Ruminations – Hammock Reading

– By John A. Schwarz –

Here are a few thoughts if you are searching for a good read. Mark Frost, who wrote the "The Greatest Game Ever Played'' and "Grand Slam", both of which were excellent, has done it again with "The Match”. It's the true story of an incredible competition between Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward in 1956. The match was arranged in San Francisco by Eddie Lowery, who had become a multi-millionaire in the automobile business. Lowery, at the age of 10, had caddied for Francis Ouimet in 1913 when Ouimet, a 20-year-old amateur, won the US Open at Brookline outside of Boston. Ouimet and Lowery remained lifelong friends and Lowery was a pallbearer at Ouimet's funeral. If you like golf you'll love "The Match".
Two men I have never heard of, Robert Drury and Tom Clavin, have written a book called "Halsey's Typhoon". It's about a vicious storm that occurred in the South Pacific in December 1944 during General MacArthur's return to the Philippines. Three destroyers went down and over 800 sailors. It's a gripping story and you'll read it quickly because you will constantly want to know what happens next.
To balance nonfiction with fiction, you really have to read "A Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer. Believe it or not, I know Archer fairly well but haven't seen him in years. It's a long story and it's far too long for this column. Suffice it to say, he's had an extraordinary life.
Archer was a Conservative MP in the House of Commons in his twenties. He left, after five years, having incurred a huge debt due to a loss in an investment in a fraudulent company in Canada. He began writing novels to avoid bankruptcy. The books were so good that by the early 1980s he had earned more money writing than any other author in history. In 1985, he became the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. He and Margaret Thatcher got along very well and he was her closest confidante. One time we were at his penthouse overlooking the Thames and he had to leave after drinks. We had planned to go out to dinner together but Mrs. Thatcher wanted him to come see her immediately concerning a very serious issue which had just surfaced that day. She went on to make him Baron Archer in 1992, and they stayed friends for life. 
Archer went from the House of Commons to being Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party to a member of the House of Lords. All this, and a best-selling writer, too.
There is a glitch in Archer’s story, however. On the flyleaf of his new book, he mentions his five years of service in the House of Commons, 14 years in the House of Lords and two years in Her Majesty's prisons because of a little perjury problem. Rogue, charlatan, genius, whatever, he is a hell of a writer. His latest, "A Prisoner of Birth”, is his best, and believe me that's saying something. You won't put it down until the last sentence when you will lean back, exhale a large breath and say "Wow".
There you have it. Three great books, two non-fiction, one fiction. Drop by and see Sue and Patrick at Arcade Booksellers. They'll have them and you’ll be all set for some terrific reading for "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer".