Sports Books

If you like white water rafting, this is a wonderful book about the birth of white water fun.

Anyone remotely interested in white water rafting will thoroughly love this book. Buz Holstrom was a true Maverick in the sport. The authors bring him to life through their wonderful narrative and easy writing style. He is truly an individual that was remarkably talented in his boat building and navigational skills. This book left me wanting more of Buzz Holstrom and wishing he were still around to tell us more about his short remarkable life.

The legendary Buzz Holmstrom was a more complex figure than I knew. His journal entries express the feeling of all who really love rivers and the famous entry that includes "the doing of the thing" should be read on every river trip.
This is the second Brad Dimock book I've read (the other on Bert Loper) and I am impressed with not only his skill as a writer, but his careful research. His handling of the tragic end to Buzz Holmstrom's life was that of a journalist with a sense of humanity.
I've already loaned this book to friends.

Even today, with rescue not so far away, few of us would have the nerve to go down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon alone, so imagine the nerve it took when Buzz was totally alone, with no chance of help if he made a mistake. But the most amazing thing about Buzz was that in the midst of an adventure that would leave most people totally preoccupied with survival, Buzz had the soul power to look for and see the poetry in the river and the canyon. Merely knowing how to survive can be much easier than knowing how to live.

I remember years ago when I was a kid a story my father told me about an amazing river rafter and boat builder. My Dad grew up in Coquille and went to school with Buzz's younger brother. His story always ended with how Buzz had been on a rafting trip in eastern Oregon and went off and committed suicide. I could never understand how someone who had done the amazing things he did could end his life on that note. I thought about that story many times over the years and always wished I knew more. This book is incredibly well researched and documented. Even though many questions were answered, many more were raised. Such was the enigma that was Buzz Holmstrom.

"No man travelleth by the waie without his sword or somesuch weapon except the minister who commonly weareth none at all unless it is a dagger or a hanger at his side." - Aylward [English Master of Arms]

Terry Brown's `English Martial Arts' is an outstanding book about a little known topic. Beginning with an excellent overview of the background of English Martial Arts, we are then introduced to the weapons of the English man at arms:

>>Broadsword
>>Quarterstaff
>>Sword & Dagger
>>Sword & Dagger vs. Sword & Buckler
>>The Bill
>>Bear-Fist Fighting
>>Stances

Terry Brown then introduces us to the `Principles of True Fighting' and demonstrates the techniques of the weapons listed herein. A series of clear photographs demonstrates the effective application of techniques, allowing the student to develop sufficient basic skill to seek entry to `The Company of Maieters' [http://www.maisters.demon.co.uk/] as a Free Scholler.

Finally, English Martial Arts closes with "Words of Wisdom" from the English Masters of Defense such as Silver, Godfrey and Lonnergan.

For any Scholler of the Arts of Defense, English Martial Arts is a `must have' resource.

This book gives an introduction and brief history of English Schooles of Defense. The history was a fun read. The practical sections, which contain reconstructions of various CQC techniques as the records indicate they were taught, are presented in a clear pictorial format which makes them easy to learn and analyze. If you are interested in historical combat, this is a book you will reference again and again.

I find 'English Martial Arts' to be very clear and sharp in its accuracy, presentation & applications. Also it is very well balanced in strategy and tactics. The photography and explanations are superb. With some imagination and practice, much of the book can be applied via cane or fist, as well as the great traditional usage. Yet this excellent book is quite streamlined. 'Simplicity is efficiency's best friend' ---

How wrong could I be. Having practised re-enactment martial arts for 24 years I thought I'd seen it all... you live and learn.

The techniques described in the book are brutal to say the least. The knee stamp when the opponent is down is my favorite.

There are chapters divided into historical references for each weapon(including fists). Adding to this there are clear photographs of the strikes and blocks.

If you are re-enacting later european medieval history this is the book for you.

I read through the book and I must say that it is pretty good. I've read the original manuscripts from which this book drew its techniques and the stuff for the long and short weapons (like the broadsword, dagger, pole-arms, ect.) are very precise and accurate.
His first few chapters are an overveiw of some of the historical roots of English Martial Arts. Not bad.

