Book Description

Known as the Walter Cronkite of golf, Ken Venturi has broadcast the game for a record-setting 34 years; his autobiography shares his perspective of the game on many topics and comes out in the 40th anniversary of his stunning upset victory in the 1964 U.S. Open. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A prima donna, but an interesting golf life
Venturi is a bit of a prima donna - you can't be on TV for 35 years without a touch of that - but at the same time he has lived a very interesting life in golf, and come across some very interesting people. I forgive him his brushes against Palmer and Player: I have no doubt that those people, while projecting saintly public images, are extremely fierce competitors willing to work everything possible in their favor, and I thank this book for having the nerve to reveal that side to me. In a similar but more positive way, I came away with a much more well-rounded sense of people like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.

Venturi's attitude about his own play and level is interesting: while he blames injury and circumstances for many losses and for not having achieved full potential, I think he minimizes the way many greats have overcome similar problems.

The main thing, though, is that I read this book because I sorely miss his voice - and attitude - on TV. He's been replaced by a generation of blabbermouths who, unlike Venturi, are unable to push their own considerable egos aside to comment on the sport itself. Johnny Miller is by far the worst offender, but they're all reasonably guilty. And if I see Peter Kostis "analyze" another errant swing I think I'll puke. I miss you, Mr. Venturi.

THE BEST GOLF BOOK I HAVE EVER READ
What a book ! I cried and laughed many times while reading the life of Ken Venturi. His last chapter, says it all. WHY ME? Why did God bless me so much. All of the tragedies in his life led him to two wonderful wives and many years of educating us on golf, Mr. Hogan and life in general, while working at CBS. Mr. Venturi has my most deepest respect.

He shows there is a reason for everything, and all hardships have a silver lining at the end.

All things work together for the good for all who believe in God.

Thank you Ken Venturi for sharing your life with us.

A Famous Golfer's Dual with Self
Come back --- underdog --- fighter --- champion --- commentator. These are words about Venturi, who it seems most of his life was always dualing with himself against others to show them what he was made of: toughness and talent that could and would succeed in winning.

He suffered through much: hand injuries, marriage trauma, etc. But the biggest hurdles were those letdowns, those meltdowns which occur in sports when one is so close to seizing the brass ring, only to have it slip out of grasp. As Venturi would describe, someone else always played phenonemenal to do just that. He would be a previous generation's Greg Norman.

Anyone who was so close and fondly associated with the likes of Nelson, Sarazen and Hogan, now this is a special person. Or for Vince Lombardi to admire the look in an competitor's eyes, this is a special golfer. One who endured severe heat and win his country's national golf championship in the doing, this is a special golfer.

This carried over in his broadcasting. Concise, poignant, to the point. Let the golf describe most of the action. I like millions admired and respected his great gifts for commenting, but never really knew about the stammering. Maybe the greatest hurdle of all. What courage he showed and can encourage all who have such to do the same. A man of principle.

Somehow as good as this read was with all the fascinating stories and incidents, I thought it was slightly "I oriented" too much. Thus, four not five.

Whine Whine
The whining drunk shows his true colors. Should have been off the air at least 10 years before they finally showed him the door. What a low-life ... if you're broke, it's your fault. And, if you lost the Masters vs. Arnie, it's because you didn't play well enough to win.

Wonderful memoirs of life
Ken, We loved the book, and want to thank you for shering all the wonderful stories, both about golf and the "ups and downs" of your life We found it to be very moving, We definitely will recomend it to all our friends, and we miss you on T.V. ... Read more

