Sports Books

This was such a good book. I did not want it to end so I read it very slowly. The movie was awful, however.

Owen Meany, small in size, but not in size, faith, intelligence, or especially, that one-of-a-kind VOICE.

I believe John Irving is the greatest raconteur of our times. He is not for those seeking a quick read to "ooh and aah" over at poolside. His writing is deep and rich. If you try to skip a paragraph, chances are you'll miss something you'll need later on. Chances are you're not the type of reader who will appreciate this perfect beauty, which only gets better as it goes on.

This book truly is absolute perfection in a novel. There's not much of that in the modern writing world. The first few chapters are slow going, but not to delay the miraculous end ... only to set the oh so important stage and plot. And oh, what a stage, what a cast of characters, what dialogue and New England settings.

Treat yourself to a true modern day masterpiece. By the end, you'll be sobbing, turning back pages saying, "Why? Why? This can't be," while knowing it HAD to be. I wish I could shake the hand that has written such an amazing tale.

All I can say is there are books you should check out from the library and there are those you have to own. Buy this one as it deserves a prominent place in your library.

Am I reading correctly in the other reviews that this book is now a popular assignment for high-school students? I couldn't think of a better way to turn kids off literature for life. This book reads like a literary TV-movie, made for the Hallmark channel and dragged out to mini-series length. What do we get in the 600 pages? Writing that seems to be aspiring to Dickens but is really just drawn out with windy lightweight philosophizing, and pointless self-conscious digressions that seem like showy displays of (unremarkable) writing technique. All infused with an empty-headed "spirituality" that's apparently supposed to be profound or uplifting. Spare me, please. (I should have known from the dreadful opening line, which is reproduced on the Amazon page for the book.)

The supposedly moving story is filled with implausible details that make it seem almost in poor taste -- the title character is a boy who apparently suffers from dwarfism and is so small that the other Sunday-school children can lift him over their heads and pass him around the classroom without leaving their seats (yeah, sure), and a key plot point is when this tiny boy hits a baseball so hard it kills the narrator's mother. (That's not a spoiler -- it's revealed very early in the book.) If it weren't for the book's impossibly serious, heavy tone, I'd think some of it was an attempt at sick humor. Two stars instead of one because there are a few interesting scenes that offer brief relief from the book's predictable progression. And the narrator's likeable, wise stepfather is a well-developed character.

Edit: I posted my review when i was two-thirds through. Having finished the book, I'd strongly recommend that readers who are not enjoying it and are trudging through just to finish should just drop it. The final hundred pages, where the numerous dangling theads get tied up, are downright awful. The "meaning" revealed for so many of the endlessly repeated motifs is nothing more than flashy plotting, and it's laughable. You won't believe the ridiculous significance of the basketball shot. And the "nonpracticing homosexual" angle that comes up late is just bizarre, as if Irving were afraid of offending his reader with an actual gay character. This is probably the worst novel I've ever read (for comparison's sake, my desert-island list would include Moby Dick, Huck Finn, Gatsby, USA, Confederacy of Dunces, and The Name of the Rose). But it's too late to change my rating to one star. Really, if you're thinking about reading this, read Great Expectations. If you've already read that, you'll recognize this as a third-rate wanna-be.

If you want a fairly comprehensive definition of "religion", I recommend these books and movies, and in any order:

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Donnie Darko, Director's Cut
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

All of these depict the concept of religion differently, except Donnie Darko and A Prayer for Owen Meany, which have similar definitions of religion. I threw Donnie Darko in there because it's a nice visual compliment to A Prayer for Owen Meany.

This was the assigned book for my book club. I was so entirely bored and unengaged with the characters that I could not get more than a third of the way through the book. Painfully SLOW. I simply didn't care what happened to any of the characters.

Tom Brown, Jr. is the greatest nature writer, outdoorsman, environmentalist of all time, bar none!

