Games Books

Long, long ago a company known as FASA was busy going way against the flow, releasing all kinds of highly original roleplaying material that went against the standard Dungeons and Dragons norm. In 2001 FASA quit producing games, and instead licensed their products out to other companies. Earthdawn was FASA's crowning fantasy achievement, an incredibly detailed completely original world with it's own special flavor and feel. The basic concept behind Earthdawn is that most of the peoples of the world have taken to hiding for over four hundred years. Creatures known as Horrors have come from deep out of astral space and are systematically destroying everything and everyone. As the magically adept of the world had prior knowledge that this Scourge was approaching, they built vast underground cities, in hopes that they could wait until the horrors either died or returned to their home realms. People are now returning to the surface to find a wild and untamed land. Adventurers-a-plenty will be needed to search for survivors, plunder destroyed cities, and fend off the few remaining Horrors.

The races in Earthdawn have much more of their histories, backgrounds, and tendencies described than can be found in most other roleplaying games. There is the standard elves, dwarves, and humans, but also races not normally used by players like orks, trolls, obsidman (a human like race made of stone), windlings (tiny people with wings), and the T'skrang (a reptilian species with a flair for the dramatic). There is a good mix of classes, which are known as Disciplines in Earthdawn. The class mix falls somewhere between the simplicity of D&D, which essentially has four class types with a few variations, and the absurdity of the Warhammer roleplaying game, which has hundreds of classes. The Sky Raider, a sort of aerial pirate with a deep code of honor and a variety of cool abilities, is probably the most interesting warrior variant in any roleplaying game.

Character creation is focused firmly on roleplaying, with a whole section devoted to fleshing out a character's personality traits, phyiscal attributes, and moral/ethical beliefs. Essentially all characters in the game are magic users to some extent (called Adepts), as most skills require the use of minor magic. The actual spell casting classes are divided into four types - wizard, illusionist, ethermancer, and elementalist, all of which cast their spells slightly differently. The magic system itself is rather complex, and is intimately tied to everyday life in Earthdawn, which keeps it constantly just at the back of everyone's minds. The only downside to playing Earthdawn is the rule system, which is much more complex than Dungeons and Dragons, and will take some getting used to if your group has been playing D20 games. Once you get the hang of them, though, the style of play is quite fun. A host of supplemental resource books were created for Earthdawn, which are all out of print now. If you can get your hands on them, you'll find a very rich and detailed setting where the characters will have a chance to play an important role in either uniting or causing strife between the various countries and governments emerging from underground. If political intrigue isn't your cup of tea, remember that there is all kinds of dungeon diving mayhem to be had in Earthdawn as well.

If your roleplaying group is up for a change, definitely give Earthdawn a try, as it is one of the best fantasy role-playing games out there.

I had not been roleplaying rpg's in awhile until a friend of a friend told me about Earthdawn, and how great it was. Great it is! The mechanics of gameplay are all based essentially on a single step table that makes the game easy and complex. Overall a worthy addition to any fantasy roleplaying enthusiast. Only problem is Earthdawn is out of print! so get it while it lasts - (or get the main rulebook and create your own!)

For all you Earthdawn fans out there who don't already know this great game has been picked up by Living Room Games and they'll be releasing a 2nd edition starting this Spring. You can reach Living Room Games website at http://www.lrgames.com be sure to keep an eye out for them. Let's all rejoice in the return of the greatest RPG ever and continue to give Earthdawn our full support.

Buy it, play it, feel it! FASA takes you to a new dimension in fantasy role-playing. Get it while it's still available!!! The thing that makes Earthdawn so special is that it captures all the elements that is needed from a cutting-edge role-playing game. Mystique, adventure, unexplored frontiers, lurking evil powers, conspiracies etc. FASA has made the land of Barsaive come to life unlike anything I've ever experienced before (and belive me, I've been around!). From the bottom of my heart I urge you to buy this product and join me, and many more around the globe, in the gaming experience of a lifetime!

