Sports Books

This book is a must for all people of all ages. Whether your a Chuck Norris fan or not. As one review put it, he lays his emotions and home life on the table. I found it so intriguing that I couldn't put the book down for long periods of time, because I wanted to know more. This book has begun to open my eyes to look inside myself. I'm so motivated that I am going to get his second inner strength book about ZEN! This book is easy to read and he is an inspiring teacher. It's so good that I don't want to give the book up!

I have seen Chuck Norris interviewed on several TV shows and he comes across as a very soft spoken shy man, yet you can tell he has a very powerful inner strength. In his career he has helped countless young people who doubted themselves to pick themselves up from despair and a feeling of uselessness and to believe in themselves and to do something great with their lives. He cares for his fellow man and has given of himself when he didn't have to. This book allows you to see inside his heart and to see and feel the struggles he has gone through and conquered. Chuck Norris is a Winner and so is this book. It is definitely a must read. Someone should do a movie on his life! He started at the bottom (he failed his first black belt test) and came out on top.

I like action movies, and TV. Chuck Norris is reliable and delivers in his films. But this book reveals a depth of character that seems to be depressiongly rare in the entertainment business.

In the end, Mr. Norris is an optimist.

He thinks that things will eventually work out OK.
He thinks that people can overcome adversity.
H thinks that people can succeed if they really apply thmeselves.

But he notes that success is rarely easy. Persistence and attitude are everything, and that strong character is essential. What are the elements of a strong character? According to Chuck Norris, they include the same qualities that The Boy Scouts and other institutions which claim to build character stress: Honesty, bravery, humility, humor, loyalty, commitment to truth, learning, duty, assissting others, etc.

If this book has a cental falw, it is the long (and often tedious) sections detailing some of Mr. Norris' films. But woven in wiht the narratives are some excellent insights into the value of strong character.

In the value free world of entertainment and media, Chuck Norris is not afraid or ashamed to state that "right" and "wrong" are valid and applicable concepts. He gives several concreate examples to express his life philosophy and the validity thereof. Being didactic and judgemental are often frowned upon in media, entertainment, and publishing. But Norris makes a case 9with anecdotes and examples) that sound judgements premised or rooted upon well-formed values, are a positive thing.

In the end, a portrait emerges of a man shaped by his values, not his past. And Chuck Norris had a very hard start in life. But he decided that he would not fall into despair; instead, he would rise above expectations, and succeed.

I can recommend this book for many reasons. THe two main reasons I do so are that it dispels the cyncial belief that honesty and good values are no longer worth anything. And in the end, Chuck Norris' life story serves as an inspirational motivator; to go out and make something of oneself.

This is a very positive book, and one I highly recommend.

I thought I knew Chuck Norris before buying this book. But what I found was nothing that I ever expected. Chuck had a hard life and had health problems that he had to over come, talk about bad luck, nothing came easy for him, not even being born! If you are into self improvement or want a really inspiring story, buy this book and read it over and over again, the knowledge contained is great. It has a whole system of self development contained within, I have so much to say on this book, but read it for yourself, it's worth every penny!

Martial arts and film buffs will enjoy this book, which is a straightforward autobiography (written with the assistance of Joe Hyams). Be forwarned that this book was published in 1988 (at least my hardcover version), so the filmography doesn't cover his more recent works.

Norris describes his experiences from childhood, to the time spent in the armed forces, where he originally took up the matrial art of Tang Soo Do under Jae-chul Shin (who today runs the World Tang Soo Do Association).

This volume describes Norris's tournament days, including quite a bit about his competition experiences. There is also information about his family life, his entry into film making during his time as a karate (Tang Soo Do) instructor, and his experiences as a self-made actor in Hollywood. Throughout, he is honest as he describes his triumphs and mistakes.

Chuck Norris is the quintessential all-American guy who worked his tail off, took a big gamble, and came out on top. This book describes his journey from average joe, to martial arts instructor, to professional film star. This book includes two sections of photographs which show Norris from childhood, with family, in the services, in karate competition, and during the filming of his movies.

This is a seemingly accurate and easy to follow presentation. Manuals like this are hard to find. I was able to take it and within the space of a week employ many new gambits in my practice. I would have considered most of these beforehand to be inaplicable at speed or too awkward to quickly learn. Very direct and clearly illistrated. If you're part of any of the medieval re-enactment groups out there this book will be very rewarding.

This is an excellent book. It is a great place to start. Having said that, there is nothing like having a good Western Martial Arts instructor though.

This is an excellent interpretation of Ringeck's manual. It offers clear concise instruction, guiding the reader and practitioner towards a very good understanding of the German Longsword combat system. Excellent read. The glossary alone is exceptional, explaining common and relatively obscure terms in comprehensible language.

