Sports Books

What a great way to learn the rules of golf and etiuqette! I appreciated the golf etiquette tips and terminology that you may not find in other books or fellow golfers may be hesistant to tell you. A must read for all women golfers!

Reviewed by Susan Pettrone for Reader Views (7/07)

"From the Red Tees" is one of those books that every golfer needs. It is small, only 256 pages, but it is filled to capacity with common-sense knowledge, reminders and advice that even the most seasoned of golfers can take to heart and learn from. From the very beginning, "From the Red Tees" addresses the problems and important information female golfers need to know to play a round of golf and enjoy the experience as well. With lighthearted humor intermixed with information and tips for women golfers, this book proves from page one that it is a hit for women golfers of all ages.

Addressing preparedness is one of the chapter focus' within this book. From the first sentence of this chapter, it is made evident through storyline and easy-to-understand information that being prepared is essential to any golfer's game and something women in particular need to think about. Covering "what to wear," "sun protection" and much more, this is a chapter that even long-time golfers can benefit from, with its gentle reminders of essentials for the game. And on goes this fascinating book for women about the sport of golf.

Being somewhat of a novice myself in a family of avid golfers, I especially found chapter 4, "Fried Eggs and the Dance Floor," to be one of the best chapters in the book. With its explanations of the acronyms so often heard in golf, basic information on equipment and places, and of course, phrases heard on the golf course itself, this was a great way for me to study up on my terminology and jolt my memory with the terms used on the course without feeling as if I were playing `catch up' when I next visit the green. With its' somewhat confusing phrases for the new golfer such as "the beach," another way to say "sand trap," "choke down," a term used to describe moving ones hands further down on the club and "scramble," when everyone hits and you choose the next shot to be hit from the best shot in the group. I found this chapter to be exceptionally beneficial.

As this book goes along, the reader discovers a chapter entitled "How to succeed as a Mom and a golfer." I saw all too clearly the problems many women face when they have to choose between being a mother and a golfer. That is not to say that men don't have the same problems but let's be honest here; it is usually Mom who sacrifices her round of golf to play "mommy"" and rarely does Dad do the same. Being a mom and a golfer demands a certain amount of finesse, planning, and, of course, adaptability, in order to make the mix work. In this chapter, the reader can see a new way of looking at this problem and how to mix motherhood and sport, so that each works out fine.

I found "From the Red Tees" to be, not just informational, but entertaining as well, with its light-hearted humor inserted within the pages, and its basics of golf presented in a new way. This book would make an excellent choice for any and all the female golfers on your list. It seems to me that with all the high school golf teams in the country, this would also be a great gift for the younger female golfer in your life. She would benefit from the facts and from the perspective the author gives when discussing the game of golf and how it fits within a woman's life.

I have been an avid golfer for over 15 years now and for the first time, feel like I understand the dynamics at hand for womens golf. I have previously tried to bring my wife and sister along into the sport, but have failed miserably. This book would have been a perfect introduction for both me, and the women I was trying to teach.

This is a humorous and witty book for woman golfers. The authour shares stories we can all relate to and laugh at. The etiquette and terminology that is explained is helpful and can help beginner golfers feel confident on the course. It is also a great motivator for those of us who can't find the time to golf.

This is a fun & easy read! Palermo educates the novice golfer about proper course etiquette & terminology, and peppers her not-so-technical golf "manual" with humorous anecdotes. I highly reccomend Red Tees to any woman hesitant to brave the links - it will provide knowledge, confidence, and some laughs!

This book has been the best I bought about sailing so far. I was looking for a book that would give me some guidance on how to start sailing and get my family into it. This book is so nicely written that it's inspirational. Don't expect sailing lessons on how improve your sailing performance from this book. Instead, you will find a passionate author that will tell you how to enjoy a small sailboat with your family. Based on this book and others we bought a West Wight Potter 15 and we are enjoying it every minute. My wife also loved the book because it explains how to get the kids involved so that we all enjoy the adventure. If you like family adventures or if you had your adventures when you were a teen, then you would like the author's approach and he might get you into trying them again but this time with your family. Love it!

Love this book. He also published "Sailing on a Micro-Budget" which is basically the same book but available used at a fraction of the cost.
Larry also wrote "Sailing America" which is in the same vein and an excellent read.

That book is the best antidote against the well known cabin envy syndrome. Read it and start spending your money on your house where headroom is really needed. Learn to enjoy your small sailboat or get one and sail away.

THis is a wonderful book for anyone contemplating small or medium boat sailing. Filled with lots of info. and written in the right spirit- fun! Try to find it at your local library or sailing club though...cause spending $35+ on a used book IS NOT FRUGAL!

This book should really be called "Why small boats are more fun!" Brown sagely observes that (1) most sailboats are daysailed, which means most of the sailor's time is spent in the cockpit; (2) a trailerable boat costs a lot less over the years than a boat in a slip, and (3) the simpler a boat is to rig and miantain, the more time you spend actually sailing.

Any sailor is familiar with the typical marina scene: Big boats tied up at the dock, being used as a floating picnic table, as the owner doesn't have the motivation or the crew to actually take her out for a real sail. Or the boat that's motored out of the harbor, parked a mile off shore for use as a swimming and drinking patform, and then motored back in. Or the boat that can only bve sailed from one expensive blue water marina to another becuse of its deep draft.

Brown likes small, shallow-draft boats that can be hauled up on a beach, or at a minimum, anchored near enough for the crew to wade in. He likes gunkholing- lazily exploring little inlets and estuaries where the big boats can't go. And most of all he likes the West Wight Potter, a 14' mini-cruiser that he and his young family sailed for many years. Brown has probably done more for that boat than all the advertising the company has done over the years.

Now there are plenty of people who can buy a 31' boat and afford the slip fees without a second thought, and who don't mind paying someone else to do the maintenance. But there are a lot more people who'd like to sail, but who can't afford paying as much for a boat as they did for the last two family cars. If you're at all interested in sailing, but think you need a big boat with 4 berths, a head, and a galley to enjoy time on the water, read this book; it'll be a revelation.

This well-written book took me back to Shelbyville IN in the 1950s, when every barber shop displayed a picture of the 1947 championship team and every patron knew all their names. No one would question the effect Bill Garrett had on his home town, but few could have predicted the impact he would have on collegiate sports for years to come.

The little town of Milan provided great sports drama for the movie "Hoosiers," but the life of Bill Garrett is more than a sports story. He did for NCAA athletics what Jackie Robinson did for Major League Baseball. Young people of today would be shocked to learn what he endured just a couple of generations ago.

Thanks to Tom and Rachel Graham Cody for this great read. As a Purdue grad, it pains me to praise a book that casts such a positive glow on Indiana University!

This is a good book and a good read. If you're from small-town Indiana (like me) and old enough to understand what single-class "Hoosier Hysteria" really meant, then you'll like this book.

However I respectfully offer that it's not a 5-star book. It may be a 5-star story in search of a 5-star telling.

I just finished the book yesterday, and I find myself wishing the authors had been less dispassionate. Or more passionate? Whatever.

So who was Bill Garrett? The book talks a lot about his life and times, and provides some ancedotes, but always left me wanting more about Bill. Sadly, Bill wasn't available to be interviewed, but his teammates, friends and wife were all sources for the book.

Here are some examples:

We learn a lot about how Bill came to enroll at IU, but we don't learn about the man himself. Bill left Tennessee State after enrolling, and took a bus to IU. No one was available to meet him there! How did he feel about this?

Bill was on the road and separated from his wife for several years while he knocked around the fringes of professional basketball. How was their relationship affected? We don't know.

Finally - the authors talk about the changes in college basketball in the 1950's (pp 169-175), Branch McCracken's sporadic recruitment of black players, yet fail to mention that IU WON the NCAA championship in 1953!

Sorry 5-star raters...it's a good book and a story worth telling, but could be a lot better. Probably a better movie than a book.

Seldom have I been so touched, entertained, and educated by a book as I was by Getting Open, which I read in two days. It is truly a masterpiece and something I will keep on my bookshelf for the rest of my life.

Although born and raised in Indiana, I didn't know much if anything about Bill Garrett before reading this book, but I was just blown away by his story. Not knowing the story, it was almost like reading a well-crafted novel and I hung on every new development the authors revealed. I also didn't know much about the racial intolerance of the times. My neighborhood and high school were all white, so I really had little if any contact with blacks before I went to Indiana University as a freshman in 1963. It hardly seems possible that such racial intolerance existed in the Midwest so recently before then.

This book exceeded all my expectations and I highly recommend it to anyone, whether you're a basketball fan or not. If you have any ties to the Hoosier State or to Indiana University, you will love it all the more.

At the pinnacle of his high school career - leading Shelbyville High to the Indiana state championship; a team that had three black starters - not one college scout in the arena attended the game to recruit Bill Garrett or his two teammates due to the color of their skin.

At the pinnacle of his collegiate career - leaving the court to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes - Bill Garrett was refused service in a restaurant days later; one that had on its marquee that it welcomed fans of Indiana Unniversity basketball.

And when Bill Garrett was ready to launch his pro career, the team in his home state did not draft him.

But Bill Garrett was stronger than those who attempted to keep those doors closed. And we are better because of him.

For author Tom Graham - with his co-author/daughter Rachel Graham Cody - the book took seven years of reseach, and certainly a lifetime of not denying the facts from the past and understanding the urgency in the present to set the record straight.

Getting Open is more than a biography on Garrett and how he integrated Big Ten basketball by playing and starring for IU. It is a history of institutionalized racial hatred in the State of Indiana - at one point in the 20th Century, the KKK essentially controlled all essential government offices - and the tireless work of person's from different sides of the tracks to fight the good fight.

Graham is a Shelbyville native who was old enough to vividly recall the times, which certainly helped as he meticulously did his research to cut through the fiction that builds from facts as the years tumble on.

It is a book from the heart that will make you realize how we must celebrate those who had the courage then by continuing to challenge those who want to forget - or rewrite - the past.

This book is an incredibly well written and well documented story that should be more widely read. It is an important history that many sports fans, and non-sports fans, will enjoy tremendously. It is an inspiration to us all, and offers many lessons and insights about overcoming racism. Thank you to the father-daughter authors for getting out this story!

I found this book extremely interesting it shows how a bond between friends can be held no matter what. foe example one of the 3 main charictors in this book (noelle) is a figure skater who has something wrong with her and even though she hides it from her friends the still stand by her even after she gets a guy (erin) had a thing for .. I think you can put yourself in any of these girls positions and thats what makes this book so good, the truth behind it.

I loved it. I couldn't help myself,and i practically read the whole thing in a day. I 've read other cherie bennett books, and i find a connection to Emma, Sam and Carrie in her sunset Island books, but i think GIrls In Love is way better. Its such a great book! there are so many different view points, so you're not really stuck in one perspective, as many books are, and well, it was a very well written book. if you like romance, and even if you don't, i think you'll like it. there are so many different things going on, and it is a book that is easily related to.

