Sports Books

This book is set in the time between the formation of the Negro League by Rube Foster in the 1920's and Jackie Robinson's cross over to the majors in 1947. This was the era of the Negro League's time of greatest activity and fame.
Black baseball had its own superstars. These included Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and the great Satchel Paige. This was a period when Negro players frequently couldn't find hotels that would let them stay overnight or restaurants that would serve them. Frequently, they spent nights sleeping in their buses or in tents beside the road.
Not only is this book an intriguing account of Negro League Baseball, but Kadir Nelson's illustrative paintings are outstanding works of art.
The bind black players were caught in is illustrated by baseball's great white pitcher Walter Johnson's comment about the talented catcher Josh Gibson, "He can do everything. He hits the ball a mile. And he catches so easy he might as well be in a rocking chair....too bad this Gibson is a colored fellow." Gibson was so good that some people said Babe Ruth should have been called "the white Josh Gibson."
Nelson portrays the "triumphs and defeats on and off the field," as well as adding intriguing facts. Did you know that Satchel Paige had a wonderful singing voice? That Oscar Charleston was such a mean son-of-a-gun that he once snatched the hood off a Ku Klux Klansman? Or that Louis Armstrong owned the "Secret Nine" ball club and that Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was part-owner of the New York Black Yankees?
An especially moving part of this book deals with the exhibition and barnstorming games members of the Negro League played against white major leaguers: "I guess we beat those major leaguers as often as we did because we could out-think them. Baseball is a game of intelligence. For a long time, a lot of people thought Negroes could never play major league ball because they thought we weren't smart enough. It took them a long time to realize that nothing was further from the truth. Those major leaguers learned a lot by playing us, and we learned a lot from playing them. They learned we were men just as they were, and they would shake our hands and look us in the eye after we beat them, as did we. Maybe we did help change a few minds by playing baseball, after all."

In We Are the Ship, the story of the Negro Baseball League is told through the eyes of one who lived it. It has all the facts and figures to surely be a historical baseball book. It also has all the stories and personalities to be a very personable and emotional read. The voice of "We" tells the story from the very conception of Negro League baseball through Jackie Robinson's joining the Braves. The author takes care to describe all the important characters - building their legends with vivid language.
If this book were its story alone, it would be fascinating. But it is also filled - and I do mean filled - with paintings of the league and its players, owners, umps, and bus trips. The paintings are GORGEOUS. I don't remember any children's book that had illustrations that made me stop to study them for so long. The portraits are so intense - Nelson has most of the subjects looking right at you - THROUGH you - and I felt drawn in to look at them as hard as they were looking at me.
As a book club book, I think Negro League Baseball would be a wonderful subject to study and discuss as a club. There are many situations in this book that would be wonderful discussion - even debate - material. It would be interesting to figure out how to read it together, due to its length and the fact that it is so gripping it demands to be read straight through. It is so good I will absolutely HAVE to share it with my students.
This is sure to be at the top of the list of Newbery contenders for 2008!

Although I am far beyond young, I initially purchased this book because of striking Kadir Nelson artwork I have on a jazz cd cover, "The Heavy Hitter," by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, an excellent, underrated 50s sax player. The cover features a Negro League slugger belting a long one, and that was what caught my eye. The music is fine, too.
Then, last spring, Sports Illustrated featured several more examples of Nelson's artistry, and I decided I had to have this work of art. The copy, though secondary and somewhat elementary for adults, still contains solid information on the leagues and players. Most baseball fans will still learn much they did not know about these unappreciated players and their times. For younger readers, it will be an impressive introduction to a part of baseball history they should know.
The art is superb, and the large pages make it even more impressive. I highly recommended this collection for all baseball fans and art lovers. This is one I will pick up frequently just to page through, and use as a reference for Negro League information. The price is right, too.
Overall, this is a labor of love, and the love shows clearly.

Mr. Nelson's illustrations/paintings are breathtaking. This book is absolutely gorgeous and a place I go when I need some inspiration.

I heard an interview with the author on the radio a few months ago and kind of tucked this book into the back of my mind as possibly interesting. Then when I ran across it in the bookstore I had to buy it. Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball in a wonderful way that highlights both the joys the players had in playing as well as the challenges they faced - everything from lumpy ballparks and crowded team buses to the difficulties imposed by segregation and prejudice. He tells it from the "we" perspective that gives it an atmosphere of a voice speaking from the past but also makes it sound personal. He introduces us to many of the greats, men who would have been stars in any league, like Satchel Paige, "Cool Papa" Bell, "Judy" Johnson, Josh Gibson - the "black Babe Ruth" (or was Babe the "white Josh Gibson?") - and many, many others. He includes information on those who made the Negro League possible, like Rube Foster, and some of the team owners. I also thought numbering the chapters as Innings (with "Extra Innings" for the final chapter) was a clever touch.

But the text alone isn't what makes this book so great. The artwork is stunning in this oversize book, and hardly a page goes by that doesn't have a full page painting (including one fold-out). Some are simple poses of the men on the field and a few show them getting off trains or riding on the bus, but my favorites are the ones that show the action of the game. Several would be good enough to hang on the wall (as reprints, of course, not cut from the book). It has a look and style of the old depression-era artwork that was used in murals and public places.

My little-league son and I have been reading the book and have both learned a lot. Of course, segregation is a recurrent theme, and it's embarrassing to me that this is how things used to be, but I think it's important that my children understand how it affected real people. But we both enjoy reading not only of the challenges faced, but also the joys they had in playing the game we both love and their triumphs. The forward by Hank Aaron and the part about Jackie Robinson are nice in that regard. This is a beautiful book that baseball fans of any color will enjoy.

I am becoming so much more aware of my body in all of my life and also a much better piano teacher. It will help you to be a healthier and happier person if you take it to heart.

Very informative book. I have to read it again and consult with a physiotherapist. But as far as I understood, it is an extention of Alexander Technique and it further explains all what is used on piano technique. It further explain forearm rotation which is essential for proper piano technique. It also demystifies wrong picture about fingers, wrists, shoulders. In simple words it's a musthavebook.If there is a BODYMAPING course in area where i live, i would already be on that piano class.

Update, I have just finished the book. All pianists should have this book. I am anxious when they release DVD Video related to this book. There is a VHS version for purchase but i'll probably wait for digital one.

This book contains a great deal of useful information for all kinds of pianists so the name is actually quite apropiate : What every pianist needs to know about the body. And that's exactly what it is. Unfortunately I discovered this book late, but fortunately, not too late; I've just recovered from a injury that's kept me away for over half a year from playing my beloved instrument. Now I know what I did wrong, and also how to correct it. I'm not saying I'm already done, I will need some rereads of the book. Taking in the process some notes to apply to my daily playing. It won't be easy but it will surely be worth it. I reccomend this book to everyone interested in not just recovering from injury, but also to everyone interested in improving their technique.

I am a 17-year-old pianist from New Jersey. I am almost finished with reading this book, and I found this book very useful for mapping my body and applying it to my own playing. This book is not just for pianists, but every musicians. You will be satisfied, and this book will make your playing easier, freer, and more expressive. You will enjoy reading this book. This book will lead you to better playing and you will be aware of your body movements. This is a very well-written book that deserves not just 5 stars, but maybe 10 stars! A wonderful guide.

I'm seeking a way to return safely to piano after recovering from bi-lateral tendonitis. Several approaches stand out: Taubman Institute, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, and body mapping. I want an approach that is safe and effective, specific to piano, and economical (everything else being equal). Mark's book is my first purchase: the book is piano-specific, exceedingly cheap relative to the full $800.00 Taubman 10 DVD set, and sufficiently packed with accurate anatomy to impress my occupational therapist (hand specialist w/ Ph.D.). So far, so good . . .

Now for the fine print: the book is 90% anatomy, not piano playing. There are isolated pointers based on anatomical facts, but the emphasis is, "Musician, heal thyself." The methodology is for the musician to learn their body, listen to their body, trust their body, obey their body. I'm looking for a recipe book (it is safe and effective to play scales like this, arpeggios like this, reach with your thumb like this, . . .), not a book about how to grow my own ingredients.

This book has merit and value, and I'm glad I bought it, but it is not enough by itself to get me back in the saddle. Looks like I have some Taubman videos in my future.

Fantastic work by Frank and Tina. Many years of research and practice has made Frank Allen one of America's foremost authorities on the art of Ba Gua Zhang. He has put together a great manual for practitioners to draw inspiration from. The form details will show any Ba Gua students some of the classical Cheng style movements, and will help all Ba Gua practitioners compare and contrast the moves they have in common. The weapons form is great too, giving much needed information on the notorious Deerhorn Knives. My favorite part is the work on Taoist meditation and I Ching internal alchemy. Great stuff and very thought provoking. Thanks you guys!

Sincerely,

Jess O'Brien

"Whirling Circles" has answered many questions I had about Ba Gua Zhang's history. I was unaware about its origins before this book. The illustrations are nicely rendered. The book is filled with many wonderful photographs displaying posture, techniques and high level practitioners. I especially liked the explanations of the classics. They are thorough, enlightening and enjoyable to read.

