Sports Books

Mr. Mares now teaches at my high school, in fact he is my Western Civilization teacher (and U.S. Foreign Policy next year). I must say that I am quite impressed with Bill Mares, both as an author and as a man. His resume is longer than one would expect. The result is an excellent book and, more importantly, an excellent educator. He is a graduate of Harvard, part of the United States Marine Corps, photojournalist, adventurer, marathon-runner, and statesman.

As for the book; it is intelligent and enjoyable. I often found myself belly laughing at what I, as a typical American teenager, would find disinteresting

Five stars for a great book! Learn the full story of the "killer rabbit" and many other not commonly known stories about our presidents and their characters. An enjoyable read for all and especially for those who have fished, whether with worms, plugs or flies, or who are interested in American political history.

I purchased five additional copies for my fishing friends

Mares obviously loves his sport, and, loves presidential history. Readers will learn a side of America's leaders they were probably unaware of. And, they'll learn a thing or two about fishing.

First, and most obviously and most crassly, it shows how other United States Presidents have enjoyed (and could enjoy) their leisure-time in less controversial ways. Secondly, it's a lot of fun. Along with the fish-tales and other anecdotes, the book is filled with wonderful political cartoons from long-ago. The issues keep changing, but the presidents keep on fishing! Lastly, it introduces the reader to the tip of the iceberg that is fly-fishing literature. Three presidents have enjoyed the art of fly-fishing so much, they have been moved to write books on the subject. Hundreds of other authors have rhapsodized, philosophized and just plain instructed on fly-fishing, that this book will serve as a good primer for the person just wading into this pool of literature.

The Fit Swimmer in my initial review appears to be an excellent guide to someone willling and able to follow the advice, training programs and tips given in the book. For someone like myself, a super senior (past 75), I appreciate the advice and tips but I am not training for competition but just fitness purposes. I may adapt one of the training programs offered but for now I'll continue my swimming a mile ( freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke mixture) three times a week until I finish the book.

This book is just about everything you will need if you are looking for swimming workouts. It takes you right from the very basics to advanced workouts. It also helps you correct swimming positions. I've already decreased my free style lap time just by making little adjustments. Simply Great!

Swimming is one of those curious beasts of the American athetic sports scene: vast multitudes participate (recreational, summer, competitive, etc.), but very few really know how to improve. As in other sports, many parents wind up coaching as their children get involved in swimming as there are too few coaches available. There is much to learn! Stroke technique, using the clock, training the aerobic and non-aerobic energy systems, how to author and conduct a productive and interesting workout, etc.

To those who might feel intimidated by all this, this book brings help in the form of workout structure. The workouts range from basic beginner to advanced workouts for accomplished swimmers. I have used Marianne's book to keep my workouts (as an age-group coach and Master's swimmer) interesting and my swimmers are always eager to swim.

I highly recommend this book for coaches and swimmers who are self-coached.

Like many triathletes I had a bit of swimming in my background when I started racing, but certainly not enough to be competitive. I occasionally swam with organized groups but my consultant travel schedule made sure that was infrequent. I got a copy of The Fit Swimmer, read it cover to cover and made up about a dozen workouts from the suggested routines. The section on open water racing was particularly valuable. While training diligence was definitely part of it, this book was the #1 resource for me in competitively placing in events ranging from local races to National and Ironman distances. Ms. Brems meets 2 imperatives: she explains things simply and she gives you the tools you need to progress from a relative novice to a competitive swimmer. Like a craftsman and apprentice, she leaves it up to the reader to figure out how to best use the extensive toolset in the book. I found that creating about a dozen workouts on 3x5 cards from her suggested routines and rotating them did the trick (store them in a ziploc bag for use poolside). You can experiment with different routines to test how your body responds. I now coach people on an occasional basis, and strongly encourage each of them to read the book before we start.

This book has really helped me improve and vary my workouts and make the masters swim class I teach more interesting.

Read this for school. It was funny, sad, interesting. I would tell a friend to read it.

