{"title":"Michael Bamberger","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the engaging world of sports with the insightful works of Michael Bamberger. Renowned for his vivid storytelling and deep dive into the human elements of sports, Bamberger’s books offer more than just statistics and play-by-plays. His narratives provide a unique blend of sportsmanship, life lessons, and heartwarming stories that captivate readers from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong his notable works is \u003cem\u003eThe Ball in the Air\u003c\/em\u003e, a compelling book that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the game of golf, revealing the profound impact it has on its players and fans alike. Bamberger’s narrative style brings to life the emotional highs and lows experienced on the green, making it not only a treat for sports enthusiasts but also for those seeking a deeper understanding of personal triumph and community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a sports aficionado or simply someone who appreciates well-crafted stories, the works of Michael Bamberger deliver engaging narratives that are sure to resonate and inspire. Dive into his collection to experience the moving and insightful world of sports literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-ball-in-the-air-by-michael-bamberger-9781668009833","title":"The Ball in the Air","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAfter a lifetime of writing about the professional sport, Michael Bamberger, “the poet laureate of golf” (\u003ci\u003eGOLF\u003c\/i\u003e magazine), delivers an exhilarating love letter to the amateur game as it’s played—and lived—by the rest of us.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOver Michael Bamberger’s celebrated writing career, he has written a handful of books and hundreds of \u003ci\u003eSports Illustrated\u003c\/i\u003e stories about professional golf and those who play it—that is, the .001 percent. Now, Bamberger trains his eye on the rest of us. In his most personal book yet, Bamberger takes the lid off a game that is both quasi-religious and a nonstop party, posing an age-old question that is answered over its pages: \u003ci\u003eWhy does the game cast such a spell on us?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere is the story of modern golf that is not on TV. This is our story, we who \u003ci\u003epay\u003c\/i\u003e to play, who can’t wait to get another crack at the game, even when golf doesn’t love us back. And just as every round is an adventure, every life in golf is, too. The golfers Michael Bamberger introduces will leave you inspired and moved. You’ll meet Sam Reeves, a golf-loving US Army soldier who becomes captivated by a fellow soldier, Cliff Harrington, a gifted Black golfer who’s cruelly robbed of the chance to show the world all he can do. You’ll meet Ryan French, who plays on a college golf team out of \u003ci\u003eAnimal House\u003c\/i\u003e. You’ll get to know Pratima Sherpa, who grew up in a maintenance shed at the Royal Nepal Golf Club in Kathmandu and took up the game with a stick whittled by her father.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Ball in the Air\u003c\/i\u003e is reported with Bamberger’s you-are-there intimacy and captures the sweep of time. Pratima finds her way from Nepal to a university golf team in Southern California. Ryan and his father caddie in minor-league events while sleeping in tents, a preamble to Ryan’s becoming the godfather of the popular Monday Qualifier Twitter feed. Sam Reeves, born in rural Georgia during the Depression, becomes a cotton king, the oldest amateur to make the cut at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and the ultimate man for all seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd there are Bamberger sightings, too, as he finds his own path in the game. You’ll make joyful side trips with the author, who’s spent more than forty years exploring golfers and golf, a way of life that captivates him down to his bones. You’ll visit the golf course at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and compete with Bamberger and other purists at the National Hickory Championship in rural Pennsylvania. At St. Andrews, you’ll get up close and personal with Lee Trevino, one of the few professionals in these pages, because Trevino, when you really get to the core of the man, is one of us. He can’t get enough of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Ball in the Air\u003c\/i\u003e is Bamberger’s valentine to golf. The modern world, obsessed with fame and fortune, has infiltrated professional golf—but it hasn’t infiltrated \u003ci\u003egolf\u003c\/i\u003e. Bamberger is here to highlight the distinction and to celebrate the game and all who play it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46833594368236,"sku":"9781668009833","price":38.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/24316343482781.jpg?v=1758466568"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/michael-bamberger.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}