Sports Books

If you are interested in Classical dressage.... buy this book! It is an excellent reference for working with a young horse. It is definitely all about the horse- as it should be.

Enjoyed the book. Not really for a beginner. I liked the way he covered the process with out going into overload on techniques you should already know about, like lunging your horse.
Worth reading.

Very helpful, great ideas on horsemanship and training. A must read for anyone serious about correct, empathetic horsemanship.

This is a book that should be mandatory reading for all aspiring Dressage riders, as well as those who train and start youngsters! This book provides detailed descriptions as well as a thoughtfully laid out format. Kurd follows the German training tree - with one exception that makes sense and gets results quicker! Read the book to find out what it is!

I thought this was an excellent book. I bought it to help provide some guidance while training my young horse, and it not only gave me a nice guideline of what-to-train-when, but also made dressage much more understandable.

This book focuses on the German dressage training scale. The author explains the steps in training the horse, dividing it into stages (i.e. stage one you focus on A, B, and C elements, stage two you begin developing D and E). He gives some guidelines as to what your horse should be able to do before you push him for more. He then devotes a chapter to each element needed in dressage, in the order it should be developed in the horse (relaxation, regularity, freedom, contact, on the aids...). He finishes with a few miscellaneous chapters on the flying change, transitions, the inclined arena (great for eventers), Prix St. James test, and lateral movements.

This book mainly aims to discuss the development of the young horse, providing a correct foundation for all further work, including eventing and show jumping. It provides more detail about the early years of training, rather than say, development of the piaffe, passage, extensions, etc.

I would recommend this to all dressage riders (especially those just starting out or at the lower levels), to those people interested in putting a good foundation on a young horse (this applies to ALL disciplines!), or to those that just want a better understanding of how to ride a horse correctly. This book has great clarity, is an easy read, I even recommended it to my youngest sister (she's 12).

Don't get me wrong, this is not a book for novices just learning to post. You do need a basic understanding of riding. He's not going to explain how to ask your horse to shoulder-in or get on the bit. I read this with a good working knowledge of dressage. This just put everything into a clear format and made dressage, for once, seem simple to understand (even if its very difficult to perform!)

I have read the entire series so far, still haven't read Eagle but will get that soon! Each book has just pulled me right through from beginning to end, very enjoyable. Honor, survival and the martial arts - all good stuff.

This is an awsome book the first one is tiger that one is realy good to. once you read the first book youl be modevated to read the whole seriese. It's about monks at temple and fighting the auther jeff stone writes and creates beutifly, he detailes the fighting so well it's like your there waching it. READ THE WHOLE SERIESE IT'S GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three companions head down the Yellow River to the underworld of a dangerous city, unaware that their youngest brother is being used as bait in a trap, in this exciting Kung Fu drama which adds to a series with the fourth out of five projected books. Hok has long hidden her identity, but when her old life causes complications in her new world, Hok finds herself allying with other young monks who must use their kung fu skills to survive. Kids who love martial arts will relish this adventure.

An awesome book with the Crane (Hok). It has double the action of Snake, and there are many unexpected turns in the story. I can't wait for Dragon.

My 10 year old has read each book in this series with relish and has now gone back to re-read them all. It has sparked his interest in reading after a lull, and he sped through them in no time. Now we just need to wait for thhe next one...

I thumbed through this book in a bookstore, riveted by the pictures. As a long-time Met fan, I have nearly every yearbook and many other books about the Mets. Yet, I saw many pictures of Shea I had never seen before, from its construction and earlier. I decided to buy the book, as it would become a great resource years from now when Shea is gone. By page 20 out of 126 though, I realized how poorly written and edited it is. An early picture of Gil Hodges calls him "Miracle Worker" but fails to directly credit him with managing the Mets to an improbable 1969 Series win...it oddly calls Ebbets Field "the most fabled ballpark in history"...its description of William Shea's effort to bring an NL team back to NYC is disjointed and hard to follow...and it sloppily refers to Marv Throneberry as "Thorneberry" four times. It also fails to mention that on its opening day in 1964, workers were still painting and many people left the game with paint on their clothes. Later on, it erroneously credits Tom Seaver with the 1967 Cy Young Award, mistakenly puts Dave Kingman on the 1973 Mets and says Davey Johnson became manager in 1985 (really 1984). It states that Doc Gooden was traded to the Mets in 1984 (he actually came through the Mets farm system) and Mike Piazza was traded from LA (actually Florida). It calls Mike's unforgettable 9/21/01 HR off the Braves a walk-off, when in fact it was in the eighth inning. If you can live with tons of embarrassing mistakes, omissions and questionable statements, the pictures alone still make the book worth considering.

