Book Description
The time: 1931. The place: the golf links at Krewe Island off Savannah's windswept Atlantic shore. The event: a mesmerizing thirty-six-hole match in which Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, legends of golf in their own time, are joined by an unsung opponent, the troubled war hero Rannulph Junah. The key to the outcome lies not with these titans of the game but with Bagger Vance, a caddie who carries the secret of the Authentic Swing. His mysterious powers guide the play and leave a lasting imprint, not only on the lives he touches on that day so long ago, but also--sixty years later--on the future of a brilliant but discouraged young medical student.
Once in a great while comes a book different from all the rest. You long to compare it to something great that went before, and yet no comparison truly holds. Such is The Legend of Bagger Vance. Readers have likened it to Bernard Malamud's The Natural or to Golf in the Kingdom, they mystical classic by Michael Murphy. Although Steven Pressfield's work has a kindship with both, it is a true original, a page turner, a spellbinder, an inspiration for golfers and nongolfers alike--a story in which the search for the Authentic Swing becomes a metaphor for the search for the Authentic Self.
Customer Reviews:
Much Better than the Movie.......2007-07-20
Very inspirational and motivational. I couldn't put it down, it affected my thinking, made me cry at the end. What more can you ask of a good book? Highly recommend for Teen golfers.
The legend of bagger vance.......2007-01-28
I am disgusted that you would even think to ask me what my thoughts are. I emailed you with a complaint that the copy I bought was listed as new. I complained that the page edges gave the appearance they had been torn using a ruler rather than guillatined. I was very disapointed with the book and even moreso that you failed to reply to my email - I have bought a few books fom you and intended to buy more but your professionalism is so lacking that I think from now on I'll shop elsewhere.
Lindsay Elliott AFSM
PO Box 42
Kedron
Queensland, Australia 4031
Ph:0409899574
You have my email address!!
'It's not about golf,' said the student to this teacher........2006-06-05
This book is on the shelf in my classroom. I hadn't read it yet and was discussing it with one of my students who was looking for something to read. I had suggested it to him since he is a fan of many sports. He said he'd already read it. I told him I had not, since I am not a fan of golf. He looked at me like I was a small, silly child and said, 'It's not about golf.'
At that moment, I determined to read this book. So, this was my first free choice of a book this summer and I enjoyed it.
First things first. You do not have to understand golf to understand the book. The golf match is merely the vehicle to move the story forward. When Bagger Vance encourages his pupil to find his 'authentic swing' I simply inserted my own experiences with baseball to understand the feeling.
Secondly, the book is full of eastern philosophy. It's an interesting dichotomy - the American South during the Great Depression and Hinduism. Search 'Bhagavid-Gita, Bagger Vance' on the search engine of your choice and you'll find it laid out quite nicely on many, many sites.
So, my final grade: B+. Not Pressfield's best work but still quite interesting and well done.
The Only Author Who Fits Into No Genre But His Own.......2006-04-11
Steven Pressfield has written one of the most important books of the century. Yes, it has a play-the-game-of-golf theme, but if one is willing to go where few will brave - this is a deeply profound book about love, truth, honor, betrayal, despair, fear courage, hope...and faith in God (that has nothing to do with man-made artifice of law and state). Indeed, the book is the only one I have ever read that perhaps transcends the meaning of time, place and space itself as part of a vast mystical wonderful experience. For many, as children of a Living God - know that He is "with" the least and last of us right now: a confused child in need, a down and out golfer somwhere who can't find his authentic swing, a woman who has lost the only man she ever loved, a husband & father who can't feed his own family. Yet, the book isn't that pat either for me to place in any slot. If anyone has ever faced a blank page in life itself with the hope to create one meaningful thought and/or kindness (perchance even sacrifice for the sake of another soul) encompassing both the human condition and far-beyond what human eyes can see - you will love this book by the one and only magnificent artist & author, Steven Pressfield. Buying ALL of his books (including this one) could be the best investment you make for yourself and your life. Great art does that sometimes....