This is a good story on several levels. First, of course, you have, as the title suggests, baseball. I'm always up for a good story revolving around baseball. Second, you have an introspective boy who has unanswered questions and goes on a daring quest of self-discovery. Third, the reality that the boy discovers may not always be exactly what he wants to hear, but that is what makes the story resonate in a very real way. The book could have gone the route of being a total downer, or completely the opposite, been sugar-coated, but it is neither. It is a nicely balanced, satisfying read.

This is one of the most touching and interesting books I've read....I have this book at the top of my list! It contains the action of baseball (from the point of view of a young boy) with the struggles of Cuban life. I would recommend this book to young teens, and/or those interested in baseball.

Free Baseball By: Sue Corbett

Free Baseball was I warm story about I Cuba boy who escaped. Felix, the boy, was the main character in this great story. Felix was a boy whose dad was a Cuba baseball star, and dreamed about nothing but baseball. Sue Corbett wrote this story well, and I really treasured it.
One part I liked was the part where Felix had just escaped on the bus. He ran away from his "evil" babysitter and was named the new ball boy of the opposing team. Felix slides in a small compartment and hides till the bus stops. Felix realizes it was foolish to do it because it got hot and un-cozy.
The next part I really liked is when he met the team mascot who was a dog named Miracle. Miracle was really important to the team because he was the only reason fans came to the games. He would run around the bases when one of the players hit a homerun. He also lived right in the stadium and could catch fly balls.
The last part was when Felix met a Cuban named Diaz. Diaz didn't speak much English but understood what people were talking about. Felix and Diaz became kind of best friends while Felix was a run away. Diaz was known as the team slugger and was one of the newer players. Diaz also said he met Felix's dad.
In conclusion Free Baseball was an about a boy named Felix who ran away from home during a baseball game. Felix was soon known to be the ball boy while he traveled with the team. He met a man named Diaz and met a "miracle" of a dog on his journey. Free Baseball was one of the best books I ever read.

D. Williams

She read it to us at school, and it was really great. It made our teacher cry. I loved it.

Even though I am a NASCAR fan, I would recommend this book to anyone, a racing fan or not. The life of Curtis Turner was full of ups and downs, whether in his racing career or personal life. All of this is chronicled in the book, which focuses on the very beginning of Turner's life running moonshine to the end of his (short) life. The man was always up for adventure, whether wrecking rental cars, intimidating competitors on the track, or trying to land a plane around a residential area. Full of details and reflections by NASCAR greats of an earlier era, this book never fails to keep a reader's attention. I must admit, I had never heard of Curtis Turner before reading this biography, but I wasn't able to put it down once I started reading it, and neither will you!

While Turner's name is revered in the USA, it's a non-entity elsewhere, so it's easier for me to be objective. For an avid motor-racing fan it lacks insight and depth on the racing side, but there's a lot of research into the man. I can imagine he'd rub me up the wrong way as an overconfident careless larrikin, but get my admiration for his obvious courage and skill. The author lacks the story-telling knack that should enthrall and entertain, and believe me, Turner had a life full of retellable tales. Wish someone more entertaining wrote it. Dismissing the first ever "car-in-swimming-pool" feat in a few lines is a sin! These yarns could be spun out for hours!

An excellent book if you are interested in the history of NASCAR. Curtis Turner was one of the great drivers of the 50s, and played an important role in the growth of NASCAR. He lived life hard.

Let me preface this review by stating that I don't consider myself a fan of NASCAR or car racing in general. So when a friend suggested I read "Full Throttle" I was reluctant. My reading preference is usually fictional narrative with occasional reference books. My friend insisted that I would enjoy the read though, and since I trust him I took the plunge. And I am so glad I did.

From the opening scene it's clear that the author not only knows his subject but is a superb storyteller. Until reading this book I frankly had no idea of the existence of Curtis Turner but I feel now that I have intimate knowledge of this interesting figure. His life was full of passion and adventure and Edelstein does a masterful job of giving us a firsthand view of the man, from the perspective of family and friends as well as sitting in the passenger seat through several thrilling races and crazy side trips. From his early days behind the wheel of bootlegging vehicles to the creation of NASCAR and beyond this is a great read and it's obvious that it was exhaustively researched.

Whether you have a love of the subject matter or simply enjoy a great read, "Full Throttle" is well worth your time and money. One of my favorite books of the year...

