August 2026

I love when I don’t see the ending of a book coming. That’s exactly what happened when I read THE AMATEUR by Chris Bohjalian.

It is written in the voice of Mira Winston, who was once a young golf prodigy and is now a novelist. She is looking back at a horrendous incident that occurred when she was 18. She was hitting a golf ball into the practice net when the ball went through the net and killed Kenny Foster, a 17-year-old caddie who was reading a book while waiting to be called up for his next round.

Mira puts her clubs away and vows that a) she will never play golf again, and b) she will not go to Yale since she was to be playing golf there. Her parents try to get her to change her mind, but she is steadfast in her decision. 

There are lots of secrets in this town. Mira is not some shy little flower. She has been in a relationship with an older man --- and it did not start when she was 18, which is what she told her parents. She also has some scoop on her mother. It's 1978, and you can imagine the scandal that this has created and how it's ripe for gossip all over town. 

As she meanders on what now would be called “a gap year,” Mira works at a magazine in the city, parties hard, has yet another affair with an older man, finds her chops as a writer, and uses a whole lot of illegal recreational drugs. Yes, she is pretty much a mess. 

What happened on the golf course that tragic afternoon and in the days leading up to it? Well, that is why you need to read this book. 

THE AMATEUR came to Chris quickly, which was a first for him. He wrote it over the course of a summer and shared it with his wife, daughter, editor and agents, all at the same time. I interviewed Chris, and you can hear about his inspiration for the novel. Be sure to watch or listen to our conversation.