Franz Lidz: Difference between revisions

| birth_name = Franz Ira Lidz

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|9|24}}

| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.

| notableworks = ''Unstrung Heroes (1991)''<br />''Ghosty Men (2003)''<br />''Fairway To Hell (2008)''

A ''[[New York Times]]'' archaeology, science and film essayist,<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/09/movies/film-sorry-uma-there-s-only-one-emma.html FILM"Film; Sorry, Uma, There's Only One Emma]"], August 9, 1998 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/29/movies/film-the-scenery-though-he-won-t-chew.html?referringSource=articleShare FILM"Film; The Scenery, Though, He Won't Chew]"], September 29, 2002 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/movies/27lidz.html "Biblical Adversity in a ’60s'60s Suburb]"], September 23, 2009 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/science/pliny-archaeology-skull-vesuvius.html "Here Lies the Skull of Pliny the Elder, Maybe]"], February 14, 2020 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/science/pliny-archaeology-skull-vesuvius.html "At the Sourdough Library, With Some Very Old Mothers]"], April 11, 2020 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/science/koepcke-diller-panguana-amazon-crash.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage "She Fell Nearly Two Miles And Walked Away"], June 18, 2021 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/20212023/0301/2230/science/archaeology-shigir-idolbogs-mummies.html How"What theThe World'sAncient OldestBog WoodenBodies SculptureKnew"], IsJanuary Reshaping30, Prehistory]2023 {{Webarchive|url=– ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://webwww.archivenytimes.orgcom/web2023/2013081914142812/http:26/science/taxonomy-beetle-insects-hitler.html "What To Do With A Bug Named Hitler"], December 26, 2023 – ''The New York Times''</ref> who originated the archeological column "Lost and Found".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/science/ancient-romans-coin-drains.html |date=19"Ancient AugustRomans 2013Dropped }}Their Bling Down the Drain, Too"], MarchMay 221, 20212023 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/20212023/06/1806/science/koepckeancient-dilleregypt-panguana-amazon-crashbirds.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage She"Put Fella NearlyBird Twoon MilesIt? AndAncient WalkedEgypt Away]Was Way Ahead of Us"], June 186, 20212023 – ''The New York Times''</ref> heHe's a former ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' senior writer,<ref>"[https://vault.si.com/author/franz-lidz "Classic Archives: Franz Lidz]"], – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated700">"[https://www.si.com/vault/2013/05/06/106319488/jason-collins "Jason Collins]"], May 6, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref>''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' columnist<ref>"[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dr-nakamats-the-man-with-3300-patents-to-his-name-134571403/ "Dr. NakaMats, the Man With 3300 Patents to His Name]"], December, 2012 - ''Smithsonian''</ref><ref>"[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/behold-the-blobfish-180956967/#uUVYMJW2MmhTBjEM.99 "Behold The Blobfish]"], November, 2015 - ''Smithsonian''</ref><ref>"[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/britain-lake-district-immortalized-beatrix-potter-beloved-landscape-180968736/ "Britain's Lake District Was Immortalized by Beatrix Potter, But Is Its Future in Peril?]"], May, 2018 - ''Smithsonian''</ref> and a onetime vice president for the [[Detroit Pistons]].<ref>[http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/media/2.0/teamsites/pistons/files/mg_1617_leadership.pdf "Detroit Pistons Media Guide: Executive Staff"], 2016–'17. (Free PDF download). Use search term "''Franz Lidz''"</ref><ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/author/franz-lidz/?no-ist "Franz Lidz"], ''Smithsonian magazine''</ref> His childhood memoir ''Unstrung Heroes'' was adapted into [[Unstrung Heroes|a Hollywood film of the same title]] in 1995.<ref name="autogenerated771">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20130926213633/http://articles.philly.com/1995-09-21/entertainment/25718431_1_unstrung-heroes-franz-lidz-andie-macdowell "Lost In Translation"], September 21, 1995 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer''</ref><ref name = nyt>[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/04/books/books-of-the-times-reality-was-relative-and-the-relatives-were-nuts.html "Books of The Times; Reality Was Relative and the Relatives Were Nuts"], March 4, 1991 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/search?dropmab=true&query=Franz%20Lidz&sort=newest&types=article Search: Franz Lidz], - ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/03/movies/film-not-at-all-unstrung-and-calling-the-shots.html?pagewanted=all "Film: Unstrung And Calling The Shots"], September 3, 1995 – ''The New York Times''</ref>