I loved the book! The characters were the best for me. The strange thing was they resembled my friends and I. Cherie Bennett gave them such realistic personalities, and used such perfect descriptive words, one can not help but feel sorry and happy for each, as though they were close friends or relatives. I espcially liked the cleanliness of the book. It had no impure thoughts or motives, contrary to popular love stories. I give this book a five star rating.

I loved this book. When I started reading it I couldn't put it down! I read it in two days. I wouldn't really reccommend this book to guys but it is a great romance novel for girls!!

I thougth it was the greatest book in the world it was the first love story or romance novel i ever read, though i wouldnt reccomend it for guys, it is like a mini- Dawsons Creek and Friends, I LOVED IT!!

The strongest features of this book are the extensiveness of the research on the numerous architects from the early part of the 20th century in the US, and the period photographs showing what many of the most famous courses looked like before others could alter them.

The Golden Age, as it is called, came just after people began to realize that golf courses needed to be something more than strait shots down alleys surrounded by bunkers. Men who had experienced golf in its native form in Scotland brought back their insights to the US and transformed the alleys into true adventures across the landscape. Sadly, many of them had been all but forgotten until a resurgence of interest in the art of golf design. American golf architecture again was stagnating, and new inspiration was needed.

Geoff Shackelford has stood by the pirnciples of many of the architects he discusses in this volume, and as such takes great care in his descriptions of thier lives, influences, and design philosophies.

Although not as intense a discussion of arcitecture itself that may be found in the writings of the individual architects, Shackelford's overviews combined with the numerous photographs of exemplary holes helps make clear what many of them intended with thier creations.

Of greatest interest is the attention he gives the "Philadelphia School", which includes Pine Valley creator George Crump. The details of how Pine Valley came to be, and how the group out of Philadelphia went on to inspire one another and spread the gospel of golf will be of interest to most.

A wonderful collection of photographs and biographies. All of these courses are classics that I can only dream of one day seeing, much less playing. The vintage photos of the courses provide a glimpse of the majesty of each course and Geoff Shckleford's musings and collection of quotes fill in the rest. Shackleford brought each of the great architects to life. What a great book. I'd love to see a follow up on courses in the West(including Hawaii).

This is a fine historical book that is a worthy addition to any golf library. Many of the photos are very rare and interesting to one who has "seen it all".

My only criticism is that there is a wealth of information on Thomas and other west coast designers whom Geoff has spent the majority of his time researching for his other books. There is an embarassingly small amount of information and absolutely nothing new about Donald Ross. Geoff could be accused of mailing in this section of the book.

More on MacDonald, Raynor and Banks would have been nice, but we have George Bahto's book to look forward to on that account.

The book is very much reflective of the work previously done for his other books and his personal experience, but it still deserves a solid five stars.

A must have for anybody interested in golf course architecture. As great as Pebble Beach is today, you'll wonder why it was ever changed after seeing the old photos of it following Chandler Egan's work in 1929! Buy this beautiful book and you won't be disappointed.

This book is just a perfect overview of the old architects and their design work. I disagree with the reviewer who said certain sections were mailed in. At least to me, each architect was well covered and it did not seem anyone received special attention unless they deserved it, and the Donald Ross chapter was one of my favorites. It includes an incredible picture of the great Seminole course. There is not a single picture in the book I did not want to study closely, and it seemed that every architect included was there for a reason -- their work was sensational golf course architecture that we just don't see these days.

This book starts with a brief history and background on Helio and Royce, as well as their fight philosophy. There is a brief section on what makes someone a good BJJ practitioner and how to train techniques.

It then moves into what this book is all about BJJ submission essentials. It starts with Helio demonstrating a number of his favourite submissions before Royler takes up the rest of the book demonstrating a plethora of other submissions.

The book covers submissions from all situations and positions whether standing, mounted (top and side), guard, from the back or fighting from the bottom. All techniques are explained in great detail to ensure that the technique you're executing is correct. This is enhanced greatly by Kid Peligro's large, clear photos, which includes close ups of grips and multiple angles etc when necessary.

Basically, this book is exactly what it says on the cover - an explanation of BJJ submission techniques.

What this book is not - while it may be a useful reference book for a newer student it doesn't go into fundamentals of wrestling such as basic positioning, transitions between positions, or wrestling theory. Applying these techniques without any of those basics in a fight situation is almost impossible. These are however, covered in other Gracie BJJ books. As such this book is most useful for those who already have wrestling experience, though this doesn't necessarily have to be in BJJ.

Once you have a good understanding of the basic of BJJ, this book takes your game to another level offering you many options in term of submission. To get the most out of this book, it is recommended that you master one technique at a time, then try to combine it with other techiques. For example, I found that the bent arm lock works really well with Kimura as a second attack option.

This is a great book by the Gracie's. But as you go along in the book you can see it wouldn't benefit a beginner much. It is for those already with brazilian jiu- jitsu experience.

A solid addition to the series - good fundamentals from the Grand Master Helio Gracie. Simple, yet effective techniques that are the foundation for any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student. Royler takes it further with some great chokes. Good ideas to take to the mat.

Gracie Submission Essentials is 240+ pages of full color photos that explain how to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions from almost any position. The photographs for each submission are large, clear, and plentiful - usually four or more for each technique. While those reading it will not be able to master the techniques without a partner, this book is an incredible starting point for those new to the sport and also a great reference for more advanced students. Kimuras, chokes, gogoplatas, omoplatas, locks, triangles, etc... they're all inside.

