interest in the history of golf.
A good story of the life of Bobby Jones.......2007-05-14
Any golfer has heard about Bobby Jones, this book brings his life into focus for all of us. Bobby Jones played this game as an amateur and never was a professional golfer. He won many tournaments both here and in England as was able to afford this by the help of his father.
He was married and they lived with his parents as the many travels Bobby had to make playing golf, it made it handy for his family to be cared for. I was surprised that Bobby Jones had quite a temper and his language was not the best either. He tried to control this but he was such a prefectionist that whenever he made an error he let out his frustration this way.
This book covers all his winnings from a very young age until he won the Grand Slam with were all the big tournament in one year. A terrific feat that has not been done to this day. Until Tiger Woods did it but his was done covering from one year to the next.
If you love history and love golf, this book is worth the read.
Letta Meinen
A cherished read.......2006-09-10
By reading this book I began to admire Bobby Jones, not so much for his golf but for his character and his strength in making it to the end. It would have been a lot easier for him in a folklore sense if he had died young instead of being tortured with a crippling, painful disease that challenged him physically and was a test to him mentally and emotionally. I admire that he never hid himself away like so many famous people do that want to be remembered as they "were". I believe that this is the most admirable thing about him. That and his willingness to serve in WWII, landing on the same beach the day after D-Day. Not just a "for show" tour of duty. His devotion to his family, his country and his friends and his hometown are quite amazing. He is a role model in many ways that I don't even think of golf as one of them but for his tenaciousness, his intellect, his well roundedness and his extreme graciousness. He could have derailed many times but he never did in life. It's a loss that there isn't more to read about his life to know how he managed to adjust to everyday life and his illness, how he kept putting one foot in front of the other. The criticism seems unjust re: Chick Evans, Jones was very kind in all his correspondence to him which I have read in other books. Also, so much is made of his temper which he defends and explains in "Down the Fairway" by Jones, as not worse than any other player of the time and shortlived as a childish display that was never witnessed again at least publically for the rest of his life. Bobby Jones accomplished an amazing number of feats that most of us would feel proud to do even one of such as the many languages he spoke, the degrees, his many intellectual skills, a good family man and most of all his grace in a life.
Interesting insights on Jones.......2006-08-26
Most sports fans have heard that Jones won the Grand Slam, but few (including myself) realize the temper that Jones had or how the quest to win ate him up. Also the story of his later life was unknown to me as well.
Not just a golf story an excellent Historical Narrative .......2006-08-22
Historical Narrative in the spirit of Seabiscuit or Jeff or Michael Shaara's works. Excellent story interwoven with the characters, times, and actions that surrounded Bobby Jones.
Book Description
The body of the Masters rules committee chairman is found floating in the pond in front of the 12th green on the morning that Sam Skarda arrives at Augusta National Golf Club to play in his first Masters. Skarda, a 37-year-old police detective on medical leave from the Minneapolis police department, is an accomplished amateur golfer who won the U.S. Publinx and an invitation to play in the Masters while rehabbing a shooting injury suffered on the job.
Evidence left at the crime scene suggests the murder might have been tied to the ongoing protest by a women's group that has been demanding that the club admit women members. Then a crusading New York Times columnist is murdered on the grounds of the club two days later. Local police suspect the murders might have been committed by a member and begin pressuring the new Augusta National president for access to the club's membership information.
The club chairman asks Skarda for help finding the killer before the police thoroughly invade Augusta National's legendary privacy. Skarda looks for answers from members, veteran journalists, longtime caddies and ex-employees who may know why someone is determined to bring this year's Masters to a halt.
He also falls for Caroline Rockingham, the soon-to-be ex-wife of one of the pre-tournament favorites, a former college golf teammate of Skarda's. Sam and Caroline themselves become targets as the murders continue and pressure to cancel the tournament builds. Meanwhile, the killer methodically prepares for a spectacular and deadly Sunday climax.
Customer Reviews:
Great fun.......2007-10-08
If you like murder thrillers and golf, this is a must read. It is very entertaining from start to finish, especially in the way that real-life characters are woven into the novel (under fake names, of course - guessing who they are is the fun part).
A really quick and fun read, highly recommended.