Lidz was born in [[Manhattan]], to Sidney, a Jewish [[electronics engineer]] who designed the first transistorized portable tape recorder (the Steelman Transitape),<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1981/07/28/obituaries/sidney-lidz.html "Sidney Lidz – Obituary"], July 28, 1981 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>{{YouTube|ofQ5X67p8E8|"STEELMANSteelman Transitape portable reel-to-reel tape recorder"}}, 1959</ref> and Selma, a homemaker. His father gave him early exposure to authors like [[Samuel Beckett]], [[Harold Pinter]] and [[Eugène Ionesco]].<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/13/movies/the-new-season-film-beginning-at-the-ending-at-the-bates-motel.html?pagewanted=1&pagewanted=print "Beginning at the Ending at the Bates Motel]"], September 13, 1998 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref name="autogenerated702">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1991/04/08/106782578/from-the-editor "From the Editor]"], April 8, 1991</ref>

At age nine, still named Stephen before later legally taking Franz as his first name, he moved to the [[Philadelphia]] suburbs.<ref name="autogenerated77">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20141111014631/http://articles.philly.com/1991-04-07/news/25779974_1_unstrung-heroes-franz-lidz-brothers "A Writer's Relative Chaos: How Crazy Were Franz Lidz's Uncles? We're Glad You Asked That &nbsp;. . ."], April 7, 1991 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer''</ref><ref>[http://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/05/17/arn-tellem-franz-lidz-hall-fame/ "Arn Tellem and Franz Lidz Are Going to the Hall of Fame"], ''[[Philadelphia Magazine(magazine)|Philadelphia]]'', May 17, 2015</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606154943/http://articles.philly.com/2015-05-27/sports/62677593_1_jason-collins-sports-illustrated-nba-all-stars "Franz Lidz & Arn Tellem entering Hall together"], ''[[Philadelphia Daily News]]'', May 27, 2015</ref> Lidz attended high school in [[Cheltenham, Pennsylvania|Cheltenham]]<ref name="autogenerated1">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1982/05/10/628355/letter-from-the-publisher "Letter From The Publisher]"] – May 10, 1982 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated3">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1987/03/09/106777503/from-the-publisher "Letter From The Publisher]"] – March 9, 1987 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> and college at [[Antioch College]],<ref name="autogenerated181">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1984/03/26/569038/letter-from-the-publisher "Letter from the Publisher]"] March 26, 1984 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> where he was a theater major.<ref name="autogenerated12">"[httphttps://articleswww.baltimoresun.com/1991-/02-/19/news/1991050047_1_franz-lidz-uncleweaves-krisa-dahltale-of-family-life-on-fringes/ "Lidz weaves a tale of family, life on fringes]"], February 9, 1991 – ''Baltimore Sun''</ref>

Lidz was a novice reporter at the weekly ''Sanford Star'', where he wrote a column and covered police and fire beats. He left Maine to become a crime reporter and write a column called "Insect Jazz" for an alternative newspaper in [[Baltimore]].<ref name="autogenerated14">"[httphttps://articleswww.baltimoresun.com/1995-/09-/21/features/1995264017_1_lidzodds-daisyare-daisythese-unstrungguys-heroesare-real-characters/ "Odds are, these guys are real characters]"], September 21, 1995 – ''Baltimore Sun''</ref> He later became an editor of ''[[Johns Hopkins University]]'' Magazine''.<ref>"[httphttps://articleswww.baltimoresun.com/1991-/01-/23/features/1991023041_1_westernredford-marylandmovie-universitymay-ofbe-maryland-lonesomefilmed-dovelocally/ "Redford movie may be filmed locally]"], January 23, 1991 – ''Baltimore Sun.''</ref>