While there is an introduction section with brief biographies, interviews, and training tips, the primary sections of the book break down as follows:

- Grandmaster's Favorites. Helio Gracie dons a gi and demonstrates the basic (but devastating) submissions of BJJ. These include the standing kimura, choke from the mount, americana, various arm-locks, and the legendary rear-naked choke. 13 techniqus, 29 pages.
- Stand Up Submissions. Royler grapples with Megaton (I though that was MegaTRON the first time I read it) for the rest of the chapters. The standing techniques include standing chokes, wrist/arm locks, knee locks, the guillotine, and pretty much everything you'd ever want to know from the standing position. Since a lot of new BJJ practitioners don't learn these techniques in class (a lot of schools start rolling from the knees), this is an important section for any new student heading to a tournament to read. 26 techniques, 51 pages.
- Guard Pass Submissions. These are some pretty intense techniques that will take a lot of practice and timing to do properly and safely (most of them involve flipping your opponent over). 3 techniques, 7 pages.
- Side Control Submissions. A lot of newer students see side control as just a transition stage, and it is not. Leg-locks, knee-on-the-stomach attacks, chokes, americanas, spine-locks, arm-locks, and arm-crushers are covered. 19 techniques, 46 pages.
- Mount Submissions. Submissions from the mount are some of the most common, but can always be practiced. Chokes, triangles, nutcracker chokes, arm-locks, and the knee-split are shown. 9 techniques. 20 pages.
- Back Control Submissions. The submissions in this section are interesting because "the back" is a broad definition; these techniques tend to be defined according to situation and include "opponent bridges" and "opponent stands up." 5 techniques, 14 pages.
- Turtle and Half Guard submissions. This is a sort of a short "miscellaneous" chapter. The bananna split, chokes, calf-lock, and kimura are covered. 5 techniques, 12 pages.
- Guard Submissions. Are you comfortable fighting from your back? If not, this chapter is a MUST. Chokes, arm-bars, triangles, wrist-lock, omoplata, shoulder locks, crucifix chokes, reverse americanas, gogoplatas, and more. 25 techniques, 63 pages.

While this is one of the best books on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions on the market, it is not the ONLY book you will ever need. It is VERY specific to gi (uniform) submissions, so not every technique will work in a no-gi environment (UFC, etc...). As well, this book does not cover movement - something that is critical to getting into proper position for submissions. Other books (including Royce Gracie's excellent Ultimate Fighting Techniques Volumes I & II - Volume I being a great reference for movement) are necessary to truly understand Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This is the best system to learn the golf swing out there. The drills are so demanding that if you can get results with them, you will get better. I started using them 8 years ago and they took me from mid to high nineties to low seventies in about 12 months. Whenever I get away from them or try something else, ie. swing flatter or around a la Ben Hogan, my swing goes straight to hell, losing both accuracy and distance.

What will determine how much you get out of this system is how well you apply it. People look at me funny at the range when I'm doing the drills and ask a lot of questions. I play with local PGA teachers and they all raise comment. But I enjoy hitting ball well too much to worry about it. I hit the ball better standing on one leg than on two. I've even won money playing people standing on one leg, shooting high 70's to mid eighties on 7000 plus golf courses. I've beaten many of the local PGA guys who ALL teach Hogan's method. I didn't even start playing golf until my mid twenties and these guys have played all their lives!

So apply the system and let your golf game do the talking. Don't worry about what others think or say because this system will work if you apply it consistently.

When I read about these drills in this book at first, these drills didn't appeal to me at all, but I still wanted to give it a try.

After working on these drill what a surprise I am hitting the ball more solid with less effort.

If you are serious about the game, definitely give these drills a try.

Prior to the drills I could barely find 265 yards after the roll. Now I easily get 270 yards on the fly. People on the range stand there and gawk.

I had several clients who work with David Lee personally and they strongly recommended I learn more about Gravity Golf. Long story short, this is the real deal, folks. Remember those shots you've hit where the ball just rocketed off the club face but it felt absolutely effortless? David's drills teach you how to do that consistently, by design, using the laws of physics.

The book can essentially be divided into two parts: how it works, and how to apply it. The first part is interesting to golf geeks like me, but the second part is the meat of the book. The foundation of Gravity Golf is the drills. THEY are your instructor. Do the drills consistently and your body will have no choice but to learn how to generate power appropriately, and then this will `infect' your regular golf swing and you'll be amazed at the difference.

One important note: I'd also recommend getting his DVDs. If you just work from the book, be advised that he no longer teaches the one footed drills but has replaced them with a crossfooted version.

second note: I have had the opportunity after watching the DVDs and reading the book to meet David Lee and spend some time with him one on one. He is an absolute gentleman and knows the golf swing in and out. Golf Magazine had it right when they named him one of the top 100 teachers in America.

About 7 years ago, I started playing golf by going through a traditional PGA professional. I was in high school at the time, so I also tried out for the high school golf time - not suprisingly, I didn't make the team. That summer, I saw an infomercial on the Gravity Golf Videos and was immediately interested (good marketing). When I saw the book in a local golf equipment store, I bought it and applied it's drills. The next year, I tried out for the golf team again and the other players and the coaches noticed how much better my swing was and how much farther the ball would travel on drives. While I was still far from being the best player on the team, I was most certainly the longest driver.