*edit* I had to edit this reveiw because previously I mentioned that there was no evidence for the blocks in the pugilism described in this book. Mr. Terry Brown sent me solid evidence that contested my statements, therefore I must change them. It seems that the boxing of the older world is indeed a bit different from the boxing of the modern world. I would change the review to five stars but it wouldn't let me do so.

My advise is this, if you want to train in an all european martial art I suggest training in western boxing, catch wrestling, and take the general concepts of what is demonstrated with the long and short weapons and apply them to a machette, bayonette, and military knife. Don't dress up in anachronistic clothing either....the key is to train for battle not play dress up. Rather, one should wear either BDU's, street cloths, or a loose-fitting "uniform" which consists of sweatpants and a t-shirt which has the name/symbol of your school on it.

The best kind of school that you can find will be rooted in Tradition but open to Innovation. This way you won't "re-invent the wheel" but at the same time you won't be stuck on the outmoded and anachronistic. I call this Renovation.

Overall the book isn't bad and its a good way to connect with your English roots. Learn from the past, be willing to innovate, and act in the now. This is the best advise that I can give.

Also, check out www.amerross.com . ROSS Concepts have some good stuff (like clubbells and biomechanical exercises) that can transfer into ANY martial art and are invaluable to the western martial artist.

I have several of Charlie Morris' books and find that this one every bit as good as the others. Charlie does his homework when researching the subject matter. I recommend all of his books including "Total Performers, Ford Drag Racing in the Sixties".

R.L. "Pete" Garramone

Excellent reference for the factory lightweight drag cars. Contains several historical pictures that are awesome to review.

Just when I thought I knew most of the answers about those wonderful days when drag racing really was about buying on monday what we saw racing on the weekend, here comes a book that brings back all of those cars I loved to watch, that later inspired me to race both my '69 Mustang as well as my '71 Ranchero. To top it all off there was info new to me too. Great book.

The "characters" almost seem to be talking right to you from the pages of
this book. It's as if Mr. Morris was right there at each and every track,
office, factory, etc. He must have been a fly on the walls at some of the
meetings. Also, the humor mixed with facts kept me from putting this book
down very often. I can't wait for the next book from Mr. Morris.

A must buy for anyone's automotive library. I greatly enjoyed the book. By the author interviewing many of the people that where there and in the know made the book that much more interesting. The author made the book as close as he could to what really happened behind the scenes. You found out that unless you where close to the factory or had a friend that worked in key departments including the fabrication shop, etc. you wouldn't know about many of the one off parts done for "freinds". This gave some racers a little more advantage then the other guy with the same brand car. One point of correction is that the '62 and '63 Pontiac SD cars did NOT come delivered on used tires as one West Coast expert claimed. Several of the factories would deliver cars in what they called "IN WHITE" for the racers that got their order in by April. These were the pilot cars that where built to test the production line and not meant for public consumption.

While baseball is an integral part of the plot of this story, it is more a tale about life and how hard it can be. The Fielder family, the true origin of the title, lives in the small town of Smackover in Arkansas. There are three brothers, whose names from the eldest to youngest are Jugs, Jax and Jude. The story is narrated by Jax and is the story of his life from high school through the years immediately after World War II. Jugs is an incurable practical joker and the catcher for the high school baseball team. Jax is a pitcher and good enough to play briefly in the major leagues. However, when he balks in the winning run and costs the St. Louis Browns the 1941 pennant, he is labeled as a choker.
By that time, Jugs has become a naval aviator, stationed on the aircraft carrier Enterprise. Shortly after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, Jax enlists in the hope of also becoming a pilot. He attends flight school and does fairly well, but when Jugs is lost and presumed dead, he loses something. However, he manages to become a member of the crew of a Superfortress bombing the Japanese mainland.
His plane is attacked during a bombing mission and he is inadvertently ejected from the plane. He parachutes to "safety" but is immediately captured and placed in a POW camp. Life there is harsh and he is eventually put in solitary confinement in a piece of pipe. After being freed from that ordeal, he is recognized by a Japanese Admiral as a former baseball player. Jax is then made a gardener at the Admiral's estate and begins to teach the Admiral's son how to pitch. When the war is over and Jax comes back to the states, he tries to resume his baseball career. Many things go wrong and he is falsely accused of treason.
While the circumstances of this story are extreme, many men who patriotically went off to win the Second World War experienced similar circumstances. They came back changed men only to learn that their points of origin had changed even more. Despite their sacrifice and victories in battle, many of them came back to situations where they had to struggle to make a life. While occasionally funny and certainly touching, this is a sad story about a good and decent man who truly deserved better than the hand he was dealt. Although as the title implies, Jax accepts the consequences of the choices he has made.

Norman's first novel shows his deftness with balancing both the humorous and serious sides of life. It is difficult to call this book a comedy, yet equally difficult to call it a drama, a trait that makes this book truly special. My 11th grade students loved it, and so did their teacher, proving it to be an enjoyable read for young and old alike.

I read Fielder's Choice for the first time not long after it was published. Since then, I've reread it a dozen times, I think.

This novel is written in first person, in the voice of Gooseball Fielder, whose promising major league career with the St. Louis Browns stumbles to a halt almost as soon as it gets started. Weeks later, the news of Pearl Harbor fills the US airwaves, and Fielder signs up, finding the anonymity afforded by an army uniform a welcome relief.

Fielder tells his story to a US Army major in early 1946 after having been accused of aiding and abetting the enemy while being held as a prisoner of war in Japan. From these snippets, you might expect a dark novel, even brooding. Fielder's Choice is anything but.

The name of Fielder's hometown in Arkansas--Smackover--is a clue in itself that this is a novel that will make you laugh. Fielder's narrative voice is reminiscent of Henry Wiggen's in Mark Harris's first novel, The Southpaw; it seems obvious to me that Rick Norman is well acquainted with Harris's work. But Fielder is more naïve than Wiggen, less worldly, and the story he relates bears this out.

The humor in Fielder's Choice is nicely balanced by the hardships Fielder endures, both at home and in the prison camp. But the darkness the novel touches on is never overwrought, partly due to Norman's wisdom in using Fielder's own voice to tell the story. Fielder finds redemption long before the ending of the novel, though the Merkle-esque welcome he receives a quarter century after his fall from grace is a welcome touch at the end.

Norman's first novel, Fielder's Choice deserves a place as one of the great works of baseball fiction.

I`ve read a book called Fielders Coice and it is the
best book i`ve read so far.It is an interesting book
to read for the ones you like sports.You will enjoy it about midway through the book where he lost a game and quit to go to the war.

I purchased Fielder's Choice for my son and to reach the minimum dollar amount on my [Amazon.com] order to get free shipping. Just by chance, I picked it up for a quick browse and to my surprise, didn't put the book down until I finished reading it. This is basiclly a story about about a boy coming of age,growing into manhood, told through the background of baseball and war. Fielder's Choice is a warm hearted story full of both laughs and tears. The main character, Gooseball Fielder is the persona of Forrest Gump in baseball flannels discovering that life throws the hardest curves .

Rick Norman is a great story teller. He constructed the book in such a fashion, that after finishing it, I needed to check baseball references to see if the story of Gooseball Fielder was true.

Great book. Informative and a fun read. Expect to get mad but get up and do something about it!

I have only become aware of Robert Wexler in the last 3 or 4 years, but I can't help but like the guy. He's one of the few unapologetic liberals in the House today, and he's one of the few who has signed on to Dennis Kucinich's articles of impeachment against both President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

The book is largely an autobiography, with Wexler describing his political career from the Florida state legislature to the U.S. House of Representatives. He is outspoken in his views, and his passion is evident in the text. Much of the material he presents is well documented in the annals of U.S. politics, including the Clinton impeachment, the 2000 presidential election, and the embarrassing Terri Schiavo grandstanding, but it's interesting to see one legislator's perspective on each of these events. Additionally, Wexler gives his take on the differences between how Republicans lead Congress, and how Democrats do it. Fairly or unfairly, the representative's take is that is that the GOP is focused on winning at all costs, changing the rules to solidify their own position while excluding Democrats whenever possible, and strong-arming their own members to always vote the party line even if it means alienating their own constituents. In contrast, he says Democrats rule with a greater emphasis on fairness and flexibility, often, unfortunately, to their own detriment.

The book is a bit of a lightweight read, without a great deal of Democratic theory or political philosophy. In that regard, it is somewhat topical, and it won't likely influence anyone's political leanings. But Wexler's tone is breezy and conversational, and he injects a surprising amount of humor in each chapter, making for a highly entertaining book.

This is the 2nd copy I've purchased. My original intention was to purchase a copy to support Robert Wexler's representation of citizens like myself that believe in the Constitution and the rule of law. It was also a way to support [...] which featured "Fire-breathing Liberal" in the Book Salon with a link to Amazon for purchase.

I had planned on giving Representative Wexler's book to a friend {83} who had gotten me to listen to AM940, South Florida's progressive talk radio, over a year ago. That led to my becoming a fan of the Randi Rhodes Show {page 7 of this book} and the opportunity to listen to live talks with Mr. Wexler.

I started to "glance through" the introduction and first few pages ... and inserted a stickit on p.7 as I didn't want to mark "her book." Three hours or so later -- the book looked like a porcupine. Hence, my second copy for her and this review.

I was particularly interested to confirm that congressional representatives can and do have the power to help individual constituents with the various federal agencies, and it is an excellent reason to find and vote for people-oriented candidates. In addition to helping citizens, I learned that individuals like Congressman Wexler have been one of the few contacts in the United States to whom leaders of other nations could express their views of the "real" world and be heard.

Can you name the country with the largest Muslim population in the world? Neither could I until I read this book. I found the "potholders" very amusing, the delivery of "soccer balls" illuminating, and the methods the GOP has used to remove members of their own party absolutely despicable. This "insider's view" of stolen elections, Clinton's impeachment, the dead-of-night passage of the Medicare drug bill, Katrina, anthrax and more is one of the few non-fiction books that reads like a fast-paced thriller taking us along from naive and starry-eyed patriotism to a more experienced and realistic world view.

Wexler and Fisher have created an excellent book that may eventually become a text for students of history and government that wish to learn about our congressional representatives and the work they can do for us.

I didn't THINK I was going to like this book, because of the title, but I'm so glad that I did read it! This man gives a good analysis of why things don't get done in Washington. This man also gives me hope that maybe people will wake up and get rid of those who are there doing nothing. We need more people like Wexler in Congress. This book is a must read!

We all assume that there is some inherent corruption in politics. However,I didn't realize how naive I was about our system until I read this book. Filled with real life events and a Congressman's own moral dilemnas, this book makes you realize that we must actively monitor what our government is doing or they will destroy our democracy. The book is extremely well written and will keep you intrigued cover to cover.

Lew Atlanta

My 5 year old would read this book every time we went to the doctor's office. A must have for little firemen!

First of all the pictures are well painted. Our son who is not yet 3 can finish the sentences from memory for each letter as we read together. This one was well worth the purchase.

This book is a great ABC teaching tool for children fascinated by the big red fire engines racing past. Learn some of the key terms and aspects of what firefighters do to save lives.

Young children will enjoy learning about the very exciting and dangerous aspects of being a firefighter. With the imagery and vivid colors, children will certainly get the message that fires are serious and dangerous business that should be left to professionals (and trained volunteers). It is a great book to approach the topic of fire safety with young children.

This is a really nice book to learn about firefighters. The pictures are bright. The fire is really vivid and a couple of the pages might scare really young children. It would be a good tool for teacher's to use during Fire Prevention Week.

