Racing Books

Those who want to learn about hockey - and not just what Alan Eagleson did to it - should run, not walk, to buy this book.
Conway's book is superb, and his work on Eagleson made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
It's a must-read for any sports writer, too. It's like having an "Investigative Journalism 101" class taught to you, and for a fraction of the money you'd pay at a university.

This is the most interesting book I have ever read. I studied it to do an oral presentation for Grade 9 English class a few years ago and was so intrigured by the Alan Eagleson story that, now in my first year of University, I am pursuing a career very similar to that of Alan Eagleson...one in which I would essentially deal with the business side of the NHL where I would love to make some sort of a positive influence, as Eagleson did. However, Alan Eagleson's corruption, which is described in this book, is an excellent example of how one person can cause a negative influence on many people's lives through illegitimacy and how public opinion of that person can change almost instantly as a result. Russ Conway did an excellent job of investigating Alan Eagleson, and his book is a wonderful summary of his work. I would recommend this book to anybody, whether they are a hockey fan or not.

Russ Conway has written a wonderful investigative piece about a man who is truly a disgraceful figure in the history of Canadian hockey. Russ brings forth, with his own agressive style, the wicked ways of a man who calling a crook is an understatement. First, he never backed down to get his answers and his writing is first-rate. Anyone who follows hockey should read about a man who almost destroyed it.

All hockey fans owe Russ Conway a debt of gratitude for helping rid hockey of the parasite Alan Eagleson. He documents Eagleson's criminal and disgusting behaviour in great detail, helping fans to better understand what hockey players faced in the past, the necessary background information for many of the issues facing pro hockey today. I haven't read such a gripping book since "Net Worth". Eagleson will be back in the courts again before long, no doubt willing to lie about the charges being brought forward by a number of retired hockey players. Read this book and you'll see that the players have justice on their team.

This is one of the most important sports books ever written. Through his exhaustive work, Russ Conway exposes the greed, corruption and financial swindling that plagued the NHL throughout Alan Eagelson's reign of terror and the financial and emotional price that so many players faced. Most importantly, Conway's work served as the catalyst for Mr. Eagleson's downfall and proving many player's assertions of corruption. Put simply, this is an important piece of journalism that every fan of sports should read, whether you are a hockey fan or not.

Every cycling enthusiast should have this in their library. Good information and a good read.

Great insights on climbing, racing and training tactics. In depth fitting chapter is worth the price of the book alone. Equipment write-ups are dated, but that's not what you're buying this book for.

Some of the information in this book may be a little out-dated, but I think it is still worth it for the beginning cyclist. The chapter on sizing a bike is a must-read for all people who are beginners and may be seriously considering cycling. I would buy the book again just for this chapter. I think there are other books out there with more up to date information, but this one should be on every cyclists' bookshelf.

Reading Greg LeMond's story - from his first race as a fifteen-year-old in 1975 to his second Tour De France victory in 1987 - makes you want to get out there and ride. LeMond still rides, you know. A friend recently participated in a benefit ride with Greg. Fans will be happy to learn, although he's picked up a few pounds over the years, LeMond still has a huge engine.
Included in this superior collaboration with fellow cyclist and writer Kent Gordis are extensive chapters on bike fit, training, diet, maintenance, and riding tips. These are techniques useful not only in racing but for everyday cyclists - road hazards, traffic issues, the proper gear to have along. It's all there.
I first read this book in 1992 when I began cycling at the age of 51. Even though the bikes are better now, and everyone can afford a HRM and software that will help you keep records of your workouts, the superior and detailed section on bike fit remains valid. Actually, nothing here is really outdated. It's still you, the bicycle, and the hill just ahead. Cycling is hands down the best way to get yourself in shape. Read, and then go for it. On your left!
Art Tirrell - author of The Secret Ever Keeps - coming March 07 from Kunati Book Publishers, rides a 2003 Lemond Chambrey.

I am no newbie to cycling. I have read many books from Benard Hinualt's book to all the major "new" cycling books including "Performance Cycling", "The Ultimate Ride", and the Cyclists Training Bible".
NONE of these books discribe and outline proper training like Lemonds book! Lemonds book may not be quite a "scientific" as some of the newer ones but that does not mean it is an inferior book.

Lemond has put his wealth of info across in a very easily understood and practical way. I especially liked his info on training and fitness for the serious cyclist and also training for the older athlete.

If you want to know how to become a top cyclist, or even a pro, then this is the book for you.

This book is not just for the serious cyclist. It has all the info that a newbie to cycling would need to know as well. The more experienced cyclist can easily weed through the basic and dive right into the "meat and potatoes" of training and tactics.

The only thing that this book is weak on is training by measuring power output, which has become all the rage of late. The fact is though that one doesn't ever need to measure "watts" in order to train productively and become the very best cyclist that one can become. Experienced cyclist know that preceived effort at various intensty levels along with a decent heart rate monitor is all anyone ever needs to reach ones peak.

As far as I am concerned this is the best book ever penned on cycling!

This is a super book, A must in every CART fan's book collection. Just a shame it had to be written.

When you combine the writing skills of Gordon Kirby and the legend of Greg Moore you get an outstanding book. There must be some really great racing going on in heaven. Although no book could do justice to Greg's life, this book comes close. I love everything that Gordon writes and this book is one of the most highly prized. This book is mandatory for any true Cart fan.

It's an awesome review on Greg's life, with hundreds of color pictures... It tells the story beautifully. A must for every Greg and CART fan.

This book about the young Canadian motorsport icon honours the life of one of the most cheerful and passionate drivers in CART racing. As a fellow Canadian, I have been well-informed about the young Maple Ridge, B.C. native and have enjoyed watching him climb to the top of the victory podium. A terrific biography of Greg Moore has been collected in a very indept account told by his beloved family through pictures and excerpts. Excellent pictures tell the journey that Greg Moore had taken from his first encounter with a motorized vehicle to the 1999 season where he drove the 800-plus horsepower Players champ racing machine.

It is hard to believe after looking at this book that a young Canadian who was taken from this earth all too soon could live such a full life.

Man, when I saw this book I thought "It must be great!" And when I had it on my hands it was even more perfect. For those fans who lost their idol there at Fontana, this is a must. It's the perfect book for a great driver and an even greater person.

There are so few books out there that give a realistic look at a professional groom's life. If you've ever considered becoming a groom or even going into the pro-horse world, this book is an amazing investment. Nusser gives almost every type of information you could want, including typical pay, benefits, housing, and insights into the personalities and habits of the grooms. It follows three pro grooms: a woman who just wants to learn everything she can, a woman who is wishes she was winning the medals, not grooming the horses, and a man who works for the money. Though it's non-fiction, it's written like a story and you can't help but be draw in. This is one of my top five favorite books - I can't impress on you how much you should buy it.

Follows the grooms in 3 areas of horse sport: eventing (grooms of the O'Connors), show jumping (of Anne Kursinski), and racing (of the breeding stallions at Lane's End). Very interesting, and for the most part not too dumbed down or inaccurate.

The stuff about Parelli got to be very annoying-this was back when the O'Connors were actually fans of him. The author seemed to be a bit too impressed with the man.

Some history of the horse was mixed in, as well as plenty of stuff about each discipline. It was very interesting to see how the horses were treated by each group of grooms. For example, the race horse grooms didn't seem to have a ton of affection for their charges and were very pragmatic. The O'Connor's grooms thought of "their" horses almost as if they were their pets or kids. Also enjoyed seeing the true lives of these people: long days, hard work, little pay, not much time for other people in your life.

Don't recommend this book for young kids: Some bad language, references to drugs and sex. Also some graphic scenes in the breeding shed of Lane's End. But for adults, this is an informative, entertaining read that doesn't make riding and horses out to be glamorous (unlike many horse books today). Nice book for the 99% of horse owners who do their own work, and for those that want to see what goes on in high-caliber equestrian operations. And it really makes you respect these incredibly hard-working people who get relatively little credit for any wins.

This book will certainly give you an appreciation for the hard work grooms put into caring for "their" horses, as well as the difficulty proffessionals have in finding and keeping gooms. Grooming is often a thankless job (more often than not, unfortunately!), with long hours and hard work, as well as little to no time off, but most people are unaware of this fact, even many horse enthusiasts. It's nice to see the grooms get the attention they deserve, as well as being an enlightening look into the world of professional riding.

My only qualm is that the book reads like a 200 page newspaper article, not like a novel. The writing (especially the tense of the writing), distances the reader from getting into the "story". Nonetheless, it's a worthwhile read for anyone interested in horse care or professional riding. Those with only a casual interest in horses or without any real experience in showing or stable management may want to look elsewhere for a book, but those with a working knowlegde of horse care and terminology will find this an interesting read.

