Sports Books

this book was written from someone who probably had to experience these things. Im white, im sometimes immature, but that doesnt mean that you bust on every white kid whos friends with a black kid! Hell, im friends with a black kid.

The Hoopster is a good well rounded book about love, family, sports, racism, and finding yourself. Andre Anderson is a good basketball and also a good writer and he writes for his local magazine but when his boss assigns a project to write about racism he writes his report but then he gets beat up by some racist white people he learns alot about himself and life i think this book is really good

This is a very original and well thought out book. It has many twists and turns and really makes us look @ our society today and our acceptance of different cultures.
This book is a very daring topic to write about. This book is about racism, and how it nearly stops someone from fulfilling his destiny. It makes us change our minds and rethink sterotypes. It is a awesome book and u wouldthink so too. my favorie part about this book is that it teaches about racism and how people sterotypem others

5. The Plot:
This is a very original and well thought out plot. It has many twists and turns and really makes us contemplate our society today and our acceptance of different cultures. My favorite line in this book is "If a black person is caught walkin' 'round 'da street at night....he's up to no good. If a white man pays for a cup of coffee with a twenty dolla' bill...he's wealthy. If a hispanic don't speak english while shopping in a store... they're illegal."
4. The imagery:
The way the author uses words to depict an image in your mind is extodinary.You can hear, feel, see, taste, and smell the basketball games. It is an amazing book filled with tons of imagery.
3.The characters:
If you are a very multi-cultural person this book is perfect for you. If you are not very interested in other cultures this book is pefect for you. These characters are people who anyone can relate to. These characters are so true to life. When you read this book it's almost as if you known these people for a long time. The characters are phonmonal.
2.The layout:
The way this book is formated is so something can be happenning one moment, and then in the next paragraph it's two years later.
This is a good layout because it leaves in air of mystery. But don't worry, there is a very complete ending.
1. The reality to our generation:
This book is a very daring topic to write about. This book is about racism, and how it nearly stops Andre from fulfilling his destiny. It makes us change our minds and rethink sterotypes. It is a very well-written book.

In Alan Lawrence Sitomer's novel we meet Andre Anderson, an African-American teen nicknamed, "The Hoopster." Andre is athletic, does well in school, and is an aspiring writer. He has landed the internship of his dreams, working for a small local magazine. His next door neighbor Shawn, although white, is like a brother to him, and at the open of the book, they are enjoying a happy and relatively uneventful summer.

When Andre is asked to write a feature story about racism for the magazine, initially he is put off by the topic. He doesn't think he has experienced racism personally, and feels that a lot of people use race as a crutch instead of assuming personal responsibility. When his boss refuses to let him off the hook, Andre works hard and creates a heartfelt article that gains him a lot of attention. Unfortunately, his article catches the eye of a local hate group and he becomes the victim of a senseless and brutal hate crime that threatens to change his life forever. He must rely on his family, friends (Shawn in particular), and all of his strength to overcome his physical and emotional wounds.

THE HOOPSTER is the first of a planned trilogy of books. The story is well-written, with believable characters and a good pace. As I read, I found myself thinking over and over, how nice it would be to see this book played out on the silver screen. The book has an urban feel, yet it doesn't buy into the prevalent stereotypes and includes young people with positive dreams and goals, who live in two-parent households with caring adults. While the main character is black, the supporting characters come from diverse backgrounds, making this a story that will attract a diverse audience of readers. While girls may enjoy this book, boys, even those who tend to be more reluctant to read, will especially like this engrossing and realistic story.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

One of the best archery books available for the hunter or competition shooter. Full of concepts and information to improve form and accuracy.

I AM ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK AND I AM TOTALLY AMAZED AT ON HOW WRONG I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT IN THE PAST ABOUT FORM, SIGHT PICTURE, POINT WEIGHT,. BERNIE EXPLAINES IT ALL SO ALL CAN UNDERSTAND. IT WAS HARD TO FIND THE TIME TO READ THE BOOK BUT ONCE I STARTED IT IS HARD TO PUT IT DOWN. I HAVE WATCHED SO CALLED EXPERTS SHOW AND DEMENSTRATE POOR FORM, WRONG DRAW WIEGHT, SELL WRONG EQUIPEMENT. I NOW HOLD MY BOW LIKE IT IS SECOND NATURE AND IT MAKES THE SPORT SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE. I HAVE HAD A NEW BOW FOR 3 MONTHS AND VOWED NOT TO FIRE IT UNTIL I HAVE READ HIS BOOK. GET THE BOOK THEN BUY YOUR EQUIPMENT. OTHER WISE IT IS LIKE GETTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. GREAT JOB BERNIE, KEEP UP THE FIGHT TO TEACH ARCHERY THE RIGHT WAY

Idiot Proof Archery is easy to read and focuses on the primary problem of mentally separating sight picture (aiming) and trigger pull (release). I enjoyed the 44 case studies with pictures that showed the most common problems with technique which allows self analysis. I have recommended it to other archers at our club and I consider it a reference book for my library.

