The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life [Hardcover]

Steven Pressfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 1995

The time: 1931. The place: the golf links at Krewe Island off Savannah's windswept Atlantic shore. The event: a mesmerizing thirty-six-hole match in which Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, legends of golf in their own time, are joined by an unsung opponent, the troubled war hero Rannulph Junah. The key to the outcome lies not with these titans of the game but with Bagger Vance, a caddie who carries the secret of the Authentic Swing. His mysterious powers guide the play and leave a lasting imprint, not only on the lives he touches on that day so long ago, but also - sixty years later - on the future of a brilliant but discouraged young medical student.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Improbable as it may sound, this allegorical first novel by an L.A. screenwriter reads like an F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar reciting a medley culled from the Bhagavadgita, Huck Finn and The Tempest: it has gray-flannel charm, a thick vein of mysticism, homespun homilies and an encroaching storm. In 1931, a mythical golf match is arranged between the legendary Bobby Jones and the fabled Walter Hagen to promote-amid the deprivation of the Depression-a luxurious golf resort on an island near Savannah, Ga. To rally financial support from the hard-hit local money boys, former hometown golf champ Rannulph Junah, agrees to participate in the match. A somewhat degenerate aristocrat, Junah has been traveling the world in search of meaning ever since his experience in the Great War. The man whom Junah calls "my mentor and boon companion" is Bagger Vance, a charismatic Eastern mystic, who is black. The tournament attracts a multitude of celebrities from all over the world; it's a heroic 36-hole battle of the titans that takes place during the course of one fateful, stormy day. For Junah, the struggle is not to conquer his opponents, the elements or the daunting golf links-the conflict resides within himself. Vance helps him find his Authentic Swing-which is, of course, a metaphor for self-discovery. The novel is given the feel of a teaching by its frame, in which the wizened narrator-a septuagenarian surgeon and former golf champ who, as a 10-year-old caddy, witnessed the event-relates the tale to a burnt-out medical student in order to pass on the wisdom of Bagger Vance. Although the prose occasionally strays into the rough, this is a thoroughly beguiling little fable. 50,000 first printing; $60,000 ad/promo; film rights to Jake Eberts.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA?Elderly Hardison L. Greaves describes a memorable golf match he witnessed as a child in the 1930s to a medical student who is nearing burn-out. In the match, golf-great Bobby Jones plays Walter Hagen; to generate local support, World War I hero Rannulph Junah is asked to participate. He declines at first, but then his companion, Bagger Vance, offers to caddy for him. It becomes apparent that Vance is more than a companion; he is the man's mentor and spiritual advisor. Although looked upon with disdain by the golfers and spectators, Vance, who is black, counsels Junah to look for his Authentic Swing. The symbolism is apparent; Junah finds not only his golf swing, but also himself. Pressfield's story will be of interest to students. Its mysticism promotes thought, and golf references are simple enough for nonplayers.?Diane Goheen, Topeka West High School, KS
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1st edition (May 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688140483
• ISBN-13: 978-0688140489
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #937,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

STEVEN PRESSFIELD is the author of the hugely successful historical novels Gates of Fire, Tides of War, and Last of the Amazons. His debut novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance, was made into a movie starring Matt Damon and Will Smith in 2000. He lives in California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita in a golf setting, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life (Paperback)

It's either funny or sad that none of the reviews I've read about this book, either in print or on Amazon, recognize the source of this story: the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata is one of the greatest stories ever told - and the Bhagavad Gita is given smack dab in the middle of it.

"The Legend of Bagger Vance" is a retelling of this epic, and a summary of the Bhagavad Gita, in a wonderful golf story. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna must fight a war against his step-brothers and cousins over possession of the kingdom. It is a righteous war, for he and his brothers are the heirs. But he refuses to fight, saying that war is futile and that it would be better to die than to fight one's family. So his charioteer, Lord Krishna, an incarnation of God, has to park the chariot and give him a really long lecture about why he should put aside his doubts, do his duty, and fight. Of course, it takes him the whole Bhagavad Gita to explain why this is a good thing to do, and it involves helping Arjuna understand who he really is, who God is, and what the nature of reality is. Along the way, he explains how to find peace in the midst of action, and to discover our true nature.

The Bhagavad Gita explains how to find union with God in the midst of daily life, and "The Legend of Bagger Vance" gives a very readable restatement of how to live a truly authentic life (and play great "golf" - whatever your form of "golf" is).

In "Legend," our hero, Rannulph Junah (R.Junah for those who like things spelled out) is a world-weary war veteran who is asked to play a game of golf with Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones. He reluctantly agrees, then tries to withdraw, saying that in a world torn apart by conflict and the Depression, it was futile, senseless, stupid, and insulting to hit a small dimpled ball around a course in yet one more form of combat. His caddy, Bagger Vance (Bhagavan, an honorific title for the Lord or for a spiritual master), then spends the rest of the story talking him through the 36-hole tournament, stripping away his confusion and delusion to help him find the truth of his Authentic Stroke and see the value of doing our inborn duty that life presents to us.

Does he succeed? Can we? Read this fun story and find out!

Afterwards, get Kamala Subramaniam's version of the "Mahabharata" and enjoy an even more interesting story.

77 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Fun Read, March 13, 2000

By 

David Savage - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life (Paperback)

I picked up a few golf books this Winter to get me into the spirit and look forward to the upcoming season. One of the books I picked up was recommended to me by a friend, "The Legend of Bagger Vance". I enjoyed this book as a reader and as a golfer.

The basic premise: can a golfer return to the game after a long absence, guided by a mystical caddie, to compete with a couple of the world's best competitors? As a golfer, I say no. When I haven't been playing for a while, it takes a lot more than my mental approach to get my game back on track.

This story takes you on a mystical journey on e legendary golf course on a foggy, windy island of the coast of Savannah. I always enjoy stories that take me to a different time using some actual characters of the day. The setting is one of the strong points of the book. This author does an excellent job describing the golf world in the early 1930s.

The real strength of the book is the mysterious Bagger Vance who encourages the lead character to transcend the physical world to overcome his golfing challenges. We all know how much golf is a mental game. This book takes it a step further. Forget about keeping your left arm straight, your head down, and your wrists firm, this book will remind you that there are "other" elements at play in the game of golf.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic Legend, October 25, 2000

By 

Tim Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legend of Bagger Vance (Mass Market Paperback)

I was browsing the shelves of my local library and was surprised to see that "The Legend of Bagger Vance" was sitting next to "Gates of Fire", both written by Steven Pressfield. Since I was thoroughly captivated by "Gates..." I thought I'd give "...Bagger" a chance. Even though I'm not an active golfer, having golfed twice, several years ago, this story is relevant to anyone who is interested in learning and remembering life's lessons.

Initially, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but as the characters were brought to life and the basic storyline was established, I began to realize I was reading something special. For example, Pressfield gives a great description of being in the "Zone", that rare and special time when ability is maximized with fluid and natural effort resulting in optimal performance. Winning becomes a by-product; the act itself or the Authentic Swing as Bagger Vance identifies it is what's important. Life's lesson seems to be for us not to worry about the results of our behavior. Instead, each of us strives for being our Authentic Self, and the results will take care of itself. If, in our striving, we feel isolated, we also need to remember we are never alone but are accompanied by a Higher Power, however we choose to define it.

Obviously,"The Legend of Bagger Vance" has so much more to offer than can be explained in this short review. However, I'm here to tell you that by just reading it the lessons learned will take care of themselves.