The meat and potatoes part of the book is most certainly the swing drills. The chapter before hand on the theory behind the "gravity swing" is very interesting but not necessary to gain something from the book. For somebody who wants to get straight to the heart, I'd recommend skipping the first few chapters and reading the "gravity swing" chapter and onward. In essence of learning the "gravity swing" is through proprioception (a.k.a. muscle memory). In a nutshell it means learning to swing a golf club through drills.

In the end, this method teaches a swing that has a lot of power but lacks control. Most of the time I can hit a predictable shot, but if I get off slightly the ball could end up anywhere (which is what kept me from doing well on the high school golf team). All in all, I'm a casual golfer and do enjoy it when I can hit a really long ball while playing a round to impress my collegues.

The book really has everything you need, and despite what the book may tell you, the videos are not necessary to gain a full understanding of the process of gravity golf. For somebody looking for distance at the expense of control and some bizzare looking drills, I'd recommend this book.

This book is a must for Dodger fans, and the best of its kind.

But by 1957, Ebbets Field was no longer a suitable ballpark for a major league team. The park and its neighborhood were deteriorating, there was no public transportation, and attendance had been steadily falling even in their pennant-winning years (the previous review notes that the powerhouse Dodgers were drawing around 10,000 fans per home game). Renovation was not an option because there would be insufficient additional revenue projected to cover the cost. The Dodgers simply could not stay there. But Walter O'Malley did not want to leave Brooklyn.

In reality, he wanted to stay in Brooklyn and build a brand new ballpark at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush, near public transportation. Walter O'Malley was not the villain of the piece; rather, it was Robert Moses, then the most powerful man in New York City, who refused to let him do so, insisting that he build instead in Flushing Meadows (where Shea Stadium stands today). They would no longer have been in Brooklyn, and O'Malley naturally refused. He left reluctantly, narrowly choosing Los Angeles over Minneapolis. In doing so, he brough Major League Baseball west of the Mississippi, and forever changed the game. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame (plenty of even tougher businessmen are), but East Coast writers like Roger Kahn and misinformed fans like the one who posted that he "hates O'Malley" to this day have blocked his entry. Shame on them.

I liked this book ... it's one of the better street-insight books from the Brooklyn-as-the-center-of-the-baseball-universe genre, and I got a better feel from this book than from any other of what it would have been like to see a game at Ebbets Field. But as usual with the Brooklyn revisionists, the book ignores the fact the Brooklyn Dodgers were a doomed franchise from the time Walter O'Malley was thwarted in his effort to obtain land for a new ballpark.

Few, if any, owners in the major leagues then or now would have remained in a rotting ballpark with no parking in one of the worst neighborhoods in a dying borough. The Dodgers' attendance in 1955, their World Series title year, was just over 1 million, almost a 50 percent drop in only eight years, and if any other franchise had suffered a similar attendance drop, it would have taken wing also. The Dodgers also had to deal with the Milwaukee Braves phenomenon, which is mentioned hardly at all as a factor in the Dodgers' departure, even though it played a very important role.

McGee, and other self-styled Brooklyn historians, also glosses over the fact that Ebbets Field was a very dangerous place in its final years, with many beatings, assaults and robberies - many of them racially motivated, the Jackie Robinson experience notwithstanding - inside and near the ballpark.

Brooklynites of that era claim that the Dodgers leaving killed Brooklyn ... it's my belief that Brooklyn would have killed the Dodgers if they'd stayed at Ebbets Field much longer.

At any rate, this is a well-written book, but I'd like to see someone write a Brooklyn Dodgers/Ebbets Field book that isn't an exercise in Pollyannish literature. If you're sick of hearing about Brooklyn as the fulcrum of society as we know it, don't bother with this book.

THE GREATEST BALLPARK EVER is a paean and a song of love to Ebbets Field, home of the "original America's team," the Brooklyn Dodgers, from 1913 to 1957. Author Bob McGee writes a detailed and crisp history of the team and the place, but far beyond the FACTS surrounding the history of the physical structure of the park, and the men who played there, he manages to capture---amazingly enough, and very well---the SYMBOLOGICAL importance of the Brooklyn Dodgers and their home in the American, and particularly Brooklynite, psyche.

Of particular joy is the fact that McGee refuses to fall for the revisionist dreck presently being touted by the O'Malleys and their supporters, that "The Big Oom" had no choice but to hijack the Dodgers from Brooklyn in 1958. He relegates their arguments quite properly to the floor of the horse stall where they (and Walter) belong.

If McGee's symbologizing of Ebbets Field sounds awfully highfalutin', it isn't. McGee loves the IDEA of Ebbets Field, and in communicating that love, recreates the ballpark in words, an almost impossible task, considering that, like much of his reading audience, he never experienced the reality. That he could succeed at all is a measure of how fine this book is. THE GREATEST BALLPARK EVER comes VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

---Order me dogs and beer. Here comes the Duke of Flatbush to the plate---

Even though I grew up a Senators fan, having lived in Washington, DC., my parents, both of whom are from Brooklyn, instilled in me a love and respect for that grand old city/borough. I was born on October 16, 1956, 8 days after Don Larsen's World Series perfect game, but this book brought me in a time machine, allowing me to sit with Charley Ebbets as he planned to build this park, talked strategy with Uncle Robbie, laughed as the three Dodgers ended up on third, cried as those close chances in the World Series of the 1940s, cheered for Pee Wee, the Duke, Gil, Oisk, Campy and Jackie, booed Walter O'Malley and cried as the wrecking ball wiped out a landmark. Read this book today, immerse yourself in an era that was simpler, more neighborly, more alive. Take those memories and share them with all people, your kids, grandkids and their kids. Keep the memory of Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn Dodgers alive forever.