"The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang" is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Taoist martial arts. It addresses a broad spectrum of issues relating to the art of Ba Gua Zhang, thus it has much to offer both the pure beginner and the more advanced practitioner. Topics covered range from the Taoist philosophy at the core of the art to detailed information about the deerhorn knives set to the poetic yet pragmatic sayings of the art's founder. I particularly enjoyed the first 50 pages which are devoted entirely to discussing the history of Ba Gua Zhang and the colorful cast of characters who helped it evolve into what it is today. In short, I would highly recommend this book.

This is a clearly written, basic overview of BaGua. Essentially, it's written like an introduction of the subject to the Western culture-- a useful book for those who know little about BaGuaZhang. In the first part, we are treated to a very wide overview of BaGua's history, with a number of stories-- many with mystical flavor still intact. Given that BaGua is a relatively new martial art, the authors can go into some detail in a fairly short space-- roughly 15% of this book is history. They also, I think, fairly, speculate that the reason for much of BaGua's obscurity is the relative youth of this art-- what few masters that developed subsequently saw their skills lost over generations in the many Chinese cultural revolutions that ensued.

This is followed by instruction on basic concepts-- circle walking, stances, palm training, VERY rudimentary energetics. I guess I was hoping for more. For much more on biomechanics, see the books by Park Bok Nam. That being said, the instruction in this book is clearly stated.

Later, we are introduced to the Old Eight Palms of Cheng Shi family BaGua as interpreted by Liu Jing Ru. Some photos of Liu doing his stuff are included. Unfortunately, most of the photos are of the authors, and unlike on the cover, in the photos inside they are wearing very loose "tradiitonal" kung fu outfits that make it very difficult to discern what they are truly doing-- even basic spinal alignment. Me, I love going to seminars where the masters come out in sweats and a T-shirt. George Xu, for example, is famous for letting you put your hands practically anywhere on his body to feel what he is doing. The text of this book, while clear, is very basic.

Similarly, a basic overview of weapons, and a presentation of the Deer Horns Set (which is very similar to the empty hands set entitled "Cascading Palms" form, aka "Flexible Chain Palms" depending on your source-- which is a more advanced form in the system. Again, my same comments about clothing and content apply.

Incidentally, Grandmaste Liu has his own VCDs/DVDs and books now (all but one book in Chinese--available via Internet-- I got mine in SF Chinatown), and one can see him in action. He is quite good, and gives a fairly "pure" BaGua flavor. It is sometimes hard to find this flavor-- George Xu himself, for example, will admit his forms are all blends at this stage-- and his BaGua is heavily influenced by Hsing-I and Lan Shou, among others.

There is an overview of applications that is basic concepts but not really applications. Despite being familiar with BaGua applications myself, I had a hard time discerning what was really happening in the photos-- usually one or two stills for each application, and an explanation that basically said: "Thunder techniques have the quality of a shockwave..." Basically, not very helpful outside a a philosophical understanding of intention, but not the mechanics.

Finally, there is a translation of the Songs of BaGua-- historically the classic means of transmitting the basic principles of BaGua from generation to generation. Again, the translation is basic-- that is, without a lot of more in-depth discussion exploring details and experiences that might help the intermediate-advanced student.

This book did blend in concepts of BK Frantzis' water meditation techniques into circle walking to a more advanced levels-- concepts that I did not get even from Frantzis' two books on the subject. That alone gave me something to work on, and made this books worth it to me.

In summary, a good book as a reference to sequence for these particular forms, and especially good as a basic basic introduction to the BaGua concept, but not a hard core martial artist's book.