Fans of car racing in general and NASCAR in particular won't want to miss Robert Edelstein's biography of driver Curtis Turner in Full Throttle: The Life And Fast Times Of Nascar Legend Curtis Turner. Racing fans receive a fast page-turner about one of the most dynamic stock car racers in history. Access to the files of Turner's widow supplement motorsports writer Robert Edelstein's fascinating coverage, adding depth to his survey of Turner's legendary life and many achievements.

With today's rising rates of obesity, good fitness ethics have to be instilled at a young age. "Fun, Fitness, and Skills: The Powerful Original Games Approach" is a manual for parents and teachers who want to ensure that children get the exercise they need, and that will teach them valuable life skills as well. The games vary far and wide, but all are sure to appeal to youngsters, making "Fun Fitness, and Skills" especially recommendation to gym teachers and other recreation professionals in charge of children ages 5-10.

I love this book especially for the younger age groups. It really helped me to see how you should set up games and what is important to include in all lessons. Great job Mr. Weiss!!!!

Excellent book for ANY grade level. The games can be adapted to suit the needs of your children. Howie Weiss has put this book together nicely. All of the games are easy to follow and can be adapted to suit the needs of your children, space and equipment.

It is great when you are creating a lesson plan because all of the games and activities are based on the NASPE's National Standards. I teach High School and my kids at that age STILL love all of the activities that I have done so far.

This book is definitely a must have!

If you are in need of the physical educator's Bible ,then this book is a must not only for younger teachers , but also for (us) veterans who need to be re-tooled.Howie's book hits the mark of excellence. It is apparent from the very beginning that his book has the ability to change the way physical education is preceived.
Howie's wealth of experience is noticeable on each page. He leaves so many variations and alternatives that can be used in all areas of education. This is not only a " How to Book ", it is a why, and a I wish I had this twenty years ago.I call this book a page turner because I couldn't wait to see what Howie would come up with next . He didn't dissapoint , in fact , this book gave me the energy to continue my quest to become even more active beyond retirement . Howie, thanks again for giving us a different view of the way to teach and to reach out to make a difference. Great job ! and will there be a sequel?
Gerry Cernicky

Mr. Weiss' book is a must have for every Physical Educator who is looking for new games to utilize in their physical education classes. The games and activities in the book can be easily implemented, and most require little or no equipment. In addition, these activities all can lead to meeting NASPE and state standards for Physical Education. If you are committed to providing a quality phyiscal education program for your students, this book is a must have for your library of resources!

Very well written story on the life of Gilles and full of tons of facts on his races and the way he lived his life . I still can't believe he lived that long while reading this book . Check out Curtis Turners book " Full Throttle " for a perfectly written story that's imposible to put down , with an emotional ending on probably the first " Intimidator " . You won't be disappointed .

The sad fact is that, despite the popularity of F1 now, nobody since has demonstrated Gilles' control.

This book is a good representation of him- it doesn't fawn on him, he's not without his flaws and I think it does a pretty balanced job of showing all sides of the man. If you're into Villeneuve's style, and want to know more about him, you will not do better.

In Montréal on GP weekend, they've a display of Gilles' suit on Crescent Street. The guy looks all of 5 feet all...a tiny giant among drivers...

This book is impossible to put down, if you are or are not a
Gilles fan this is a must. The book is very well written with
tons of insite to his years of racing as well as lots of
liitle known information about him and his family. I found myself
making time to get a few more pages in before I would have to
put it down. I was at six of the races mentioned in the book,
Watkins Glen and Canada, not only did it bring back great
memories, but I learned more about those races than I knew then
when I was there live. Buy it and god bless Gilles

I've read a lot of racing books, but never one better than this. It is at the same time gripping, compelling and very well written.

Donaldson's masterpiece is recommend without hesitation.

Let me be clear: this is simply the best racing driver biography ever written. It's complete, well written, touching and objective at the same time, respectful to the dead. It's an amazing book. No doubt the writer is a big Villeneuve fan, but he managed to avoid being totally partial.
It's full oof data, anecdotes, funny parts, tragic parts, competition, brief technical analysys of the cars, a lot of famous drivers in diverse categories... Well, this is the book.

