Sports Books

The Business Playbook: Leadership Lessons from the World of Sports by Brandon Steiner does a tremendous job of explaining why it is important for one to set goals, as well as telling you what steps you can take to help you in achieving your goals. The book is well written, with a good amount of actual sports stories featuring some of the biggest names in sports. One downside is that many of the athletes discussed in the book play or played on teams based in New York. I would assume that is because the Steiner's business is located in New York and therefore these are the athletes he has the most contact with. The stories that he does tell about the athletes, however, are closely related to the lessons he is trying to teach in his book. Seeing the success that these athletes have had is a great motivator for the reader to try to accomplish much the same success in business instead of on a playing field.

The book is broken down into chapters, and each chapter essentially highlights a different principle that one can use on the road to success. Within each chapter every principle is broken down even further into various sub-topics. Although some of the sub-topics may not flow together as well as they could have, this style made the book very easy to read as well as understand. None of the information in the book is too complicated for the average reader to comprehend, and all of the information is explained very well.

By associating success in business with success in sports Steiner does a tremendous job in offering a book that is fun to read as well as a book that offers real lessons in business and leadership. Everyone who is at least in part a fan of sports and works in a business field should take the time to read this motivational book. By reading this book you will be able to tie aspects of sports into your business career in ways you may have never even felt were possible.

The Business Playbook is hands down the best motivational book I have ever read! Anyone who reads this book will take at least one valuable lesson that they could use in both their business and personal life! Mr. Steiner has a true sports marketing mind, and in my opinion is the best in the business! Keep up the good work!!!!!!!

I thought this book was very intuitive. It really made think about my future goals, and how I should approach them. It is a good reading for anybody who wants to be successful in what ever they want to do. Being that I am a big sports fan I really appreciated the sport figures and events that brandon used as analogies. It should be required reading for buisness students and for anybody who wants to move forward in life. Great book!

This book does a nice job of motivating you toward your leadership aspirations, but many times I felt like I was back in Jr. High school and was listening to my teacher tell me stories of when he was growing up. With all the author's experience and interaction with such high-profile icons of this generation (and a few past), I would think he could have transferred his leadership skills in a more adult and interesting way. Overall, the book was OK.

I was lucky enough to read this book after the CEO of my company asked me to purchase it and write him up a quick synopis. It was a quick but powerful read and by the end of that same weekend my senses were ablaze with newly kindled hope and inspiration!

Brandon Steiner has a great sense of motivational ability, and unlike some who give advice with an heir of condescension, he has an amazing ability to strike a chord with the reader through highly assimilable, digestible prose and imagery. He presents a theme and then illustrates it anecdotally. In his line of business one can only imagine the stories you'd have after working so closely with such colorful clientele. At the end of each chapter there is a summary and a closing paragraph or two which ties all the subject matter together.

The book is divided into key principles: "Start with a road map; Find your niche; Wake up nervous!; Know your purpose; Go the extra mile; You never know; Get focused!; Nothing changes if nothing changes; It's not what happens, it's what you do with what happens; and finally, See success as a habit." I saw so many points therein which had immediate relevance to my life and my future goals.

I am very glad to have read "The Business Playbook" and strongly advocate to anyone who reads this to pick yourself up a copy. You'll be glad you did.

Michael G.
NY, NY

My name is Mark Tomblum. I am in the 7th. grade. I live in a small town 5 miles outside of Dallas, Tx. I never really liked reading books and writing to much. I do like school but not reading or really writing. I go to an after school program and one of my teachers had this Dream Real book. She read a few pages to me. I wanted to read the book myself. My teacher let me take the book home. After reading this book I must say that it made me like reading. I really liked this book. I can say it changed my life. Football is big in the state of Texas. I want to be a success in life. I want to move on and play college football. Now I know that I must do good in my studies if I want to play football in high school and in college. I am using Dream Real for my book report.

Adults always say things like this or that book changed my life. I just thought it was there way of tricking us into reading because I never picked up a book "that I could not put down".

That changed when I borrowed this book. This book made me see alot of things more clear. Like how I really do not have a "game plan". I am "only" 13 but I am very very different now that I have a game plan in sports and life.

