Books – Golftaco

The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power

This is one of my favorite books. I think about it often and am proud to have read it. Published in 1982, Robert Caro’s The Path to Power is the first volume of the now legendary four-volume set The Years of Lyndon Johnson. (Caro is currently working on the fifth and final volume.) Caro is also legendary, primarily because of his biographical work on LBJ. I am part-way through the third volume, but I come back to this book most often in my mind. These books are entertaining in their own right, giving the reader a minute recounting of the life of an interesting and powerful person. The books are also great in that they serve as general histories of the United States. Following LBJ’s life in such detail, particularly after he is elected to the U.S. Congress, allows you to understand the big issues and players of the day. And they allow you to understand power–Caro’s main goal in writing the books is not just to detail the life of an important person in history, but to examine how one attains and uses power.

Review of Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar

Why read a biography of Phil Mickelson? I have read a lot of golf books over the years, but maybe no golf biographies. I was drawn to this one because Phil is interesting–partly because of his outspokenness, partly his flamboyance and gutsiness, and, of course, partly because he is the highest-profile player to sign with LIV Golf. And after reading this book, I came to the conclusion that Phil’s decision to sign with LIV was primarily about money.

Most golf fans already know a lot about Phil Mickelson. Many, many victories, six of which are majors; risk-taking player; never won the U.S. Open; values his wife Amy and family. Alan Shipnuck’s biography Phil is fun to read, mainly through reliving Phil’s extraordinary golf accomplishments. His win at the U.S. Amateur; his first PGA Tour victory while a junior at ASU; his first Masters win in 2004, where he went five under on the last seven and canned the putt on 18, jumping up with fists and putter raised; his duel with Henrik Stenson in 2016 at Troon; his many second place U.S. Open finishes; his incredible history with the Ryder Cup (including the 2014 press conference in which he blasted captain Tom Watson and which probably led to many positive changes for the U.S. Ryder Cup team); and his amazing 2021 PGA Championship victory at 50. (I highly recommend looking up some of the older telecasts online, particularly the Pinehurst U.S. Open (Payne Stewart putt) and the Winged Foot U.S. Open (“I’m such an idiot.”).) There are also some junior, high school, and college golf stories that most probably don’t know, including his concession of a 40-foot putt at the U.S. Amateur.

Beyond the golf facts, though, this book gives you some insight into the inner workings of Phil’s mind. As Shipnuck describes Phil, he always has to be the smartest person in the room; he is never shy about expressing an opinion; he can be very calculating in choosing when and to which reporters he speaks; and he loves to gamble, at golf, on sports games, seemingly anything.