Sports Books

Games Boys: Professional Videogaming's Rise from the Basement to the Big Time by Michael Kane is the best inside look at the competitive videogaming industry I have read to date. He peels back the layers of this very complex subculture and lays it all out there for anyone to read - from the gamers themselves to the parents who try to understand. Game Boys has it all - the celebratory victories, the heartbreaking losses, the passion of its supports and accompanies it all with backroom dirty laundry. This book is an informative, exciting read. Author Michael Kane has managed to translate the excitement of competition into his words, and sometimes I found myself reading faster through the competition gameplay to get to the moment of victory - even though I already knew the results of many of the matches he wrote about.

As a participant full of passion for the videogame industry, there were so many times I found myself identifying with CompLexity GM Jason Lake and harbouring feelings of resentment towards Craig Levine. Like Jason Lake, I believe in the grassroots foundation of this wonderful industry, and even though Craig Levine has done much to get competitive videogaming out there into the main stream of today's world, I often felt that Levine's tactics were less than honourable, and I am of the generation when honour was at the forefront of how you conducted your life. These are elements which make for a great book - eliciting emotion and appreciation from the reader, making the reader care about the characters in the story.

Michael Kane has artfully included every aspect of our advancing technological world - global friendships and rivalries, heroes and villains, supportive families and families who feel the gamer is wasting his or her time. Corporations who only look at the biggest and the best for exposure, instead of looking at and supporting the grassroots events and players who keep the industry churning forward on a daily basis. Event promoters who are in it for the dollar, and to heck with the injury they do to our industry by scamming the players who have poured their heart, soul and often their last dollar into feeding their passion for gaming in hopes of making it to the winner's circle.

I commend Michael for the honesty of his words, even the ones which cast a less than idyllic light on the e-sports industry, because the end result shows that our cyberathletes truly are no different from the mainstream sports athletes. They train, they play, they do things they shouldn't, but when it comes right down to the final seconds it's all about the game and the opponent in front of them. Game Boys shows how far we as a competitive market have come, but also shows how far we have yet to go. Michael touched very briefly on the girls in gaming, and while some things have changed since Game Boys went to print, much has stayed the same, from the disdain which meets many girl gamers head on, to the insults and unwelcome photos hurled at them on XBL. While the industry is still very much a boys' club, the girls are rapidly gaining ground - perhaps in the future we can look forward to a book on Gamer Girls to compliment Gamer Boys - what do you say, Michael?

Michael Kane's "Game Boys: Professional Videogaming's Rise from the Basement to the Big Time" is a complete page-turner for both gamers and non-gamers alike. Considering that this is the first and only book to ever chronicle the evolution of "elite e-sports", I started reading this book with an open mind. I have to admit that I was apprehensive when I started the book since, how will the author connect the reader to the unknown world of e-sports? The terms are as intricate and technical to explain to a person who might not be a part of the Counter-Strike phenomenon. Kane has not only managed to use the most creative analogies (bringing laughter to some of them), but he illustrates the stories in such a way that it felt like everyone was or can be a part of the inherent rivalries, the drama, the secrets and the action that lies within watching an elite Counter-Strike match. What makes this book so unique, was that as a former girl gamer from 2003 to 2005, I had followed the rise of the e-sports scene and had ran across the people that Kane highlights in this book, either through the internet or through watching these matches at home. What I did not know about these individuals were their lives outside of Counter-Strike and what it took for each of them to get to where they are today. Kane brings to you every team's successes and failures, while adding flair to what goes on when the cameras are off. The struggle to bring the gamers subculture out to the mainstream was a challenge, where gamers tend to face the fine line between choosing to play for pleasure or to play strictly for business. I send my praises for entertaining while educating the public of the world that once reached a momentum for gamers, I recommend this book for anyone who ever took part of the gaming community, plan to take part or are just curious to understand this growing 11 billion-dollar industry.

Hard Body Plan is really great. I'm 23 and have been lifting for 8 years and this book can benefit anyone. I was especially interested in the nutritional/supplemental aspect of weight lifting and found this book to be very informative on both subjects. I'm a fan of how the writers have turned lifting into a science.

very helpful to bodybuilders to understand the over all concept of strength training and building muscle mass.

