10 Best Golf Biographies
Updated on: December 2023
Best Golf Biographies in 2023
A Life Well Played: My Stories (Commemorative Edition)
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever
Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf
The Mysterious Montague: A True Tale of Hollywood, Golf, and Armed Robbery
Final Rounds: A Father, A Son, The Golf Journey Of A Lifetime
Ben Hogan: An American Life
Men in Green
The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia
The Last Stand of Payne Stewart: The Year Golf Changed Forever
The Match( The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever)[MATCH][Hardcover]
![The Match( The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever)[MATCH][Hardcover]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Dn-t+eF+L._SL500_.jpg)
Kitty Kelley Oprah Book Sparks Controversy
Kitty Kelley is a staple in the unauthorized biography trade. The Kitty Kelley Oprah book promises to be salacious in parts, surprising in others and overall well worth the read. What about legal fallout? Investigate the risks of unauthorized biographies.
Kitty Kelley Shunned?
Rumors surrounding the release of the Kitty Kelley Oprah book titillate the would-be reader's curiosity. Gabfest maven and daytime TV grand dame Oprah Winfrey is considered by loyal viewers and industry insiders alike to be a veritable idol; yet some revelations found in Kitty Kelley's unauthorized biography may dull that perception.
Of course, getting it into print took some doing and now stirring the media pot is equally difficult. It appears that publishers and interviewers are afraid of Oprah Winfrey and her influence, thus making it difficult for Ms. Kelley to promote her book for all it's worth. Conversely, might it be possible that they are not afraid of Oprah but aware of the legal risks involved?
How to Write an Unauthorized Biography
Careful research is the stock in trade, since even the slightest untruth or intentional slur may levy hefty fines and injunctions on the author. Ms. Kelley revealed to Today Entertainment(1) that her source for the Oprah book is firsthand: an unpublished 1993 autobiography written by Winfrey herself. Other methods include personal interviews - Kelley claims to have interviewed Oprah's father and other close relatives - and a compilation of all things Oprah that spans the last 25 years.
The What-If
Perhaps the most damning 'what if' of the unauthorized biography is the family's protestation that Oprah's alleged sexual abuse never happened. USA Today(2) reports that the family is supposedly just too afraid to take on the reigning queen of daytime TV -- now that she is rich, famous and powerful. In fact, Kitty Kelley suggests that a lot of the stories that endear Oprah to her listeners are either somewhat fabricated or augmented.
Biography or Rumor?
At face value, the Kitty Kelley Oprah book sounds like a salacious read with numerous revelations that will leave even the loyal fans somewhat slack-jawed. On the flipside is the heavy reliance on 'unnamed sources' that may be little more than skirting around libel laws by the most precarious of margins.
A good example is Ms. Kelley's George W. Bush biography that saw her interviewed by Matt Lauer(3) in 2004. Alleging witnesses to Mr. Bush's supposed cocaine snorts at Camp David, one of those named categorically denied ever having discussed such an issue with the author, much less confirming it. Ms. Kelley, who taped copious interviews for her work on that book, failed to tape her conversation with this source. A coincidence?
Legal Risks of Publishing an Unauthorized Biography
Aside from the power that Oprah Winfrey wields among media critics, media workers and within Hollywood, there are the legal risks that Kitty Kelley faces. The Publishing Law Center(4) explains that unauthorized biographies represent a risky business to both the author and the publisher.
Allegations of libel, invasions of privacy and even copyright infringements - as might be the case with respect to Oprah's unpublished autobiography - are very real and present dangers. Less well known is the potential claim under 'right of publicity.' In simplest terms, the 'right of publicity' prevents person A from using - without permission -- famous person B's name or likeness for profit.
While the publisher most likely covered itself with a warranty and indemnity clause before taking on the Kitty Kelley Oprah book, it is uncertain how Ms. Kelley will withstand the firestorm that is sure to ensue upon publication of the unauthorized biography.
Sources
(1)Today Entertainment. "Biographer: Oprah called self teen 'prostitute'" (accessed April 12, 2020)
(2)USA Today. "Kitty Kelley's new Oprah bio has plenty to talk about" (accessed April 12, 2020)
(3)Today. "Kitty Kelley defends sources of new Bush book" (accessed April 12, 2020)
(4)The Publishing Law Center. "Publication Of An Unauthorized Biography" (accessed April 12, 2020)