Although I'm not a tournament or 3D shooter, this book gave me what I needed to be a better hunter.

I had reached a plateau. I had made steady improvement with daily practice, then could not seem to improve any further. When this book arrived, I stopped shooting and read it through. Bernie was very convincing about not only what to do, but why to do it his way. It is also entertaining to read. Just one of his tips made an immediate improvement. Following his plan, I have a blueprint about how to make steady improvement. Some readers have criticized this book claiming that Bernie is just trying to sell his products. I didn't find that at all. He offers his products, and explains how they work, but does not insist that you "must" have them. In fact he criticizes the archery industry for pushing products rather than coaching good tecnique.
I will not let this book go. I have already referred back to it numerous times to hone my skills. This book does not make archery easy, but it does give you a plan and hope for becoming better - with a lot of work. I recommend this book to archers of all experience.

After reading several excellent reviews of this book, I purchased it for
my nepbew's birthday. I have not read the book myself since I lived through that period.

It was a year of Fire and also the year of Grace for Jackie Robinson!! It is an amazing book to read about a great person who changed history and loves baseball!! It is more than just baseball and it has so many things to show that shaped Jackie's life so much. It is also spiritual and emotional book that leaves you to become a stronger person to make a great difference in the world.

I really liked this book and normally I dont like reading. Ijust wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. I think Jackie Robinson is a vary good romodel because no matter what, you should never give up. Because Jackie never gave up he ended up being one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. But most of all he broke the color code for all professional sports.

This biography does an outstanding job of giving an overview of Robinson's life and times, from his early, awnry but talented years in Pasadena, through UCLA, then the military, and then the Brooklyn Dodgers and beyond. It paints a picture of a strong willed gentleman with enormous pride, dedicated to his family, and dedicated to the idea of racial integration and equality. The influences of his mother on his early, somewhat (understandably) confrontational character, that allowed him to ultimately be the individual who paired with Branch Rickey to integrate "America's Pastime" are clearly laid out.

Some reviewers have faulted the author for not being more interpretive of Robinson's politics - specifically, that he was a Nixon supporter in 1960 and a Rockefeller supporter in 1968 (while also being a strong supporter of Civil Rights, active in almost every civil rights organization) and Humphrey supporter as well. I think the book lays out all the facts for the reader to see for themselves. Robinson's coming of age - in an era when a Dixiecrat from a Jim Crow state (LBJ) led the passage of the Civil Rights Act - was a time of a shifting political landscape that didn't settle out until near his death (he also broke badly with Nixon later in Nixon's career). The Republican party's mantra of self-reliance, and Robinson's determination to succeed in business in the same way he did in sports, made his attraction to the party not a big leap; the alienation of this country's African American establishment from big business was not a pre-ordained fact in the time Robinson lived.

Finally, Robinson's own family struggles were also a reflection of the confusing and troubling times in which he lived.

Robinson died too young for us all. This is a great book and I would highly recommend it..

i'm not particularly interested in baseball, but i am particularly interested in American history from the human perspective. i could have read a much more dry account of the turmoils that dominated American race relations throughout the middle of the 20th century, but instead i've read this fascinating account of those terrible, backward days from the perspective of a true pioneer, Mr. Jackie Robinson.

of course he is looked back on now as a symbol, a mythological figure. i always knew peripherally of Jackie as the same thing most people do: the first black man to play major league baseball, a step forward & up in the painful struggle of the times. but this book presents him as a human being, a fallible man who lived most of his life not on the baseball field, but in a relentless pursuit of his ideals and desire for a better life for himself and everyone around him.