This book left me thinking about grooming and a grooms life for days after I read it. Straight forward, with lovely descriptive passages about the things grooms do and are, it reads easily and quickly--and is over too soon. Nice too, that it parallels three types of grooms: racing, jumper, and three day. Well done.

What more can you ask of a book? When first I picked out this book, it was with the intention of learning about the world of a professional horse groom. What I did not count on was learning all about that and so very much more. I would not have given the equine sport called Three Day Eventing a second thought before reading this book. This author describes it so brilliantly & colorfully, I could not wait to turn each page to, as they say, "find out what happens next". It is the true account of this groom's daily life in the professional stables of World Olympic Champions David & Karen O'Conner. Many other well-recognized names at the top of the horse world are featured as well, as this skilled writer takes you on an intimate journey few spectators are ever privey to. This honest & intrigueing portrait of life at the top of the equine world is one that no horse enthusiast should miss. However you feel about the sport of Three Day Eventing, this honest & compassionate portrait will engross you page after page. The sheer strength & beauty of the writing made this book a joy to read.

This book is pure poetry in motion. From the story of Fireball Roberts and his untimely demise to the story of Joe Weatherly. A moving tribute to some of the greatest drivers ever.

Finally a tome that is down to the nitty-gritty of a sport that nowadays is white-washed and sugar coated.I have been involved in auto racing my entire life and can identify with poeple like Ralph Moody and Lou Larosa and can understand there point of view on the state of the sport today.True racers could give two shits about money!

At first, I was hesitant to pick up this book, as Golenbock is not exactly one of the most popular names in NASCAR writing. His last work on NASCAR - American Zoom - was filled with glaring errors and misinformation about the history of the sport. However, after sitting and reading merely a few pages from The Last Lap (...), I could tell this book was much different. Golenbock tells the history of NASCAR from a driver's standpoint instead of merely describing races and race results. Each era of racing is related to a different driver. He also tells the stories of several lesser known drivers who happened to have lost their lives prematurely. If you are a racing fan, I recommend this book. If you don't like racing, you may get curious after reading about the escapades of Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly. It is my personal opinion that you do not have to be a fan of NASCAR to enjoy this book.

Each chapter is a separate story about one of NASCAR's heroes. The book does a great job of staying accurate, down to the improper grammer of the quoted person doing the story telling! A fun and informative look at how NASCAR built itself up to what it is today.

Peter Golenbock has captured the true face of NASCAR. He interviewed old time racers and their families to give you a look at what there lives where like. Stories about Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts, Tim Flock, Maurice Petty and many others capture your attnetion for hours. This book is an absolute must have for any true NASCAR fan.

I saw the three races, I'm glad I found the book, us horse people has to stick together.

The DVD was great, the book goes into more detail, but overall a great package.

We continue to be completely satisfied with the excellent service we receive through Amazon.com and its affiliates. Everything is sent quickly (usually ahead of the estimated delivery date), cleanly, in excellent condition, and exactly as advertised. Thank all those involved with this process.

fast service. wonderful to work with. wish we had one more to add to the crown.

I bought the initial edition of this book in 1975 and at the time was totally perplexed. How could an author write an entire chapter about Count Fleet and misspell the last name of his jockey every time ("Longdon" instead of "Longden")? And how could an editor not catch this error when the chapter contains three copyrighted charts from Daily Racing Form that have the jockey's name spelled correctly. Flash forward three decades to a new edition of this same book and ... Longden's name is still misspelled every time. Didn't anyone in 30 years tell the author or publisher that the name was misspelled??? This belongs in another book -- "Believe it or Not."

This book is a great photo collection, filled with superb driver profiles and historical information. However, very often, the book is flat-out wrong. Photographs are sorted into incorrect years, races and tracks are misidentified. No, Junior Johnson did not own the #44 Piedmont car. No, Mark Martin did not drive a 1995 Thunderbird in 1999 at Watkins Glen. No, North Wilkesboro is not in New Hampshire. Every mistake you spot makes you question the integrity of the rest of the book that much more.

But great pictures.

This is an outstanding book, in three ways.