This is a wonderful reference and remembrance for those of us who have grown up with the magic of Shea Stadium in Queens. For those of you who did not, this tome will serve as an introduction and full course of study on the history of the Stadium, its colorful intricacies, the incredible richness of its surroundings and the memorable characters who pre-dated it and those who were its contemporaries.
After having spoken to its author Mr. Jason Antos at one of his book signings, I realized why this anthem to Shea is as enlightening and readable as it is!! Simply put, Jason, armed with a life-long fascination with his Queens borough embarked on a quest to create the first (which it is!) all-encompassing tale of the Stadium which has many of its own tales to reveal to the curious.
Enriched with hundreds of photographs, many from the author's private collection, and his personal reflections and recollections, this book serves as a fitting and comprehensive memorial to a Stadium which shall cease to exist in a very short time. Mr Antos, I salute you for this masterful oeuvre and invite you to begin work on some volumes dedicated to my home borough of the Bronx!!

With all that's written on the "House that Ruth Built" Jason Antos presents a timely chronicle, perhaps the first, on the rise of Shea Stadium. The author, a Queens resident, combines local history and passion for Mets baseball for a nostalgic account of Flushing's very own field of dreams. It's only natural that Antos segues into the evolution of the franchise itself, from "lovable losers" (the term he coined) to World Champions. What's in store is a real treat for history buffs and baseball fans alike.

Queens is still a place where the concept of local pride matters a great deal to its inhabitants. Despite how Shea was designed with suburbanites in mind, that its a step removed from its immediate surroundings (in large part due to its own extensive parking fields and that highways run adjacent to it) local residents embrace it as their own. But Shea's magic lies in its ability to forge the spirit of the entire borough. In so doing, it bears the hallmark of New York City's great open air sports venues much like the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, and even Ebbets Field. This is one of the many sweet impressions that Antos' book leaves you.

What's more, the author ties in the mission of the 1964 World's Fair with the expectations placed on the fledgling ball club. Having opened its gates the same year Shea's period architecture served as a metaphor. While its completion meant closure for beleaguered national league fans mourning the departure of both the Dodgers and Giants, Shea's aesthetics, particularly the unobstructed view fans were afforded of the playing field, rekindled dreams of a World Series. All they had to do was believe.

Filled with eye-catching photographs, Antos' finished work is an informative and delightful piece of Queens history. Its all the more compelling since Shea's corporate-sponsored successor, Citi Field--designed to resemble Ebbets Field, ironically enough--is poised to take its place as the Mets' new home within a year. And Shea, and all that it represented, will be but a memory.

Another great book in the series. Brings up things one wouldn't necessarily have attended to in the beginning. Good for general driving, too.

If you are looking for books on racing driving techniques then at least start with books by Ross Bentley.I bought this book and book 1 and they are books that go together.

This book covers more detail and starts where book 1 left off.Things like computer racing/simulations games are good too.

I highly recommend this book and book 1 for anyone interested in racing.

As the author of "Go Ahead - Take the Wheel" which discusses how to begin racing, the Speed Secrets series is what I recommend to people as the next purchase in their racing libary. This book is written in a very friendly manner and does not get too bogged down in very technical discussions that might be challenging for a novice to racing. When looking at the various racing books I own, these always stand out. I guess that's why this is one of only a very few I recommended in the "Additional Resources" section of my book.

The first few chapters didn't tell you much in the way of coaching you to be better. I think 1/4 into the book, the information is very helpful in isolating and working the different components within a practice session towards driving faster (i.e. work on the entry speed, work on the driving line, work on traction sensing, etc...) I gave it 4 stars, because the book could have deleted the first few chapters.

In the second book of the Speed Secret Series, it goes in racing learning more in depth than the first book, it starts with preparing the racer to be a Complete Race Driver, it shows what racers should have, such as Racing Skills, Physical Skills, Career Skills, Marketing Skills, Mental Skills and Testing Skills.
Also it talks in depth about car preparing and learning new driving techniques and tricks.