This is David Lindholm in a subject he knows and masters. The book is well written and concise, the illustrations and interpretations sound and easy to grasp. An excellent addition to any WMA library.

Well presented and thought out. We use this manual in our sword class.

Great book - love the humor - I've just reread it since its original publication and it's a quick, fun read that leaves you feeling inspired to include your dog in your own workouts, whether that be canicross, skijoring or bikejoring (my favorite)! The authors have done a very nice job.

I was looking for a book as an introduction to scootering with my husky and got more than I bargined for with this.

This book is highly informative and very funny (I was laughing out loud for much of it). Covers sledding and other dog powered sports.

Highly recommended.

Walking and running simply isn't enough for our Bloodhound. The section on bikejoring is a perfect solution and she loves it - so do we! This is a well written book with an incredible insight into the canine world and their instinctual habits to lead. We gave the book as gifts to our friends and family. The recipients have Labradors, Weimaraners, and a Shepherd-Mix. Each has thoroughly enjoyed the book and has tried different types of skijoring and has loved it - as do their pets. Kudos to the authors!

Ski Spot Run review

This book is an excellent introduction to skijoring. It begins with the basics, including the history of the sport. It includes plenty of tips and suggestions for how to get started, ways to encourage your dog to pull and general training ideas. The section on commands alone is worth the price of admission - it lays out very clearly when to use each command and how to get your dog to execute the commands. And it seems to contain plenty of material to help both skier and dog continue to train, improve, and enjoy the sport. I also enjoyed the humor that the authors wove into the book. This made it a very easy read. The illustrations and photos are high caliber and help to convey things like how to put a harness on your dog, proper technique for skiing or running behind your dog, and recommended equipment for the sport.

I'd recommend Ski Spot Run to people interested in skijoring as well as those that simply enjoy dogs. The authors obviously care deeply for and respect dogs, and this shows through in just about every aspect of their book. I especially liked their inclusion of the dog's point of view...I seem to look at the trail a little differently now,even when I'm just out walking my dog!
It is to snow this evening and I am looking forward to taking Frannie out into our trails for a trek!!

Jeff

Smart, attractive, well organized with lots of humor, illustrations, photos and excellent information on how to get started in skijoring, canicorss or bikejoring.

Lots of useful tips and suggestions mixed with sound knowledge of dog care, training and racing.  If you're thinking of taking up skijoring, do yourself a favor and start here.

Judy Bergemann, Webmaster, sleddogcentral.com

I Love this writer. There is nothing dated about these absorbing tales from one of the English language's greatest adventure writers, regardless of Hollywood's love of his fictative works; and regardless of the time and venue in which men were men and heroes were conquerers of the elements.: M. Gann's achievement has been to see himself, daringly or humbly pick his way up the ladder of seamanship, and evoke,with humour and narrative storytelling, among the fleet of all us fellow lovers of the sea and ships, delightful fascination for the vessels of a now-passing era.

I read as many sea and sailing stories as I can get my hands on. This is one of the best. Read the other rave reviews here of this book--they pretty much say it all.

I would just emphasize that this is one of the few contemporary sailing books that has a lot about sailing square rigged boats.

Also an interesting twist is that Gann's Albatros is the boat that Sheldon lost in White Squall.

Ernest Gann has written a memoir of what happens when you hear the Sirens singing and follow them. I loved this book as the sea-going counterpart to his marvelous memoir of flight, Fate Is the Hunter; there's the same wrily witty, compassionate observations on the vicissitudes of the sea and those who sail upon it, particularly himself, the same amused humility in the face of the perversities and miracles of chance, whether they be a failing engine at the height of a tempest, intransigent bureaucrats of the Panama Canal, a balsa raft costing less than sixteen dollars which can leave a scientifically designed catamaran in its wake, or a wild voice singing in the Greek Islands. Whether recounting desperation in a great storm off the Oregon coast, or the nostalgic reminiscenses of his earlier sailing boats and shipmates, or the languid monotony of a long tropical ocean passage, or the nature and the workings of what he terms the 'Dock Committee' (which has membership worldwide), even the time he was masterfully conned by a crafty old sailor on the wharves of New York, Gann maintains a close and humorously affectionate eye on the sometimes clear, sometimes problematical, but always interesting relationships between the mundane acts of everyday and the greater universe which lurks behind every common act and thought.

Above all, there is in Sirens, as in all his books whether fic or nonfic, a love of the sea, of boats, of living fully in and of the world and of us frail, fallible and funny humans in it. In Fate Is the Hunter, it is the world of the air and those who fly; in Song of the Sirens, the sea. A wonderful read.