So, I'm not really a muscle bound guy (would love to work my way up to that someday), but I found this book to be a great help in my gym routine. The first few chapters goes into nutrition, when to lift, and the reasoning and science as to how muscles work. pretty interesting stuff, even before it talks about what lifts to do and why.

There are three levels of routines here, many kind of overlap each other, but I have been using the "intermediate" lifts, and that seems like it works well for me. Over the course of about three months, i've notice significant improvements in strength and can notice my body looks a bit better as well. The trick with this routine, and I'm guessing any routine, is to stick with it and switch it up from time to time. And always lift properly, and with the right amount of weight.

pretty self explanatory, but again, i'm not a seasoned weight lifter. Also, there are many suggestions on nutrition that I've incorporated into my diet, and feel that that has helped out greatly as well.

I would recommend this book to any friend that is somewhat apprehensive of the gym and wants to learn how to do weight lift.

Overall, I am generally impressed with the fitness information dispensed by the writers of rodale press. This book is no exception. It is a solid, science-based approach to strength training with the goal of increasing muscle-size. The workout is very do-able in that it is not an overwhelming amount of information and gives you "cheat sheets" to get you started on a routine immediately. My cautions would be these... If you have never lifted weights, get a trainer at a gym for a couple of sessions to work with you on this. If you master proper form, you will get far more from the program. My second caution is that some of the abdominal exercises and a couple of the lifts are considered by professionals to be "high risk" because of the incidence of injury during execution. For that reason, I feel they could improve on the book by addressing some common risk factors and health problems such as low back pain and tight hamstrings and show modifications for some of these. Again, working with a trainer for a few sessions could do that for you and help you to assess your own risk in light of any health/injury concerns. The emphasis of this book is clearly to the male audience, and rightly so. Most women would not be able to do some of these exercises as the beginner's level, and the average female is not interested in "bulking up". So guys, get the book, try the program and enjoy!

The book is just what I was looking for! It was a gift for a friend and they love it!

Excellent book. Well written. Great information. Lots of great ideas & websites & other books the Author refers to. Easy to follow pictures too so you can build YOUR OWN Survival Kit instead of buying a Pre-Made one.

Thought it was a great book and it was exactly what it said it was. Gave a ton of great suggestions and goes over the necessary basics for a survival kit, multi-use items and what to pack them in from mini to large car survival kits.

John McCann has filled a survival kit building void with this excellent book.

For the expert as well as the novice.

Really liked many if the kit designs. The book pointed out many items that I now have added to my kits. If you are makeing a small survival kit, car kit or the world is going to hell kit, this is the book for you. Good Job.

One of the most common questions asked by people interested in survival is: what should I put in my survival kit?

"Build the Perfect Survival Kit" answers that question in great detail. Learn how to build everything from small pocket-size kits, to large vehicle kits.

After explaining the basics of personal survival kits, you will learn about items to add to your survival kit for:
Fire and Light
Signaling
Navigation
Water and Food
Shelter and Protection
Knives and Tools
Medical
Multi-purpose components
Miscellaneous components

You will then read about how to select proper containers for your survival kit and how to assemble kits of various sizes, for multiple purposes.

The book also contains appendices listing additional training and reading resources, as well as a comprehensive list of companies offering survival kit items for sale.

Development of survival kits is discussed in detail, and there are several photographs that add to the quality of the instruction offered by this book.

This is not a `survival skills' manual, but as one would expect from the title, "Build the Perfect Survival Kit", a manual on building the kits that allow you to have an easier time employing the survival skills you have learned elsewhere.

For anyone interested in survival, "Build the Perfect Survival Kit" is a must read book.