I've rode bulls for quite a while and thought this book was great.

Highly recommended, excellent book about a misunderstood sport. While Rodeo and Bull-Riding fans will enjoy this book, it is a great book for folks not familiar with Rodeo/Bull Riding and the culture that gave birth to it and sustains it. As the PBR circuit grows in popularity it will be interesting to see if the PBR stays true to it's Western Values and Culture. I hope so...

Just finished the hardback version. As a bullrider and saddlebronc rider I have never read anything as painfully accurate about our sport as this book. The only drawback is I couldnt put it down and as i finished I wanted MORE. I hope he writes a second book..because Jeff Coplon knows more about rodeo than some cowboys. NICE JOB.

I just finished the book and I have to say this is the best I've ever read. If you watch the PBR, you have to buy this book. Donnie Gay, Tuff Hedemann, Ty Murray, Charles Sampson, they are all here.

This is a very good and captivating book and something every rodeo fan should read. If you want to learn more about bull riding legends like Don Gay, Myrtis Dightman, Wacey Cathey, Tuff Hedeman, Lane Frost, Jim Sharp and Ty Murray, this is probably the only place you can find it told so colorfully and honestly. It is also nice to read about the days when the world's top bull riders were cowboys and actually competed at rodeos, and not the pretentious PBR events. It also takes a look at how bull riding's popularity surged in the 90s. I just hope a similar book on bronc riders comes out soon.

Seriously, without a doubt this is hands down the best quick reference to golf rules I've ever seen. It has everything needed to manage your game on the course. Illustrations are great!

I bought this as a gift because I liked the size and laminated pages. Handy guide that will fit in the golf bag.

I have given this book to many of my fellow EWGA golfers because it is such a good book to keep in your bag!

We carry this in our cart and have found that it provides a quick reference when needed. A must for every golfer!

This a handy book to put in a golf bag, and readily availble to look up rules quickly. I used it to look up a rule I was unsure of yesterday.

A telling tale of man's walk thru life. A great gift for the person who loves golf and is searching for the reason of their existence.

Interesting way of selling a religious viewpoint with rewards for people who purchase 10 books or more to help spread the word. This is a missionaries christian guide not a golfing guide.

I have never written a book review and I have never read a better golf book than "Seven Days on the Links of Utopia." This book is wonderfully written and the message is one that can transform your golf game and your life. I believe that the author was truly inspired by God to have written such a wonderful story. Get it. Read it. Share it.

I don't give myself much time to sit and read books, even though I am currently reading three books and haven't finished any of them. When I received this one, I honestly couldn't put it down. Golf's Sacred Journey is so much more than a book of golf. It is a motivational book on life. I have taken some of the lessons that are mentioned in the book to my own personal life and has helped me deal with tough situations. It has also helped my game during the times that I used to get frusturated after a few bad shots, to get back up top and control my game (not someone else's).

This book is not only about a golfers struggles with his game but also his focus in life. The book takes a professional golfer through his golf swing and the teacher helps in understand the golf swing rather than make him a mechanical golfer. This is important because the more a golfer can understand the golf swing the better he/she can adapt during the course of a round of golf. The last part of the book discusses the importance aspects of ones life which have nothing to do with golf. I plan to purchase this book for several friends that need to hear the message. The only issue I had was at the end I felt like I was being "sold" to by the author. Read this book and it will have a positive impact on your life.

Green Streak is the second book in the Zeke Armstrong Mystery series. Fun, fast paced and just right for the 9-14 set, this book has it all...dangerous villains, an amateur sleuth, New York City, a damsel in distress, and of course in-line skating! Zeke Armstrong is off on another whirl-wind adventure...while visiting New York for the Big Apple In-Line Skate Off with his friend Pow Wow (and Pow Wow's Parents) the boys befriend an older woman at a refreshment stand and no sooner have they met her, she is being mugged and knocked out by a very strange in-line skater...dressed all in green! While Pow Wow stays with Mrs. Winthrop (his dad is a doctor after all), Zeke races off after the purse snatcher only to find that his is rather a strange purse snatcher after, he doesn't just take the money and ditch the purse...there is much more involved in all of this and Zeke has just taken his first steps (skates?) toward solving this mystery!