In 1980, he joined the staff of ''[[Sports Illustrated]],'',<ref name="autogenerated36">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20200818040952/https://vault.si.com/vault/1985/12/23/good-ol-charlie-schulz GOOD"Good OLOl' CHARLIECharlie SCHULZ]Schulz"], December 23, 1985 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated89">"[httphttps://wwwvault.si.com/vault/19892018/0504/01/11981023/television-for-1000-the-worlds-toughest-game-show-what-is-jeopardypages-si "What is Jeopardy!?"]", May 1, 1989 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated6">"[http://www.si.com/vault/1990/12/10/123221/from-hair-to-eternity-you-cant-become-a-sports-immortal-says-don-king-without-folicles-of-fabulous-fecundity "From Hair To Eternity]"], December 10, 1990 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated7">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20200723064339/https://vault.si.com/vault/1992/05/18/meat-bomb-konishiki-the-quarter-ton-sumo-wrestler-from-hawaii-has-set-off-an-explosion-of-new-interest-and-controversy-in-the-hidebound-national-sport-of-japan "Meat Bomb]"], May 18, 1992 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated65">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20200922050851/https://vault.si.com/vault/1998/11/02/shes-got-balls-will-jeanie-buss-daughter-of-lakers-owner-jerry-buss-be-the-next-to-rule-her-fathers-sports-kingdom-or-will-one-of-her-brothers-rise-to-power-a-fractured-family-fable "She's Got Balls]"], November 2, 1998 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> even though he had never read the magazine<ref name="philly1">"[http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-blinq/franz.html "The Sport of Drunken Hairy Scots]"], May 7, 2008 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer''</ref> and had covered only one sporting event in his life – a [[pigeon race]] in [[Shapleigh]], [[Maine]].<ref name="autogenerated101">"[http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/books/info-09-2010/profile-gil-rogin.html "Gil Rogin Resurfaces]"], September 24, 2010 – ''AARP,: The Magazine''</ref><ref>[http://observer.com/2010/09/the-virtuoso-of-the-canorama-gil-rogin-ran-si-at-its-peak-but-his-fiction-might-make-him-immortal/ "The Virtuoso of the Canorama: Gil Rogin Ran SI at Its Peak, But His Fiction Might Make Him Immortal"], September 22, 2010 – ''The New York Observer''</ref><ref name="autogenerated702"/> Lidz remained on the writing staff for 27 years.<ref name="autogenerated128">"[https://www.si.com/vault/2016/09/14/almost-famous "Almost Famous]"], August 15, 2016 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> In 2007 he jumped to the short-lived business monthly ''Conde Nast Portfolio'', and then ''[[WSJ.]]'' magazine<ref>"[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204449804577068891288906520.html "Upstairs, Downstairs and In Between]"], December 1, 2011 – [[WSJ.]]</ref> before landing at ''Smithsonian'' in 2012. His first feature story in ''The New York Times'', on making the second descent of the [[Zambezi|Zambezi River]], appeared on January 30, l9831983.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/30/travel/the-great-zambezi-river-expedition.html "The Great Zambezi River Expedition]"], January 30, 1983 – ''The New York Times''</ref>