I first read this book early in my private pilot training, many years ago. Needless to say, I did not really understand what I was reading. Coming back to it now, with a number of additional ratings and many more hours of flight time to my name, was a revelation. Almost on every page, I found myself saying, "Yes, that's how it is." Buck really knows what he is talking about, whether it be ice, thunderstorms, turbulence, or transitioning from instruments to visual on the approach. Taking to heart what Buck has to say will first and foremost help you to survive as a pilot by making good weather decisions. Just as importantly, he imparts a great deal of wisdom on how to get maximum utility from the airplane while keeping risk to a low level. However, as indicated earlier, the book is definitely not for beginners. A solid understanding of basic meteorology and a considerable amount of piloting experience are needed to interpret it correctly--and safely.

As a CFI I have numerous books in my aviation library. This book details flying in weather and the mindset required to be a safe and competent instrument pilot.

Recommeded to me by my instructor after I received my instrument rating I now recommend it to students and associates whenever the subject of flying in weather (or not flying in weather) comes up.

I read Northstar Over My Shoulder prior to buying this book so I had an understanding of Captain Buck's history and experience which added weight to the wisdom obvious in Weather Flying (buy that book too!)

Not a lesson on meteorology; more of a lesson on judgment and decision-making. In other words, how does one deal with the weather? What does one do with the information one has?
Bob Buck is a man of authority, vast knowledge and experience when it comes to weather flying. His advice is, therefore, not to be taken lightly.
The book is readable, Buck writes "as he talks and flies, with an easy touch...he makes it simple and plain". The only thing that frustrated me at times was the fact that due to the sheer amount of information and knowledge he wants to impart, he occasionally jumps from one issue to the other, picking up new subjects while seemingly leaving others unfinished.

... and will remain so after you read this book. Everything in Buck's book is useful but it is tough to remember all of his rules without a solid grounding in meteorology. The cover's subtitle "a practical book on flying in all kinds of weather" is accurate. This book is about practice, not theory. However, after finishing the book, I was disappointed to find myself as ignorant as ever about weather and completely at the mercy of the FAA briefers.

It is hard to imagine a pilot with more weather flying experience than Captain Robert Buck. And much of this flying was in the old days: in the early years of the Army Air Corp and a young company called TWA. Much of this flying was accomplished without the assistance of modern instrumentation. Captain Buck travelled the world seeking the most ornery weather he could find, and then flew into it time and time again, compiling the experience and collecting the data that no one else had at the time. Captain Buck shares that experience here. This book is interesting and engaging to the flying enthusiast, essential to the VFR pilot, and absolutely priceless to the aspiring instrument pilot. Every discipline and every pastime has its classics, and WEATHER FLYING is, without a doubt, one of the classics of aviation.

The language of WEATHER FLYING is simple and straightforward. The lessons are practical more than theoretical, though Captain Buck keeps his readers briefed on essential weather theory as well. Virtually every weather situation that a pilot can encounter is covered in this book, from the ordinary to the exotic. Then Captain Buck instructs you how to fly it. The concept is simple and direct; the lessons are comprehensive and pragmatic.

In short, this is not a book to read once and then shelve. The lessons are too important to be forgotten. This is a manual to be taken down and read over and over again by any sort of pilot who flies any sort of aircraft.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

I am very satisfied with this book.It's very interesting scientific strength book who attempts to join scientific strength approach with one side and practice on the other side.Book is very influenced from work dr.Zatsiorsky with weightlifters and throwers in former Soviet Union but I am also interested in non linear periodization from dr.Kraemer.
Many thanks to autors

As the name implies, this book is a scientific analysis of the practice of strength training. Rather than the typical myths advocated by publications such as Men's Health and other popular sources for training information, this book provides the scientific foundations for strength training. It helps cut through the many myths surrounding strength training and provides in depth scientific analysis by one of the world's leading biomechanists, kinesiologists, and strength training experts. Zatsiorsky has influenced the weightlifting, powerlifting, strong man, and sports training worlds as well as academia. He describes theories as well as methods. This book belongs on the shelf of any serious student, professor, coach, or athlete. I, myself, am a tennis player and have benefitted greatly from this book. Clearly one for the ages, this book is excellent. Worth at least 100$.

This book is heavily referenced by Louie Simmons of the Westside Barbell Club in Columbus.

It's funny that I took this book out from my library when I was 15 and I tried to read it and understand...that was 12 years ago.

