Sports Books

After being frustrated with myself on the golf course during the past few months I was beginning to wonder if I might stop playing.I have a handicap of 19 and was really struggling to play to it.Once I had a bad hole I would get down on myself and the whole thing would snowball.
After reading Zen Golf and putting into practice some of the techniques I have played two lots of 9 hole stableford competitions and had 23+25 points.
I have played 2 rounds of 18 holes in competition.The first round of our club championship at 85-19-66 (par is 69).In our annual men's tournament 83-19-64.During these rounds I have only had one 7 and nothing higher.
Most importantly I have actually been enjoying myself.
I am certain this booked has really helped me and I will continue to use the techniques that I have learnt.I will probably read this book over and over when I need to as there are several more things I want to try.

I am a beginner golfer and this book is helpful for the mental part of golf! I would suggest it to anyone that plays golf. I gave to a friend that throws clubs in frustration and she played a round for the first time with no broken clubs and was relaxed, she says the book is helping her too

I loved this book! I learned more about the art of the mental game of golf in this thin volume than in a half dozen longer times (.e.: The Mental Games of Golf). I would put this up there with "See It Sink It" or "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose".

A must have for any serious golfer. I dare you to read the story about the golden statue and tell me that it didn't affect you!

Finally, a book that puts the mental game into sections that make sense. Told in a down-to-earth way, the examples and insights provided by "Zen Golf" really do pertain to the game we love. Understanding that the results of a swing are not necessarily the be-all and end-all is very powerful knowledge. Learning to breathe will apply to a myriad of endeavor, both athletic and personal. Ostensibly, it is a book about golf, but one that fills many gaps in all kinds of life situations. Dr. Parent is a born teacher.

Bottom Line . It took five strokes off my handicap.
Michael A. Epstein
Member KCC

Nicely done and well put together. Not a book to take around to the gym though as it is more of a coffee talble book.

Great book, got this for a friend for his BDay. Once I got it I kept it for my self and got him some drinks at the bar.

Out of all the work out books/magazines I've read, I must say, I was quite impressed with how detailed this book was. Not only does it give you a well thought out work out plan that caters to different types of people, it also explains the science behind working out and the body which is crucial to becoming successful and muscular. The only thing I disliked was the rather anemic section on what to eat. I wish there were more sample meal plans. Other then that, the book is perfect.

This is the first strength training book that I've purchased, and made the decision to get this book based on Ian King's reputation and other customers' feedback. I have had this book for a few months now, and found it surprisingly readable and effective. Not only is there detailed pictures of each exercise in the workouts, but the text at the beginning explains why you do what you do, and why you can expect to see different results in each stage (e.g., neural adaptation vs. muscle hypertrophy). I am just getting into weight lifting, but am about 6 weeks into the Beginning Program (each program lasts 6 months: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced), and have gained almost 10 lbs. of muscle in that period. I am sore, no doubt, but have not seen other articles / books that contradict the sound advise given in this book. You will not regret having this book in your library!

This book is a great basic book that covers it in a very attractive package. If you're a bit past that then then book will start to be less useful as you gain knowledge. Good for someone with less than a year's experience in the gym.

seems complete, the color pics of plants & stuff are great, the only slight problem is he uses some idioms that are from england but considering were he is from, i have read & tried parts of this book, seem to work well

put it in your pocket.it will fit.not comfortably ,but it will fit.better yet,put it in your fanny pack.wrapped in a ziploc bag.this is not the'be all,end all'of survival books.none is.in fact,i am going to make a recomendation that the publisher will love,though you may not.buy the larger text of this book.read it.over and over.along with your other books on the subject.you need a small library on any subject that interests you.why 2 copies? because reading the small volume will make it expand and loosen the binding(note to publisher..waterproof paper in the next edition).yes the text is small,but you have a magnifying glass in your kit(if not..read the bloody book again).also when out in the boonies...you have something to read.i know that sounds silly...but you arent always going to be chased by bears.even in a survival situation you will have 'down time'.use it.anouther 'extra' with this in your kit.you have something to burn(after you read it naturally).at this price and this size..there is no excuse not to have a copy in your kit.four stars..but it just missed five.happy camping.

The product description clearly states the size of the product but I hadn't really paid attention to it. I just knew that this edition of the book is a smaller version, handy to keep in your backpack.

Backpack? Back pocket is more like it. It's about the size of a deck of cards. While that means there's no excuse not to take it with you, it also means that the type is awfully small. If you wear reading glasses be sure to pack a pair or two along with the book.

I would have preferred that they use larger pages and make the book thinner. But I can't really argue with the decision they made. Most people will probably prefer the fatter but smaller dimensions.

The book, by the way, is impressive. Wiseman is indeed a wise man who knows what he's talking about.

If you do buy this book I think you should seriously consider buying its bigger brother, SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea too. That way you'll have the best of both worlds. An easier to read edition for home, which will allow you to read and study it thoroughly and this very small, very portable version you just might want to take everywhere.

I think the reader of the SAS Survival Guide would also benefit from a survival guide that focused exclusively on the readers own region. But the SAS guide presents a very fine overview of survival in just about any region and circumstance. It is a must have for any survivalist.

Jammed with critical info, buy a copy of this little book for your car, home and backpack.

Bart's book is absolutely hilarious and inspiring. His stories are witty and humorous. I was laughing out loud at the Taco Bell story, the cross country bike story, and the bare buns run! Great read, I couldn't put it down. Bart is a legend.

This book cracked me up. Bart is inspirational, funny, and crazy. All the making's of a runner:)!

Bart Yasso's stories are funny (he is a pun master) and entertaining,while inspiring the reader to get out and run a lot of miles! I read excerpts from this book in Runner's World, bought the book, and have given copies as gifts. Everyone I know who has read it really likes it.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I just started running again to get back into shape and his stories inspired me challenge myself more. His stories are also very funny. The story about his experience running in the nudist run made me chuckle out loud. I definately recommend this book!

This book, captures the essence of what a runner can experiance, and hope to be. Bart is a great story teller, who's compassion and grace shines through!

Joe Eherman has captured what is wrong with sports. This is a must read for all coaches.

I had heard that this was an amazing book from so many people and I was definitely not disappointed - what a great story of what God can do through the life of one man wholly sold out to His glory! Marx is a journalist who grew up as the ball boy for the Baltimore Colts. One larger-than-life figure on that team of the 70s and 80s was Joe Ehrmann whose life took a radical turn when his younger brother passed away from cancer. After years had passed, Marx once again reunited with Ehrmann and was struck by what he found - the flamboyant football star was now a coach and mentor to young men using the game of football to teach about the necessities of life. Ehrmann's life was now invested in the lives of others teaching these young boys how to be men - Building Men for Others is the name of his program, but it's much more than a program or a set of principles, it's a way of life, a way to see others, a way to live that completely transforms others around you. The book was a great read and should be near the top of "must reads" for every father and coach.

It has been such a long time since anything I have read has spoken to me like this book did. The writing itself was run of the mill, usual sports cliches (some parts read like a sports illustrated piece) - but the message is its strength. After reading it, this book would not leave my consciousness. Days later I had to go back and read passages again, Joe Ehrman's "Building Men for Others" concepts invading my thoughts at all hours. Honestly, I do not even know how this book ended up on my bookshelf. One day I needed something to read and found it sitting there. Only hours later I am left dumbfounded, reflecting on who I am and ultimately determining that I could be doing much more with my life and perhaps finding satisfaction I never knew possible. Please read the book, you'll be glad you did.

I purchased this book for my husband for Christmas. My husband does not read books normally, but he loves sports, so I felt this one was fitting. He read it within a week or two and passed it on to a co-worker. It is a book about life, and he actually was quoting from it after he read it. He loved it and wants our boys to read it too.

Do you have someone in your life that just inspires you? Are they a man built for others? In Season of Life, there is a true man, a man built for others. The book is an inspirational nonfiction book and Jeffrey Marx, the author of the book, is a ball boy for the Colts because he had a tennis camp across the street of the Colts stadium. He becomes friends with Colt Joe Ehrmann. 15 years later, in Baltimore, Maryland, around 2000, Joe is an activist for the needy, and Joe and Jeffrey meet again; much has changed about the two. I like this book because it is a useful book, because it is about friends, I say this because on page 83 Mike and Ambrose, two players on the team talk to each other after a loss, "'I'm proud of you, man' said Mike. `I'm so proud of you too." Said Ambrose". This is showing the friendship displayed. The book is being a man for others, meaning you must be caring towards others, which is the theme. The quote also supports that, because they are being men built for others by being true friends. That quote shows what inspirational value this book has, and why I like the book. This is a good book for 8th graders and older, and is useful for all.

