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The Second Life of Tiger Woods
Written by a New York Times bestselling author and reporter who “knows the world of professional golf…like few others” ( The Wall Street Journal ) comes “the most insightful and evenhanded book written yet about one of the signature athletes of the last twenty-five years” ( Booklist , starred review) detailing Tiger Woods’s remarkable comeback and his journey back into winner’s circle.
Tiger Woods’s long descent into a personal and professional hell reached bottom in the early hours of Memorial Day in 2017. Woods’s DUI arrest that night came on the heels of a desperate spinal surgery, just weeks after he told close friends he might never play tournament golf again. His mug shot and alarming arrest video were painful to look at and, for Woods, a deep humiliation. The former paragon of discipline now found himself hopelessly lost and out of control, exposed for all the world to see. That episode could have marked the beginning of Tiger’s end. It proved to be the opposite.
Instead of sinking beneath the public disgrace of drug abuse and the private despair of a battered and ailing body, Woods embarked on the long road to redeeming himself. In The Second Life of Tiger Woods , Michael Bamberger, who has covered Woods since the golfer was an amateur, draws upon his deep network of sources inside locker rooms, caddie yards, clubhouses, fitness trailers, and back offices to tell the true and inspiring story of the legend’s return. Packed with new information and graced by insight, Bamberger’s story reveals how this iconic athlete clawed his way back to the top.
This is a “gripping” ( Kirkus Reviews ) and intimate portrait of a man who has spent his life in front of the camera but has done his best to make sure he was never really known. Here is Tiger, barefoot, in handcuffs, showing a police officer a witty and self-deprecating side of himself that the public never sees. Here is Tiger on the verge of tears with his children at the British Open. Here is Tiger trying to express his gratitude to his mother at a ceremony at the Rose Garden. In these pages, Tiger is funny, cold, generous, self-absorbed, inspiring—and real.
The Second Life of Tiger Woods is not only the saga of an exceptional man but also a celebration of second chances. Bamberger’s bracingly honest book is about what Tiger Woods did, and about what any of us can do, when we face our demons head-on.
Tiger Woods’s long descent into a personal and professional hell reached bottom in the early hours of Memorial Day in 2017. Woods’s DUI arrest that night came on the heels of a desperate spinal surgery, just weeks after he told close friends he might never play tournament golf again. His mug shot and alarming arrest video were painful to look at and, for Woods, a deep humiliation. The former paragon of discipline now found himself hopelessly lost and out of control, exposed for all the world to see. That episode could have marked the beginning of Tiger’s end. It proved to be the opposite.
Instead of sinking beneath the public disgrace of drug abuse and the private despair of a battered and ailing body, Woods embarked on the long road to redeeming himself. In The Second Life of Tiger Woods , Michael Bamberger, who has covered Woods since the golfer was an amateur, draws upon his deep network of sources inside locker rooms, caddie yards, clubhouses, fitness trailers, and back offices to tell the true and inspiring story of the legend’s return. Packed with new information and graced by insight, Bamberger’s story reveals how this iconic athlete clawed his way back to the top.
This is a “gripping” ( Kirkus Reviews ) and intimate portrait of a man who has spent his life in front of the camera but has done his best to make sure he was never really known. Here is Tiger, barefoot, in handcuffs, showing a police officer a witty and self-deprecating side of himself that the public never sees. Here is Tiger on the verge of tears with his children at the British Open. Here is Tiger trying to express his gratitude to his mother at a ceremony at the Rose Garden. In these pages, Tiger is funny, cold, generous, self-absorbed, inspiring—and real.
The Second Life of Tiger Woods is not only the saga of an exceptional man but also a celebration of second chances. Bamberger’s bracingly honest book is about what Tiger Woods did, and about what any of us can do, when we face our demons head-on.
272 pages, Paperback
Published March 23, 2021
167 people are currently reading
582 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bamberger
28 books52 followersMichael F. Bamberger is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of multiple books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 14, 2021
I really enjoyed reading and learning more about Tiger Woods, who is someone I’ve been aware of my whole life but never really dug into. Any of the parts of the book that focused on Tiger, which is most of the book, were very enjoyable. There were parts of the book, like the 30 page digression into the Biogenesis and A-Rod scandal and the constantly inflated/self-important view of golf, that were annoying and uninteresting to me. Other than that I enjoyed most of the book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Tiger Woods!
August 28, 2021
I don’t know much about golf or Tiger Woods and I’ve always wondered why people were always talking about him when I was growing up. Not only does this book give insight into his early life, it focuses on his change of heart after his DUI in 2017 and comeback to win the Masters in 2019. Was fun to read and the first book that has been hard for me to put down in a long time.
April 7, 2024
This book tried really hard to read like a behind the scenes tell all book, but it really sounded more like a personal opinion story by the author.
The story tells about a known event in Tigers life then the author gives his opinion of why it happened. The author may know Tiger to some degree but to tell the story as if he knows why things happened the way they did just did not seem valid to me.
The story is obviously about Tiger woods and his life. There is plenty of interesting events in Tiger woods life to cover. His ambien drug fueled driving arrest. His cheating with porn stars and divorce. Tigers family and childhood struggles as a black athlete in the world of golf.
Finally the book delivers with his comeback at the 2019 Masters. This part really saved this book for for me.
America loves a comeback story and Tiger is a perfect fit for the comeback hero.
The story tells about a known event in Tigers life then the author gives his opinion of why it happened. The author may know Tiger to some degree but to tell the story as if he knows why things happened the way they did just did not seem valid to me.
The story is obviously about Tiger woods and his life. There is plenty of interesting events in Tiger woods life to cover. His ambien drug fueled driving arrest. His cheating with porn stars and divorce. Tigers family and childhood struggles as a black athlete in the world of golf.
Finally the book delivers with his comeback at the 2019 Masters. This part really saved this book for for me.
America loves a comeback story and Tiger is a perfect fit for the comeback hero.
June 3, 2020
One aspect of the manner in which America views its celebrities is that everyone loves a great comeback story. When Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters golf tournament, that was one more celebrity comeback that was well-celebrated by Americans, whether they were golf fans or not. This is especially true as Woods is one of those athletes who transcends his or her sport. This balanced and interesting look at Tiger Woods since 2017 written by veteran sportswriter Michael Bamberger is a fascinating look at the “comeback” of Woods.
Bamberger uses the incident on Memorial Day 2017 when Woods was parked on the road near his home in Jupiter, Florida and he was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. In stark contrast to the usual combative, competitive and aloof nature Woods usually displays, Bamberger writes of a man who knows he was having troubles in life. He was very cooperative with police, was not jailed and was given the usual fines and mandatory rehab assignments that any person would receive as a first time offender. Just that part of the book, which was the beginning, will grab the reader’s attention as it will show that this book will deal with Tiger Woods the man as much as Tiger Woods the golfer or Tiger Woods the celebrity.
Tiger Woods the golfer is certainly covered in this book. It does not cover each of his fifteen major tournament victories or cover his career in a chronological manner, but throughout the book, readers will get a lot of information on certain aspects of his game (Bamberger writes about how good Woods hits his iron shots), the mentality of Tiger during a round and of course his championships, from the US Amateur titles in the mid-1990’s to the 2019 Masters. One quote about his mental toughness on the course caught my attention on how Woods’ character helped his golf: “He was coldhearted. He had me-me-me in his bones. Whatever character defects he might have had, they were useful on Sunday afternoons.”
The “character defects” are not a major part of the book as while Bamberger certainly writes much about Woods away from the course, he does so in a fair and balanced manner. The book doesn’t treat Woods as a deity, but it is far from a character assassination as many aspects of Woods’ life is explored. There isn’t a lot about his failed marriage and the subsequent revelations about his sex life as that occurred prior to the DUI charges. The most interesting aspect discussed here, and with a very fair and open agenda, is the possibility of Woods using performance enhancement drugs and that he possibly obtained them from the same people who supplied them to Alex Rodriguez, a friend of Woods. The author did interview Tony Bosch on this topic to obtain more information, but there is no specific transaction, no “smoking gun” to prove or disprove this theory.
The final act in the book (the chapters are divided into Acts) talks mostly about the 2019 Masters, but also the transformation of Woods’ personality and his accessibility. Bamberger talks about how Woods now will talk highly about young and upcoming players, how he enjoys the Championship Dinner for all living Masters champions much more than previously and his humility during his speech when accepting a recent award from a golf writers association. This illustrates what makes this book as interesting as its subject – there are so many parts to Woods that make up the complete person he is and this book covers them all in an excellent manner.
I wish to thank Avid Reader Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
Bamberger uses the incident on Memorial Day 2017 when Woods was parked on the road near his home in Jupiter, Florida and he was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. In stark contrast to the usual combative, competitive and aloof nature Woods usually displays, Bamberger writes of a man who knows he was having troubles in life. He was very cooperative with police, was not jailed and was given the usual fines and mandatory rehab assignments that any person would receive as a first time offender. Just that part of the book, which was the beginning, will grab the reader’s attention as it will show that this book will deal with Tiger Woods the man as much as Tiger Woods the golfer or Tiger Woods the celebrity.
Tiger Woods the golfer is certainly covered in this book. It does not cover each of his fifteen major tournament victories or cover his career in a chronological manner, but throughout the book, readers will get a lot of information on certain aspects of his game (Bamberger writes about how good Woods hits his iron shots), the mentality of Tiger during a round and of course his championships, from the US Amateur titles in the mid-1990’s to the 2019 Masters. One quote about his mental toughness on the course caught my attention on how Woods’ character helped his golf: “He was coldhearted. He had me-me-me in his bones. Whatever character defects he might have had, they were useful on Sunday afternoons.”