Most martial arts books are passionless. My library is full of books that have lots of interesting content but little real human interest to me. Until recently the only martial arts books I loved were T.T. Liang's books on Tai Chi. Somehow the energy, the slyness of character, his love of his art came through. You knew Tai Ji was worth doing because it meant something to Liang. That was it until Frank Allen and Tina Zhang started publishing their internal martial arts series. These books are full of the love and passion that they have for these arts. I've reviewed the Tai Ji book before and will talk about the Ba Gua book now. The thing both books have in common is the completeness of the discussion of the art. In the Ba Gua book we have a detailed history of the arts beginnings and its subsequent development to our time. Frank and Tina don't pass on or make up fantastic tales. Where Dong Hai Chuan got his art isn't known they tell us; describing the tales that have been told but making clear in the end that Dong himself never said how he found or developed the art. But the history since Dong has been well researched and carefully presented so that we clearly understand the development strands that have developed. The best thing about all of this is that the authors own interest in the material comes through and helps in riveting our attention and memory of it. Next the book describes the basic training of a Ba Gua student. This is often neglected in standard books which is a shame because students need this kind of reference when they are practicing and need to remember how to hold the hands or a particular stance. There is discussion and demonstration of basic circle walking a la the Cheng style. Next the Cheng style eight palm changes are shown and discussed and these discussions are an excellent reference for someone who has been through the basic training in the Cheng style. After this the authors discuss the applications of Ba Gua for fighting and then the weapons of Ba Gua are shown and discussed. The next 3 chapters are for me the most important part of the book. In here are discussions of how to train, the philosophic and spiritual content of Ba Gua, Ba Gua's relationship to Taoism and to the I Ching. All of these are important and they are discussed with much care but not in a way to confuse or in attempt to make the authors seem to be above the reader. These issues are important for the student because they help connect you to the reasons for why we do the internal arts - the joy that rises up in us as we learn to connect to the Tao. The translations of the Ba Gua Zhang classics are, like the translations in the Tai Ji book, very practical and down to earth - making clear the principals of the art of Ba Gua Zhang. This book should be on your shelf if you consider yourself a sincere student of the internal arts - no matter what your level. And you should be hoping that the authors are writing a third book to finish their explications of the internal arts - a book on Xing Yi. We owe Frank and Tina much thanks for their passion and devotion to their art.

My granddaughter needed books on Wilma Rudolph for a 5th grade school project. This ended up being her favorite. The text was just right for her understanding and she really liked the illustrations. As she was reading it she clutched it to her chest and exclaimed to me, "Grandma, I love this book!" It prompted a conversation about overcoming doubts, believing in yourself and what things inspire us... a conversation I don't think we would have had otherwise.

This is a true and exciting story that will make you never want to give up on your dreams. I really liked this book and recommend that you read it.

i am a reading specialist in Washington, DC and chose this book b/c i love David Diaz and because, like wilma, my children have many obstacles in their lives. i simply can not finish this book without nearly crying in front of my class. i've read it so many times, but the suspenseful writing and triumphant ending never get tiring. it is a truly wonderful story and wonderfully told and illustrated by this duo.

I have used Wilman Unlimited in my classroom for the past few years. It is a fantastic book to use any time during the year, but good for Black History Month also. I use it with fourth graders to teach sequencing and analyzing character. I highly recommend this book.

Inspirational stories fill hundreds of picture books every year. Most are simply awful. They either tell tales that are loose plots barely supported by facts or they paste together a slapdash concoction of truth and fiction with as little thought as possible. The truly beautiful bio-picture books out there are as rare as hummingbirds in autumn. So it was with great joy that I located "Wilma Unlimited" and found it to be not only inspirational but also a darned good read. Written by Kathleen Krull (the woman who could make long dead musicians fascinating in "Lives of the Musicians" and bring Cesar Chavez to life in the recent "Harvesting Hope") and illustrated by David Diaz the book is the best possible way to introduce kids to one of the world's greatest athletes.

Born in 1940 to a family of twenty-one people (nineteen siblings, no less), Wilma Rudolph was initially a sickly child. Though she was energetic enough, she often caught every disease imaginable. At the age of five, Wilma's left leg twisted inward and it was clear that she'd come down with polio. Still, Wilma was a determined child and she consistently exercised her unruly leg to get stronger. After continual practice, she was finally able to walk free of the leg brace that had weighed her down. At twelve the brace was put away for good and Wilma started participating in sports. She led her high school basketball team to the finals, catching the eye of a college coach. Before you knew it, Wilma was recruited into the Tennessee State University's track-and-field team on a full ride scholarship. In 1960 she competed in the Olympic Games in Rome. The book sets this part up beautifully. Wilma arrived with a twisted ankle into a place filled with television cameras (the first time they ever filmed the Olympics), the place "shimmering heat", and her competition consisting of runners who had run faster races than she ever had. Then Wilma proceeds to win one... two... three gold medals! The last medal is especially dramatic, hinging on the moment when Wilma drops her baton and STILL beats the other runners in the 400-meter relay. The last double page spread in this book shows Wilma standing, "tall and still, like a queen", earning the last of her three medals. It's a truly proud moment for all who have the privilege to experience it once again in picture book form.

