Caddie Woodlawn

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At age 11, Caddie Woodlawn is the despair of her mother and the pride of her father: a clock-fixing tomboy running wild in the woods of Wisconsin. In 1864, this is a bit much for her Boston-bred mother to bear, but Caddie and her brothers are happy with the status quo. Written in 1935 about Carol Ryrie Brink's grandmother's childhood, the adventures of Caddie and her brothers are still exciting over 60 years later. With each chapter comes another ever-more exciting adventure: a midnight gallop on her horse across a frozen river to warn her American Indian friends of the white men's plan to attack; a prairie fire approaching the school house; and a letter from England that may change the family's life forever. This Newbery Medal-winning book bursts at the seams with Caddie's irrepressible spirit. In spite of her mother's misgivings, Caddie is a perfect role model for any girl--or boy, for that matter. She's big-hearted, she's brave, and she's mechanically inclined! (Ages 9 to 12)

Book Description

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother's dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors -- neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.

Caddie is brave, and her story is special because it's based on the life and memories of Carol Ryrie Brink's grandmother, the real Caddie Woodlawn. Her spirit and sense of fun have made this book a classic that readers have taken to their hearts for more than seventy years.

Customer Reviews:

Adventure story........2007-07-24

My 9 year old granddaughter loves it as I did when I was in the 3rd grade and she knows interesting, worthwhile books! So, buy it for your grandkids, too.

Some Light History.......2007-06-10

This is the somewhat true story of a real girl living in pioneer Wisconsin in the mid 1800s. The story starts when Caddie is eleven years old, and used to spending most of her time with her older brother Tom and her younger brother Warren. Caddie also has three sisters and another younger brother, but Tom and Warren are the most fun for her and the three of them often have adventures together.

Caddie's mother was brought up to be a polite lady in Boston and Caddie's sister Clara is a nice young lady like her mother. But when they first moved to Wisconsin when Caddie was very young, she was sickly and her father decided that it would be healthier for her to run free outside with her brothers instead of spending her days shut up inside learning how to be a proper lady. Therefore, Caddie at eleven is a tomboy.

Although Caddie's mother is exasperatd by her tomboyishness, Caddie enjoys her young life and has a wonderful time with her brothers, whether they are visiting the nearby Indian tribe, telling stories to each other near the fields or playing practical jokes on their snobbish cousin Annabelle.

This was an interesting book, providing some details about what life was like from the point of view of a likable girl. However, this book indicated that life was easy and things always went well for the Woodlawn family. Everything in their lives was too happy to be taken seriously.

Tom Sawyer for girls.......2007-01-21

I read this children's classic in my last year of elementary school, right before reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. All I could remember was how similar the two books are, and indeed looking back at both books now, they do seem quite similar in content. Both are about boisterous youngsters living in America during the mid-1800s. Both books deal with relations with family, other non-whites, school friends and school enemies, and of course, love. In this book's case, Caddie the tomboy is the joy of her father and woe of her mother. This is similar to Tom Sawyer, who constantly frustrates his aunt. This is a good book to read by both boys and girls and can easily occupy a weekend of time for most 10-year olds.

An uplifting pioneer story for girls.......2007-01-04

I read this book for the first time as an adult and found it delightful. Caddie Woodlawn is an excellent role model for girls -- daring and generous, thoughtful and independent. She tries to do what she knows is right, even if the whole town is against her. And she has the self-confidence to be herself and behave as a tomboy, no matter what society expects of her.

The book, written by the real Caddie Woodlawn's granddaughter, focuses on one year in her life. It tells of her adventures in the pioneer wilderness and shows her growing up and finding her place in the world. That theme is timeless, and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Caddie Woodlawn.......2006-12-22

"She was the despair of her mother and of her elder sister, Clara, but her father watched her with a little shine of pride in his eyes, and her brothers accepted her as one of their own without a question."
This book is about Caddie Woodlawn, a pioneer tomboy growing up in Wisconsin. When her family moved from Boston, she and her sister Mary were fatally sick. Mary died, and Caddie's father begged her mother to let Caddie grow up with her brothers, Tom and Warren, so she would be stronger and healthier. Caddie is a wild animal and isn't ready to give up being a tomboy. However, Caddie's mother wants Caddie to be a proper young lady. She wants Caddie to sew, bake, and cook instead of plowing, hunting, and visiting Indians. Caddie isn't ladylike, and her mother sometimes treats Caddie unfairly because of it.
This book is perfect for any girl who is a tomboy, or has ever been pushed to be something they're not.
You will believe every word Brink tells about Caddie is true, because it is. Based on the life of Carol Brink's grandmother, Caddie Woodhouse, the book is entertaining and keeps you drawn in while it tells about Caddie's life. From her crazy uncle, tattling sister, stuck-up cousin Annabelle, and adventurous brothers to her kind Indian friends, beloved dog, and important family decisions, you will savor every word.
Caddie Woodlawn is the winner of the Newbery Medal, and has a sequel, Caddie Woodlawn's Family.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful read
Very entertaining
Golfers, a great read. Literati, a nice read, especially if you dabble in the game of golf.
Hogan portrayed poorly
the caddie who knew ben hogan

The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan
John Coyne
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312355238
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

Returning as an honored guest to the exclusive country club where he worked in his youth, Jack Handley remembers the summer of 46 when he caddied for Ben Hogan in the last Chicago Open. Now a respected historian, Jack recounts, to the assembled sons and daughters of members he once knew, the dramatic match between the mysterious and charismatic Hogan and the young club pro he idealized. Filled with dazzling description of hole-by-hole match play drama, laced with anecdotes from that golden age of sports, this novel of friendship, lost love, and great golf is told through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old boy whose life is forever changed by one of the greatest players of the game.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful read.......2007-08-15

I really loved this book. The author did a tremendous job of weaving historical facts about Hogan (one of the legends of the game) into a compelling, yet tragic story.

Very entertaining.......2007-07-31

I loved this book. It had me turning pages faster and faster. Really good read if you love golf. As I read the book I could imagine all the shots that were being made. Very touching, I truely enjoyed this book.

Golfers, a great read. Literati, a nice read, especially if you dabble in the game of golf........2007-07-02

Hey! This is a great read. You'll finish the book in 2 days or less--and that's a great compliment to the author John Coyne. Of course, those who play this passionate game will enjoy it the most. Coyne's knowledge of golf as well as his sense of the game's history is dead on. So your understanding of the game will be delightfully increased while reading this excellent novel. Yes, the melodrama is not the most original, but it is satisying to read and-- to think about. Kudos, to you John Coyne, for an engrossing and delightful read. Golfers, you will love it.

Hogan portrayed poorly.......2006-09-27

I have no problem with a little historical fiction. It's among my favorite genres. My problem is with how Coyne portrays legendary golfer, Ben Hogan. I didn't know Hogan, and after reading "The Caddie..." I can say with certainty that Coyne didn't either. I'm sure John Coyne amassed the obligatory pile of resources to create, in his mind, solid and realistic dialogue for Hogan, but every word out of the fictitious Hogan's mouth made me gringe. In Coyne's hands, Hogan became a cartoon of himself; a steely-eyed competitor and nothing more.

Imagine the pain of reading a Churchill biographer as he only allows poor Winston to use his trademark snappy, historically significant one liners. Coyne's conversational exchanges are just as painful to endure. Hogan has no depth, speaks like a robot and remains a non-human, monolithic figure within a story that could've revealed so much more of the man's true depth.

After I finished the book I wanted Coyne to repay me the hours I wasted reading when I could've been working on my putting stroke. A sub-par performance.

the caddie who knew ben hogan.......2006-07-31

I enjoyed the book tremendously. I was a caddie during the Ben Hogan era. This book was an authentic reminder of the events of the time, valuable experience that caddying provided and the ability to have an input into a golfer that no other sport provides at such an early age.

Upon completion, I passed it onto another caddy of that time.