the reviewer before me questions the biographer's lack of judgement of Robinson. i am curious as to why he feels Rampersad should insert his own analysis; the biography presents analyses of Robinson by many of Robinson's contemporaries, and then presents the recorded facts available to clarify incidents & statements. yes, this is an intensely personal biography, perhaps too personal in places. it is very much centered on Jackie's private correspondences. it is absolutely told from Robinson's persepctive, as best can be reconstructed from his widow Rachel & the papers he left behind, but it feels very honest, not at all like an airbrushed bit of hero-polishing. it is in places very blunt about Jackie's shortcomings as observed by his peers & contemporaries.

before i stretch this out any longer, i'll just say that this is the most engrossing biography i can ever recall having read. it's an account of a fascinating life in an amazingly recent time, in an America that seems so long ago but is still discouragingly recent. readers will learn not just about Jackie Robinson, but about two American eras as well.

I received this book in excellent condition at a good deal. This a great book that shows a sensible and easy way to improve your swing. This is one book I always recommend for those asking for help.

I have read many books and taken many lessons, but this is the first book on the golf swing that finally has made sense. Although taking a personal lesson would be best, this book explains in plain English what the golf swing is about. Study it and it should help your golf game.

I started playing golf 2 years ago and have spent a lot of money trying to learn from local pros and on other books. I bought John Redman's book and a couple of months later I spent a rainy Saturday reading this book and practicing in my den. You wouldn't believe how it change my swing. It is SIMPLE and PURE! Went to the range on the following Sunday and practiced John's techniques. I hit the ball straighter and longer than I ever have. Buy it and read it.

Great book! Very simple and easy to understand. Redman teaches a relatively strong grip which will help you SQUARE the club face effortlessly and stop slicing. He will also teach you to become tension-free and SWING the club instead of hitting at the ball. This will help you avoid coming over the top so your previous slilce does not turn into a pull. I play way to little to be really consistent but on good days - and using 'the Redman swing' - I hit the ball squarely, cleanly and with a fairly low, penetrating trajectory.

I happened to catch about 10 minutes of Mr. Redman on the Golf Channel. Every word he spoke rang true. After reading his book I rediscovered many of the swing feels I had accidentally discovered during my first three months playing but could never consistantly replicate. Three years and many lessons involving "modern" swing theory later, I have come home. This is the simplest and least physically demanding swing out there and Mr. Redman explains it in a way that any duffer can understand and quickly implement. I also appreciate the fact that he steered me towards Percy Boomer's book. The only drawback is that I can't find a golf pro locally who teaches this method. Right now I don't feel like I need a pro. This book is like having a teaching pro on my bookshelf. BUY THIS BOOK. It will take a few weeks to "unlearn" all the modern crap you've learned, but you'll end up with a more consistant, powerful, and easily repeatable swing. I'd give it six stars if they'd let me.

Although I have never been to Charlotte Motor Speedway, after reading this book I felt as if I had.

and now I feel like I could drive it. This is the book that lays it all out in a logical order, explains the terms, the rules and the strategies while taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Will the car qualify for the race? You can feel the tension because for that week Huler lived it. This isn't a book full of old stories that drivers told a writer - this is an observation, full of detail - it's good old particaptory journalism like Plimpton wrote, talking to (and about) everyone from the owners and spnsors to the fans and the scalpers. What a great book!

I'd never heard of NASCAR, never wanted to know anything about it. But when I heard a short reading by Huler (the writer) from this book, I had to buy/read it. His writing could be on any topic: ice, dirt, race cars... it's just facinating in an accessable, fun, fast read. I'll read anything he writes now, and gain an appreciation of worlds I never knew. Great read. I just may join the 200,000 on site NASCAR fans next year because of it!

If you want to read one book about NASCAR, I recommend this one. Not because it's a hand-holding introduction, but because it's the best. It just does such a great job describing so many aspects of NASCAR. The organizing principle of the book is to examine a week in the life of Kenny Wallace's Square D Racing Team, but along the way, the author looks at NASCAR's personalities, history, technology, tracks, and fans. Huler has a real flair for description, and a genuine but not fawning affection for the sport.

I've also read Shaun Assael's "Wide Open" and Paul Hemphill's "Wheels," which are similar in many ways but to my mind are both inferior. Assael's book seemed flat compared to Huler's, though fans of Dave Marcis and Bobby Hamilton may enjoy the coverage that those drivers receive in "Wide Open." Hemphill's book spent a lot of time on a thesis that I soon found repetitively handled: NASCAR was once the province of the Southern working man but is now corporate entertainment. Both Assael and Hemphill follow NASCAR for a whole season and seem to get bored with it. Huler stays focused on a shorter timespan to much better effect.

