Still Me: A Golf Tragedy in 18 Parts
Shortlisted for the 2021 Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction
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Golf is the only way I know to control time. It happens in the millisecond of that focused backswing, right before the violence of intention.
When I escape time, I escape memory. In that way, golf is an alchemy. A magick. I am a practicing magician.
When James Khoury discovers that his prized golf memorabilia from some of Canada's best golf courses has been destroyed, he journeys back through memories of being on the fairway, his struggles with gnawing ineptitude, and a troubled relationship with his wife and son.
Slowly, his memory precipitates to reveal something deeper at work, and James finds himself in the midst of a game where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Jeff has crafted a wonderful story and golf journey across Canada which will appeal to all golfers and sports enthusiasts. His narrative perfectly captures the emotions and love for the game of golf.
—Thomas McBroom
In Still Me, Jeffrey John Eyamie eloquently tells a story of a golfer who comes to understand how the game can be a foundation for all the highs and lows that we face in life. Played out on some of Canada’s greatest courses, it is captivating in its honesty, intriguing with its characters and written with passion.
—Bob Weeks
- 1. Still Meexplores the relationship between golf and memory. What are some of your most memorable golf moments?
- 2. Is James a likeable protagonist? Why or why not? Did your opinion of him change as the novel progressed?
- 3. How does James’s understanding of his role in his family evolve over the course of the book?
- 4. At numerous points throughout the book, James expresses a preoccupation with what it means to be a “man” (pages 90, 108, 158, 249). 5. For James, what does it mean to be a “man”? How does his understanding of “manliness” compare to contemporary definitions of masculinity?
- 5. Both Faith and James seem to struggle in their marriage, as they are each affected by death in their own way. How does grief shape a person? In what ways does it shape James, Faith, and Payne? Has grief affected you in a profound way?
- 6. James is visited by a number of “spirits” during the various rounds of golf that he plays. In what ways do James's encounters remind you of other stories with encounters from “supernatural” entities? (i.e., A Christmas Carol, The Wizard of Oz, Shoeless Joe)
- 7. On page 215, Rhodes claims: “Golf is the struggle for perfection, and sometimes you achieve it. Why else would so many people be obsessed with it?” Discuss whether you agree with this statement, and why/why not. What do you think draws people to golf?
- 8. How does James's relationship with nature changes throughout the novel?
- 9. The topic of privilege comes up throughout the novel; in what way(s) is golf a privilege for James? In general, do you think golf is a game of privilege? Why or why not?
- 10. Do you think golf is an effective metaphor for life itself? Why or why not?
