Sports Books

Interesting that there's such diverse opinion on this book. I'm in the camp that was disappointed and frustrated. Surely it's a well-intentioned project, and there's lots of information here, but it seems poorly processed - just thrown at the reader, almost as if the author is just showing off her anatomical knowledge. To me the writing is a bit dry and doesn't make the material real, doesn't really relate the knowledge to working with actual bodies. Too much unconnected fact and speculation, not enough energetic personality. I was also irritated that the discussion of the more ethereal, ancient concepts such as the bandhas are presented in the same breath as the medical information, and aren't explained in any depth. I'm on my second read because I'm waiting for new material that I've ordered from the States, but it's sometimes like working with a hostile witness, trying to glean the information that I need.

Susi did a great job of compiling key components of asana instruction and putting in an easily accessible, spiral bound book. She has a clear, succinct style which I find helpful for those who don't have time to sift through the ancient tomes. I have used it to develop my teaching programs.

I was glad that this book was technical enough to help the serious yoga teacher. The drawing made it easy for me to learn. The spiral binding made it easy to use while watching students or myself. The author is clearly incredibly knowledgeable. The pictures and the format made the book fun to look at for a visual learner.

This comprehensive text is dense with information. Although only a few pages, the book is chock full of insightful tips on yoga practice. Aldous uses a multi-sensory approach that I found practical and enlightening. I recommend it for the practioner who needs to feed the brain a bit more information while struggling with "impossible" postures. The manual has a spiral binding for easy use while practicing asanas.

Anatomy and Asana is quite an accomplishment. I took a university course on yoga, and recommended that this text be added to the required reading. Any serious student of yoga, and all instructors, should have this book as a resource. The information is clearly and concisely presented, with illustrations and brief meditative quotes throughout. I agree with the reader below that it complements Coulter's much larger book "The Anatomy of Hatha Yoga" well, and would add, that if you found his text daunting, start here. What makes "Anatomy and Asana" more accessible is that it was created to accompany a live workshop, and has more of a "workbook/presentation" feel. That said, it's amazing how much information is on these pages. You will refer to this yoga resource for years to come.

Joe wrote two really good books. YOur health and return to life. He espouses the greeks and athenians. A sane mind in a sound body, not too much and not too little and know thy self were all high points in his books. I highly recccomend this book.

Sinverely,

E.sill

Joseph Pilates was a genius. it is great that he is starting to get the recognition he deserves. It is great to know that there is a book in print with his photos of his original mat exercises.

This book is overpriced and of poor quality. The paper and printing are well below current standards even though it was published in 2000. I really wasted my money on this. I did find his ranting about society in general somewhat interesting. Seems people complained about the same things in 1934 that they do now: Society is in a mess and the media is mainly at fault for this. What is the cure for all these ills? The Pilates Method.

If you are looking to get started with Pilates excercises don't buy this book. You can buy two or three of the others for the same price.

This is the original Pilates (or Contrology) "manual". In succint (if not always fluid) text, Joseph Pilates outlines the intentions of the legendary exercise system he designed as well as how each exercise should be performed.

This is a simple, short manual. It's surprising that a system that has ended up being shrouded in so many mysteries and rules, particularly by those who are in his direct "lineage", started out relatively humbly. Many, many Pilates instructors will tell you that if you can't take a class in Pilates (and usually in an expensive studio), you're probably doing it wrong (and then maybe it's not worth doing). Also, many instructors have argued that most people aren't ready to do the matwork and that they should almost always begin with sessions on the equipment (again, under the watchful and expensive eye of an instructor). Pilates, however, writes that his system should help you "Return to Life" at a minimum of cost and time. The tone of his writing is inclusive- his system should be readily available to everyone. While he does insist that the instructions he sets out should be followed and that one shouldn't move on until all previous exercises are mastered, I'm not sure that the man who wrote this book in 1945 would approve of the elitist tone that some of his modern-day disciples have adopted.

It's interesting to note some of the exercises that are not included in the book. For example, the five-part Stomach Series is one of the most famous sequences in the modern Pilates matwork. Here, however, Pilates only includes the first two exercises (the One Leg Stretch and the Double Leg Stretch). Also, the matwork system is also well-known for the Side Kick Series. Here, Pilates only includes the Side Kick- none of the other now-common five, six, seven, etc. variations. Were these not included because they hadn't been invented yet or because they were deemed too difficult? Not sure, but he does include the more difficult variations for exercises like the Corkscrew.

The instructions for each exercise are simple and (for the most part) easy to understand. That said, it is easy to understand why many Pilates instructors could get overly wordy on some of the movements. Many of the exercises he demonstrates put a lot of pressure on the neck. I wouldn't necessarily advise that this be the only Pilates reference or manual someone uses to learn the movements.

In addition to the instructions for the Contrology matwork, Pilates also shares his thoughts on the importance of proper diet, sleep and relaxation. After reading this twice, I would say that his primary concern was a lack of good circulation. He explains that his system was designed to promote just that (and that's part of the reason almost none of the movements are done standing), and he even has suggestions for the proper way to clean the body such that the skin can breathe (answer: dry-brushing).

While some of Pilates writing style may be off-putting to modern readers, he comes across as a man who would like to make the world a better place, one body at a time. If perhaps a little too strident at times, his motivation seems both benevolent and sincere.

Pilates work differs little from Delsarte theory and its decomposition exercises. The writings of Joseph Pilates is stunningly similar to the late 19th and early 20th century works of such physical culture luminaries as Bess Mensendieck, Alice Bloch, Genevieve Stebbins, Professor Attila (the trainer of Sandow and Klein) the coursework of Henry Titus, and many more examples could be found in works by Charles MacMahon, Bernarr MacFadden, Charles Atlas and Tilney.

While it is good that this information is out there, readers should be aware that Pilates is not revolutionary in any way. Time and motion photographic studies of the human body date to the 1880's and Taylor's principles of optimal body movement were evident in early 20th century physical culture exercise training found all over the Western world.

We really like the book sitting on our coffee table so we can flip through it and dream of sailing in all the beautiful places. The only complaint we have is that the images are often poor, with very low resolution and some of the 50 locations don't even get an image, which is sort of ridiculous for a book like this. It's certainly not an expert guide, though it gives some great descriptions, tips, and stories of sailing, including quotes and tales from professional and competitive sailors. Overall, a fun coffee table book.

Other reviews more aptly describe the disappointing aspects of this book: dreadfully small quantity of photographs, not useful/practical information to travel to said location, etc.
That said, the book has made fair bedtime reading. Just do as I did, check it out from the library instead. It's worth reading, but not owning.

I am an avid sailer and dream of sailing around the world or being a crew member of an America's Cup team. I thought this book sounded facinating and ordered two (2) copies: one for myself and one for my brother, another water warrier.

I was disappointed in the lack of images. How can you talk about Hong Kong Harbor and not have an image? I assumed this was a coffee-table book which I think with added imagery would make it all the more enjoyable. Reading the passages was informative, but you had to read the bio of the author fist to understand why the place they chose was important to them.

Am finding it slow to get through - and disappointing.

what a wonderful book to get started!!! my husband has read it front to cover and has learned many important points.

We cruise extensively in Australia and on the Med. We bought the book hoping that it would introduce us to new, exciting sailing grounds. Sadly, the book largely fails to do so.
To start with, it lists the locations in alphabetical order: California, China, Chile, Colorado etc instead of geographical grouping. The individiual sections are crammed with general information to fill the pages. Twenty percent of each section is typically dedicated to the writer's CV! Very little information is specific to sailing conditions.
For example the Antarctica section doesn't say a word about the special cruising challenges. The Fremantle/Australia section describes how the US won the America's Cup here - but not a word about the magic beaches and crystal clear waters.

A your-not-so-typical teenage girl named DJ, tends to her family's farm while her dad is recovering from a hip injury. All is well- well, as well as it used to be anyways- until a QB , Brian Nelson, of a rival high school is sent to help DJ out with the farm. What DJ wasn't expecting from this particular jock was to start encouraging her to talk; about her dreams, her flunking in English class and her strikingly odd family.