I've read several book by Ernie Gann and being a pilot I was in awe of Mr. Gann's story telling ability in "Fate is the Hunter" and thought this is surely the best autobiography ever written. Now having read "Song of Sirens" I have to re-evaluate this opinion. It makes you want to run out and buy a boat!

Ernest K. Gann is, quite simply, a great writer. In Song of the Sirens he writes about his adventures aboard the many ships he has owned. His writing skill takes the reader, even a landlubber like me, along with him to experience what it is like to ride out a storm 50 miles off the coast of Oregon in a fishing trawler or to sail across the Atlantic Ocean with an old, rusty, leaky training boat with a suspect engine. The book is slanted more for the boating afficionado. While he does explain some of the technical terms, a lot of them are obviously for someone who knows sailboats. There are no pictures, either. Pictures of the ships (not boats because, as he explains in the book, a boat is carried by a ship)would have been helpful. All in all, though, this book will greatly appeal to Ernest K. Gann fans, those who enjoy adventure stories, and those who enjoy sailing stories.

This book is like a personal trainer for inline (roller skating). I started reading this book in July 2006 and by August 2006 I was so much faster in inline skating. This is from someone who has never taken any lessons and started to skate on his own. I did the Northshore Inline (Duluth) half marathon later in Sept 2006 in 1 hour 6 mts (pretty impressive by my own standards). I keep referrring to it once in a while to keep up my training and speed.

This book is thorugh and even those of us that are completely uneducated about athletics and how to improve in them can understand clearly what is written in this book. I was afraid it would be too technical but it caters to all levels of knowledge. I am very impressed. I plan to start impleting these practices very soon.

A must have. Loaded with information and great pictures. Also very technical training schedules for the serious skaters. Not too much for short trackers but still alot of useful skating information.

From the background I had during my competitive years in the sport of inline speedskating, I believe the book is a complete and technical guide to the basic terminology, strategy, and mechanics that are involved with speedskating; both on ice and inline skates. There is heavy usage on photographs to show you the correct way to skate to reach your potential but to achieve what is seen in the picture typically takes years of training with coaches to show you the ways to train your body to achieve the form and stride of an effecient inline skater.

I also believe that some of the material is dated regarding the current face of the sport but the book is a staple in the sport and is a worthy look for outsiders and internally at the facets of the sport of inline and ice speedskating. For anyone interested in speedskating either on ice skates or inline skates, this book is the most comprehensive guide from a champion speedskater that covers most facets of the sport.

This is a great book for anyone involved in in-line or ice speedskating. Being a speedskater myself, I have had much success using the book. It is great for novice and elite skaters. The book offers a lot of information regarding techinique and training. I hope others have or will have as much success using this book as I have.

A MUST-HAVE FOR ANY SPEEDSKATERS LIBRARY!!!

I don't even fish, and I really liked the book. Partly it's because he writes so well about the places where fishing goes on and partly it's because of a delightful sense of humor. The essays create a sense of the man, too, so that you meet an interesting new character

There are authors you just have to read if you love fly fishing. Anything that comes out by John Gierach or Nick Lyons or Bill Tapply just has to be read. It's not as great as landing a lunker trout, but it's the next best thing.

John writes so well that it seems as if he just stumbles across his words of wisdom, comic relief, and society commentary. You find yourself thinking, "yeah, I've said that myself", although you probably haven't! There's storytelling which flows quickly, and there are those passages that you just know took time to craft. I appreciate that.

How does John Gierach do it? This flyfishing legend keeps on writing and entertaining like no other. This book is to be read and enjoyed by all flyfishermen.

I've said for a few years now that John Geirach is a genius. He has that rare ability to make you feel that you are standing in the stream next to him wetting a line. Still Life with Brook Trout continues this tradition. Every time I pick up one of John's books, it's just like being on vacation. I would heartily reccommend this book and all of his others to anyone who enjoys flyfishing or those who might like to try it. He's not only a great writer, but also a great educator.

It is time I write a review for this book. I weighed about 150 when I was in my early twenties. in my mid twenties to early thirties, I went up to 235. I wanted to lose weight for a long time, but didn't really know how.

This book starts by explaining the simple scientific truth: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The trick is to eat the right foods in the right amounts so you can do that and stay full enough to stay on a diet long enough to lose the weight you want.

My girlfriend and I started by using their recipes only. We used the meals in the supermarket cookbook, because it had pictures (I prefer cookbooks with pictures), and the meals were EXCELLENT. There was no reason they shouldn't be, they were steak, pastas, etc., using normal foods from the grocery store.

