Outdoors Books

The illustrations are excellent and the coverage broad. Plant families and habitats are emphasized. Special subjects, such as traditional and medicinal uses, fruit crops, the fig-wasp relation, and deforestation are discussed. On almost every page there is a photograph or bit of text to catch the eye. For the traveler with a botanical interest who wishes an introduction, this book is outstanding.

I saw this book all over Costa Rica but bought it when I got home (slightly cheaper). It's the best one out there for accurate photos and descriptions!

Agree with all of the other reviews, but have one criticism due to the fact that I am a foreign land owner here. The book does not provide any information on growing the plant. I realise that it is not a gardener's guide but as one doesn't exist that is dedicated to Costa Rica's incredible plant life, several of us who live here have turned to this book for reference and have been disappointed.

Otherwise it is a well laid out and comprehensive guide, full of interesting information and beautiful photos. Mentioning the local "Tico" name is extremely useful, on first arriving here I had difficulty identifying tress in my huge tropical tree encyclopedia knowing only the local name, now with the assistance of this book I can easily cross reference between different books.

This is the book I've been waiting for! Well-researched and well-written, intelligently organized and beautifully photographed, it stands apart from the dozens of other resources on Costa Rica for its depth and thoroughness. Zuchowski's book features the most common plants encountered in Costa Rica, and if you have even the slightest interest in tropical plants and ecology, you'll be happy to have it along. What makes it particularly useful is how the plants are categorized (gardens,
tropical fruits and foods, major habitats, etc.), which makes it
applicable beyond Costa Rica's borders--to much of Central America and in many of the Caribbean Islands. The text is a pleasure to read and the photographs are terrific, nicely highlighting key features for identification and aesthetically portrayed! Hopefully a Spanish version will appear soon.

I have just picked up a copy of this new guide at La Selva last month and already consider it a worthy addition to the small library I carry in Costa Rica. I would even go so far as to recommend it as the most useful single volume work on Costa Rican plants.

The guide is aimed at the amateur rather than the professional botanist: photographs are the prime means of identification, plants are presented out of family order (more below) and there are no keys. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to identify a good many of the country's commoner plants using this guide.

The order of the plants is:

1. colourful-flowering trees
2. non-colourful-flowering trees
3. roadside and garden exotics
4. crop plants
5. living fences (so characteristic of Costa Rica)
6. special habitats, e.g. dry forests, cloud forests, beaches & mangroves
7. quintessentially tropical groups, e.g. bromeliads, palms & orchids
8. grasses

There is emphasis on those plants that are likely to be most conspicuous to the visitor. This often means a bias towards exotic species rather than natives. However, this does mean that the book is useful outside Costa Rica and I will be referring to it throughout the American tropics.

Once a plant is identified a comments section provides a host of useful information.

Well worth the price! I will definitely be taking it back with me on my next trip.

I was already a huge fan of Rebecca Lobo before reading this book. 'The Home Team' gives you a look into the lives of Rebecca and Ruthann Lobo. It's such a real look at how their lives truly are and how much they love each other. After reading this book I was blown away by the courage both of these amazing women have shown in thier lives.

I had the opportunity to meet the Lobos at a seminar, and they are as congenial in person as they appear in this fantastic book. Each personal chapter of this narrative made me feel like I was almost a part of the Lobo family. I liked reading about how Rebecca and her brother and sister grew up, what it was like to be part of a team as tight as the Huskies, and how the family dealt with RuthAnn's cancer. I have read this book over and over, and my mother and grandmother both love it as well. It is definitely worth sharing!

Very well written and inspiring. Surviving with strength and heart to carry her family, Mrs. Lobo is amazing! Rebecca's tales of life and the heart ache of her moms struggle with breast cancer. They stuck together and beat it out! WAY TO GO MRS. & MS. LOBO!!!

I really love this book! I did not want to put it down. A couple of reasons I love the book is because now I know she was a normal child once and she did'nt always play basketball. I also liked it because her mom talked about her life. Now I know they had problems just like any other family does.

This book is a must read for all WNBA fans. Rebecca Lobo's life is revealed in many aspects, that of her point of view and her mother. It talks about many issues such as Ruthanne's struggle with breast cancer and how the family dealt with it. As a 15 year old girl, reading is not one of my favorite pastimes. When I heard of a book about my idol Rebecca Lobo, I decided maybe I should give reading a try. I finished the story in a total of two days and found myself waking up in the middle of the night wanting to know what was going to happen next. It is an extremely moving book in which I fould that it was very easy to relate to. As a basketball player, some of Rebecca Lobo's theories such as playing basketball to relive stress and cope with problems I use also. It gave a new perspective to why I am two different people a hustler and leader on the court and a shy and proscinator off of it. Athlete or not, this book will get you moving. It will leave the message in your heard that anything is possible and it will help you to get out and reach that goal that you have been striving for.

In this book you will learn about bruce lee and JKD straight from the people who knew him best. It is very interesting to see how he positively affected so many lives. His art is explained by those who learned at the "masters" feet! Each one of them exemplifies a certain aspect and concept of JKD and it is through them that JKD continues to prosper.

The interview with Chris Kent alone is worth the price of the book. I've only just bought the book, and have just read that chapter today, and I will most likely finish the rest of it by the end of tomorrow. I highly recommend this book, specifically the Chris Kent interview, to anyone who wants to improve their understanding of Jeet Kune Do.

One of the best books on JKD ever written. It is brilliant to just let the JKD experts talk. They contradict each other a bit, and their views overlap a lot. It is fascinating to me as a JKD guy to see all the differing views out there on JKD. The photos in the book highlight the techniques well. This is a really great book, it is FULL of great insights into JKD.

I've read maybe a dozen books on JKD and at least twice that many on Bruce himself, but this is the most informative book on JKD I've ever read. I've heard all the quotes hundreds of times, "Using no way as a way; having no limitation as limitation", but for the first time I really feel like I understand what Bruce meant. JKD is hard to describe, and even now (I don't remotely think myself an expert), I'd still have trouble trying to explain it, but after reading this book containing interviews with Bruce's friends, students and people carrying on the JKD legacy, it's all starting to make sense. What I thought I knew was a bit off, and as corny as it sometimes sounds, I can finally grasp what is meant by JKD being a way of life. Always being open to new things, never limiting yourself to any specific idea. A person eating Corn Pops all his life may never know the joys of Apple Jacks..and that's just sad. But seriously, if you have any questions about JKD, this book is a great start to understanding.

This is a most excellent work rendered by a really competent craftsman when it comes to the written word. The book is enlightening, interesting, and insightful. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it hard to put down. The subjects have some diverse, and fascinating perspectives upon their take on Bruce Lee's martial art of Jeet Kune Do. It is that very diversity that enriches us, the readers of this worthy tome. Get it. Read it.

Johnny W.

THE CHINA HAND GUNG-FU CLUB

"Gung-Fu is Gung-Fu. It's not child's play."

-Bruce Lee as Kato

Jim and Dave combine for a great book that is both entertaining and informative. Jim's commentary is hilarious and Dave is so gifted! This is a must for all NFL fans! It also makes an excellent gift for a Super Bowl Party host.

Brown and McMahon team up to deliver one heck of an entertaining read!

McMahon is as sarcastic and entertaining as ever! He still has that macho football player swagger that makes his insight and commentary hilarious. This book is a must read for any "real" football fan.

Bought this book for my husband as a birthday present and I haven't been able to get him to put it down. He now laughs and talks to himself as he's reading. I'll definitely have to read it next. He says he's never read anything as good about inside football before!!

I liked it so much I married one of the authors, guess which one? The entertaining, wild, and fun side of football. Ladies, this is a great gift for the football fan in your life.

This is a very good and entertaining book. Its one of those books that is hard to put down.

Going Ballistic allows John Nosler to share some of his life experiences with anyone who is fortunate to read. John takes the reader from Indian territory to Washington DC. From mountain goats to Peterbuilts. Re-visiting memories of many years past with extraordinary detail. John not only speaks of an incredible bullet design, he tells the journey of a man and how passion, desire, and enjoying life can lead to success in many ways.

i really enjoyed reading, about the life of john nosler. his hunting experences could have gone on for several hundred more pages. and the story of the nosler bullet companys growth into todays fantastic supplier of reloading and hunting products, was well done.

The authors effectively combine John Nosler's fascinating life with great anecdotes from Nosler and how he tackled his goals in hunting-related ammo, not to mention his go-ahead nature in other business endeavors. Anyone who is interested in can-do outlooks ought to read this.

The truly wonderful thing about Gary Lewis' account of John Nosler's life is that it tells the true story of one man's realization of The American Dream: how an ordinary hunter from the American west developed perhaps the most effective innovation in bullet design history - and then built the company to manufacture it! The fascinating story of John Nosler's life from scrambling through the Depression to internationally successful businessman is eloquently told by Gary Lewis in a direct and to-the-point writing style that perfectly suits the subject. This book is a marvelously written account of individual creativity, perseverance and success.

This book has beautiful pictures and really interesting insights on what the best trails are. We loved the ones we chose based on the guide. It worked perfectly for us during our two-day trip to Joshua Tree National Park.

I loved this book. Superbly written and full of interesting facts and history. I have been to Joshua about 4-5 times and absolutely love it, and now armed with this book I am looking forward to going back. Great pictures, narrative and real life experiences make this book a must have!