I've read some more technical approaches to NASCAR as well, and found that Huler almost always snuck the information in those books into "A Little Bit Sideways."

Although I find this the best introduction to NASCAR because it's so engaging to read and so comprehensive in the bargain, those who are interested in learning more about NASCAR might also try "NASCAR for Dummies" by Mark "Awesome!" Martin and Juliet Macur. That book lacks Huler's style and story-line, but it does have a lot of interesting information about NASCAR, including some tidbits on strategy and technology that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I lived in the South all my life, always aware of NASCAR, watching races every now and then. Even so, I haven't tuned into to a NASCAR race in probably 25 years. Because of this book, I will when the next season starts.

One can truly begin to understand the mystique of NASCAR after reading A Little Bit Sideways. Scott Huler's obvious love for the material really shines through. His writing transforms what, in lesser hands, could have been a dry and boring recitation of minute details into an interesting and compelling human interest story.

Read it. You won't be disappointed.

Sifu Starr's book is an experience suitable for any martial art practioner. His vivid descriptions of training, when a youth with W.C.Chen are very special. I await the release of his next writing.

I had the good fortune to train under Sifu Starr for a couple of years in the early 90's before time and circumstance took my life in other directions. From personal experience, I can attest both to his great skill as a martial artist and healer, and to his teaching presence in the dojo. I will always remember him with great fondness and respect, which is odd when you consider that he spent most of my time in his school kicking my butt with old school traditional kung fu training protocols. I think that is what the Zen tradition calls "grandfatherly kindness" - where a lot of martial arts diploma mills just put you through the motions and handed you your black belt, Sifu Starr assumed that you were worth the investing the time and effort to really TRAIN.

This book brings back a lot of memories from that time; it is very much written in Mr. Starr's "voice", and it showcases his wry humor, zest for life and training, and his larger than life personality. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in what really goes into the training of a real martial artist. I also hope that the book brings Sifu Starr some of the recognition and acclaim he deserves after a long, distinguished career.

Pete reminded me that it has been over 38 years we have know each other, and I stand corrected. On the third reading of the book I began to remember myself as one of Pete's students and how he taught us with the nearly same mannerisms of his teacher. I having no experience then in the arts, learned not only the physical rigors of the training but of the philosophical aspects as well. What age has taken from me, the knowledge still remains strong .

Now it has been almost 40 years later and I still can visualize the teachings, both mental, spirtual as well as physical. This book is valuable for the stylist as well as a parent wishing to know how to work with or understand their teenagers. The method and learning is the same nurturing Chen gave to Pete, and Pete sharing it with us.

I gave a copy of it to one of the people I work with and it is a copy in my classroom as well for my more difficult students to read as well.

This was an absolutely wonderful text. It really drives home what the martial arts teach. The stories are thought provoking, entertaining, humorous and motivational. Thanks Sifu Starr!

As a ShoDan-level assistant karate instructor, I'm always looking for good books to help me become a better teacher and practitioner. I've found martial arts-based memoirs to be particularly helpful and encouraging. I recently stumbled across "The Making of A Butterfly," and it was no exception.

Phillip Starr began his martial arts journey in the 1950s. His family moved a lot due to military service, so he studied at a couple of different clubs. In 1961, his parents finally settled into a more permanent living situation in McLean, Virginia. There, the author began looking for yet another dojo (they weren't easy to find back then). He finally found a karate school and resumed his training. However, Mr. Starr was fascinated by kung-fu, and so after more searching he discovered a Chinese Sifu (master) who taught out of his home.

Mr. Starr approached Sifu Chen and respectfully asked for instruction. After some initial rebuffs to test his resolve, he was taken on as Sifu Chen's only Caucasian student. Sifu Chen demanded much from his students, so the training sessions were often physically and mentally challenging. Despite some resentment from the other Asian students, Mr. Starr eventually earned their grudging respect. And more importantly, he became a surrogate son to Sifu Chen and his wife Mei. He often learned as much at their dinner table as he would during a typical class.

Mr. Starr writes well - the book is an easy and informative read. Each chapter encapsulates a principle learned from Sifu Chen, such as chi, discipline, and courtesy. Of course, these lessons were usually learned the hard way. Sifu Chen used many methods to impart both his knowledge and his character to the author. I found the inclusion of Mr. Starr's thought responses toward his teacher (denoted by italics) to be quite fascinating. It was easy to identify with his honest internal expressions of incredulity, or appreciate ah-ha! moments when a lesson hit home.

Unfortunately, Sifu Chen passed away in 1971 from a kidney ailment. But in 1982 Mr. Starr took what he learned from Sifu Chen and created another martial art called Yilichuan (One Principle Boxing), thereby continuing his teacher's legacy. "The Making of A Butterfly" lets us in on Sifu Chen's timeless martial arts principles, and provides insight into a good student's mentality. It's a recommended addition to every martial artist's library.

Bought this as a gift and never got to read it personally, however, was told it was a great book. Marv's a legend, and any Bills fan should take a read, capturing those "glory years" of the Bills.

Extremely hokey and a tad bit hurried through the end, but a pretty good book covering his life of football. *Mr. Levy really needs to lay off the use of superlatives as almost every player or team he has coached was the greatest at one particular thing or another. Also, I don't think Mr. Levy intended that the descriptions he has written regarding his locker room motivational speeches were to betray the fact that the players most likely considered the gravely serious war metaphors that he was constantly drawing on as a little too serious to be applied to a football game. No wonder why they consistently fell silent as he left them to contemplate his words. I can hear in my mind a player asking another "Like, we're playing a game here, right?" as Marv proudly leaves the locker room. Marv comes off as a classy guy hoping to coach again. I hope he gets his wish.

If one were to look outside of one's immediate family for a role model, Marv Levy would be a wise choice. Marv Levy is not all about football, although he has spent most of his adult life in one capacity or another in the game. His body of work is as a human being, caring for his players and family. In this era when books usually have some axe to grind against those who "done someone wrong," Levy seldom has a bad word about anyone, and any are usually absolved before the end of the paragraph. His book details his life, the good times and bad, the celebrations and defeats, and the fights and absolutions. He is a unique man who has written and interesting and worthwhile book about his experiences, written in a positive light about incidents that helped him grow as a man and a leader. For those looking for a good football book, an inspirational book or inpiration of life, read Marv's book. It's well worth it.

[Four of Four stars] Marv Levy of Chicago
and Iowa is sort of the Red Auerbach of
Pro Football. A journeyman, who maintained
his class and sense of humour which is not
just soundbytes in NFL films clips.

Mr Burns does us an injustice below in his
review by criticising the very fine Montreal
Alouettes of the CFL, but CFL fans will love
the chapters on our favorite League, particu-
larly, "My Grey Cup Runneth Over". The only
knock that one can have on Levy, and it's a
slight one, is that he hung too long onto
Kelly at QB (Frank Reich should have started
one of those Super Bowls) and Thurman (fumbles)
Thomas, who was simply an overrated player.

One spot in Marv's fine book, he maintains one
of the hardest things he ever had to do was
keep lightning quick Steve Tasker (one-time
Kansas Jayhawk) on the bench! Tasker, like Levy
is a class act who deserves to be in the NFL
Hall-of-Fame and could have been one of the
greatest RBs or WRs of alltime. Marv, as bad
as the NFL is getting even having you back in
the League at 81, again with the Bills (this
time at G.M.) is a breath of fresh air. Thanks
for all the memories. Your dad and my granddad
chewed a lot of the same turf in World War I.

Recent history has been kind to Marv Levy as the magnificence of having won four consecutive AFC Conference championships is now replacing the earlier bitter pill of lost Superbowls. Marv Levy has become the ceremonial uncle of professional football today. He is to pro football what George Foreman is to pro boxing, the friendly enduring face of a brutal sport.

This is a campfire book, a grown-up bedtime story about a bright young lad from Chicago, one of those lucky folks who got paid to do what he liked. It is a tale remarkably devoid of rancor or regrets but rather a mixture of self-deprecating humor, a bit of self-serving forgetfulness, colorful characters, and the pleasures of the jocular world of organized football. In his preface Levy advises us that his writing style is the re-creation of the pleasures of his memory. Take away the Kansas City Chiefs and he would have had the perfect life.

But before arriving at Kansas City, there were the minor matters of World War II, college, and building a resume. Levy entered the Army Air Corps with the help of a friend who, shall we say, understated Levy's vision impairment. When this problem was later detected, Levy was scratched from pilot training and spent much of the war in Florida as a weather observer. After the war, already in possession of a bachelor's degree from Coe College, Levy began his much heralded graduate work at Harvard. In truth he opted out of the law school in three weeks, choosing instead to earn a masters in history and collecting inspiring anecdotes for use in the Buffalo Bills' locker room years later.

