Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf [Paperback]

Bill Murray (Author), George Peper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 16, 2000

One of the funniest, most beloved, and most often quoted entertainers in the world tells his tale of Life and Golf--and of somehow surviving both.

With his brilliant creation, groundskeeper Carl Spackler, and the outrageous success of the film Caddyshack firmly etched into the American consciousness, Bill Murray and golf have become synonymous. Filled with Murray's trademark deadpan and dead-on humor, Cinderella Story chronicles his love affair with golf from the life lessons he learned as a caddy--"how to smoke, curse, play cards. But more important, when to"--to his escapades on the Pro-Am golf circuit at the Augusta National and as a fan at the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the Western Open. An up-by-the-bootstraps tale of a man, his muse, and our society's fascination with a little white ball, Cinderella Story is one pilgrim's bemused path through the doglegs.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

To many, Bill Murray is the star of movies like Ghostbusters (reissued with certain scenes deleted and a Mystery Science Theatre-style commentary in 1999). But to golf aficionados, Murray is the clown in godawful "Hee-Haw-aiian" golf garb who plays shamelessly to the crowds at charity tee-offs from Pebble Beach to the Greater Milwaukee Open. And there is only one Bill Murray role, the gopher-snuffing, turf-smoking greenskeeper Carl Spackler in Caddyshack, whose fantasy of golf heroism gives this book its title. "This crowd has gone deadly silent," Spackler mutters with club in hand and no crowd in sight, "a Cinderella story outta nowhere--former greenskeeper and now about to become the Masters champion!"

Cinderella Story is really two books. The first is a string of outrageously digressive anecdotes about Murray's club-wielding adventures with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer ("Incandescent ... he and Patton were born to lead armies"), Mike Ditka, John Denver, Chi Chi Rodriguez ("He had more fun playing golf than any person I'd ever seen."), Clint Eastwood, and Michael Jordan ("Relax," Murray tells himself, "his nickname is 'air,' not 'sand.'"). The prose style is mock-hepcat, insanely allusive, and very smart, like his screen persona.

This book is also the amusing, affecting autobiography of a kid who started out caddying for 60 cents a half-hour with his brothers--they got busted for giving a blind golfer three hole-in-one trophies--and wound up in showbiz. There are lots of showbiz anecdotes too, especially about Caddyshack, "arguably the greatest film ever made, although perhaps that's a drunken argument," as Murray observes. He'll get no argument from golfers, who will thrill to his expert ridicule of their mutual passion. --Tim Appelo --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Murray's life as seen through golf.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; First Edition edition (May 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767905229
• ISBN-13: 978-0767905220
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.4 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Murray, November 15, 1999

By 

R. G. McLeod (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf (Hardcover)

One of the funniest books I've read in a long time. Not strictly a golf book, but about Bill Murray's life framed by his love of golf. While his writing style darts from fairway to bunker to rough, no matter to me. A life and golf game can be similar. A great book to read aloud next to a crackling fire.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny stories of growing up with golf and being Bill Murray, May 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf (Hardcover)

If you are a fan of Bill Murray's and a golfer you want to like this book a lot. Little disappoints in this volumn and it is a lot of fun to read. I laughed out loud at least once in every chapter. The remarkable thing about this book is just how much a part of Bill Murray's life golf really is -- and just how much a part of golf Bill Murray has become. This is by no means a literary masterpiece, in fact, in several spots the reader is sure to wonder if any one proof-read this for continuity. However, this book does a great job in bringing the reader into the "never a dull moment" golf-life of Bill Murray. I'm left to wonder what would a Bill Murray celebrity pro-am be like -- probably a "caddy challenge match" and more fun people have had in years. A good read, that leaves you happier, if not better, for having read it.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hoping for more, August 14, 2000

By 

J. Carroll "Jack" (Island Heights,NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf (Hardcover)

A clever look at Murray's life long fascination with golf, but lacking in depth. For those looking for any insight into Murray look elsewhere. Padded with extra commentary by golf pros, PGA officials and friends this book will often bring a smile to your face but it is ultimately forgettable.