Overall, it's a very exciting, fast-paced mystery that has just the right mix of clues, action and danger that will keep you wanting to read until you reach the end...and even then you'll want more! I certainly found it hard to put down...in fact, I didn't. I read this in two hours and enjoyed it immensely (and I'm 37)! I feel that this book is ideally suited for middle-grade readers (3-6) and believe that it would also make a suitable for younger readers as a read aloud (provided they are able to enjoy a read aloud story without pictures), as the chapters are relatively short. I'm giving Green Streak five stars and two thumbs up, it's a traditional mystery in a modern wrapper that I think reads of all ages can enjoy! One final note: this second book in the series was published in 2004 and there have been no additional books published for this series since (that's 4 years) so my best guess is that there won't be any more and we are all very disappointed about that. We'd absolutely LOVE to read more of Zeke Armstrong's Adventures.

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (1/08)

Zeke Armstrong and his friend Pow Wow Gao are happy to be chosen to go to New York City for the annual Big Apple Inline Skate-Off. But their happy trip is soon changed into a very frightening experience. They are witnesses to a mugging of a woman. If that isn't bad enough, it wasn't just any woman but it was someone who they had just met. Was it just a random mugging or is there more to it than that? Zeke Armstrong is an Encyclopedia Brown type kid who wants to get to the bottom of this mystery. Will the chance of competing and maybe winning the final competition be more important than solving this crime?

Mysteries for middle readers can sometimes lack suspense and a great adventure but "Green Streak" lacks neither of these. The pages of this book are action-packed with the two stories of competing in the skate-off and getting involved in helping solve this crime. Some of the clues given are obvious and I could figure them out. But just when I thought I had the mystery solved, there would be another twist in the story. Zeke is a typical kid who gets himself into some pretty scary situations but the ways he gets out of them are really funny.

The first Zeke Armstrong mystery, "Red Card" is an award winner, and "Green Streak" is sure to be a winner of an award too. With books like this, there is no reason why kids would not be able to find a book which they enjoy. I could see adults liking this book in addition to the kids.

My wife and I always check out the books we give our boys (ages 8 and 10). We grew up on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and we loved the pleasure those books brought us. Until recently, we'd been unable to find anything new on the market in the way of great mystery/adventure fiction. You know what I mean - pure, unadulterated, fast-paced fun. There are a lot of books out there about kids with "issues", which is fine - they're certainly needed. But if alot of the kids today are anything like my wife and I were when we were young, then there's a need for a modern Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew.

We'd all but given up on finding anything like that, until I noticed a teaser on an uncle/nephew mystery writing team in last week's Apple eNews email from Apple Computer. I checked out the full story on Daniel J. Hale and Matthew LaBrot on Apple.com's Pro site. I was intrigued. I ordered both books in the Zeke Armstrong series. I read both Red Card and Green Streak in a single day (when I should have been making sales calls). They blew me away. They took me back to my youth. I gave the books to my wife. She stayed up until 3 AM reading them. They blew her away. They took her back to her youth. We gave them to our boys. They devoured them. For the past two days, all they've been able to talk about is Zeke and Pow Wow, Zeke and Pow Wow, Zeke and Pow Wow. My wife and I have never seen them so excited about books.

At last! In Zeke Armstrong, we have a worthy successor to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Thanks to Apple Computer for bringing him to our attention.

This is the second Zeke Armstrong mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are thoughtful and well-drawn; the mystery is well-conceived and there's lots of suspense. I'll be suggesting this book to a number of my middle grade readers. It's not to be missed.

The setting is New York City. A big race (in-line skating) is about to be held. A big crime is about to be committed. Naturally, Zeke Armstrong is involved in both. Hale and LaBrot do a wonderful job with this book: the plot is solid and fast-paced, the characters engaging, the scenes convincingly drawn. Although written for a younger audience, Green Streak never talks down to the reader; adults as well as adolescents will enjoy the mix of mystery solving and athletic endeavor. Red Card, The first installment in the Zeke Armstrong series, won the Agatha Award (deservedly so), and this is a better book. Read it.