Golfers will love the courses, and the murder.........2007-06-05
Sam Skarda is a Minneapolis homicide detective and an excellent amateur golfer. A bullet to the knee while on duty requires long rehabilitation and a lot of walking--which for Skarda means golf. His dedication to practice gives him a shot at the U.S. Publinks championship--and when he wins an invitation to play in the Masters.
And this is a Masters like no other as he runs into his old Duke roommate, Shane Rockingham, now a star of the PGA tour and recently separated from his wife and caddy, Caroline. He connects with an old Augusta caddy, Dwight, who has caddied for former Master's champions, and who will be on the bag for Sam--if he's healthy enough. And there's a group of women protesting the Masters because the National doesn't allow women members.
But then things turn ugly. First one person critical of the "no-women" policy turns up dead at Amen Corner, and scarred into the green are the words "this is the last Masters." When a second turns up dead, the authorities are forced to look at the possibility that it is someone from the National's membership that is responsible for the murders. Augusta's chairman retains Skarda as a private advisor to work alongside of--and if possible, ahead of the police to find and stop the killer. No stone is to be left unturned, even though the chairman is convinced that no member could be behind the murders.
Though Shefchik identifies the murderer early in the book (and I prefer to keep guessing), he does lead the book's characters on a merry chase through a series of logical (and wrong) conclusions. Any avid murder mystery reader will enjoy watching he various characters follow the false trails and will admire Skarda's commitment to finding the truth--regardless of the cost.
Any golfer who's been to the Masters (and I have) will delight in the accurate descriptions of the course, the town, and the event itself.
Armchair Interviews says: Murder, intrigue, romance, a balancing of the books, and a moral to the story (several in fact) will leave the reader hoping that Shefchik has another book in the works.
For Golfers ............2007-05-29
OK, for golfers who enjoy a light read after playing 36, this is a fun little book. While I was looking for a little more details on the structure of the Augusta National club and membership, the book gave me enough details to hold my interest. Some day I'll get to Augusta to see the sights and walk Amen Corner .... but until then, this book can take gives a glimpse, and a different perspective.
Enjoyed it!!! You will too........2007-05-17
Greatly enjoyed Mr. Shefchik's work which weaves wit, action and knowledge into a tight, believable plot. Really enjoyed the main character, Sam Skarda and look forward to his apprearance in other books Mr. Shefchik hopefully has planned.
Father's Day Gift.......2007-05-12
Wonderful story referencing many things that golfers will be familiar with. A great Father's Day gift!
Book Description
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, the riveting tale of twoproud Scotsmen who beat all comers to become the heroesof a golden age—the dawn of professional golf
Bringing to life golf's founding father and son, Tommy's Honor is a stirring tribute to two legendary players and a vivid evocation of their colorful, rip-roaring times.
The Morrises were towering figures in their day. Old Tom, born in 1821,began life as a nobody— he was the son of a weaver and a maid. But he was born in St. Andrews, Scotland, the cradle of golf, and the game was in his blood. He became the Champion Golfer of Scotland, a national hero who won tournaments (and huge bets) while his young son looked on. As "Keeper of the Green" at the town's ancient links, Tom deployed golf's first lawnmower and banished sheep from the fairways.
Then Young Tommy's career took off. Handsome Tommy Morris, the Tiger Woods of the nineteenth century, was a more daring player than his father. Soon he surpassed Old Tom and dominated the game. But just as he reached his peak—with spectators flocking to see him play— Tommy's life took a tragic turn, leading to his death at the age of twenty-four. That shock is at the heart of Tommy's Honor. It left Tom to pick up the pieces—to honor his son by keeping Tommy's memory alive.
Like the New York Times bestseller The Greatest Game Ever Played, Tommy's Honor is both fascinating history and a moving personal saga. Golfers will love it, but this book isn't only for golfers. It's for every son who has fought to escape a father's shadow and for every father who had guided a son toward manhood, then found it hard to let him go.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful piece of scholarship told beautifully.......2007-09-17
If I were to recommend a single book to read about the famous Morris family, it would be Kevin Cook's Tommy's Honor: The Story of Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris, Golf's Founding Father and Son. Many of us know the familiar history of these men - of Old Tom's falling out with famous ball maker and player Allan Robertson, and of Young Tom dying of a broken heart on Christmas Day. This book goes beyond that and reveals fascinating layers of their lives previously unexamined.
This work is a wonderfully crafted narrative along the lines of Mark Frost's The Greatest Game Ever Played. It draws on facts gleaned from numerous sources, including contemporary newspaper accounts, and creates a compelling story of father and son. We are taken inside their lives in equal measure. We can feel the cold water of St. Andrews Bay as Old Tom goes for his morning swim, we are inside Allan Robertson's kitchen as Tom makes feathery balls for him. We witness his big money matches, we move with Tom, wife Nancy and baby Tommy to Prestwick, we win Opens with him and then return to St. Andrews and follow Young Tom's ascendency to golf immortality.
The enduring impact Old Tom had as Keeper of the Green at St. Andrews and his lasting legacy on the game of golf is developed quite thoroughly. Cook even touches on the class differences between Tom and the men of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews he served. Old Tom is portrayed as a man with great dedication to his family and profession. Beyond that, he also possessed a steady, dignified grace. The following passages are illustrative of both Cook's scholarship and expressive style:
"For greens other than the one at the wet High Hole he used clay pipes as hole liners. The pipes, made in nearby Kincaple, happened to be four and a quarter inches in diameter. Due to a quirk of the Kincaple brickworks, four and a half inches became the standard diameter of the cup on every green. While Tom mended the course, his son hit balls. Tommy's swing would be imitated by a generation of golfers who saw themselves as his apostles."
"Watching his father kneel to tee up another man's ball set Tommy's teeth on edge. Tom, unbothered, said there was an art to making a sand tee just the right height for a golfer's swing, and applying a drop of spit to the back of the ball so that a few grains of sand stuck to it, adding backspin when it landed. There was no shame in kneeling, he said. Had not our Savior told his followers to render unto Caesar? After all, Tom said, it was not his immortal soul that bent, only his knee."
Cook's research is impressive and thorough, as he weaves together such diverse subjects as ball and club making with the development of the Old Course itself and the players who challenged the Morris's for golfing supremacy. This is done seamlessly and leaves the reader wanting to learn more about these wonderful characters.
Of special interest are new insights concerning Tommy's wife Margaret Drinnen, a "woman with a past," as the Victorian standards of the day would have labeled her. She bore an illegitimate child before moving to St. Andrews and marrying Young Tom. Less than a year later she died during childbirth, and Tommy tragically succumbed three months later of a pulmonary embolism. His early death has frozen in time our romanticized image of him.
Old Tom Morris carried on, survivor that he was. As he once said late in life, "I've had my troubles and my trials...and with the help of my God and of golf, I've gotten through somehow or another." His beloved wife Nancy, already an invalid, died just seventeen days after Tommy. Son Jack, who had been born with deformed legs, died in 1893; daughter Elizabeth passed away suddenly in 1898; and his son Jamie in 1906. Tom survived them all.
Cook has done a great service with this book. One can read Tulloch's Life of Tom Morris and come away with a better knowledge of the lives of Old and Young Tom, but it is a dry book written a century ago. Like David Joy's Scrapbook of Old Tom Morris (2001), Tommy's Honor offers a fresh look at a familiar subject.
Bob Furgeson, British Open champion (1880-82) once said that nerve, enthusiasm, and practice were the three essentials to succeed in golf. But to be great requires the gift. Tommy Morris had a gift for golf, and Kevin Cook has helped us understand the nature of that gift and the human and spiritual elements that fostered it.
Tommy's Honor.......2007-08-28
This work by Kevin Cook is the best historical golf book I have ever read. Cook brings the characters to life by providing personal insights he garnered through research of local newspapers and other articles he was able to find about Old Tom and and Young Tom Morris. It is a remarkable tale that reveals details about mid 19th century life and golf in Scotland in a way that has never been accomplished before.
I highly recommend the book to any and all readers who have an interest in the beginnings of the game of golf and its founding fathers.
Bringing Old Tom & Young Tom back to life.......2007-05-20
The mythology of St. Andrews and "Old" and "Young" Tom Morris is well known amongst most golfers with at least a passing interest in the game's history and historic figures. We know about Old Tom's innovations at St. Andrews (which was his second stop as a head greenskeeper and teacher, lasting 44 years) and Young Tom's British Open success (he won four straight championships), but it takes Kevin Cook's beautifully written account of their lives to help us really get to know them. This is a marvelous book, well-researched and well-told, about two men who had enormous impact on the game - not just at the birthplace of golf, but on its history. Reading it is a magical experience, even if you don't play the game.
Tom and Tommy Morris Come Alive Again.......2007-05-13
Kevin Cook's poignant biography of the Morrises brings Tom and Tommy alive for his readers. It's much more than a story of their lives. It's about fathers and sons, families, social classes, golf, and the birth of the touring golf professional.
Tom's story gives us a keen insight into golf and a golfer's life in the second half of the 19th century. Many aspects of golf have changed over the years and, surprisingly, many have remained exactly as they were 150 years ago.
The reason for the seemingly strange title is revealed in the final sentence of the book.
This book should be on every golfer's Best-Sellers list.
Early golf history comes to life! .......2007-05-13
If you're a golf history nut, or just interested in late 1800's-early 1900's, you'll love this book. If you just like to know more about the great game of golf, this is your book. Kevin Cook brings the world of St. Andrews and Scotland to life. You can just about smell the oil lamps burning on the streets or the low tide blowing in from the North Sea. Oh, and the history of Tom Morris and his son, Tommy, is just amazing. I felt like I was reading a novel but is was true! If you love golf or know someone that loves the game you must get this book. It's a classic.
Customer Reviews:
So so........2004-06-29
The story of Sifford is a very inspiring one. The book was just written in a horrible way. Every other sentance starts with the word "hell". It gets boring afterwards. The first half of the book moves very slowly, but the second half picks up a little more speed. This book will let people know that before Tiger Woods, there was Charlie, Lee Elder, and a lot of other guys too. It is a very good book. What Sifford went through was just horrid, but that's the reality of the world we live in. I could never blame him for being so bitter after all these years of obstacles and not being praised for what he has done. Never mind praise - just for not being allowed to play the game of golf. My limited grasp on golf parlance probably made it a little boring to read this book. But it's a good book, although it may make you a little sleepy.
A great book!!!.......2001-04-28
I read this book a few years back before it was offered through normal distribution channels. Mr. Sifford was actually distributing this book from his home. Being from Greensboro and a golfer, I was extremely impressed by Mr. Sifford's commitment to the game and his determination to play as a PGA professional. You truly wonder what the golfing world has already missed by not allowing Mr. Sifford and other African American golfers to pursue their dreams. When Mr. Sifford was attempting to break the "color barrier" there were more black professional golfers than there is today! His story is heartbreaking and encouraing, what he and other black golfers experienced (to include in my hometown of Greensboro NC) is almost beyond belief! I would strongly recommend reading this book.
Any hacker worth his putter should read this one !.......1998-08-04
This book took me to a time when all african -americans could look to their heritage with pride. Jackie Robinson was a great man and I place the accomplishments of Charlie Sifford right along side of his. He showed us what real intestinal fortitude is all about. This should be required reading for all youngsters interested in participating in sports. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great story of courage under enormous pressure. This book teaches us about the strength and character we all posess inside.
Book Description
The hilarious sequel to Rick Reilly’s beloved bestselling golf novel Missing Links
Life is going pretty well for Raymond “Stick” Hart. He’s happily married to the former Ponkaquogue Municipal Golf Club assistant pro, the beauteous Cajun firecracker Dannie, raising his rambunctious son, Charlie, and getting by writing smart-mouthed greeting cards for fifty bucks a pop. Best of all, nothing has changed at Ponky, the worst golf course in America. You still have to hook it past the toxic waste dump on No. 1 and under the billboard on No. 8, the fried-egg sandwiches are terrible but cheap, and his pal Two Down is always up for a sucker bet.
Then, one disaster of a day, Stick’s world does a ten-car pile-up. The cheapskate bastard owner of Ponky announces he’s retiring to a nudist camp in Florida and selling the club to the Mayflower Club next door, a bastion of blue-blood snobbery that plans to pave Ponky over. Worse, its membership includes Stick’s hated father.
Who promptly drops dead.
Just before Stick’s pal Two Down loses $12,000 to a golf hustler who turns out to be funded by the Russian mob.
Which is about the same time that Hoover, Ponky’s worst golfer and the owner of an impressive array of useless golf gadgets purchased with his wife’s money, learns she’ll cut him off if he doesn’t break a hundred in one month.
Then a practical joke makes Dannie believe that Stick’s been stepping out with the gorgeous new clubhouse girl, the eye-popping Kelly, and he’s soon living on the forty-year-old couch in the Ponky clubhouse.
Luckily, Stick has a solution to all his problems.
He’ll qualify for the British Open.
Customer Reviews:
A "Missing Links" Sequel that's missing..........2007-09-23
Shanks for Nothing follows the author's fantastic comedy "The Missing Links." While Missing Links was terrific, this book was a tired sequel. Material felt "warmed over" from the prior book. The story was amusing in many parts and moved along nicely. I also found it a little far fetched in some areas (sneaking on plane by distracting board gate attendant). If you are a golfer and looking to kill a few hours and don't want to stretch your mind and get a few kicks, this book is for you.
Funny Golf Book.......2007-08-23
A really fun and funny book, especially if you're a golfer/golf fan. Reilly is very witty, and his books are page turners.
Not bad, for a sequel........2007-07-11
"Shanks For Nothing" is the sequel to "Missing Links," which follows the trials and tribulations of a former touring pro turned greeting card writer. The hijinks begin when Stick learns that he will only get an inheritance if he qualifies for the British Open, and he needs the money to buy Ponky, the public course where he and his buddies make a home away from home. Aside from the really unfathomable sequence where Stick and a friend sneak onto a flight from Boston to the UK for the qualifying event, the story is enjoyable and moves right along. (I have a minor issue with completely unreasonable events unless I'm reading a true fantasy story, and sneaking on a plane after 9/11 qualifies.)
In general, the plot twists are easy enough to swallow, and the ending, while a bit trite, wraps up the story as well as any happy ending could. Overall, it's a pleasant diversion and a worthy companion to "Missing Links."
If you liked Missing Links..........2007-06-27
You'll like this sequel. Its laugh out loud funny and I read it in a few nights. Rilley's sense of humor reminds me of Bill Simmons', which I'm sure he gets a lot. Anyway, pick this up for an easy, summer read.
Double Bogey effort.......2007-06-07
As much as I liked Missing Links and almost all of Reilly's books, this one was disappointing. The characters are great but they need to be updated with new material. MKissing Links was a great read that this sequel does not do justice. Funny in spots but mostly contriveed. I think Rick missed on this one...
Average customer rating:
- Just for Fun...
- Classic Jenkins, slightly tired story
- Slim and Fun!!
- Slim ans None
- I Loved It!! Best Effort in Years!!
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Slim and None
Dan Jenkins
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Shanks for Nothing: A Novel
ASIN: 0385508522
Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Book Description
Introduced in Dan Jenkins’s previous uproarious novel of the pro golf tour, The Money-Whipped Steer-Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist, Bobby Joe Grooves is now forty-four and still without a win in a major championship. A student of golf lore, Bobby Joe is well aware that only a small group of stars have ever won a major at his age or older, and among them are such immortals as Nicklaus, Boros, Irwin, and Trevino. It’s now or never for Bobby Joe, and excuse him for thinking that his chances are slim and none.
So it’s off to the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and the rest of the PGA Tour for Bobby Joe, who’s leaving behind the prospect of a third ex-wife. On the golf courses he’ll face familiar competitors such as Knut Thorssun and Cheetah Farmer, but the rival who may loom the largest is the game’s newest child star, nineteen-year-old Scott Pritchard. His talents are the talk of the Tour—so is his arrogance—and so, by the way, is his stunning mom, Gwendolyn, a shapely adorable woman who captures Bobby Joe’s full attention and threatens not to let go.
Long revered by his peers as one of the world’s best sportswriters, and beloved by readers for such classics as Semi-Tough and Dead Solid Perfect, Dan Jenkins is at the top of his form in Slim and None. It’s packed with authentic insider gems about each of the majors and hilarious sketches of many of the characters—touring pros, officials, media, agents, caddies, and ladies—who inhabit this outrageous and endearing world of sports.
Customer Reviews:
Just for Fun..........2007-03-31
A typical Dan Jenkins book---no real redeeming social value, but a good, quick and fun read...that's what makes Dan Jenkins great...Mindless, humorous fiction about a game that's easy to love and to hate..kind of like life and love....if you like the game of golf, like to laugh and ponder the sometimes somewhat raunchy side of life, especially golf, this book is for you...perfect book for spring when golf is picking up again!! And there's always the question--"How much of this is fiction and how much is fact?"
