Sports Books

Entertaining read. His story is quite remarkable. You don't come across someone who has his life experiences very often. I would recommend this book very highly.

From the first pages, I just could not put this book down. The suspense in dealing with people who could turn on you any moment was thrilling. It is obvious that Bob Delaney is one of our true heroes in the fight against crime.
I highly recommend this book to those who like true real life thrillers.
Tim Berg.

This book stinks! Just another cop glorifying himself. Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob

This book is a must for anybody who enjoys Mafia stories, but inside is so much more.

Bob Delaney has a story to tell that few people can truly appreciate, let alone relate to. The detail in the tale of his undercover life is amazing, and Dave Scheiber brings the Jersey waterfront to life in front of you. We all know what today's high-tech world is like, where you can bug a man's house from top to bottom without the slightest clue, but imagine what it was like back in the 70s, when state of the art devices were still pretty sizeable tape recorders. Bob Delaney was undercover, surrounded by the Mafia, wearing wires and carrying tape recording devices that weren't exactly nano-technology.

Hearing his depiction of the events and his life before and after the experience is an incredible privilege, and I urge anybody to read this book.

Good journalism is nothing more than the art of telling a story. Bob Delaney had a one in a million story to tell, and Dave Scheiber told it to perfection.

Great book by an author who has lived a diversified life, from under cover state trooper to NBA referee. Bob Delaney is a special guy who exposes the mob for the exploitative, amoral group of criminals they are.

Delaney tells a serious story with humor and a style that keeps the reader turning pages. I recommend this book to everyone interested in criminal justice or just a good nonfiction read.

In his truly inimitable and engaging style, Thomas presents us with an introduction and then a summary of twenty two of Japans greatest samurai, there thoughts, philosophies and life stories.

Covering a period of samurai from 1349 to 1865, we get right into the mind, spirit and true nature of what it was like to live their dangerous lives and how they ingeniously schemed to work out ways to survive and win battles with their enemies. There was rarely any quarter given in these harsh and brutal times.

It wasn't all bravery, wit and courage. These Japanese "knights" had to work out life saving strategies and tactics that would always win the day. If they survived the battle that they had lost, then they would probably have to up their lives to their lord and do the honourable thing by committing suicide to save face.

Beautifully & interestingly written by an expert in his field, you would expect nothing less from Thomas.

With over 600 years of experience all in one book, this has to be one of the best reference books for those seeking to understand what "The Way of the Warrior" is all about.

Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook is a great book. the book is easy to read with short chapters and informative passages written by masters and translated by Thomas Cleary. This book gives a great insight on the history, mindset, and growth of the Samurai culture. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the philosophy and history of the Samurai.

This book is a treasure trove of lessons learned through training and combat from a professional career warrior. This book coves the basics giving the reader the why and how to every tactic, technique and procedure. One of the things that make Special Operations Forces so good at what they do is that they have mastered the "basics" in all they do. This philosophy carries over into this work and rightly so! Yes there is more then the "basics" in this book, but this forms a solid foundation to build on and this book does just that. It pounds the fundamentals into you and gives you the philosophy and methods to masters these skills. If you operate an AR15/M4 series weapon system as soldier, cop or prepared citizen then this is the book for you. I also highly recommend Tiger McKee's "The Book of Two Guns" and Jeff Gonzales's book "Combative Fundamentals."

It's important to realize that Kyle's book is a tribute to the operators that first nurtured him in his early years, several of who very sadly lost their lives in Mogadishu. Kyle lived the book's content for over 20 years. He developed many of the techniques on his own and refined many others, and not necessarily from simple flat range static shooting or competition matches but rather while the distinctive crack of the enemies' round s passed by his head - when needed feedback was immediate. And, as Frogman said in his review, Kyle incorporated the knowledge and experience of his fellow operators learned throughout those two decades and practiced successfully in some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Even so, in a world class organization that prioritizes accurate rifle and pistol shooting above all else - and like no one else - Kyle truly has few peers. Even those of us who have had the honor of Kyle's presence and experiencing his warrior psyche first hand reference this book constantly, as do the very busy current operators that still go to work in the war on terror daily. If you carry a carbine at work or play, you need to have this book in your carry-on luggage. Hopefully, Kyle will follow this blockbuster with a sequel on the combat pistol.

Very good reading for the experienced shooter. Cover every aspect of the use of the rifle (or carbine, shotgun, submachinegun) but although for advanced level, a beginner can take good use of the book.

This book is a definite must have for the professional Soldier. It contains some outstanding information and knowledge gained usually from experience. A very well put together book on the M4, its accessories, and use.

Green Eyes and Black Rifles Warriors Guide to the Combat Carbine
By Kyle E. Lamb


The title of the book, Green Eyes and Black Rifles Warriors Guide to the Combat Carbine give s a great indication what this book is about. I was deployed in Iraq and armed with a 9mm pistol and was intrigued by soldiers carrying the M-4 carbine. I had the chance to fire a few times. I was impressed with all the new electronic sighting equipment on it and attachments. . I did not know what an ACOG (advanced combat optical gun sight), was or why it had the handle attached from the barrel. When I fired the M-4 it was easy putting steel on target. The M-4 is a lot easier to accurately shoot than the M-16A1. Today, M-4 has as much in common with the M-16 as the Humvee used in Desert Storm compared to today's armored Humvee used in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Reading the book, I realize I know next to nothing about tactical shooting, or maintaining the M-4 weapon system properly. The book is only 214 pages in length but it well written worth reading. This book was born in combat to help soldiers survive in combat.

SGM Kyle Lamb really hits his mark when he shows the different scenarios and positions a soldier might have to take to engage the enemy. I did not realize how important a magazine for your weapon system and how to check for wear and serviceability. Lamb writes one of the biggest causes of jams is the magazine. He numbers and letters his magazines and checks them every time he fires. Lamb also reminds the reader that your life can depend on doing this
Lamb's book is very easy to read and understand. You will truly appreciate your M-4 carbine as a weapon system and fully learn how to use all the accessories that go with it. The reader will learn more about this weapon system than any army field manual. I highly recommend Green Eyes and Black Rifles Warriors Guide to the Combat Carbine by SGM Kyle E. Lamb

I have one regret I wished I was issued an M-4 carbine while in Iraq.

MAJ (ret) Eric Shuler NJARNG
OIF 2004-2005

Phil Gordon's 'Little Green Book' starts out very well. The concise chapters do a very good job of covering the basics of the game. In fact, I think the short, topical chapters are an asset throughout. In poker, the ability to analyze the situation is a strength. However, overanalyzing is a flaw. Phil's short chapter approach serves the information well.

I also found the end of the book to be valuable. The hand-charts and percentages outlined on pages 262-273 provide critical information in a quick and easy format.

However, I did not find much of the information in the middle to latter part of the book to be as useful. My problem rests primarily with the manner various situations are discussed. Phil spends quite a bit of time telling us how he varies his play against a particular opponent when he has a particular hand (i.e. 40% of the time I do this, 30% I do this, 20% I do this, and 10% I do this).

In a particular game/tournament, specific hand situations under the same table conditions just don't come up often enough to break it down to that degree of detail. You just have to play to the situation in front of you at that time. Another significant flaw in this approach is that your opponents are likely going through the same mental exercises against you.

As with all poker books, Phil emphasizes the importance of position, pot odds, and properly switching from aggressive to tight when dictated by the table. These are the absolute necessities to winning poker. I do think, however, too much emphasis is put on reading your opponent's betting patterns. I'm not talking about physical tells, only betting patterns.

Fact is, that a poker player with any amount of experience and skill is going to vary their betting pattern just as the rest of us do. Sometimes they will bet as expected, sometimes they won't. I'm looking for something a little more concrete on which to base my decision. The more important thing to read is the board and the possibilities it offers. I'm more concerned about what could beat me and the mathematical probability my opponent has that hand, not whether he bet like he had it or not.

Lessons and Teaching in No Limit TexasHold'em.

I have only been playing poker a year and have read a number of books relative to play. Phil's style of play is aggressive which for someone new to the game might prove intimidating to employ. I have slowly integrated aspects of his play into my game and indeed they are effective. But as Phil teaches you have to play the player and not the cards, being able to switch gears. I really liked the ease of reading, the mathematics of poker, and the charts at the end of the book. For those interested in improving their tournament play this book should prove helpful.

I picked this book up after looking at a bunch of the other ones out there. I've played for many years, but never really analyzed the game in detail. It seems to give good solid advice in short sections without all the fluff. The day I picked it up I read the first 4 chapters and came away with some solid impressions on how I should improve my game. That night I played in a local bar tournament and won it. My wife (who's won 2 herself) was very happy. This was the first time I've won a tournament and I have to admit the cards were definately coming up for me. People started kidding with me that I was a "bully" at the table. They were impressed with how my play had improved and how I had correctly bluffed them out of some major hands. I can't give Phil's book credit for the cards I got, but I was much more confident and solid with my play after reading the first part. I've since gotten more and more great tips from the book and really enjoy it.

The only thing I have to criticize is minor. I don't really care for the Sun Zu quotes in the book. I've seen those in everything from self help to computer programming books, and they are really becoming tired.

I highly recommend this book.

I'm not sure what this book has that isn't covered in books like: "The theory of Poker" or "Super System." In fact, it might just be better to read those two and Mike Caro's "Poker Tells." This is a how to book based on how Phil Gordon would play a certian hand in a certian situation. Its a good beginner's book but not quite as good as Sklansky's or Doyle Brunson's books. It's a fairly quick read and doesn't offer much that can't be acquired elsewhere.

This book contains very basic information which is not presented any better than the many authors who have written about these concepts before Phil Gordon wrote this book.
The "analysis" of the super unbelievable play of the online superstar Prahlad Friedman [who since this book was published proceeded to go broke in high stakes games and has since not been seen playing in them] is highly flawed.
In an effort to make his point, Phil greatly exagerates the percecntage of the time Prahlad had a big made hand such as a set for those times he made his trademark overbet. Maybe that is one of the reasons why really great online players [certainly not including Phil Gordon] subsequently figured out how to exploit Prahlad and soon had busted him for all his money.
The reason I only mention this section specifically is because it is the only part of the book that even resembles a concept that had not been previously written [and better, at that]
I am not a friend or relative of Phil Gordon. Find a real high stakes professional and ask them how long the waiting list would be if he sat in a 25-50 NL game online. There would be a waiting list of about 100 people. He's not a great player and his books are a waste of time and money.

Nick Hornby's warm autobiographical book deals with his life as a football fan from 1968 (when he was a teenager) until 1992, especifically as he supported his beloved Arsenal during that time. There's some good insights about football culture (for a true football fan, football is not really an entertainment, a concept that is probably hard to understand in the US, where sports are just a part of the entertainment business) as well as football tactics (there are few good passers in the sports, he says, as hard as this might be to believe to outsiders; Liam Brady, one of his favorite players, was that rare player, a great passer). Each of the chapters (so to call them) deals with a particular football match that he remembers during that period. And along football, he also makes comments on his relationships, be it with his family or with girlfriends. What Hornby tells is the story of traditional English football in its last throes, a time when hooliganism ruled, but when it also was a genuine, integral pastime of the English people. When the Premiere League was established (in 1992, the year this book ends), and the megamoney and the huge tv contracts came along, and some clubs (like, say, Arsenal) did not put in the field a single English player, it became more of a commercial business and less of a cultural phenomenon. And while I like football, it's hard not to come out from reading this book with the impression that being a football fan at the level Hornby was is not a colossal waste of time.

This is simply put, a great book. I have been a fan of football for a few years now and have to admit I am always interested to read or hear about people experiences. More importantly I was always interested in how people picked their team and the life of an English fan. This is a very well written version of how someone became a life long football fan. It will keep you laughing and show you exactly how important football and sports in general can be to people.

1 Warning: Do not buy this book simply because you enjoy Nick Hornby. This is a book about a football fan, not a novel. That being said if you enjoy football, or sports, and a good witty read, this book is for you!

I pretty much hate all forms of football. The fact that I read a book about football (to the British, that is: the rest of the world calls it soccer) from cover to cover, smirking, chuckling and at times laughing out loud, attests, once again, to the talent of Nick Hornby as a wordsmith. This book is witty and clever, incredibly insightful about obsession and definitely worth a read!

Great book. An excellent account of what it means to be a loyal fan or supporter.

A 2007 summer reading list mini review

If you are so passionate, it's scary about sports you must read this book. Many reviewers have said here and elsewhere that a rudimentary understanding of British Football is imperative to enjoying this book. Quite simply, they are wrong. All I knew about soccer in Britain, prior to reading this, was from watching Bend it like Beckham. However,I had no trouble following the book, as obsession translates for itself.

When Hornby tries to take partial credit for Arsenal's championship seasons simply because he attended their games I related. I still feel partially responsible for the White Sox winning the World Series in 2005. The previous 2 seasons the Sox had excellent records at home but were 0-8 when I attended. The sign that states welcome to the ballpark was modified adding except Dave Roller. But that did not stop me. I bought my first and only multi ticket plan and the White Sox went on their winning journey (musical pun intended).

I encourage obsessive fans of any sport to put the lessons of Fever Pitch in their arsenal (again pun intended) of sports literature.

Eliot Asinof played minor league baseball briefly, but his claim to fame is this riveting account of the 1919 World Series. The heavily favored Chicago White Sox lost the best of nine series to the Cincinnati Reds in eight games. In the following season, the White Sox were engaged in another pennant race when a newspaper expose revealed that several key players had conspired with professional gamblers to throw the World Series (less well known is the fact that a few of the same Chicago players were also implicated in throwing regular season games during the 1920 American League title race).

Asinof did not have the benefit of computerized statistical data bases that are an aid to contemporary baseball historians and researchers, so there are a few mistakes and omissions in the book, but it is nonetheless an important book that remains relevant to this very day.

Film director John Sayles adapted Asinof's book and made the story into a engrossing motion picture that took great care to get the historical details correct, but the screenplay had to compress the material to accommodate the requirements of a conventional movie running time. I suggest you read the book before seeing the movie.

That eight members of the heavily-favored Chicago White Sox baseball team conspired with gamblers to throw the World Series in 1919 to the underdog Cincinnati Reds was somewhat in dispute -- until about 1920. After a sensational trial that year and several other investigations the general outline of "the fix" became well known, though Mr. Asinof apparently wasn't satisfied. This baseball-loving author was himself born in 1919 and obsessed enough to gather every detail -- and there's *lots* of detail here -- one would ever want to know about the scandal culled from sources still around in the early 1960s. `Eight Men Out' is the noble 1963 result, which addresses every possible *how* one could ever want about this fascinating bit of history. Too bad it suffers badly when it comes to *why*.

Simply put, Asinof doesn't tell much of a *story* -- at least in the sense of identifying the various character's motives, the fundamental conflicts, and of course how these are finally resolved. We get a smattering of the main character's backgrounds (including a great nugget of the famous gambler Arnold Rothstein pulling a knife on his adorable brother when they were children because the latter got more attention) and are informed, of course, of Sox owner Charles Comiskey's famous stinginess with player salaries but teasing out the motivation for and ultimate consequences of the fix is left largely in the reader's hands. While I can't find much fault with readers drawing their own conclusions -- and especially from a journalistic account this detailed -- `Eight Men Out' unfortunately doesn't quite stay "objective." Perhaps aware that a dry retelling of facts (many of them legal and arcane) makes for a stiff tale, Asinof drops several *hints* to keep his plot moving (e.g., sports gambling was fairly prevalent at the time, many players openly cavorted with gamblers, baseball itself had little to no policing of its players actions) and even makes a few clumsy attempts to recreate obviously apocryphal conversations. (One between Sox manager Kid Gleason and gambling shill Abe Atell is especially painful.)

This compendium of detail punctuated with a little narrative color gets the job done: I now know the undiluted who, what, where, when and how of this famous account. But given its renown and continuing resonance through the sports world I was frankly expecting much more. What were the *real* reasons the players got involved -- especially since at least one of them (third baseman Buck Weaver) clearly didn't "play soft" during the Series and several received no money at all? Was the baseball establishment justified in appointing a take-no-prisoners commissioner (ex-Federal judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis) who subsequently banned -- for life -- all the involved players from the major leagues? Did baseball itself -- with its cheapskate owners, publicity-seeking officials, and infamous "reserve clause" that created near-servitude conditions -- contribute to conditions that tempted the players?

Clearly interesting questions to ponder but Asinof doesn't even frame them terribly well, much less ask or answer them directly. As he admits in his introduction, the author had a difficult time getting the involved parties to talk about the scandal -- even several decades later. Strangely, even after a mountain of fact-gathering, he seems equally reticent to directly question this most damaging episode in American professional sports. I finished his book informed of everything and persuaded of nothing. No terrible thing, really -- but to fill out the story I'd strongly recommend John Sayles' excellent 1988 film of the same name.

Originally published in 1963, rereleased in 1987 to coincide with the "Major Motion Picture" trumpeted on the cover.

The story of the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal, when eight members of the Chicago Sox team of another stripe conspired to throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, a heavy on-paper underdog. The eight Sox were charged, tried, and acquitted, but immediately banned from organized baseball for life by new baseball commissioner Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, hired specifically for this purpose.

This story is an American tragedy; the reader is drawn to the likable yet gullible baseball players being played for fools by the gambling interests and baseball owners, both with the wherewithal and organization to act to protect their interests and sacrifice the baseball players in a sordid morality tale.

The movie is a faithful recreation of the book, taking very few liberties with the historical account.

"Eight Men Out" was first published in 1963 but may still be considered the definitive account of the 1919 Black Sox scandal which is often brought up in today's media as a reference to the current black spot on baseball ("steroids is the biggest scandal since 1919..."). The Chicago White Sox's loss in the 1919 World Series caused by eight (well, one of the 8--Buck Weaver--actually played to win) players who agreed to throw the series as part of a gambling conspiracy was very complex with many names involved. The strongest part about Asinof's book is how clearly he explains the workings of the series fix. The official trial documents were lost and most of the survivors of that time who were in anyway close to the fix refused to cooperate with the author.

Asinof had to rely in large part on newspaper articles either contemporary or later accounts that revealed hitherto unknown facts about the case. Despite such limitations, Asinof clearly reveals the workings of the gambling world, the motivations of the players involved in the conspiracy, the suspicions of the newspapermen who covered the series, and the response of the higher ups like Charles Comiskey and AL President Byron Johnson in dealing with the scandal. Conjectures were made in the process, but Asinof includes relevant background information on the characters involved to give validity to his interpretations.

The planning of the conspiracy (probably the most difficult part of the story to tell) and the games themselves are the most comprehensive and intriguing parts of the book. The trial and the aftermath were also well-written and thorough covering the fates of almost every character involved. I saw a sports memorabilia catalogue that offered a letter signed by Commissioner Landis to Joe Jackson dated April 6, 1922 which stated "In view of the crime in connection with the World's Series of 1919, of course the money about which you inquire cannot be paid to you" (the minimum bid was $5,000--half of what Cicotte received for his part in the conspiracy). This book definitely gave me a better understanding of what that 1919 scandal that ruined the careers of Jackson and seven of his teammates was about. If one is really interested in this subject, I would recommend also looking at other more recently published books to see if there has been more information unearthed since "Eight Men Out."

I saw the movie, but the book explains in more detail the tragedy of the 1919 World Series White Sox (or Black Sox). This book details that the gamblers such as the Little Champ were the real villians in this fiasco. Commisky was also a cheap skate who payed his talented players peanuts and then expected them to win pennants. The victims were the ball players who all expected were rich (they were not) and got duped by a bunch of fast talking gamblers. Shoeless Joe Jackson comes across as a decent man trying to make a go of it in life. These talented people were out matched by more brilliant eastern money men.

This is a great read about the All American pastime. I came away with true respect for the ball players, although not the baseball clubs. This is a tragic story of eight talented players being out hustled by gamblers.

On my 2008 thru-hike attempt of the Trail (I had to go home because of my knees) I bought both the Data Book and the Thru-Hikers' Companion. I wound up taking the Companion with me and leaving the Data Book at home. There wasn't much of anything in the Data Book that wasn't in the Companion, and the latter had much more detailed and useful information.

When I do it again I'll take the Companion along with the extremely detailed section guidebooks for each section, which would have helped me out in a few circumstances this time around.

My daughter started hiking the Appalachian Trail on 3/16/08 and as a mother I was extremely worried about her hiking 2175 miles with just her dogs. But with this book, I realize what an amazing journey it will be for her. She has made an amazing number of friends along the way. I feel more secure in knowing that there are well-spaced shelters along the entire trail and help readily available if necessary.

I've been collecting these books since I hiked the trail in 2000, and this edition is every bit as useful as the others. It's small and lightweight, which means you should carry it with you the whole way. When I went thru, I only carried the pages I needed ripped out of the book to save a little weight - and now I regret that I did. You should carry the whole book, mark your mileage in the margins and whitespace, where you meet people, etc. It'll be a great memento after you're done.

The one suggestion I would have to the designers is to leave a little more margin room for writing.

The picture on the cover of this 30th edition is also one of the best in recent years. It's a picture of Whitetop Mountain in Virgina - covered in snow.

Good luck to anyone going thru this year!

-Bullfrog GA-ME 2000

The Appalachian Trail Data Book, updated annually, has proven time and time again to be the indispensable Guidebook for those contemplating spending any length of time hiking on the A.T. Among thru-hikers, (those attempting to hike the entire Trail in one continuous journey) the book's usage approaches 100%. This is excellent testament to the worth of this little volume, and it's easy to see why the book carries the imprint of the Appalachian Trail Conference, the organization charged with the care, protection, and maintenance of the Trail.

In an easy-to-read format, the Data Book contains everything the hiker needs to know in order to plan their day's travels, and in order to know what lies ahead of them. It'll tell you where shelters and established campsites are located; where principal water sources can be found; where road crossings and towns are located; and where primary stores, re-supply sources, and lodging places are located. Other works, most notably the Applachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, will provide more detailed information on these matters, but it is the Data Book that is the work used most frequently on a day-to-day basis by those actually hiking the Trail. Also, the fact that editor Daniel Chazin meticulously updates and fact-checks the book each year in order to take into account changes on the Trail, ensures the hiker that this is the most accurate work of its sort on the market.

A key addition and improvement to this year's edition is keying and matching of sections of the Data Book to the official A.T. maps, i.e., the ones used by most hikers. This makes it much easier for the hiker to locate their actual position on the Trail; also, as always, the book's mileage tables are printed in order to facilitate simple reading by both Northbound AND Southbound hikers, so it can be used by everyone, regardless of the direction of their hike.

In short, if you're going to spend any serious ammount of time on the Trail, this little book will prove to be incredibly useful to you, tho one may well wish to purchase other works with "expanded" information. One should, of course, also use the best maps available, regardless of the length of your intended trip. But if you bring ONE guidebook with you on your trip, bring this one.

In a few weeks, I'll be leaving to hike, for the seventh time, the Trail in its entirety. I would not think of setting out without a copy of the 2002 A.T. Data Book, and neither should anyone else.

This book really took me by surprise...I was expected the normal lame guide to technique that briefly explains moves while barely saying anything about when and where to use these moves. However, I was amazed when I began to flip through the pages of this book. The Self-Coached climber not only has amazingly detailed images (in color too) and captions to match, but it also features a very well written and deep text. It doesn't just explain moves so that we have a finite toolbox and think like computers, it explains the theory behind all technique. The theory, which once applied to your own climbing, will cause drastic improvements in your ability.

Buy this book. It is the most essential beta you can own.

When I bought this book, I was a 5.10/5.10+ climber with occasional luck on 5.11-. Now I am comfortably climbing 5.11/5.11+. If you are looking for ways to climb better and smarter, this is the book for you, no matter what your level. The authors thoughtfully break down every aspect of climbing and recommend specific exercises to improve them. Climbing makes more sense to me now, is easier, and most importantly feels amazing. If you want to train in a way that makes you a better and smarter climber, this book is for you.

Brilliant book.

So many ideas for those non-professional climbers (like me) who don't have a coach.
Turning, flagging, drop knees are fully explained. Chapter about Movement initiantion - was like total revelation to me. Plus it has DVD - so you can see how you MUST move.

After reading this book I got really sceared: what if I had not bought it, then I might have spent hundreds of hours of my climbing training deepening bad climbing habbits !

It certainly deserves six stars.

if you have climbed for a couple of months and want to
1) understand better techniques and movements
2) improve your style
3) become more aware while climbing and watching others climb

then this is a good starting point

"The Self-Coached Climber" is an excellent training resource for climbers at just about any level. I bought the book recently and before even finishing reading it, I started seeing improvements in my technique from working on the exercises.

In contrast to other books like "How to Climb 5.12," SCC is highly detailed and specific in its approach to improving fundamentals like balance, center of gravity and movement skills. The book provides excellent exercises for particular skills, and these are illustrated with abundant photos and/or drawings that show how the exercise should be done. Additionally, videos on the accompanying DVD can clarify any confusion with the exercises. Finally, a detailed training plan is presented for developing the stamina, strength and technique needed to move up in the climbing grades.

I think it's worth noting that while this is billed as a "self-coached" training book, some of the exercises can't be done without a partner. In fact, working with an equally-motivated partner through the course of the book would probably be the ideal approach.

I believe "The Self-Coached Climber" is a perfect companion piece to Arno Ilgner's mental training book "The Rock Warrior's Way" for anyone wanting to become a better and more confident climber.

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.