"Big L"

I love to read all kinds of books. My middle school teacher just gave me this book, Dream Real. I just completed reading it. I really loved this book. I can tell that Mr. Napoleon wrote this book from the heart. It takes a special person to share your personal experiences with the world. Mr. Napoleon is a special person, this is why his book is a great book to read. If you read it, you will learn something from it!!!

T.J. 8th. grade, The ATL

When you read a good book, it should change your way of thinking or your way of viewing things. When I read Dream Real, it changed my life! This book made me realize some of the mistakes I was making with school. This book made me realize some of the mistakes I was making with sports. I was putting sports before my school work. Now, I realize that school is more important then sports. If I do well in school, that can take me just as far as doing well on the basketball court or the football field. My dream was to play pro basketball in the NBA. Now, I also want to be a doctor if I don't make it to the NBA. In order to become a doctor, school must come first. I never looked at it that way before I read Dream Real. Now, I know that school must come first and basketball comes second. Reading Dream Real, changed my life.

Paul Burns, 8th grade student, New York

I play Pop Warner football in Newark, N.J. My coach gave this book Dream Real to my mother during the football season. I just got the chance to read it. Once I started reading it, I did not want to put the book down. I started to dream about playing football at the professional level. I really love playing football. My mother always talks about me doing well in school. After reading this book, I know how important school is to my future. Growing up in Newark is hard. I understand what Mr. Napoleon is talking about in his book. Growing up in the city is hard. Now when I think about sports, I will also think about school. I will work on doing better in school. I need to be smart to get what I want in life in the future.

Jamal grade 8 QB

In the last few weeks, my Savior, my wife, my therapist, this book and the better angels of my own nature have all combined on me in a massive intervention that has saved my life and my marriage of 10 years.

This book explains what it means to be Christian, to accept the atonement of Jesus Christ, and to model oneself after him.
This is a very powerful book and opens our understanding of what it means to love, to forgive, to be forgiven, to become less selfish, and to bring peace, through story and parables.
It's true - and it is nearly impossible to put down!
A good book to read and to share with friends who do not know Christ.
This book explains why we believe in a way that is easy to grasp.

This is a profound book that has had a profound impact on my life. The treatment of the doctrines surrounding the Atonement of the Savior are made deeply personal for any reader and the bridge between "knowing" and "doing" is effectively constructed. All of this makes The Peacegiver a tremendously important work for anyone serious about discipleship.

Ferrell does an outstanding job on many levels in this book, yet all angles are about the Atonement of Christ and how to apply it in our lives. First of all, he engages in some very insightful and inspiring scriptural interpretation and gleans life-changing principles (truths about the Atonement) from some unexpected sources -- stories that are often overlooked. Second, he presents them in a framework that is personable to just about anyone and helps the reader to empathize with the characters and their predicament. And third, Ferrell challenges the reader to experience learning of the principles for himself or herself and thus to internalize these principles and become a better person through Christ. I could not recommend too many books more than this one.

The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Hearts and Homes
This book was really great and is now one of my favorite books. It really made a difference in the way I saw my spouse, my children, my coworkers, and even the people that drive me nuts. It contains some of the most profound insight on the atonement of Christ that I have ever heard. The story used to convey the material is engaging and really helped me to remember the points he was making. Another book I would recommend that contains very similar points but from a non-religious viewpoint is Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box. Both are very good for helping you to see people in ways that makes it easier to love and work with them.

this book covers everything about aba even bob costas said this book has it all so he wont write on about his time in the aba. 2 chapters on wackiest team ever spirits of st louis and tells of the greatest money deal ever by the silnas that will go on for ever. have read over and over and still enjoy can pick up book any chapter and start reading fun to read and very interesting

I rank this book right up there with "The Bronx Zoo" and "Thin Ice - A Season in Hell with the NY Rangers." It is a captivating book that is very difficult to put down once you begin reading it. A++++!!!!