Move over Henry David and Ralph Waldo, Brown's insights into the Earth and our connection to it are destined to become classics of American literature (presuming, of course, that human society lasts long enough, a highly dubious proposition). What Emerson and Thoreau only dreamed of, Brown accomplished, and lucky for us all, Brown is willing to teach. Welcome to the incredible world of Tom Brown, Jr. where every day is an exicting journey of adventure, discovery and insight.

By now, Brown's story is familiar: at the age of seven he met an Apache Elder named Stalking Wolf (a psuedonym used by Brown for legal and personal reasons), who spent sixty years wandering the entire Western Hemisphere. Along the way, Grandfather, as Brown affectionately refers to Stalking Wolf, gathered an incredible fount of physical and spiritual knowledge that remains unequaled in either Western, or Eastern writings (Yes, move over Yoga and Buddhism, for which I have great respect, but Grandfather blows them all away). To Brown, Stalking Wolf imparted this incredible knowledge.

This book takes us through the years Tom spent learning from Grandfather. Tom illustrates and explains Grandfather's teaching method known as "Coyote Teaching" - something akin to the Socratic Method, but worse! He shows us how Grandfather used Coyote Teaching to inspire and prod Tom and his friend Rick, into seeking deeper and deeper insights into life, and also to impart the physical skills of tracking, stalking and survival for which the Apaches were unequaled. Concepts introduced include the "concentric rings", i.e. being able to read the actions and reactions people and animals generate as they travel through the forest, stalking, the ability to travel silently and unseen through the landscape, and a hint of the spirituality to come (no, there is no religion here, or anywhere else for that matter in Brown's books. Just practical techniques for going further in your beliefs whatever they may be). This book is chock full of stories of adventure, discovery and learning.

The Tracker is mainly autobiographical and only forms an introduction to Brown and Grandtather's teachings. This is not my personal favorite, but don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to everyone. However, it's only the beginning. To obtain a true sense of Grandfather's teachings one must go further and read Brown's other books. I hope The Tracker inspires you to do so.

One final word: for lovers of mystery and detective novels this is the book for you! Brown introduces you to the arts that enable one to become a real life Sherlock Holmes, something even Conan Doyle couldn't do. Welcome to a lifetime of learning, discovery, and insight!

Wildernes survival tales... super exciting. It does read like a movie but maybe it's all true. I've heard some people say Tom Brown is a tall tale teller, but his tales sure are fun and he has a school in NJ so....

I liked this book. It's about being invisible in nature--like the rest of nature, people can blend in to the point of being invisible enough to be able to reach out and touch a wild animal. It's also about special relationships with a grandfather. It would be a great book to read to kids.

This is a "don't miss" book for anyone who wants to observe anything in nature. Tom Brown is a legend in the worlds of search and rescue, tracking, and survival. Brown is one with nature and he brings you along on his exhilerating journey from boy to man of nature. In this, his first of many outstanding books, you accompany him as he learns his skills from his Indian grandfather.
FYI. Brown continues to share his skills with new through advanced students at workshops. A friend who has attended his classes, swears Brown is everthing you will see here and much more. It is a fascinating story.

All of Tom's books are required reading for anyone seeking to sustain our lives in honest practice of a set of propositions not predicated on left brain hegemony. Brown offers the story of his mentorship under the tutiledge of this Lipan Apache Holy Man, Elder, and Sage, showing us how to reaquaint ourselves with a wisdom tradition long lost to Eurocentric peoples. This journey takes place on multiple levels and within various contexts purporting to awaken spiritual awareness and an ancient way of knowing. For modern man or women this awakening may provide a jolt or be met with suspicion or even derision. But for those capable of going deeper into these mysteries, the rewards can be life changing.

This is the first book in Tom Brown's series on a way-of-knowing that was practiced by First Peoples long before rationalism took hold as a religion of the mind. If you are seeking a way to go deeper into the core of your being recognizing that your culture no longer speaks to your soul, then these propositions may provide healing water. Enter at the risk of transforming your life and braking the chains that bind you to a cultural cage.

Great book.