Krull has a way with words. I'm not saying that Wilma Rudolph's life is dull. Far from it. But in the hands of a lesser author this story could easily have been bogged down in all the wrong moments. This author knows which moments should be given full glory. The moment when Wilma removes her brace and walks proudly into church will banish from your mind that similar pseudo-inspirational moment in "Forrest Gump". Wilma's struggle at the Olympics through pain and skepticism puts the reader through the same strains. You yearn for this woman to beat them and beat 'em she does. Then, best of all, come the illustrations of David Diaz. This is my first Diaz experience, though I suspect that I'll read many more of his books as the days go on. Diaz has accompanied his illustrations in this tale with sepia toned photographs. The book's endpapers display the outlines of footprints in the dirt. The title page is an evocative view of ivy climbing a raw wooden fence. Behind his colorful illustrations, each background photograph refers to the corresponding scene obliquely. When Wilma and her mother take the bus to the hospital, the photograph is a close-up of a wheel. When she packs away her leg brace, it's shredded packing paper. A great relief it is indeed that the colored illustrations are worthy of their sepia compatriots. Though these pictures may appear blunt at first, they are filled with the most delicate of designs. I loved watching the character of Wilma as she aged. As she grows in confidence, her posture improves and back stiffens until, by the last shot, she is standing taller than all the women around her. Than all the women in the world.

"Wilma Unlimited" should be known to everyone living in American today. This is inspirational without being either annoying or faux-patriotic. It's an actual honest-to-goodness amazing story. The book is beautiful and its story is worthy of its packaging. I challenge you to read it and not shake your head at least once in amazement. It's just that good.

I now live in rural Alaska and my husband has fished all summer - fresh salmon can't be beat! This book was spot on and I look forward to using it to surprise my husband with a cool fishing trip. The pictures were excellant and look just like what I live in!

This book is the best, but I think I could do without all the colored pictures, a smaller book, and less expensive. After all, are you going fishing, or sitting in your recliner looking at all the nice pictures?

Any fisherman planning a trip to Alaska should check out this reference. There are tips on hiring a guide and exploring the waterways on your own.

This book should definately be on your list if you are planning a fishing trip to Alaska. It is the most comprehesive source of information that I have seen.

I was very pleased with this purchase. The book covers all of the major sport fish that can be expected in Alaska. Each species gets a detailed treatment including biology, tackle, fishing techniques, and some of the best places to go for each species. The authors also provide a detailed discussion of the various geographic regions of the state (including contact information for guides and air taxis) making it easy to plan a fishing trip by region or by species. The book is filled with photography that beautifully illustrates the fish and places of Alaska.

Having my own collection of "baseball letters" similar to Swirsky's thoroughly enjoyed this book. I even envied a few of his responses that I was never able to receive and was relieve to find that I was not the only baseball fan to journey into letter writing.

It is a collection of responses to letter's Swirsky sent to baseball players in a varied range of topics. Some answers are short and simple while others provide a more interserting response. Either way, if you are a baseball fans or have even written to a baseball player, past or present, you should enjoy this simple and enjoyable book.

. . . this would have to be it. I actually started getting jealous that HE was the one who wrote to all these players, and HE was the one who got letters back from them. But I got over it quickly and just shared in the joy and the fascinating discoveries. What a treasure trove, made even better by the author's showing us copies of the actual handwritten letters from the players! Also it's gutsy how he shares with us the story of how this project resulted from a period of emotional difficulty that he went through. The style is casual yet flawless -- as easy to read as anything you'll ever find.

I *love* this book. It's a great compilation of some of the most interesting questions one can ask his heroes. Mr. Swirsky doesn't just stick to the basics, he asks players who played in the 1930s what baseball was like in that era, he asks legends to put together their all time All-Star team, and asks players their impressions of up and coming (soon to be legendary) rookies! I was very impressed by Mr. Swirsky's knowledge of the game, and his ability to ask questions we wouldn't have thought of.

What's also interesting is that 99% of the responses are handwritten! In this day and age of email, it makes the book more intimate and personal!

This is a great coffee table book, too, as it's great for reading in small portions--when you want a slice of baseball history! The companion book, Every Pitcher Tells a Story, is also wonderful and features more great letters. I highly recommend!

This book is rich and full of exciting baseball history, as Swirsky writes to professional baseball players of all decades and teams and poses questions to them on their careers and reflections of America's Pastime. Not only is this book interesting in a historical prospective, but it's very fun to read and analzye. The work that went into this book is noticeable, and both the letter to the player and the response from the player (as well as many great pictures) make this book a timeless classic. Bravo to Seth Swirsky for such a job well-done.