If you were a fan of the ABA growing up this is the book for you. For some reason I just loved the ABA. To read about the beginning of the league and all the trials and tribulations the league went through is funny. Players I remember as a kid come to life. The Doctor, Lou Dampier, Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Laverne Tart. They are all here. The only challenge is that the book is narrated by many former participants and at times it is hard to remember who each person was. However, this is a minor criticism. This was a great book to read and brought back a lot of memories.

If Amazon was really on the ball, they would pair this book together with "Going Long," the book about the old AFL - both are entertaining, hilarious at times, and just great reads - you start to see a connection between the leagues in a way, the startup antics, the dubious franchises, and the hilarious happenings. If you are a sports fan or not, you have to get this book - it is hilarious and an absolute joy to read!

Before 24-hour sports coverage on cable TV and back in the day when a basketball fan was lucky to get one nationally-televised NBA game per week, there was an upstart league with a flashy basketball, flashier players and paychecks that oftentimes bounced higher than the ball.

Terry Pluto, a long-time sports columnist for the Akron Beacon-Journal, captures the crazy times and legendary personalities on the court and in the front offices in this oral history of the American Basketball Association.

It was a league that hit the NBA where it was most vulnerable; signing players to contracts that were unheard of at the time. For example, Mel Daniels - a number one draft pick in both leagues - opted to play in the ABA and became one of the all-time greats. There were renegades like Rick Barry and the sky-walking dunks of "Dr. J," Julius Erving, arguably the greatest player of his era.

The league went straight to the heart of the NBA for its first commissioner, hiring George Mikan as a means to gain credibility in the eyes of the stodgy national sports media. Larry Brown and Doug Moe were ABA players before becoming pro coaches. And - if nothing else - who could beat franchise names like the New Orleans Buccaneers, Minnesota Muskies, the Spirits of St. Louis and the San Diego Conquistadors (with Wilt Chamberlain as player/coach)?

Though the final few years of operation - with a merger inevitable and the league consolidating its shrinking resources - became an abrupt climax to the ABA, the teams and players that made the jump to the NBA made for a dramatic leap in the quality of the game & it can be argued set the pace for the style and grace of Magic, Michael, Dominique and LeBron.

This book got to me, in a very good way.

Buck's stories are funny and poignant, and we as readers definitely learn some history if we pay attention. But even more than that we can learn from Buck O'Neil's outlook on life. He was patient, caring, outspoken in an articulate and positive way (something our politicians should learn how to do), and he had grace. More than anything else reading about Buck O'Neil was a lesson on how to live with grace.

I want to tell you the last words of the book, but I won't.

If you like baseball, people or life you will like this book.

Highly recommended!!

Sometimes a great author writes a 5-star book, and sometimes he must only get out of the way and let 5-star material shine through. "The Soul of Baseball" is one of the latter. This isn't a knock on Joe Posnanski. The decision to tell the story by reporting on a year in O'Neil's life, rather than interpreting O'Neil's history, was a brilliant judgment. The reader benefits from Posnanski's willingness to set his writer's ego aside.

Another good Posnanski decision was reporting O'Neil's occasional querulousness. Rather than seeing O'Neil as a mindless happy face, the reader sees O'Neil as someone who must work to maintain his positive approach. The occasional lapses serve to highlight the effort that O'Neil makes to bring the light into the lives of those around him.

But ultimately, the star of the book is Buck O'Neil. Not because he was a great ballplayer or manager. But because he was a decent, good-hearted human being whose attitude toward life is worthy of emulation.

I give few 5-star rankings, but this book deserves it several times over.

Reading this book gave me insight into the Negro Leagues and more importantly into Buck O'Neil. Buck O'Neil was a man today's player should study and revere; not only because of his courage but for his respect of the game.

The Soul of Baseball is a history lesson I encourage any fan or player to read.

This is an outstanding book by one of my favorite writers. Joe really knows how to tell a story and paint a vivid picture with his words. I loved it so much that I just couldn't put it down. A must have for any and all baseball fans.

My son, Jeremy, always gives me good books. He doesn't just pick up the latest best-seller, but takes the time to choose something special just for me. He hit a home run with The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski. It's the story of an extended road trip Posnanski took with legendary Negro League player and manager Buck O'Neil. The lessons learned along the way are great ones for sons and fathers to share.