Book Description

From the Foreword by Paul Marchand:"Finally! A book to help illuminate the Fred fascination. On the following pages you can enjoy some insight into all those qualities that make Fred Couples such a compelling sports star. His humor and humility have been his ever-present personality traits, and there has always been a real sincerity in Fred's uncomplicated and unaffected nature. While looking so calm and relaxed, Fred performs his skills 'right out of his soul.'"With his fluid swing and soft touch, Fred Couples has won thirteen times on the PGA Tour, including the Masters in 1992. And Freddie is clearly a favorite among the fans and players. His appeal lies not in the number of tournaments he has won but in his endearing nonchalance about his star golfer status. Fred Couples: Golf's Reluctant Superstar is an illuminating look inside the life of a man who rarely bares his soul. Author Kathlene Bissell recounts stories of his days at the University of Houston with future CBS golf announcer Jim Nantz, of his turning pro on a whim and the ensuing struggle to break through on the tour, of his fulfilling a lifelong dream of a Masters victory and the emotional aftermath, and of his role in helping launch the current look in golf clothing. He hides behind a casual demeanor, but his career has revealed a raw determination to make it through the down times to remain at the top of his field. Fred Couples is an inspiring story for golfers and sports fans alike.Kathlene Bissell has worked in the golf industry since 1984. She has written for Golf Illustrated, Golf for Women, and Private Clubs magazines and formerly was media director for the Skins Game and the World Cup of Golf. She is a media consultant to golf businesses and founder of thegolfshow.net, a website devoted to various aspects of the game. She lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Fred Couples
The book was ok. If you're a Couples fan you probably know most of what you're going to read already. In some regards the author made Deborah out to be a little more "cartoonish' than she probably was. Would've like a little more depth rather than just remembrances of golf tournaments past.

Fred Couples = A+; Kathlene Bissell = F.
This book is a tragedy to Fred Couples. Bissell's writing is simply awful. If you are even a novice player you will notice that Bissell knows almost nothing about that which she writes (e.g. way, WAY to much golf slang everywhere). Dissappointing, but since it is the only biography of Freddy, one doesn't have much choice - buy it used if you can.

Missed Birdie of a Book!
This book was similar to any par four played: average drive down the middle, with an average approach shot thirty feet from the pin. The birdie putt slid by two inches on the left. Putted in for par. An adamant Couples fan, I probably had higher expectations about a really good read about my favorite player. Learned alot about him, but style left me weary. Shot after shot description of each tournament left me tired. Not bad though overall. Anything on Freddie is appreciated!

The recultant superstar
I have always been a big fan of Freddy, this book explained his issues in a more concise way than I had previously thought they occurred. I highly recommend this book, whether your a fan of Fred or not, it provides an insight into the rigors of a golf professional.

Golf's Reluctant Superstar
I thought this was an awful book. The author cobbled together press clippings and an infatuation. I bet Fred Couples was sorry he ever talked to her. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worthy Tribute to the Pioneers of Professional Golf
Old Tom Morris lived to the age of eighty-seven, witnessing, and being a major part of, the development of a sport which is now played all over the world (and once on the moon). It is therefore extraordinary that this seems to be the only book dedicated to his life; or even to this time in golf's history. Prior to this publication, the exceptional characters of the time - Old Tom Morris, Willie Park, Allan Robertson, Young Tom Morris - have merited only the occasional paragraph in golfing encyclopedia.

Compiled as an actor's stage prop - from sources including the golfer's actual book of cuttings - it has the feel of a genuine, beautifully bound scrapbook: its not-quite chronological order, happy-accident compilation seems the sort of thing someone would put together in their spare time. This adds enormously to the book's appeal - starkly setting out a man's life in cuttings and photographs, with no explanatory notes, proves very moving.

Though this fresh approach to biography allows the reader to interpret material free of the bias normally brought by the author, it also means it is free of any correction: the original authors of the clippings would, no doubt, have their own agenda, as would the person collecting the material. Another disadvantage of this format is that it lacks a social context: sporting event takes precedence, leaving the world around relatively unimportant (reading 'A Century of the Scottish People 1830-1950' T C Smout, would help the reader fill this gap). This book gives the initial impression that the golfing professional was a rich man of high status, which runs contrary to other sources which suggest that he was not welcome within clubhouses, and that much of his income was reliant on club and ball making; his wealthy backers being the main benificiaries of his golfing talent.

These points aside, the book contains a huge amount of information which will keep anyone interested in history and/or golf fascinated for years. I would suggest you find a comfortable chair, pour a generous glass of whisky (28 year old Springbank as a preference), open a page of this book at random and look back one hundred and fifty years at the pioneers who look exactly like their contemporaries in the wild west, except rifles are replaced by golf clubs. ... Read more

Book Description

All eat from the bowl of life. Tiger Woods just has a bigger spoon.

So writes Curt Sampson in his ground-breaking account of the current state of golf. Tiger Woods has changed golf forever. His mix of power and skill combines with his extraordinary business savvy to make Woods the biggest global sports figure since Michael Jordan. Like Jordan, Woods' competitive signature is equal parts inspiration and intimidation.

But what about the other guys? It's either catch up or give up for the rest of the golfing world, and in Chasing Tiger Curt Sampson exuberantly charts the state of the game as the new century unfolds. There are Duval and Mickelson and a host of other stars, of course, but there are also the junior golfers and their parents, corporate America, agents, instructors, fans, and the media.

Just as he did in his controversial bestsellers Hogan and The Masters, Sampson digs deepto uncover stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. There's the golf course employee in Austin whose admiration for Woods leads him to spend every waking minute mimicking his hero (including the trademark pumping fist, only here it's on the practice green). There's the awestruck unemployed talk show host who stretches the bounds of good taste and hero worship with his Web site, Tigerwoodsisgod.com. At the other end of the scale is Charles Howell III, skinny as a 2-iron, a up-and-coming player who has been tapped by Jack Nicklaus to be the next great challenge to Woods. Howell is the anti-Tiger: a man unfailingly friendly to fans and media, recently married, opinionated, and entirely lacking in caution, yet he struggles to earn enough money to make the Tour.

Curt Sampson has written an affectionate yet wary account of one extraordinary man's impact on the world of sport. By turns moving, hilarious, and eye-opening, Chasing Tiger is a wonderful addition to the golf canon. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Tiger as a Seismic Event
Beyond the aggrandizing sports articles and simplistic examinations of Tiger's stroke or sheer ability lies the story of his effect on the PGA.
Woods has changed golf the same way an eathquake can change a small, extraordinarily inclusive, community.
The landscape is different. Familar direction markers no longer exist and are replaced by new totems of accomplishment and mountains of greatness.
Instead of toeing the party line of Tiger's perfection Sampson examines Tiger's effect on the PGA community.
Anyone curious about the innerworkings of the PGA, with all its glory, success, and abject drudgery, should READ THIS BOOK.
Anyone interested in Tiger Woods and his permanent effect on golf SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.
This book tells you what he has done to the game and how the playing field has changed for every single player who picks up a club.

Wait for the paperback -- if at all.
I have enjoyed Sampson's writing in the past, but this book disappointed. As advertised, it really is a book about the chasing of Tiger Woods -- by competitors, fans and media. One can enjoy the "behind the scenes" looks at the tour, and if you are interested in Charles Howell III, you will get a bunch of info here. I felt the book headed off in too many directions, the metaphors were WAY overblown, and the lack of focus was frustrating. If you are interested in the peripheral insights to be gained, or simply love Sampson -- wait for the paperback!

A Great Read!
I read this book straight through! "Chasing Tiger" is not yet another Tiger Woods biography, but an inside look at Tiger Woods through the eyes of other professional golfers, groupies, media people, caddies, etc..Curt Samspon tells a truthful, and sometimes shocking, account of what it's like to be on the tour with Tiger. This is a great book, not just for golf fans, but for anyone who is interested in more than what they read on the sports page. Curt Sampson has great style, and you should read this book.

Chasing Tiger by Curt Sampson
A very enjoyable read....as usual, I hated for Curt Sampson's book to be over!

Perception vs. Reality...Tiger Woods
I loved this book!...whatcha see is not usually whatcha get on the PGA tour...Curt Sampson has captured the reality of Pro Golf, which is not seen on network TV or The Golf Channel. As a former PGA Tour caddy I can vouch for the fact that while the TV cameras are rolling these guys put on a good show but off-stage they won't give you the time of day...Curt Sampson has the inside track on what really happens inside the ropes on the PGA Tour and he shares it with all of us...Tiger, Phil, Charles Howell III...nobody is immune from criticism...and that's the way it should be...after all... aren't golfers people like you and me?...a good book...fast read...and right on the money...Capt. Randy Brown ... Read more

Book Description

This updated edition of a NEW YORK TIMES best seller includes a final chapter, which chronicles the last years of his life and examines his enduring legacy.Included are quotes and tributes from many of golf’s greats such as Byron nelson and a perceptive assessment of the life and legend of the man who may have been the greatest golfer ever—Ben Hogan. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A great book for the lazy golfer, who needs to work at golf.
In Curt Sampson's biography of Ben Hogan, he tells the true story of a young caddie who becomes the world's best golfer. Curt Sampson seems to be telling the reader that through hard work you can achieve your goal. Mr. Sampson wrote this book to show the good, bad, and the ugly sides of Ben Hogan's life. Curt Sampson is right on with his characterization of Hogan. Hogan is tough as nails and this is truly portrayed throughout the book. This book could help the average golfer, learn how to work at their game "until his hands bled." HOGAN will always be of great importance to the reader, because it shows the trials and tribulations of the poor boy who makes it big. Anyone who wants to see a person who earned their living and survived through the tough times, should read HOGAN by Curt Sampson.

