“As a PGA professional, golf is more to me than a livelihood. It is a passion. It is a privilege to be involved with the many people who come to enjoy a day on the golf course. Wintering Into Wisdom is a wonderful story that reveals the profound partnership that can be formed between life and the game of golf. In this story, the relationships forged among friends on the golf course become the ingredients used to understand all of life’s meanings and challenges. This is a magnificent portrayal of how one man’s journey is played out both on the course and off.”
—Jack Snyder, PGA Master Professional and Director of Golf, Spring Creek Golf Course, Gordonsville, Virginia
“Good friends and sincere conversation make life the joy it should be. Wintering Into Wisdom is filled with the best of both. It has been said that fiction is more real than truth, and Marshall has created characters and events that the reader will believe and love. This book will have a special place in my library, and I will read it again and again.”
—Douglas A. Fullington, M.D., Plano, Texas
“M. Ernest Marshall’s debut novel will grab your attention from page one and carry you through the lives of some fascinating characters. This novel touches on life, death, love, greed – all the ingredients for a successful novel. Some will say Wintering Into Wisdom is about golf. Some will say it’s about medicine and death. Others will say it’s a love story from the male perspective. Read for yourself and see what you get out of it! There is a connection for every reader embedded on the pages – and in the hearts and minds of Doc, Doug, George, and Harry…and their families.”
—Heather H. Ramsey, Author –Santa Barbara, California
“…A refreshingly new perspective on our ever questioning of 'the meaning of life.' Marshall brilliantly intertwines the venues of medicine and golf to give the reader a peek into their own sense of right vs. wrong…Marshall captured the essence of each character to the point where the reader feels he knows them personally and becomes emotionally vested…How you interpret this story reflects directly on your perspective on life. Marshall will have you questioning that perspective – guaranteed…A great read for Book Club discussions. Each reader will gain new insight into their own lives and how they live it…I could not put this book down – a thought provoking experience that affects you long after the read.”
—Rebecca Yaffe, M. Ed., Forest, Virginia
“A True Metaphor For Life: There are many ways in which golf can serve as a metaphor for life, and throughout the pages of Wintering Into Wisdom, author M. Ernest Marshall displays for the reader a multitude of different parallels between the two. Crafted with sage insight, Marshall’s poignant tale is designed to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation not only for the game itself, but also for how it can help provide a useful context for the decisions we often make in life. Confronted with a variety of different challenges both on and off the course, Marshall’s eclectic cast of characters share a host of experiences together, learning invaluable lessons along the way that last them for a lifetime. Touching on everything from love to money to family to career choices, Wintering Into Wisdom truly has something for everyone. Though the primary focus of the book is centered on the weekly golf games of the legendary “Th’ Foursome” of Doc, Doug, George, and Harry, Marshall cleverly uses their weekly getaway as a backdrop for the unfolding action of the tale. As he highlights each man’s individual path through life, Marshall provides readers with vivid reflections of themselves, taking great care to display how we’re ultimately affected by the decisions that we make as we wend our way through a wide variety of ups and downs. No matter how much knowledge and wisdom we may amass over the course of our lives, though, we are seemingly pre-destined to remain on a trek to discover the deeper meaning behind all things, a point that Marshall makes quite effectively via the seasoned exploits of his compelling protagonists. Rife with equal parts humor and gravitas, Wintering Into Wisdom is a veritable page-turner for the more discerning readers among us.”
—Karynda Lewis, Apex Reviews, Durham, North Carolina
“I enjoyed reading this book. Although I am not one of them, I know friends that are committed golfers such as the leads in this story. I play enough to find the shot by shot action to be interesting. The relationship between the leads was the most enjoyable aspect of the story and was heart warming.”
J. E. Greenhalgh, Williamsburg, Virginia
"Golf as a metaphor for life and friendship: As we go through life we hope to obtain wisdom to understand the friendships and love bonds that we form along the way. As with golf, the more you play at both, the better you get. E. Marshall captures the growth of friendships and insights of these friends while learning the game of golf. It is apparent, too, that the narrator holds an immense love for his Lisa. The passage of time through all the seasons of golfing on a course mirrors the passages and stages of life that we all face; and that each of Marshall’s characters followed. All of the people come alive for the reader and Marshall’s writing style is poignant and telling. An interesting twist for a finish! Sort of like the surprise birdie one would get on the 18th hole. A good read, and not just for golfers!”
—Sara M. Robinson, Writer and Author, Charlottesville, Virginia