Posnanski, an award-winning sports columnist for the Kansas City Star, chose not to write a biography of the irrepressible O'Neil, even though the story could bear to be told over and over again. Instead, he penned a moving memoir of the year he spent with the then-93-year-old O'Neil as he toured the country promoting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and the memory of those men who played the game in the days before whites and blacks could share the field. The trip takes them everywhere from Nicodemus, Kansas, to New York, New York, and O'Neil has a fascinating story to tell at every stop.

He talks about Satchel Paige, Willie Mays, and Josh Gibson, names that will always be enshrined in baseball's collective memory. But he also tells the tales of forgotten men like Dan Bankhead, the first black pitcher in the major leagues, who would have been a great hurler if he hadn't been afraid to pitch fastballs inside against white batters.

The key theme of the book is Buck O'Neil's spirit-lifting embrace of the best in every person he met. Despite years of back-breaking struggle, O'Neil never turned bitter, never condemned anyone for their prejudice, never had a bad word to say about the often ugly conditions the black ball players endured. Even when he failed to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Buck O'Neil refused to be angry about it. To make up for the egregious mistake, the Hall awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award after his death.

The lessons Posnanski drew from his experiences with O'Neil are well worth telling and the book he created from them is well worth reading.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds: A Novel of Scandal, Love and Death in the Congo

This is a superb book. Very well written thorough in its explanations and recipes with many varied recipes to choose from. Missed having lush photography to entice me more to cook, but a small omission in an overall impressive cookbook.

A wonderful book full of great recipes that are instructive and easy to follow. A great read if you are into the philosophy of cooking.

I never knew what braising was when I bought this book. It caught my eye because it was so thick, and I thought "How can there be that much on braising?" Well, I have to say, buying this book has been the nicest surprise in my cooking. I have made the absolute best pot roast ever (I never liked pot roast until I cooked it following Molly's recipes). She does such a terrific job of not only presenting the recipes in this book, but EDUCATING you on what makes a good cut of meat, how to buy fish, what to look for when selecting vegetables, etc. You will learn a lot from Molly if you read the book.
Note that there are very little pictures in the book, which usually renders a cookbook useless for me. However, the way she has described and categorized the recipes, I have never once yearned for a picture to know if something will be good. I just read through the title and recipe and think "Yum, that sounds great!" She's really a great cook and teacher. Kudos to you Molly!!! I love your book!

Buy it. You will be a better cook if you read the first couple chapters and make sure you spend the money and buy a good pot. You won't be sorry.

As for the two star review, I'm certain that their version of the crock-pot pot roast is the reason I never liked pot roast in the first place (you probably need half a bottle of ketchup to stomach it). Pay no attention to that review.

I can't tell you how much I love this book!!! If you like chicken, the chicken fricassee is the best. Also, her pork chops are to die for!

Update: I've been cooking from this book going on three years now and I am still in love with it. One of the great things is not only the recipes and education she gives you, but just about every recipe she recomends a side-dish and a wine. How great is that!? You don't even have to think about your menu. She also starts each recipe with a story about how she came across the recipe, which really gives it meaning and makes me appreciate how wonderful good cooking is. Great job Molly!

I've only had this cookbook for two weeks, but have already made 3 recipes from it and they all turned out amazing. The book is very well written and organized and it has a great variety of dishes from fun and different veggie dishes (The Butter-glazed radishes were a big hit) to old standards (the "Yankee Pot Roast Redux" was perhaps the finest pot roast I've ever eaten.) The wonderful thing about the book is it isn't just a collection of stellar recipes but a very readable discussion of technique, ingredients, and methodologies that will surely make you a better cook. I cannot recommend this cookbook highly enough.

UPDATE: After another couple months of making recipes out of this book I wish that I could give it another 5 stars. Every single thing that I've cooked from its pages has been a barn-burner. Do not hesitate to buy this cookbook.

Comprehensive, wonderful, fabulous...what more can I say? If you only want to buy one cookbook for braising, look no further. Molly Stevens covers just about everything and makes it easy. For a beginning cook all of this information might seen daunting, but the great thing is that she goes into detail for each preparation step and offers lots of good tips. I just purchased this book mid January and have used it many times already. Every recipe has been great. Highly, highly recommended!

Gave a glimpse of the professional swimming world. Starting with kids beginning swimming to Olympians from the perspective of professional coach. Entertaining and more appreciative to the sport. But too late for me to join.

Very nice book about swimming as a sport and the people, swimmers and coaches and more, in and behind it. One of few great books about swimming.

This will go down as the best swimming book ever written. The facts of non-fiction with the fluidity of a great novel. PH Mullen has written the aquatic masterpiece.

Seriously inspiring, got me through a lot of long practises.

P.H. Mullen's Gold in the Water is a story that i first came into contact with a couple years ago. It is a fast paced true tale about average men trying to accomplish their goals. Reading the story over and over has helped me get through the hard times in and out of the pool. You don't need to be a swimmer to appreciate this story, but it does help. As I am in film school now, this is one story that can inspire more people then Remember the Titans with the Olympic power of Miracle. I encourage every athlete, Olympic fan, parent, or anyone who has a goal to accomplish to buy a copy of this book and one for their coach or mentor. It is a book to read over and over again.

The characters in this book really resonated with me. Ms. Robinson's style of writing made me feel as if I personally knew some of the characters! I finished the book in one weekend and was left craving more. What a debut for Staci Robinson!! I can't wait for more of her writing! Buy it, you won't be able to put it down!

I finished this book in about 5 hours. I liked it a lot, and the plot definitely keeps you interested. I thought the ending was on fast forward. I feel like we got a lot of details through the first 3/4, and then the ending was rushed. I really would have liked to see/read more, so that's the only reason for the 4 stars rather than 5. I think Staci Robinson has an amazing "voice". It really didn't feel like reading; the dialogue makes you feel like you're in it rather than just an outsider, which makes for a really easy read. But at the same time, the characters all had layers that she slowly peeled away. I definitely recommend this!

This book is amazing! Forget about the TV show; and get this book. Interceptions takes you deeper into the lives of NFL players;their wives;groupies,etc. This book is a must have! Staci is a very talented author.

I am an avid reader and I picked this book based on the reviews I read from others. I think that this author is very talented. By reading the book it sometimes felt like I was there watching all the characters. I just thought that the story was predictable. From the beginning Stef's friends were warning her not to put her education on hold for this man. And of course, if you know anything about professional athletes we could guess the end of their relationship. And the reasons. I thought the story line was unique. The characters were good. I just wish there was some surprises in it. But for a first novel, this was good. It just was not great for me.

I was given Interceptions by my wife because I am a football fan. I literally couldn't put it down, the book is very well written and sheds insight into one of the darker sides of college and pro sports. It is an often told story of golddiggers vs. upstanding women compellingly composed. An excellent read for any sports fan.

Great product. Kids have fun making special paper airplanes. Especilly good for kids who have enjoyed putting Lego together.

This book is awesome. I never have been able to fold paper airplanes before that actually flew. With this book, it is so easy and they really fly. I now buy this book for my girls to give as birthday presents. Awesome find.

Purchased this on a business trip and it's a big hit with my 7 (girl) and 5 (boy) year olds. Really great planes that my daughter can build herself. My son has trouble with the directions, but an adult should find it pretty simple. Be prepared to fold a 'fleet of planes' (since the fast ones get busted up when they whack a wall - or get chewed on by a younger sibling). The papers provided are really good and they proide a good amount - but I have to look for more.

My oldest boy who is 10 loves playing with this. His friends all have the book as well and they make dozens of them!

This book is AWESOME!!! My kids, (boys and girls) have had so much fun with it. And I have to admit I have too. I never knew that paper airplanes could go so far!! I have always made them and the second that they leave your hand they go straight down and do a nose dive into the ground. They explain in the front of the book why and what to do to stop that, and it works! This is the second book that we have bought by Klutz and they are both awesome! Also try the tissue paper flowers book, it has made our lives all more colorful. You won't be disappointed in these books. They work well when you aren't satisfied just buying another video game. And they really help you use your brain and your hands which is great for kids.