Earthdawn was FASA's brilliant attempt for an original roleplaying game in a fantastic sword and sorcery (and more sorcery) fantasy settings.

The game's premise is that the different civilizations are returning to surface life after 400 years of living in underground citadels. Their ancestors had fled to these citadels to escape an invasion of monstrous beings that had been brought by the rising tide of magical energies in the world.

The setting is rich, with tremendous roleplaying potential. Player characters may interact in the re-emerging governments and politics. They may serve as diplomats or warriors in nation disputes over land that has been unclaimed for centuries.

The setting also provides the best justification for ancient ruins and dungeon-searching adventures of any system I have encountered. An unknown number of citadels were overcome by the invading creatures during the 400 year period and even more were lost when their inhabitants attempted to return to the surface too soon. Players may be contracted to clear out the caves, or search for an artifact. The book offers a listing of several common foes, including soldiers of the different races but also several variants of the evil supernatural beings that have been left behind in their species' recent exodus.

The character races feature standard fantasy faire: orks, humans, elves, dwarves, trolls, and also some added variety with a lizard/human race, a species of rock men, and faeries.
The professions are even better, with over 10 to choose from. Each profession uses magic in accordance with its associated skills, from warrior abilities for toughening skin to thieving skills to make the person nearly undetectable.

The only drawback to the system is the complexity. There is a steps/ranks table for handling all skill uses (including spells and combat), and I have no complaints for it. But character advancement becomes complicated because of the character customization. However, I personally view the trade-off as more than worthwhile.

Over the years, I have bought a pile of "How to" books on After Effects,Première Pro, Photoshop and Illustrator and I did not feel any urge to write anything about these books before buying Ms Hartman's Illustrator guide.

I liked the writing : unpretentious, simple with a warm tone that clicks with the reader.

The first lesson in itself, is worth more than half the price of the book.

This book honestly is like a guide line. Especially if you need to look up something you can't remember, you can probably find what you need in the book.

This book really showed me, step by (illustrated) step, the way to make the most out of using Illustrator. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the hands-on approach to learning. In the very first lesson, the author helped me create a logo that was really great looking, which gave me a boost of confidence to go on and do more. This book is just great for a beginner, to learn all the essentials of Illustrator.

This book is a guide to learning Adobe Illustrator CS and digital illustration. The approach is divided between reading sections and step-by-step exercises. Each chapter is divided into several short lessons with accompanying images describing the steps. The key combination and minor interface differences for Mac and windows are explained when necessary.

Overall, this was a good book that provided a smooth experience to learning Illustrator and design in general. The basics of Illustrator are easy to understand through the reading and exercises provided. Although the lessons are short, there is plenty of opportunity to practice on your own. You are initially walked through an exercise, but then usually given a chance to finish part of it on your own. The "Exploring On Your Own" sections provides extra practice and places to look for more information on the various topics discussed. The rest of the book in dedicated to providing useful information on design concepts such as color chords and art principles (line, fill, value etc). The color chords such as analogous, dyad or monochromatic will definitely help on my color choices on my next project. The CD provides all the needed lesson files and any additional samples for practice.

As for problems, most were really minor with this book. There were only a few minor errors spotted such as steps with missing detail or incorrect menu paths. Also, I did think the review questions at the end of each chapter would have been more helpful if the answers were provided. Actually, the biggest issue I had with this book was the novel sized format it was published in. The book is small and the pages are difficult to keep open. Even my document holder was barely able to keep the pages open. For most of the book I had to use one hand to keep it open while working the mouse with the other. I am probably just being a little finicky since most of these minor problems had little effect on actual content.

In the end, this is still a fine book to quickly get up to speed with Adobe Illustrator. The coverage on related design principles was just a bonus. Since this is a short book, do not expect deep coverage on Illustrator techniques. If you need more advanced concepts and/or less on design, then another book will probably work out better. However, the material that is covered is done so well and it should provide a good start for any beginner.

I am a computer programmer/web designer familiar with adobe photoshop, but I wanted to learn more about designing with illustrator. I knew how to get around the program, but was not confident in using it. This book was wonderful - it's great for beginners, and I love how it encourages you to use keystrokes to get things done, instead of the mouse (much faster).

Extraordinary Putting is a masterpiece of instruction and life lessons combined. Every time I'm on the green I think of the lessons learned. I've dropped strokes in this critical area of the golf game. At the same time, I've been inspired by Fred Shoemaker's wisdom and ideas on how golf mirrors life in so many ways. Excellent read!

Explore your mind and become truly aware of yourself with these golf tips to help you open up your game. There are also great exercises to help you relax.

This is likely the best book I have read about the sport of Golf so far.
A great book, that is well worth the money (and time reading it more than once). The excercises in the book are great and easy to follow with amazing effects.

Although I see several different philosophies woven into the authors work, what you call it doesn't matter. Reading this book is an essential for any golfer. You will learn things about yourself you didn't know, why you play golf....and, it will be an aid to improving your game. I have not practiced all the exercises, but just by reading the book, my swing and thought process has changed. My swing is more free, my thoughts are more free, and I am free from worrying about the result. I can't wait to read "Extraordinary Golf" next.

Awareness. It is something I never really experienced before playing golf. Being in the now and enjoying the sensations of the game will definitely be my goals for the upcoming season. Reading this book is like having a hypnotic session. You can start to see inside and outside of yourself and become amazed at how you work. I only wish that I was taught these things 20 years ago when I first started playing.

its good but i didnt beat the game, so i thus didnt use the whole stragey guide so i dont know since i didnt dive into it that much

It was nice to have some over view maps of the caves and castles. It help prevent the access use of potions and death of party members at early levels.

This is the most helpful book ever. It has maps, stats for characters and bosses and the eastiest way to beat them. The book tells you what is in each chest if they're guarded and by what. And it has what monster you'll find in certain areas and there stats. It show all the wepons armor and items and their ablities. This book is great. I used it after i beat both and i was amazed at some of the things i missed or did wrong. Personnally though i'd rather spend more time on the game and find the stuff without help it just more fun that way. But when it comesd to strategy guides this is a the top!

Wow, this book's got everything! Bestiary, secret items, boss strategies, everything. If you seriously are having trouble, get this guide. You won't be sorry, you'll be like " Wow this thing DOES have EVERYTHING!"

I was VERY impressed with this guide when I bought it the other day and I have to say that it's helped me cover alot of material. I had already beaten FF1, but FF2 was probably the hardest for me to complete alone and I'm sure that this is the same for everone else who's played it as it is said to be the HARDEST one in the FF franchise! Without it, I probably wouldn't have gotten as far as I thought. The guide covers both games and includes info on magic, dungeons, Boss strategies etc. and just about anything else you'd expect to know from a Final Fantasy game. And well, thanks to an excellent walkthrough through FF2, I finally beat both games with just about everything covered. (except for 'Normal' mode in FF1)

OVERALL: I give it a 10/10! Excellent coverage for both games and a nice way to get through the hardest dungeons in case you get lost. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are having trouble getting through either game because it will REALLY REALLY help! Never have I seen strategy this good in a long time! BRADYGAMES is the BEST co. to offer these, so I say BUY TODAY!!! You won't regret it! ^_^

Well, this is a great book, a peace of work, i don't know a player over 2700's, who can write better than shirov style, other GM, give many dizzy and infinite lines, and this is borned.

The people who believe meet Shirov, knows that he is a great tactical player, secrifices materia for dinamic game, always to pursuit a dramatic ending, and are games accourding this style, but Also is a graet ending player.

In this book, Shirov share, personal tips, that helps to improved chess result in tournaments, also gave its own opening lab, in this case he approach Botvinik opening.

The games were selected from 1979 to 1996, its showed the flesh style of Shirov, with a great tactical instint and his sacrifices, blaze the board, he always pursuit the path to performed a artistic manuoevre.

Shirov's approach are nice, he explained with detailed, easy to understand.

For any person who is coaching a child(parents, coach)this book help for the goal and is a nice gift, better if your child loves tactic.

For beginer player, this book contains top player games, but Shirov's approach is very easy, so don be afraid that you could not taste this book.

For Intermediate player, Shirov, gave nice tips about self preparation, and lab opening, you could find interesting. Too bad that this book has not pic's.

I hope my review could help you

Please read the other reviews carefully. Like the man said, this book is NOT for beginners. Its NOT an instructional book. (Maybe an advanced manual for GM Tactics?) It is a book for the very discriminating connoisseur of the Royal Game. And you should be a fairly good chess-player with an above average grasp of chess tactics to "really get" whats in this book!

I found a few errors in this book. I also found one instance of the same line being analyzed twice with a different conclusion in each case! (Transposition.)

But for the most part this is an incredible chess book, crafted with great loving care by the authors. While it is probably over the head of the average chess player, the earnest student of the game will find much pure Gold here to mine!! Another warning: if you are the lazy type of chess player, you probably won't get much out of this book. Buy it ONLY if you are looking for a real challenge!!!(Understand: I am a Master, and many times the variations left me just scratching my head!!) This is the one chess book that, "Is looking for a few Good..." (To borrow a phrase.)

Shirov is one of the strongest grandmasters in the world today, and this is his magnum opus. It's right up there with the collections of Tal, Fischer, Keres, and Larsen. Don't even think about passing it up!

Don't believe those reviews that describe this book as suitable for advanced players only. I could enjoy this book without a board and pieces. The prose is somewhat limited.

All players deserve to be encouraged to look at his games.

Fantastic games and a good chess writer. I learned (and am learning) a lot about sacrifices and tactics from this book.

Having played only American football and Rugby Union, I have found this book invaluable in learning about the "why's" of soccer/football. This book has given me invaluable insight into the mindset of ref'ing and perspectives on dealing with very dynamics situations on and off the pitch. The stories are wonderful and illuminating.

If you are a ref...this book teaches you how to really BE one and be a PART of the game..not the obstruction to it. YOU NEED this book it is the best referee book ever written.

I just finished reading Bob & Ed's book a fourth time in preparation to teach an Entry (Associate) Level Referee Instructor course in Northern California next weekend, and every time I read it, I find not only things to help me (State Referee) in my game, but also to pass on to new Referee Instructors (State Instructor) in the development of referees.

P.S. I read it a fourth time not only for my up-comming instructor course, but also had State Cup U19 matches last weekend, and it helped!

I agree with my friend Steve Piercy (another reviewer) that this is a great book for all referees, but for referees that are serious about advancing as a referee, instructor, assessor, or even an assignor, it is a must read. Also agree with the other reviewers...if you're interested to improve your game in whatever role you play, do it with this book!

As a licensed but former coach and mediocre player, a great read to see it from the other side too.

For the Good of the Game.

As a Grade 7 referee upgrading to a Grade 6 - State Referee I have read everything I can about Soccer Refereeing. I wish I would have found this book first instead of last. The authors bring wonderful insight to the "sport" of Soccer Refereeing. They have given me so many new and wonderful ideas that I can't wait to try them this season.

Whether you are a new referee or an experienced referee I would highly suggest this book. It covers topics that were never ever discussed in my training sessions. So much so that I actually have a new outlook on how I referee this wonderful game of soccer.

The other books are good and are worth your time but read this book first, then go to the others.

Michael Metz - USSF Grade 7 Referee - AYSO Area Referee

This is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive book about officiating now in print; with apologies to Izaak Walton, it's "The Compleat Referee."

If you're just beginning as a referee, study and learn the Laws of the Game. Develop a relationship with a mentor whom you trust. And read this book. More than once. Despite the authors' significant credentials as FIFA and FA referees, the newest official will find their style enlightening and eminently readable. The book covers the entire gamut of refereeing from pre-match preparation to effectively dealing with every imaginable - and unimaginable! - situation on the pitch. Personal anecdotes from the authors' considerable experience appear throughout each chapter and help clearly illustrate each point.

For more experienced referees, this book delves repeatedly into the very personal subject of player management - the mind game. The authors will repeatedly challenge you to evaluate each match on its own and ensure you're employing the right skills to effectively 'orchestrate' it.

I had the pleasure of attending a day-long presentation by Mr. Evans and Mr. Bellion and can tell you that these gents are every bit as entertaining and informative in their book as they are in person. Their good humor and passion for the game comes through loud and clear. You won't be disappointed!

THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE IF YOUR DESPERATE AT THE FREE THROW LINE.MOST PLAYERS THINK YOUR CRAZY WHEN YOU TEACH THIS METHOD.

My basketball coach gave me this book in 7th grade to read because I was struggling from the freethrow line! Not only could I easily understand it but it also drastically improved my shot at the line! After practicing the steps I was able to sink my freethrows consistantly within a couple weeks!! I am now a high school senior and am still using the basic steps I read so many years ago!! This book is a must read whether you are struggling from the freethrow line or not!!!

I read the book with great pleasure. Following the guidelines in the book builds up an automatic sequence in your throwing style that definitely improve your results under game pressure!

Dr. Tom is the best at shooting a free throw. He makes it simple for anyone to improve.

I love this book. The methods and thinking demonstrated in the book can be used in other things (other than just basketball.)
It's a short read. You can finish it in less than a day. Go back and review it from time to time.
I buy a lot of books. Most get given away or sold. Some get a permanent place on my bookshelf. This is a keeper.

I admit that at first I was thinking this book would focus more on the game engine part of the toolset development in its title. I knew it wasn't REALLY about developing a game engine but even so, make sure you understand what you're getting.

That said, I really liked this book. I'm halfway through it already (it's a very quick read given how discrete each chapter is and the clear and easy to read print and examples).

I've read a number of game development books and you rarely get everything done right. This book gets close. The author describes the particular problem the chapter seeks to solve (e.g. encryption, batch processing, etc.) and goes through the steps of solving it.

The book is similar to those programming gems types of books that aren't organized in some linear fashion but are discrete chapters on specific topics that can be picked and chosen as you see fit.

The author does a very good job of putting the examples together and many of the chapters have been useful to me (I plan on implementing a number of the tools/frameworks he mentions).

If you're working on a game engine, I really suggest trying this book out. This assumes you're not already an expert game programmer who already built a lot of these sorts of tools before.

If you're looking for something that will help you build a full-fledged game engine, look for another book...then come back to this and get it to help you flesh out your toolset.

I bought this book thinking it would help me write a new tool for, say, building 3d models, or some other general tool. When it arrived I got excited just by the shear size of it, it's huge!

However, I started flipping through it browsing each and every chapter (didn't read them all in detail of course, but quite a few) and it doesn't teach you how to make a NEW tool for your game, it teaches you how to make an EXISTING tool better. While that knowledge is extremely valuable (and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 3), it's not what the description of the book stated: "Readers are not required to have any experience developing game engine tools." If you have no experience developing a tool, you're going to have a little trouble getting started. If you know enough math and have good enough coding skills to get a game engine going, you'll be able to write a tool for your game, but you don't need this book to do it.

Now, with that said, this book IS quite good and worth your money so long as you don't expect to read this book and then write a tool, you're going to need more info. Get the book anyway and use it as a guide, it's usefull in that aspect.

This book is so good at making a tool better, most of it's "gems" can and should be applied to ANY application, game tool or not. Also, it covers some good highlevel (or lowlevel, depending on how you view it) .Net functionality such as interfacing with COM and code documentation, as well as few other excellent techniques. These "gems" are quite valuable on their own.

So, in conclusion, if you know nothing about writing a tool, or you don't know C#, hold off on buying this book (make sure to put it in your wish list however). If you have a tool but find it's difficult to work with, or you want to broaden it's appeal, or just simply make it better, get this book, you won't regret it.

I just received my copy of Game Engine Toolset Development and I have been unable to put the book down. The author gives a good introduction to .NET 2.0 and relates it to toolset development for games. The chapters are easy to read and follow and he gives good advice on how to build good tools. He could have looked at other toolsets to make the book more complete, but I see this book as a way to introduce students to game programming who have a basic programming background (Java, C++, C, Alice 2.0, etc.).

This is an excellent book, which covers a lot of important aspects of game/engine tool development, but it is more like a recipe book, as each chapter subject is almost stands on its own - just like game programming gems series. My favorite is how to integrate native code into a managed application. The book is well written (one of the best I've read recently), and the only thing i missed is a few chapters on how-to integrate into an existing pipeline - like importer/exporter for a common 3d package at least. A better title for this book would be "(game)tool programming gems"

Then, as a hobbyist, I'll just let you know that this book not only teaches, but flat you gives you some great modular code that you can work into many different types of tools.

There's also some great design principles covered that have improved my workflow, even though i'm currently working solo.

Henry Wilt is just a regular guy with 'semi' normal thoughts and ambitions, trying to get somewhere in life, except that those around him pay little or no attention to him at all. This drives him to conconct some wayward plan to remove the main thing that's kept him where he is: his wife, Eva. All things are going swimmingly until a chance-meeting with their new neighbours shifts his whole world to one where anything ridiculous and downright unbelievable ends up making a lot of sense.

It's the effortless way that Tom Sharpe interlocks the characters and circumstances in his books that makes them so addictive. I've never read a book where I literally burst out laughing, only to have to sink deeper into my seat to avoid the quizzical looks from those around me. I loved Blott On The Landscape and Porterhouse Blue (and I didn't think he could top them!), but Wilt is by far the best one I've read...and judging by the reviews that Amazon readers have been giving his other books, it seems the journey for me has just begun.

Wilt began Tom Sharpe's peculiar and irreverant view of life that is expanded throughout all his books since. One step outside the normal leads to two steps and before we know it we are in a parallel universe of the absurd that is very, very funny, outrageous, and essentially human, warts and all. Tom Sharpe has inspired some of the best new humour writer's of today. I think particularly of Robert Fox, who in Red Fox Goose Green takes the everyday in English village life -- the fox hunt, the church service, the pub -- and breathes Tom Sharpe style farce into the institutions that made Britain what it is.

If you enjoy satire, and you like it laced with sexual innuendo, profanity and wit, you will love Tom Sharpe's books, but you will particularly love Wilt, which takes you into the world and never-ending irony of lower-class British academia. Henry Wilt is miserable in his existence as a "Tech" lecturer, married to Eva, his incorrigibly energetic, enthusiastic and critical wife. He attempts to escape by way of fantasizing how he might murder Eva, who has recently taken up with the sexually wacky American couple next door. After an embarrassing encounter with an inflatable doll, Wilt decides to practice murder on it, and ends up being accused of murdering Eva. A fantastic read.

I bought this book 15 years ago when traveling. While waiting for a change of planes at Heathrow, I started reading, and couldn't put it down. I started chuckling to myself, then laughing out loud, then laughing so it hurt!! Other passengers were staring at me. I showed them what I reading and some of them nodded knowingly.

It is the funniest book I have ever read!

This is Sharp's best novel yet, the second detailing the life of Wilt a college lecturer and his severely disfunctional family. In what is basically a farce Sharpe's satire bites deep into every subject he touches, as Wilt comes under investigation by the police for drug dealing, infiltrates a US nuclear air base and has to use face cream to cool his burning uncontrolable penis. If my description of this novel sounds manic, the reason is simple, the book is manic. As an Englishman living in the US I am not sure if the humor travels well, but I hope my American friends can appreciate it, because this book is one of only three (all written by Tom) capable of making me laugh out loud wherever I am reading it (which can be most embarrasing). Try it and enjoy a different view of life and then be thankful you don't have to live Wilt's life.

This book was awesome, I could not put it down. You can really tell that he wrote it. It makes you understand what goes on in his head.

Jason McElwain's autobiography is well written and informative.
It describes the essential details of his life. The book presents
interviews with the most important people who have interacted with
Jason. It is highly recommended reading.
Jason's coping with his autism is relieved by his pleasure of
playing basketball. Jason in one basketball game colossally surmounts
being autistic by being artistic with his incredible three point shooting
accuracy. He sinks a total of twenty points with six three point shots and a two point field goal( where he mistakenly was standing on the three point line ) within the last three minutes and nine seconds of
his team's game. This performance was so incredibly phenomenal Jason's
life story is currently being developed into a national movie release.
One facet of Jason ( "J-Mac's" ) personal basketball practice
( "shootarounds" ) was never revealed in his autobiography that might
potentially be interesting to the public is his personal "best" basketball
shooting statistics and records. What percentage of three point shots
and free throws did Jason sink in practice? What were the most consecutive
three point shots or most consecutive free throws Jason ever sank in practice? What was the longest practice session shot Jason ever sank? Did Jason ever sink or perfect any practice "trick shots" or any other trick basketball handling or dribbling skills such as spinning the basketball upon his finger? I am an internationally famous basketball trick shooter and inspirational and motivational speaker named JIM "TRICK SHOT" LISTER.
I sink many of the most unusual and most difficult basketball trick
shots in basketball history with an astonishingly high degree of accuracy
despite shooting the basketball with a crippled right shooting hand.
My own personal basketball triumph over adversity is considered
by some basketball experts to be one of the greatest true basketball stories of all time.
I personally rate Jason McElwain's heart-wrenchingly and tear-jerkingly basketball triumph-over-an-obstacle accomplishment as the
single greatest true basketball story of all time!!!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK VERY QUICKLY. GREAT CONDITION. REAL BARGAIN. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SELLER!

After seeing the tail end of Jason's recent appearance on "Larry King Live", I immediately went on line to buy "The Game of My Life". Jason's compelling story kept me up past 2:00 a.m. last night because I couldn't get enough of his unique ponderings on the importance of "focus" and his astonishing feat [20 points in just over 4 minutes of playing time!] on the basketball court.

Many parts of his narrative made me smile while others moved me to tears. I was even reminded of the brilliant screenplay penned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for their 1997 breakout film, "Good Will Hunting".

I can't wait to see the movie based on Jason "J-Mac" McElwain's life and to see who plays the lead role. If I were directing, I would cast J-Mac to star as himself!

Many people probably remember hearing about Jason McElwain on the news back in 2006. He scored a record six three-point shots for his high school basketball team. That might not have been outstanding for a superior high school player, but Jason was the team manager, not a first string player. And, in addition to that, he was a young man diagnosed as autistic.

In THE GAME OF MY LIFE, Jason McElwain tells his story. He shares what he recalls from family stories about his early childhood years, unable to communicate or even tolerate his mother's loving touch. Extensive medical testing resulted in a diagnosis of severe autism. With the help of dedicated parents, Jason was able to learn coping skills and manage many of his autistic outbursts. Sports provided a focus point and an outlet for his energy, and ultimately earned Jason his moments of fame.

Jason's unique voice can be clearly heard as he tells his memories of early treatments thought to reduce the symptoms of autism. He explains the frustration of moving from one school to the next as school administrators searched for the best programs to help him. As Jason became interested and involved in a variety of sports, he found not only friends, but also a way to achieve success. Always in touch with reality, Jason knew his skills were adequate but not exceptional, and his success came as a chance to just be part of a team. But with the care and concern of his coach and teammates, his part on the team gave him the chance of his life and memories that have changed him forever.

THE GAME OF MY LIFE is an inspiring story about living with an increasingly common condition. It is an excellent book for teens suffering with autism or connected to someone with the condition. Jason's positive, up-beat personality is refreshing, as well as direct and realistic.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"