I bought Mr. Swirsky's new book "Every Pitcher Tells A Story" and was so taken by its originality that I bought his first one "Baseball Letters". They are quite different and it's hard to tell which one I enjoyed more. I was glad he didn't write to the same players--every letter was a new 'experience'.Great reads.

Shaw Grigsby is obviously a Bass Master and tells his own story in a humble and consistently interesting way.

The one thing that is a bit off-putting about the book are the "testimonials" included between chapters. We're already convinced that Grigsby is a good guy--the gushing endorsements from third parties seem excessive and not in very good taste.

This isn't your typical bass tips book. It's that and so much more. Yes you will gain valuable knowledge as to how to catch more and bigger bass. Shaw truly is a master and his tips are golden. But he also offers insight into what it takes to be a professional angler, into life, into fishing in general, and the history of bass fishing. It's a biography and more and it stands heads above the numerous books in this genre.

great book, I met shaw grigsby, and I must say if you read the book, youll feel like you now him an honest book,

The title of my review is evident throughout this fine book. Anyone serious about bass fishing should read it. I've read my copy about 4 times already (since 1998 when I bought it) and it never seems old. This is a MUST have.

I give this book a 5, and I own a lot of fishing books.

When I first purchased the book it seemed a bit small, would it be worth it? It was.

In short chapters it discusses how to improve your fishing, tournament ethics, and family fishing. That's a lot of ground.

Tired of all those birds nests in your spinning reel? Why not follow Shaw's advice and cast and tug your line gently. No more snarls. Shaw doesn't use the word ethics but that's what he's talking about for tournaments. Read it, and you'll fish differently with your buddies. As for family, Shaw's kind remarks about his wife, kids and dad are special.

I didn't realize it until now but this is a great kid's book also. It works on different levels. Hope the review helps.

Scott Olivieri does a great job of describing what it means for a lifelong fan to move to the inner circle of the Red Sox. While baseball fans will find plenty of stats and baseball analysis, the casual baseball fan will not feel bogged down in numbers and technical terms. The human story of a young college grad having a chance of a lifetime is compelling as well. Particularly amusing is the story where he can't cash a check from Roger Clemens. Can't wait for the next book!

I loved this book! I had a hard time putting the book down. The book was interesting, funny, well written, and a quick read. The club house and personal stories were hilarious. The thing I liked best was that Olivieri brings you through the process of what it's like to go from being a fan, to a stranger in the club house, to a part of the team. After reading it, I bought one for my Father in-law,(a fellow believer)for Christmas. You'll love this book too.

Olivieri has an exceptional talent for telling a story. Put that together with a storyline that brings the reader right inside the Red Sox clubhouse - and the result is a book that makes you thirst for more. The dialogues, descriptions, and insider's look make you feel as if you were in the clubhouse yourself. This book was a great read - I did it in one sitting. I certainly hope that Olivieri continues the story - I will be first in line to get the next book(s) - and perhaps that is the greatest review of all. You don't have to be a Sox fan to enjoy this book but, if you are, it will become one of your favorites.

Since my daughter has been living in Boston for the past 10 years, and I get to travel there to visit quite a bit, I have become a rabid Sox fan (but just in the American League; the Phillies are my team in the National!). I love their storied and star-crossed history, and this book gives me new insights into the baseball culture and system. It's told from the perspective of a fan who gets the "once in a lifetime" job to mingle with the players on his hometown team. There are tremendous locker room scenes, and the players appear to be more human than we really see them when they are just on the field. Even Roger Clemens appears likeable, which is almost amazing! A close read of the book reveals that the writer was not too thrilled with the front office Sox organization, but it's the old story that familiarity breeds contempt. This is a book all baseball fans, and those who enjoy a well written book, will love! Read it, you won't be sorry.

In 1991, Scott Olivieri, then aged twenty-one and a passionate Red Sox fan, lived the dream of every member of the Red Sox Nation, spending the entire season in the Red Sox clubhouse, hoping quietly to improve the team's hitting. Until that year, each batter had had to rely on a pitcher's stats and his own experience in trying to anticipate pitches. Videotape existed, but using it to show a player his individual at-bats was a prohibitively time-consuming process. By 1991, however, Pete Olivieri, Scott's father, had developed a computer program which would not only record each at-bat and each pitch but would allow individual players to call up at-bats instantly so they could be reviewed and studied. Players could also use multiple screens to compare and contrast swings and hits. Without fanfare, the computer suddenly became an essential part of the game.