Solid
This book really only confirmed what I had thought for a long time, behind Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan was a tremendous golfer who was way ahead of his time. Hogan nearly won the grand slam, and could not compete in the PGA because of the fact it started almost the same time the British Open was finishing. As we all watch Tiger Woods try for the grand slam, let us not forget Ben Hogan who was as close as anyone has ever come to doing it. The most amazing part of Hogan's story was the fact he won the US Open after almost dying in a car crash.

Sampson does a nice job with this book, telling about Hogan like he was, stearn and driven, and definitely not writing a fluff piece like some biographies can be. Hogan was tough, and I would equate him as the "Ted Williams" of golf, so good it was hard for him to teach anyone because he set such high standards for himself. I recommend this book to golfers and people who want to read about a remarkable man.

Hogan the man, the golfer, and business founder
When I was growing up the names of Palmer, Nicklaus, Trevino, Player, and their generation were the top competitors. Ben Hogan was a revered name, but one of past glory. His great year of 1953 was in the past. I had heard about his auto accident and his amazing comeback, but this book helped me see the man who "dug it out of the dirt" through hard work, discipline, and ferocious tenacity.

Mr. Hogan started out with less than most. His father's suicide and the family's subsequent poverty didn't leave him with many open paths to success. He found golf and found that it not only matched his physical skills, but was an even better match for his nearly obsessive temperament.

The swing he developed has become the pattern millions of us try to emulate, although he would find our haphazard approach to the game less than useless. Why we love being duffers would be beyond him. He knew how to work and to practice. I still cannot fathom the kind of internal strength it would take to come back from that terrible leg shattering accident when his Cadillac was struck by a bus. He played in great pain for the rest of his life and had four surgeries on his left shoulder. When I realize that his greatest achievements and most of his wins at major tournaments were after the accident I am simply dumbstruck.

Mr. Hogan was a very private and enigmatic figure. Mr. Sampson does a good job in teasing what facts we know into a good story. We get interesting stories from the golf side of his life (mostly stories told about Hogan by others) and those are very enjoyable. However, I like the way Mr. Sampson puts all that in the context of a real person - a real man. Ben Hogan wasn't a fictional character even though the media version of him was a distortion of the actual hard working man who practiced, practiced, and then practiced some more, who loved his wife, Valerie, and built a successful golf equipment business.

Ben Hogan made a long journey through life and I think this book tells the story well.

Best so far...
This is the best biography of Ben Hogan I have yet read. Curt Sampson does a wonderful job, and his writing is very smooth and enjoyable. I like the shot-by-shot drama of golf, and especially when the topic is one of the greatest - perhaps the greatest - golfer of the 20th Century. Sampson knows the game well enough to write an excellent book, and has a more than impressive resume as a player to boot. Don't let any negative reviews deter you from the book - its a classic.

A Great Read
Ben Hogan was a no nonsense, focused champion who realized early in life that hard work was the path to success. Curt Sampson does a great job in presenting the real Hogan, not just the golf legend. This book should be required reading for all golf fans.
Especially the goofs who scream "You da man!" everytime Tiger hits a shot. There will never be another Ben Hogan. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A women of action, a women who made her dreams come true.
Marion Hollins is by far one of the most accomplished persons in American history. Her story is motivating and incredible. For anyone who doubts their ability to succeed, this is a must read.

Terrific life story of this "can do" woman athlete.
Marion Hollins' life story is an amazing series of accomplishments, crowned by her design work at Cypress Point and Pasatiempo Golf Clubs. This is a 'must read' for Central Coast people who want to learn more about how Marion's dedication and determination influenced the formation of Pebble Beach and Pasatiempo during the '20s and '30s. Her tragic ending at an early age leaves the reader wondering what more she could have accomplished had she lived a bit longer. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent for use in classroom.
An excellent work to understand the cultural and historical issues facing blacks in pre civil rights history and beyond. It is a penetrating and inspirational look at overcoming obstacles in pursuit of a dream. It is not contexted solely in racial struggles of minorites but goes beyond this to the courage and deliberation required for any of us that have dreams and aspirations to accomplish something to make this a better world.

A MAN'S DREAM, A FAMILY'S PASSION, AN AMERICAN LEGACY
This is a story of triumph over discrimination based upon the color of one's skin.