What differentiated this book from the countless others witten about the Brooklyn Dodgers was the author's attention to small detail. Now being from Brooklyn myself I appreciated this. The references to Steeplechase and the clown with paddles, Jim McElroy bring the Torre brothers to games at Ebbets field, the old Washington Park, Jack Kaiser, etc. For the average baseball fan outside of Brooklyn this is a great way to experience what once was. Even though I was only 6 when the Dodgers left and never saw a game at Ebbets Field the only logo's I display on anything I wear are Brooklyn Dodgers hats or shirts. You can't believe how many compliments I get. McGee in his writing really connects the Dodgers into the everyday life of every Brooklynite. I could only imagine what it must have been like (neither of my parents were sports fans nor did I have brothers or sisters). Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn you never had to worry how much junk food you ate because you would constantly burn it off playing stickball or basketball in the schoolyards. I find it interesting the players lived right in the neighborhoods, todays players live in castles and mansions, how could they ever connect to today's fan. I read this book very slow in order to digest every detail, there are plenty to digest. I highly recoomend this book to anyone baseball fan or not to get a glimpse into what was the "greatest place in the world" to grow up in. I only regret the Dodgers were not there when I could have appreciated them. I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a book signing and if he is ever in your area make it your business to meet him. The only thing better than the book is actually meeting Bob McGee.

The great Florida hurricane of 1935 came as no surprise - in Key West Ernest Hemingway had enough warning to secure his boat and house against the storm - yet superintendents in three nearby government work camps did almost nothing to evacuate the men in their charge. Phil Scott details these days of calamity when the Keys were hit by one of the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S: Hemingway's Hurricane: The Great Florida Keys Storm Of 1935 uses eyewitness accounts to detail these days of calamity and reconstruct the events in each camp as the hurricane made landfall. The probe of the underlying problems involved in evacuation procedures holds plenty of drama and meaning for today's residents.

The hurricane that hit the Florida Keys in 1935 is still listed as the most intense hurricane to make landfall in the US. It is estimated to have had 200 mph winds and although it's eye was not large, the power of this storm surpassed anything imagined.
The victims numbered 423 known dead, 259 of them were veterans of World War I. These men had been "employed" to build a highway connecting the Keys all the way through to Key West. It was a "make work" program seemingly designed to remove the veterans from the spotlight in Washington D.C., like a splinter in the FDR political eye. The veterans had been marching on Washington and camping there demanding pay bonuses that had been promised to them. Many were in desperate situations with the Depression in full form. Sending them far away to the Keys to work and make money must have seemed like the answer to everyone's desires. Tragedy was to unfold.
In September of 1935, as the veterans labored on, the Weather Bureau was tracking a tropical storm that would become the most intense hurricane in US history. Due to a lack of coverage in many areas, the path of the storm had to be projected, leaving room for error. Even so, warnings were put out to the Keys and while locals begin to make preparations, the veterans had no prior experience with hurricanes. They depended on their camp director and other in charge to make the evacuation decisions, which was to include sending a train to remove them from the path of danger. Decisions were either made to late or not made at all and the train would not arrive in time. The train itself, would be washed off the tracks and nearly washed out to sea. 259 veterans would loose their lives.
While there are amazing parallels between this storm of 1935 and Katrina, there are also striking differences. The forecasters urgently warned about Katrina, a more direct and well broadcast warning than in 1935. In both storms people waited to be evacuated by others for a variety of reasons. While the reasons are varied, the reality is that government is not all powerful nor is it capable of dealing with huge scale evacuations. When individuals give up their personal responsibility, the results will be haphazard and even deadly as is proven true in both these hurricanes. When those directly in charge fail to take reasonable steps to protect the very lives they are charged with protecting, the result will be disastrous. In this case the camp director in 1935 and the Mayor of New Orleans seem to have a lot in common.
This is a vivid account of the 1935 hurricane. The stories of the victims and survivors as their island is virtually swept clean, inundated by the storm surge is intense and electrifying. These are stories that have a depth of emotion that was not expected from men who had become inured to hardship and death in WWI. The attempted downplaying of the disaster for political reasons is stunning. While the role of Ernest Hemingway seems nearly minute, he did draw attention to the plight of the veterans.
Phil Scott has written a clear and vivid account of a disaster in the making and the lives that were battered and destroyed. The politics and the human faces of the intrepid veterans combine to form a story well worth the reading.

I found this book to be a wonderful blend; part history lesson, part Political overview and to a large part, tragedy.

Phil Scott concisely provides the necessary background for a complex period in American history, and deftly sets the stage for the main event.

The "Back story" he tells of the forming of the Veterans Bonus Army, the March on Washington DC, and their dispatched to the Florida Keys as much to get them out of the way as to build a Highway across the Keys, is a story in itself. Once we understand the circumstances of their situation, it almost seems inevitable that they will be abandoned in their time of need.

The author does a marvelous job of introducing us to a variety of characters, from many of the imperiled vets, to the seemingly clueless men responsible for their safety, and the locals, like Ernest Hemingway who were forever changed by this tragedy.

While there certainly are parallels with the mistakes made during Hurricane Katrina, I believe this story is compelling, and stands well on its own merit. And while the Gulf Coast in 2005 had advanced knowledge of the terribly destructive force bearing down on it, the hundreds of veterans in their "temporary" housing on the Keys had very little warning of the Category 5 hurricane that would send hundreds of them to their deaths.