I bought a copy from Elite Fitness a few years back...I've managed to understand a few more things than I did when I was 15 but honestly...alot of this stuff goes WAAAAY over my head. It's very scientific and I fear unless you have an aptitude for this sort of thing, it's going to be a tough read.

Nonetheless, this book has heavily influenced strength training as the world knows it...So I give it 4 stars.

(if you want the cliff notes, check out Louie's Articles)

I read this book upon the recommendation of Louie Simmons from one of his
[...] articles. I can safely say that this is one of the best books out there. It contains legitimate research and case studies of ELITE world class athletes. You won't find a perfect program here, because no such thing exists... Rather, you will find principles that you can employ to your training and research results based on other world class athletes (most notably Olympic weightlifters).

Best part of all, the text isn't infested with bodybuilding magazine type advice that distorts many trainees philosophy. The bottom line is that 3 sets of 8-12, pre-exhaustion and pyramid sets among other techniques are flawed and ineffective for elite strength athletes and Olympic athletes.

A great book on strength training for beginners and veterans alike. You don't need to be an exercise physiologist to understand it and yet the information is complete and extremely helpful for athletes and coaches at all levels

As a player-coach for several years, I was very impressed by the supplemental information provided in this book. The text has helped me articulate the mechanics involved in fundamental ultimate techniques such as throwing, catching, etc. as well as supplying important information about defensive and offensive strategy.

I heartily recommend Jim Parinella's book as well, and have found it particularly useful for my own individual development. However, in terms of coaching and teaching your team and the players on it, I think this is the best ultimate book on the market today.
-Ben
PS
In my opinion, the three most useful sections: throwing, offensive strategy, and fitness for ultimate players.

"Wow" was my first reaction when Essential Ultimate arrived in the mail. With the rapid growth of juniors, high school, college, and club ultimate, finally, there is a textbook to teach skills correctly. For those who learn through pictures, this book rocks.

--Erik Sebesta
The Ultimate Showcase Series (USS)

Whether you are an experienced coach or an aspiring ultimate player this book will help you improve every facet of you game. I had the pleasure of meeting Michael at a coaching clinic and I must say he is the cream of the crop in terms of coaching. This book covers everything from core fitness, learning ultimate and some tips to even help the advanced players. As a fairly new coach myself I really enjoyed the way different drills and skills are explained this book. It has become my Ultimate Bible very quickly.

Essential Ultimate is written by 2 of the best coaches in the Junior scene. It is targeted at beginner and intermediate coaches of high school and college/university clubs, yet is very applicable to most senior clubs.

I compared Essential Ultimate to Parinella and Zazslow's "Ultimate Techniques and Tactics" as they have a similar audience, and you may know that text.

Essential Ultimate:
- has a better format as a teaching resource (examples of drills with diagrams, trouble shooting tips, as opposed to large chunks of prose, though it could improve even more)
- includes a better introduction for those new to ultimate: 10 simple rules, the field dimensions, and notes on self-refereeing
- has more on non-ultimate coaching elements such as warm ups, cool downs, the mental game and starting a team.

The difference between the 2 texts is encapsulated by the section on throwing. Baccarini and Booth talk about the key mechanics and how to coach them: correct grip (photos shown), wrist snap and follow through, troubleshooting tips for backhand, forehand and the hammer, how to throw in the wind, and a simple drill for teaching beginners to throw. In comparison, Parinella and Zazslow start with 4 principles of throwing that assume decent throwing skills, then discuss handling tactics, how to break the mark and more.

Essential Ultimate is aimed at coaches, while Ultimate Techniques and Tactics is aimed at experienced players (who probably lead and are player-coaches on their team).

My only significant gripe with Essential Ultimate is that it still has a bit of the flaw that Ultimate Techniques and Tactics had: parts of the book are large slabs of text. It is mostly a reference book, but at times tries to be more of an essay.

The text can explain some good general philosophies that may open you to new ideas, such as "Rather than just react, defenders should pre-act... so that an offensive player's explosive movement is preempted by an equally explosive anticipatory action on the part of the defender."

Unfortunately there are a number of self-evident observations that are unlikely to impact on how a coach coaches, if they have played more than a little ultimate, e.g. on man-on-man defense "What you hope will result is that covered receivers are scattered and clogging the passing lanes and thrower's choices are limited throwing into coverage, punting a Hail Mary pass downfield, or being stalled... And no-one ever wants to be stalled". Or the details on how a disc doesn't fly like a ball in the first paragraph. Truisms like these are clear once you have played even a little ultimate, where they are better learnt, and they feel superfluous to the book.

In comparison, pretty much all the diagrams, drill explanations, breakout boxes with tips, and troubleshooting lists are gold. They are very clear and very applicable. If a coach has a need for a certain type or drill, or issues with teaching a specific skill, they can easily refer to these tools. I've played at numerous World Championships, and coached for 8 years, and found quite a few concepts and drills I am now keen to use.

My wishes for the second edition are:
- communicate some ideas and tools through tables, case studies or acronyms as well, with more concise text.
- examples of session plans and season plans
- an index of the drills for quick reference

Lastly the sections on fitness, psychology and starting a program are brilliant. Any quality coach should consider these aspects and they give a good basic coverage of how they apply to an ultimate team. An experienced ultimate player who is a coach, will learn the most from these 3 chapters. A coach or teacher coming in from another sport will likely learn more from the rich chapters on ultimate specific skills.

Essential Ultimate has set the bar for all coaching resources in Ultimate.

I love this book. It has a lot of good advice and metaphors for living. When life gets me down, and I feel lost, I often reread this book to help me through. I originally got this book as a hardback as a gift. I lent it to someone who never returned it and had to repurchase it. Unfortunately, I could only find this paperback version. Although not a religious book, this is a good complement to the Bible for advice on life.

I've looked for this book for years and finally found it. It was sent promply and in perfect shape. Good job, guys!

This is a great book. The book really isn't about sailing. It's about life. The writing is outstanding. To all the fools who reviewed this book as a sailing instruction guide really missed the point. Too bad because there are few very poignant lessons in the text. It's not a book for caveman though. It's probably read better by either men who have some sensitivity or romanticism. I highly recommend this book.

I'm a rower, so this book may have fallen into my hands by mistake. But I enjoy sailing one-man boats, too. There are some sweet stories in this book. I didn't hate it or anything. But the overall emotional effect seemed contrived or prepackaged. I don't object to the hokeyness--I LIKE hokey!--but very chapter is a pat lesson from sailing that maps perfectly to life. Give me a break. The effect is charming at first, but eventually it's cloying and a little silly.

Contra one of the blurbs on the cover, I suspect one's enjoyment of this little book will be inversely related to one's familiarity with sailing. The less you know the more you may like it. (This is not borne out by a quick scan of the reviews, but only a small percentage of readers write reviews. I suspect a microscopic percentage write negative ones.) There's a rowing book that comes to mind here: MIND OVER WATER. It just didn't seem that deep to me. It didn't seem as if the guy really knew that much about rowing.

Books like this create a nice illusion of emotional depth, in my opinion. There's a market for that, which is fine by me. Bad breath is better than no breath at all.

My favorite quotation . . . "For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze." This is much more than a book about sailing. Bode's words ring of honesty and truth. This book inspired me to "raise my sails" back in 1997 and they are still up today.

This book is very well written and gives great insight into the motivations and commitment that that form the basis for undertaking this incredible journey.

I highly recommend this book for hikers and non-hikers alike.

I've been considering hiking the A.T. for many years now, after reading this book its a no-brainer. Insightful, funny, i felt as if i was walking up every mountain right beside Awol. This book is a must have for any reader who enjoys the outdoors and all the struggles and joys that comes along with challenging yourself and reaping every benefit.

It was an informative book on the Appalachian trail. By the end of the book you feel as if you know the author and some of the people in his book.

I've read almost a dozen books on thru-hiking the AT and this is simply the best. Honest and real in his actions and thoughts- AWOL represents the best you will ever encounter on the AT.

