The Back Nine

Zusatztext “A hole in one. . . . Combines thoughtful! beautiful written passages and a wealth of insider golf knowledge . . . . You are in for hours of intense pleasure.” — Chicago Sun-Times “A cinematic showdown on the greens.” — The New York Times Book Review “A fun! rousing debut novel. . . . As gripping as a good Masters' finale.” — Forbes “Mott captures the world of the caddy shack! with its tyrants! misfits! and refugees.” — Los Angeles Magazine Informationen zum Autor Billy Mott was born in Pittsburgh in 1956, served in the Air Force in the mid-seventies, graduated from Point Park College and worked as an actor in Pittsburgh (not easy, as he says) until moving to Los Angeles. He appeared in a variety of TV shows and movies, caddying in between gigs, and began writing at the age of 36. After stints in San Francisco and Pittsburgh (again), he moved back to L.A., where he caddies still. Klappentext Charlie McLeod was a golf prodigy. His father taught him the game and then injury took it away. Twenty-five years after his last swing! McLeod is finally back on the course! working as a caddy in San Francisco. Though he is older and slightly disheveled! he can still drive the ball as straight and as far as the best players in the world. When his extraordinary skills are discovered! he quickly becomes embroiled in a high stakes game between his wealthy employers and a ferocious pro. What ensues is the hilarious and touching story of an underdog and the joys and life lessons found in the great game of golf. Leseprobe Chapter 1 An odd scent was in the air and Charlie MacLeod wondered where it might be coming from. From off the ocean it rode the wind and swept over him, faintly medicinal but pleasing, and he inhaled deeply to fill his lungs. Towering trees with long strips of peeling bark lined a narrow two-lane street and hugged the edges of a dirt path worn into the overgrown grass. Long, straggling limbs drooped low so that Charlie had to brush them out of his way. He'd been traveling for days now, constantly on the move—a bus, two trains, then another bus. He'd walked for hours this morning, his belongings in an old canvas bag slung over his shoulder. He trudged up one last steep hill, came to the end of the path and stopped to catch his breath. A dirt road split off into the forest of trees, and at the intersection stood a waist-high marker made of rough, uncut stone. Exhausted, he removed his old wool cap to cool his head, leaned against the stone and dropped his bag at his feet. He rubbed the week's worth of stubble on his face, a beard grayed by the passing of time and the pain of his memories. Dread that had been working on him since the moment he awoke finally swept over him and seized his body. His heart pounded into his throat as he tried to stop the utterance of a name, but failed as miserably as ever. "Helen," he whispered, and realized he'd traveled thousands of miles for nothing. "Christ," he said, as tears filled his eyes and spilled down his face. His legs weakened and he slid down to his haunches, the rough stone scraping his back. His head throbbed, blotches of light bordered his vision, and his hands and feet tingled as though a thousand needles had penetrated his skin. He covered his face with his hands and waited for his anxiety to pass. Past episodes had taken hours—the worst ones, days—to subside. He spent hours shaking, wandering through his house late into the night until, finally exhausted, he fell into bed and passed out. When he finally awoke it was impossible to get up. The only time he felt good was at work. He labored in a foundry shoveling sand and grinding metal, and though he was slight, he was strong. Charlie could work for hours. But when the whistle blew and the men dispersed he would sink again. Even as he put the key into the door of his new house, the panic would return.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Billy Mott
• Editore: Vintage USA
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 11.03.2008
• EAN: 9780307277862
• ISBN: 978-0-307-27786-2
• Pagine: 256
• Dimensioni: 132 mm x 202 mm x 15 mm
• Serie: Vintage Contemporaries; Vintage Contemporaries
• Categoria: Narrativa > Romanzi