I bought this book because a friend and I intend to ride from North to South America in 2018 when all our kids have grown old enough not to miss us. I really hope that we don't have to live through what Glen did but who knows what the continent will be like in 10 years? This is a brilliantly written book with lots of good information and tips for travel. The section on Columbia is well done and doesn't overdominate the story. I wonder from Ted Simon's comments in 'Dreaming of Jupiter' after meeting Glen following his ordeal, if Glen has downplayed his emotional state a little. It must have been a totally awful experince and one I doubt I could have survived. It just goes to show that it helps to be strong when attempting a journey like this but like so many things at the end of the day its all about mental toughness. I take my hat off to Glen and he has inspired me yet again to start my own adventure.

I first came to know about Glen's journey through a tv documentary on the kidnapping, if you get a chance to see it, do so, it brings to life the book in real terms.
Glen does an excellent job of describing the journey, his fears and feelings both before and after the kidnapping. It's not a "how to" book, it's an insight , in my opinion, to inner strength and positive thinking.
Great read.

Action packed true fact based chronicle of a motor cyclist's trip from Palm springs,CA down to the tip of South America and back. You will ride with him through splendid vistas, suffer with him during his capture by the ELN in Columbia and wonder how he would ever escape. You will learn from the psychologically trained mind how Greg Heggsted deceived his captures to eventually go on to complete journey. This is a must read.

I bought this book for my boyfriend to read on the train after hearing the author speak on a radio program. My boyfriend loved the book, literally couldn't put it down.

While the title of the book and most of the comments focus on his stay with the Columbian terrorists, for me the most inspiring bits of the book were his descriptions of the parts of his journey through Mexico and Argentina. Now I want to visit Mexico and see if it is as wonderful a place as he described. Ditto Argentina, though it is not quite as close.

A very well-written book by a talented and very versatile author. Much more than a tale of terror. You could skip the Columbian fiasco and still get your money's worth (and then some) from this book.

I have 4 or 5 beading books and this is my favorite. It really answers the questions you might have if you are a beginner beader unlike many of the other books that claim they are for beginners. Great Book!

Not good! I was hoping for ideas for beginners. I'm not to creative and thought it might have some examples or ideas. Totally dissapointed.

This book is full of information as the Dummies series always is. I always trust that I'll get a good product when I order a Dummies book. A+

The problem with the "For Dummies" series of books is that they are too simple for advanced users, but leave out the incredibly basic information that is essential for beginners. "Jewelry Making and Beading for Dummies" is no exception to this rule. This book provides supposedly step-by-step instructions for making a number of jewellery projects but glosses over many of the details that are essential if you have never used some of the techniques before. For example, I purchased this book because I was interested in pearl knotting. Although this book does include a small section on this topic, it does not include instructions on how to attach the clasp to the string. It merely tells you to do so.

Other drawbacks of this book are that the pictures are in black and white (with the exception of a small number of colour plates), and techniques are demonstrated using difficult to understand illustrations rather than actual photographs. Oh, and none of the projects in this book are particularly exciting either. Many of them depend on being able to obtain a specific type of bead to look any good, which my recently acquired experience has taught me is easier said than done.

I have never purchased a book in the Dummies series but I happened to be at a bookstore and noticed Jewelry Making and Beading for Dummies. I was just starting out in beading and so I began to peruse the pages and decided this was the book I wanted! To me this book should be THE BIBLE for any one just starting to bead. Ms. Powley starts her book with easy projects, which gives the novice beader confidence, her instructions are easy to follow, and there is a glossary of terms in back of the book that is quiet useful. The book also has plenty of pictures so you get a chance to see how your jewelry looks as you follow her directions.

As a side note, the librarian at our local library knows my passion for beading
and asked what book the library should have for the novice beader. I said "Jewelry Making and Beadiing for
Dummies". It now graces the bookshelf at the library. It is getting dog eared but still it keeps on beinging checked out. It also graces my book shelf and I often reach for it. Worth every penny of my hard earned
money, and if you can get it on sale, with the money you saved you can buy more beads!
Sharon (Wannabe Beader)
Some where in Texas.