All of Speed Secrets Books are well written and easy to be understood by new racers.

I recommend reading the first Speed Secrets Book, then practice the techniques in test days and real races, after the driver understand the book well, he should get the second book to learn more about racing gradually.

The Resistance Band Workout Book advocates workout routines using the resistance band - and reinforces theory with almost a hundred exercises using this accessory. The blend of general workouts and sports-specific, goal-oriented exercises comes with illustrations and makes for an excellent primer.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Halberstam was a brilliant man whose writing only occasionally reflected that brilliance. His sports books are weak; this is probably the strongest one, but that is not saying much.

When I read this book I felt like I was a kid again. I grew up in the sixties and was not a fan of either the Yankees or the Red Sox. But, I loved baseball, enjoyed reading about the players from the past and loved it when my dad and others told me stories about baseball from the "old days". David Halberstam tells us the story of the dramatic 1949 pennant race between the Yankees and the Red Sox. He tells us not only about Teddy Ballgame and Joltin' Joe but also about the other great ballplayers on those teams. I really enjoyed learning about the contributions that were made by Reynolds, Raschi, Henrich, Kinder, Parnell and Birdie Tebbetts. Halberstam seems to know everything about the 1949 race and it appears that he was able to interview many of the players involved in the race. Halberstam is of course a great story teller and he is incredibly good at weaving cultural issues from that era into the book. Some of the items that Halberstam reveals in the book were shocking to me. This is a story from a by-gone era and you'll be surprised at a number of the business decisions that were made by the Red Sox and the Yankees and the impact of those decisions. It took me months to read the book because every couple of pages I found myself reflecting on something Halberstam wrote. For me, this was not a book to rush through. It was a book to savor. If you are over 50 you might really enjoy this book. If you are a Yankee fan, you'll love this book. And finally, if you love baseball and love to read about the old days, you'll love this book.

The late David Halberstam wrote erudite books on a wide variety of subjects. Thankfully, one of his interests was baseball. He has produced several scholarly recreations of some of the most fascinating pennant races in baseball history. In "The Summer of '49," the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees were engaged in an epic struggle for the American League title that literally went into extra innings. For Boston, it was the second consecutive season that the team tied for first place at season's end. The Cleveland Indians upset the Red Sox in 1948 and spoiled Boston's opportunity to host a city series (the Boston Braves had won the NL flag). Unlike the National League, which featured a three game playoff series format to break ties, the American League had a one game sudden death tiebreaker.

There plenty of information on the Boston/New York rivalry included in the book, but I was particularly interested in the developments that changing the game, not necessarily for the better. Television broadcasts were responsible for boosting fan interest in the baseball games and temporarily filling restaurants and taverns since few households owned their own television sets; within a few years, the same establishments were empty as people chose to remain at home watching television programs and the pace of the games was altered to permit more commercials to air. Announcers like Mel Allen became immediate local celebrities.

The 1949 season marked the arrival of Casey Stengel as the manager of the Yankees and witnessed Joe Dimaggio spending a significant amount of time on the disabled list. The Red Sox were managed by former Yankee skipper Joe McCarthy and seemed to rely upon two overworked pitchers, Mel Parnell and Ellis Kinder, almost exclusively. Both teams featured numerous All Stars, including Ted Williams, Tommy Heinrich, Phil Rizzutto and many more. Most importantly, the players in this era cared about winning.

I did notice two errors in the photo section. Main one was a picture of Tommy Henrich scoring after a home run off Don Newcombe. The caption below brings attention to Newcombe walking off the field after the hit. The error is the player walking off is not Newcombe, but 1B Gil Hodges. How do I know that? I knew all the Dodger numbers in those days and the player walking off is # 14 - Hodges. Newcombe was # 36 and not in the picture. The picture above this one transcribes two names, Hodges and Duke Snider I think. Minor stuff. Great book

Don't get a statistic wrong; don't you dare make a mistake. Okay, Bill James correctly points out some mistakes that Mr. Halberstam makes in this book. None of the mistakes are important to the story, nor do any of them detract from the book in any way. I can't hold that criticism against this book.