After about three weeks, we switched to just using the nutrition guidelines, but using what we had learned in the recipes/meals... high fiber, whole grains, etc.

The first few weeks were difficult... not because of hunger, but simply because we had to change a lot of habits... cook more, plan ahead, keep a journal of calories. But here is the fantastic thing: After those few weeks, when our habits had changed, we didn't notice we were on a diet at all! I was eating better and with more variety than I had been pre-diet, and I wasn't hungry. My girlfriend stuck to 1500 calories a day, me to 1800, as the book recommended. And these are skill I now have for life... I know how to eat healthily, and I can adjust my calorie intake and weight as needed, without pain. I am back to 165 and still dropping.

Of course, it wasn't the book alone. I had to make weight loss a priority. But honestly, one of the most difficult lessons I had to learn was that pain did NOT equal gain (or loss in this case). The weirdest thing was feeling like I was doing nothing, and reminding myself that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be. Every month, I would drop 12 pounds. I exercised too, but only in ways I enjoyed (they talk about sensible exercise as well). Mostly hiking up a hill near my house.

So, I obviously highly recommend this book! Oh, and my girlfriend lost 25, and is still going as well!

Excellent book! It contains nutrition label and shopping information, menus and detailed menu planning. The recipes are quick and easy to make, and the meals nutritious and balanced. It has made my shopping excursions a breeze, by taking the guesswork of what I should buy to eat and live a healthy lifestyle! I highly recommend it!

My husband and I travel a lot in a RV. This is an easy diet to follow as there is little clean up and not a lot of ingredients to buy. The diet is well rounded and satisfying. My husband was happy on it. (That's worth the price of the book) Also, Good Housekeeping has a great web site for support and ideas. It even has a version of this diet called "Convenience Food Diet". All frozen and prepared food lists. I don't want to think about cooking and menus when I diet. This diet is a no brainer!

I have never written a review about anything, but I love this diet so much that I wanted to share it with others. I trully love this diet and I have REALLY tried them all. I have never lasted more than a week on a diet until now. I don't feel food deprived, hungry, moody, my energy is slowly returning and I'm still in the early stages of the diet (first two weeks), and I have already lost a few pounds too. The book is well written, easy to understand, and most importantly easy to follow. The author makes it all so simple. You are provided a shopping list broken down into catagories which makes your store visit quick. The diet is presented a week at a glance, with menus and recipes - it is so organized!!! This diet is superb for those like myself who are super busy, don't like to really cook, and like to grab things to eat quickly. The recipes are so simple to make and quick - less than 20 minutes! If you make a recipe for dinner, you eat it the next day for lunch so there is little waste and there is plenty to share with others even after you take your portions. Since the author teaches you the basics to eating healthy, and shopping healthy, it is a life style change that is longterm. I trully am very pleased with this book and so glad that I purchased it. Good luck!

This book shows you how to live and diet with ordinary food. Common sense and smart shopping can really be fun and easy if you follow the guidelines in this book.

Great Read. Inspiring. A truely great humble man that has learnt much through his life and has created wisdom that he now emparts to us...

through surf and the beach we have learn and so has the next generation

Shot Shaun...

I don't often read through surfing related books, although I buy them if written by guys like this whom I watched as a kid from a great distance. They typically sit on my coffee table and serve as boredom busters during commercial breaks. But this book was different, fun, and easy to read. Some good life lesson insights from a guy who admits he is nobody's guru. He admits most of his mistakes and passes on some sage advice for young Groms who are just trying to figure it all out. My favorite rant he gave was in the chapter "I will paddle back out". Very good and inspiring. Good job Shaun.

I love this book, I havnt been able to put it down, It brings me back to the days when I surfed, and is filled with the way surfers use to be.

I certainly enjoyed the philosophy and thought provoking points Shaun made throughout his book, Surfer's Code. I only wish all surfers were able read it, especially the young ones that just don't know anything of the history of surfing, its etiquette, and the principles of right of way on the wave. Having surfed since 1956 @ the age of 14, I have litterly grown in the sport and am still very actively surfing today, and I was still able to enjoy and learn from the many of the excellent points Shaun made.

This was one of those books that are impossible to put down until you have reached the unexpected emotional end. I found Shaun's elite level surf descriptions immensely enjoyable. I don't surf, but my beloved husband lives the surfer's code, (both in and out of the water), and now I share an inner understanding.

