Recreation Books

Read this book. It draws you in because it tells you something you don't know and never thought about on just about every page. When most of us travel, we go to a specific destination, and we go there on an airplane or on an Interstate. More than anything I've read in years, this book reminds me of how much of America exists on the back roads, and of how little of it I've actually seen in my years of travel throughout the country.

I really like this book the auther really put a lot of insight into her bok and talked about the weather and hardship along the way. its a really good book

A wonderful book by a determined rider and insightful writer. Bill really knows how to engage the people and capture the sites he encounters along the way. He brings them to life with a great combination of words and photos. Best of all, Bill makes you feel like you were along for the ride.

Not only Bill's adventure, but the people, the history, the nostalgia, the landscape, are all captured in Bill's journal. The photos are fabulous! This is one of the best cycling adventures I have read because it is about the adventure, not the ride.

Mr. Roe is one lucky guy! He has convinced his lovely wife to drive his 24-foot camper along on his coast-to-coast bicycle trip. The two seem to enjoy themselves almost every mile - even when the people they run across are less than hospitable, they seem to take it all in stride and enjoy the trip.
The author's ability to relate what he sees and experiences makes it a very comfortable read, and the photographs that accompany the text are fabulous. I really liked this book. As long as you don't expect to get a history lesson here (I spotted a few historical errors), aren't put off by editing goof-ups (seems like the editor fell asleep at the switch the last third of the book), and don't expect to learn technical information for a trans-continental trip of your own, you should like this book too.

Hi my name is Skyler Williams and Allen Iverson is my favorite basketball player. I've liked him ever since the first time I saw him play. He plays like he's been playing all of his life every day, but he didn't start until he was ten years old. I like his cross-over alot, but my favorite move is his comercial move, the answer shoe commercial. I am hoping that he does more commercials. I like his cornrows. Someday I hope to meet him. If I ever met him I would probably faint. I think it is awsome how he is so good and yet he started playing at the age of 10. I like the way he is shorter than everybody and he is still better than everybody. I think that he is the next Michael Jordan. Every move he does, I try to do and it takes me an hour to get it good and he is the one that makes them up. That is awsome. And he is good at making poems and rap songs. He might come out with a record. He is also good at football and won the AAA MVP award in high school. I wish I could meet him. I have collected 50 of his basketball cards so far and I am hoping to collect some more. Allen Iverson is the best.

Skyler Williams

WHATZ UP TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGSTO SAY TO/ABOUT ALLEN IVERSON. I LOVE YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

buy this book.It is the best

I thought the book was very entertaining, mainly because of my love for the man the book was based on. I think he is great basketball player and I have never known a point guard to score like him. Although we live two different lifestyles, I admire you because you shine regardless! I love that about you. My personal advice to Allen Iverson is to keep your head up and continue ballin'. The next Director of Public Relations for a team in the league, Miss La'Keisha

I LOVE IVERSON he is an true role model. He went through alot as a child and teen and still going through pure hell as an adult. He shows me that you should never give up and forget where you come from. If you have an goal and dont understand Iverson and you only know him as an ball player and dont know why he has so many fans you should read this book. It made me think and rewind my thoughts on the game of basketball and look at him as a total different person. Hes a true role model and thats why true fans like me dont look at him and just see cornrows and tattoos we see an awesome gift from god and a pro at the game of life as well

This is a great intstructional manual from the novice to the more experienced. Much better than Freedom of the Hills, which I also own. I also recommend Extreme Alpinism and The Mountaineering Handbook (these are arguably the 3 best books out for the alpinist).

I bought this book because I had been out of alpine climbing for 10 years and I wanted to get back into it. The authors are professional mountain guides but more than that, alpine climbing seems to be an integral part of who they are. I picked up a lot of very helpful information that covers everything from training, to equipment and boot selection, to alpine travel and avalanche knowledge. It is very suited to the Sierra Nevada range, where I do most of my climbing. This is the best book I have found on the subject.

Well, I am completely biased having climbed several times with Kathy. In practice, all her mountain judgment seems so seamless! One minute we're just chatting away and the next we're on an exposed ridgeline for five miles, still calm and collected. It's amazing how much judgment is about the conditions (the mountains and ours), and knowing how to read them correctly. One memorable experience was just killing some time during a complete whiteout, and seeing what was possible with a new GPS gizmo. Anyway, what I've learned from Kathy and this book? How to judge my limits far better than before. It's easy to get overconfident and stop thinking. When I'm alone in the mountains now, I actually pay attention and learn to retreat better. Those mountains will wait for another day -- although the glaciers may not!

The section on Common Problems with Decision Making was alone worthy the purchase!I could identify many issues and suggestions with my own experiences. Very well laid out book and a must read for anyone venturing into the sport of climbing, or those of us who wish to brush up on skills and ponder ways of continuous learning no matter the level of prior experience. One of definite climbing "bibles" written by people who do it for a living and are prepared to share their experiences and knowledge. Five stars IMHO!!! Happy climbing!

I agree with the reviewers above (below) that this book complements "Freedom of the Hills". In particular it focuses more on the decision making process than most books of these types. Although I've never traveled with either of the authors, they seem like lovely people and the stories they tell flesh them out for the reader. They also answered a question I had when I wrote them via email. In all, a solid book that it would do to put on your bookshelf.

It's a nice book, well written and with a nice alternating between anedocts and game recaps with box scores and precise recollection of the Mets most important games over their history. I wish the author had expanded a bit more the final part of the book dedicated to players profiles. But overall it's a nice reading for baseball fans interested in the recent history of the game, not only Mets fans

I loved this book. If you are a baseball fan, half the fun is reliving great moments. Blatt puts you back on the field only the way a seasoned sportswriter can. There is also plenty of stuff from off the field. I love baseball and this book does it for me. Even after reading it, it's a book you can pick up and enjoy all over again. Buy it.

I just finished reading Howard Blatt's book, Amazin' Met Memories. I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane with the Mets. This book had terrific accounts of over 40 of the greatest games in Met history. My whole family have been fans of The NY Mets for many years. Since we don't live in New York anymore we can't attend the games, but this book made me feel that I was sitting on the third base line at Shea. I will keep this book in the company of every Met yearbook I own, since '62. Mr. Blatt, keep the Met books coming!!!

After realizing that Howard Blatt couldn't possibly have spent 40 years in the Mets' lockerroom, I became aware of the fact that his amazin' book only makes it seem so, and that he has astounding knowledge of both the Mets and baseball in general.
This is an enjoyable and fascinating chronicle of 40 sometimes great, often frustrating years.
Perhaps my biggest kick, however, came from Bud Harrelson's wonderful and honest introduction. It alone makes the book a great buy, and brought back for this original Met fan many fond memories of the '69 Miracle Mets.

Might this be the best Mets book -- ever? I'm old enough to recall the Mets first win in 1962, and here's that game again, one of dozens of games -- from the good years and the wishful -- with dozens of box scores (box scores! Why don't baseball books have more box scores like Blatt gives us?) and excellent game stories, with the best quotes, scene-setting and analysis you could want. I just pick this book up, read any game at random and next thing I know I'm reading three games, four, and the writing of each game-story is so crisp, evocative, witty and intelligent that nothing about it tires. It's like sitting next to a great afficianado who's seen it all and makes you feel as if you're seeing it fresh in the thrill of the original nights and afternoons. Like a time machine, you're placed in the game's seasonal situation, the immediate dugout calculations, and the cultural implications for the Blue and Orange. And then there are the chapters on best/worst trades, best players (complete with stats and rain-delay musings) and like the song says, "I don't care if I ever get back." And the topper is that he even includes "bonus" games, plucking the extraordinary from the ordinary (if there is such a thing as ordinary in baseball). Any old book can give you the World Series games but Blatt gives you it all, from the Aprils to the warm summers to the October chill. It works on every level. Not only is this a book for the deepest, most passionate fan but also the perfect volume to introduce and explain to your girlfriend, wife or kids why the Mets matter, why this is not just the Mets history but our own. Just as you can love and appreciate Wrigley without being a Cubs fan, or appreciate Jordan without being his team's fan, you can love this book even if you're not a Mets fan. If you value great baseball writing you'll become a Howard Blatt fan. As do all great authors and their classics, this book transcends its particulars to become something any fan will find fascinating and historically compelling. This book will become as dog-eared as your first scorecard and just as precious.

This book is the only reference one needs for any navigational issue. As a U.S. Naval Officer, I use this book to keep my navigation skills sharp. While it is an "official" publication, it is so useful I decided I needed a copy of my own, and purchased one. When I was instructing midshipmen at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, I routinely used Bowditch as my sourcebook, to ensure I was ready to teach each navigational subject (especially celestial nav). On the occasions where a midshipman asked me a question I could not immediately answer, I invariably found the answer in Bowditch. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

"Ship handling" is something you get a feel for, specific to each vessel. Navigation, on the otherhand, can be learned (and used) by a hermit in the desert. And quite easily with his trusty "Bowditch" by his side. Navigation, as a science, didn't spring up overnight. Like the Aztec calendar, thousands of years of observation went into its development, beginning with the earliest seamen. Today, the New American Practical Navigator reflects those years of patient record. Everyone, from the weekend warrior to the crustiest salt, can find a lesson in its pages. From the latest chapter on Electronic Navigation in 1995's "red book", to the esoteric sights for lunar longitude in the old leather-bound editions of the early 1800's, "Bowditch" gives you no excuse for losing your way.

I am a professional Capt. and I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to become a proficent mariner.

as a first year student in a marine program in Canada I don't know where I would be with out "Bowditch" this is the book for any one who sails on the Great Lakes or Deep Sea. I would advise any person who sails or is pondering sailing buy this book!

I am a career, surface warfare-qualified Navy officer and believe this to be the best reference in the world for nautical navigation and related matters. Superb.

This is the 'source' information from which all useable functional,and common sense hitting instruction comes from.It's still just as relevant in '08 as it was back when the White Sox had those horrible uniforms.(and haircuts)
This book De-bunks a lot of the 'Red Herrings' of Hitting folklore. I am constantly amazed as a player and coach how much out and out, wrong information is out there.
Lau wrote this book right at the advent of the use of video. He was the first person to analyze a swing in all it's entirety. He not only came up with the '10 absolutes' but he points out what is NOT important...(stance,elbows up,staying back...whatever that means?)

No more 'squashing butterflies and squishing bugs'....
He speaks of the importance of:
Rhythm,weight shift
You Hit off of your FRONT foot.
You go back to get forward!
You do not keep your eye on the ball....Your head goes down when you swing.
and all importantly...tough as nails Charlie LAU talking about what most guys don't want to...fear and tension in hitting.

etc,etc,etc.

I was struggling at the plate when I bought this book. I was a power hitting .200 pull hitter. I retired from adult ball,hitting twice that. More importantly I taught everything I learned in this book to my son who has won a few league batting titles,though he still gets the occasional snide remark about how his swing 'looks' (LOL!)

I have taught many sub .150 hitting kids how to hit .400...it always lights up a kids face to find out I don't give a darn where his elbow is (or how many bugs he squashes)

I recently stepped into a cage after not having touched a bat in over a year. I drilled 10 consecutive line drives into the L-screen. I thought of Charlie's ghost smiling down as I imagined 'hitting the pitcher in the forehead' and driving it 'back through the box'

Charlie lives forever!!

I know this book isn't cheap because it's so hard to find (they need to reprint it!!)

BUT... It'll be worth every penny !!

-solpig

I read the first edition of this book when I was 14 years old. I followed all the advice to the letter. Subsequently, I led my baseball league in hitting with a .625 batting average. What a ringing endorsement, huh.

I was a scrawny little kid to whom baseball was everything. To my parent's dismay, I judged myself by how I played baseball. But I was scared of the baseball and lost as to how to go about hitting it. My coaches gave me harmful, misguided instructions like, "make sure it's a stike, then swing at it" and "snap those wrists". I was a wreck. Then one winter my Dad (like me, a George Brett/Wade Boggs fan) bought me this book. My Dad had never been able to hit either, but he and I dissected it over the course of a summer.

It was a lot of work, more work than any 12-year-old could could have undertaken without the guidance of an equally determined adult. But my Dad and I realized that hitting was a process, a method that could be learned. Lau taught that everything I had been told -with horrible results- was in fact wrong. You don't judge whether a pitch is a strike and then swing; you start your swing and let your reflexes hold you back. You don't swing hard with your arms; you swing easy and get your power from your whole body.

All spring we worked on it, practicing in the garage, spending literally hundreds of dollars at batting cages working on mechanics. That very next season, I was hitting the ball better, and I only improved from there. By the end of that season, I was a certified leadoff terror. My team won its league title thanks to a game-winning single by yours truly. I even hit a few home runs (by not trying to, as Lau teaches). I was deliriously happy.

Even since then I've been a good hitter. Not a power hitter (I'm much too small), but a solid doubles guy with surprising pop. What I learned from this book kept me in organized baseball through Babe Ruth and high school (simultaneously), college, and semi-professional leagues. I am a hideously slow runner who soon after puberty had to give up dreams of playing professionally, but to this day I can step in front of a pitcher or pitching machine -cold- and drive the ball. This book taught me how. If you really want to hit a baseball, buy it, read it, internalize it, and put your faith in it. It will serve you well.

