First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers, and Cheaters from Taft to Bush

Van Natta, Don, Jr.

ISBN 10: 1586480081 / ISBN 13: 9781586480080

Published by PublicAffairs / Public Affairs, New York, 2003

About this Item

First edition, stated; first printing, full number line. Inscribed and signed by the author on the front endpaper, and then signed again on the title page. The book is square and unmarked; corners and spine ends bumped. The dust jacket is not price-clipped (original price $26.00); edgewear; Brodart protected.

Seller Inventory # 012580

Bibliographic Details

• Title: First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers, and Cheaters from Taft to Bush
• Publisher: PublicAffairs / Public Affairs, New York
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1586480081
• ISBN 13: 9781586480080
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)

About this title

Synopsis

Some students of the presidency say that we can learn the most about the men who've occupied the Oval Office by studying their ideology. Others say political savvy or family background or regional influences are paramount. But Don Van Natta argues for another standard—by observing the way they play golf.

Fourteen of the last seventeen presidents have been golfers, and Van Natta explores two questions: Why is the game of golf so attractive to the men who occupy the Oval Office? And what do their golf games reveal about their characters? Some presidents relied on golf to escape the burdens of office, while others brought those burdens with them. And few have been able to resist the perks of high office, bending the rules and freely taking mulligans. Is it really surprising to learn that the section called "Hail to the Cheats" features the golfing escapades of Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, and Warren Harding?

Not content to rely solely on the history books, Van Natta takes the reader on a round of golf he recently played with Bill Clinton and draws on extensive interviews with the golfing ex-presidents about what the game means to them. For history buffs and golf aficionados alike, First Off the Tee is a cheerful romp and a unique way to share the links with America's duffers-in-chief.

About the Author

Don Van Natta, Jr., is a Washington correspondent for The New York Times. He was a reporter for The Miami Herald before joining the Times in 1995, and he has been a member of two Times reporting teams that were awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He is also a 100-plus golfer who once shot an ugly hole-in-one. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Alexandria, Virginia.