Not quite a "Dead Solid Perfect," but in that neighborhood.
Classic Jenkins, slightly tired story.......2006-04-05
The motivation to ressurect Bobby Joe Grooves is obvious: so much has changed since his previous stories in the world of golf, someone just had to poke a big hole in it. Snot-nosed prima donna teenage pros, women golfers plugging at the men's tour, Martha and her army at the door to Augusta, the old guard getting, well, old.
Much of how Jenkins rips into this is in dead keeping with his genius for actually making tales about golf, or any sport, entertaining. Probably the only drag is that Bobby Joe is more of himself. He's divorced, again, hooking up with a new girl, again, complaining about the same things, again... This could be because I came hot off of reading the earlier installments in The Money-Whipped Steer-Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist, and was looking for more new than could be delivered.
If you're a Jenkins fan, and read Bobby Joe's earlier tale, this will be a good read. If not, pick up The Money-Whipped Steer-Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist, wait half a year, and then delve in. You'll be happier, and more sane for it.
Slim and Fun!!.......2006-01-13
Figuring out how many stars to give a Dan Jenkins book requires some experience in reading this most entertaining author. I can assure you that you will most likely look a long time to find one of his efforts on the shelves at Barbara Streisand's home and Maureen Dowd probably hasn't had the pleasure either. However, from time to time there is just no substitute for a trip through the imaginitive mind of the various characters fashioned by Mr. Jenkins.
In this instance we are returning to the PGA tour with an older, somewhat wiser and thrice divorced Bobby Joe Grooves. We have been there before with Bobby Joe in "The Money - Whipped Steer - Job Three - Jack Give - Up Artist," and this novel is a decided improvement on that one.
Somehow, Bobby Joe has managed to stay on the tour for some time and now as he turns forty-four he realizes "forty-four is not a good age for a pro if he has never won a major...and I'd clean forgotten to do that in my eighteen years on the tour."
In addition to failing to bag a major, Bobby Joe has failed in his efforts to find a life partner other than his caddie, however things begin looking up in that aspect of things as he encounters Gwendolyn Pritchard, a major league "shapely adorable" and the divorced mother of a new teen age phenom on the tour, Scott Pritchard.
The story opens with these two lines, "It had to be the first bare navel on the Master's veranda. Luckily it came with a shapely adorable."
And it only gets better as we follow the twists and turns of Bobby Joe's efforts to become the winner of a major championship through the four venues where they are played that year. The story is replete with interesting and exaggerated characters and situations and you will find yourself chuckling and laughing through all 243 pages of Jenkin's latest.
Having read all of his other fiction efforts and some of his non-fiction books, I promise you that if you are a golfer, enjoy a healthy dose of non PC humor and have spent any time in Texas, there are just two chances that you will not enjoy this latest one...........
Slim ans None.......2006-01-05
May just be the funniest novel I have ever read regarding golf,
Agusta, and the game that keeps us all hooked. What a fun look from a insiders perspective. Hilarious!
I Loved It!! Best Effort in Years!!.......2005-08-04
I must first admit that I have been a Dan Jenkins fan for the past several decades. His recent books (according to some) have waxed and waned over the past decade but "Slim and None" in my view is one of his finest efforts ever--it should be ranked with "Semi-Tough", "Limo" and "Dead Solid Perfect" as his best works. True, it is not very long, but as one reviewer noted, there are numerous passages where you will spontaneously break out in audible laughter. I found this to be a lean, concise, hysterical read and I recommend it very highly.
Average customer rating:
- An Eagle, henceforth and forever...
- A word of warning.....
- Outstanding!
- Second-rate Jenkins
- One of a kind
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Dead Solid Perfect
Dan Jenkins
Manufacturer: Main Street Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Missing Links
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Semi-Tough: A Novel
ASIN: 0385498853
Release Date: 2000-04-18 |
Book Description
The legendary golf novel, rereleased in a special edition with a new foreword by the author.
Don Imus said it best: "Dan Jenkins is a comic genius." And nowhere is that genius more evident than in
Dead Solid Perfect, his uproarious 1974 novel about life on the PGA Tour. To some, Kenny Lee Puckett, the star of Jenkins's ribald saga, is a more important figure in the history of golf than Bobby Jones himself.