Imagine serving your country to win a war, and then returning to your homeland, and not having available to you the resources available to others who worked by your side.

Be amazed that there is only one golf coure in the United States in the year 2001 that is designed, built, and maintained by an African-American family.

Consider that the Professional Golf Association of America eliminated its white-only policy in the early 1960s.

Become inspired by imagining or playing this golf course that is available to any person, regardless of level of skill; for the love of the game.

Ellen Nossner's writing of this man's story is focused, fluid, and revealing.

America has come a long way, in part, due to triumphs of spirit like that of Mr. Powell.We must not lose sight that we still have a ways to go.

Inspirational history
Once I began reading "Clearview:America's Course" I simply could not put it down. It is a personal historical account of the transition of our country from a place where only some enjoy freedom to a country where finally we can boast that all people are free. We see the past 7 decades through one man's vision, uncluttered by resentment and bitterness at the unjust treatment he endured simply because he was black. Dr. Powell is an inspiration to all. Ms. Nosner writes in a manner that is easy and enjoyable to read.

inspired
this book is one of the most inspirational and motivational books I have read in a long time. It teaches many lessons for people of all ages, especially to never give up. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nick Faldo has shown that nothing beats persistance.
Anyone who has a small amount of talent in their respective field should read this book. Nick Faldo has shown that the harder you work at something the better you can become. To rebuild your swing is one thing. To win and become number one in the world is an achievement that will probably never be matched.

This book is a lesson in not giving up. The man is simply a winner. ... Read more

Book Description

At the heart of Tiger Woods' accomplishments is the special bond he shares with his father, mentor and first goal coach, Earl Woods. In Playing Through,?Tiger's dad shares the never-before-told story of the Woods family. Part autobiography and part ultimate insider's biography of Tiger, Playing Through is Earl Woods' opportunity to have his say and pass on lessons he has learned along the way.

For the first time, Earl faces the critics and cynics, addressing head-on the controversies and rumors that have grabbed headlines. In this brutally honest account of life with Tiger, Earl reveals how Tiger struggled to adapt to life as a pro, the racial attacks and hate mail, the painful sacrifices the family made throughout the years and the real reasons Tiger left Stanford after just two years. He also tells the untold story of what happened the night before Tiger's Masters' victory and the unique philosophy behind all of Tiger's actions, professional and personal.

Earl also shares his own stunning story. Raised by his sister after losing both of his parents by the time he was 13, he chose the military over a promising baseball career. He reveals the racial barriers that tortured him throughout his Army days, how he found his calling in the Green Berets and shocking details about his two tours of duty in Vietnam, where he met and befriended the original "Tiger," for whom his famous son is named. Woven throughout his recollections is the legacy of his mother and the lessons she imparted to him about family, faith and hard work -- all of which helped Earl to nurture and guide his son's talent.

A tribute to Tiger, to the powerful role of family and the bonds between fathers and sons and to the sport that has made so much possible for the Woods family, Earl's words will inspire all of us to work hard, dream big and "play through" life's challenges. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BEHIND THE TIGER
Who was the man who was behind Tiger Woods to mold and shape him into the champion that he is today? The answer is Earl Woods, Tiger's father, friend and confidant. Playing Through is Earl Woods' own biography of what it is like to be the father of one of golf's greatest stars. One would expect a cohesive and comprehensive story about Earl's life and that of his son. Instead you are presented with a man who is uncapable of seperating himself from the persona of his son. Earl Woods spends the majority of the time speaking about his son rather than himself. How strange, since the book is supposed to be about Earl Woods. Unfortunately it ends up as a promotional text about Tiger.

Earl Woods is a man who dealt with many obstacles in his life. As a teenager he lost his parents, struggled with a career choice, dealt with the racism in the Army and a failed marriage. Then after his divorce and remarriage a child was born and Earl devotes his life to him even at the expense of his own marriage. At this juncture we hear no more about Earl. Tiger becomes the focus which is a shame since Earl's life is far more interesting.

Throughout the work Earl tends to put people on a pedestle to the point where they become unreal ( his mother, his brother-in-law, and the orignial Tiger, his friend). He is defensive about any criticism about his son and doesn't tell us much about his relationship with his other children. Earl is so emeshed in his youngest son's identity that he becomes a bore. Surely he could have told us more about himself rather than going on and on and on about Tiger.