First, it is a comprehensive history of NASCAR from its earliest days, told in short essays and lots of great pictures. There are complete season statistics, point race summaries, etc. There is literally no where else one can find this sort of information.

Second, the book is entertaining. It's not easy to do the kind of in-depth scholarship that underlies this book and make it interesting. That's what the author does. It's literally a page-turner with a gripping narrative.

Third, the book is a very high-quality production. It's a large-format, coffee-table book, the pages are heavy, glossy paper, the binding is extremely sturdy, and the pictures are sharp. This is one of those books that just feels good in your hands, if that makes any sense.

In summary, this is THE book for any NASCAR fan. I'm very happy I bought it, and I think it's a tremendous bargain.

I got this today as a gift from my nephew in TX. I have read it with the exception the 2 pages of words only which are before each decade without putting it down. I'll read them tomorrow. It begins with a page of Before NASCAR and then goes yearly from 1947 through 2004. The page devoted to the each year has more information then some wordy books. The pictures are fabulous. I will definitely give this to my friends who like NASCAR in place of some I have given in the past.
It is well worth the money spent.
Enjoy!

A hard-core history of NASCAR, from early pre-NASCAR days through modern day racing. This book is structured by year, with complete timelines and highlights of each season, often accompanied by photographs. If you are a new NASCAR fan but lack a background in the history of the sport, then this is a "must have" book for you. Once you learn the history of this sport, you will have a greater appreciation for NASCAR and today's drivers.

I never buy NASCAR books. Ever. Generally they are cheap, poorly written and focus on one or two drivers (can you say Dale Jr? I knew you could). How much fun is that? And please tell me why I'd want to pay for that?

Well, I happened to cruise the bargain bin at the local superchain bookstore, and this happened to catch my eye. I did say I never bought the books, to be sure, but I'm pretty regular about flipping through them to see if just maybe I want it. This one's a keeper, to be sure.

This book covers everything from the early (EARLY) days of NASCAR to the 2003 season. Plenty of pictures, good sidebar features, season highlights, and in the back year-by-year (and race-by-race, I may add) stats. Awesome.

If you enjoy NASCAR, this book is for you. Period.

Go Rusty!

An excellent book. From Brazil, I am able to confirm the magnificent dancers. I owned a northern dancer's grandson.
Congratulations to the author.

Fernando A. T. Távora
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

Northern Dancer by Muriel Lennox is a vibrant narrative which portrays a fascinating era with emphasis on a mesmerizing focus of the horses as well as the peripheral people! If you enjoy equine sagas or simply appreciate fine writing, this superlative volume will capture your interest and imagination!

As a horse trainer and owner I have found this book very interesting and entertaining.

This book is very well written and informative. As well as the life-story of this remarkable animal it provides an insight into the history and workings of the racing industry. At times it brought a tear to my eye! I have a Northern Dancer horse and I look at him with a new dimension of knowledge.

Although I was not old enough to remember Northern Dancer, he was won of the greatest thoroughbreds of this century. Not only in racing its self, but as one of the most influencial stallions of our time. This book allows everyone who knew of The Dancer to remember him. To either help the people to remanise of his great life as they saw him in '64, or for some, to learn of his great accomplishments, and not so golden moments that they never got a glimpse of. But the one thing this book gives everyone, is to learn of the real Northern Dancer. His 'misfit' life as a yearling, his great character and temperment, and his relationship with the people most close to him. He touched alot of people and still does. He is the greastest Canadian horse to step on any track and probibly ever will. Muriel Lenox did I great job in revieling Northern Dancer to us. Her words made me chill when he won the Derby, feel dispair when he lost the Belmont and cry when he died in 1990. But I would like to thank Muriel for what she gave me, a real look at the life of my favorite horse of all time. Northern Dancer will always be a great horse, not only as a horse himself;but as well as his legacy. Such stallions like Storm Cat, Danzig,Nureyev, Nijinsky II and so many more are leaving the Dancer mafk on racing today. This is a great book and at is a must read for any horse lover or fan of racing.

This is an excellent book for improving your skills and preventing the spills. The pictures and instructions are so well written that anybody can understand and apply the techniques. A huge variety of topics for both trail riders and motocross racers, this book has plenty to offer all riders at any experience level. The chapters and subjects are well organized and easy to read. You will not be disappointed..