Customer Reviews:
An Eagle, henceforth and forever..........2007-04-01
Still, after more than 30 years, the best golf book ever written...
Funny, hilarious, irreverent...Willard Peacock's slice...nobody could (or can)cuss like ole Willard..after all this time, it's still funny.
Dan Jenkins at this best.
A word of warning............2006-06-24
Based on an article in the Wall Street Journal and the previous reviews, I bought this book, and Missing Links by Dan Jenkins, for my father-in-law, an avid golfer and reader. He was so disgusted by the language in both books (the c-word, f-word etc. "on every page") that he returned them.
Outstanding!.......2006-06-12
Dan Jenkins strings together this hilarious take on the life of a PGA Tour golfer with deeper social issues and rolls it all together into a dimpled ball of fun.
Second-rate Jenkins.......2002-05-30
As a huge fan of Semi-Tough from way back (as well as a huge golf fan), I was looking forward to this follow-up. Like Semi-Tough, Dead Solid Perfect is raunchy, tasteless, sexist,racist, and VERY politically incorrect. Unlike Semi-Tough however, which was consistently hilarious throughout, Dead Solid Perfect is only fitfully amusing at best.
It's hard to put a finger on what exactly went wrong here. Part of it I think is that while Semi-Tough seemed to have a genuine (if obviously exaggerated) locker room verisimilitude, Dead Solid just doesn't seem to ring as true. This despite the fact that Jenkins was/is if anything far better known and revered as a writer about professional golf than he ever was about the NFL (college football was his other main beat at Sports Illustrated). Perhaps this is because in Semi Tough, many of the supporting characters were narrator Billy Clyde Puckett's teammates, whereas in Dead Solid Perfect they are mostly the protagonist's ex-wives and (to a lesser extent) old high school and Fort Worth cronies. The end result is less a novel about golf, and more about a man with a colourful personal life who happens to be a professional golfer.
That wouldn't really matter much if the book were funnier. But, as mentioned, Dead Solid Perfect is very uneven. Jenkins seems to think that eccentric characters with odd names are funny in and of themselves, and that you don't have to actually give them anything funny to do or say. Instead he relies on goofy Texas aphorisms (which start to wear out their welcome long before the book is over) and occasionally REALLY racist and/or sexist remarks that add little to the package but seem designed to show us what a bold, swaggering, iconoclast the author is.
The trick in writing humour (not to mention playing good golf) is to "never let them see you sweat". Unfortunately, Dead Solid Perfect sees Dan Jenkins sweating way too hard to follow up on a classic, to considerably less effect. Of course I could be wrong there. Maybe the problem is that with this book is that Jenkins wasn't really trying AT ALL.
One of a kind.......2001-10-31
Although this book did not surpass "You've Gotta Play Hurt" in my estimation, Jenkins is no less racy and raunchy and hilarious in Dead Solid Perfect.
I have no doubt that this book could have been written this year and still rings true, although maybe not all the dope smoking.
Like many of Jenkins' books, the story revolves around the Texas mystique and a man who can ace his avocation but fail miserably in his personal life. This book mixes enough politics, gambling, golf and sex to become one of the funniest books out there.
Jenkins' style is love-him-or-hate-him, but you if like this one, you'll be searching more used bookstores for other books that are out-of-print.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful history/reference book.......2003-04-10
A much sought after item (now out of print in any form), this book features over 200 pages of detailed text and photos (some rare) on the early history of the home of The Masters Tournament. The book covers the Augusta club history, the legendary course itself, and the Masters Tournament. A wonderful book that really should be part of any comprehesive personal golf reference library.
Book Description
n 1913, golf's first superstar went up against a green 20-year-old amateur. It was the birth of modern golf. Harry Vardon and Francis Ouimet came from different worlds and different generations, but their passion for golf set them on parallel paths that would collide in the most spectacular match the sport has ever known. Vardon had escaped a life of poverty in Britain to achieve universal recognition as the greatest champion in the game's history. Ouimet, a virtual unknown from Massachusetts, was only three years removed from his youthful career as a lowly caddie and worshiped Vardon. When these unlikely opponents finally came together in their legendary battle at the 1913 U.S. Open, the world's reaction to its remarkable drama and heart-stopping climax gave rise to the sport of golf as we know it today. Weaving together the stories of Vardon and Ouimet to create his narrative, Mark Frost has crafted a uniquely involving, intimate epic: equal parts sports biography, sweeping social history, and emotional human drama.
Customer Reviews:
Great Gift of the Greatest Game.......2007-09-11
I bought this as a gift for my husband, who said it is one of the best books that he has ever read. He even described a greater understanding of the psychology of golf that will make the playing of it more enjoyable for him. I have rarely seen him so enthusiastic over a book, but I would say that you'd have to be a golf fan to read it.
Entertaining mix of fiction and nonfiction.......2007-08-17
This book was truly enjoyable and very hard to put down. It is a page turner that yields valuable insight into the birth of golf in Scotland, England, and America. This book contains many valuable facts that may be unknown to the casual sports fan like myself. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an entertaining read on the beginnings of golf and the inspirational story of underdog Francis Ouimet.
However, this book contains a lot of fiction. The "states of mind" of Vardon, Ouimet, Ray, Lord Northcliffe, etc. are pure speculation. Frost has definitely opted for an overdramatization of the story to give it wide appeal (and movie appeal) so it is difficult at times to distinguish facts from fiction. Purists and true golf buffs might be annoyed by the blatant largesse of Frost's fiction.
Nevertheless, the book is an easy and enjoyable read.
golf and loving it.......2007-07-24
I bought this book for my brother in law and he really doesn't read many books. He just usually reads the paper.
He open it up and read this book in one setting. He thought is was just about some person in past years and what his game was about. He found it informative entertaining at the same time. He has read this book at least 2 more times. If you love golf,
then you will love this book.
Not even a novice.......2007-07-06
I'm not a golfer. Not even a novice. The only golf experience I have is falling asleep on the couch as a little girl while my dad or grandpa watched yet another golf tournament. ChiChi Rodriguez was my favorite, and I am familiar with all the greats of the 1980s and a few of the ones from the 90s.
I started reading this book after watching the last quarter of the movie. I thought it would give me something to talk about with my dad. As it turned out, this was one of the most well-written biographies that I have ever read. It was captivating and extremely well written. Not only did I learn so much about golf, but also about the presidents at the time, the social climate, and even meteorology. Rather than being boring, the hole by hole commentary was actually fascinating! I still don't understand much about the different clubs, and I still don't know how to golf, but I have a greater appreciation for the sport that my father loves so much, and we DID have a great conversation about the book once I finished it. So, if you're not a golfer, but you want to be able to relate to the golfers in your life, I highly recommend that you read this fabulous book! I'm so glad I did!
Furthermore, I'd read ANYTHING written by Mark Frost!
A Great Historical Read.......2007-06-08
Mr. Frost has crafted a true story that is as American as apple pie; the story of a two men, Francis Ouimet and Harry Vardon, who against all odds showed an unswerving commitment to excellence in an endeavor that is fraught with the broken dreams of many people. I am a golfer and enjoyed the fact that the book is about a group of golfers at the turn of the 20th century and what "golf" was at that time. However, I think anybody would enjoy the story of Francis Ouimet's "David" to Harry Vardon's "Golaith".
In addition, Mr. Frost also provides an amazing amount of background material to provide a useful context for the back story.
All in all, a very enjoyable book.
Average customer rating:
- Pin Seeker
- Perfect Lies lives up to promise and truly is "perfect"!
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Perfect Lies: A Century of Great Golf Stories
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Rub of the Green
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Waggle
ASIN: 0684852322 |
Customer Reviews:
Pin Seeker.......2005-03-15
This book is a collection of short stories. Many of them I found myself forcing myself to read completely. Others I found so disinteresting that I skipped to the end. Fortunately I didn't spend much on this book.
Perfect Lies lives up to promise and truly is "perfect"!.......2000-04-05
With stories as random as any other collection that I have ever read, Perfect Lies truly is the perfect book. Reading this collection cover to cover has left inspired and it also left me begging for a sequel. If you love golf and don't feel you have the heart and spirit of a true golfer, I highly reccommend that you purchase this book from Amazon! As soon as I finished each story, I found myself excited to begin the next. Make the purchase now! Don't hesitate one moment!
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