Despite his faults Earl Woods raises some interesting questions regarding the role of the NCAA on student athletes. He intimates that the NCAA controls the athletes who make money for their schools but receive nothing in return. Earl also shows the impact that Tiger's status has made on the game. Tiger's presence has made the game more accessible to people, raised the purses, tightened security and inspired more minority children as well as their parents to take up the game. Tiger's impact is immeasurable as he continues his career.

If you can tolerate Earl's egotistical meanderings and defensive posture, the book is a good lesson in how not to make the mistakes Earl made and become a better parent. It is filled with Tiger's triumphs and challenges. Earl comes across as your controlling parent of an exceptional and talented player. It is worth the read for those who are Tiger fans and collectors of books written about thim.

The Man's Got Me Down
From this book, I get the feeling that Earl Woods is one of the most egotistical people I have ever come across. He does nothing but talk about how good he is at this, how good he is at that, what he did to bring up Tiger, etc. He even says his separation from his wife Tida is due to affluence, not that they are simply separated. Also, he takes no responsibility for anything that has ever happened to him. Every negative experience in his life was due to him being a minority. Give me a break.

He also feels the NCAA was out to get he and his precious Tiger. NCAA rules are rules, just like in golf. Get over it. Tiger was not treated any differently than any other college athlete. Tiger was offered a country club membership at the Olympic Club while he was at Stanford, and Earl can't figure out why the NCAA wouldn't let him take it. Because, believe it, or not...Tiger has to live under the same rules as everyone else on this planet.

I do have to say the book is an easy read, and keeps you interested, but only because Earl's "thumb on my back" mentality keeps you laughing. ... Read more

Book Description

Colin Montgomerie is one of Britain's greatest sporting heroes. He is also something of a paradox. Europe's number one golfer for eight consecutive years, yet he has never won a world title. A key player in two winning Ryder Cup teams, yet he is as famous for his fiery temperament as he is for his incredible golfing talent. Now, for the first time, Colin Montgomerie tells his own remarkable story. He talks candidly about the early days when he found himself studying for a management degree after his family insisted he finished his education;turning professional in 1986; the highs and lows of his career - and the infamous incident in which he threatened a spectator who coughed during his backswing.THE REAL MONTY is Colin's own inspiring story: the triumph and the anguish, the passionate quest for sporting excellence - and the man behind the headlines. ... Read more

Book Description

Kathleen Treanor couldn't believe this was happening to her.The young Oklahoma mother discovered that her in-laws had had an appointment in the ill-fated Murrah Building on April 19,1995, and they'd taken her four-year-old daughter, Ashley, with them.After days of waiting, she and her family found out that they'd lost all three loved ones.In the years since then, Kathleen kept a journal that describes her unspeakable loss.From the FBI's search for the terrorists and Timothy McVeigh's trial - where Kathleen was a witness - through Kathleen's involvement in the building of a memorial and her quest to have another child, Ashley's Garden details one woman's struggle to live.Although Ashley's Garden is Kathleen Treanor's unique story, the book provides a universally compelling view of triumph over grief, faith renewed, and healing restored. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Touching
This is a touching book about the loss of a child and the process it took to recover spiritually and emotionally. Highly recommended.

What a huge waste of good paper and ink
There are no words to properly describe how awful this book is and the sickening feeling it leaves you with. This book was written by a bitter, vengeful , revenge seeking, publicity hungry woman who hasused her dead child to squeeze out every last inch of attention and sympathyand fame for herself that she could.
It seems as though this book was one last huge grab at extending her 15 minutes of fame and making money off her child's memory. I'm disgusted with the book and what I believe to be the motives behind it.The book is also poorly written and is riddled with look -at- me sensationalism.
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

ashley's garden aftermath of Oklahoma City Bombong
I confess I bought this book with a lot of worry that I would waste both my time and money and was really surprised that I got interested so quickly. I highly recomend this book. It is a wellwritten account of what happened {I live in Oklahoma} It is really a moving book. I actually cried and it takes alot for a book to make me cry. It also made me stop and think about my relationship with god.I'ved read alot of the bombing books and this is one of the best.

Wonderful and Inspirational!
This book is very wonderful and inspirational. It tells in full detail about one family's loss on that fateful day in Oklahoma City. It's great for people dealing with a loss or even for people who aren't going through a loss.

I couldn't put it down
I started this book thinking it would take me a while to read it, but I read it over two days because I just could not stop reading.Kathleen Treanor's story is very personal; it's not just what you know from the news.And much of the book focuses on her healing process.