You don't need to be a surfer to enjoy "Surfer's Code". Shaun's 12 lessons don't only apply in the ocean, they can and should be used in all our lives. The world would be a much nicer place! Thanks Shaun. x Cinnamon Stephens

This is a book I picked up on a whim, and it blew me away. It seems to me more than just a lesson in dogs and ratting; it is a lesson about mind over matter. Here is a guy who made reading about rat hunting as exciting (to me) as stories I've read about big game hunting in Africa. Maybe it was just his indomitable spirit; either way it is a good, short read.

I'vebeen involved with terriers for 25+ years and have hunted with terriers for the last ten years. Brian Plummer is one of the true "characters" of the terrier world. A Great read!

I read of this book in a Forbes magazine some years ago, and was fascinated. I don't hunt at all, but was very diverted and horrified by the details of this sport, as well as an illustration of a side of Great Britain I never expect to see. Remarkably well written and enjoyable, but not for the squeamish.

Being new to the world of rat-hunting,I borrowed an old yellowed copy of this book from a friend.
I just couldn't put it down!
I own two terriers (but i'm still trying to persuade my better half to allow some ferrets into our family)
I learned some very valuable tips from this book that will save me hours of heartache when training my dogs.
Whilst being absolutely rivetting reading it is also a mine of information.
Written in plain English, a true classic.
Ihave'nt read anything on this subject that comes even close.

This book is a favorite of mine. It is one of the best books on hunting ever written. Despite its apocalyptic setting, "Tales of a Rat Hunting Man" contains more wildness and freedom than the vast majority of books and magazines on hunting. That description doesn't do it justice. This is a fun book, one that you won't be able to put down. The descriptions of rats and terriers and rat hunts will take you to a world you never knew existed. Rat hunting is a weird pursuit, and Plummer conveys it with humor, adventure and passion.
The introduction by Steve Bodio is worth the price of the book.
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Books with serious data on old Karate-do Masters' biography are not common, unfortunately. This one comes right to hit this spot. Learning Karate-do is far from being only punching and kicking. We need to learn and exercise other aspects, as already said by the Masters Nagamine presents in this book: philosophical, moral and historical aspects. Knowing the history, you know better your Karate-do. In addition, this book presents some peculiar aspects of Okinawan history and tradition (dance, Tegumi wrestling, etc.) and Nagamine's view of "Karate and Zen as one", presenting Zazen theory and exercises to complete the book in great style.

This book is a great read.

Valuable information on the early pioneers of karate, and important insights into their lives. This book is well written and exciting to read. I would say it is like reading fiction, but that belittles the historical accuracy of many of the accounts.

This book written by one of Okinawas legendary Masters and translated by one of Karate's leading authors is simply a masterpiece of writing. It gives detailed accounts of Okinawas early Te-Tode-Tuite Masters many of whom have never been written about before. It's a much more indepth account than Richard Kims Weaponless Warriors, not to knock Kim, and well worth the price. Lots of pictures and lots of info.

I highly recommend this book to all practioners of the Martial Art of Karate. Exploring not only his personal lineage but that of all the original styles of karate founded and developed on Okinawa, Shoshin Nagamine provides a great work and a first hand account of many of the mentioned Masters.
It is nice to know that historically correct information is starting to come out about the true origins of karate and of its' founders. It is also nice that a little bit of myth also surrounds those same founders. Shoshin Nagamine does well to dispell those myths.
By knowing and understanding truth from the past we grow today and prepare for the future. This reviewer is glad that Patrick McCarthy translated this work for the world to read.
Buy the book.

Shoshin Nagamine (1907 - 1997) was the founder of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do. He wrote The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do, another valuable tome, in addition to this book. Practicing his art for more than 70 years, he achieved the rank of Hanshi (10th dan black belt) in karate and also earned black belts in judo, kendo, and sumo. He was president of the Okinawan Police Station, served as police chief of Naha City, and as an instructor of police judo teams in Okinawa, Japan. The guy not only knew his stuff, but was one heck of a good researcher. His insight into the titans of Okinawan martial arts is fascinating, a "must read" for any serious martial artist. Patrick McCarthy's translations are extraordinary. The book is a quick, easy read, coming across as if it had been written by a native English speaker. McCarthy even translates haiku into poetic, user-friendly English.

Nagamine Sensei spent a lifetime researching the budoka covered in his book. He trained and/or talked with some of them personally, interviewing the relatives and students of those who have passed on. He artfully portrays the exploits of Tode Sakugawa, Sokon Matsumura, Kosaku Matsumora, Anko Itosu, Gichin Funakoshi, Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Kanryo Higaonna and Ankichi Arakaki, to name a few, cutting through the fables and exaggerated legends to get to the truth.

The only drawback is that it does not include a glossary or index, so you will probably want to take notes as you peruse it. My copy is battered, dog-eared, and covered with sticky notes. An extraordinary tome, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction