The Legend of Bagger Vance

I have to confess something. I didn't want to read Bagger Vance. Or rather, I wanted to wait for a day when I might be "ready" to read it, whatever that means.On the one hand, I didn't want to have read all of Pressfield's books. There's a certain finality in that, kind of like having eaten ever last chocolate bar in the cupboard. Knowing that there was still one more chocolate bar, one more Pressfield book on the shelf, something to savor later, was kind of comforting. I didn't want to let go of that.On the other hand, I have no interest in golf whatsoever. I don't play it. I don't watch it. I don't care for it. The closest I ever come to a golf course is when I ride my carbon-fiber bike during a training ride. As I pedal by, the golfers stare at me, I stare at them, we all silently wish that we could be in the other's shoes and then thank our lucky stars that we aren't. It's the little game we play in our heads just before nodding to one another and returning to our respective games. I pedal, they swing. And yet, in that moment, we find something that connects us. There is a glimmer of recognition, of understanding, of communion, even. I now understand what that something is.So anyway, I waited. I put it off. And then last week, I couldn't put it off any longer. I had just read The Profession, The Warrior Ethos and Do The Work. I needed more. I guess I was ready, bare cupboard or not.The Legend of Bagger Vance isn't like Pressfield's other books. It feels slightly less polished at times, closer to the idea, nearer to the source material, and that is one of the many ways in which this book shines. It combines his extraordinary story-teller's talent with insights into the human psyche in a wonderful back and forth of context and insight. The Legend of Bagger Vance is the rare book that both entertains thoroughly AND has something to say beyond the vague exploration of a theme. It goes far beyond that. This book doesn't just make you think. It teaches.It also has the added charm of having been Pressfield's first.It is perhaps precisely because I don't care for golf that I enjoyed it so much. Yes, it's about golf. But no, it isn't about golf at all. Everyone should read this book, regardless of their relationship to the sport itself, and then read it again and again, at least once a year if not more often. Read it once and you will understand why. It makes a terrific father's day gift. Give it to your son on his birthday and your brother on Christmas. Share it with your friends and co-workers. It's that kind of book. It may very well make a difference in someone's life.As for my new problem (being out of new Steven Pressfield books to read), there's always his blog.Don't be surprised if the next book I read is Gates of Fire, for the second time. Like much of Pressfield's work, once is not enough.

Author Steven Pressfield has profoundly realized the dream of all true writers and teachers. He has drawn the essence, the primary archetype of all human history--that is, life's response to man's eternal quest for meaning and fulfillment--into a supremely inspiring and moving story that hugs our very souls. To present this as a golf story is pure genius -- it sits side by side, like two eagles on a perch, with another super classic, Michael Murphy's Golf in the Kingdom.Pressfield's immensely absorbing drama captures it all: Junah's long night of the soul in a strange and often brutal world, his agonized search for meaning where all human activity appears vain and frivolous, and finally when seemingly nothing remains but despair, the incarnation of God-essence, Bagger, who as Krishna did for Arjuna in another age, now guides and instructs the lost son on his true purpose here -- which is the same purpose we all have.This awesome story confirms and rejuvenates my faith that Divine Love truly is the foundation of life -- while all else is simply an endless drama created by those who know and those who don't yet know this truth. Steven Pressfield is a real master, and the world is truly enriched by his majestic offering, a rare contribution to forever.

I kind of backed into reading The Legend of Bagger Vance. I was familiar with the adaptation of the story from watching the movie (which I liked), but I started reading Steven Pressfield’s books because I was trying to improve myself as an author – and I was very interested in how he has been so successful – so I started with The Authentic Swing: Notes from the Writing of a First Novel…which, by the way, knocked my socks off (see my review). Of course, after reading the notes and backstory of how he wrote The Legend of Bagger Vance, I had no choice but to read it. That was a great decision.I’m a golf duffer, but was raised around the game, my father having won a Bob Hope Pro-Am, and my mother having won a Regional while we were stationed in Turkey. I always liked it, but never really took it up until I was stationed in Hawaii – and I only took it up to pass the time. I really fell in love with the game, but as all golfers know, I never really understood the almost mystical fascination of the game. I don’t think I ever will.The Legend of Bagger Vance takes a hard run at revealing some of the underlying forces. The book equates “The Authentic Swing” with a person’s own True Self, which oftentimes gets lost in the press of life. When someone loses or walks away from themselves, they often lose sight of their own purpose, who they actually are. This is book is ostensibly about golf, but moreover, I saw it as a book about being true to yourself, to your life, and the people in it.This is a very good book. It makes me at once want to read the classics (Wordsworth – “trailing clouds of glory” – pg. 70), and go out on the course (evolution of the swing, the Self – pgs. 71, 72). The feeling of being out in the open air, in nature, striving hard to relax into yourself is almost addictive.The character development, narrative device, plot, and just good storytelling brought me deep into the world of Rannulf Junah, Bagger Vance, and the world of Golf and Self, as seen through the eyes of the young Hardison Greaves.For most of the book (first and last parts), it is an enthralling book that completely drew me in. I was on the links with them, watching the external, and more interestingly, the internal struggles. I could see them, feel them, I was one of them. As a combat vet myself, I completely empathized with Junna’s struggle to get past all the horror of war and try to come to grips with himself in the rest of the book, but the center part of the book goes too far down the metaphysical rabbit hole for me. It distracted me from what I saw as the main theme, and pushed me back out of the pages into just reading a book. The departure into a realm wherein the characters were not just in a mystical, internal place during their struggles, but actually regressed through time, space and reality into the distant past and other spiritual or cosmic planes completely threw me off the story, and reminded me of some ‘60’s trip in the middle of a ‘20’s struggle for self.Despite what appeared to be a distracting departure, this book is well worth the read. Thoroughly enjoyable, deeply introspective, and a strong reminder of the constant struggle with the adversity of life and trauma to retain – or find – your one, true Self.

A well-written book thank you

Totaal anders dan wat ik verwachtte. Voor elke golfer verplichte kost, hoe raar het verhaal ook is. Ik ben aangenaam verrast.

If you've seen the movie of the same name and liked it, it's worth a read. But the movie was better

I once cursorily watched this on a long haul flight (in between the drinks trolley and choice of chicken or beef) and I was like 'A movie about golf..OK'..but it's so not. It's a wondrous metaphor for life. Based on a story from the Hindu Bhaghavad Gita I didn't 'get it' till I watched it again a few years later and then I was 'How did I miss all this? It's a film about how to get yourself unstuck. Watch it with a relaxed open mind. If your life is a bit gnarly and you can't see the wood for the trees, watch this.

Top 5 novels in my deck.