What I Read On My Summer Vacation

It has been two weeks since that last Grandstander post hit the digital streets, so it is time to report in.  During that time, Mr. and Mrs. Grandstander spent a week, as we have done for the last 32 years, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, specifically, the town of Corolla in Currituck County.  We had beautiful weather, 

relaxed on the beach with cold beverages,

celebrated the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Jim and Judy,

and had a wonderful week spending time with various Moellenbrocks, Stoners, and Richards.

"Enough about all that" I can hear you all saying, "we want to know what did you read while lounging on the beach last week?"

Okay, I consumed two books while in Corolla.

This is a book by acclaimed golf writer Jim Dodson, and it is another one that I highly recommend to all golfers among you.

It is more of a memoir of Dodson's life as he sets out to accomplish the golf "bucket list", although that term was unknown at the time, that he set for himself as a young boy.  As reporter and magazine journalist, Dodson was in position to accomplish many of these goals (playing at St. Andrew's, make a hole in one, meet Arnold Palmer, to name a few), and he tells these stories in a folksy and very well written manner.  If I have any criticism, it is that at times Dodson elevates the game of golf and the playing of it to an existential level way beyond what it actually is.  I mean, I love golf and enjoy playing it, but at times I just wanted to say "C'MON MAN, your playing golf, not curing cancer or bringing peace to the Middle East."  But that's a minor quibble, and if you are a regular golfer, you will enjoy it.  A happy by-product of reading this is that I think it will prompt me to re-read Dodson's classic 1996 book, "Final Rounds", the story of his final father-son golf trip shortly before his father's death.  That is a book that is not just about golf.

Three and one-half stars from The Grandstander.

Looking for something that would be light, quick, and entertaining, I finally got around to reading a novel from Florida author Tim Dorsey.  Like my long time favorite Carl Hiaasen, Dorsey writes comic crime novels that feature the crazed and looney characters that only seem to populate the state of Florida. 

I won't even try to describe the plot of "Hammerhead Ranch Motel" other than to say that it is violent, scary in the casualness of the criminals described in it, and wildly funny.  (Marilyn accused me of making a total ass of myself on the beach one day because I was laughing so uncontrollably at one point.  Can you imagine such a thing?)  I couldn't believe that I had never read any of Dorsey's books before now, but on the bright side, I now know that there are over a dozen Tim Dorsey crime novels out there for me to read and enjoy.  Discovering that was like getting an early birthday present.

Three stars from The Grandstander.