My husband and I both ride... but he's the one who rides on the dirt as well as the road. He's been looking for a book like this for ages, and was elated when I presented it to him as a birthday gift. It's packed with information and pictures on off-road riding, which requires techinques that no-one seems to write about - but it's all here in this book. A must buy.

This proved to be a very useful book to me. The authors of this book broke down the various aspects that are required to ride a dirtbike efficiently and safely. After I read through this book, I could critique my riding technique and make corrections. I immediately noticed results the first weekend out in the woods. My speed was increase and my comfort levels went up. At the conclusion of that ride, I noticed that I was less tired than usual and could have went back out for more. I've become a better rider as result of reading this book. I would recommend it to anybody wanting to become a better rider.

This is just a gorgeous book, I had the old Gary Semics manual, it was black and white photocopy stuff, this new book has all the Gary Semics stuff with updates and many sections covering different terrains, bikes and setups. The pictures are outstanding, I showed it to my dirtbike buddies and everyone wanted to buy their own copy. They usually copy the stuff so that says a lot about the quality. The information is of the highest quality, Gary Semics is maybe the top motocross teacher in the world, and his "47 absolute techniques of motocross" WILL make you a better rider even if you just ride for fun with your friends. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I'm having a hard time reading this book. I think the gems of information are in there, but I'm having work pretty hard to get them out. Why? Formatting: low contrast color choices. In some places, dark text on a dark background makes for difficult reading in low light. Clarity: the author(s) repeatedly fail to define terms precisely. I'm left to guess what they mean. A how-to book shouldn't leave the reader wondering. Ego: they seem to worship Jeremy McGrath. Call him infallible. It feels like a primary school clique to me. Bad science: For example, pg.41, tip #5: "Carry most of your weight on the footpegs to lower your center of gravity." Based on my understanding of basic physics, changing the position of where the rider's weight is supported has nothing to do with where the rider's center of gravity is. Sure it's good advice, carrying the rider's weight on the footpegs drastically improves the bike's handling, but the authors' explanation of the physics is complete nonsense. It leads me to question all other explanations. I imagine the authors know their stuff, but they've got a lot of room for improvement to communicate their ideas in print.

Libby Riddles brings you on the Iditarod trail with her. You will feel her cold, her fatigue and the fur of her dogs whom she loves above all. This is the ultimate armchair adventure. It's incredible top believe that people actually put themselves through this. A bonus feature of this book is the informaive sidebars. I recommend it with five stars.

I loved this book, from beginning to end. It was engaging, exciting, informative and just a great read. Adventure stories are my favorite and I love animals so it was a great combination. Hooray for Ms. Riddles for her victory and a well written book.

After meeting Libby personally in Juneau May 2001, I had to read the book! She takes you "with her and her precious dogs" on this adventure with details about the event and how she feels,copes and thrives throughout the 1984 Iditarod.

The best part? She won as a team (with her dogs) and as a person of strength with the knowledge that she would also be a role model from both women and men.

I found the book inspiring!

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Libby Riddles personally on a cruise with Princess Cruise Line. Her talk was so enlightening that I bought the book. This is a must read for every Iditarod fan or interested person. The grueling schedule and trails will hold your interest until the end of the book. You'll find out what Libby cared on her sled, how she prepared for each checkpoint and what all the mushers have to endure to come out on top of the pack. You'll easily learn to respect the mushers and the love/dedication they have for the Iditarod.

Libby Riddles is the first woman to win the Iditarod, which is the Alaskan dog-sled race that covers over 1,000 miles.

As I'm not very familiar with Alaska, I had never heard of Libby Riddles, or the Iditarod for that matter. However, my boss, who is from Alaska, brought me an autographed copy of the book as a souvenir from one of her trips home. I immediately started reading the book and was quickly engrossed in Libby's adventure.

The book is written in journal style. I felt as if I were right there on the trail with Libby throughout her grueling race to the finish. Interspersed throughout the pages are interesting Iditarod facts that help the reader to better understand the life of a musher as well as the ins and outs of the race.

Libby, as well as all the mushers, show an amazing amount of courage and strength. From start to finish, many mushers don't get to shower and exist on an hour or so of sleep every 15-24 hours! Imagine that kind of schedule, coupled with the intense physical endurance they're also experiencing. It was simply mind boggling, but very admirable.

I found this a fascinating read; my only complaint is that I wish it were longer! I wanted the story to continue a little bit after Libby crossed the finish line in Nome!