The “character defects” are not a major part of the book as while Bamberger certainly writes much about Woods away from the course, he does so in a fair and balanced manner. The book doesn’t treat Woods as a deity, but it is far from a character assassination as many aspects of Woods’ life is explored. There isn’t a lot about his failed marriage and the subsequent revelations about his sex life as that occurred prior to the DUI charges. The most interesting aspect discussed here, and with a very fair and open agenda, is the possibility of Woods using performance enhancement drugs and that he possibly obtained them from the same people who supplied them to Alex Rodriguez, a friend of Woods. The author did interview Tony Bosch on this topic to obtain more information, but there is no specific transaction, no “smoking gun” to prove or disprove this theory.
The final act in the book (the chapters are divided into Acts) talks mostly about the 2019 Masters, but also the transformation of Woods’ personality and his accessibility. Bamberger talks about how Woods now will talk highly about young and upcoming players, how he enjoys the Championship Dinner for all living Masters champions much more than previously and his humility during his speech when accepting a recent award from a golf writers association. This illustrates what makes this book as interesting as its subject – there are so many parts to Woods that make up the complete person he is and this book covers them all in an excellent manner.
I wish to thank Avid Reader Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
September 30, 2021
The reason the book took so long was because of my terrible time management. At 258 pages and about a topic I’m intrigued by, it should’ve taken me 4 days at most to read.
Aside from that, this book written by Michael Bamberger offers the most intimate and humane look at Tiger Woods. If you read the unauthorized biography of Tiger Woods written by Jeff Benedict, the first half of the book will seem like a condensed version of Benedict’s book. As a golf fan and player of the game, Tiger’s impact is known at all places. The second half of the book, which starts at Memorial Day Weekend 2017 and progresses his life from there. As a person that has had his life documented from a very early age, exploits and all, it is hard to see Tiger in his personal life as a role model.
Overall, the book is second to none in its writing style, Bamberger uses the paper to paint his words that make you feel like you’re in Butler Cabin at Augusta National on Sunday evening when Tiger was awarded his fifth Green Jacket. Well done Mr. Bamberger, another book well done.
Aside from that, this book written by Michael Bamberger offers the most intimate and humane look at Tiger Woods. If you read the unauthorized biography of Tiger Woods written by Jeff Benedict, the first half of the book will seem like a condensed version of Benedict’s book. As a golf fan and player of the game, Tiger’s impact is known at all places. The second half of the book, which starts at Memorial Day Weekend 2017 and progresses his life from there. As a person that has had his life documented from a very early age, exploits and all, it is hard to see Tiger in his personal life as a role model.
Overall, the book is second to none in its writing style, Bamberger uses the paper to paint his words that make you feel like you’re in Butler Cabin at Augusta National on Sunday evening when Tiger was awarded his fifth Green Jacket. Well done Mr. Bamberger, another book well done.
February 25, 2020
It is hard to get close to a sporting icon who always surrounds himself with an entourage yet Michael Bamberger has managed to do so.
He is a gifted and experienced sports writer who is himself well connected within the golfing fraternity and he uses his contacts to create a vivid portrait of how Tiger Woods fell from grace and then slowly but surely redeemed himself and won The Masters last year.
Bamberger probes far and wide and comes up with gold dust, providing an insider's account of Woods's appalling sexual misconduct and being stopped by the side of the road by his local police force when in a befuddled state. He investigates rumours if whether he has taken performance enhancing pills and most interestingly of all, shows how other pro's on the circuit feel about Woods.
I leaned so much and was also thoroughly entertained.
I admire Woods but do I like him - well that is another story!
He is a gifted and experienced sports writer who is himself well connected within the golfing fraternity and he uses his contacts to create a vivid portrait of how Tiger Woods fell from grace and then slowly but surely redeemed himself and won The Masters last year.
Bamberger probes far and wide and comes up with gold dust, providing an insider's account of Woods's appalling sexual misconduct and being stopped by the side of the road by his local police force when in a befuddled state. He investigates rumours if whether he has taken performance enhancing pills and most interestingly of all, shows how other pro's on the circuit feel about Woods.
I leaned so much and was also thoroughly entertained.
I admire Woods but do I like him - well that is another story!
April 26, 2021
I never got into Tiger mania ... probably didn't have Sky Sports or golf club membership or something but I can appreciate an obsessive book and ridiculously skilled athletes for sure! Thought it wavered a bit with the PEDs assertions ... reaching a bit too much for clear conclusions that didn't appear to be there at times.