I recommend this book for anyone wants to learn (or teach) advanced hitting techniques. Pictures and descriptions clearly explain common hitting problems and show correct swing mechanics. My 15-year old struggled through his first slump before we applied Lau's hitting fundamentals. He added fifty points to his batting average over the next month and hit 0.638 in a national tournament. I believe this book had a lot to do with his improvement.

If you want to learn to hit the right way, this might be the best investment you will ever make. Like another reviewer wrote, though, you must be willing to do the work to learn the lessons the book teaches. Also, if you just want to be a home run hitter, this book is not for you; a home run is only a pleasant mistake in the Charlie Lau/George Brett school, which teaches solid line-drive hitting. After studying this book, I became a Top 10 hitter in a highly-competitive Texas league. The Art of Hitting .300 is a baseball treasure.

Many players played for the Pied Piper(Holcombe Rucker).No one was has great as him though.He was a great man and founder of the Rucker Tournament.Most people who ended up playing in the Rucker Tournamet was better then most players in the NBA.They first started playing just in Harlem,New York then went to playing more teams in New York then more and more teams.They played as far as Mississippi.

this book talks about problems the players and coaches had with racism.Most players got started in the Rucker Park Tournament.After the park tournament they went on to college ball even some went to the NBA!
Asphalt Gods by Vincet M. Mallozziwas a great book about players before professional ball games.This book is a excellent book to pick up and read.

An excellent book. Well worth the read. Great read on the history of the fabled blacktop and the man who dedicated himself to making a difference in people lives. Great read on some of the characters to grace the early days of the tournament. you won't be dissapointed getting this book

Asphalt Gods is the best book on the planet.If you love basketball you should read this book.It is a true story which took place at Rucker Park.Rucker Park is named after the brother named Holcombe Rucker.Who was born in Harlem on March 2,1926.He was raised by his grandmother.It is interesting because Mr.Rucker brought some of the best players ever to play there.

I've read Heaven is a Playground, City Game, and seen On Hallowed Ground, for anyone that is a "real" basketball fan this is by far the "BEST" story of the best streetball.

Great subject, great storytelling. By the way, I played with Rucker legend Billy Rieser (aka White Jesus) and he was hands down the most incredible basketball talent and the most compelling personality I have ever been around. His story is worthy of a volume in itself.

This new "Backcountry Skiing" guidebook is destined to become a classic in The Mountaineers Books collection ... one that will be considered an indispensible reference in the libraries of mountaineers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. Authors Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler have each guided ski tours in the Alps throughout Europe, where Ski Mountaineering has been popular for quite some time ... and have introduced their clients to the famous summits of the Alps, as well as the local peaks of the Cascade Range. We have a large number of Alpine Climbers in the Pacific Northwest, many of whom may find that their "next step" is Ski Mountaineering ... thanks to the information in this new and comprehensive guidebook. The large number of excellent pictures makes the text all-the-more understandable. Those Reviewers preceding me have already given a good account of some of the specifics that they've found valuable ... so I won't elaborate here, except to say that the information on avalanche safety is invaluable for ANY one who ventures into the backcountry. We have lost nine lives to avalanches in Washington State already in this season! The authors of this guidebook are Instructors of the AIARE courses, and are passionate about personal safety above all else. I've already sent copies of this "new classic" to some of my best friends! Armed with the knowledge from this book, the readers can venture into the backcountry with newfound confidence and enjoyment of a sport that is bound for increasing popularity worldwide.

This is a great book. It allows beginners to develop a good base of knowledge and provides a great reference for those with years of experience. It is exactly what we have come to expect from the Mountaineers.

The collaborative effort of Martine Volken (IFMGA certified Swiss Mountain Guide, founder and owner of Pro Guiding Services and Pro Ski Service of North Bend, Washington); Scott Schell, and certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides Scott Shell and Margaret Wheeler, "Backcountry Skiing: Skills For Ski Touring And Ski Mountaineering" is an informed and informative instructional guide and manual for skiing safely in winter mountain terrains and trails. Aspiring skiers are provided with intermediate to advanced level techniques for ski touring and mountaineering; skills for mastering uphill travel; primers on mountain weather and avalanche safety; practical advice on selecting gear, troubleshooting, and adapting to varying conditions; vital information on constructing emergency shelters and sleds; as well as a wealth of useful tips for wilderness trip planning and navigation. Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommended for anyone contemplating skiing mountain terrain in winter conditions anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

A welcome entrant, Martin Volken has written the best how to book for modern steep skiing and ski touring. He logically progresses through the process of a ski tour giving advice and insight for every level of skier. Well worth the acquisition.