I heartily recommend this book to readers with an interest in the History of this period, Hurricane's as a force in nature, or anyone simply looking for a gripping,highly readable and true story of how quickly things can go wrong.

I've never had an interest in visiting the Florida Keys, nor truly understood the plight of post World War I veterans -- even though my grandfather had been one -- but with the publishing of Hemingway's Hurricane by Phil Scott, I found myself caring. I now want to visit the Keys and explore, where this amazing tragedy took place, and to see first-hand just what it meant to span approximately 130 miles of water and islands by both train track and roadway. Scott's book provides both the necessary exposition to pave the way, while building suspense for the pending storm, much like those of us in television land find ourselves checking cable channels for updates on where and when storms will hit in the present day. From the building of a rail line as early as 1912 (the year the Titanic sank), known as Flagler's Folly, all the way to Key West to the semi-permanent Hooverville encampments and Bonus Marches near the White House during the Depression years, which encompasses public dissatisfaction with the federal government
(long before the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam Anti-War activities occupied our nation's attention), this book truly prepares the reader for nature's destructive force. Scott also manages to draw the reader in long before Ernest Hemingway enters the picture, but the Hemingway angle helps make a timely connection between gross
negligence in 1935 and the equally unexpected results of 2005's Hurricane Katrina
and the combined slow response from today's federal, state, and local governments.
I always expect my high school English and journalism students to "extend the text" to seek connections and meaning outside of the printed pages. For this reason, I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about how our government operates. There are lessons to be learned here, even if the events took place 70 years ago. And although the book moves quickly, I find myself stopping to check one or both of the two maps detailing both the Florida Keys and placement of the work camps, plus I find myself delving into the internet to pursue further inquiry. I do this because Scott's narrative and depth of information has given me reason to care and explore further this fascinating true story.

Phil Scott's book, "Hemingway's Hurricane" is a quick and good read about the century's most powerful hurricane....the category 5 storm that smashed into the Florida Keys over Labor Day weekend in 1935. Finished before Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Scott's book takes on a narrative with some unintended consequences and supreme ironies.

Set as a timeline, the author briefs the reader well with his background of the Bonus Army of World War I veterans, their 1932 march on Washington D.C. and the veterans' subsequent detour to the Florida Keys, courtesy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, to give them low-paying jobs. "Hemingway's Hurricane" centers around these hundreds of veterans, their work in the Keys (much of it building roads) and the misfortune they had at being directly in the path of the hurricane. Scott relates all of this in a nicely paced way. Yet two things stand out in his book....there's very little to do with Ernest Hemingway....he makes not much more than a minor appearance at the beginning and at the end, so the title of the book is confusing. The author also provides too many cameo appearances by others who were part of the storm and the recovery. Fewer characters with more time spent with them would have increased my enjoyment of Scott's work.

Yet it is the comparison to Katrina, not mentioned in "Hemingway's Hurricane" that makes for the unintended attraction. The 1935 storm had its own version of FEMA (FERA) and a major player, Fred Ghent, the director of the veteran's camps, who was the Michael Brown of his day. His decision not to get a relief train down in time to evacuate the veterans was one of the worst miscalculations of the storm. It's almost as if we can hear FDR saying, "Ghentie, you're doin' a heckuva job!" Perhaps the oddest and saddest comparison is that Katrina, hitting Louisiana almost seventy years to the day after the Keys hurricane, underscores that government hasn't come all that far in preparedness, rescue and recovery.

"Hemingway's Hurricane" is a good book but not a great one. However, Scott's attention to detail make it worth the read and the story is one that has needed to be told.

This book chronicles one of the most beloved sports figures the Boston area will ever know. Johnny Most is one of the most beloved Celtic legends and the ultimate homer. His love for his children and each individual Celtic player is evident in this easy-flowing, fascinating book.

Johnny narrates most of the book (with editor contributions and special sections authored by Red and Larry) in a well-versed, fun-to-read style which brings us more insight into the man's early days and career. The laugh-out-loud stories were priceless. His inspirational return after health issues and fatherly counseling of Celtic players add insight into the man's legendary character.

I highly recommend this book for to all New England sports fans.

JK

Overall, this is a worthwhile book for Celtics fans to buy. The epilog from Larry Bird alone makes it that.
Overall, Johnny told a lot of good stories and had good detail on his years with Boston. There were a couple of problems I had, however:
Namely, there were a lot of long quotes by players allegedly "told" to Johnny, and it was clear that they almost certainly never said them. I mean, was Johnny's memory that good, where he could recite word-for-word long passages said to him 20 years earlier?
It would have been a better book if he had just paraphrased what he thought they told him, instead of long, ridiculously formalized passages.
I'm a professional sports writer, and I can tell you athletes don't normally talk the way they are quoted in Johnny's book.
But still, there are a lot of good inside stories for C's fans. The back-and-forth ribbing between Bird and Rick Robey was something I didn't know, and there are a lot of good insights from players about Johnny himself. Robert Parish recouting Johnny's penchant for call girls, for instance.
I went to Johnny's basketball camp as a 12-year-old in Nashua, N.H., and he was very nice to all us kids. In fact, he did something nice for me; for some reason, I was getting picked on severely by a couple of older kids, to the point where I was crying and afraid to go anywhere. It was brutal. I mean, just out of the blue, these guys were making my life miserable.
So, I went to Johnny about it. I felt like a wuss in some ways, but they were a lot bigger and older than I was, and I just felt scared. I went to Johnny one night as he was sitting alone in the kitchen watching a rerun of "Hawaii 5-O" on a little black and white TV set.
I explained my problem, and was very concerned and sincere. A few minutes later, Johnny came into the room where all the boys had bunks and addressed it only for a minute. I can't remember the exact words he said, but it was something about how he can't stand an unfair fight, which was something he learned in the military.
And that was it. But it was enough to get the bullies off my ass, and I was grateful to him.
So, here's to you Johnny. Rest in peace, high above courtside.

