The Grand Slam : Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf [Hardcover]

Mark Frost (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: NY (1980)
• ASIN: B000MU2SPI
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,116,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MARK FROST is the bestselling author of The Greatest Game Ever Played, The Grand Slam, and the novels The Second Objective, The List of Seven, and The Six Messiahs. He received a Writers Guild Award and an Emmy nomination for the acclaimed television series Hill Street Blues, was co-creator and executive producer of the legendary ABC television series Twin Peaks, and in 2005 wrote and produced The Greatest Game Ever Played as a major motion picture from Walt Disney Studios. Mark lives in Los Angeles and upstate New York with his wife and son.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Biography and Social History, November 20, 2004

By 

Eric F. Facer "E. Facer" (Centreville, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf (Hardcover)

I just finished reading Mr. Frost's exceptional new work, The Grand Slam. Not only does the author provide you with tremondous insight into Jones' character and personality (something he does, by the way, without engaging in the incessant psychobable that characterizes so many other modern biographies), he tells a great story. And even though you already know the outcome of the major tournaments in which Jones competed, Mr. Frost creates such suspense that you find yourself sliding forward on the edge of your chair as the players approach the 18th green of the final round. Also, Frost does an exceptional job of placing the evolution of Jones' career in the context of American and European history. His vignettes on World War I, the Jazz Age, Harding and Hoover, and the Great Depression add a great deal to his narrative. And his potrayals of Walter Hagen, the first prima dona on the American golf scene, are a joy to read. Even if you are not a golf fan, you will like this book. If you enjoy the sport, then you will love it. Well done, Mr. Frost.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and Amazing, April 5, 2005

By 

Chandler Phillips "Swing Doctor" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf (Hardcover)

I shy away from thick books like this one. But when I started reading GRAND SLAM I was drawn in and knew I would go the distance. The author has done an amazing research job and the characters all come to life. American history is also woven into the story in an interesting way that enlarges the scope of the book. True, I didn't know a lot about Bobby Jones so this was, in a sense a primer for me. It also filled in my knowledge of other golfers at the time such as Walter Hagen.

An interesting side note is that, as Mark Frost points out, East Lake Country Club, in Jones' native Atlanta, was an incubator for golfing talent. Besides Jones, another golfer, the longest hitter, Mike Austin, practiced at East Lake Golf Course during that time. His story is told in the fascinating book IN SEARCH OF THE GREATEST GOLF SWING.

The only omission from GRAND SLAM is a more detailed analysis of Jones's swing. What made him such a great ball striker? Also, the book gets into idol worship at times. But the author certainly makes his case convincingly. Read it -- you'll be glad you did.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Grand Slam of a Bio, March 14, 2008

By 

Mark Hennelly Jr. - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Grand Slam : Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf (Paperback)

Purchasing this book I had expected nothing more than the chronicle of Bobby Jones' assualt on the 4 golf majors of 1930. I got so much more. This book is certainly one of the better biographies I've ever read. Though Frost never goes too in depth into the private life of Jones, the writing style is exceptional, the sports action is compelling, but the most amazing thing is how the entire thing is brought together and every new section begins with an exceptional framing of where the event stands within the confines of history. Truly an amazing first rate bio.