It you think it's on golf, you may be missing the point........2005-05-19
Last winter in a philosophy class I was assigned to read a book called the Legend of Bagger Vance. At first, I rejected the entire idea of the book. Golf and philosophy? he had to be kidding right? And the main people in the book - Bagger, Junah, Hardy, Michael - how could they all take a silly game of golf so seriously? (I am not really much of a sports fan.)
It took a few class discussions, but I quickly realized my error. The Legend of Bagger Vance is a rare gem. Packed with religion (it is, after all, based on the Hindu text the Bhagavad-Gita), philosophy, and a rare kind of literary magic, Pressfield has rewritten and submitted a doctrine for the ages in the guise of a book about golf.
Most of the book focuses on a famous game played at Krewe Island between a local has been golf hero, Rannulph Junah and his caddie Bagger Vance, and the two best players of the day Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. (The latter two men did actually exist). The story is retold by Hardy as an old man, who was a young boy at the time of the game, to his young friend Michael. Michael recently quit med school, which Hardy can understand. He is a doctor himself and understands the stress and pressure of pursuing such a career. But when Hardy hears that Michael also quit golf - he decides to do something to bring his young friend back to the game. Through his retelling of the story, an excursion to a local friend, and a few other things I'm not mentioning, lest I spoil it for you, he tells us a magical story about duty, struggle and doing what you were meant to do.
I would suggest this book to anyone, but more specifically certainly any golfer (may you find your authentic swing), anyone who has an affinity for Eastern wisdom, and any person who is searching for meaning in this very confusing world. The movie, which I will not get into here, I would not suggest seeing, simply because it distorts a beautiful story. Main characters are deleted and romances are added - maybe you'd likeit, but I know I wouldn't.
But the book is marvelous. I'm what you could call a book worm, reading 10-20 books a month, but a semester has passed since I closed Bagger Vance, having read its final pages, and it still impacts me daily. The wisdom, philosophy and magic in this book are almost too powerful to convey on paper. But I have tried. Please, give this book a chance. It doesn't look like much, but it is.
I know myself and my friends have all enjoyed it immensely. Maybe it could change your life too.
Average customer rating:
|
John David Crow: Heart of a Companion (Texas Legends Series)
Steve Pate
Manufacturer: Masters Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Football
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Golf
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Football (American)
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Golf
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| AIDS
| Abuse
| Adults
| Aging
| Children
| Class
| Communities
| Culture
| Death
| General
| History
| Leisure
| Marriage & Family
| Medicine
| Men
| Occupational
| Race Relations
| Religion
| Research & Measurement
| Rural
| Social Groups
| Social Situations
| Social Theory
| Suburban
| Urban
| Women
Look Inside Sports Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1570281653 |
Book Description
Ben Hogan's former ball shagger recounts firsthand stories of the golf legend—and reveals, for the first time, Hogan's Swing Secret, a source of mystery to golfers for more than fifty years.
Ben Hogan's pro-golf record is legendary. A four-time PGA Player of the Year, he celebrated sixty-three tournament wins and became known as a man of few words and fewer close friends. Most of what we know about Hogan has been based on myth and speculation. Until now.
In the 1960's, though Hogan's competitive career was over, he kept the practice habits that had made him famous and remade modern competitive golf. He hired fifteen-year-old Jody Vasquez to help. Each day, after driving to a remote part of the course at the Shady Oaks Country Club, Hogan would spend hours hitting balls, and Vasquez would retrieve them. There, and over the course of their twenty-year friendship, Hogan taught Jody the mechanics of his famous swing and shared his thoughts on playing, practicing, and course management—unknowingly revealing much about his character, values, and beliefs, and the events that shaped them.
In Afternoons with Mr. Hogan, Jody Vasquez shares dozens of stories about Hogan, from the way he practiced, selected his clubs, and interacted with other star players to his little-known humor and generosity. Combining the gentle insight of Tom Kite's A Fairway to Heaven (which recalls Kite's golf education under Harvey Penick) with the sage perspective of Penick's own Little Red Book, Vasquez's tribute is funny, poignant, and full of advice for golfers of all levels.
Customer Reviews:
A Pleasant Book with Interesting Lessons.......2005-11-15
Any novice golfer interested in developing a good swing eventually finds his way to Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons." That book, however terrific, provides little information about Hogan's life as a golfer and raises curiosity about a man that some have called "the Garbo of golf." "Afternoons with Mr. Hogan" provides insight into a golf legend from the point of view of a young man who worked for him for several years.
This is indeed a "small" book - it doesn't pretend to be anything else - but the stories are interesting, unusually personal, and quite revealing. The author clearly has great respect and even love for Mr. Hogan, and presents vignettes that provide windows into the personality of an extraordinarily talented, driven, highly secretive man. Even the "secret" of Mr. Hogan's swing is presented as an interesting story, rather than as a crucial tip that will unleash the latent PGA champ in all of us. (I suspect the "wrist cup" tip will be helpful primarily to those who have trouble controlling a hook, which was Mr. Hogan's main golfing issue for many years).
In sum, Mr. Vasquez offers his book as no more and no less than a series of stories that might be of interest -- and most students of golf will find the stories interesting, educational, and touching in their sincerity. An enjoyable and rewarding read.
Great book...ignore the 1 star reviews..........2004-08-07
The 1 star reviews were written by a pitiful little man who has a personal vendetta against the author. If you read the review you understand it is an attack and not a reflection of the book material. The stories in the book are personal experience stories telling of the human side of Hogan. These stories have never appeared in print before. The reviewer is simply jealous of the experience as everyone in Ft. Worth, Texas well knows....sad that jealousy plays here...To see real reviews...go to WWW.JODYVASQUEZ.COM
Don't Believe low Ratings on this book...........2004-07-27
Do not believe the low ratings on this book. I am a Hogan "Nut" and this was a great little book to get a refreshing glimpse of "The Man". I cannot remember the last time I laghed out loud when reading a book, but I did in several places while reading "Afternoons with Mr. Hogan". This book is written by a person who saw Ben Hogan in a very different setting, ie. as a caddie and ball shagger. Mr. Vasquez treats his subject with respect but not with the blind hero worship that sometimes accompany stories or books about Hogan.
Buy this book and enjoy a refreshing and unique look at the man, Ben Hogan!!!
Not much to this book.......2004-07-16
Not much here that hasn't already been written about Hogan, including the ?Secret? which is nothing more than a rehash of some old swing tips from years ago. I thought it was interesting that the author (a scratch golfer) never thought the ?Secret? was important enough to incorporate in his own swing, but now after 37 years he thinks it is ?book material?. In my opinion there isn't much to this book at all and it wasn?t very interesting. I watched Hogan hit shag balls and that was a lot more interesting than reading this book.
Not much to this book.......2004-07-16
Not much here that hasn't already been written about Hogan. The so-called "Secret" is nothing more than a rehash of old swing tips that the author (a scratch golfer) apparently never thought was significant enough to incorporate in his own swing, but now after 37 years, believes is "book material". In my opinion, there isn't much to this book and it wasn't very interesting. I watched Hogan hit shag balls and that was a lot more interesting than reading this book.
Customer Reviews:
Well written,sensitive book about superb athlete.......2003-07-05
THis is one of the best sports biographies I have read.Its very well written, very unbiased,sensitive and portrays an accurate picture of this amazing human being. Its also a fun read and reveals a side of the Babe,her pranks,egocentric often annoying style, that few knew.In my mind she surely was the greatest woman,s athlete and this book truly does her justice.You won,t be disappointed
Interesting Read of Champion Who Doesn't Get Enough PR.......2002-01-12
Amazing champion this lady was. Her accomplishments in a short life are dazzling. Like many others naturally gifted with athleticism and a burning desire to compete and win, Babe did just that.
This is well written, but suffers from my own perspective with an underlying desire to document how cruel and unmodern Babe's cultural times were to not allow lesbian relationships to be openly exposed and women to be subjected to conformity.
We live in just the reversal, where abnormality shines brightly as acceptable or even desirable, and where has this sexual revolution gotten our society?
Babe loved the game of golf, and my interest was primarily in this achievement area of her career. She should deserve more recognition as one of the game's truly greats!
Good........1999-10-21
Since I am from Beaumont, Texas (South Park) and a fan of the BABE, I found the book a very interesting read. I was unaware of the Babe's relationship with Betty Dodd; however, I feel that an individual's sexual life is their own business. I can't help but wonder how the author could have been sure of their special relationship without ever being in the same bedroom with them??? Changing her colostomy bag is hardly a sexual act, but the type of action from a nurse, close relative or friend.
The work of a gifted writer and teacher who did her homework.......1999-08-23
As a former student of Dr. Susan Cayleff, I found the book to be a wonderful and informative read. Knowing Dr. Cayleff and her constant search for truth and knowledge of women and their accomplishments, this book is one more testament to her thoroughness, her brilliance as an academic, and the passions that she imbues in her students - - the fire of wanting to know more about women,who and what they are, who and what they have been, and who and what they can become. Anything that Dr. Cayleff writes stands as witness to her intellect, her love of the written word, and her desire to spread the joyous news of women's feats and accomplishments. Is it any wonder that this book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize? Keep them coming Susan. The next one will be terrific too, after all, I had the opportunity to be one of your research assistants for the next book. Thank you for all of it, the books, the awareness that you instilled and inspired in so many of your students and readers, for your caring about humanity in general, and women in particular.
A great analysis of Babe's life, times, & women's sports.......1999-01-29
Cayleff has thoroughly researched and documented Babe's life and times. She conducted extensive interviews with surviving members of Babe's family, friends, and partner (Betty Dodd). Cayleff also incorporated massive amounts of journalistic accounts--sports writers, magazines accounts, etc. This is not a fluff biography--the book will teach you about what it meant to be a woman in Babe's time, what it meant to be a female athlete, and how Babe managed--and manipulated--these things. Babe fans will learn more about her, and scholars will be able to follow up on Cayleff's work through her extensive endnotes. This is the first book to tell of Babe's relationship with Betty Dodd, but Cayleff does not label it "lesbian." That is because Babe herself never did. Remember that this was the 1950s. They were life partners, spouses. The loved each other. Cayleff's book is important for bringing this relationship to light, as well as many other hidden realities of Didrikson's life--her heroism as an "out" cancer patient (when it was taboo to talk about it), as well as how Babe manipulated the press. As dozens of published book review has stated (see quotes above at this cite), this is absolutely THE most extensive research ever done on Babe. I've seen rave reviews of the book in SOJOURNER, WEST COAST WOMAN, WOMEN'S REVIEW OF BOOKS, and SPORTS HISTORY REVIEW, among many others.
Book Description
“Can you teach an ordinary golfer like me to drive the ball 300 yards?” With this question sportswriter Philip Reed’s search for the greatest golf swing begins. When Reed met ninety-year old Mike Austin, he knew that Austin held the record for the longest drive ever—an awesome 515-yard shot during a Senior PGA event. What he didn’t know is that he was forging a bond with a man whose amazing life he has now chronicled in a book that is charming, funny, and wise. As Reed’s tutelage under his cantankerous teacher begins, he learns of Austin’s winning wagers on trick shots, sharing a Hollywood apartment with Errol Flynn; giving secret lessons to Howard Hughes; and matching shots against Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. As Reed's drives get longer, Austin’s health worsens. Mike soon suffers a stroke that silences him, but Reed is sure that Mike wants someone to tell his story—of a man who could do one thing better than anyone else, who possessed the most prodigious golf swing ever. This book is not just for golfers, but for all readers who savor heartwarming stories of unexpected friendships and are eager to learn secrets of living life to the fullest.
