Sports Books

Both of my sons and my husband enjoyed this book. A lot of fun to read.

Mick Foley's "Have a Nice Day" is his first and his best. It is a whimsical journey in the life of one of the greatest hardcore wrestlers ever. Foley has always had the gift of gab, and it translates very well to the written page. Hysterical, insightful, and heartwarming.

If you are interested in the behind the scenes of wrestling, here's a great place to start. Mick speaks on his rise from childhood fan to wrestling superstar. He even talks breifly about the Boiler Room Brawl and his Cleveland promos! (I wish he would have went more in-depth on these topics, though.)

See a different side of wrestling with this autobiographical book. You'll laugh your way through this brilliant work of art and ask yourself how Foley survived.

Amazing that in a few weeks, Mick Foley poured his life and soul into 760 pages of notebook paper that would make it, lightly cut and without any major edits, onto book, and earn it's New York Times #1 Bestseller's List. If only it weren't for that Oprah! (readers of the book will understand)

Starting from childhood, he makes it quick, but sweet as he tells humorous stories about his friends, and the origin of the name "Cactus Jack", and his time in college, including the inspiration for Dude Love and the start of his wrestling career.

Foley's writing is so personal and engrossing that he easily captures our attention with riveting stories ranging from lying to his parents and almost getting caught skipping a bus to college in order to catch a wrestling show (the famous Madison Square Garden match between Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco), to gaining the respect and friendship of ex-wrestler and trainer Dominic DeNucci and being taken under his wing, knowing Foley couldn't afford classes, by reducing his fee, and then not charging altogether.

Foley's tales of his independent circuit runs are definitely a grungy, and in some cases heartwrenchingly painful experiences, which his natural humor and goodnatured attitude help liven up and spare us the angst he must have felt, but without completely sugarcoating it.

All along the way, Foley maintains a very brilliantly hidden line between kayfabe and shoot, though focusing more on the shoot aspect (for nonwrestling fans, kayfabe means the "fake" world of wrestling, including storylines and gimmicks, shoot is reality) and readily admits his talent isn't in technical or even very good wrestling, but rather in taking bumps and making the other guy and himself look good.

From hellish stories of being stalked by crazed female fans thinking his real name is "Cactus Jack Manson" to wrestling in Nigeria and almost getting robbed by the corrupt government police, to losing out on a 3,000$ paycheck in Africa after the president of the country he wrestled in (who organized the event) was assassinated and the regime overthrown within weeks of his departure, Foley's wit and charm keep the story of his life so lively, you'd think it has to be fiction.

Moving on to his time in WCW, he recounts the horrors of the backstage mechanics, from Ric Flair's awful booking and the backstage team's failure to recognize great potential talent, and hiring college TV production students to man their editing, to Foley's disillusionment as the feud between he and Vader was played down, a massive bump taken by Foley which the commentators could have brilliantly sold was sardonically mocked with a derogatory statement like "that's got to be excedrin headache #9!!", and Cactus Jack being attempted to be turned into a childishly ridiculous heel that would have ruined Foley's career.

Then came Foley's run on the independent circuit, and shows for ECW, including full transcripts of some of his best, and in my opinion some of the best ever, promos, trying to be anti-hardcore and promoting WCW and trying to get Tommy Dreamer to go to WCW and be the pretty boy wrestler again.

From the independent circuit, to stardom in the WWF, Foley is never sparse on details about stories while on the road, his many friends along the way from Mr. Haiti in Africa, to Steve Austin and Steve (William) Regal, The Undertaker, Sting, Owen Hart, Vader, and of course Terry Funk. Virtually every stop from his career, including the Japanese tours, the King of the Deathmatch, etc, and the evolution from "Mason the Mutilator" to "Mankind the Mutilator" to "Mankind" and the use of all three of his gimmicks in the WWF to eventual WWF Championship gold.

Throughout it all, Foley never loses his charm or wit, or the incessant Al Snow bashing, with plenty of pictures scattered around the text and plenty of personal stories (like the time he shared a house with a junkie, a guy who was having sex with his girlfriend's 16 year old daughter, and the 16 year old trying to flirt with Mick) and stories with friends (like "Vader" Leon White's spendthrifting with hotels, or Owen Hart's penchanse for practical jokes) that his story never gets old or repetitive and when the story finally ends, you feel like you've known Mick his entire life.

This is THE shining example of a great book about a pro wrestler's life, and I hope his other two books are just as great.

I saw both flims the original with Shirley Temple/Lon McAllister also the newer version both were great
So the the book was a must have also to learn what had happen to rest of the story(the horse/the people)

This is a wonderful book about an unbelievable champion - the kind we need today in America. A champion that reaches into the hearts of the people, unifies us and inspires us to prevail. The men who believed in Seabiscuit were not perfect, nor was Seabiscuit but they all managed to be imperfect winners. The writing itself might be a bit flourished but it is certainly well-researched and the story is entertaining told. Hillebrand has captured the ironies, truths, the agony and ecstasy of horse-racing and life itself as well. This one will make you cheer.

I'm usually concerned about purchasing items on line, especially books. I can honestly say that this experience was worth it. I would recommend this seller to anyone interested in purchasing good quality books at extremely reasonable prices.

Buy with confidence, I did!

I can't recall the number of non-fiction books that I've read. Little matter, this is the most incredible true story that I've read!!
Laura Hillenbrand has captured a time in American History. She is a true storyteller who has done impeccable research. It must have been the time she spent in Gambier, Ohio at Kenyon College that inspired her to such great in depth writing.
For those of you who have not read this book or have not seen the excellent movie, you're in for an incredible treat. Trust Me!!
If I were writing fiction, this true story would not have been told. Charles Howard, Red Pollard and Tom Smith are indeed the Holy Trinity. Remember these names, after reading this book, you will never forget them.
One little horse, so much history!!! Incredible!!!!

I have recently read Seabiscuit and watched the film and found both to be very compelling. We dont think much anymore about the dark days of the Depression but Laura Hillenbrand puts us right back in the middle of it. The important lesson was to look to the future as Charles Howard implored, the sun will come up tomorrow.

Three incredible characters intersect with this horse of unknown promise. Howard is the wealthy owner, despondent over the death of his son and unsure how to live the life of leisure; Red Pollard is a jockey not able to break into the big-time, due to his attitude, blindness, and injuries; Tom Smith is a taciturn man who belongs in the 19th century of his youth, not the modern world. Together they develop and promote Seabiscuit, a horse of incredible bloodlines, yet given up on by better trainers due to his work habits, attitude, injuries, and size.

Eventually the Biscuit wins all the stakes in the state of California and gets a shot at a match race with the great Eastern horse and Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Both horses are descendants of the great Man'o'war, but the eastern elites dont want to give the western upstart his chance. After a few cancellations due to injuries and prickly owners, the match race goes off in Baltimore and the smaller horse brings it home.

The book is more enlighting with respect to the fuller stories of the characters, especially the relationship between the jockeys and Pollard's romance and marriage to a Boston nurse. The movie brings the times to life. Howard and Pollard were the raconteurs who made Seabiscuit the hero of the little guys during those lean years. Dont forget, tough times dont last but tough guys do.

Ms. Hillenbrand is an equally interesting story. She suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is only able to work at a fraction of the typical writer. Here she focused her energy on this story and these times. Seabiscuit has been the story many times in film and books but Ms. Hillenbrand brings it to life for us.

Excellent book for the beginner or someone who has been training for a while. The book has great illustrations and helpful hints with variations of exercises, as well as, warnings on certain injuries and how to avoid them.

After reading many books of this kind and looking specifically for books with a strong scientific support, I can say that this is a wonderful book in terms of images and editing, but not a good reference if one is looking for the best exercises and methodologies. Scientific evidence proves that the exercises described here are not the best choice, some of them might even be dangerous if one is not careful enough, and moreover, the muscolar districts involved in the exercise are not those that are highlighted.

Books is the BEST I have ever seen on showing muscles for each exercise. Hands down winner. All my workout partners use it often to review our exercises.

But we also found a book that has the workouts planned out in simple charts. Has the weights, # of reps and everything. AND THEY WORK. I have lost over 12 lbs of fat in 3 months and spend less time in the Gym.

The books.
Weight Training Workouts that Work by James Orvis.

There are 3 books in the series and they have been great addition to Strength Training Anatomy.

My recommendation -Start lifting weights - everyone/any age/right now! I am 41 and feel better than when I was 25!

Did not take long to recieve on standard shipping

the book came in perfect condition and it is a great resource for an anatomy class
this is basically a nice picture book

I chanced upon this book a year back in BJs and happen to grab it. I still think it was one of the best buys. The book has got one of the best illustrations on strength training anatomy. The book is divided into various sections with a set of excercises to develop strength in specific areas of anatomy. The text along with the illustrations are also very good and helpful. They also have specific dicussions on wears and tears in different muscles due to specific excercises.

I have followed the book and have been successful in toning my body. When my brother in law, who is a fitness enthusiast and a practicing doctor, visited me from Oman, he too liked the book and we ordered a copy for him through Amazon. Fully satisfied and will recommend this book to any fitness enthusiast, of any level.

There is a women's version of this book. Its a good book too but I think this book covers both the sexes pretty well.

This is truly an outstanding book about a great man. Even though I am a Redskins fan I REALLY enjoyed this book. A very inspiring book. The book covers the life of Coach Dungy from his childhood up through the Super Bowl victory by the Colts. In it are many stories of the challenges and joys he has faced during his life and how he has grown in Christ throughout. I recommend this book without reservation. A great read and a great message.

It's a very good book, I've read better, but that doesn't take away from this book or its message. I won't go into detail, others already have.

Sometimes the irony of a certain situation strikes me as highly profound. The person that recommended me this book happens to be an assistant manager that I work with. She told me how she learned so much from Dungy's life, and how it changed her life. And her recommendation of this book was what convinced me to read it. Yet when the store manager threw her a bone that she didn't expect, she didn't handle it like a professional. She handled it like a little first grader because she didn't get what she deserved, and because life isn't fair. And after reading what Tony Dungy went through, and how he pressed on, I want to press on, regardless of my circumstances. So my goal isn't to be better than my assistant manager, but to focus on my life. That's what Tony Dungy did. He focused on his life and on his team and his goals.

"Quiet Strength" sums this up very well. All the while he looks back on his career in football, it never seems like he chalks it up as bragging rights. He just counts it as the life he lived. He takes lessons from the great Chuck Noll, to just go out there and "Do what we do" as a team. He talks little about his family, but from what I can see, his family comes before football.

Dungy takes disappointment combined with elation in the ups and downs of his career, let alone his life. Things have not always come easy for this man, and have in fact, gotten harder in some aspects. Especially in one situation with his son that many knew about in the middle of the 2005 season. But that didn't stop Tony Dungy from pressing forward. And it didn't stop him from leaning on Christ Jesus in the thick of things.

As I still see my assistant manager from day to day, I still extend my hellos and she extends hers. There is very little respect for her these days from my perspective, but that's ok. I do what I do. I'm pressing on. Tony Dungy pressed on. Tony Dungy is an NFL Champion, and all he has to show for it is quiet strength. Because that's all he needs! Thank you, Tony Dungy.

I highly recommend this book to ANY reader--the football fan, the God fan, the prayer fan, or othewise. It is an excellent, life-changing read.

This book is very powerful for anyone striving to excel with God as your guide. Tony Dungy is a great example of a faithful man in the face of tremendous success and soul shattering pain. Thanks for writing the book, all of us that read it are indebted to you.

As an avid reader of 40+ years, I can honestly say that this is the only book I ever began re-reading the day after I finished it. It manages to be entertaining, intelligently crafted, well researched, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging all at once. I purchased 6 additional copies for friends and favorite dog care professionals, as I couldn't wait to share this book. In this book you get a unique window into the evolution of Ted and Merle's relationship through what seems to be both Ted and Merle's eyes. Ted and Merle's relationship is mutually respectful, emotionally intelligent and loving in a way that would put most human relationships to shame. They seem to truly be able to communicate and share their love of the outdoors in a way that most dog owners could only dream of achieving. Ted's astute observations of Merle's language and behaviors, coupled with his well-researched examples of studies in dog behavior, help us to understand and validate the context of his observations. The amazing thing is Ted is able to weave this scientific detail into the real-life observations in a way that enhances rather than interrupting the flow of the story.

Warning: Have a very big box of tissues ready for the last two chapters. I cried just as hard on the second reading as I did on the first. A truly, truly amazing book that I cannot even begin to do justice in describing here.

The brilliance and vulnerability of the author's writing challenged me to be a better human to my canine friends. Thank you, Ted. Thank you, Merle. Every time I hear Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, I'll remember you fondly and lift my heart in joyful appreciation for noble characters like you. Truly,

From page one, I envied Ted not only for finding a dog like Merle, but for living a life that is so well suited to a dog. What an amazing life Merle had, and all the way to the end! If only all of our dogs could have the freedom that Merle did...neurotic dogs would be an endangered species.

I cannot count on two hands the number of times I laughed out loud at Merle's antics, and at Ted's interpretations of them, while reading this book. And then, toward the end, I cried. I cried until my eyes were puffy and red, until my husband begged me to put down the book. The lives of the dogs in this book, as well as their humans' lives, are touching. This is a must read.

Did I love this book? Yes. But it is two books in one and one of the sections I found too long and of minimal interest. In fact, I purchased this book for my dog loving wife to read on the plane and she found the book too boring? Solution? Don't read the boring section if you find it as such.

The story of Merle and Ted is brillant, loving, caring, and of great interest that will leave you in tears at the end of the book. In fact, poor timing put me 100 pages away from finished at 11:00 at night which meant it was a 2:00 bedtime that night. Ted's relationship with his dog Merle is simple but complex and he does an excellent job describing how they communicate. Merle's life is much more rewarding than most dogs in a small town in the wilderness able to live without leash laws. As good as this book is in describing the relationship between dog and owner, the bonus is Ted's one long-standing female relationship with a younger, much taller woman who buys a similar dog.

The part of the book that is less enjoyable is when Ted discusses the theory of dog behavior. It is interwoven throughout the book and while interesting and informative, it does detract from the owner/dog relationship and pushes the book much longer than it needs to be. But this shouldn't penalize the absolute great story than any dog lover will enjoy reading. So, read it all, or I told my wife, skip the theory until you get to a paragraph that has the word "Merle" in it and you will get a great payoff.

Good book but I was somewhat disapointed. I wanted to read about Merle really not interested in all other info that was included. Way to much of it. Felt like I was back in college when all I wanted to do was read about this beautiful animal. I by passed that stuff and read just about Merle.

A few days ago, I finished my first marathon. I went from a couch potato to running 26.2 miles using nothing but this book as a guide. I spent 10 weeks doing the recommended pre-training before starting the 16-week plan. I altered the plan a little due to some minor injuries and scheduling problems, but stuck to it for the most part. I think the best part of this training is in building your confidence and giving you the mental strength to get through adversity. When I hit mile 20, my legs were aching real bad and I needed to use some of the mental techniques described in the book to will myself to the finish line. It's only been a few days, but I'm already planning my next one! If you've never run a marathon before, I would definitely recommend this book to help you through your first one.

The book is entertaining and inspiring with good information too. But when I looked into new running shoes, I noticed that THERE WAS NO INDEX! And the table of contents was not very vague! The information is good, but where is it?

Prior to training, I had run ONE 5k race (mostly walked), and never actually ran for excercise for more than 3 miles. I began this training wanting to see how far I'd get and the next thing I know I was 15-20 pounds lighter and crossing the tape at that Dallas WhiteRock marathon in 2003 at 4:18:13.

Don't get me wrong, I was in pain. It wasn't easy.

But as they say, the pain is temporary... I'll have that accomplishment with me forever. If you are considering a training regimen, I cannot suggest this book enough to you. Easy to read - chapters are all short and in a very creepy way INCREDIBLY accurate as to which week you begin feeling what pains in your legs/feet and how to combat.

People always ask me "was running the marathon hard?". My typical response is: "Not really, actually. There were about 3 miles that were very difficult but overall it was pretty easy. The real hard part is all the training. It's getting your butt out in the rain on a sunday night and making yourself run 12 miles even though you have to get up for work the next day. It was an exercise in willpower that gets you through the training, when no one would know if you skipped a run here and there. No accountability like there is in the marathon. So once you get through that, you become almost like a robot, a machine. After about 2/3 through it nothing on earth will stop you from accomplishing your run. Darkness? Cold? Snow? Rain? None of it matters.".

Buy the book and run.

I am so glad I ordered this book. I have never ran nor did I like to run but way down deep inside I wanted to run a marathon. OK, I have had this book for two weeks and can not run four miles. That is four miles for someone who never ran anywhere. Great mental health.

I loved this book. It took a very practical approach to training. The training focused not only the physical aspects but also the psychological training. I would recommend this book to anyone considering training for a marathon.

I've had this book lying around for a while (re-gifted to me by a friend) and honestly never expected to read it. It being summer, though, I thought a book about racing sled dogs in Alaska would be an interesting idea. I honestly don't really like dogs and have never really read anything by Gary Paulsen, so my expectations were not high, to say the least. I loved this book, however, and found myself laughing out loud during several parts -- pretty much whenever he gets dragged behind the sled as the dogs go racing away out of control (which seems to happen pretty frequently). The book is not all humor, however, and has some rather unhappy parts as well.

My only criticism would be that the book is much too short. I would have enjoyed reading it if it were twice as long.

I read this book a few years ago, and it practically had me rolling on the floor laughing at times. Finally got it for myself to own, and it's still every bit as good. Gary Paulsen has a wonderful way with words, and is an excellent storyteller. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.

One of the most entertaining books I have ever read. After reading one of the other reviews where the criticism was the authors lack of writing skills, for-gedda-bout-it. This book wasn't meant for your English Lit class. It's about one crazy dude's journey. It's funny, it's gritty, it's real, and if you're a dog lover, it's both happy and sad. I give it 10 thumbs up (ok, so I'm "all thumbs").

Very disappointing book. Boring, lots of padding. Poor and repetative story line. Not well written. Couldn't even read it to the end which I'm sad about as I love books and don't give up easily.

This book is outstanding.

Some of it is written in the manner of a tall tale, so I had moments when I doubted the narrator's credibility. But then I thought about it. Who cares! It's funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting. "Fine madness" is the point, after all.

Some people may think this is a stretch, but I see this book as a healthy mixture of Hemingway's prose, Faulkner's yarns, and an enthusiasm for animals

This book is going to stay with me for a long time, and for that reason, I recommend it to a broad range of readers.

You will enjoy this book.

This is the complete Vince Lombardi book. The author has left no stone unturned it seems and goes into great depth in looking at what made Lombardi tick.

It is not a shrine to the greatness of Lombardi book, the author does write about the Coach's flaws (lack of attention to family) but it is so engrossing that I was upset when the final chapters on Lombardi's death were being read.

Maybe the book is a smidgen too long, there were times that it seemed to drag a little but all in all, a great book.

Presidential biographer David Maraniss ("First in His Class") turned his attentions away from Washington, D.C., and towards Lambeau Field in this remarkable book. His subject was Coach Vince Lombardi, who took over a losing program and turned Green Bay, Wisconsin, the smallest market in professional sports, into "Title Town, U.S.A."

Immediately prior to Lombardi's acceptance of the head coaching position, the Packers managed to win only a single game in an entire season. In short order, Lombardi made Green Bay synonymous with victory. The trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl is now named for Lombardi. The Packers won the inaugural Super Bowl and repeated the following year under their celebrated head coach.

Lombardi was a star player for Fordham when that university still had a football program. He developed and refined his coaching abilities at the high school level and he was promoted to assistant coaching positions at the United States Military Academy (West Point) and with the New York Giants of the NFL.

As Maraniss demonstrates, Lombardi enjoyed influence throughout the country during the Sixties: he became a much sought after business conference speaker and Richard M. Nixon even contemplated offering him a place on the political ticket of the Republican Party for a brief time.

This is a superior biography and a document of a time that now has gone.

This is the best sports biography that I've ever read, and is the gold standard by which I rate every other sports bio. I originally read the book when it was published in 1999 and decided to read it again. I didn't realize that I had forgotten so many details. Many of the games discussed I remember like it was yesterday. If you were a Packer's or NFL fan from the 60s this is a must read book.

I'm very skeptical of Amazon's public reviews as I find 80% +++ of the reviewers are too easily impressed (especially business/investment books). Most grossly overrate books. With such skepticism, I did scan through a page or two of the now 138 reviews to see why anybody would give this book < 5. Two compliants said it had too much minutia and wrote too much about Vince's early life. I find that most if not all biographies talk too much about the person's early life and the person's lineage. I usually scan the early chapters of a biography until I get into the person's adult years. On my second reading of this book I picked it up around Vince's time at West Point.

One last point about the author. I've also read First in His Class & his book about Roberto Clemente. Both were excellent books. However, Maraniss did co-author a book with a younger woman, who's title I forget. It was obvious from the reading that the woman had written most of the book and Maraniss wrote little of the book. His name may have been listed as a co-author to sell books.

I couldn't help feeling that I was right there in frozen Green Bay, in the 1960s, at one of the Lombardis' Sunday post-game cocktail parties, and everywhere else Vince Lombardi went in his life, while reading this great book.
It's a great read, very vivid, about a great coach and (as Maraniss illustrates) not the greatest father in the world. In other words, a portrait of a human being who did great things with his work, but who had foibles like everybody else.

I picked up this book after hearing a strong recommendation. I knew next to nothing about Vince Lombardi, other than that he was an excellent football coach. Very glad I bought the book as this was a particularly engrossing biography.

The author was very thorough in his research and traces Lombardi's life in detail for his full nearly 60 years. He provides a lot of detail on Lombardi's strengths and weaknesses. At times I wanted to slug him and tell him to quit being so intense about football and pay more attention to his family. Other times, I found myself admiring the daylights out of him. It is astonishing to think he could take the most losing team in football and turn them into major winners in just one season.

There's a lot of food for thought in this biography. Is winning really so important that you should sacrifice your family and your health? Is success really success if you never enjoy it? As a recovering perfectionist, I saw many powerful examples from Lombardi's life about why I DON'T want to be a perfectionist! Nothing is ever good enough, and you never, ever get to be happy. That is one lesson in Lombardi's life that really comes blasting out of every story.

If you like biographies, you will really enjoy this one. Glad I decided to pick it up.

Jan Dahlin Geiger, author of "Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies" Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies

I was in love with Katia Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov from the moment I first saw them skating together. Their classic routines were perfect enough to win many world championships including a 1988 Olympic gold medal in Calgary Canada.

Romance eventually blossomed and the beautifully matched pair were married in April of 1991. Their daughter, Daria Sergeyevna Grinkova, was born in my favorite Morristown NJ a little over a year later.

Reading Katia's memories of their life and love still brings tears to my eyes.

I recommend this book for its portrait of pure innocence enframed in the magical world of ice skating.

What a wonderful story this was. I love to watch skating and have not missed watching an Olympics since I was a kid. I am familiar with a lot of the skaters mentioned in this book. I thought this story was so touching and full of emotion. Katia considers her life with Sergei almost too perfect. They were so in love and their life together was indeed a fairy tale. I commend Katia for being able to pick herself and go on with her life no matter how difficult after Sergei's unexpected death in 1995. I thought the comparison between Russian and American customs was very interesting. This was an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

I remember watching this pair when they were competing. I wasn't an ice dancing fan, but they were so incredible to watch, I started watching any competition they were in. When Sergei died, I was devastated for Ekaterina. When her book came out, I read it, and cried all the way through. But really, it isn't a sad ending. I find it to be very inspirational to see how Ekaterina faced the worst that could happen, and came out on the other side with a wonderful attitude and will to go on. It is now 12 years later, and this book STILL makes me cry, and still inspires me.

I read this book lastyear in the Hardcover edition and I cried. It is such a moving, loving, tragic, and heartwarming story full of love that a young widow had for her husband and skating partner and the child Daria that they had together. It told of their skating years, marriage, how they met, and came to america along with the tragic death of her young husband Sergei. I couldn't put this book down. A great story that you will love. Well written.

I'm really glad I found this book at a library book sale last year. Though this story is no longer current news, I hadn't forgotten about the tragic death of Sergey Grinkov or watching him perform with his wife Katya in the 1994 Winter Olympics. And even though the world has long since moved onto other headlines and stories of interest in the figure skating world, the love story told in this book is truly timeless. As a Russophile and a historian whose field of expertise is Russian history, it was a double joy to read because of all of the descriptions of Russian culture, the differences between Russian and American customs, and what life was like in the late Soviet period and the early post-Soviet period. (Although I have to say that the transliteration style wasn't completely pleasing to me; for example, I don't think I've ever read any other book where a double O is used in place of the letter U, as in Ligooshina or Katoosha, and I'm still trying to figure out how the nicknames Serioque and Katuuh are supposed to be written in Russian characters.)

Though the book begins and ends sadly, in between there's a lot of happiness and love, making this into a beautiful heartfelt love letter to a wonderful person, skating partner, friend, lover, husband, and father. The love between Katya and Seryozha is so pure and genuine, nothing like the type of superficial and problem-plagued celebrity relationships we're used to hearing about. It even made me a little jealous of their storybook love story! All throughout, Katya is very honest and open, about their relationship, the world of young skaters in the Soviet Union, what goes on behind the scenes at the Olympics, the hectic life on the road of skaters, and how difficult it was to constantly have to leave their daughter Darya behind while they skated. While I'm sure there are some things she chose not to write about, overall a very detailed and honest life and love story emerges. She was so lucky to have this wonderful man, who was so much more than just an athletic partner, for (what was then) half of her life.

Because the love story is so beautiful and like a dream come true, the reader can really feel her deep grief and sorrow expressed at the beginning and end of the book. It's a terrible thing to lose the love of your life, the father of your child, the only person you've ever skated with for the past 13 years, when you're only 24 years old. This beautiful love story isn't diminished for me by knowing that Katya has since moved on with her life and found love again. She had a child with Ilya Kulik six years after Sergey died, and married him a year later; it's not like she jumped into his bed soon after this book was published! (And since Kulik is six years younger, he would have been a bit too young for her then anyway.) When you're widowed at such a young age, you should hardly be expected to be in mourning forever, and it may help the more current reader to not feel quite so sad at the end, knowing that this intense pain and sorrow isn't such an overpowering force in Katya's life anymore. And new husband or not, there's no denying that her first husband, her first love, was indeed the greatest love of her life.

A fantastic book about form in three basic lifting movements and some other helpful practices like pull/chin ups,dips etc. Mark writes this with passion and insists on details.I am very satisfied with this book and the price is great !

this is an excellent product and every one will learn something from this book, it is a must read for someone about to start on his/her lifting career. Buy it now. No I have not been paid to say this either. Cheers Spud Murphy

If you listen to Coach Rippetoe and do what he tells you to do, you will get stronger than you ever have before. I have lifted weights off and on for years, never progressing in such a common-sense and linear way as I have since I started the Starting Strength program. If you read this book and do what it tells you to do, you will absolutely be stronger than you were before you knew the stuff in the book. I used to think I knew how to lift weights, I knew NOTHING until I read this book.

Starting Strength has been a real help in my effort to get stronger. It is NOT just for young athletes but us older ones too....I'm 50!

After years of hit and miss weight training where I never really broke through my plateaus and was constantly frustrated, I found out about Rippetoe's starting strength. In one year I increased all my lifts beyond my wildest dreams and am now training for powerlifting competitions.

The book is funny and well written, and unmatched for the depth and clarity given to each lift and each topic. But it with Practical Programming and you will never need another book on strength training.

Buy it! Buy it NOW!