This is a broad, sweeping view of running, primarily from the marathon and up. Noakes covers history, physiology, current runners, ethnographic issues, and several other topics. It is very readable and each chapter is well edited, so that it can stand alone.

Noakes own views also comes through - over-training did in Bedford and Hill. My only comment is that over-training does in every runner, but perhaps this is the cost of burning brighter rahter than longer.

There are several other subjects that can be lumped into all the other various purveyors of training thought - Hadd, Lydiard, Daniels, Canova. They are all directly or indirectly addressed here.

This is the ONLY comprehensive text touching on virtually the entire spectrum of issues surrounding running which I have found. Noakes has his opinions, but this in no way detracts from this fine read.

VERY detailed and explains WHY certain training recommendations are made. I'm a physician and was surprised how technical this book was. If you are not scientifically minded, this is still a great reference, but do not plan to read this cover to cover unless you took a lot of biology in college. I have used this book for help with an injury and the recommendations and explanations seem very sound. If you are merely looking for training schedules, there are other places to find them, but this book has a wide variety of "formulas" for race preparation. For serious runners, this book is a bargain. Probably cheaper and more useful than any running shoes or other equipment you are putting on your wish list.

Noakes's book on the "Lore of Running" covers just about everything, from what happens inside your muscles to training plans for various races, from biographies of great runners to how to stretch. Noakes seems to be writing both for the runner who wants a deeper understanding of the sport, and for the runner's trainer.

Despite the specialized nature of some of the subject matter, Noakes's writing is quite readable. If you like endurance reading and endurance running, treat yourself to this book.

... A book that comprehensively covers the physiology and biochemistry of running. The volume is exceptionally well written, also a first for a book about the science and theory of running. There are some issues with redundancy and some parts of the book that seem a little out of place (training plans to Walk/Run a 5k?). I think if the reader is interested in this level of detail, that they have most likely been running for some time. Some reviewers complain about the long chapter on the history of great runners. The book is, however, called the "Lore" of running - not the 'science of running.' I found that particular chapter to be especially motivating, personally. As the tagline suggests, this book is a MUST for the serious runner or coach.

I have been reading about running for the past couple of years--probably more than I ought to. I came upon this book recently in the library (most of my reading is online!) and upon poring through its pages have realized that a lot of what I've read either came from this book, or this book has a lot of what I've read in it. Noakes has written this tome relying upon the best science we have for running with all of its available studies. He bases his conclusions and statements on journal articles where possible and where not does not go overboard in conjecture.

He is an accomplished marathoner and ultra marathoner and in his practice has treated a lot of runners.

Go ahead and buy any book on running. It will have a section on nutrition with the basics that we all know. Contrast with the nutrition section in this and it's actually worth reading; he spends many pages on such details as the proper sodium levels in a beverage, the amount of liquid we need to drink while exercising (not the vague catch-all of "drink as much as you sweat"). His guides on injury and footware are the best researched I've found anywhere.

This is not just the best book on running I've seen, it's the best book _by far_.

I slight this book in two areas:

1) Injury treatment seems to be really slanted substantially toward footwear and orthotics. Now, there may be a reason for that I'm not aware of, and he does give time to exercises and "holistic" approches for injury prevention, including training the hips for, say, a knee problem and not just the feet, but I would have just preferred a bit more.

2) Running technique. He describes in detail the typical heel-strike of most runners but doesn't spend much time that I have found on particulars of technique, such as possibly forefooting or midfooting. Bits and pieces are throughout the book in this, but a subsection on what is now in vogue (pose technique, chirunning, etc.) would have been nice. I don't know that it's reasonable to dismiss these simply because he feels they're useless; I feel like he missed out.

That said, I really can't stress enough how much solid, quality stuff is in this book. He's not simply taking what "everyone knows" about running and making a thousand pages out of it; he does go into meaningful detail.