I liked this book, although I think I liked the secondary story of Taylor's sister Eve and baseball player Sloan better than the main story. This author has done this before and I wish each story had their own book. I would have loved a separate book of Eve and Sloan's story. As usual this author has great dialogue and the book just zips along and before you know it you've read the whole thing. Also, I prefer it when the hero/heroine have never met and meet for the first time in the book. In this book the heroine left the hero at the altar. It still works but I think these type of books lose something when the 2 people already have a past. I love that moment in a book when the couple first meet. All in all this was a good read and I look forward to more books by Kate Angell. Love those baseball players!!

This is my first book by Ms. Angell. It was a fun, breezy bit of fluff. And if you take it at that - it's wonderful. It's a great book when you don't want anything too deep.

However, the reasons for only 3 stars are: it was totally predicatable (as are all romaces, I suppose, but this really had no surprises.) Some of the baseball stuff was silly (5 Cy Youngs and I forget how many golden gloves for Brek -come on!) And, last but not least, the cutesy names. Sorry, but this drives me nuts. A pitcher named Stryker???

To keep with the baseball theme, this story is a homerun (as are Squeeze Play and Curveball). The character are fun and there interactions will make you laugh out loud.

Brek Stryker is having the year of his life. He is in position to break all of his father's pitching records, and he is engaged to marry the mayor of the town. Not only is he engaged, but his fiancée is nothing like his last one (Taylor) and he thinks that this is just what he needs.

Taylor is stunned when her sister Eve lets her know Brek is getting married. She has always thought she would be able to talk with him about why she left him at the alter all those years ago. Now she might not get the chance. So she actually bangs up her knee while skiing and comes back to Richmond to make amends. The problem is that instead of making amends, she ends up making things worse. She realizes she is still in love with Brek who wants nothing to do with her. Additionally, Brek's relief pitcher (Sloan) seems to be hitting on her when he really is attracted to her sister Eve. Will Sloan and Eve get together? Or will he live up to his love`em and leave`em reputation.

Suddenly things don't seem to be as good in Brek's life as in the past. He is still drawn to Taylor, his fiancée is trying to keep a distance that he doesn't like, and there is a rumor that his batting nemesis might be traded to his team. When Taylor ends up in the hospital from her knee injury, he decides that he will be the friend she needs to get better. Will the rest of his life straighten out? Will they acknowledge the flames that are still between them?

Taylor and Brek were the main characters of Strike Zone, but I almost liked the secondary story between Eve and Sloan better. But then again, that is like choosing between chocolate and oh, chocolate, as all four characters are written so well that it was easy to become involved in their lives. Strike Zone is the latest in the Boys of Summer series and Ms. Angell just might convert me to baseball after all. I enjoy reading about the lives and times of characters we have met in the past and their interactions with the new ones. I also want to point out that you do not need to read the series in order, though if you start with Strike Zone, you will find yourself hunting for the others. I have to say that if there is any complaint I have with Strike Zone, it is that I will have to wait another year to read the next in the series. It is with great pleasure that I am Joyfully Recommending Strike Zone.

Tanya
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Strike Zone by Kate Angell is another winner in her Richmond Rogues series.

Thrill seeker Taylor Hannah has come back to Richmond after finding out that her ex-fiancé Rogues star pitcher Brek Stryker is engaged to another woman. Three years ago Taylor left Brek standing at the altar and she has not stopped thinking about how she has wronged him ever since. Taylor had just gone through a major tragedy right before the I do's and she ran away instead of facing it head on. She has come back to Richmond to find some closure with Brek. What she found was that this man still is in her system.

Brek Stryker can not believe his eyes, Taylor Hannah is back in town. She tore his heart out and ripped it to shreds when she left him. Now she is home and messing with the quiet orderly life he has strived to maintain. The woman he is set to marry is quiet, unassuming just what he needs after adventurous Taylor. But in his heart of hearts he knows that Taylor is really the woman who owns him body and soul.

Brek and Taylor come to an understanding about co-existing in Richmond. Even though they are still attracted to each other they ignore it. Then Brek finds out the truth about the woman he was supposed to marry and once he is a free man all bets are off.

Brek and Taylor will worm their way into your heart. Everyone has been scared of life one time or another and these two have had their fair share of heartbreak. Their sexual banter and allure leaps off every encounter that they have. The secondary romance between Taylor's sister Eve and the relief pitcher Sloan is an extra special treat in this wonderful book.

I have immensely enjoyed every book in this series. This series is one every romance reader needs to get their hands on. I am waiting patiently for the next slugger to get his story.

This book is amazing. It gives great instructions for many fun games. The instructions are brief,but fun,and give enough information to make the games easy to implement. I have used the book twice for a group of kids, ranging in age from 9-14, and they have loved the activities! I've purchased a couple other similar books that were not nearly as fun and well-put-together as this one.

I bought this book to use to teach a drama class in my homeschool co-op, and I'm so pleased with the fun games and ideas for teaching basic drama concepts. The kids are loving all the games and I think that the games and exercises really spark their creativity.

I never take the time to write reviews for books but I had to for this one! EVERY activity is great--you don't have to search through picking and choosing. I know this will be an invaluable source for me in teaching drama to both elementary and high school students. Thanks to the author for such a great resource!

I purchased this book before I started teaching creative dramatics in Recreation deprtments teaching K-8. It was wonderful. I loved it. I would reccommend it to every teacher (theatre or not) it has wonderful classroom activities.

I love how all of the different skills are addressed in separate sections of the book. There are many, many games and tasks included in each so the variety never ends. I use this book as a warm up during the first couple of drama sessions and then as a filler when I think that the kids have had enough "serious" rehearsal time and need to let loose. Pair up this book with a play or set of plays and you are set to go with any group.

When I bought this book, I knew nothing about pedometers or their uses. This is a really good book. I highly recomend it. Well worth the money.

If you're wondering how to get the most out of using a pedometer, this book is for you. It's pretty basic so for someone like me that is already walking more than the average American but still not enough, I still was able to use it to structure a program for myself. It also gives equivalants for activities like swimming or bike riding. In my 4th week I'm seeing an improviment in my legs appearence and strength and I'm starting to lose wieght. It's become a way of life that I don't think I would have if not for the info in this book.

Pedometer Walking: Stepping Your Way to Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness is a great book to get if you want to get into better shape or lose weight by walking. It's also a great read to help you get the most out of your pedometer. Here's what you get.

The book has no chapters, but rather centers around a 6-week program. As you might have guessed, each section is a week. Weekly step logs are also included at the end of sections.

Week 1 is simply about putting on your pedometer and doing your normal activities for a week. The goal here is to find out just what your average number of steps a day is. From there you'll build on that number and the rest of the book shows you how. Included in this section is all the basics you need to know about pedometers, such as how they work, the proper way to wear it, etc. Most helpful!

Know now that your end-all goal of this 6-week program is to get you up to the 10,000 steps a day level. Many people have heard of the "10,000 stpes a day" campaign and it was extremely interesting to me that this number is actually based on research that has been going on since the mid 60's, mainly in Japan of all places. In a nutshell, people who walk 10,000 steps a day tend to have a normal weight compared to people who average about 6,000 steps a day or so. Now that's good info to know.

On to Week 2- the goal here is to increase your average daily steps (which you found out at the end of Week 1) by 20%. This is a nice small increase. This section is all about ways to increase your daily steps.

The Week 3 section is neat. After finding ways to increase your daily step number in the previous week, this week's goal is to practice building some of those modest increases into permanent additions- and to make your newer steps into habits.