Average customer rating:

The Caddie
Let's be real, nothing was better than the Greatest Player..
Thin but Entertaining
Bagger Vance Revisited
A Wonderful Fountain of Knowledge for Golfers of All Levels

The Caddie
Michael Veron
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312325622
Release Date: 2005-05-12

Book Description

The new golf novel from the acclaimed author of The Greatest Player Who Never Lived The work of J. Michael Veron has earned him the title of 'master of fiction' from USA Today, and Travel and Leisure. Golf Magazine has called him 'The John Grisham of Golf.' At one time, The Greatest Player Who Never Lived and The Greatest Course That Never Was were the first and third best-selling sports fiction in the country.

Customer Reviews:

The Caddie.......2006-11-10

I bought this book because I had read Veron's first two books and loved them. This one was good but not the "page turner" the other two were. The first two were so filled with great golf history that they just pulled you through the text. This one moved more slowly for me and just a little predictable. But still a book I would recommend.

Let's be real, nothing was better than the Greatest Player.........2005-01-20

The Caddie is a nice story, and J. Michael Veron is a success story in his own right, but nothing is better than his first book, The Greatest Player Who Never Lived. That book kept you captivated from the first page to the last. It screamed movie, and from what I know, had bites from Hollywood, and if made correctly, has a chance to be the best golf movie ever made--why, because the book was more than golf--it was "Grisham-like."

Thin but Entertaining.......2004-12-10

I have to admit that I enjoyed this book, but then almost anyone who likes or loves the game of golf would enjoy a book that pretty much has things going the way one would wish for a pro golfer down on his luck. Bobby Reeves is such a guy. He is getting to the bottom of the barrell when he steals money from a good friend and is not only found out, but jailed for his effort. From that point on, things start looking up for Bobby. Introducing Stewart Jones, the man who walks into Bobby's life and turns it around in spades as his caddie and his counselor. Along the way Jones reveals little about who he really is directly, but the hints that are dropped are as broad as an Arnold Palmer smile. There is some interesting lore about the PGA tour dispensed, there is some good golf advice, there is some history and there is a bit of a soap opera atmosphere created as Bobby seeks his PGA Tour card and then moves on from there to much bigger and better challenges. Don't look for any sudden twists and turns of plot. This pretty much plays out to the readers satisfaction, but the story is somewhat thin, even though it is fairly entertaining.

Bagger Vance Revisited.......2004-09-02

I rated this book a five because it is a fast paced read about my favorite subject--golf. I must say, however, that the author's writing style is not nearly as good as it was in his first two books. This one is far too heavy on golf cliches, platitudes and "clever" Dennis Miller type analogies. It is also a very thinly disquised redeux of Bagger Vance (but then again, I liked Bagger Vance).

On the positive side, the author offers a number of presumably accurate insights into life on the PGA tour.

Despite the flaws, I did enjoy the book.

A Wonderful Fountain of Knowledge for Golfers of All Levels.......2004-06-07

For those who firmly believe that a great novel lies somewhere in the recesses of their mind, J. Michael Veron may be an inspiration. Veron, a Louisiana attorney, did not publish his first novel until age 49. THE CADDIE is his third novel, completing a trilogy of golf sagas that mix the mysticism of Michael Murphy with detailed descriptions of some of America's most famous golf venues. Along the way there are some discerning observations about the game of golf, and how one can improve not only the quality of his game but the quality of life as well.

Veron's first novel, THE GREATEST PLAYER WHO NEVER LIVED, was a mythical account of Beau Steadman, a teenage companion of golfing legend Bobby Jones. One became a champion while the other was forced to spend his golfing career underground under a series of assumed names. In THE GREATEST COURSE THAT NEVER WAS, the reader unlocks the mystery of the golf course designed and constructed by Bobby Jones after the creation of his beloved Augusta National. Both of these novels have as their common thread the life and times of Bobby Jones. In THE CADDIE, the connection to Jones is through the eyes of Stewart Jones, a man who seemingly knows more about the life of his namesake than he does about himself.

Stewart Jones is an enigmatic figure who is knowledgeable in golf history and has influential friends throughout the golfing world. While Reeves finds this to be somewhat strange, he is willing to accept the benefits of Jones's many acquaintances. For the reader, the true identity of Stewart Jones becomes apparent early in the novel. Bobby Reeves may be the only character in THE CADDIE who does not know the true identity of his benefactor, but his lack of knowledge on this subject is vital to the events of the novel. Sometimes in a work of fiction, plot must trump common sense.

The relationship between a professional golfer and his caddie is unlike any other in sports. Perhaps the only analogous bond in sports might be between a jockey and his horse. The equine, however, cannot fly to a tournament with his rider, nor can they dine together or share a hotel room. A caddie is a coach, psychologist, travel companion and cheerleader toting a fifty-pound golf bag seven to eight miles a day. Unlike most golfer-caddie relationships, the selection process is reversed in the Stewart Jones-Bobby Reeves team. Jones seeks out Reeves, bails him out of jail after Reeves is arrested for stealing money from his employer, and convinces the young golfer that he has a future on the professional tour.

Bobby Reeves is a quintessential character for the golfing and life journey that occurs in THE CADDIE. As a college golfer his unfulfilled talent was drowned in alcohol and hampered by immaturity. Stewart Jones commences rebuilding his golf game and his mental outlook on life. Along the way there are lessons that readers can translate to their own individual game. Reeves has the physical talent to be an outstanding golfer, but the mental aspects of his game need substantial work. Many of those mental suggestions offered by Jones the caddie can be a benefit to any golfer. More attention to the mental side of the game can lower one's handicap just as well as time spent on the practice tee.

The journey of Bobby Reeves from Q-School to the United States Open is recounted in great and glorious detail. Along the way is a visit to Augusta National and several other golfing shrines. Stewart Jones offers many insights about golfing success to Reeves by way of historical anecdotes that golf enthusiasts will find appealing. While there are no plot twists or surprises in THE CADDIE, it is nonetheless a wonderful fountain of knowledge for golfers of all levels. J. Michael Veron loves the game of golf, and that love is apparent on each page of the novel. This is not a book for non-golfers, but anyone who has spent time on the golf course will find this a great summer read. After all, even golfers spend a little time at the pool or at the lake, reading during summer vacation.

Book Description

This resource is directly related to its literature equivalent and filled with a variety of cross-curricular lessons to do before, during, and after reading the book. This reproducible book includes sample plans, author information, vocabulary building ideas, cross-curriculum activities, sectional activities and quizzes, unit tests, and ideas for culminating and extending the novel.

Average customer rating:

Stone Family loves Caddie Woodlawn books!
Magical! Further Adventures of Caddie Woodlawn
This is "Magical Melons" with a new title
Better than the first!
Good stories about frontier life

Caddie Woodlawn's Family
Carol Ryrie Brink , Marguerite Davis , and Mauguerite Davis
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689714165

Customer Reviews:

Stone Family loves Caddie Woodlawn books!.......2007-07-13

We read outloud the first Caddie Woodlawn book, and were so excited about it, we went online and bought the second one. It, too, has been a delight to read at night as our family time together. The stories are entertaining as well as historically informative. The Woodlawn books are a treasure we will always cherish.

Magical! Further Adventures of Caddie Woodlawn.......2004-06-26

Caddie Woodlawn's Family (originally titled "Magical Melons") was written several years after the award-winning best-selling original "Caddie Woodlawn". This is a more loosely connected selection of stories about Caddie and her family which covers a wider span than the original book and even overlaps a bit. Although it sounds a little funny, it works (and even makes sense) since these are true stories written down by Caddie's granddaughter.

The stories are simple, but delightful. Not only do they give readers a glimpse into a different era (and in a way that isn't overly sanitized or modernized), but the stories are delightful in and of themselves. They are so real in illustrating the way children are and the way life is. And the icing on the cake is that they really happened.

If you liked Caddie Woodlawn even a little, you certainly won't want to miss these gems.

This is "Magical Melons" with a new title.......2002-09-04

This is an advisory to anyone thinking of buying this book--it's "Magical Melons" with a new title. It's a wonderful book, so if you've never read "Magical Melons," you will enjoy it. Just be aware it's the same book.

Better than the first!.......2001-07-14

Caddie Woodlawn is a hyper pre-teen, 10, who is a tom-boy and loves to do unlady-like things. The great and unbeilievable thing about this book is true. Normally the girls back then were very proper. This is a great book and i highly encourage people to read it. This book was better than Caddie Woodlawn.

Good stories about frontier life.......2000-04-20

While "Magical Melons" is not as good as its predecessor, it's a charming collection of stories that get into the lives of the other siblings and some friends of the Woodlawns. Although Caddie is still present, Clara, Tom, Warren, Hetty, and others get a little story as well.

The book is interesting to a reader of more modern children's literature in its terminology, especially concerning Native Americans. But its heart is in the right place, and those who express negative opinions about the native people are shown to be wrong. The book is also somewhat religious, but not in a specific sense. Religion is just another part of the Woodlawns' lives, and the morals in the stories don't pound you on the head.

I remember riding my bike 4 miles to another library to check this out when I was younger, and I still enjoy the stories today. Recommended reading for anyone that enjoyed "Caddie Woodlawn."

Average customer rating:

An Enjoyable Read

Caddie Woodlawn a Frontier Story

Manufacturer: The Macmillan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Caddie Woodlawn's Family

The Wheel on the School

ASIN: B000FPM6CK

Customer Reviews:

An Enjoyable Read.......2007-04-24

How any reviewer could call this most well written, totally enjoyable book so so is beyond me. One of the best things about it is that it is a true story about life in rual pioneer Wisconsin. I live in Wisconsin and have visited the now run down house where Caddie grew up. Every young person should be encouraged to read it and it successor "Magical Melons." In my opinion both books should have won the Newberry Award for the best book for any given year in children's literature."Magical Melons" is now called "The Woodlawn Family."
Having been a tomboy myself I love Caddie's spunky tomboy spirit and her wonderful parents letting Caddie be herself. The Woodlawn children certainly knew how to have fun. While the family was obviously Christian, rather than hitting everyone over the head with what they believed they lived their faith for everyone to see. They lived in such a way as to earn the respect of all they knew.

And if You Play Golf, You're My Friend: Further Reflections of a Grown Caddie

Average customer rating:

I don't play golf
IF YOU LIKED LITTLE RED YOU'LL LIKE LITTLE GREEN
Funny and insightful.
really great book

And if You Play Golf, You're My Friend: Further Reflections of a Grown Caddie
Harvey Penick
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671871889

Book Description

Since the publication of Harvey Penick's Little Red Book, the world has almost literally beaten a path to Harvey Penick's door. Hardly a day goes by without a stranger arriving at the Penick home, book in hand, hoping for more pearls of wisdom, an autograph, or just wanting to say, "Thank you."

Bud Shrake, Penick's coauthor, noticed that Penick usually inscribes the books, "To my friend and pupil." How could he do that, Shrake asked him, when he didn't know these people?

"Well," replied Penick, "if you read my book you're my pupil, and if you play golf, you're my friend."

And If You Play Golf, You're My Friend picks up where the Little Red Book left off. It features the same blend of simple wisdom, sound golfing instruction, and good common sense that has made the Little Red Book so popular with golfers of all ages and levels of ability. And, as in the previous volume, Penick's deep love for the game and his delight in teaching shine through on every page.

Penick tells the story of his son-in-law's first golf lesson, a story with a twist right out of O. Henry. He relates the tale of a player from Houston who had only one flaw in his game -- that his scores were too high -- and who exploded with anger when Penick told him so. He gives advice to parents on how to help their children learn golf, shows how to overcome a slice by "playing baseball," and shares the pride and joy he felt while watching his pupil Tom Kite win the U.S. Open.

Warm, witty, and wise, And If You Play Golf, You're My Friend shows why Harvey Penick has become America's best-loved teacher of the great game of golf.

Customer Reviews:

I don't play golf.......2007-05-02

I don't play golf, but I've listened to my father's golf stories for fifteen years. And the only time I ever heard him use a really bad word was when he served as chair of the handicap committee at the club he belonged to. He would enjoy this book.

I bought this book for a brother-in-law who didn't get it, but then, he's a club-thrower. Before wrapping it, I read some of the stories and was truly moved. If all you're trying to do is fix your swing, you can probably find better books for that. Penick's stories touch the highest aspirations of the game and its culture.

If you want to learn about what's really important--sportsmanship, friendship, and improving your life as well as your game, then this book might be of interest to you.

IF YOU LIKED LITTLE RED YOU'LL LIKE LITTLE GREEN.......2004-03-20

Harvey Penick's AND IF YOU PLAY GOLF, YOU'RE MY FRIEND is a wonderful companion volume to HARVEY PENICK'S LITTLE RED BOOK.

Unlike LITTLE RED, AND IF YOU PLAY GOLF... is more a book of reflections, experiences and anecdotes about the game that Penick devoted a lifetime to. Like LITTLE RED it brings with it a distinctive flavor for the game that is lacking in a sport that has been blown out of proportion by golfing superstars and their embarrassingly large salaries. Penick's words remind golfers everywhere that, in the end, golf is less about celebrity and endorsements and stuffy business sponsors and all about each individual golfer as he or she battles it out on the home course.

THE HORSEMAN

Funny and insightful........1998-11-18

This litany of amusing stories throughout Harvey's life show exactly how amusing us golfers really are. Each story brings out some simplistic gem that will either make you a better golfer or a better person. This book would make a great gift for any of your golfing buddies!

really great book.......1997-10-18

well, it is an extremely good book for all you golfers who need divine inspiration. it was also a good listening book for my sister (she doesn't even like golf)read up!!!! courtney van clief

MAGICAL MELONS: More stories about Caddie Woodlawn

Average customer rating:

MAGICAL MELONS: More stories about Caddie Woodlawn

Manufacturer: MacMillan & Co LTD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IBYN54

Rough Meditations: From Tour Caddie to Golf Course Critic, An Insider's Look at the Game

Average customer rating:

the essence of golf
A must read for anyone who appreciates golf's heritage.
A fine book, covering a lot of golf-related topics

Rough Meditations: From Tour Caddie to Golf Course Critic, An Insider's Look at the Game
Bradley S. Klein
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471786861

Book Description

"In Rough Meditations, reading about golf courses is almost as much fun as playing them."
—Arnold Palmer

"Many golfers have strong opinions when it comes to course architecture. Nobody, however, matches Brad Klein's ability to explain the difference between good and bad design. Rough Meditations deserves a place on that select list of must-reads for anyone who cares about the art of the golf course."
—Peter Jacobsen

"Rough Meditations is eloquently written, blends a variety of topics seamlessly together, and touches repeatedly on aspects of golf that are barely acknowledged by the majority of golfers and pretty much disregarded by devotees of the 'aerial game.' If you haven't done so already, buy this book. Read it. Digest what it says. Become architecturally 'literate.' It's worth it."
—Bob Weisgerber, Golf Today Magazine

Rough Meditations is a unique collection of fascinating essays that bring the world's greatest golf courses to life with brilliantly colorful prose. These charming and often hilarious essays take golf enthusiasts on an intimate tour of the game's most distinguished courses. Along the way, readers gain a privileged look at the differences between good and bad golf course design. Featured essays include:

In Golf as in Life
Longest Wait That Was Worth It
Goofiest Modern Green
Business or Art?
Read Any Good Greens Lately?
In the Beginning There Was Sand
Worst Shot in Golf
Treasure Hunting

Long considered one of golf's most talented writers, Bradley Klein offers more than fifty essays, ranging from instructive to inspirational, that cover the architecture of courses, how to read greens, the ins and outs of green committees, the relationships that grow from the game, and much more. With a style all his own, Klein takes readers to where he was for years as a caddie on the PGA and LPGA tours—onto the grass and into the game.

Customer Reviews:

the essence of golf.......2006-05-04

Bradley Klein knows and loves golf as well as anyone writing about the game today, and this book is a must-read for those of us who appreciate the sport, and want to learn more about it. His writings on golf course architecture esppecially shine, but he handles all subjects well. And the last essay in the volume, entitled "What's Really Important," is an award-winner.