The book provides great ideas for trips within the park for any user. I spent 5 days climbing in JTree but enjoyed finding out from the book what the Joshua tree actually is and going on a hike to see some petroglyphs. The photographs are very vivid and the campground maps are very useful (although an overall map with the campground locations would be useful too).

An excellent book with great photographs. It is organized very well. The author's love of the park comes through and is very inspiring.

This book is it. As an avid hiker, camper, and all around outdoorsman, I've used a lot of different guides, but this one takes it. Between the photos, the extra chapters on local history, ecology etc., not to mention one of the easiest to use trail guides I've seen, I'm set on Destination Press as my guide of choice. Mr. Kaiser has made my outdoor adventures that much more enjoyable.

Reading this book was just such a delight for me! When I think of my daughter, my memories recall the many joys of raising her to young womanhood. Closing the covers on the colorful and heartwarming adventures of this mother and daughter pair, I am indeed envious. Nothing would give me greater joy than to share such interesting experiences with my own daughter and create these "memories in the making" to further our long list of good times together. Melissa Balmain is a gifted writer, sharing not only the rigors of the adventure du jour, but also the emotional richness of her relationship with her Mom. I would love nothing better than to read a book written by her mother -- from the older woman's perspective. No, actually I'd much prefer to gather the wherewithal to write such a book myself! I'm all fired up to call my 'little girl' and say: "Meet me at the LLBean outlet in an hour!" As vacation season approaches, don't miss this book. It's a great read!

Melissa Balmain makes you laugh and makes you think with her wonderful book about getting to know her mom again. For those of us who can't imagine traveling with our mothers now that we're grown up, this book can be a very healing influence. After reading it, I decided to call my mother just to get to know her better-- and although we haven't gone traveling together, we had a very deep discussion. And I think traveling together may be in the future!

I read this book on the couch with the dog semi-reclining on my lap. Everytime I laughed, I disturbed her rest. Poor dog didn't get much sleep. Amidst the perpetual good humor and rich description, Melissa Balmain reveals the nuances of a complex relationship with great love and care. A copy of Just Us is on the way to my mom, whom I have long promised an eating tour of the chocolate shops of Brussels. Maybe we, too, can tempt fate and get in a kayak someday. This is a lovely first book, and I look forward to more from this author.

"Just Us" is a delight. The author and her mother take a series of "women only" adventures in various parts of the United States. The covert purpose of these trips is to elevate the mother/daughter relationship to a new level. Melissa Balmain writes well and obviously relishes in the art of storytelling. Her insightful observations and perspective are rich with hunor; her self-deprecating style empathetically involves the reader in her adventures, successes and frustrations. I've never thought of fly fishing or lama trekking before, and certainly not with a relative-- let alone a relative equipped with a complicated relationship to me. Yet, from the preferred safety and comfort of my armchair, I was willingly transported to these places with Balmain as a spirited guide. The book makes a great gift... and it's hopeful to know that someone, somewhere can successfully survive, not one, but several vacations with her mother.

I laughed, I cried, I related. Balmain captures the quirky, sticky, prickly, loving bond between adult daughter and mother with the right combination of clear-eyed honesty and sentiment. Anyone who's interested in mother-daughter relationships, or who's just interested in a good read, should pick up this book.

Whether a child, parent, or first time coach with no prior knowledge, this book is the perfect introduction to children's soccer. Add your league specifics and develop technically as you go. A first, must read.

This book provides a brief introduction to soccer, at the right level of detail for those new to the game. My 11-year-old son found the summary of the rules and strategies quite helpful. As a new coach, I was glad to have a compact volume that included most of what I needed to know. There are other books that provide more detail on the game and more exercises and drills for soccer players -- but this is the ideal "first book" for someone just learning about the game. I recommend it highly.

I am the first time coach of a second grade boys soccer team. This book was very easy to understand for the kids as well as myself. For kids that are relatively new to the game it explains positions, the different kinds of kicks and the all around basics of soccer without getting too technical. It has been a great aid for our team.

As a long time recreation coach and soccer parent, Brooks Clark offer the side of the game perfect for all coaches just starting out, or for any parents who know little about the game their children are playing. Concise and fun, a great read for the basic rules and strategies of soccer.

I read this book and now I feel all the more confident while training my son and his friends. I can explain them about the basics and the game and how to plan their game. Tecnicalities of the game are exaplined well in this book. Go ahead and buy this book to learn the basics of this game.