My almost three-year-old son Devon loves fire engines. He gets so excited whenever we're out and one goes roaring by, siren screaming. He loves books too and he already knows his ABCs, both upper and lower case and this book shares the credit with a few others and his loving and attentive parents for giving him this gift of the Alphabet as such an early age. He'll be reading by Kindergarten.

In addition to being a very good ABC book, this book tells the story of firefighters fighting a fire, something guaranteed to hold the interest of any little boy (and a lot of little girls too). All of the letter pages have beautiful, action filled illustrations that seem to draw Devon right into the book. No wonder he can sing that ABC song so well.

Jack Priest, Dad in Training

This book covers the scene at Bonneville from the perspective of a driver involved with two teams. Not a whole lot of technical information for gear heads, but basically from the inside of the cockpit - oh my God! - and team dynamics. It was worth adding to my collection of moto-journalism, and made a good read for my light rail commute.

Say you are born into a family in which your father had to have been the coolest dad ever being a fearless motorcycle racer. Your older brother is fearless just like dad and follows his footsteps in racing motorcycles. You have a cool mom too that rivals the Kool-Aid mom in the TV commercials. With tough acts like that to follow, there's only one thing left to do.....Break the world land speed record.

Meet Rocky Robinson. One of the fastest men on two wheels. How did he do it you ask? In his book, titled Flat Out, Rocky takes you along with him on his long journey to putting his name down in history.

Reading Rocky's book is like having him sitting in your living room talking to you one on one about how his day went in the life and times of a land speed racer. He writes his book as history was in the making, while it was all fresh in his memory and all his emotions on his sleeve. After reading this book, you really feel like you know Rocky. OK, well almost. I'm sure he left out some details. *wink*

Rocky takes you into a whole different world where there are skids instead of kickstands, parachutes instead of breaks, fire suits instead of leathers, the racetrack is in the middle of nowhere and is made entirely of salt, gas powered blenders for making margaritas (what other cocktail do you make on a salt flat???), 20 foot long motorcycles that look like Oscar Meyer Wieners going at jet speeds, oh and the cockpits to these things also double as Dutch ovens (You have to read the book to get that one). Many of Rocky's associates were some of the funniest crazy characters one could ever meet. Which is a good thing to have when the air gets thick and there's a lot of money is at stake. Rocky's life even changes and makes a turn around as he develops personal growth and success in this journey. Some heartaches, set backs and disappointments happen. Rocky probably doesn't realize this, but he does teach a valuable lesson and reveals a secret that all high achievers like Rocky know. You'll just have to read the book to find out for yourself.

I am not a motorcycle enthusiast nor am I a race fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned a lot about land speed racing. Rocky is a very good writer and made me feel like I was right there in the seat experiencing the thrill of traveling 300 plus mph on two wheels. After reading Flat Out I have a great desire to make the trek to the Bonneville Salt Flats and witness first hand Rocky's next attempt to regain the title "fastest man on two wheels."

After watching Rocky race speedway bikes without brakes I got a real chuckle of him describing in great detail the need for real brakes on the streamliner. His details and descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the pits with him. I really enjoyed reading his story and appreciate what he has accomplished. Little does the non racer understand the consequences of great speed and I think that Rocky has described it very eloquently.

I can hardly wait for Rocky to hit the salt, set some more records and start writing about it all over again. In the meantime, maybe he could write about his speedway days.

Cheers
RC Jones

Although I must say that I know the writer from a close and mutual friend, I am an avid reader and although I do not have much knowledge in the field of racing, even I get it! The detail of events that he gives in the book of his very personal experience puts the reader in the driver seat as if you are really sitting beside him on his journey, if not behind the wheel yourself!

Enjoy this great read!

Diane

Having played only American football and Rugby Union, I have found this book invaluable in learning about the "why's" of soccer/football. This book has given me invaluable insight into the mindset of ref'ing and perspectives on dealing with very dynamics situations on and off the pitch. The stories are wonderful and illuminating.