Olivieri's lifelong love of the team shines through here as he describes being a child growing up a few miles from Fenway Park, playing Little League with Jim Rice's number on his back, memorizing locker combinations by associating the numbers with Red Sox players' numbers, and watching or listening to every game. Even as a youngster, however, he realized that "the Red Sox, ultimately, are a symbol of disappointment." Time after time, he watched a team "with superb talent losing in ways screenwriters couldn't script." His chance to make a difference, using a home-grown computer program to give an edge to the batter, not only allowed him the chance to meet some of his heroes but actually to help them to improve their hitting--and maybe the team's record.

Olivieri's descriptions capture both the romance the game and the tedium of the locker room, the camaraderie of the players and the excesses of the press, locker room "etiquette" and the public missteps of some of the players. He himself is a respectful, "background" sort of person, careful not to call attention to himself so that the players can discover for themselves his program and its opportunities. His opinions of Wade Boggs, Ellis Burks, Mike Greenwell, Phil Plantier, Roger Clemens, and the unfortunate Jeff Gray ring with truth and personal insight. Red Sox fans, computer specialists, and lovers of baseball should be fascinated by this behind-the-scenes look at the interface between the computer and baseball--the beginning of a new era. Mary Whipple

As a sports fan I found Blades of Glory to be a great story of a team's journey toward fullfillment of a life long dream. Rosengren does an outstanding job of highliting the ups and downs of high school athletics and the culture of youth/hs hockey. Additionally, the historical aspects of the book made me more appreciative of past programs and the role the sport plays in the hearts and minds of Minnesota residents.
However, as a high school coach, what I found even more valuable were the qualities and characteristics needed to build and maintain a successful program. Rosengren's brings to life a number of ethical questions that coaches face concerning winning, loyalty, and relationships making this a must read for anyone interested in coaching.

This is a great inside look at an elite high school hockey program. From the players to the coaches to the parents to the cheerleaders to the fans, no angle is left unturned.

Humor, history and controversy: Blades of Glory has it all. More important, Rosengren taps into truth from a variety of perspectives, including those parents, players, coaches--and scouts whose livelihoods depend upon not just upon a prospect's potential but also his circumstances.

But these aren't the reasons I selected the book in the first place. No, I picked up Blades of Glory because I'm a hockey fan (of all levels) and a hockey player; I selected the book because I have lived in Minnesota and have coached hockey (and other sports). I didn't know I'd learn so much about things I thought I knew about, and I didn't realize I'd get more than just a fleeting glimpse of the big hockey picture.

There is a wide variety of hockey books sitting on the virtual shelves at Amazon.com: NHL autobiographies, training manuals and minor league misadventures. I have read many of these books. I'll continue to read them--and will enjoy them for what they are. But these other books won't likely be laced with the same doses of humanity and history as Blades of Glory.

The story of Bloomington Jefferson Jaguar hockey in 2001 could easily have been written about my high school 15 years prior. I grew up one 'burb over and attended Tom Saterdalen's hockey schools as an early teen. It was held at the Bloomington Ice Garden in "prestigious West Bloomington" - the storied venue chronicled in the book.

High school hockey in the Lake Conference is a very big deal. I knew as much from the time I was a Mite and my dad took me to watch our community's team play. Yes it is competitive. Yes there is a win-at-all-cost mentality that draws fire from many - including some of those that have reviewed the book for this site. You can be the judge of whether that is good, bad, or neither.

We (and I'm including pretty much every male hockey player in my community) all wanted to suit up for Varsity very badly. We wouldn't have wanted it so much if it weren't as competitive, as important. Like professional sports, successes are a great source of civic pride.

Blades of Glory takes you inside this world for one sometimes glorious, sometimes frustrating season. Indiana basketball, Texas football, Minnesota hockey. This isn't participatory high school athletics in obscure sports at some random school. Rosengren does a very good job of capturing the emotions. He also weaves in enough tales to make stabs at social commentary without coming across as preachy.

My only knock against the book is that he opts for an effect that takes things out of their chronological sequence in order to emphasize certain emotions and certain points. (Example - wait until you read about the Jefferson Jaguars GIRLS hockey team late in the book. We hear about how some of the boy players are dating girls that play on the team throughout the book... their successful season is covered late, almost as an afterthought. Another example - much is written about a parent's critical letter to the community paper in the early 90s about Saterdalen's overzealous competitive drive. Context on the source is provided at the very end. I'm not sure why that was held back as some sort of finale.)

Anyone that thinks they'd like this book will. A great work.

A former UM-Duluth goaltender loaned me this book. I enjoyed parts of it, but Rosengren's factual errors call into question the whole narrative that the author asks us to believe.

Among Rosengren's goofs:

1) Larry "Pops" Ross never coached at UW-River Falls, as Rosengren claims.

