Good Reads & Views

Freddie & Me: Life Lessons from Freddie Bennett, Augusta National’s Legendary Caddy Master by Tripp Bowden
Nonfiction

Freddie & Me is an engaging story about Freddie Bennett who is known by many as Augusta National’s Legendary Caddy Master. The book is written by Tripp Bowden, the first Caucasian caddy in the history of Augusta National. Bowden’s story provides insight into the beauty of one of the world’s most elite golf courses, in particular, the special gift of friendship that begins when he meets Freddie as a child. Freddie teaches Tripp to play golf correctly, that it is a game of fundamentals and rules. Freddie shares with Tripp numerous life lessons about faith, respect, and humor, including introducing him to the game of golf with a fishing pole, making him “break fifty” to earn a pair of golf shoes, providing access to the “Black Bat” in times of need, and inspiring him to dream big in every aspect of life. Throughout the years, Freddie and Tripp enjoy many laughs. The core of the story is about commitment, discipline, and responsibility, all the while cherishing every precious moment of life and many laughs. Most importantly, respecting all and sharing the love of the game. Of course, not to be forgotten is the importance of the waggle, the putter, and Crown Royal.

Born to Fly by Michael Ferarri
J Middle School Fiction

The story, Born to Fly, by Michael Ferarri, takes place during World War II. The book is a great read, especially for children to read with their parents. Born to Fly is an uplifting and beautiful story about an 11 year old girl, Bird, who has the courage and perseverance to overcome her fear and pursue her dreams. Bird has a strong relationship with her father, a fighter pilot, who teaches her how to fly a plane. After her father is called to war, she keeps the P-40 Manual, a pilot instruction book that he gave her for a birthday present, close to her heart. Bird dreams of becoming a fighter pilot like her father someday, however, during this time in history, there were few female pilots. Despite this, Bird’s father always encouraged her to believe in herself and to have faith in her dreams. There are many themes throughout this adventure story including: family, faith, friendship, trust, dreams, discrimination, espionage, terrorism and justice.

Night by Elie Wiesel
Nonfiction

Written in memory of his parents and little sister, Tzipora, Elie Wiesel describes the horrific experience of the Holocaust that he and his family endured with millions of other Jewish families during World War II. Wiesel tells his story, beginning with his deep-rooted Jewish heritage, grounded in faith and family. Raised in the town of Sighet, he witnessed his childhood home transform into a ghetto during the war. Descriptions of the unbearable conditions of the train ride, to the extreme cruelty of the treatment of Jews in concentration camps, are heart-breaking. As men and women were separated in the concentration camps, Elie lost his mother and sister shortly after their arrival. Throughout his story, Elie and his father hold on to their faith and support each other in order to survive the physical and psychological tortures of the Gestapo. This book was written with the purpose of reminding future generations of the value of life, so as never to repeat the inhumane acts of cruelty and brutality by the Nazis. Elie Wiesel is a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Golf is a Game of Confidence by Dr. Bob Rotella with Bob Cullen
Nonfiction

I truly enjoyed reading the book, Golf is a Game of Confidence, written by Dr. Bob Rotella with Bob Cullen. It is a great read focused on the mental side of playing golf. The book includes 18 chapters, similar to a round of golf, with each chapter describing a pro golfer’s struggles and successes with their game, as well as how they work to overcome challenges by remaining strong with a positive frame of mind. A common theme throughout the book is how the players all stay focused on the present when making their shots, learning from their past mistakes and keeping the future in sight. Similar strokes throughout the story include trust, faith, and commitment in the pursuit of dreams.  A strong focus on targets is also key to remember, such as the flag and the heart of the hole. Having fun while playing and learning is crucial to this lifelong sport. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in improving their game. The tips provided can apply to all sports. This is a great read for the 19^th hole while cracking open a cold beer. Cheers and happy reading!

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Fiction

The Orphan Train is a beautiful story about the friendship of two women, both of whom are orphans, and their resilience to the challenges that they endured during their childhood years. The author creatively describes the orphan train experience as she toggles back and forth between the tales of the characters, cleverly intertwining key elements of the story. The main character, Vivian, is a ninety-two year old Irish immigrant who tragically lost her family shortly after arriving to New York on the Agnus Pauline. She traveled on an orphan train which brought her to Minnesota, where she was placed in difficult situations with two foster families before she found the right fit with her adopted family. Her teenage friend, Molly, shares similar foster-care experiences from her childhood. The two women open up to each other and share their stories as they work together to clean out Vivian’s attic. The character development in the story is heartwarming as the two women work to overcome their fear of loss by embracing faith, hope, love, and trust. Two common elements that Vivian and Molly share are the necklaces given to them by their birth families. Vivian cherishes her Claddagh cross that was given to her by her grandmother. Reference to her necklace appears throughout the story, ending with her rediscovering it upon opening a trunk from her true love who had died during the war. With courage and faith, she reunites with her daughter and family. Similarly, Molly, a Penobscot Indian, describes her childhood as a portage in search of one home to the next. Throughout her journey she holds her charm necklace, a symbol of her Indian heritage, dear to her heart. The story ends on a hopeful note leading the reader to think that both characters have a promising future.