Hogan :

Rating:
Summary: Hogan Fan
Review: Ben Hogan is in my view one of the greatest golfers the game has seen. His work ethic and practise regime is second to none,and that includes Woods,Palmer and Nicklaus.

There are very few books about Hogan because he was such a private individual. He gave very few interviews.

I have read most of the books ever written about him and this is probably the best. There are others but they are mostly out of print. Sampsom has researched his subject as best he can and presents the fullest picture of Hogan as possible. As I stated earlier there is not that much information available.That is the way Hogan obviously wanted it. He wanted to be remembered for his golf nothing else.

The book does not give any new information on Hogan as there is very little available but it is well written and covers the subject as well as anything else. It is better than some other books on Hogan.

Without golfers like Hogan and earlier Walter Hagen the PGA Tour would not exist and the prize money would not be what it is.To find out what golf was about, where the game devloped from,and the struggle golf professionals had to go through to earn a living then you should read this book. If nothing else you will come to understand one of the games greatest players.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: Ben Hogan was a no nonsense, focused champion who realized early in life that hard work was the path to success. Curt Sampson does a great job in presenting the real Hogan, not just the golf legend. This book should be required reading for all golf fans.
Especially the goofs who scream "You da man!" everytime Tiger hits a shot. There will never be another Ben Hogan.

Rating:
Summary: A Must For The Hogan Fan
Review: Curt Sampson does an excellent job bringing out the man that most of us never really knew. I learned alot about this complex and guarded man. I found myself wanting more as each chapter passed. I found myself rooting for Hogan while reading this book. I highly recommend this to any golf nut.

Rating:
Summary: A very insightful biography of a very complex man
Review: Curt Sampson does us all a good turn with a very well-researched book. It fills a gap in golf history that is difficult to explain -- why has so little been written about such an amazing golfer, one who changed the way we think about the game? I felt a new appreciation for Hogan after reading this, and most serious golfers will too. Cannot recommend too highly

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating.
Review: Curt Sampson's "Hogan" is not only fascinating, it is beautifully written. On several occasions while reading this book I was struck in mid-sentence by the simple beauty of Sampson's prose. Sampson displays an uncanny ability to describe the enegmatic Hogan along with the people, places, and events that made up Ben Hogan's world. His desciptions of Hogan's early career and conditions on the PGA tour in the 30's and 40's were particularly interesting. An absolutely wonderful work. A must read for anyone interested in the history of American golf and one of it's most revered figures.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating.
Review: Curt Sampson's "Hogan" is not only fascinating, it is beautifully written. On several occasions while reading this book I was struck in mid-sentence by the simple beauty of Sampson's prose. Sampson displays an uncanny ability to describe the enegmatic Hogan along with the people, places, and events that made up Ben Hogan's world. His desciptions of Hogan's early career and conditions on the PGA tour in the 30's and 40's were particularly interesting. An absolutely wonderful work. A must read for anyone interested in the history of American golf and one of it's most revered figures.

Rating:
Summary: An Easy Read for Great Insight
Review: I expected a ponderous biography full of speculation and excess detail. Instead, I found a compelling narrative that was contradictory at times but always interesting. Sampson made Hogan come to life and left me with plenty of material to ponder this strange and, in some ways, admirable man. Considering the facts, I couldn't understand why Hogan didn't win every tournament he played. A great read. You don't need to be a Hogan fan to love it.

Rating:
Summary: A fair and compelling examination of the man behind the myth
Review: I found this book to be one of the best biographies I've ever read. Sampson leads the reader through the pivotal and formative events of Hogan's life, slowly revealing the character and personality of one of the most complex figures in the history of sports. Most people view sports legends as individuals blessed with an abundance of natural ability and instinct. I was inspired to discover this does not describe Ben Hogan. He was not, by any stretch of imagination, the most talented golfer on tour. To read accounts of his early struggles puts the stunning success he later enjoyed - and the work that enabled him to accomplish that success - in clear perspective. To often, sports biographies are superficial tributes that ignore the complexities of a sport and the men who play it. This is a book that digs deeply into the life of its subject, revealing both the noble and the base. Curt Sampson allows the reader to form his own opinion of the man based on a detailed and objectively rendered portrait. Anyone who truly loves the game of golf needs to read this book. Rick Mathes Thousand Oaks, C

Rating:
Summary: An inspirational book that will motivate the beginner to pro
Review: I'm a 17 year old golfer with dreams of becoming a PGA Tour card carrier. After reading this book, I relized I have an easy life and should gives thanks to my mom and dad. With the hardships that Mr. Hogan went through in his childhood, it is hard to beleive how he went through life having the success he did. He is an inspiration to all people who have gone through a near death experience. This man was probably the most respected athlete of his time.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best
Review: I'm surprised by the glowing reviews. The author has a clear style with no frills. Some of his metaphors were so bad I laughed out loud. The book is a very quick read. He spends pages telling us about Hogan's father's death, and that no one remembers where Hogan's early addresses were. The author wants us to know that Hogan spent a lot of time practicing. When he reaches Hogan's best years his style changes to a sports writer and he spends time summarizing tournaments. He writes for three pages about a great photo from the 1951 tournament, but doesn't have the photo in the book.