Among his most controversial features are essays on reappraising the [[dodo]];<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/science/archaeology-dodo-extinction.html "Who’s the Dodo Now? A Famously Extinct Bird, Reconsidered"], September 20, 2024 – ''The New York Times''</ref> reconsidering [[Neanderthals]];<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-research-redefining-what-we-thought-about-neanderthals-180971918/ WHAT"What DODo WEWe REALLYReally KNOWKnow ABOUTAbout NEANDERTHALSNeanderthals?"], May, 2019 ''Smithsonian magazine''</ref> the effects of climate change on glacial archaeology;<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/02/science/climate-change-archaeology.html "As Earth Warms, Old Mayhem and Secrets Emerge From the Ice"], November 2, 2021 – ''The New York Times''</ref> the Pacific Northwest barred owl cull;<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/science/california-barred-spotted-owls.html They Shoot Owls in California, Don’t They?]", April 29, 2024 – ''New York Times''</ref> [[Hannibal]];<ref>"[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-hannibal-crossed-the-alps-180963671/ "How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?]"], July, 2017 - ''Smithsonian magazine''</ref> the 2002 Paris-to-[[Dakar Rally]];<ref name="autogenerated1731">"[http://www.si.com/vault/2002/01/21/317030/off-road-warriors-need-a-crash-course-in-misery-try-the-paris-to-dakar-rally-which-littered-the-north-african-desert-with-its-usual-quota-of-charred-vehicles-and-scarred-egos "Off-Road Warriors]"], January 21, 2002 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> [[George Steinbrenner]] and the [[New York Yankees]]' line of succession;<ref>[http://upstart.bizjournals.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/sports/2007/08/02/Baseball-and-Steinbrenner.html?page=all "Baseball After The Boss"], August 2, 2007 – ''Conde Nast Portfolio''</ref><ref>[http://observer.com/2007/08/iportfolioi-diagnoses-steinbrenner-but-inew-york-posti-gives-second-opinion/ "Portfolio Diagnoses Steinbrenner, but New York Post gives a Second Opinion"], August 7, 2007 – ''New York Observer''</ref><ref>[https://www.aol.com/2010/07/13/franz-lidz-journalist-revealed-george-steinbrenner-ill/ "The Journalist Who Revealed How Ill George Steinbrenner Was"], July 13, 2007 – ''AOL''</ref><ref>[http://gothamist.com/2007/08/03/hows_the_boss_s.php "How's the Boss? Steinbrenner Looks Dreadful"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013160831/http://gothamist.com/2007/08/03/hows_the_boss_s.php |date=13 October 2008 }}, August 3, 2007 – ''Gothamist''</ref><ref>[http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2008/12/15/the-nack-great-reporting-vivid-writing/ "The Nack: Great Reporting, Vivid Writing"], December 15, 2008 – Bronx Banter</ref> the hijinks of onetime [[Los Angeles Clippers]] owner [[Donald Sterling]];<ref name="autogenerated38">"[https://www.si.com/vault/2000/04/17/278523/up-and-down-in-beverly-hills-eccentric-multimillionaire-donald-sterling-has-been-a-flaming-success-as-an-la-real-estate-mogul-and-a-dismal-failure-as-the-owner-of-the-clippers "Up and Down in Beverly Hills"], April 17, 2000 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref>[http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/27095763-452/donald-sterling-has-been-lost-in-another-century-for-some-time.html#.U1_-3YUlwvo "Donald Sterling Has Been Lost In Another Century For Some Time"], April 27, 2014 – ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''</ref><ref name="autogenerated41">"[https://www.si.com/nba/2014/04/30/donald-sterling-clippers-owner-nba-ban "Sterling's offensive behavior was no secret for years"], April 30, 2014 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> and a ''S.I.'' cover story with [[NBA]] player [[Jason Collins]] in which Collins became the first active male in one of the four major North American team sports to announce he was gay.<ref name="autogenerated18">"[https://www.si.com/more-sports/2013/04/29/jason-collins-gay-nba-player "Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now"], April 29, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated23">"[https://www.si.com/more-sports/2013/04/29/jason-collins-reveals-gay-nba-story The story behind Jason Collins' story: How it happened], April 29, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/business/media/how-sports-illustrated-broke-the-jason-collins-story.html "How Sports Illustrated Broke the Jason Collins Story"], April 29, 2013 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref name="autogenerated67">"[https://www.si.com/nba/2023/04/25/jason-collins-first-pro-league-male-athlete-gay-10-years-later-daily-cover "Jason Collins, 10 Years Later: Progress Made, but There’sThere's Work to Be Done for LGBTQ Athletes]"], April 25, 2023 - ''Sports Illustrated''</ref>

''Unstrung Heroes'' is about Lidz's childhood, with his mother, father and his dad's four older brothers.<ref name="autogenerated702"/><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/30/movies/summer-films-creature-features-the-ongoing-adventures-of-moose-and-squirrel.html SUMMER"Summer FILMSFilms: CREATURECreature FEATURESFeatures; The Ongoing Adventures of Moose and Squirrel"], April 20, 2000 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref name="autogenerated213">[https://www.si.com/vault/issue/702993/6/2 "To Our Readers]"], September 25, 1995 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref> He had previously written about two of the uncles in'' Sports Illustrated''.<ref name="autogenerated13">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1987/01/19/113671/my-uncle-the-collector-a-hobbyist-on-a-shoestring "My Uncle, The Collector: A Hobbyist on a Shoestring]"], January 25, 1987 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref name="autogenerated19">"[https://www.si.com/vault/1982/12/20/625745/uncle-harry-never-lost-a-fight-but-he-never-really-fought-one-either "Uncle Harry Never Lost A Fight But He Never Really Fought One, Either"], December 20, 1982 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref>