This is a great book. Not too basic and not too advanced for someone wanting to get into the best way to ski-the earn your turns way.

I used to teach alpine touring and ski mountaineering in the army and this would have been a great book to have around as the textbook. We taught all of this and then went in depth on the important items like avalanche safety (avoidance) and rescue. This book gives a beginning or intermediate ski mountaineer a taste and encourages AIARE level one certification (I recommend level two personally...)

I still have my copy of the past standard, Peter Cliff's out of print classic "Ski Mountaineering" (no, I won't be selling it on EBay) and this is an improvement on it.

It is great for learning and a great review for those that think they remember everything. I got some good tips on gear that, damn, I SHOULD have known!!!

This is the first time I've used BA's Prospect book, and I'm quite happy with it. I've used Baseball Prospectus' Annual often, and suspect that, if used in conjunction, I should get a leg up on other "general managers" in my fantasy league. BP looks at prospects from a sabermetric view, and is not 100% accurate. BA looks at prospects from a scout's perspective, which, of course, is not always 100% accurate either.

If you are a baseball junkie, this book is a must have. It lists the top 30 prospects for each team and provides a nice overview of each organization's recent draft history. For fantasy baseball players, this is a great way to get ahead of the competition. Last year, I knew about guys like Lincecum, Braun, Tulowitzski, Gallardo, etc, before they were called up. This year, when the Orioles traded Miguel Tejada to the Astros and Erik Bedard to the Mariners, it was great seeing the in-depth scouting reports on all the young prospects coming over. Highly recommended.

Baseball America covers prospects like nobody else. And the annual prospect guide is a can't miss title, especially for those of us who live in minor league towns and visit the Arizona Fall League every year.

The book features detailed writeups on the top 30 prospects from every organization, in addition to great depth chart features. My favorite is the "Future Starting Lineups" feature for every team; it's an easy way to identify the likely major leaguers of the future.

This is the quintessential resource for Prospects in Major League Baseball. This year's edition is no exception. I liked the fact that Baseball America included the top ten prospect from each minor league

The Baseball America Prospect book is the very best prospect book written.
Its a real shame that Baseball America does not write a Major League book like it.
The book goes into detail of the ball player. It is a book I use all summer long. At the trading dead line in MLB I often refer to it.

A great collection of information, but I'm struggling to keep up on all these publications and which one is the best. Too many baseball books giving you the same thing for about the same price. And this one doesn't really stand-out.

As a veteran fantasy leaguer and two-time defending league champion, I have been looking to broaden my horizons when it comes to projecting player stats. This was my first year buying Shandler's book, and I am amazed at the wealth of valuable information he includes.

In his projections, Shandler includes a host of statistical measures that you won't find anywhere else, and they have led me to a lot of insights I wouldn't have had without the book. The highlight for me was the PQS pitching log, which turns a subjective look at starting pitcher performance into a valuable quantitative tool. I also enjoyed the essays that he and his staff put together, looking into the minutia of baseball performance.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain an edge in fantasy baseball or to anyone with an unsatisfied curiosity about predicting baseball players' stats.

I started participating in fantasy baseball last year. It was a great time, but I became inundated with magazines and endless articles on what to do. It was too overwhelming that in retro I choked when it came to picks from rounds 5-10.
This book puts the mind at ease and also is a great read if you're getting into baseball and wanna understand the natural progression of talent and skill. Yes, it does come with an oh-so-handy spreadsheet and chart, but it does give you the tools needed to make educated choices and sleeper choices that are above "sleeper" quality.
Definitely a great tool to use and parlay come draft day. If anything you'll appreciate the number 26!

I just got the 2005 Baseball Forecaster. The tech analysis is great and it broken down very well.

It wiil be a great addition to your fantasty baseball draft overall.

Have subscribed to Shandler's Forecaster since 1997. Believe me, I've been through all the other mags and publications, both by noted fantasy gurus such as Bill James, John Benson, etc in addition to Spoting News, Fantasy Sports and so on. I still read and buy the others, as I consider them interesting and enjoyable reads. Yet, when I want the crucial info that will lead me to league titles, I refer to Baseball HQ. The Forecaster has guided my preseason and in season ship for 6 yrs now. The best, no questions asked. Projections based on empirical data, trends and base skill indicators. I could go on and on..... Play Ball!!!!!!!