Arnie

February 13, 2017
Sportswriter Callahan (His Father’s Son: Earl and Tiger Woods), known for intimate portraits and insider perspectives, breezily floats from story to story across the life of legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, describing dashing Palmer’s enduring appeal from the moment he burst onto the new television screens of the 1950s. Callahan spent significant time interviewing Palmer before the golfing great’s September 2016 death, and readers will enjoy the author’s pointed questions and the Palmer’s amiable answers. Callahan then blends his own experiences, primary sources, copious interviews, and a thorough appendix to create a joyful, definitive biography. The contributions of Gary Player, part of the “Big Three” along with Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, are particularly insightful. The stories extend well beyond golf, including Palmer’s love of flying; his complex relationships with his father, aging star Ben Hogan; and friendships with the likes of Bob Hope, President Dwight Eisenhower, and Fred Rogers. Callahan shows obvious affection for Palmer, but he is not afraid to add his own takes on contentious topics such as Augusta National’s race policy, the oft-chilly Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry, and Palmer’s seminal partnership with agent Mark McCormack. Callahan successfully argues that Palmer’s seemingly charmed life included great difficulty even as he revolutionized golf.

February 1, 2017
An insider chronicles the career of the great golfer.Veteran sports reporter Callahan (His Father's Son: Earl and Tiger Woods, 2010, etc.) has wanted to write a book like this for a long time. He's a die-hard Arnold Palmer (1929-2016) fan and has tremendous admiration for Palmer's "considerate heart." He describes his subject as "equal parts humble and proud...equal parts commoner and king." He interviewed Palmer many times and has had countless conversations with players about him. Callahan begins in 1960 because "Palmer didn't formally become Palmer until the 1960 U.S. Open," which he won in dramatic fashion. He won eight more times that year, including the Masters. The author traces Palmer's career chronologically by key years. "1929" briefly covers his early years and the immense influence his father had on him and his game. He discusses Palmer's amateur wins in chapters "1950" and "1954." Then came "1955" and his first professional win, the Canadian Open. It was followed by 61 more PGA wins and countless others. Callahan goes into great detail describing key shots and the clubs used and pressure-filled shots he had to pull off to win a tournament. Along the way, he provides fascinating miniprofiles of lesser-known players--e.g., Don Cherry and Tommy Bolt--and discusses the competitive "vinegar" that often spilled out between Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Callahan's lively and brisk writing style makes for an eminently readable book jam-packed with anecdotes and stories golfers will love--as well as nice tidbits, like how players used to pool purses among themselves, a "common but secret practice then." Callahan provides a special section of personal comments from a wide variety of people who knew and loved Palmer, as well as some 80 pages of lists--tournaments and matches won, scores, earnings, statues and even streets named after Palmer. An enjoyable book about golf for golfers who play the game and enjoy reading about its history.

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February 1, 2017

Arnold Palmer (1929-2016) was an open book--intriguing, personable, energizing--and the subject of numerous biographies, such as Adam Harrington's Arnold Palmer: A Biography and Charles Price's A Golf Story: Bobby Jones, Augusta National, and the Masters Tournament. Palmer, himself, authored memoirs, most recently A Life Well Played. Here, frequent golf writer Callahan (In Search of Tiger) provides an overview of Palmer's life. What is notable about this account is that it is organized chronologically and concludes with remarks from golfers who cite Palmer as an influence. Fans of Palmer will be familiar with many of the stories, although there are newer tales here as well. Some may quibble about the vignettes that were left out. Yet, in the church of golf, Arnold is a saint. And, like most saints, he touched the lives of many. VERDICT Consider this laudatory biography to be the screenplay for the movie.--Steven Silkunas, Fernandina Beach, FL

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