I somewhat knew that this book would be good, because I've read encouraging reviews before purchasing it. What struck me the most about this particular books was its authenticity. I wouldn't wonder at it if I learned that DJ was somewhere in Wisconsin painting the barn with Brian Nelson. That's how real the characters were. I also loved the writing style, DJ has flunked English, and that fact is strongly established in "her" writing style. A refreshing read, as refreshing as a glass of cold fresh milk.

I found this book to be a quick and easy read as well as enjoyable. D.J. is a likable girl who deals with her troubles in a very honest way. She comes across as "what you see is what you get" and seems to be comfortable with herself. And you really appreciate her sense of humor. I really enjoyed the message regarding character.

I seem to be working my way through the YA section of the bookstore of late and this one stood apart from the pack. I started page one and didn't look around me until I'd finished. Then, missing the book, I picked it back up and started reading it again. I loved it. I am here to poke around in the hopes she's written more books.

This book series is my new obsession. Picking up Dairy Queen at the library on a passing recommendation, I began the first chapter right before bed. After literally howling with laughter, I had to sneak out to the other room to finish (so I wouldn't bother my husband), and ended up staying up until 2:00 am. Then, I spent most of the rest of the night thinking about it. The next morning, I woke up exhausted, but managed to read it again. Since then, I've read it two more times. WHY? WHY? WHY? What is the power this book has on me?

I adore D.J. even though she is nothing like me. Her situation is so compelling. All the crazy things that happen to her, all the hardships, all the life-learning...her voice makes going through them with her incredibly moving and satisfying, not to mention she's hilarious.

This is a beautiful story written with a very skilled hand. I recommend it to everyone as an entertaining and quality book.

I loooooved this modern day tale of a not so obviouse couple falling in love!! I've suggested this charming book to all of my friends and at the moment is being borrowed by one of them and a few others are on hold waiting for it! If you read this then you MUST read the sequal "The Off Season"!!!

Being a Vikings fan is a painful existence. This book is very well done and captures the highs and lows, from the team's beginning all the way through Adrian Peterson. Tons of great photos never before seen, Reusse writes that many of them were discovered in yellowed envelopes the old drawers of the Minnesota newspapers. It's all there... Joe Kapp, Purple People Eaters, Fran, Bud, Les, Burnsie, The Sheriff, Randy, Cris, A.C., Matt Blair, Drew Pearson-- WHAT?!!! DREW PEARSON!!!!!!!!! In the words of Nancy Kerrigan, "WHYYYYYYYYYYYY????!!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! Great book. A must of all of us who bleed purple and have put the time in. Every Viking fan needs one of these. Super.

After reading this book I was surprised to learn about many details I did not previously know about Pistol in both the early years as well as the later years. I did not know the depth of his convictions once he found the meaning in his life and his true calling. I really felt like I was able to truly understand Pistols struggles and ultimate triumphs. A very truthful yet uplifting and hopeful account of a great athlete and a great man.

Having known the Maravich family all of my life;from my perspective so much is missing. Glossing over Press and Helen, doesn't make sense. Helen was a wonderful and kind person. Both she and Press were raised through difficult circumstances. I guess that wasn't important to Pete's biography. I've read the other books, and I didn't care for this one at all. I wish the authors could have understood Basketball, then maybe they could have got to understanding Pete. When Jackie was interviewed on ESPN, she said she was always asked, "What's it like to be married to Pistol Pete?" And she said, " I don't know I married Pete Maravich. I wish that could have come through in this book. Pete was mortal and Jackie knew it too well.

OK, I read the hard-cover version of this book (Maravich) a couple years back and found it - far and away - the most comprehensive and informative book ever written on the Pistol (and I've read them all).

This is basically the paperback version of that book but with an added forward by James Dobson. Yes, THAT James Dobson. He was with Pete the day he died. (Focus on the Family published this version - which doesn't bother me but I won't be lending it to my sister.)

What sets Pete Maravich: The Authorized Biography of Pistol Pete apart is the astonishing detail of every aspect of Pete's life (Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, LSU, the NBA, Christianity, and his legacy). For example - there's an entire chapter on Pete's year at prep-school (Southwood College) and another on his failed attempt to make the 1968 Olympic basketball team.

It was written with the full co-operation of the Maravich family and it shows. The private letters from Pete to his wife and boys are beautiful and heart-breaking.

My only complaint is that Ronnie Maravich is referred to as Pete's "step" brother when, in fact, he was Pete's "half" brother.

This is the book (along with the CBS documentary) that future historians will resource when chronicling his life. ESPN called it "The definitive biography of Pistol Pete Maravich." The NY Times called it the "essential biography of Pete Maravich."

It's that and so much more.

This book tries to cover most aspects of defensive or tactical shooting. It is NOT about surgical accuracy. In fact, I have not found any book that is about achieving accurate shooting technique, besides the US Army Pistol Marksmanship Training Guide which you can find for free online, and which is better than this book. On the topic of defensive shooting etc, Gabe Suarez's books are probably the best bet for you.

Pros:
- well illustrated
- concise and to the point
- latest techniques and most current thinking explained; up-to-date

Cons:
- chapter on trigger control is shortest in the book, even though author says this is the biggest accuracy problem for most shooters
- too much space (more than for grip and trigger control) devoted to basics like loading, reloading, malfunctions, drawing, holstering, etc issues unrelated to accuracy in shooting

Overall, not a bad book, but I feel Gabe Suarez and Massad Ayoob are better authors on this topic.

A little dissappointed that this book lacked examples of good practice drills. Would be a fine book for someone new to defensive handgunning.

A well thought out and written book, with plenty of illustrations to allow the reader to visulize what the author is talking about.The system presented is realistic as to what to expect in true self defense use of the handgun. If you are going to carry with a CCW permit or keep a handgun in the home for protection, the information in this book is essential.

I cruised through this book when I was already a decent shooter. There wasn't much there for me that I didn't already know. It's informative for a novice or marksman level shooter. If you want a book about the principles and mechanics as well as the mental aspect I would suggest Brian Enos' Practical Shooting. I got more from that book than any other. Even better yet. Find a shooting instructor such as Stanford to learn by doing. Enos will raise your game by getting you to better interpret what you are "seeing" that you may not be conscious of.

I have been on a kick for the last several months. I read books about guns, about ammo, and mostly, about tactics. Reading all of Massad Ayoob's books was a great experience and I wish he had more. Eventually, I had to explore other authors. This is when I found Andy Stanford. His style is great. No bull; to the point writing makes this subject very enjoyable and easy to read. He takes you through the basics, but also explores more in depth tactical information. This is a must-read for anyone who is integrating into their life self protection for their family.

I am trying to show this book to my son who is two years old. He gradually learnt to do the pose of the butterfly and the dog.

My 2 year old son loves this book. I am a yoga practitioner, so I thought it would be fun to get him this book. He loves it, and asks to "do Oga" as he calls it, and we do the poses together. He really likes it alot. It is a simple and fun book appropriate as an introduction to yoga for toddlers.

I got this book for my 2 year old boy and he loves the postures and has fun mentioning the names whilst doing them. It is a great introduction to yoga for young kids. No stories, no explanations that they don't understand, just the posture with a name of an animal and lots of color.

My daughter has had this book since she was 20 months old, and she is now almost 36 months. She still enjoys "making animals" and I anticipate she'll continue to enjoy it. One of the features of this book that I like is that there is an illustration of a child in the pose on one page and an illustration of the animal being mimicked on the facing page. There's also photos of real children doing the poses at the end. We enjoy the Sleepy Little Yoga book as well.

My daughter (14 months) really loves this book. I didn't know if she would and honestly purchased it because I practice, but she thoroughly enjoys the illustrations and the pictures of the toddlers in the poses. I am going to purchase for friends who have little ones.

This book helped move me from and 11 handicap to a 7 virtually overnight.As a bookstore owner I am privy to any golf book I desire.This one ranks right up there with Hogan's famous 5 LESSONS... in the impact it had on my golf game

I stopped trying to do things "perfectly' and instantly loosened up and began to listen to what my own body was telling me.No more tieng my self up into a Leadbetter pretzel

This book is a must for both the beginner and the serious golfer.Bravo!

Bob Klein,co-owner-Book Revue)

This book is for you. I belong to the former group and I suspect many golfers are in the latter. After reading the book it became clear to me once and for all which swing elements are non-negotiable, and which ones I can live with and work around, the negotiable. I heeded the author's advice and went through the whole book instead of skipping around and that vastly improved my understanding of the swing. The best thing about the lessons in the book, they work!

Most of my comments have been said elsewhere, but as the dubious owner of dozens of golf instruction books (including the excellent Pelz putting and short games tomes) I can say that this book is in the top tier. The ball flight description alone is worth the price of admission. If, over the course of your golfing life, you buy five instructional books - this should make your list.

I have been playing golf for six years and have taken numerous lessons. Additionally, I have read countless instructional articles in Golf Digest and have had limited success. It always seemed like every time I tried a new move to "correct" my swing, I would improve for a few days and then fall back to my old habits and get very frustrated.

I purchased Joe's book, "The Negotiable Golf Swing" from Amazon about two months ago and read the book from cover to cover, rather than just glancing over the areas I thought would help my golf swing. I am glad that I read the entire book before I decided to try some of his drills and exercises.

After reading the book, I now understand why the golf ball slices, hooks, pulls and pushes. So when I am practicing on the range, I can now take the necessary steps to correct my ball flight, instead of just hitting ball after ball and hoping to correct my problem.

I suffer like most golfers do, with the over the top move, and hitting the ball from outside to in. Joe's simple explanation of how to correct the over the top move has helped me immensely. I am now able to hit the ball from the inside and I am using less effort then before and I am hitting the ball solid.

The book is very well illustrated which has really helped me understand how to correct my swing path and to have me swing from the inside to out instead of outside to in. Once I corrected my swing path, I was able to hit the ball straight and also gain some distance. The illustration and explanation on page 129 is my favorite, it shows you that "from a player's prospective, it appears that it would be impossible to hit a ball if the angles are maintained this late in the downswing. This lag creates clubhead speed and power." This illustration and explanation has helped me convince myself to trust his advice and to maintain the angles and lag.

I would recommend this book to golfers who have become frustrated with their golf swing and have considered quitting the game. Read the book from start to finish and do not jump from chapter to chapter. Also, have an open mind and try his drills and exercises on the range for a month or two. It will be well worth the time and effort you put in at the range, before you try it out on the course.

Thanks Joe for making golf fun again.

The Negotiable Swing is, by far, the most straight-forward and informative golf instruction book I've read to date. The concept of "negotiable" vs. "this way is the only way" is long over due, particularly because one size does NOT fit all. The illustrations are top notch. For any golfer (even a lefty like me)who wants to think out of the box, this book is for you. It has been said that "tradition is the enemy of progress." The Negotiable Swing is certainly a break with tradition...in a very positive way.

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow, and it helped me to control my stress!!

This is my first book on Tai Chi and thus far I am loving it! The illustrations are wonderful as are the descriptions of the moves. It's very easy to understand and so much fun to do. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to start Tai Chi.

I got this book for my boyfriend and he loves it. He uses it all the time. It is easy to read and understand.

This is such and easy book to follow for Tai Chi, excellent illustrations.
Very well done.

Before purchasing this book I had attended one university gym tai chi class and taken some martial arts classes. Needless to say I was not a tai chi master by any stretch of the imagination. The book was very useful to me though. It got me into doing a daily tai chi exercise which I have been doing for about 6 months now. Tai Chi is very low impact and quite relaxing so it is easy to if you have some free time during your day. The book uses written directions and large picture illustrations to guide you through the moves of tai chi. The pictures are large and easy to understand, while the descriptions are thorough but not over bearing. The book is broken down into 5 phases so do not worry about being attacked with a ton very hard or stressful moves right at the beginning. There is a beginning phase that has the user go through the building blocks of tai chi. These building blocks will later be used to complete full forms or extended combined moves. The second phase is still a building phase but the moves are more intensive and require a little bit more effort. They aare meant to improve the strength and ability to make the correct motions. The third phase is even more aggresive moves meant to strengthen the balance and the movement of the reader. The 4 phase is kind of an offshoot that focuses on working with a partner. I have not personally tried this yet but im sure it is very helpful. The final phase is a form in which you use all previous stages to complete. This book has been very helpful to me to get into tai chi. I feel like i release a lot of stress and am doing something productive whenever I go through my movements.