Swing (The, in the US President)

Author: (American) Don Van Natta, translated by Fu Xiaoli
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Features: On a golf course, are you the President? The ball doesn’t know! Presidents who excel on the golf course also excel in the political arena; those who are clumsy and dull on the course are equally so in the shifting tides of politics. The author has had close encounters with many presidents and vividly describes their talents, wit, and various rule-breaking antics on the course in the book, making for hilarious reading! The subject matter is excellent, the perspective unique, and the book is richly illustrated with witty language. Some scholars who specialize in studying presidents and their tenure argue that to understand the masters of the White House to the fullest extent, one must deeply analyze their ideology. Others disagree, emphasizing that political prowess, family background, or religious influence are far more crucial. But the author, Don Van Natta, takes a different approach, proposing a unique standard—observing their performance on the golf course. Of the 17 presidents from George W. Bush to the present, 14 are golfers. The author has been pondering two questions: Why is golf so appealing to presidents? What character traits does the sport reveal about them? For example, the book vividly depicts the rule-breaking antics of four presidents—Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, and Warren Harding—on the course, which is both amusing and awe-inspiring! The author doesn’t rely solely on historical records but also through personal experiences of playing golf with Clinton and detailed interviews with former presidents’ golfers, brings to life the diverse and vivid portraits of presidents as masters, tricksters, and duffers on the course, helping readers clearly understand what golf truly means to these U.S. presidents.