This is an excellent baseball book. David Halberstam masterfully brings to life a baseball season and pennant race that otherwise I could never enjoy. He makes you part of the history of the era in the US, as well as in the game of baseball. He introduces you to all the important players in the game and some of the other assorted characters around the game. It is a well written book, easy to read and enjoy by any baseball fan!

I'm a 46 year-old Mom and I bought this book because of the great reviews, but I didn't know which son to give it to. My 4th grader falls into the age-range mentioned here at amazon, but based on the plot synopses here I felt it was more a book my 7th grader would like.

So I read it myself first. I LOVED it. What a great, moving, inspiring, different book. As stay-with-you as Hoot, or Terabithia, or Stargirl, or... to date myself ... as The Outsiders.

It's well-written, it's gripping, it's multi-layered, and it manages to keep track of multiple story arcs within itself without dropping any or using any sort of deux ex machina to get out of any. It presents it's villains without caricature, and it's heroes without pandering. It surprises you at nearly every turn - but not in a forced we-need-a-plot-twist way.

I won't describe the plot as it as been so well-described here. I'll just reiterate that this is an amazing young adult novel that I thoroughly enjoyed for myself as well.

And I personally would not give this to my 4th grader. Not that the reading level is too difficult, but I think the content is too dark and the layers perhaps too subtle for a 10 year-old. I'm giving this book to my 7th grader tomorrow (I just finished it tonight!) and I know he'll devour it.

What a page turner! This engaging book is about a boy who has just moved to a new area, Tangerine County, Florida, with his family. He is a young man who is constantly outdone by his older star-football-player brother and is stuggling to find his place in life, in Tangerine county, and in his family. This book captures you into his world, taking you through the ups and down of the self-awarness and moral issues of middle school. This young man must ultimitly chose to do the right thing or to do what is expected of him. It deals with a question that every young person is asked, "What do you want to be?"
Relativly short and an easier read than some, this book is a good read for most middle schoolers and young adults alike. It is well written and engaging with many twists and turns (especialy the ending!!!).

Through his computerized diary entries, Paul Fisher tells the story of his seventh-grade year. These entries not only let him describe what is happening, they give him the opportunity to reflect on his past.

At the beginning of the story, the Fisher family has just moved to Florida from Houston. The diary entries tell the story of how Paul's brother, Erik, has always bullied him. He even has his friends call Paul Eclipse boy because of a bad vision problem that was supposedly caused by Paul looking at an eclipse for too long. His parents virtually overlook Erik's digressions because they are focused on what Paul calls the 'Erik Fisher football dream.'

To make things worse, Paul gets kicked off of his new soccer team because his Mom had told the school that he has a visual 'handicap'. But Paul believes that his vision is much better and it is proven in his many observations chronicled in the diary.

When the portable school units had Paul's middle school are swallowed by a sinkhole, Paul is given a chance to go to another school and he takes it. Because he knows that at Tangerine Middle School he can play soccer. Paul's ability to 'see' people for who they are may be even more sharp than his ability to see. He doesn't see the class or racial barriers that separate him from the kids in this other school. His eagerness to play also earns him the respect of the other team members.

As the story unfolds, Paul sees snippets of his past and the history of his family comes clear to him. And he is the unlikely hero in this heartwarming tale.

Paul was endearing from the start. The writing in this novel is impeccable. The story is fantastic - a real page-turner. I read it all through in a day. There is a dark undertone to this book though so I would not recommend it for younger kids.

When I read this book it didn't seem like there were any happy times in it. It seemed like all it was, was violence, and bullying. If I were older I think I would have understood it better, and maybe I would even like it. When I picked it off of the summer reading book list, I thought I might like it so I kept on reading, but nothing good or exciting happened, and that is how I feel about this book.

Paul Fisher, AKA Fisher Man, has a not so normal life. Living on top of muck fires and in a termite-infested house with a brother that has everything a child could want, he turned out pretty normal. In the book Tangerine by Edward Bloor, Paul finds a way of life in Tangerine County.

I thought Paul's life was not very realistic because there was too much going on at once. His best friend's brother died, his school started melting into a sinkhole, and he gets bullied by everyone. This book needs to have more focus to it other than bullying. How could one kid get beat up by his brother and get teased by the almost the whole county without his parents knowing anything?

I have to say it had great detail but I would only recommend it to readers that like soccer and for those who like intense stories.