Levy had abandoned law school because of his desire to coach football. After a stint as assistant coach back at Coe for the mighty "Kohawks," Levy over the next fifteen years crafted a highly respectable resume of work as head coach of generally mid-range college football teams, primarily New Mexico, California, and William & Mary. It was a stunning upset of the nation's number one team, Navy, by an undermanned William and Mary crew in 1967 that brought Levy to the attention of NFL, and eventually to the staff of George Allen in Washington as special teams coach.

Levy could not help but be influenced by his Redskins boss. Allen referred to his defensive linemen as "rushers," benched the popular pass-happy Sonny Jurgensen for the workmanlike Billy Kilmer, and played for the least mistakes. A running offense, a veteran opportunistic defense, and juiced up special teams play were his trademarks. Allen seems to have taken to Levy because of the latter's own imaginative thinking about the critical nature of special teams' play, which comprises about 30% of an average NFL game. Moreover, Levy could not have missed how Allen cultivated an image and played the psychological card adroitly.

Levy, a man not without ambition, was anxious to run his own ship, and in 1973 became the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes. Once the flagship of the Canadian Football League, the Alouettes were an artistic, aesthetic, and organizational shipwreck, bedeviled by an atrocious stadium, poor attendance, and impossible weather. Levy guided Montreal to the Grey Cup final in his first year and a league championship the following season. His five successful campaigns in Canada brought an invitation to come back south of the border and take the reins of the young Kansas City Chiefs.

In many ways the Chiefs Levy inherited in 1978 were very much like the present day Chiefs-a potent offense with a porous defense. He also inherited an overbearing club president, Jack Steadman, who did not understand Levy's priority of drafting for defense [Art Still, Mike Bell, Gary Spani, among others], nor his coach's penchant for a tough ground game a la his contemporary "Ground Chuck" Knox. Perhaps reflecting the thinking of his old mentor George Allen, Levy believed that an adequate quarterback could direct the Chiefs, as Billy Kilmer had in Washington. At Kansas City Levy inherited the aging QB Mike Livingston and drafted Clemson's Steve Fuller. Steadman--and Lamar Hunt himself-- created what was probably an unnecessary controversy in their criticisms of the quarterbacking position, a situation aggravated by the arrival of yet another QB, the gunslinger Bill Kenney.

The Chiefs improved, and the defense became stellar, but neither Hunt, Steadman, nor many of the fans were satisfied with a .500 team. Released from the Chiefs in 1982, Levy would always remember how a meddlesome front office and instability at the quarterback position could undermine an otherwise flawless rebuilding program. Thus, when Levy accepted the Buffalo Bills' call in midseason 1986, it is no coincidence that he had already over the years cultivated friendships with owner Ralph Wilson and his executive staff of Bill Polian and John Butler, and that the quarterback situation was quite stable under the maturing Jim Kelly. Clearly a unity of respect and purpose among all levels of Buffalo management marked Levy's years with the Bills and allowed the team to focus entirely on drafting, development, and execution.

Levy assumes that most readers know of the exploits of the Bills in their glory years, and as a rule he paints with a broad red, white, and blue brush. As a history major himself, he has forgotten or omitted some situations that still intrigue knowledgeable observers: his protest of Cincinnati's no huddle offense to the NFL Commissioner prior to the 1988 AFC Championship [a style of play which, ironically, would become the hallmark of the Bills, the K-Gun] or Thurman Thomas's missing helmet episode at the opening of the 1992 Superbowl. But there is self-revelation as well. Levy was over 60 when hired by the Bills; he admits that he had begun to doubt whether he would ever coach again. How could he know then that his best days were yet to come?

I have been a closet Pat McManus fan since the 80's. His short stories always make me laugh out loud, no matter what mood that I am in before I start reading them. These stories are for everyone. You don't even have to fish or hunt and you'll still get it. Anyone who has ever spent any time outdoors will be able to relate to his adventures.

