Golf in the Kingdom
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3.8 • 66 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A spiritual journey, a lush travelogue, a parable of sports and philosophy—John Updike called this unique novel “a golf classic if any exists in our day.”
When an American traveler on his way to India stops to play a round on one of the most beautiful and legendary golf courses in Scotland, he doesn’t know that his game—and his life—are about to change forever. He is introduced to Shivas Irons, a mysterious golf pro whose sublime insights stick with him long after the eighteenth hole. From the first swing of the Scotsman’s club, he realizes he is in for a most extraordinary day.
By turns comic, existential, and semiautobiographical, Michael Murphy’s tale traces the arc of twenty-four hours, from a round of golf on the Links of Burningbush to a night fueled by whiskey, wisdom, and wandering—even a sighting of Seamus MacDuff, the holy man who haunts the hole they call Lucifer’s Rug.
“Murphy’s book is going to alter many visions,” The New York Times Book Review declared. More than an unforgettable approach to one of the world’s most popular sports, Golf in the Kingdom is a meditation on the power of a game to transform the self.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The 25th anniversary of a young man's encounter with golf spirit incarnate Shivas Irons coincides with the publication of a sequel, The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, from Broadway Books.
Customer Reviews
Reminiscent of Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
I did not know what to expect upon picking this book up. I did not even know that it was/is a novel. However, it is certainly a vehicle (golf) to deliver philosophy and insight into life’s heightened pursuits.
It’s hard to know who the intended audience is. Golfers will think it is about golf. Seekers will think it is about mysticism. Academics will probably view it as either brilliant or baloney, depending on one’s beliefs (former case) or stochastic leanings (latter case). Recreational readers might find it difficult to understand (me) or motivating to learn more and maybe even have an epiphany or two.
For me, it motivates me to ask more questions of my golfer friends. Non of these questions will be technical. It will be all about heightened states of awareness, etc.. I bet I get a lot of vacant stares in return. So, be prepared to be confounded by this book if you are hoping for golf tips or game history. Instead, be prepared for a mild acid trip with some Scottish folks that love the game.
Fore!
A book with answers that, predictably, raises more questions!
I first read this book probably twenty years ago in its more "traditional format," paperback. I found myself lost in its mysteries and fascinated by its assertions. Glad to have re-read it in this more modern "tome."