She offers hope to anyone who has suffered a tragedy, not just those affected in Oklahoma or New York.

I never realized how much the letters from school children meant to victims of a tragedy.

Kathleen talks about how one day everyone else seems to go back to a normal life, and you can't understand how they possibly could after what has happened.Yet she eventually heals, and her journey is truly inspirational.

This is a wonderful book. ... Read more

Book Description

Golf Links recounts the early years of golf in Scotland, and its arrival and growth in the United States. The book focuses on Scottish-born pioneer Charles Chay Burgess teacher of three American national champions ... Read more

Amazon.com

You've got to give this to former CBS golf analyst Ben Wright: he can sure tell a story, and the further he shoves his soft-spiked foot into his mouth, the better the stories. His anecdotal autobiography flits back and forth between idolatry and wickedness, and at times his pen has no governor at all. Case in point: Wright idolized Ben Hogan. He even went AWOL from the British army in 1953 "shamelessly, though without a trace of guilt," he admits, because it was the only way he could get off base to see Hogan win the Open at Carnoustie. (It's hard to quarrel with that.) After teeing up several tales that firmly ensconce Hogan on his pedestal, Wright finally veers off this way: "These stories illustrate the kind of perfection, dedication and respect with which Gary McCord"--Wright's fellow CBS analyst, and a pretty funny guy in his own right--"was wholly unfamiliar." Fore! Wright then proceeds to launch into a tale of introducing McCord to Hogan, Hogan humiliating McCord when he finds out McCord's been on tour for 17 years and has no victories, and Wright, who clearly detests McCord, getting to gloat, "I told you so."

Wright likes to gloat; he does a lot of it in Good Bounces, and he's awfully entertaining--if somewhat small--when he does. He's also entertaining on the intricacies and personalities of CBS's golf broadcasts, and what an analyst must go through when he criticizes a player. When Wright kept chastising Peter Jacobsen's atrocious putting, Jacobsen claimed he'd exorcised those woes by mentally imaging Wright being hoisted from the TV tower by a helicopter and flown into outer space. Which is about where Wright ultimately wound up when he hooked his career into the drink with some out-of-bounds comments about women golfers, breasts, and lesbianism in 1995. He still offers a bagful of excuses for the incident that badly tarnished him, but he does treat it with appropriate seriousness and contrition. He makes no excuses, though, for the alcoholism that actually sunk him. Given the public nature of his disgrace, Good Bounces is something of a mulligan for Wright. As both raconteur and provocateur, he's made a pretty good shot of it. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Telling it like it is...
The way Ben Wright spoke on television broadcasts always made me think...oh the tales he must have to tell. After a few pages of this book I uncorked a bottle of wine and lived vicariously through Ben Wright for several hours...laughing all the while. Most of this book is not about golf at all, but it is still the best golf book I have ever read! We sure miss you Ben.

If you buy one sports bookthis year, this is it.
This is what the sports/golf writer, Gary Nuhn, form the Dayton Daily News said, and needless to say, I was very doubtful that it would be this good, as most reviews are too high or two low about a book. HE WAS RIGHT. Good Boundes & Bad Lies reads as if Ben Wright really pours his heart and soul into the book, all of his incredible lifes peaks and valleys. I belly laughed all through the book and gasped a few times as well. It is the most 'inside' book that I have read on sports since Ball Four. As ESPN's Gary Miller said to Wright at the close of his inteivew on Up Close, "Golf misses you." I agree, though his book is clearly makes you feel as though you are on the tour and in the booth with him.

No secret is sacred - no one is spared
Wright's book basically, after he gets through some obligatory stories about golf in England when he was young, is a tell all about most of the peole he has worked with at CBS Sports. If it is not a tell all, it will do 'til one comes around. Most of the problem is with alcohol...we hear of interventions, wild partys, stupid episodes of behavior...yet through it all...even after an intervention which sent him to Betty Ford...one of the staff told him before he left that he was not an alcoholic but an abuser of alcohol. What that distinction is remains lost to me but was understood by Ben. No matter. You wonder how CBS managed to produce a cohesive telecast of the Masters or any other tournament they were assigned to based on Ben's recollections. He also ran into some world travelers that he thought behaved badly. It is a "tell all" from one who is still in the dog house for telling all about his opinion of women's golf and the difference betwen the men's game and theirs. No matter that he had that just right,,,he was PC'd out and the world of golf broadcasting is the worse for it. I miss him behind the microphone, but the book goes a bit long.

All the bounces were good
Ben Wright does a superb job in taking mere golfing mortals behind the scenes of some famous, and some not so famous, tournaments to give an insight into LIFE in the golfing world. It is a page turner that had me howling with laughter as he strips bare the mystique behind both golf broadcasting and some of the peripheral characters that add to the colour of the sport. Of course in the true style that has endeared him to so many he also takes a few swipes at some brighter lights in the business of golf. Wright has an obvious deep love for the game but he does not let sentimentality get in the way of a good story. I am sure that he must have a stock of untold tales waiting to be let out of the closet and I look forward to the next installment from this very funny, very English and very lovable raconteur.

A GREAT Read
CBS, BRING THIS GUY BACK! If you want a good read that will absolutely make you CRY with laughter. This is the book for you...And you don't have to be a Golf fan to enjoy it. I always figured that stranged things happened behind the camera, but his stories will absolutely crack you up. It is definitely a MUST buy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A splendidly written biography
Tiger Woods first came to fame in 1997 when he won a spectacular victory at the Master Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He went on to be one of the most successful professional golfers the game has ever known and won the admiration of a whole new generation of young men and women for the game. Indeed, because of Tiger Woods, the game of golf has a degree of popularity within minority communities that it has never before held in its entire history. Libby Hughes' Tiger Woods is a splendidly written biography of their remarkable young man's career from when he hit his first golf ball at the age of 9 months, through his days as a junior champion in grad school and high school, on to his years at Stanford University (when Tiger turned pro in his second year of college) and down to the present with a representative sampling drawn from his spectacular pro tournament victories. Tiger Woods is a great biography for young readers and will serve to inspire children with one of the most genuinely praiseworthy young men in professional sports today! ... Read more

Book Description

Arguably one of the greatest golfers in the world, SeveBallesteros was the youngest Masters Tournament champion in history,until Tiger Woods' victory at Augusta in 1997. Seve takes an in-depthlook at one of golf's most flamboyant enigmatic characters.Unlikeother "sports" biographies, Seve follows Ballesteros from hisimpoverished childhood in Northern Spain, through his troubled andtriumphant early career, to the more settled and self-actualized manthat he is today. Seve not only focuses on the man's golf career, butalso takes a hard look at the man himself. It covers his personal life,which author St John describes with unparalleled honesty and clarity.

First published in 1993 in Europe to critical acclaim, Seve has beenextensively revised and updated for this American edition. Seve author,Lauren St John, is a golf correspondent for the London Sunday Times.She has traveled the world for almost a decade covering professionalgolf. Golf Digest's Ed Weathers says "the golf correspondent for theLondon Sunday Times, St John, is a good, wide-ranging reporter," andgoes on to compare Tiger Woods to the once "dewy-eyed Lancelot greetingthe dawn," Seve Ballesteros, and advises: "Tiger, read this book." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An eloquent look at one of golfs most charismatic players.
Seve: Ryder Cup Hero, reads like a novel. Eloquently written this book is funny, touching, and very interesting.

If you enjoy the game of golf this book is a must. If you simply enjoy a good book it is a must. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For a writer, formula can be dangerous. For a marketer, there's no harm in perpetuating what works. Martin Davis, a marketer par excellence in this niche, continues his run of golf tribute aces with a lovely appreciation of Lord Byron of the links. Like Davis's previous oversized homages to Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson is as big as a TigerWoods drive, and as thoughtful as Ben Crenshaw eyeing a putt. Crenshaw doesn't do any putting here, but he does contribute a companion forward to the astute, if friendly, essays by Dave Anderson, Tom Watson, Nick Seitz, and Dan Jenkins. While the volume is large enough to accommodate the totality of Nelson's long, stellar career--a U.S. Open victory to accompany his pair of Masters and PGA titles--it zooms in strongly on his remarkable 1945 feat of 11 consecutive tournament victories, a standard matched only by Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak in its unapproachable majesty. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Perfect for the coffee table or "rec" room!
Visually striking layout... fantastic photos of Nelson and some of golf's greatest from that era. Book initially requires sequential reading, then opens up later into short, choppy highlights of tournaments where Byron prevailed. Makes a wonderful book to place somewhere visitors might want to browse through without committing to tons of reading. GREAT GIFT for a golfer. ... Read more