In his review of ''Unstrung Heroes'' in the ''The New York Times'', [[Christopher Lehmann-Haupt]] called the memoir "unusual and affecting&nbsp;... a melancholy, funny book, a loony tune played with touching disharmony on mournful woodwinds and a noisy klaxon.".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/04/books/books-of-the-times-reality-was-relative-and-the-relatives-were-nuts.html?pagewanted=1&pagewanted=print "Books of The Times; Reality Was Relative and the Relatives Were Nuts"], March 4, 1991 – ''The New York Times''</ref> [[Jonathan Kirsch]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' likened the memoir to a "miniature ''[[Brothers Karamazov]]''. There's not a false moment in the book, and that is high praise indeed."<ref>[httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-02-20/news/-vw-1487_1_unstrung1487-heroesstory.html "The Unlikely Heroics of ''Unstrung Heroes''"], February 20, 1991 – ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref> ''[[The Village Voice]]'' called ''Unstrung Heroes'': "Astonishing, hilarious, angry, poignant, always pointed."<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/158234311X "Unstrung Heroes"], February, 1991 – ''Random House''</ref>

In 1995, ''Unstrung Heroes'' was adapted into [[Unstrung Heroes|a film of the same title]].<ref name="autogenerated771"/> The setting was switched from [[New York City]] to [[Southern California]], and the four crazy uncles were reduced to an eccentric odd couple. Asked what he thought of the script, Lidz said: "It's very neatly typed".<ref>[http://ew.com/article/1995/09/22/star-and-author-unstrung-heroes/ "The star and author of 'Unstrung Heroes'"], September 22, 1995 – ''Entertainment Weekly''</ref> He was unhappy with the adaptation, but was prevented by his contract from publicly criticizing it. "My initial fear was that [[Disney]] would turn my uncles into [[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)#Cast|Grumpy]] and [[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)#Cast|Dopey]],", he told ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine. "I never imagined my life could be turned into [[Old Yeller]]."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[New York Magazine(magazine)|New York]]|author=Nancy Jo Sales|title=Undone Heroes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6-QCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58|date=18 September 1995|publisher=New York Media, LLC|page=58}}</ref> In a later essay for the ''The New York Times'', he said that the cinematic Selma had died not of cancer, but of 'Old Movie Disease'. "Someday somebody may find a cure for cancer, but the terminal sappiness of cancer movies is probably beyond remedy."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/10/movies/film-in-a-higher-state-of-being-that-is-dying.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm&pagewanted=print "In a Higher State of Being (That Is, Dying)"], January 10, 1999 – ''The New York Times''</ref>

''Ghosty Men'' (2003) is the story of the [[Collyer brothers]]. Lidz has said that he was inspired by the real-life cautionary tales that his father told him, the most macabre of which was the story of the Collyer brothers, the hermit hoarders of [[Harlem]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/26/nyregion/the-paper-chase.html?pagewanted=1&pagewanted=all "The Paper Chase"], October 26, 2003 – ''The New York Times''</ref> The book also recounts the parallel life of Arthur Lidz,<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/a-trashy-read-hoarding-hermits-a-typist-s-true-tale-1.329120 "A Trashy Read / Hoarding hermits? A typist's true tale"], November 2, 2003 – ''Newsday''</ref> the hermit uncle of ''Unstrung Heroes,'', who grew up near the Collyer mansion.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218184926/http://articles.philly.com/2004-05-16/news/25382681_1_impossible-uncles-unstrung-heroes-franz-lidz "Author delves into his inner hoarder His eccentric uncle led him to write about the Collyer brothers"], May 16, 2004 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer''</ref>

In his review for the ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Adam Bernstein wrote, "The Collyer Brothers made compelling reading then, as they do now in this short, captivatingly detailed book."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121026132000/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/520943591.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+4%2C,+2004&author=Pack+Rats&pub=The+Washington+Post&edition=&startpage=T.14&desc=If+anything+should+inspire+s+ "If Anything Should Inspire&nbsp;..."], January 4, 2004 – ''[[The Washington Post]]''</ref>

''Fairway to Hell'' is a 2008 memoir centering on Lidz' unusual golfing experiences: encountering nudists, llama caddies<ref name="philly1"/> and celebrities like the heavy metal band [[Judas Priest]].<ref>[http://olympics.si.com/vault/1986/10/27/106777130/heavy-metal-rockers-find-peace-and-quietand-rock-fanson-the-links "Heavy Metal Rockers Find Peace And Quiet—and Rock Fans—on The Links"], November 27, 1986 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref>[http://www.espnbooks.com/book.cgi?id=28 "Fairway to Hell"], April, 2008 – ''ESPN''</ref> [[Bill Littlefield]] reviewed the book on the [[National Public Radio]] show ''[[Only A Game]]'', saying "His estimable wit is also evident in ''Fairway To Hell''."<ref>[http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2008/05/30/fairway-to-hell "Books In Review"], May 30, 2008 – ''Only A Game, NPR''</ref>

Lidz has written numerous essays for ''[[The New York Times]]'' with novelist and former ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' colleague [[Steve Rushin]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/15/movies/holiday-films-we-know-what-you-ll-see-next-summer.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm&pagewanted=print "We Know What You'll See Next Summer&nbsp;..."], November 15, 1998 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/30/arts/here-a-comic-genius-there-a-comic-genius.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm&pagewanted=print "Here A Comic Genius, There A Comic Genius"], January 30, 2000 – ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/05/movies/how-to-tell-a-bad-movie-from-a-truly-bad-movie.html?pagewanted=all "How to Tell a Bad Movie From a Truly Bad Movie"], August 5, 2001 – ''The New York Times''</ref> Three of them appear under the title ''Piscopo Agonistes'' in the 2000 collection ''Mirth of a Nation: The Best Contemporary Humor''.

Lidz has been a commentator for ''[[Morning Edition]]'' on [[NPR]],<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19981119&id=EDodAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BqYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2314,3343451 "News Briefs"], November 19, 1998 – ''The Tuscaloosa News''</ref> and was a guest film critic on the syndicated ''[[Siskel & Ebert]]'', following [[Gene Siskel]]'s passing. The segment did not air.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/16/movies/film-a-shot-at-thumb-wrestling-with-roger.html?pagewanted=print "A Shot at Thumb-Wrestling With Roger"], April 16, 2000 – ''The New York Times''</ref> He also appeared on [[David Letterman]]'s [[The Late Show with David Letterman|show]].<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

Lidz lives in [[Ojai, California]]<ref>[https://www.ojaihub.com/the-uses-of-irreverence/ "The Uses of Irreverence"], Fall, 2020 - ''Ojai Quarterly'', pgs. 38-41</ref> with his wife, Maggie, an author and onetime historian at the [[Winterthur Museum]] in [[Delaware]].<ref>[https://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/movies/21barnes.html Requiem For A Jumble of Artworks], January 21, 2010- ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/02/18/costumes_of_downton_abbey_at_henry_francis_du_pont_s_winterthur_museum_garden.html "The Amazing Costumes of Downton Abbey"], February 18, 2014- ''Slate''</ref><ref>[http://www.delawaretoday.com/core/pagetools.php?url=/Delaware-Today/December-2009/The-Du-PontsHouses-and-Gardens-in-the-Brandywine/&mode=printhe "The duPonts: Houses and Gardens in the Brandywine"], December, 2009 ''Delaware Today''</ref><ref>[http://www.oprah.com/relationships/finding-the-one-by-chance "Meeting Maggie"], February, 2009 ''[[O, The Oprah Magazine]]''</ref> They have two daughters.<ref name="autogenerated118">"[https://wwwvault.si.com/vault/2003/06/23/345322/introducing-miss-daisy "Introducing Miss Daisy"], June 23, 2003 – ''Sports Illustrated''</ref><ref>[httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/print/2004/nov/21/travel/la-tr-turkeygogo21turkeygogo21nov21-story.html "Where the wild things are – inside the tent"], November 21, 2004 ''Los Angeles Times''</ref><ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/authors/gogo-lidz Gogo Lidz: Staff Writer], ''Newsweek''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/fashion/weddings/25LIDZ.html "Daisy Lidz, Thor Ritz"], July 23, 2010 – ''The New York Times''</ref>