If you are a ref...this book teaches you how to really BE one and be a PART of the game..not the obstruction to it. YOU NEED this book it is the best referee book ever written.

I just finished reading Bob & Ed's book a fourth time in preparation to teach an Entry (Associate) Level Referee Instructor course in Northern California next weekend, and every time I read it, I find not only things to help me (State Referee) in my game, but also to pass on to new Referee Instructors (State Instructor) in the development of referees.

P.S. I read it a fourth time not only for my up-comming instructor course, but also had State Cup U19 matches last weekend, and it helped!

I agree with my friend Steve Piercy (another reviewer) that this is a great book for all referees, but for referees that are serious about advancing as a referee, instructor, assessor, or even an assignor, it is a must read. Also agree with the other reviewers...if you're interested to improve your game in whatever role you play, do it with this book!

As a licensed but former coach and mediocre player, a great read to see it from the other side too.

For the Good of the Game.

As a Grade 7 referee upgrading to a Grade 6 - State Referee I have read everything I can about Soccer Refereeing. I wish I would have found this book first instead of last. The authors bring wonderful insight to the "sport" of Soccer Refereeing. They have given me so many new and wonderful ideas that I can't wait to try them this season.

Whether you are a new referee or an experienced referee I would highly suggest this book. It covers topics that were never ever discussed in my training sessions. So much so that I actually have a new outlook on how I referee this wonderful game of soccer.

The other books are good and are worth your time but read this book first, then go to the others.

Michael Metz - USSF Grade 7 Referee - AYSO Area Referee

This is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive book about officiating now in print; with apologies to Izaak Walton, it's "The Compleat Referee."

If you're just beginning as a referee, study and learn the Laws of the Game. Develop a relationship with a mentor whom you trust. And read this book. More than once. Despite the authors' significant credentials as FIFA and FA referees, the newest official will find their style enlightening and eminently readable. The book covers the entire gamut of refereeing from pre-match preparation to effectively dealing with every imaginable - and unimaginable! - situation on the pitch. Personal anecdotes from the authors' considerable experience appear throughout each chapter and help clearly illustrate each point.

For more experienced referees, this book delves repeatedly into the very personal subject of player management - the mind game. The authors will repeatedly challenge you to evaluate each match on its own and ensure you're employing the right skills to effectively 'orchestrate' it.

I had the pleasure of attending a day-long presentation by Mr. Evans and Mr. Bellion and can tell you that these gents are every bit as entertaining and informative in their book as they are in person. Their good humor and passion for the game comes through loud and clear. You won't be disappointed!

This is a great book, it is about two friends who were like brothers. This story is told by Bo Kimble. Hank Gathers had a good friend, like a brother named Bo Kimble. He tells how him and Hank grow up and what they had to go though. Bo tells alot about when him and Hank was in the NCAA. Hank was a good player. Bo loved Hank very munch, but Hank died of heart failure on the count. Bo tells that he misses Hank very munch and he will always have a place in his heart. Hank's #44 was retire, so if you don't got this book get it because it is sad because the things Bo tells you about Hank. Bo went to the NBA, but did not do what he wanted to do. Hank Gathers a Legend.

I picked this book up a few years ago and read it prior to the annual NCAA Mens' Basketball Tournament. It was a fascinating read, and takes the reader along with Hank and Bo as if all were teammates. My memories of this book made seeing the retiring of the Gathers and Kimble Jerseys at LMU last season an extra special event.

I have read this book and I would recommend it to anyone for future reading. It illustrates the true meaning of friendship and brotherly love. While reading this book, I felt the heartache of the lost of Hank. I have had the privilege of meeting these young men, while playing round ball at Taft College and this book gives an accurate account of their friendship. This is a must read book to anyone who has lost a special individual in their life.

This is a great book, it is about two friends who were like brothers. This story is told by Bo Kimble. Hank Gathers had a good friend, like a brother named Bo Kimble. He tells how him and Hank grow up and what they had to go though. Bo tells alot about when him and Hank was in the NCAA. Hank was a good player. Bo loved Hank very munch, but Hank died of heart failure on the count. Bo tells that he misses Hank very munch and he will always have a place in his heart. Hank's #44 was retire, so if you don't got this book get it because it is sad because the things Bo tells you about Hank. Bo went to the NBA, but did not do what he wanted to do. Hank Gathers a Legend.

