Dan Jenkins Books In Order

Publication Order of Bobby Joe Grooves Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Born in 1929, Dan Jenkins is an authoritative sports writer and a writer for Sports Illustrated- an American sports media franchise. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas. His parents divorced at quite a young age. He says that his mother lacked maternal instinct. The divorce and the nature of his mother left him at the mercy of relatives who brought him up. He attended R.L. Paschal High School. He proceeded to join Texas Christian University (TCU).

Jenkins started being committed to writing from his days as a teenager. He had already made a firm decision that he wanted to become a journalist, and it was time he started thinking like one. He developed a keen interest in the news and sought the best ways of using language to improve your journalism skills.
Dan Jenkins resigned from Sports Illustrated in order to concentrate on a full-time writing career. Despite his desire to fully concentrate on writing, he still maintains a monthly column with the Gold Digest magazine.

Dan Jenkins has won several literary awards. In 2012, he won the PEN/ESPN lifetime achievement award for sports writing. In 2012, he was in the Lifetime Achievement Category in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Lastly, he won the Red Smith Award in 2013. He lives in Fort Worth with his family but also spends some significant amount of time in New York City. His daughter is a sports columnist with the Washington Post.

Writing Style

Innate cleverness enabled Jenkins to produce writing that was never routine. There has been a broad consensus that if they is someone who made golf an interesting sport, then that person is Dan Jenkins. The golf community has acknowledged that he has had an immense contribution to the sport.
Humor plays a big rol in Jenkins’ works. He has a way of crafting words in a way that they leave the lady in laughs. Even in daily life, Jenkins have made an attempt of having a sense of humor. Fore example, he does not hold a grudge on his parents who neglected him. Rather, he makes fun of them and does not allow his past experiences to have a negative role in his present or destiny.

Jenkins admits that he stole lines from his friends and penned them down into his writing. He talks about friends such as Don Meredith, Billy Kilmer, Frank Gifford, and Bubba Smith. On top of that, he has built a strong relationship with personalities who have succeded in sports and learns their skills.
Jenkins’ sports experience in the filed made him a more experienced person in writing sports topics. For example, when he was a student at TCU, he used to play for the varsity golf team. Similarly, being a spectator at the Game of the Century would later be noticed in his writing.

Slim and None

Bobby Joe Grooves- a golf professional- tries to cap off his career by winning one of the four professional golf championship. The fact that he is forty four without a major trophy makes Bobby disappointed if not frustrated. He recognizes that only a few individuals had gone ahead to win the trophy at such an age. As the title suggests, his chances of winning the golf championship are small or none. Another challenge that Bobby faces is that he has been divorced for the third time. In this regard, he puts into doubt his chances and prospects of having a stable relationship.

The book depicts standard dialogue and it shows a great deal of authenticity. In addition to that, he vividly captures the characters in the book. These include the media and the officials. The novel is based on what the readers have enjoyed in the past Jenkins books. It is a follow-up to the earlier golf fiction.

Semi-Tough

Semi-tough is a masterpiece and is considered as one of the funniest books ever written. It was one of the most successful books written by Jenkins and had a profound impact in the sports fraternity. The book depicts the adventures of Billy Clyde, whise team has gone to Los Angeles for a epic duel. Clyde must run over a bunch of malevolence incarnate and has been commissioned by a New York publisher to keep a journal of the events leading to the game, the game itself, and the events following the game.

The central concern of the book is the place of sports in American life and culture. It is concerned with the toughness of football and the various dynamics facing the football landscape. It is a social satire that exposes the human vice and folly as well as the sins of certain sections of a society. The book also notes the peculiar aspects of being Texan and how such cultural traits trickle down to the field.

The book has been written in the form of a diary or a journal. Clyde’s preparation of the big games involves sex, nonstop laughs, and having nonstop partying. All the same, the novel is a traditional comedy and ends with the promise of marriage.

Movies and Films

It is not easy for authors to have their works depicted in film. In particular, getting a production company can be a daunting task if not frustrating. Dan Jenkins has successfully penetrated the movie and film industry and has therefore had more influence. To start with, Dead Solid Perfect is a 1988 film that depicts the life of a professional golfer on a PGA tour. It is produced by HBO company and is based on the Jenkins book under the same name.
Second, Semi-tough is a 1977 comedy film that is set into the world of professional American football. It is based on Jenkins novel that is under the same name. However, the film has minor modification the the novel including

Conclusion

Sports has a direct influence on Dan Jenkins’ writing career. He is revered by readers as one of the best sportswriters. However, his breakthrough did not come without its share of challenges, just like any other writing niche anyway. However, what makes him unique is the dedication he shows in sports and the resources and time he invests in the same