Robert Hunter book to be released soon...

[Sean_Tully]

Over the last year I have had the pleasure of making an aquiantence with Allan Brawley a noted scholar and professor Emeritus from ASU. He has just had his book, "Speaking Out for America's Poor: A Millionaire Socialist in the Progressive Era," published and it should be available by the end of the month.

A quick synopsis...

Woven throughout this well-documented account of Robert Hunter's life and work is an illuminating re-examination of America's first efforts to confront issues including the control of immigration, unregulated and corrupt business practices, undue corporate influence on electoral and legislative processes, and the growing gap between the countrys wealthiest and poorest citizens

Sounds eeriely similar to the issues that we are facing today!

I called the publisher and they don't have a hard date set, but it is on Amazon and some other sites, so it shouldn't take long I hope. Not much is known about Hunter outside of his books, so this should shed a lot of light on who he was as a person and what he felt strongly about. Looking forward to getting my copy!


Tully

[ed_getka]

Tully,
    Thanks for letting us know. I have read in the past of Hunter's socialism in the foreword to his book. Interesting that he would be trying to make the world a better place while providing playing grounds for "elitists" (as golfers seem to be commonly perceived).

[Jeff_Mingay]

Thanks for the heads-up, Sean. (That synopsis of the book is creepy considering what's going on today, isn't it.)

Hunter's a fascinating character. The Links is arguably the best book written on golf architecture (it's my favourite). I'm looking forward to learning more about other aspects of Hunter's life and personality.

[Bill_McBride]

Over the last year I have had the pleasure of making an aquiantence with Allan Brawley a noted scholar and professor Emeritus from ASU. He has just had his book, "Speaking Out for America's Poor: A Millionaire Socialist in the Progressive Era," published and it should be available by the end of the month.

A quick synopsis...

Woven throughout this well-documented account of Robert Hunter's life and work is an illuminating re-examination of America's first efforts to confront issues including the control of immigration, unregulated and corrupt business practices, undue corporate influence on electoral and legislative processes, and the growing gap between the countrys wealthiest and poorest citizens

Sounds eeriely similar to the issues that we are facing today!

I called the publisher and they don't have a hard date set, but it is on Amazon and some other sites, so it shouldn't take long I hope. Not much is known about Hunter outside of his books, so this should shed a lot of light on who he was as a person and what he felt strongly about. Looking forward to getting my copy!


Tully

That all sounds great, Tully, but is there any golf stuff in the book?  

[Sean_Tully]

Bill,


There is some info on his design career, but as you can see from the title, it is not the main focus. In his research, Brawley was surprised to find out that he designed golf courses. As Ed states, it is interesting to see a socialist designing golf courses for the elite(need to mention the Sharp Park course and Haggin OAks), but I think for Hunter it was a interest in golf that captivated him. He devoted his full attention to the details and that can be seen in his first design experience at Berkeley CC, where he was doing soil and water tests and invovled in laying out the course.

To add to this, the Winter 2007 Issue of Traces an Indiana Historical Society publication has a wonderful story on Hunter that was also written by Brawley. It has some wonderful photos of him and gives a quick look into Hunter's world. I can't wait to sit down and read it.

Tully

[Bill_McBride]

Hunter's social work and his golf architecture are almost completely at odds.  Can you imagine Charles Blair MacDonald having an iota of sympathy for the plight of the downtrodded masses?  As I read his autobiography, he was one of the trodders!

And what about Hunter's erstwhile partner, Dr. MacKenzie?  Any signs of the conscience of a liberal in the good doctor's makeup?

It really is a fascinating subject and quite a juxtaposition.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Bill,

The Good Doctor consistently promoted the benefits of public golf.

Take that for what it's worth  

[TEPaul]

As some must know there were a fair number of thinkers, free-thinkers, intellectuals, political theorists, socialists of varying degrees amongst the so-called "elite", wealthy or aristocracy of the US and certainly in England. Obviously Hunter was one of them. I think Hunter was married to a very wealthy women, perhaps from Conn.

I may be wrong about Hunter but I think he may've had a rather large political outlook change as time went on.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

The Good Doctor consistently promoted the benefits of public golf.

Take that for what it's worth  

Good point, he did indeed.

[Jeff_Mingay]

This thread made me curious.

Here's an interesting bio., and other info.:
http://www.indianahistory.org/library/manuscripts/collection_guides/M0415.html#BIOGRAPHICAL

[Jeff_Mingay]

It's interesting that "we" look at Hunter principally as West coast partner of the great Alister Mackenzie, while academic scholars seem to make nothing more than a passing reference to his involvement at Cypress Point.

I'm very interested to see how Mr. Brawley handles Hunter's diverse activities in his forthcoming book.

[David Stamm]

While it was a paradox of sorts that Hunter had socialists leanings and was involved in catering to the "elitists", it should be noted that the man had did an about face towards the end of his life. The following is from Shackelford's excellent book, Alister Mackenzie's Cypress Point Club:

"Some ten years later Hunter wrote the book, Revolution: Why, How, When (1940), a text influenced by FDR's New Deal in the 1930's. In a complete reversal of his earlier socialists sentiments, Hunter became an activist in right wing causes. His book argued that poverty and despair didn't cause revolution, but instead, revolution arose out of economic and political instability along with coalitions between the military and the middle class."

[JohnV]

He was also a very good lyricist who worked a lot with Jerry Garcia and the Dead.  

[Joshua Pettit]

I may be wrong about Hunter but I think he may've had a rather large political outlook change as time went on.

Indeed you are correct about Hunter’s transformation of political ideals.  He stated in some of his correspondence letters that the main reason he cut his affiliations with the Socialist Party in 1914 and became more conservative was because most people in the party opposed the war, claiming it was only for financial gain for corporations with military contracts.  He believed that accusation was too radical and felt obligated to distance himself from the party of which he had so passionately supported prior to WWI, including his failed run at Governor of Connecticut on the Socialist ticket in 1910.