July 28, 2021
Definitely not a book Tiger wanted to see in print, but it's fair and sheds good light on the last dozen or so years of Tiger's life. An enjoyable read for a golf fan whether you're into Tiger or not.
February 1, 2024
Starts off good but gets pretty dull in the middle. Once past that, great ending
April 12, 2020
I didn’t set out to finish #TheSecondLifeOfTigerWoods on what would’ve been Sunday at the Masters, but I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to wrap up this Easter afternoon.
When it comes to spinning sports-related prose, Michael Bamberger is masterful. In this book, he writes a narrative that is as much a tale of redemption as it is a story about the world’s most famous (and at times infamous) golfer.
Highs and lows. Victories and defeats. Successes and failures. While Bamberger doesn’t appear to consider Tiger Woods a hero in the classic sense, he recounts Tiger’s career in a way that clearly reflects Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey.”
You don’t have to bee a fan of sports of golf or even Tiger Woods to enjoy this read. But if you are—and I am—this one is something special.
When it comes to spinning sports-related prose, Michael Bamberger is masterful. In this book, he writes a narrative that is as much a tale of redemption as it is a story about the world’s most famous (and at times infamous) golfer.
Highs and lows. Victories and defeats. Successes and failures. While Bamberger doesn’t appear to consider Tiger Woods a hero in the classic sense, he recounts Tiger’s career in a way that clearly reflects Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey.”
You don’t have to bee a fan of sports of golf or even Tiger Woods to enjoy this read. But if you are—and I am—this one is something special.
April 14, 2020
I had high hopes for this book. I'm sure "Men In Green" - his national bestseller - is written differently, because to me, that was the main issue that was hard to push through. The bulk of the book is really 3 to 4 individual years of Tiger's life, and the narrative is constantly jumping from one time period to the other, which requires the reader to be flipping back pages and reread.
There were some new insights here, but for the most part, I think it was hard for Bamberger to separate his adoration for Tiger with the objective of the book. It read apparent how the author was standing up for Tiger - and this comes from a guy who doesn't love or hate Tiger. Also, skip the 30- page steroid section - it didn't really clear anything up besides how A-Rod does steroids and Tiger was affiliated with some of his camp's people.
There were some new insights here, but for the most part, I think it was hard for Bamberger to separate his adoration for Tiger with the objective of the book. It read apparent how the author was standing up for Tiger - and this comes from a guy who doesn't love or hate Tiger. Also, skip the 30- page steroid section - it didn't really clear anything up besides how A-Rod does steroids and Tiger was affiliated with some of his camp's people.
September 8, 2023
I've been a lifelong Tiger fan (I'm 40) and I'm the guy the author talks about that he wouldn't like in real life. Four stars for the author's arrogance and "I am better than everyone" attitude.
October 16, 2020
I am not what you would call a golfer however I have played the game, albeit not very well. I really didn't watch much golf on TV; and then along Tiger Woods. Who couldn't admire a young man of color from the middle class who dominated a rich white man's sport. And then came Thanksgiving 2009 when Tigers wife, Elin, found out about Tigers infidelities and went after him with a 5 iron (or was it a 3 iron).
After that the flood gates opened and the personal life of Tiger made the headlines. Then there were the rumors of using Performance Enhancing Drugs (which have never been verified), the questions about him signing incorrect score cards and other "rules" violations. It wasn't that I was rooting against Tiger Woods I just wasn't rooting for him. The bloom was off the rose. Tiger was human after all.
This book covers Tigers career after that tragic Thanksgiving event. It covers a few of his rounds in excruciating detail, his set backs like his DUI arrest on Memorial day 2017 and culminating in his 2019 masters Championship.
Is Tiger the greatest Golfer ever? Probably, but he is not likely to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors wins, Tiger has 15 major wins. Tiger is tied with Sam Snead for PGA tour wins with 82 and Jack Nicklaus has 73 PGA tour wins. Certainly Tiger was the better athlete than Jack but at the age of 44 it will be difficult for him to win three more majors. Tiger has also had some serious issues with his back and the surgeries and drugs have certainly had a negative impact on his career and life.
The most interesting and dare I say telling story in the book was when Tiger was in a tournament and he hit a ball into the rough. The ball was next to a twig and film reviewed after the tournament revealed that Tiger ever so slightly touched a twig which caused the ball to move less than an inch. But it did move and according to the rule that is a stroke. Did Tiger see the ball move? We will never know but it sure seems likely and once the film showed the ball moving, he should have had his name withdrawn from the tournament for signing an incorrect scorecard. Golf after all is a game of honor. The officials are not watching your every move and if you can't rely on the honesty of the players, well it kind of takes away from the integrity of the game.