Customer Reviews:
Hits a Golfer's Sweet Spot.......2007-10-09
Had a terrific time reading this book. It reaches out and grabs every weekend golfer by what they desire most... the Shangri-la of a long, monster drive by exploring the fascinating life of Mike Austin via the student/teacher relationship with the author.
Mike Austin's tales tend to come off as a bit hard to believe, sort of like the "Dos Equis's: World's Most Interesting Man," but Phil seems to bear out all as truth through what appears to be painstaking research.
It really didn't end up helping my swing but gave me inspired look at a the longest drive hitter, now off to get the dvd....
515 yards yeah right!!!.......2007-07-13
If you are a skeptic about anything you have heard about Mike Austin's 515 yard drive.....this book will put your questions to rest. Phil Read has provided a very real account of some of the mystery surrounding Mike Austin and the golf swing he taught.
Phil writes exactly how Mr Austin spoke.....straight shooting style. Phil talks about Austin's experiences with some of the best golfers from the 30's through to the 60's....Sarazen,Snead and Hogan etc.
There are some glimpses of golf instruction in the book....but it is really about Mike Austin. Some question's like ...why isn't Mike Austin not better known if he was so good etc are answered.
A great read along with Dan Shaugers How to Kill the Ball and 21st Century Golf Swing.
One of the best books I've ever read!.......2007-05-03
Phillip Reed has great writing charisma, if there is such a thing. While reading this book, on the one hand I wanted to hurry up and finish it so I'd know its content, and, on the other hand, like a good movie, I didn't want it to end. It's hard to beat a well written book containing intriguing subject matter. The clever intermingling of three stories - Mike Austin's extraordinary life, the author's quest for a 300 yard drive, and instruction on the Mike Austin Swing Method, itself, make this unique book a "must read" for golfers and nongolfers alike.
One of the Best.......2007-03-21
A unique and entertaining tale of a bogey golfer's quest to hit a 300-yard drive is also a biography of Dr. Michael Hoke Austin, who holds the record for the longest drive in golf--515 yards. Anyone who has searched for the elusive secrets of perfecting their golf game can identify with the struggles of the author to understand Mike Austin and his method. Already in his nineties, Austin is difficult, cantankerous and cautious about sharing his knowledge; but his developing friendship with the author and his realization that his days are numbered evolves into an urgency to compile his knowledge as a legacy that meshes with the author's personal quest. We also meet long-drive champion Mike Dunaway and golf professional Dan Shauger, who Austin declares as the person best able to explain his method. The account of Austin's final years is also inspirational, a portrait of a man who has lived life fully, complete with many failures and weaknesses but marked with singular accomplishment and ultimate friendships.
Hard to Put Down.......2007-03-10
OK, I knew a little about Mike Austin before I read this book. This was from the peace river tape I purchased about four years ago. Mike was an amazing man and Phil Reed has done a great job capturing some of the aspects of Mike's life. In addition, there a few clues in the book on the Mike Austin Swing from Phil's pursuit of the swing. I read it from cover to cover the first time and have revisited portions of it since.
Book Description
Classic secrets of putting legend-- one of the best books on putting ever written. Black & white photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Not Much in Here You Probably Didn't Already Know.......2004-04-03
I was really disappointed in this one. I was expecting something original and insightful. Instead of revealing some kind of insider knowledge, it was just a re-hash of the basics- stance, grip, stroke, reading greens, equipment, practicing, etc. No different than what you'll find in any basic instruction on putting, and not nearly as comprehensive or intelligent as Dave Stockton's book. In fact, you can get through it about an hour.
The only interesting part was the introduction, which gave a brief biographical account of George Low. His life seems to have been a lot more novel than this book is.
America's Guest: Gone, but not forgotten.......2000-08-01
The late, great George Low, putter extrordinare, is no longer with us, but his incomparable guide to putting remains as his legacy to all adherents to the adage "Drive for show, putt for dough !".
Low's statement, "I never owned an overcoat", characterizes the man and the legend. As a personal adviser to Palmer, Nicklaus, and countless others, his personal contribution to the winning of many of golf's major championships cannot be estimated, only appreciated.