A must read for anyone who appreciates golf's heritage........1998-08-26

Klein is a fine writer and in this eclectic collection he ably conveys the beauty and mystery of the game in the context of course design and architecture. He has set out to "help other golfers appreciate the aesthetics of the most interesting playing fields in all of sports," in the belief that "paying close attention to the landforms we play golf on makes the game more enchanting and more fun." In the case of this reader he has succeeded.

A fine book, covering a lot of golf-related topics.......1997-11-01

Klein's book is a fine one. He covers a lot of ground, from his caddying on the Tours to his thoughts on course architecture. He is an opinonated and lively writer. The chapters are short, which should appeal to the busy, modern reader.

The Caddie Was a Reindeer: And Other Tales of Extreme Recreation

Average customer rating:

Underrated, overlooked sports classic
An unqualified delight

The Caddie Was a Reindeer: And Other Tales of Extreme Recreation
Steve Rushin
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802142117

Book Description

Steve Rushin, a four-time finalist for the National Magazine Award, has been hailed as one of the best sportswriters in America. In The Caddie Was a Reindeer he circumnavigates the globe in pursuit of extreme recreation. In the Arctic Circle, he meets ice golfers. In Minnesota, he watches the National Amputee Golf Tournament, where one participant tells him, “I literally have one foot in the grave.” Along the way, Rushin meets fellow travelers like Joe Cahn, a professional tailgater who confesses aboard the RV in which he lives: “It’s wonderful to see America from your bathroom.” And even Rushin has logged fewer miles in pursuit of extreme recreation than Rich Rodriguez, a marathon roller-coaster rider who makes endless loops for entire summers on coasters around the world. The Caddie Was a Reindeer is a ride to everywhere: to south London (where Rushin downs pints with the King of Darts), to the Champs-Elysees (where the author indulges in “excessive nightclubbing” with World Cup soccer stars), and to Japan (where Rushin eats soba noodles with the world champion of competitive eating). Enlightening, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartwarming, this collection is not a body of work: it’s a body of play.

Customer Reviews:

Underrated, overlooked sports classic.......2005-05-13

Rushin goes everywhere in pursuit of a story. My favorite (maybe) is "Beers and Shots" which takes you to the heart of dart world in a London pub, where he measures the pressure that Ted Hankey felt while defending his World Darts Championship (a prize worth a quarter of a million dollars) against all comers. Rushin nacechecks Martin Amis' London Fields, which he praises as the "epic darts novel" but for my money he (Rushin) can say just as much in 4,000 words as Amis can say in 90,000. He's funnier too, asserting that "sometimes the healthiest thing a body can do is get out of the sunshine, off the green grassm out of the fresh air and breathe in the opposite--air that is equal parts smoke, tension, and BO. Only then will you rediscover what first drew you, as a child, to games."

Some of his pieces collected here are a little flimsy, like an essay poking fun at some of the outlandish names of athletes, such as "the insuperable Hannibal Navies, whose name always conjures in my head a fleet of amphibious elephants--in bathing cas and nose plugs--swimming ashore at Normandy en route to the Alps." It's kind of cute, but minor, feels like padding in the context of the other, meatier pieces.

His reconstuction of the 1962 Mets is priceless, even to those of us who lived through the horror. He calls it "Bad Beyond Belief" and reading through the shocking details once again you rest a little bit easy, knowing that no team, anywhere, will ever play as badly as our beloved Mets that year. His profiles of Roone Arledgfe and Jim Brown are razor sharp, and his visit to the Topps Factory plays out the dream of every little boy.

You might have read some of these stories before in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. You'll enjoy them even more in this sharp volume.

There was only one I didn't like, the misguided attempt at South Asian Pacific dialect in Rushin's account of his travels in Bali, called wincingly, "Mr. Stiv's Excellent Adventure." Pointing out how funny foreigners talk must have been a scream back in the days of Bret Harte and Mark Twain but today it goes down like a lead balloon and I'm surprised none of Rushin's editors took him aside for a chat.

An unqualified delight.......2005-04-19

Rushin has the ability to weave show-stopping funny stories into larger narrative and to recreate the past with the sensuous immediacy of childhood. He's clever without any of the aridity which, for some reason, that word is supposed to imply.
Immensely readable.

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