Week 4. By now you've managed to increase your steps and may be hitting a plateau when it comes to finding new ways to increase them even further. Enter the goal of week 4- ways to add walks to your week. By using the tips and suggestions in this section, most readers will no doubt be able to find clever ways of adding short walks here and there to further boost their daily step numbers. A few pictures of helpful stretches are also included.

The Week 5 section covers an important way to boost steps- increase the speed at which you take steps. Here you learn the proper, safe way.

And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is the Week 6 section. Why? Because it covers STICKING with the program. As the book says, more than half the people who start a new fitness program drop out within 6 months. So, the emphasis here is ideas and tips to make pedometer walking a part of your life.

The book ends with a frequently asked questions section and a nice resource section (i.e. hiking info, race walking info...).

I have to say that this is a really enjoyable book to read with good research interspersed within each section. With the book, a pedometer, and a little motivation, I think most every reader will have a lot of fun reaching a new level of fitness. Avid walkers that have plantar fasciitis may also be interested in The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution.

This is a good book to get enthusiastic about walking to stay fit and lose weight. However it must be said that the book does stretch out the "limited" content quite a bit. I read this in one evening and was motivated to replace the pedometer that I had purchased and to get walking each and everyday. I will have to see if the 10'000+ steps a day have any long lasting weight loss effects...

My first thought when I saw this book was, " what a stupid book -who needs a book about how to operate a pedometer." My curiosity about what the book might entail made me open the first few pages and read a bit. I was pleasantly surprised by the words on the page. This is definitely a good book for people who are at or below the basic level of fitness and want to get started doing something to improve their health.
There is really nothing simpler than putting on a pedometer and letting it count your steps, and the book doesn't explain pedometers as much as the concept of walking your way to fitness with the aid of a pedometer. There is a nice list of resources at the back of the book, as well as some suggestions about what pedometer to purchase. There are a few more than 6 chapters but, basically, this is a 6-week program that is designed to increase your steps per day up to 10,000. The author shows you creative ways to achieve your step goal (although not all of them are practical, especially if you live in a large, sprawling city or an inner city neighborhood with limited walking spaces). Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it easy to read and very informative. The book is primarily for beginners/those not interested in high-impact activities and will get you interested enough to try and walk your way to health.

I really like this book. It is full of good stuff and the training is mapped out for fitness levels so well. This book proves that training for a triathlon doesn't require endless hours of strenous exercise or months of prep.

This book was more like a motivational speech rather than a how-to for training for a first triathlon. There are some helpful tips, such as a very general outline for weekly workouts, equipment you need to bring to the event, and an introduction to some triathlon training terminology. Other than that, it was mostly motivational fluff. A nice light read, this book is good for someone contemplating signing up for a race. However, if you've already signed up for, or completed, your first race, you're already beyond this book. I would look elsewhere to actually prepare for competition.

I used this for my first tri. Harr used a unique approach and asked about 40 questions to categorize your time availability and your current level of fitness. Then he had a program designed specifically to increase your stamina in each discipline. This book was great for learning the basics and understanding about building a 'base' and strengthening yourself. It was helpful for eating habits but should be supplemented with another source. It was recommended to me and I recommend it to my friends.

If you've recently started getting into triathlon then this is the book for you. It is simple, concise, and does an excellent job of bringing beginning triathlon into reach for the everyday joe.
It is broad enough in its content to cover most topics the amateur triathlete needs to know, yet specific in a number of training models to help you select the right program for your body and skill level. Great recommendation here.

unfortunately, the magical transformation of the author into a competitive athlete is a unique event, not one that readers will replicate easily (or ever!), especially following the plans inside.

the author ignores the base building necessary to race the events. athletes need to train their musculoskeletal structure to take the abuse of workouts as much as they need to get their hearts up to speed. this is best done slowly and incrementally. i think if you have been a regular athlete for at least a year before using the plan in this book, you may be fine.

if you are beginning in any of the three sports, i'd advise another book to show the real process of developing the appropriate base needed to compete without injury. Look up the titles by Joe Friel for more complete information on how to structure a training plan.