SHANKS FOR NOTHING

Rick Reilly's latest golf novel proves that even one of America's most popular sportswriters can miss the fairway. Although his book is intermittently entertaining, the story shows that Reilly is more in search of a punch line than a story line. While the disjointedness of the book may be a function of the abridgment, Nick Stevens's reading plays right into the same trap. His presentation seems "forced," as though he's a comedian who reads every line in anticipation of the audience's laughter. If you simply want a quick shot of Rick Reilly, this may do the trick; otherwise, the listener may want to take a mulligan. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]