Thanks to his uncle, sixteen-year-old Sam Parma lands the job of caddying for the President at a celebrity golf tournament. His younger brother, Matthew, will be caddying alongside him. Well, sort of; Matthew gets to drive around in a cart, plays the “cute” card, and gets away with everything. Meanwhile, Sam slaves away hauling clubs next to egotistical caddy Chip Swanson, a popular high school senior who makes it known that he’s just as good as any of the pros. Sam wants to prove he is cut out for a career like professional tour caddy, Major, but soon worries he just may not be good enough.Sam finds the simple rules of being a caddy not so simple. He’s a little put-off that the President selects his own clubs and never asks for his advice, but he just wants to do a good job and not overstep his bounds... even though he’s frustrated by Chip’s colorful tidbits about the course, and the fact that everybody loves Matthew’s antics. Then there’s the fact that Theresa Bellissima is at the golf course; Sam can’t stop thinking about what to say to her, and whether or not she’s flirting with him. Sam’s not just learning about how to be a good caddy; he’s also discovering things about himself. He wants to do an extraordinary job, but the terrain proves troublesome and a “Big Goof” almost sinks him. Sam is ready to give up thoughts of ever being a caddy when something simple gives him a needed boost.

In The Sketch-Book (1820-21), Irving explores the uneasy relationship of an American writer to English literary traditions. In two sketches, he experiments with tales transplanted from Europe, thereby creating the first classic American short stories, Rip Van Winkle, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Based on Irving's final revision of his most popular work, this new edition includes comprehensive explanatory notes of The Sketch-Book's sources for the modern reader.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

"The Secret Agent" is considered to be one of Joseph Conrad's finest works and was ranked the 46th best novel of the 20th century by the Modern Library. Set in London at the end of the nineteenth century, it follows the life of Mr. Verloc, a secret agent who is also the proprietor of a small shop that sells, “photographs of more or less undressed dancing girls” and “a few books, with titles hinting at impropriety.“ Verloc’s friends, a group of anarchists, assign him the task of destroying the Greenwich Observatory, but when things go awry, Verloc must deal with the terrible consequences of his actions. As current now, as it was a century ago, Conrad weaves a chilling tale of espionage, exploitation and terrorism that is all too present in our own time.

Henry Fleming, a private in the Union Army, runs away from the field of war. Afterwards, the shame he feels at this act of cowardice ignites his desire to receive an injury in combat—a “red badge of courage” that will redeem him. Stephen Crane’s novel about a young soldier’s experiences during the American Civil War is well known for its understated naturalism and its realistic depiction of battle.