The names of the stories in this book are:
Sequences
The Dumbest Antelope
Out of Sync
Kid Brothers and Their Practical Application
The Fried Flies, Please, and Easy on the Garlic
At Loose Ends
Getting It in the Ear
Garage-Sale Hype
How to get Started in Bass Fishing
As the Worm Squirms
Scoring
A Road Less Traveled By
Gunkholing
Blips
The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw
Water Spirits
Letter to the Boss
Scritch's Creek
The Tin Horn
Cupidity, Draw Thy Bow
Whitewater Fever
Never Cry "Arp!"
Visions of Fish and Game
A Brief History of Boats and Marriage
Boating Disorders
Try Not to Annoy Me

First let me say I found the Patrick McManus stories funny each month as I got that magazine. Maybe it was Outdoor Life,,,,,
Then I read there that I could get books full of his stories.
WOW, I bought all of them.
I must say though that I like this one best.

BTW, If you ever read a story by Pat about being lost in the woods by all means believe him. I am way up here in NW lower Michigan.
A man I know who is a regular fisherman was fishing a local river. He was away from any road when he happened to find a man that had been fishing, but was asking how to get out of there back to a road. After he had told the guy to just follow the river that way for about two more miles the guy introduced himself,,, Guess who? Patrick McManus of course. 8>))

Now, I'm actually from Idaho where this book is actually based off of. Despite all of the Sarcasm, you got Idaho. HAHA LOL. I know this is bad but I hate to read. I had to read this book for an english assignment. But I really like this book. It is non-stop laughter. I think I am going to read all of his books now. I hope that is enough for you to be convinced that this book really is good and should be read by anyone who loves humorous books. HAPPY READING! :)

This book is hilarious. We like to read it to the middle and high school kids. You can hear them laughing about the fur coat, etc. outside the building. It has sparked many a boy into getting Partick's other books and reading for themselves. As a library director I know how hard it is to get middle and high school kids to read for pleasure. Patrick McManus is sure a pleasure. When I read the Goombaw story, and I have numerous times I still can not get through it without tears running down my face.

I have always thought that Patrick McManus is the funniest writer on the planet. I read his stories when I need to laugh or relax. Sometimes I irritate my wife by reading it in bed. I try not to laugh out loud, but I only succeed in sounding like I am trying to muffle continuous sneezes.

However, not everyone gets it. I have been shocked by watching people read McManus without so much as a smile (though most start snorting like wild pigs on acid) . My only guess is that getting McManus requires a couple things. First, it requires some understanding of his experiences. He absolutely nails all of the stupid things 'outdoors men (outdoors people)' do and think, but don't want anybody to know about. Second, you have to see the self-deprecating aspect of his humor. Third, you can't look for great literature in integrated books. Patrick McManus is an excellent writer, if you see these as independent stories simply collected in a volume. They are meant for adults who want to laugh at themselves. So, If you are willing to or already meet the above three criteria, you will love this book.

By the way, I am a professor of clinical psychology and (other than worrying a little about McManus) I sometimes recommend this and other McManus books. I do this with people who have racing thoughts and anxiety at bedtime, and when I believe they have the necessary experiences to find it funny. It often works quite well. I think of his stories as little pieces of happiness. (Oh, that even makes me sick to hear. Sorry)

Great book with some of the best captured photos that Stoner ever did and I am sure more exist. The narratives and forward were great and not long winded which made for a great reading experience. If you surfed during that era this is a must.

I bought this for my girlfriend and sent it to her work. I also sit on an exercise ball while at work. Helps with posture and core strength. My girlfriend enjoyed the pink weights she could toss around while at her desk.

I think the title says it all "It was a gift - but excellent feedback from recipient".
They were happy with the gift!

There are people in this world...maybe you know a few of them...maybe you are one of them...who don't really seem to fit in with things of this world. They are driven by maddness or inspiration or both and bring forth things to this world that can never be replicated.

Such is the art of Ron Stoner.

I call his photography art because that is exactly what it is. It captures more than a sport that is, for the most part, widely misunderstood by the majority and goes straight into the salty depths of its soul and lets you in on the secret that most surfers understand; that the ocean is just a symbol of something even greater and riding the waves is simply done out of appreciation and respect for that something greater.

And just like you can look at a Van Gogh or a Matisse and feel something within bursting forth, you can look at a Ron Stoner photograph and feel yourself melting into a world that is very, very Real but not too many of us actually frequent. It is the middle-ground...the veil between the seen and the unseen...the bridge between heaven and earth and even if you but receive the tiniest glimpses of its Reality, you will never ever be the same

...and why would you want to be?