HE MAKES HIS MEMOIRS COME ALIVE. HE WAS A FANTASTIC PERSONALITY AND THE GREATEST BASKETBALL ANNOUNCER EVER. LOOK WHAT HE HAD TO WORK WITH. THE CELTICS AND ALL THOSE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
I WISH HE WERE STILL ALIVE. THIS BOOK IS GREAT. BUY IT FOR YOUR PERSONAL LIBRARY.

In the early 80's, all my friends had state-of-the-art electronic equipment for their listening pleasure. My friend Ty had a boom-box the size of a suitcase. Scott had the first walkman of our group. Dave had a massive stereo system in his bedroom, much to the dismay of the rest of his neighborhood and, later on in the 80's, Joe's family bought a CD player.

I personally could have cared less about music in those days. My "entertainment system" was a chocolate brown clock radio which the time was illuminated by an orange hue and the minute tiles flipped down every 60 seconds.

I don't even remember if the radio had an FM dial. I am, however, quite certain that WBZ 1030, the flagship station of the Boston Celtics, could be heard.

And the voice of the Celtics, Johnny Most, put me to sleep 82 times a year.

"High Above Courtside: The Lost Memoirs of Johnny Most" is a treasure for anyone else who grew up a basketball fan in New England. Published over 10 years after his death, Most chronologically recounts his early days in broadcasting and ultimately his personal experiences with the 16 NBA championships he called throughout the years.

Since his death in 1993, the Celtic organization, and the scope of the NBA has changed dramatically. Most's writing brings the reader back to the days when basketball was played the right way. He tells inside stories of every Celtic legend. There are lockerroom, hotel and plane ride adventures that only Most would know and find humorous enough to write about. And every one of the stories are terrific.

Johnny Most was clearly a talented man. His writing is spectacular. I laughed out loud many times the way he recounted stories, like the day his pants caught fire from a lit cigarette...while he was on air.

Most was a smart, witty, "homer" whose us-against-the-world attitude had millions of Celtic fans fired up to listen to him. His use of the English language was flawless. And his cantankerous demeanor toward referees and opposing players was priceless. Because of Johnny Most, I still call Isiah Thomas "Little Lord Fauntleroy". When Rick Mahorn flew into the stands during the Pistons/Pacer brawl, New Englanders immediately found the irony in "McNasty" being the peacemaker.

The book is a time capsule. Why it was not published before his death or sometime in the last ten years is beyond me. True, "High Above Courtside: The Lost Memoirs of Johnny Most", is an autobiography, but it's also a biography of the greatest franchise in professional sports history: the Boston Celtics.

It is a perfect Christmas gift for anyone who fell asleep to the scratchy, cigarette damaged, loud, surly, obnoxious yet soothing voice of New England legend Johnny Most.

No one ever cared as much about the Boston Celtics as did Johnny Most, the radio voice of the Celtics for 37 years including their 16 championship seasons. To him, no one in the green and white ever made a mistake. No opposing player failed to be a "bum" who was "mugging" the Celtics. The referees were all suspect . . . especially Jake O'Donnell. His rants anticipated the development of that form of entertainment, and came equipped in four different voices . . . depending on how outraged he was. Humor was always interceding as Johnny was known to get into brawls with fans, light himself on fire while smoking, insult the security guards who tried to get him to stop smoking, and told one revealing personal story after another that would leave us in stitches. But we never laughed at the man . . . but with him . . . because we knew he loved the Celtics.

Like almost everyone who loved the Celtics, I usually listened to his broadcasts on the radio even when watching the games on television (with the sound off). I would turn on the radio to hear the post-game show whenever I left a home game. My eye would often sweep up to see what antics he was up to while attending a game.

Basketball broadcasting hasn't been the same since Johnny left the field. Tommy Heinsohn is the closest we have now, but he's not the total fan (atic) that Johnny was.

The book is remarkable in many ways. It fills in the gaps in Johnny's story -- as a World War II hero, as someone learning to be a broadcaster in New York, as a New York-born Jew suffering from discrimination, as a loving father of four, a good friend to everyone on the Celtics, a hilarious (but challenging) companion during road trips, a patient recovering from a stroke, and a man keeping his dignity during his final illnesses.

Almost every page has an insider's story about one or more of the Celtics or other basketball insiders which I had never heard or read before. The stories are mostly heart-warming and are often quite funny as we find out more about the pranks that were pulled and by whom. Within those stories are subtle observations about why the various Celtics teams prospered or did not. Former owner John Y. Brown (who was widely despised in Boston) would do well to avoid this book.

While most autobiographies build the person up at the expense of others, the comments by many of the Celtics greats at the end seem to suggest that Johnny's comments actually understate his significance to the team, the franchise and to them personally.

One of the most fun parts of the book is where Johnny picks his top 15 opposing players (done before the full development of Michael Jordan because this book was begun many years ago while Johnny's health began to fail).

The only thing missing from this book is a CD of Johnny calling some of the most famous moments in Celtics history. But if you've ever heard his voice, you can hear him as you read his words.

Johnny may be famous for screaming, "Havlicek stole the ball," but in this autobiography "Most stole the scene."

Keep cheering, Johnny, wherever you are!