"For most of us," writes Owen in his introduction to Lure of the Links, "golf improves in retrospect." So does much of the best writing on the game, and there's plenty of good writing packed into this sweeping collection, which includes short stories by John Updike, profiles by Al Laney and Herbert Warren Wind, reportage by Dan Jenkins and Thomas Boswell, and a pair of essays by the incomparable Bernard Darwin. Golf may be the most elusive of all games to play well, but the angst and camaraderie it engenders has a way of conspiring to produce a sporting literature as grand as the vistas of Pebble Beach and as challenging as the Road Hole at St. Andrews.
From Booklist
Golf anthologies are not in short supply, and this one brings together journalism, personal essays, and short fiction that have made numerous appearances elsewhere. Still, as an introduction to golf writing, it's hard to beat. All the stars are here--Darwin, Longhurst, Wind, Jenkins, Bamberger, Boswell--and the range of selections is wide, covering the great players, courses, and moments in the game's history, as well as offering reflections on what the editors label "the idiosyncrasies of golf." Even fans who know their golf lit will appreciate the convenience of finding between the same covers, say, Thomas Boswell on Pebble Beach and Herbert Warren Wind on St. Andrews. Clearly a top choice among golf anthologies. Bill Ott
Book Description
This handsome anthology of stories and essays profiles the great courses, the players, and the spirit of the game - appealing equally to the scratch aficionado and the weekend hack. Contributors include: Dave Anderson; Sarah Ballard; Ethan Canin; Marcia Chambers; Bernard Darwin; Dan Jenkins; Robert T. Hones, Jr.; Ward Just; James Kaplan; Stephen Leacock; Michael Murphy; Harvey Penick; George Plimpton; Gene Sarazen; John Updike; and Herbert Warren Wind.
Card catalog description
Lure of the Links is packed with classic tales from the clubhouses and sand traps of some of the most and least accessible courses around the world that collectively captures the spirit and challenge of a great and sometimes frustrating game. With wit, humor, and insight, this expansive collection includes an homage to a mythical caddy by John Updike, George Plimpton's interview with Arnold Palmer, and Dave Anderson's peak behind the magnolia curtain of golf's great citadel, the Augusta National Golf Club, as well as portraits of professionals such as Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods.
From the Back Cover
"A must have for any golfer's library."-Fort Worth Star-Telegram In "The Glory Game at Goat Hills," Dan Jenkins recounts how he and an irrepressible band of rogues play year in and year out on a windy, stone-hard course in Fort Worth. It's a gambling game. They play the course backward, out-of-bounds except for the greens, and pursue other preposterous challenges that will amuse all golf addicts. Herbert Warren Wind creates a vivid portrait of the Old Course at St. Andrews with its rugged coastal vistas and venerable traditions; and Thomas Boswell explores the challenges of Pebble Beach, including the infamous seventh hole along the Pacific Ocean, known as Cardiac Cliffs. Also included are pieces by John Updike, George Plimpton, Stephen Leacock, Robert T. Jones, Jr., and many others. With humor and insight Lure of the Links rejoices in the magic and mystery of golf. Contributors include:
Dave Anderson o Sarah Ballard o Ethan Canin o Marcia Chambers o Bernard Darwin o Peter Dobereiner o Dan Jenkins o Robert T. Jones, Jr. o Ward Just o James Kaplan o Stephen Leacock o Michael Murphy o Harvey Penick o George Plimpton o Gene Sarazen o John Updike o Herbert Warren Wind "With whimsical tales from such heroes as Gene Sarazen and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and fiction from the likes of John Updike, this book has it all. . . . An enjoyable collection . . . rich with laughter and emotion. This is the type of book you can always come back to."-Fort Worth Star-Telegram David Owen is a staff writer at The New Yorker and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. His most recent book is My Usual Game: Adventures in Golf. An enthusiastic golfer, Joan Bingham is executive editor at Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Lure of the Links: Great Golf Stories FROM THE PUBLISHER
Lure of the Links is packed with classic tales from the clubhouses and sand traps of some of the most and least accessible courses around the world that collectively captures the spirit and challenge of a great and sometimes frustrating game. With wit, humor, and insight, this expansive collection includes an homage to a mythical caddy by John Updike, George Plimpton's interview with Arnold Palmer, and Dave Anderson's peak behind the magnolia curtain of golf's great citadel, the Augusta National Golf Club, as well as portraits of professionals such as Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In this uneven collection of mostly nonfiction pieces, reprinted from various sources and edited by New Yorker writer Owen (My Usual Game) and Grove/Atlantic editor Bingham, women are sparsely represented, with articles about Joyce Wethered, Babe Zaharias and Nancy Lopez, plus a couple of snippets about women battling the country-club brand of male chauvinism. The humor is unpredictable: Owen's low-key piece on Myrtle Beach, "Grown Men on Spring Break," is hilarious, while Dan Jenkins's "The Glory Game at Goat Hill" seems forced. Disappointing for those familiar with the great names of golf writing is the turgid prose of renowned Bernard Darwin, who is represented with two pieces. There are several memorable contributions, particularly Gene Sarazen's loving reminiscence of a Scottish caddie, Dave Anderson's successful attempt to penetrate the magnolia curtain at the Augusta National Golf Club, Herbert Warren Wind's outstanding analysis of the Old Course at St. Andrews and George Plimpton's wry account of his halting, overly diffident effort to interview Arnold Palmer at the height of his fame. On balance, the avid golfer shouldn't miss this collection. (June)
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