As soon as I finished reading Awol on the AT, I wrote the following note to the author:

"Just a quick message to let you know how much I enjoyed Awol on the Appalachian Trail. I read it for the first time last week, and I can't stop telling my friends about it. I've read a lot of books about the AT, and your book is now one of my favorites -- definitely the best-written. Your insightful descriptions of the sights along the trail and the mental highs are lows are absolutely top-shelf. You are truly a gifted writer. Some of your imaginative metaphors -- such as giant rocks that look like the backs of whales diving into the soft ground -- will stick with me forever. Although I've not (yet) hiked the AT, my fever to do so is getting stronger. Thanks for the added inspiration. By the way, if you aren't currently writing for a living, you absolutely should be. Excellent work. Adventure onward!"

If you are interested in hiking the AT, this is one of THE books to read.

Loved this book...offered inspiration and some practical advice. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin running!

"Whether we accept it or not, the bodies we have are the products of what we have required them to be." (pg. 45)

I really enjoyed reading The Courage to Start. I can relate to many aspects of life John talks about in the book. Every day, I am amazed by how running has changed my body in the last four months. I've lost 35 pounds and I feel better than ever!

I was moved by how John mentioned that running helped his relationship with his wife. I've experienced this in my own relationship and I'm so thankful for it.

A must-read for people thinking about giving running a shot!

This book is excellent! I used to run back in the '80s and '90s but had 3 different knee surgeries- I gave it up but never gave up the love of the sport. I turned 50 last year and got the idea to try to run one more time BUT, I wanted to do it the "right way" and remain injury free.
The Penguin is my coach! I started a walk/ run program in September and I'm still at it in February. My long run today was 7.0 miles! I run pain free and no longer have any guilt associated with missing a workout- I NEVER run two days in a row which is totally opposite of my old training regimen! I was fit from weight training and cardio workouts but NOTHING beats the satisfaction of completing a run! This is a great first book to read if you want to start running then continue on with John's other books.

Great way to get started on a new fitness project for an old body. Very motivating. Written in a way that is sooooo easy to read. I bought another book by this writer: No Need for Speed. It has good information in it.

I looked forward to reading this, because I too feel like a penguin. The book is very encouraging and enthusiastic, but tends to get repetitive very quickly. If you've read the first 3 chapters or so, you might as well stop, because there isn't much new after that. Having said that, I did enjoy it.

The title alone should pique your interest! It did for me and once I started reading it I wasn't disappointed. This was a well written and truly informative piece of work. Harold Gatty was well known amongst the pioneers of aviation for his expert navigation skills. Gatty navigated many cross country and cross continental flights, and his expertise was often sought after by pilots such as Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, and Howard Hughes.

In this book Gatty puts together his broad knowledge of simple navigation techniques used by some of the earliest settlers such as the Vikings, Polynesians, Portuguese, Native Americans and Aborigines. The author does a great job of creating an informative book and conveying it in an interesting way so that it isn't dry. You never know when this information might come in useful, plus you gain a greater appreciation for nature.

No matter where you are or how bad you think your sense of direction is, this book can teach you simple ways to find your way - in the woods or in the city, in the mountains, the desert, or even out at sea.

Clear, concise, practical, completely useful. If you really want to find your way without map or compass, then familiarize yourself with the content. First rate!

This book is an example of why books are great. The knowledge contained in it would be largely lost or very difficult to compile had hte author not taken the time to publish it. He spent his life learning various methods of navigation around the world from many cultures: cultures not assimilated to the modern or western world.

I've always thought it would be fascinating to learn navigation or tracking from a native or someone who has learned information that has been passed down from generation to generation. Low tech, but very skillful. Art more than science. That is exactly what this book teaches.

The most interesting part for me was the explanation of how Polynesians navigated at sea: following migrating birds, seeing land beyond the horizon by watching reflections on the bottom of clouds, wave variation, and star positions.

There is a lot of good information for both land and sea, plus some for air. The author taught naviation to the US Air Force about the middle of the 20th century.

This book covers a subject that is oft-neglected, but is very important to anyone and everyone. It is engagingly written by a true expert. As odd as this may seem, given the subject matter, in many places it is near profound.