Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Shallow and disappointing July 11, 2008
I purchased this book on a recommendation while ordering "Tommy's Honor" through Amazon. If "Tommy's Honor" was a stroll around the Old Course, "Two Years" was a heavy laden trudge thru a muddy field.
My daughter spent four years studying at St Andrews and that provided a good excuse to visit. Beyond the golf, I enjoyed late night walks aroud the town, visits to the pubs and swimming in the rich local history. My daughter graduated in 2005 and we spent most of the summer in the flat she had shared with her roommates. Its very probable that I passed the author on the street.
This book includes tedious packing lists and innocous names but outside his own flat, the R & A, and the Old Course disappointing little about the town itself or surrounding Fife. The author peppered his writing with often sophomoric remarks that were meant to humor but I found entirely flat.
I very much wanted to enjoy this book but was greatly disappointed.
 Two Years in St. Andrews June 7, 2008
George Peper has captured, for all of us stateside hackers, the essence of what golf retirement dreams are made...living on the Old Course at St. Andrews and being enfolded into the Scottish golfing community. This book is a delightful read that I have passed around my golfing group with unanimous praise, and envy. With a lifetime of connections from his days as editor of GOLF DIGEST, Peper takes you from the inner sanctum of the R&A, hob nobbing with the guardians of the game, to the rowdy clubhouses and pubs with his many colorful golfing groups, squaring their bets over more than a few pints. The author's gift is his ability to recount all these experiences with a wonderful humor and evenhandedness, even at his own expense. Many golf readers may long for a Shavius Irons experience in life, but, in retirement, I want to move into Peper's neighborhood.
 Enjoyable read, however ... May 20, 2008
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It is well written and offers many insights into the world of golf.... which can be both good and bad. As for his writing style, humor, and penchant for witty observations, I give Mr. Peper 5 stars. However, by the end of the book I was annoyed by the author's thinly veiled anti-American tone. Given the opportunity our nation has afforded him (what golfer would not want to live overlooking The Old Course?), it was disappointing to read his dismissal of American life and of a polarized American society. Ironic, since Mr. Peper does offer us some background about why the Scots are polarized by golfing clubs, land-use issues, aristocracy, and their English counterparts. Perhaps he misses golf's biggest lesson: that mankind's nature is immutable and inevitable no matter which course we play. Otherwise, it is a fine book.
If you love Golf you'll love this Book. August 6, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This has to be one of the "Gems" of Golf Travel books.
From start of finish I found this book well written, humorous, sophisticated and wonderfully self-effacing. I would like to meet George Peper; I'm sure we would get along very well. Maybe a game on the Old Course would do the trick.
This is a fabulously entertaining tale of George and his wife's move to St. Andrews from an important position in the U.S.A., namely editor of Golf Digest. The story begins with the acquisition of an apartment overlooking the hallowed turf of the 18th Green of the Old Course at St.Andrews, the home of Golf.
George has the extremely good fortune of being a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and sets about using this privilege to good effect. Not only does he become a popular and successful member, he also achieves a long held ambition; playing a round on the Old Course in Par.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been inspired by his "two years of golf" and long to follow his example by playing the Old Course, at least once.
His fondness for the people of St. Andrews and Scotland in general comes through with a warmth and genuinely felt emotion.
I can not imagine anyone finding this book disappointing. To me it has been a wonderful windfall.
I felt as if I were there July 29, 2007
Someday before I turn 50 (I just turned 40), I plan to visit Scotland and St. Andrew's. But I already feel as if I have been there once after reading Mr. Peper's book.
Mr. Peper really captures the spirit of the town. It's so much different from the hustle and bustle of American life and the digital age in general. He breaks the book into small mostly unrelated "chapters" which highlight part of the town, the course, family, etc.
Thanks, George! Your book was an enjoyable read cover-to-cover.
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