Lisa Leslie has really created a great read for basketball followers. She tells things truthfully and lets the reader know her feelings about certain issues. I really enjoyed this one!!!

I loved this book because it is like having a conversation with Lisa Leslie herself in which she tells you everything you ever wanted to know without actually having to ask her anything. It's like talking to a friend who just confides in you. I have always admired this woman, but know I really feel like I know her and admire her even more. It's not like I was in the dark about who she is, she projects her personality and values very clearly, however, with this book, one gets to discover how she got to be who she is and why she has gotten so far. I hope one day I get to meet her in person because she is very dear to me as a person, a woman, a player...she is a great role model to have. So go get a copy of this book. You won't regret it.

I am a HUGE Sparks fan. I love Lisa Leslie as well. The book was an eye opener. She is a very complex, shy person that turns in to a basketball playing machine on the court. The title is perfect! A must read for any young girl with professional sports dreams.

You don't have to be a sports fan to be inspired by Lisa Leslie's incredible story. This book takes you far beyond Lisa's athletic achievements -- which are substantial. It gives you a tremendous insight into the real person behind the extraordinary athlete, an extremlely compelling lady and a true role model.

Kudos to Lisa and collaborator Larry Burnett. Five Star PLUS!!!

Even as a non-fan of the WNBA, this story really hit home! LL's different, sometimes heartbreaking stories were really an eye-opener into the life of someone who is constantly facing opposition-- LL is a true inspiration!

I was appalled but utterly intrigued when she recollected the story about her own SISTER trying to steal Lisa's identity!

From an athletic role-model to a stunning fashionista, LL has been through it all and I'm glad that she joined forces with Larry Burnett to create a great read!

This book got so much use when I was a girl scout leader and with the neighborhood kids, especially parties! Has great games that I loved to play in the days before computers, playstations, cable TV, etc.

This book was a big hit for our family and my 7 year old son really had fun playing some of the indoor games..great new creative ideas and also a great refresher for games I had played when I was young but couldn't quite remember all the rules! Well written, easy to read format - would definitely recommend!

What a great book, I teach P.E. and do afterscool care, I use this book all the time. It has great games for indoor and outdoors. Get it you won't regret it.

The best one book for playing games with elementary students. New games, old games, cooperative games, competitive games, variations on games- it's all here. The best money I've spent on a game book- and I've bought four!

I LOVE this book and I'm not a teacher NOR do I have children (just lots of nieces and nephews)! I've always been a board game fan and this book brings back memories of all the fun we used to have as kids. This is a great book for parents to get kids away from video games and get outside and have fun while being active. It covers almost any children's game you can think of in a manner that touches on all the detail I've forgotten over time. It's divided into chapters such as: Indoor Games; Games to Play on Grass and Playgrounds; Games to play on Pavement, Steps and Stoops; Games in Water; Party Games and Travel Games.

There are games I played that I didn't remember the names or the rules...they're all here. Card games like Old Maid, Fish and Hearts; Paper games like Hangman, Boxes (where you make the dots and connect the lines to form boxes) and String games like Cat's Cradle. There was even the game that you folded the paper and wrote stuff on the inside and you sliped the paper box thing over your fingers to answer the other person's questions. Here it's called Cootie Catcher but I can guarantee we didn't call it that! LOL

Writing this review makes me want to go play some hopscotch! See ya' later.

I now live in rural Alaska and my husband has fished all summer - fresh salmon can't be beat! This book was spot on and I look forward to using it to surprise my husband with a cool fishing trip. The pictures were excellant and look just like what I live in!

This book is the best, but I think I could do without all the colored pictures, a smaller book, and less expensive. After all, are you going fishing, or sitting in your recliner looking at all the nice pictures?

Any fisherman planning a trip to Alaska should check out this reference. There are tips on hiring a guide and exploring the waterways on your own.

This book should definately be on your list if you are planning a fishing trip to Alaska. It is the most comprehesive source of information that I have seen.

I was very pleased with this purchase. The book covers all of the major sport fish that can be expected in Alaska. Each species gets a detailed treatment including biology, tackle, fishing techniques, and some of the best places to go for each species. The authors also provide a detailed discussion of the various geographic regions of the state (including contact information for guides and air taxis) making it easy to plan a fishing trip by region or by species. The book is filled with photography that beautifully illustrates the fish and places of Alaska.