Surfers exude a raw kind of spirituality. They seem to have a "knowing" that there is a magic to life...that "walking" on the water is the most normal thing there is...that all limitation comes from a shallow sense of self and begs release. Maybe it's because this group of people literally soak themselves in the primal soup where God Itself stirred the waters with Its Firey Imagination and created Life Itself.

And like the Living Spirit, everything beneath the surface is Forever, Eternal, Infinite, Beautiful. Even now you are breathing in and out bits and pieces of original life. Even now you are aligned with the Mind of Creation who without hesitation spews forth the invincible invisible.

I like to believe Ron Stoner remembered this and took photos as though he was trying to capture not just the sport and the art of surfing, but something that transcends time and space and rises to meet with the Eternal Grace that is forever making all things new, whole, and holy. He saw through a Divine Lense and captured things on film that leave you shaking your head and giggling silently to yourself out of sheer joy. It's too bad that Stoner could not fully grasp the Truth of his art/his life.

Why did Ron Stoner dissappear into the shadows of maddness?
Why did Van Gogh?
Why do any of us?

Why do some people burst forth with so much creativity in a relatively short period of time and then dissappear into the stillness of the night?

I don't know and I don't pretend to know.

Maybe they give the rest of us something to strive for. Not in the outer world, but in the realms of the hidden heart. Maybe they weren't mad or crazy but just frustrated that the world could not understand true passion and authentic love and original innocence which is deep within us all and for the most part, completely forgotten.

The sun goes down on us all- but like the waves of the sea- we all come out of something bigger than ourselves and even though we like to pretend we're separate from this Infinite Source of Power and Beauty, True Art, like the art Ron Stoner left us with, gets us to remember very, very quickly that we aren't.

I love this book.

Peace & Blessings,
john, "the Light Coach"

Wow! Excellent job Matt Warshaw and Jeff Divine.
The Story of Ron Stoner is beautiful and tragic.
What a great time in surfing, 1965-1968, pre shortboard,
pre-leash and pre-Gidget. Perfect waves with just you and your buddy.
Soul surfing. Imagine being silly and having fun in the lineup, with
maneuvers like "Standing Island pullout", and "The coffin".

Stoner had a great eye. His sense of balance and composition is
evident in every photo. I showed the book to my friend who
is a Hollywood Cinematographer, and he called Stoner's photography,
"Top notch".

The reader may be left with many questions;
Why did Stoner take way too much LSD?
Why didn't Stoner's "friends" help him until it was too late?
Why did the mental hospital give him 50,000 volts 20 times?
Maybe everyone was way too naive...

Though the book was well researched, I wanted more info on
the above questions. Warshaw takes the high road and avoids
blaming anyone. Having grown up and surfed in Orange County in the 70's just after behind Stoner, I wonder if his being an inlander made
him dispensable to his group of "friends".


Perhaps this story sat idle for 30 years due to a collective sense of
loss and guilt. Would Ron Stoner have been treated differently if he was from a beach town instead of being an "inlander" from Pasadena?
I don't know, I wasn't there at the time.

I had such visceral reactions from the elegant and empty waves,
that I found myself moaning when I looked at each photograph,
and my wife accused me of looking at porn.

Man, they had it good back then! Those days of discovery and isolation
of perfect waves are very hard to find these days, if not impssible.
Just like Ron Stoner. Great story.

Dave Silva
Sevenhorses@inbox.com

Absolutely outstanding and well structured. Gives a proper understanding of the fundamental theories and equation formulations, which are the building blocks for any concept to start with. Highly recommendable!

Good luck finding this much information about vehicle dynamics in any other book, that is as well put together and easy to comprehend as this one. Well suited to those with engineering/math/science related backgrounds but not all of the information is beyond grasp of most people.

A very informative book on the engineering fundementals, it would be good if a second edition with more mordern race vehicles was in the works.

I think i've bought this book a bit too early in my learning curve!
This is a book intended for the Professional Race Engineer, or an extremely motivated amateur.
It contains a wealth of mathematics for vehicle dynamics.
Very exciting, i expect to have years of fun with the various chapters in this book.

Milliken lays down the fundamentals and advanced topic of vehicle dynamics as applied to racecars. The text is not for beginning or nontechnical readers in the slightest manner. Milliken points out many subtle and difficult areas to understand, which take hours of studying to fully grasp. For those seriously considering a career in this field or to the extremely interested reader, this text is the source of information.