Bo Kimble shows all facets of Hank Gathers' personality. He does not try to make him better than he was, much less dis him. Bo knows... This booka lso shows the love of the game both Hank and Bo had.

James "Ty" Tyrone writes sports columns for a "rag," but his excellent salary supports the tremendous medical expense of his wife who must live in an iron lung, a victim of polio. FORFEIT is a masterful thriller from Dick Francis.
Ty meets Bert Chekov, a fellow writer, on the street. Bert is drunk, but warns Ty not to sell his column. A short time later Bert falls or is pushed to his death. Thugs demand Ty's support for their race fixing scheme and resort to intimidation through his wife's frail grip on life. A must read for Dick Francis fans.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This was my first Dick Francis novel. Took a while to get into it, but it was a page turner by the end. 3 stars for those who aren't racing fans.

I've probably read all of Dick Francis' many books and always await the next one happily. In between the advent of his new books, I occasionally re-read some old ones with pleasure, which I rarely do except in the case of classics. He writes literature equaling, for example, Eric Ambler's writing in quality.

Forfeit, by Dick Francis, tells the story of sports writer James Tyrone beginning when a drunken colleague, Bert Checkov, warns him not to sell his column. Making vague allusions to blackmail and bribery, the man is so drunk that he's all but incoherent and then goes his own way. Chalking it up to the booze, Tyrone leaves his friend only to learn minutes later that the man has just fallen out of a window and died. A short while later, we learn that Checkov has been heavily touting a large number of horses that end up getting scratched from their races shortly before post time. This is the tip of the iceberg that leads Tyrone into conflict with bookmakers who will stop at nothing to continue a scheme that has already netted them a small fortune.

Tyrone is a remarkably strong character who deals with a home life that could only be called difficult, an editor who doesn't mind risking his life to get a story, and a gang of thugs that don't mind dishing out a beating or even murder to get what they want. He is not perfect, but he does have a good heart and readers can't help but root for him. Most of the characters are interesting and portrayed uniquely enough that they remain distinct and not just cardboard cutouts put in place to fill their assigned roles. The story builds momentum as it goes. In the beginning, I found it mildly interesting but as it progressed it became a real page-turner.

This is the first novel by Dick Francis that I have read but he has been one of the most respected mystery writers for many decades. His writing style is very clear and crisp, easy to read and understand. Some English novelists use language that can make it hard for Americans to follow but I didn't find that to be the case here. I am not particularly interested in horses or horse racing but I do like good stories with interesting characters and there was a healthy dose of that in Forfeit. After reading this book, I'll be ordering more Dick Francis novels soon.

I had been thinking: Do I really want to read about horse races? I only watch the Kentucky Derby and sometimes two more races, if there's hope for a Triple Crown.

My friend had been urging me to read Dick Francis, and recently recommended Forfeit, which finally I read.

In the book, Francis is always low-key and, as a former jockey, knows his stuff. Suspense is permanent, the plotting intelligent and flawless.

In Forfeit, we follow journalist James Tyrone, as he and his London newspaper colleagues investigate racetrack fraud. The highly profitable criminal organizations pressure racing writers to mislead England's legitimate bettors. The perpetrators are not hesitant to inflict serious bodily harm and worse.

Francis draws his characters carefully. We know them all, sometimes gaining our affection, identifying with their personal struggles. Tyrone cares for his mostly paralyzed wife Elizabeth, who could not survive without a breathing machine.

A major plot mover is a relationship between Tyrone and an attractive university professor, leading to extended complications and threats.

We also meet a stable owner who is dealing with his spacy wife and troublesome sons. We see the bad guys. We are introduced to the horses, especially a central one named Tiddely Pom.

We are in the British racing world. The writing is memorable.