As an aside, I was once watching a highschool volleyball game where a player clearly touched the ball before it landed out of bounds. The referees did not see the touch and called the ball out. The player did not step forward and acknowledge that he had touched the ball. After the game I went up to the coach and asked him about the incident. The coach said that he too saw the touch but did not correct the call. He said listen Gerry, I can't tell you how many times the referee has made a grossly bad call and I have no recourse. It is the job of the referee to make calls, not the players. When I see a referee reverse a call due to the plea of one of my players I will consider telling my players to overturn a call. Until then I will leave the calls in the hands of the referee. Golf is different, we don't rely on the referee to make a call, we rely on the honesty of the players.
Is Tiger a "nice" guy? Probably not but the same can be said about every player that plays at his level. However, I still believe that Tiger is the greatest golfer to ever pick up a club
After that the flood gates opened and the personal life of Tiger made the headlines. Then there were the rumors of using Performance Enhancing Drugs (which have never been verified), the questions about him signing incorrect score cards and other "rules" violations. It wasn't that I was rooting against Tiger Woods I just wasn't rooting for him. The bloom was off the rose. Tiger was human after all.
This book covers Tigers career after that tragic Thanksgiving event. It covers a few of his rounds in excruciating detail, his set backs like his DUI arrest on Memorial day 2017 and culminating in his 2019 masters Championship.
Is Tiger the greatest Golfer ever? Probably, but he is not likely to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors wins, Tiger has 15 major wins. Tiger is tied with Sam Snead for PGA tour wins with 82 and Jack Nicklaus has 73 PGA tour wins. Certainly Tiger was the better athlete than Jack but at the age of 44 it will be difficult for him to win three more majors. Tiger has also had some serious issues with his back and the surgeries and drugs have certainly had a negative impact on his career and life.
The most interesting and dare I say telling story in the book was when Tiger was in a tournament and he hit a ball into the rough. The ball was next to a twig and film reviewed after the tournament revealed that Tiger ever so slightly touched a twig which caused the ball to move less than an inch. But it did move and according to the rule that is a stroke. Did Tiger see the ball move? We will never know but it sure seems likely and once the film showed the ball moving, he should have had his name withdrawn from the tournament for signing an incorrect scorecard. Golf after all is a game of honor. The officials are not watching your every move and if you can't rely on the honesty of the players, well it kind of takes away from the integrity of the game.
As an aside, I was once watching a highschool volleyball game where a player clearly touched the ball before it landed out of bounds. The referees did not see the touch and called the ball out. The player did not step forward and acknowledge that he had touched the ball. After the game I went up to the coach and asked him about the incident. The coach said that he too saw the touch but did not correct the call. He said listen Gerry, I can't tell you how many times the referee has made a grossly bad call and I have no recourse. It is the job of the referee to make calls, not the players. When I see a referee reverse a call due to the plea of one of my players I will consider telling my players to overturn a call. Until then I will leave the calls in the hands of the referee. Golf is different, we don't rely on the referee to make a call, we rely on the honesty of the players.
Is Tiger a "nice" guy? Probably not but the same can be said about every player that plays at his level. However, I still believe that Tiger is the greatest golfer to ever pick up a club
June 15, 2020
This may have been the best Tiger Woods book I've read. We all know the backstory of Tiger and his Thanksgiving Day episode and then the Memorial Day arrest. What we don't know, and what Michael Bamberger has done so well in telling, is how Tiger responded.
The book is a more subjective look at Woods' life in an almost editorialized way. On Page 217, Bamberger notes that Woods did not agree to talk with him for this book.
Still, Bamberger, who wrote for Sports Illustrated for years and covered Woods' entire career, relies a lot on his own experiences with the golfer and that provides a great insight. There's a long section that he apologizes to the reader for about supposition of Woods used performance enhancing drugs. Some think it's a waste of time to read; however, I think it adds to the mystic of Woods' shrouded life of the time and, seriously, you have to wonder how he bulked up...
The main part that came through is Bamberger's impression of Woods' humbleness after his life collapsed. Woods was a machine created by his father; after his divorce, he became more of a "human" with kid responsibilities ,etc. In the very end, Woods suggests bringing his Masters trophy to his son's school for show and tell.
Bamberger's writing carries this book, too. It's moving and unbiased. Obviously, Bamberger thinks Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time, but he doesn't let that worship blind him. This is a very fair account. Rather than pilling on Woods like some books did (see the Jeff Benedict book "Tiger Woods"), this is an even account of it all. Unless you really hate Woods, you're glad to see he's doing better and Bamberger presents a nice account of his success and growth.
The book is a more subjective look at Woods' life in an almost editorialized way. On Page 217, Bamberger notes that Woods did not agree to talk with him for this book.
Still, Bamberger, who wrote for Sports Illustrated for years and covered Woods' entire career, relies a lot on his own experiences with the golfer and that provides a great insight. There's a long section that he apologizes to the reader for about supposition of Woods used performance enhancing drugs. Some think it's a waste of time to read; however, I think it adds to the mystic of Woods' shrouded life of the time and, seriously, you have to wonder how he bulked up...
The main part that came through is Bamberger's impression of Woods' humbleness after his life collapsed. Woods was a machine created by his father; after his divorce, he became more of a "human" with kid responsibilities ,etc. In the very end, Woods suggests bringing his Masters trophy to his son's school for show and tell.
Bamberger's writing carries this book, too. It's moving and unbiased. Obviously, Bamberger thinks Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time, but he doesn't let that worship blind him. This is a very fair account. Rather than pilling on Woods like some books did (see the Jeff Benedict book "Tiger Woods"), this is an even account of it all. Unless you really hate Woods, you're glad to see he's doing better and Bamberger presents a nice account of his success and growth.
April 5, 2020
This may be one of the most poorly written sports books I've read in the last 55 years. Bamberger must have rushed this to the printer and his editor either didn't get a chance to spend any time cleaning it up or his editor isn't very skilled. The account, which has great material to draw upon, is a rambling, almost schizophrenic, tale. There may be several themes but I'm not sure what they are. In all fairness, when Bamberger is "on" in this book, he's really good. When he isn't "on"(and that's more often than not), he's really, really bad. I'm a golfer. I understand a lot about golf. Bamberger's account didn't add much to what I already know about Tiger that hasn't been written before in terms of factual material. Bamberger adds quite a bit of conjecture and speculation to the mix and it seems as though he had a bunch of left-over material and quotes sitting around and he inserted them "willy-nilly" into the book without regard to any real structure. I think I'll move on to Curt Sampson's new book on the same subject and hope that I haven't wasted my money on his book. Sorry, Michael---I had such high hopes for the book when I heard it was coming out and when I bought it.....now, I feel like I've been cheated much like you claim Tiger did on 3 or 4 occasions at the Masters, the Players and the BMW.
July 30, 2020
I've never been a Tiger Woods fan and don't like sports coverage that doesn't focus on the play on the field (and thus haven't been paying much attention to "sports" coverage recently . . .)--so why did I read this book? Mostly because I respect the author (Men in Green) was great, but also because, frankly, I was curious about what the heck happened to Tiger Woods. The first half delves into that; the second half focuses on the 2019 Masters.
Bamberger bounces all over the place. Many sections of this book have only a tenuous connection to his overall narrative thread. There is a lot of speculation in the "Did Tiger use performance-enhancing drugs" discussion. These were the drawbacks. The main strength of the book is that Bamberger has talked to nearly everyone in golf (well, except for Mr. Woods), so he has gobs of inside information. Makes for a fun read--but does the reader really get to know Tiger any better as a result of reading this book. Not really. But then again, does anyone really know Tiger Woods in the first place? It doesn't seem like it.
Bamberger bounces all over the place. Many sections of this book have only a tenuous connection to his overall narrative thread. There is a lot of speculation in the "Did Tiger use performance-enhancing drugs" discussion. These were the drawbacks. The main strength of the book is that Bamberger has talked to nearly everyone in golf (well, except for Mr. Woods), so he has gobs of inside information. Makes for a fun read--but does the reader really get to know Tiger any better as a result of reading this book. Not really. But then again, does anyone really know Tiger Woods in the first place? It doesn't seem like it.
March 21, 2020
I had heard of Tiger Woods, of course, but I know nothing about golf. I wanted to read this book because of the courage he had to have to pick himself up, face the world and move forward in his life. I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster for an honest review.
I was impressed with the author and the way he told Tiger Woods story. I felt like he was honest and didn't sensationalize the story. The golfers are going to love this book because they love golf and this story has so much history of the Masters and the different aspects of golf.
For others, who make mistakes, they are going to realize that you can overcome your mistakes and move forward in your life. It isn't easy but it will help you knowing someone else that has had to pick themself up and go on.
The author wrote the book so you could feel what Tiger was going through, from the lowest of the low to the excitement of his comeback and the win.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book, I learned a lot and came away with a better understanding oa all he went through.
I was impressed with the author and the way he told Tiger Woods story. I felt like he was honest and didn't sensationalize the story. The golfers are going to love this book because they love golf and this story has so much history of the Masters and the different aspects of golf.
For others, who make mistakes, they are going to realize that you can overcome your mistakes and move forward in your life. It isn't easy but it will help you knowing someone else that has had to pick themself up and go on.
The author wrote the book so you could feel what Tiger was going through, from the lowest of the low to the excitement of his comeback and the win.
I definitely enjoyed reading this book, I learned a lot and came away with a better understanding oa all he went through.
May 12, 2020
3.5
I didn't know a darn thing about the game of golf until I met my husband eighteen years ago. By then, Tiger Woods had already begun to make a name for himself as a professional golfer, but his name still meant nothing to me. Slowly, as my husband watched golf tournaments like other men obsess about football games, I began to see what a challenging sport golf is and now I truly enjoy watching golf tournaments alongside my husband and son.
Of course, I mostly picked this book up because I find Tiger's rise from the bottom totally inspiring. In all honesty though, this book didn't have as much of that as I had hoped. Towards the end of the book it becomes clear why: Tiger Woods declined to be interviewed for this book. So the personal insight to his journey that I was looking for is lacking. It doesn't necessarily detract from the book, but it does account for its journalistic feel. Even though it wasn't what I was hoping for, it was an enjoyable enough book, but you definitely need to be a golf fan or I think you'll get bogged down in details you don't care or know about.
I didn't know a darn thing about the game of golf until I met my husband eighteen years ago. By then, Tiger Woods had already begun to make a name for himself as a professional golfer, but his name still meant nothing to me. Slowly, as my husband watched golf tournaments like other men obsess about football games, I began to see what a challenging sport golf is and now I truly enjoy watching golf tournaments alongside my husband and son.
Of course, I mostly picked this book up because I find Tiger's rise from the bottom totally inspiring. In all honesty though, this book didn't have as much of that as I had hoped. Towards the end of the book it becomes clear why: Tiger Woods declined to be interviewed for this book. So the personal insight to his journey that I was looking for is lacking. It doesn't necessarily detract from the book, but it does account for its journalistic feel. Even though it wasn't what I was hoping for, it was an enjoyable enough book, but you definitely need to be a golf fan or I think you'll get bogged down in details you don't care or know about.
July 12, 2020
They say cats have nine lives but Tiger is the kind of cat that makes his two so full of drama, pathos and ecstasy that any more and we'd faint from exhaustion. Michael Bamberger is a fine writer and extremely knowledgeable about the game sometimes called "a good walk, spoiled." He provides excellent insight into why Woods is arguably the greatest ever but also an athlete who inspires both love and loathing among his peers and the press. In some way Woods is a bit like Lance Armstrong -- or was -- but the new Tiger, the rebuilt, more humble, friendly cat is doing more purring than clawing these days. I particularly enjoyed Bamberger's depiction of Augusta National and The Masters, a hallowed place where the old ways are the only ways. Also, the portraits of Ncklaus and Woods, two different personalities with a shared trait: knowing how to grab a tournament by the throat. We have waited for Woods" successor. First it was McIlroy, then Spieth and now Koepka. To paraphrase Muhammad Ali, if any of them dreamed they were as good as Tiger they'd wake up and apologize.
April 10, 2022
I started reading this book as this year's edition of The Masters golf tournament was getting started. Sort of apropos since Tiger Woods (in somewhat unbelievable fashion) entered and made the cut for this year's tournament after a little than 14 months from his nearly fatal motor vehicular accident. This books chronicles (in a somewhat 'roundabout fashion) Tiger Wood's life since his arrest from Driving Under the Influence of prescription medications in Memorial Day 2017 until his triumphant win at The Masters in 2019. The book does take some detours back into the 2009 era when he had his first fall from grace that Thanksgiving. There is some interesting speculation about what is and isn't going on behind the scenes. If he continues to heal and improve after his recent MVA, maybe there will be enough material for a Third Life of Tiger Woods.
April 20, 2020
Very good. The anecdotes and metaphors about golf as it relates to life, the history of the game and it’s relevance to Tiger’s story were captivating. I wish more time would have been spent on the Presidents Cup comeback because it demonstrates someone who is more open and kinder to fellow pros, mostly the younger generation who grew up on him. It’s a complete shift from early Tiger. The book jumps around a little bit and mostly works in that format. The catalyst of the story (Tigers DUI) comes up at different times to reinforce a particular point. At times you wonder if some of the details were necessary though like the section on PEDs, but it was interesting. The bits about the Masters and it’s various traditions...just wow. I could have listened to stories like that on and on.
March 29, 2020
Michael Bamberger has done a wonderful job chronicling the more recent history of Tiger Woods. The Second Life Of Tiger Woods is well written and compelling. Those who have followed Tiger for years know a lot of what is written about the early years. For those who don’t, the first part of the book is a succinct summation of how he got to the successes and the hitting bottom in his life.
An easy read, you will probably come away with a different view of Tiger from what you knew.
I will buy some copies for friends.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy for review purposes.
An easy read, you will probably come away with a different view of Tiger from what you knew.
I will buy some copies for friends.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy for review purposes.
October 23, 2020
The author does an honest job of covering the ups and downs Tiger has experienced. I have followed Tiger closely since he was an amateur, and still learned a few things. Michael tries to remain objective through most of the controversy, and acknowledges when he is inserting his opinion. But it read more like a long magazine article and lacked the story-telling quality of novel...which, let’s be honest, Tiger has written a compelling novel in how he has lived his life. I would recommend the book if you have an interest in Tiger, and the 2019 Masters was a life experience for you...like it was for me. However, if you are looking for a story then this may be a harder read.
November 23, 2022
A good read for any golf fan, but not quite on the upper echelon of golf books in my opinion. Bamberger does a great job of recapping the long journey from the absolute low point of a DUI arrest in 2017 to his unbelievable Masters triumph nearly 2 years later. But the book is held back a bit by a long tangent full of speculation about Tiger's potential use of performance enhancing drugs, and another shorter tangent about what it's like to play golf with former President Trump. Neither seemed completely necessary to the story. Still, Bamberger's typical literary genius comes out especially when describing the 2019 Masters and the beat-by-beat sequence leading to Tiger's victory.
February 9, 2021
Originally was going to give this book a 1 star. Never been one to thrive off Chinese whispers and hearsay, but initially that’s what this book was all about. Questionable sources and an author who seemed like ‘the dude standing quiet in the corner at the party’ made it seem like more of an opinion piece than anything. However after awhile it grew on me, mostly because the author dug deep into how his golf was affected by his downfall and climb back to the top, rather than the predictable pornstar, rival interviews etc etc. ended up enjoying it
May 27, 2021
Poor, uninspiring writing, extremely opinionated and biased!!
I kick myself for having falling to the temptation of reading such trash, which passes for writing but smacks more of shitty supermarket tabloid journalism. The writer harks back to all the irrelevant, myopic and bigoted sentiments of the old white golf era to paint Tiger- the greatest golfer who ever lived- as a dishonest golfer and possible drug cheat. It boggles the mind just what contribution to edification and enlightenment he was attempting to make...
I kick myself for having falling to the temptation of reading such trash, which passes for writing but smacks more of shitty supermarket tabloid journalism. The writer harks back to all the irrelevant, myopic and bigoted sentiments of the old white golf era to paint Tiger- the greatest golfer who ever lived- as a dishonest golfer and possible drug cheat. It boggles the mind just what contribution to edification and enlightenment he was attempting to make...
December 29, 2024
I want to start off by stating that I am not an avid golf fan (but do love the sport). However, I do love Tiger and his greatness. The sole reason this book doesn’t get 5 stars for me is the “bashing” that the author does towards Tiger. I did enjoy reading about the “Second Life Of Tiger” though. Opening my eyes to the fact that we are all humans and we all make mistakes.
I would also like to mention that I almost quit reading this book due to the “bashing”. I encourage you to read the book all the way though. You thoughts about the boom will fluctuate though out the entirety of the book.
I would also like to mention that I almost quit reading this book due to the “bashing”. I encourage you to read the book all the way though. You thoughts about the boom will fluctuate though out the entirety of the book.
September 8, 2025
I would give this book a 5-star rating. If you love sports and comeback stories, this is the book for you. I enjoyed this book because it was a quick, easy read. The book wasn't drawn out, and it got to the point. I would say that the author did a great job of bringing the story to life. I felt as if I were with Tiger through the whole story. I would say that this book is intended for ages 12+. There is some adult stuff, but overall it's a good book. I can confidently say that this book is for non-fiction and sports readers.
December 21, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. For starters - it's nothing like your typical biography. Michael Bamberger is a brilliant storyteller - really transporting you from Tiger's DUI to Sunday at Augusta in a truly engaging manner.
As much as I'm a fan of Tiger Woods - I appreciated how balanced MB presented Tiger, raising points that has made me look at Tiger Woods' career in another light. He has brilliantly portrayed the human behind the "superstar" that makes you deeply admire the magnitude of that 2019 Masters victory.
As much as I'm a fan of Tiger Woods - I appreciated how balanced MB presented Tiger, raising points that has made me look at Tiger Woods' career in another light. He has brilliantly portrayed the human behind the "superstar" that makes you deeply admire the magnitude of that 2019 Masters victory.
April 17, 2020
A fantastic book about the best (not the greatest) golfer ever.
I have been a Tiger can for ever, so a sympathetic book about Tiger gives me a lot to like. However, the author portrays Tiger as a human being, with all his warts and vulnerabilities, who had a most extraordinary life. There are many interesting details about other famous golfers, the world of PGA, the Master's, and much more. Unless you hate Tiger from bottom of your heart you would love the book.
I have been a Tiger can for ever, so a sympathetic book about Tiger gives me a lot to like. However, the author portrays Tiger as a human being, with all his warts and vulnerabilities, who had a most extraordinary life. There are many interesting details about other famous golfers, the world of PGA, the Master's, and much more. Unless you hate Tiger from bottom of your heart you would love the book.
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