Zinn's interest in and experience with bikes and biking is obvious to me when I look over this book or read his tech reports in Velo News (magazine and website). I found the second edition a welcome improvement over the first edition in its inclusion of a section on cantilever brakes (the first edition refers the reader to Zinn's mountain bike book). Since I have owned cyclocross bikes for several years, and found cantilevers infinitely more adjustable (and sometimes infinitely more frustrating) than the side pull brakes found on most road bikes, I welcomed this section. Beyond that, I like the straightforward way Zinn writes (always advocating the proper tools but sometimes offering ways to improvise), I find the illustrations most helpful and the organization of the book easy to follow. While this book does not cover everything (what does and how many of us really need that much information?) it is the one source I return to over and over again; the grease stains on the pages of my copy attest to its frequent use. Combine this book with the Park Tools website and the exhaustive information provided by the late Sheldon Brown, and you will find most of what you need to complete standard bike build or repair jobs. This is the bike book I own that spends the least amount of time on the shelf.

I bought this book and Down's (more popular) book at the same time. Both books have good illustrations, but this book is by far the more detailed and helpful. Down's book is VERY basic and leaves out detail needed to really tune anything to any extent.

Having said that, this book does a decent job of showing how to tune a number of bike features, as well as doing routine maintanence/repairs. However, if you are a gear-head, you probably won't be happy with less than Barnett's painfully exhaustive 4 volume set--which is likely overly detailed for anyone short of a professional shop-set.

Though a complete novice can use this book, it seems geared more to people who have at least a common sense knowledge of bikes & tools when they are looking at them right in front of them. [Down's book spends time describing things that should be obvious at a gance, while leaving out detail you need to fix something.]

Definitely a recommended buy from me....very useful.

This book offers a great deal of information to someone like me who is just now getting in to cycling and is not familiar with the terms and would just like to get a better sense of their bike. It lays out a very helpful maintenance guide that tells you the general amount of time needed between cleanings and replacements.

Not enough detailed information. Needs more pictures, more examples. Otherwise the info is good and all aspects of what you need to know are covered. Just be prepared to be frustrated when you can't figure things out by the limited picture drawings. This book needs a serious overhaul.

The book has a wealth of knowledge on subjects ranging from very basic repairs to super-complicated. Very useful for anyone trying to take care of their favorite possession.

A book for the 21st century in the spirit of the Whole Earth Catalog. Big and thorough, it goes into detail upon detail of the stuff you aunt or uncle would have told you if they lived in the country.

While they don't tell you where to buy stuff (WEC did), it does tell you what to look for when you buy, so maybe a better deal?

My only complaint is that the type is so small I've had to order a magnifier to read it.

My daughter is really into reading about homesteading, and hopes to eventually find her own little slice of heaven. This is an excellent book, with lots of information. Although it's a very large book- which I wasn't expecting (approx. 11x17 soft cover), I do give it a good rating, because it's the information that counts.

2 other books we also purchased: Five Acres and Independence & The Modern Homestead Manual

If you want a great book to help you simplify your life and begin to wean you and your family off the rampant consumerism of today, THIS IS IT. I actually bought it a couple of years ago, but with today's oil crunch and people trying to save money and produce more, thought it would be a good time to recommend such a book to my friends.

"Country Wisdom And Know-How" from editor's publishing covers everything from caring for animals, to building suitable gates, to caning chairs, pest proofing your garden, growing food, canning food, and cooking food. It even teaches you how to make wine! This book covers EVERYTHING you need to know to start on the road to live more off the land and your own two hands than depending on others to do everything for you.

It is an oversized paperback book, the cover seems to be made out of old grocery sacks (it has that look and feel) and may even be made of recycled material. I have used this book a good bit over the past two years and found the advice is sound, practical and easy to understand. I recommend that EVERYONE interested in getting their lifestyle simplified buy this book.

You won't regret it.

Our copy of Country Wisdom & Know-How is very worn and tattered but still remains the focal point of our coffee table.
I discovered this book at a Barnes & Noble while living in the city. Was attracted to it because of it's paper-bag-like cover. Even though I lived in the middle of a city, in an apartment, I bought it anyway. My wife and I became hooked! Fell in love with the idea of having a hobby farm because of this book and packed up and moved to the country.
Everything you could think of is stuffed into this book, from Beekeeping to butchering chickens to building a compost bin. The book it's self is huge, but the print is very small. The "organic" looking cover doesn't last long. But the material inside is awesome.
Since this book, my wife and I have started a small side business keeping honeybees and selling our honey at farmers markets. We also enjoy making pickles, canning, raising chickens, and watching our daughter grow up in a world much richer than what we had in the city.
Highly recommend this book for any city dweller interested in starting a life in the country. It's a reference you'll never live without!

A huge compendium of information from animal husbandry to construction and crafts to gardening...even how to recipes. That's the good news. I have great admiration for Storey Books and own many of their products. This book, however, is not up to par with their other products.

The publishing (not by Storey itself) leaves much to be desired. I'm surprised Storey put their name to it. I'd have gladly paid triple the price for a better quality soft-cover or hard-cover books with good quality pages and larger print...even if in several volumes. In fact, that's exactly what Storey should do with this and the similar "Survival Wisdom" book. They would be great hits and huge sellers. So what if it's a collection all in one book. The brown paper cover and lighter-than-newsprint pages require extremely delicate handling, and the tiny print is almost painful to read.

Much, if not all, of this book's contents are from the Storey "Country Wisdom Bulletin" series. It would ceratinly cost more, but a set of the bulletins may be the better option.

Overall, I'm disappointed. Regardless how potentially useful the information in its pages, this book is not a prudent buy.

Mike Lupica, the veteran sports columnist for the Daily News in New York, is not content to rest on his laurels. In addition to his adult audience, he's reaching out to younger readers, trying to teach them lessons on the field that can be extended to everyday life. His previous works in the genre include HEAT, TRAVEL TEAM, SUMMER BALL and MIRACLE ON 49th STREET.

His latest offering is THE BIG FIELD, the story of Hutch Hutchinson, a star shortstop for his American Legion team who is displaced by Darryl "D-Will" Williams, a better player with a questionable attitude.

Despite the natural misgivings, Hutch is willing to take one for the team, giving way to Darryl and moving over to second base. The parallel to Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez is unmistakable. So is the tense relationship as the two 14-year-olds vie for dominance. Darryl has his mind set on being the "next big thing," already attracting the notice of scouts and the media. Hutch, on the other hand, is content to live in the here-and-now, with the sole goal of playing for the regional championship at the minor league venue of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hutch is joined in his quest by Codey, his best friend and affable sidekick. It's not too far a stretch to think of the trio as a less dangerous version of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy, with bats replacing magic wands.

As the team moves through the rounds of competition to put them in the big game on The Big Field, Hutch must deal with several issues: his continuing resentment of his rival, his perhaps over-consuming love of baseball, and his relationship with his father, himself a heralded player who still has trouble dealing with his failure to make it to the major leagues.

Lupica does an admirable job of presenting the drama of the games, which, with the attention to strategy, often feels more like a chess match. But several elements fall into the area of cliché: Hutch's team is obviously talented, but they're considered underdogs since they are in the low age range, 14- and 15-year-olds competing against players up to three years their seniors (the player pictured on the dust jacket seems more like 10 than 14). And although Hutch does have a couple of momentary setbacks, he nevertheless comes through when it counts, a baseball savant --- wise beyond what should be his ken --- who seems to have no other interest than to excel at his game.

The fact that everything works out to the good despite the blips is also somewhat unrealistic, but hey, this is fiction.

Overall, THE BIG FIELD is a genial, fast-paced adventure that should interest young sports fans.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

Reviewed by Ben Weldon (age 10) for Reader Views (6/08)

"The Big Field" by Mike Lupica is definitely a book for baseball lovers. Follow Keith "Hutch" Hutchison as he and his team push their way to the finals. Can Hutch overcome problems with a teammate? Will Hutch's father ever take notice of him? Will his team get to play on "the big field"?

Keith Hutchison, known to his friends as Hutch, is a fourteen-year-old baseball fanatic. He pretty much thinks of nothing but baseball. He has been shortstop "forever." He is the team captain of the Boynton Beach Post 226 Cardinals, and his team has a shot of making it to the State Championship. When Darryl "D-will" Williams, a star shortstop, moves to town, Hutch is forced to become second baseman. He makes the sacrifice for the good of the team but it is with grief and several fist fights.

As if it weren't bad enough to lose his position, Hutch finds his father playing ball with D-will. Hutch feels betrayed. His father, a former baseball player, won't even watch a baseball game with Hutch, let alone play ball with him. He barely speaks to Hutch and rarely even attends his games. Why is his father like this? Will Hutch ever be able to have a relationship with his father?

Full of baseball jargon, this book is all baseball and lacks a strong plot. Readers who do not know much about baseball, baseball teams and baseball players might feel a bit lost.

I would recommend "The Big Field" to people who want to read the sports page - this book is for them!

Keith "Hutch" Hutchison, the hero of sportswriter Mike Lupica's latest young adult sports novel, loved playing shortstop for his baseball team in Florida. Then Darryl Williams came along and took over at short, forcing Hutch to move to second base.

Worse than the sting of losing his old position, though, is the hurt Hutch feels at the absence of his father from his games. A former baseball player who saw his dreams crushed, Hutch's dad can barely bring himself to watch his son play. So when Hutch sees his father giving Darryl some playing tips, he has a whole new reason to dislike his teammate.

During a summer when their team is fighting to win the state championship and the chance to play on TV, Hutch's rivalry with Darryl threatens the team's chances, and he must come to grips with his father and his teammate to be the team player he needs to be.

While THE BIG FIELD doesn't bring anything new to the sports genre, this is an engaging read. Mr. Lupica throws in plenty of references to current baseball players, which brings even more realism to the story. The characters seem very true-to-life, and anyone who's ever played a sport or just loves baseball can relate to it.

Reviewed by: Katie Hayes

In the fascinating story of The Big Field, Mike Lupica shows a lot of breath-taking moments on the field, as well as problems off the field. Thirteen-year-old Hutch Hutchinson is a great shortstop, after all, his idol, Derek Jeter, is a shortstop and his dad almost made it to the big leagues as a shortstop. But when one of the best shortstops in the state joins the team, Hutch is forced to play second base. He is disappointed but that is only the beginning of the many disasters that happen to him.

The Big Field is one of the many great stories that Mike Lupica has to give. He keeps the problems coming and while using third person he makes you feel bad for Hutch, when he makes an error. This is a book for baseball fans young and old and for people who are disagreeing.

This will give you a sense of my sportsy prowess. I'm in a bookstore the other day and I see a book with a quote on it from Mike Lupica. The only thing is, it's an adult book. One that has to do with sports of some sort. So I rub my head and I actually have this thought while standing there: What is Mike Lupica doing writing quotes for adult books? You see the problem here? I know Mike Lupica as one thing and one thing only; this is the guy who knows how to write a fabulous sports-related work of fiction for young readers. He's the Matt Christopher of the new millennium. Now I don't like sports myself. They don't really fall within my perceived everyday reality. I know they exist and I know that people follow them, but as far as I can tell I am interested in virtually nothing that has to do with one or another. But do I head for the hills when I see that Mr. Lupica has written a new title for his young fans? I most certainly do not! The notable thing about "The Big Field" is that it returns the author to what is undoubtedly his favorite sport to write about. Baseball. Lupica lovea him the natural tension and stress and story arc that comes with the game. You can hardly blame him. The craziness is that in the process of getting excited, this author has the ability to get YOU rather excited too. I don't love baseball. I know that a lot of kids are like me in this respect, but hand them a copy of "The Big Field" and get them to read the first few chapters. If Mike Lupica does nothing else, he proves to us that good writing is good writing and can lure you in, regardless of the subject matter.

Fourteen-year-old Keith "Hutch" Hutchinson isn't the star of his American Legion team, Boynton Beach Post 226, the Cardinals. That honor belongs entirely to his fellow teammate Darryl. Hutch doesn't even mind all that much since it's really the love of the game that keeps him going. He's the team Captain and a pretty swell player in his own right, not that his dad would ever notice. A former local baseball star himself, Hutch's father had dreams once of hitting the big league. When those dreams didn't come to fruition he decided to protect his only son by denying him any pointers or chances to share in the game they both love so much. Now Hutch's team has a chance to make it all the way. To play for the state championship on "the big field" at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Only trouble is, there are some problems with Darryl and they involve Mr. Hutchinson. Hutch has never allowed outside distractions to keep him from playing his best, but now it looks as if the fate of the entire team depends on him and his ability to figure out why his dad is the way he is.

I saw a lot of similarities between Hutch in this book and the character of House in Deborah Wiles' The Aurora County All-Stars. In both cases the hero is a kind of Gary Cooper type. Thoughtful and a bit wise beyond his years, but still prone to anger if riled. And riled he gets! The raw jealousy Hutch feels when he sees his father playing baseball with the team star, something Hutch himself has never done, is palpable. It practically sends little ripples down the page. Normally in a middle grade novel a kid will feel betrayed by a parent or a friend and then just sit and stew for chapter after chapter. I was a little afraid that Lupica might go this route as well, but fortunately this wasn't the case. So it felt strangely satisfying to watch Hutch rip into his dad about everything the man has ever done wrong. It's excellent. You want to sip a cool drink after reading a passage like that. And what's even better is that Lupica can make Hutch be entirely in the right one moment and then entirely in the wrong the next without so much as a narrative hiccup.

I've read Heat and some of Miracle on 49th Street so I'm not a complete Lupica newbie. And from these books I've noticed a trend in the author's work. Mike Lupica has a deep and abiding interest in and affection for the smart alecky sidekick. The kind of sidekick that ends up being the voice of reason more than once, but is so jokey that the reader isn't supposed to notice. Some might see this as Lupica getting lazy with his characters, but personally I didn't really mind. In this book the sidekick is Cody, a kid who's been friends with Hutch since the beginning. As with many sidekicks he begins by being the untamed fellow who puts down Darryl while Hutch murmurs that they're all on the same team. Then, at some point, the tables turn and it's Cody who has to keep Hutch in line (and out of trouble). In Heat this kind of character would help the hero directly in a kind of deus ex machina manner. Here, Hutch has to do all the work himself, and as a hero he rises satisfactorily to the challenge.

Lupica isn't afraid of putting contemporary flourishes on his book. This will date it a bit more than it might if he left them out entirely, but in a way I enjoyed it. Admittedly, I liked the references to Derek Jeter better than the references to 24, but whatchagonnado? By the way, can I say how nice it is to have a protagonist in a book who isn't whitey white white? Hutch is part Dominican and it's not a big deal in any way, shape, or form. It defines who he is but isn't the focus of the narrative. It's just part of the story, and it's something that sets the book apart from the ten bazillion books with white kids in `em that stock our library and bookstore shelves.

You know what it is about this writer? Lupica satisfies a reader, deep down somewhere. You read one of his books and you feel good about... something. Maybe it's just about a game, or maybe it's about the characters and what they've figured out, but you feel good. Like you've accomplished something big. For kids who are already converts to Lupica's style, "The Big Field" is not going to be a hard sell. But for kids who enjoy sports and want something a little contemporary and fun, this will be a good Intro to Lupica: 101. Heck, even if they don't like sports this book will still suck you in. That is, if you can get `em past the initial premise. I hate utilizing sports metaphors when describing literature, so let's just take the phrase, "Lupica hits another one out of the park," switch it out for its literary equivalent for now.

I highly recommend this book for any aspect of sailing knowledge.

My brother found a first edition of this book in someone's trash, and grabbed it for me, as he knew I was a sailor and thought it might be useful or important. I had learned to sail from "Sailing for Dummies"; this, however, is (or should be) the bible for learning to sail. It is the only sailing book I've read that has described how to fly a spinnaker in a useful manner.

Reading this book will shorten any sailor's learning curve. It covers all aspects of the sport. John Rousmanierehas compiled an amazing reference/textbook that is interesting, informative and invaluable. I highly recommend this book to sailors at all levels of proficiency. Thank you Mr. Rousmaniere for this wonderful resource.

Great book for acquiring basic and intermediate seamanship knowledge. Also very useful as reference for refreshing your knowledge.

THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP by John Rousmaniere is the ur-text on sailing used by virtually every sailing school as its primary educational source. Now in its third edition, this eminently readable and well illustrated book is encyclopedic in its scope, crammed full of practical information about sailing vessels, the mechanics of sailing them, and the traditions of sailing. It's a measure of the excellence of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP how familiarly Rousmaniere presents this largely alien topic with its many very specialized terms of art.

Rousmaniere wisely eschews most of the romance of sailing in favor of much more important considerations, such as boat care, boat handling, and especially safety at sea. Sailing may be enjoyable and it may be challenging, but it is also a dangerous avocation by its very nature, and the author never lets "salty talk" befog that issue. This is NOT a quick reference book for those who want to hoist the jolly roger and give no quarter while tied to the dock; this is a bible for serious SAILORS, whether on the local lake, Puget Sound or the South China Sea

While it can't give you the hands-on experience that being before the mast confers, THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP will give you the theory and information you need to make the most of that experience.

This book has some pretty good info and is quite comprehensive and well laid out. If you're going to buy 1 book, let it be this one. That's if you ever get around to reading it (it being so comprehensive and all) it's almost easier to go out sailing than trawl through it's many pages! But a worthwhile reference.