2) Scott Stevens never went head-hunting for Eric Lindros, which led to Lindros' sixth concussion. I watched that game, and Stevens hit Lindros with a legal shoulder check delivered at chest level. Lindros came across the blue line with his head down and he paid for it. There was no malicious intent on Stevens' part, as Rosengren implied.

3) The United States Hockey League (USHL) is not a "beer league" filled with goonery as some of the Jefferson players in the narrative state. Rosengren later slips in subjective evidence to reinforce the notion that the USHL is a thug-filled, bottom-end league. He's way off: The USHL is a top-tier Junior A league with many talented players that end up playing collegiate hockey and beyond.

Here's proof: Blake Wheeler, who played with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers in 2004-05, was taken fifth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2004 NHL draft. A bloke named Gretzky runs that outfit. In the NHL's 2005 draft, 26 USHL players were selected by NHL teams.

Must be some beer league. I don't know of any beer leagues that have teams that draw more than 100,000 paying fans a season.

Moving on, I had trouble keeping Rosengren's five hockey-playing characters straight. Perhaps that's on me.

Give Rosengren credit for exposing the drug use among the Bloomington Jefferson players and head coach Saterdalen's erie obliviousness to drug use by his players. I liked the way Rosengren neatly worked in Minnesota hockey history, assuming the new history I read was accurate.

As for Minnesota hockey parents, he nailed the worst ones dead one. I coached youth puck in Minnesota for two decades. While most hockey parents in Minnesota are wonderful people who put the game in perspective, there are the toxic few who only see their investment (child) and nothing else. Some of the Jefferson parents demonstrate what psychologists call "achievement by proxy." It's grossly unfair to any young player.

I sometime suspect that we hockey fans are so glad to have anything in print about our sport that we become giddy with joy reading it. This is an average hockey book that fires some of its factual content wide of the net.

Like one previous reviewer, I discovered this amazing book when I was in junior high. I read an enthusiastic Time magazine review of Jones' surrealist coming-of-age saga in 1974, but didn't actually buy a copy 'til the following year.

Like two previous reviewers, I was struck by the Huck Finn parallels, or anti-parallels. I actually wrote a paper for a high school English class detailing how I felt Jones had used Huck Finn as a starting point, then turned certain aspects of Twain's allegory on end. It was a public high school, so my insights -- indeed my entire topic selection! -- were poorly received. It's just as well that I resisted my initial urge to drag James Dickey's novel/screenplay 'Deliverance,' another allegorical mid-'70s river voyage, into the analysis.

'Blood Sport' is a brutally honest but infallibly entertaining depiction of [male] human nature and the human condition, and it's the last word on what guys are all about. Metrosexuals won't like 'Blood Sport' at all.

Exploring the Hassayampa headwaters is about more than just growing up; indeed, growing up is about more than just growing up! The thematic linchpin of Blood Sport is exposed during Ratnose's discussion of the second law of thermodynamics: Life itself is rebellion, he argues, against the second law, which dictates that energy in a high state tends to become energy in a lower state, all the way down to the inert ...

A terrifically entertaining read. As a military man, hunter and Deadhead (different sides of myself I've often found hard to reconcile) it was a real treat to find a book that included elements of outdoorsmanship, combat, and the absurd (in extrema).

What a great book!! An excellent piece of surrealistic fiction. If you are a hunter, a fisherman or just an old-style libertarian hippie (Your modern tree hugging, gun-phobic, quiche-eating hippie won't like it.), I highly recommend this book.

This novel is without a doubt a classic, grizzly account of manhood and survival, transformation and change. Perhaps if you are one who believes that the spirit of the bear resides inside of you, pick this book up and read it all the way through. It is a magnificent story full of gritty, earthly imagery that will thicken your skin. From gunfights to hemp-laiden philosophy, from sensitivity to utter insanity... Stand up and play the hand god has dealt. Play fair but play to win.

Where's the sequel, Jones?

So glad to see this amazing novel back in print. I read a Dell paperback (with a beautiful full-color cover) when I was in junior high (middle school to you youngsters) back in '75 or so. Blew the top of my head clean off. Broke a bunch of rules and made up some new ones in the process. After I read this I graduated directly to Vonnegut, Brautigan and Castaneda. Blood Sport changed the way I look at writers and writing, and it deserves a spot on the same shelf as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Heart of Darkness and Deliverance. The chapter listing "27 Things I Learned About Ratnose" is itself worth the cover price. Long live R.F. Jones. He has written a true adventure classic.