An extremely interesting book from one of golf's greats, a true American original ! Don't read if you're not interested in improving your scoring !
Average customer rating:
- Another Krishna Consciousness interpretation
- Not much about the movie but great treatise on the Gita
- Not too much about Bagger Vance but great bk on the Gita
- Gita on the Green is Gold
- Bagger Meets Krishna Review
|
Gita on the Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance
Stephen J. Rosen ,
Steven J. Rosen , and
Steven Pressfield
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
African American
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Criticism & Interpretation
| Reference
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Hinduism
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Mysticism
| Other Practices
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
African American
| Other Practices
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Literature & Fiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Religion & Spirituality
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Legend of Bagger Vance
-
The Cosmic Laws of Golf (and everything else)
-
Golf in the Kingdom (An Esalen Book)
-
Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible
-
Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game
ASIN: 0826413013 |
Book Description
The Legend of Bagger Vance, directed by Robert Redford and starring Matt Damon and Will Smith, releasing November 3, 2000 in theaters nationwide. Rush-released to coincide with the film's release, Steven Rosen's GITA ON THE GREEN (Continuum Publishing/November 2000/$18.95 hardcover) will appeal to serious readers and serious moviegoers alike.
Customer Reviews:
Another Krishna Consciousness interpretation.......2004-01-03
The Legend of Bagger Vance is one of my favorite books and I have spent a fair amount of time studying the Gita including reading portions of it in Sanskrit. I picked up Gita on the Green with high expectations but was quickly disappointed when I realized that it was written from the Krishna Consciousness perspective (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is).
I would recommend the Stoler-Miller translation of the Gita.
Not much about the movie but great treatise on the Gita.......2001-10-20
If you want to know what the Bhagavad Gita is about and are too lazy to actually read it, this is the next best thing. Great review of jnana, karma and bhakti (knowledge, action and devotion) concepts.
Not too much about Bagger Vance but great bk on the Gita.......2001-10-20
This book gives a relaxed and informative treatment of the essential doctrine of the Bhagavad Gita. If you're too lazy to read the Penguin Classic translation of the Bhagavad Gita, get this. Knowledge is the first step to enlightenment!
Gita on the Green is Gold.......2001-03-09
I have read and loved many of Steve Rosen's books. GITA ON THE GREEN is a welcome and worthy addition to my collection of his books. I had previously read the Bhagavad Gita, but had little knowledge about golf, and hadn't yet read The Legend of Bagger Vance.
The reader will benefit most by reading Bhagavad Gita As It Is, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Gita on the Green together, or in quick succession. With both simplicity and thoroughness, Rosen ties together and explains this ancient and eternal tradition expressed in the Bhagavad-Gita and how it is explained in the new context of golf for the modern reader in Bagger Vance.
Now, for it all to come full circle, I await the Sanskrit translation of Gita on the Green!
Bagger Meets Krishna Review.......2000-12-28
A Review of Gita on the Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance By Steven J. Rosen Continuum International, 370 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 (N.Y.-London 2000) pp.176. Index. Select bibliography
Reviewed by Madan Mohan
It is not often that a book is released that answers so many questions or does so many things at once. First, you have elaborate analyses of Bhagavad-gita, the ancient spiritual classic, and the Legend of Bagger Vance (both the novel and the movie). But more, you have a learned study of the interrelationship of the Gita and Bagger Vance, which is quite an achievement. The greater achievement, also accomplished in this book, is that the reader, without ever having read either the Gita or Bagger Vance, can walk away from this book with a clear understanding of both!
Bagger Vance takes the Gita, a spiritual dialog that occurs on a battlefield just before the onset of a massive war, and transposes it onto a golf course. Rosen, in Gita on the Green, takes the golf course and shows how the teachings of the Gita are indeed perennial, to be understood as much on the links as in a monastery. The charm of this book is that it conveys the Gita's teaching almost incidentally, while explaining a contemporary novel (Bagger Vance) and the Robert Redford movie that sprang from this novel.
But Rosen's book does so much more. It is also a autobiographical, with a Teachings of Don Juan sort of vibe. The author tells his personal story about meeting a saintly person in India and how he studied under this saintly person, much as Carlos Castaneda studied under Don Juan. This sets the groundwork for just who this author is, and how seriously he takes the subject. This also allows him to express his own initial reservations about the Gita, such as his repugnance for the violence of the battlefield (since, as stated, the Gita takes place in the midst of a great war). Pressfield, who authored the original novel of Bagger Vance, was impressed with Rosen's personal journey-- and his knowledge of the Gita-- and he consequently wrote a foreword for Rosen's book that all but makes one ask, "Hey, are these two in cahoots?"
After these initial introductory chapters, Gita on the Green launches into its analysis of the Gita, always mindful of the Bagger Vance parallels and golf as a metaphor for life.
Rosen is meticulous in his investigation of the Gita, offering details of its origin, its inclusion in the larger epic (the Mahabharata), and how it was originally meant to be understood (in the guru-disciple relationship). Moreover, he goes through each of the Gita's eighteen chapters and explains them in a user-friendly sort of way. He cites many Gita studies, books on golf, and contemporary works on psychology, such as those of M. Scott Peck, in order to highlight the Gita's central teachings and make them relevant for people of today. This is perhaps the book's strongest aspect: It takes an otherwise difficult Indic scripture and allows it to shine through with the simplicity of a modern-day novel. It offers readers the essence of the Bhagavad-gita in an accessible and approachable way. This, it might be added, is no small task!
Average customer rating:
- The story of one of golf's greats
- A Brilliant Golfer!! Moe Norman Rules!!
|
Moe Norman: The Canadian Golfing Legend with the Perfect Swing (Amazing Stories)
Stan Sauerwein
Manufacturer: Altitude Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Canadian
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Golf
| Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Golf
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Canada
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
19th Century
| Canada
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Sports Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Canadian
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
19th Century
| Canada
| Americas
| History
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Canada
| Americas
| History
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| World
| History
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Biographies
| Sports
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Sports
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Golf
| Sports
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story
-
Natural Golf Swing
-
Natural Golf
-
Moe Norman Clinic
-
Moe Norman Golf Legend (3 Video Collector's Edition)
ASIN: 1551539535 |
Book Description
Murray "Moe" Norman has always been a little different. When he took up golf, at the age of 12, he spent hours hitting balls, swinging the club until his hands bled. He soon became a phenomenon on the amateur golfing circuit. Humbly aware of his special gift, Moe went on to set 33 course records, including three 59s, and has shot 17 hole-in-ones.
Customer Reviews:
The story of one of golf's greats.......2005-10-13
This is the tale of Moe Norman, one of golf's greatest, but probably least well known heroes. Born into poverty, he used the extra time he had to turn himself into the greatest ball striker ever known. Overcoming financial problems, numerous brushes with the RCGA and other ruling bodies, he carved a place out for himself in golf history, and is now one of its immortal figures.
This book is geared mostly towards adolescent readers with a general interest in sports greats, preferably with a rudamentary understanding of golf. It will not satisfy the golf fan, though, as so much that was unique about Norman's game is not discussed. Many of the tales that surround him, such as the exhibition with Snead in which Norman launched a drive and rolled it over a bridge rather than lay up in front of a creek, are noted, but some of his greatest feats are left out. Many of those, such as being told by his caddy that a hole was a driver and a wedge to the green and Norman playing a wedge from the tee and a driver from the fairway, probably will be lost on non-golfers.
For a simple read into Moe Norman's life, this book more than fits the bill, but it treads too carefully. His problems with tournament organizers and golf's ruling bodies sets the plot, but that plot is very much a "disadvantage person carving his own way" sort of story, and not the tale of bravado golfers have come to expect regarding the greats. Good reading for a summer book report, but lacking for serious golf readers.
A Brilliant Golfer!! Moe Norman Rules!!.......2004-07-01
The reknowned author,Stan Sauerwein has written a great biography of a brilliant golfer,Moe Norman.He rules!!
Book Description
A beautiful hardcover book and collector's item, "I Remember Ben Hogan" is an oral history of an amazing golf legend. Many people were touched by Ben Hogan although few were truly able to connect with him. To a select few, he was a shy, sly mentor, able and willing to reveal golf-swing secrets with a grip and a rare grin. Author Mike Towle uncovers more than 100 original stories regarding golf's most famous legend.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!.......2006-03-14
I have read a lot about Ben Hogan but this was by far and away one of the best books I've read. I will read this again from time to time.
Interesting insights!!.......2002-01-19
It's fascinating to me that a guy as reclusive as Hogan could command so much public adoration and curiosity. This is a book that offers a lot of neat stories about Hogan that I had never read. A bunch of people who knew Hogan, both well-known and not so well known, tell their stories about Hogan in their own words---in oral history form. I've read a couple of other books on the Hawk and those were nice reads in their own way as well. I read the other reviews on this page and don't understand why "clucas" called this a "duck hook." It isn't--it's not John Feinstein-caliber, but it's still worth the price. Sounds like some bitterness being expressed by clucas, probably someone who doesn't know anything what it takes to win at golf or can recognize good book writing.
you'll either love it or hate it..........2001-11-24
there seems no in between. I have 800+ golf books and have read everything just about everything on Hogan. (What club did he REALLY hit at Merion in the famous photo?). Due to the negative reviews I didn't get to this one for a while. When I did, I truly enjoyed it. Is some info repeated? Sure. But this is mostly new, original and genuine investigation, not reguritation. If you are a golf and golf history BUFF I think you will enjoy. If not, pass and read the more current books. (a 2 iron.)
A duck hook.......2001-03-14
While I understand that any author that wants to write about The Hawk will have his work cut out for him, it seems that Towle took the path of least resistance. A couple of phone calls here, 5 minutes of editing there, and you're left with a book that tells you two things:
1.) Hogan was a gruff but soft-on-the-inside guy.
2.) Hogan got the yips later in life.
Those who want to learn more than those two points would be better off avoiding this book.
Terrific book.......2001-01-29
The last two reviewers before me couldn't have read the same book I did. The whole point is that while Hogan is such a legendary figure inspiring tremendous curiosity, information about him has come out in bits and pieces over the years. There were dozens of tidbits in this book that were revelatory to me, and I'm someone who lived in Fort Worth many years while the reclusive Mr. Hogan was still alive. I found this book really good and informative, and full of new material. Based on its oral-history format, and the author's own admission in the introduction, this wasn't supposed to be an earthshaking biography full of dirt. Instead, it offers a lot of nifty snapshots about Hogan from people, a number of whom were his close freinds that, while not celebrities, had insights into Hogan's real life that "celebrities" who thought they knew him didn't. This book is definitely worth at least one read.
Books:
- The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
- The Professional Bachelor Dating Guide - How to Exploit Her Inner Psycho
- The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter
- The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line (Conscientious Commerce)
- The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship
- The Tiger's Way: A U.S. Private's Best Chance for Survival
- The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger
- The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger
- The Year of Magical Thinking
- Violent Screen: A Critic's 13 Years on the Front Lines of Movie Mayhem (Expedition Series)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind
- The Great Book of Guns: An Illustrated History of Military, Sporting, and Antique Firearms
- Free trade agreements: impact on U.S. trade and implications for U.S. trade policy.
- Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Succes
- PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams
- The Light in the Forest
- Our National Park System: Caring for America's Greatest Natural and Historic Treasures
- Exploding the Gene Myth: How Genetic Information Is Produced and Manipulated by Scientists, Physicia
- Intermediate Financial Theory
- Something Lyrical for the Night
Gita on the Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance
The Virtues of War: A Novel of Alexander the Great
Last of the Amazons
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