I was in the mood to find a good Latin recipe book and found this one.I thought I would buy it based on the feedback of other chefs etc on the back of the cover. They were right. This guy is good and he has versatily and innovative recipes. Nice pictures good instructions and not too complicated. You can find most of the ingredients easily from local store or a latin/mex market/ store. There not just ones you know about but ones I never heard of. Yje Huevo Aji I rated 9/10 and is great with eggs and more. The Tamarind serrano majo I rated 9.5/10 and was great. There are so many more I want to try. Take a look at this book if you want to try some new latin flavors!

I gave this cookbook a workout this weekend. I tried two appetizers -- cheese dip and grilled pork. This started the meal off right, as my guests cleaned-up every bit.

We moved on to the honey-mustard, fried-plantain crusted lamb, which is an incredible taste combination. (I complemented this with a corn recipe from another cookbook.)

The meal ended with the best chocolate dessert EVER: Chocolate Pound Cake. At one point, one of my friends exclaimed, "I'm not eating another bite because I just reached heaven." My husband and I have been fighting over the remains.

THUMBS UP for Mr. Rodriquez!

P.S. I have a leg of lamb from this book marinating in the frig now. It smells incredible.

The recipes are well-written, easy to follow and photographed beautifully. I love the comments the author provides at the begining of each recipe.

The Buena Vista Cocktails, Mole-rub Turkey Tenderloin and Chocolate Pound Cake are all excellent. This book is well-designed and beautifully presented. I have also made extensive use of Rodriguez's ceviche book. Can't go wrong with either of these. The more exotic ingredients are worth the search. Happy eating.

New York chef Douglas Rodriguez, known for his bold flavors and flashy, sophisticated approach to Latin cuisine, turns his attention to grilling in this beautifully illustrated, oversize book, full-page photos accompanying many recipes, from the Bacardi Cocktail to the Passion Fruit Trifle.

The backyard hamburger gets a makeover with ground pork and chile, cumin and coriander; boneless beef short ribs are served with an opal basil chimichurri; mango barbecue sauce perks up frogs' legs or grilled pork.

Most of the recipes call for some preparation time in the form of sauces, marinades or relishes. Mussels in Banana Leaves, for instance, requires a saffron reduction to be added to a softened butter, the banana leaves to be cut in a rectangle, dotted with saffron butter and thyme before being folded around the mussels, the packages then wrapped in foil and grilled. Follow this with Grilled Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Mojo or a classical Paella and you may be too tired to eat.

Simpler recipes abound though - Cornish Game Hen with Honey Mustard Garlic Cilantro Glaze is marinated in the glaze a day ahead; Ham Steak with Grilled Pineapple Tomatillo Salsa, Shrimp with Avocado Horseradish Salsa, Salmon with Dill Chimichurri.

Among the sides are a Spicy Radish Slaw, Yucca Hash Browns, Grilled Hearts of Palm and Cherry Tomato Salad. Breads include arepas, flatbreads and cornmeal biscuits and desserts, while not grilled, go well with the spicy fare: Cool Spiced Flan, Espresso Cream. Rodriguez also includes grill basics - adobos, glazes and vinaigrettes.

A book for the cook who wants to dazzle.

This book is a play by play of the 1994 F1 season which included the tragedy of Ayrton Senna's death at Imola. The narrator is Steve Matchett from the prospective of his then position of race mechanic at Benetton. The chapters are month by month of the entire year and give great insight into the grueling season of a Formula One team with all the ups and downs along the way. Very educational and entertaining!

Steve Matchett, commentator on Speed Channel's F1 coverage, had another life as an F1 mechanic on the Benneton team which won the driver's championship (Schuey's first) and lost the constructor's championship by one point in 1994. This remarkably readable book was a page-turner for me; I read almost straight through it. Steve gives us his uncensored journal of the events of the 1994 F1 season, which included Senna's tragic death (and Ratzenberger's), the Hockenheim pit fire and Michael Schumacher's first world championship (he wrote a short foreward). The book is well-written and extremely informative if you have an interest in the highest technology motor sports on the planet. I really enjoyed it and am now reading both of his other books. A must-read for F1 nuts!

Most new F1 fans Stateside only know Steve Matchett as one of the color commentators on the Speed F1 broadcasts. Steve Matchett was a longtime mechanic for the Benetton F1 team during the 1990s. In this book, Matchett gives a race by race, blow by blow account of Benneton's 1994 Formula 1 season. For those of you who are familiar with F1 history, you know that 1994 was one of the most turbulent years in racing history.

All in all, an excellent read.

If you're a fan of Michael Schumacher this book is for you, if you're a fan of Jos Verstappen this iz your book. This is a very very good book, reading through it you'd feel like you're actually working for that Benetton team as a jackman. It gives you the deatils of tragic and triumphant year of the 1994 season and plus theres a lot of stunning photos from 1994, its very rare to find such photos, its very historic, I am telling you buy this, its a must for every F1, M Schumacher, J Verstappen and Benetton fan.

You may only see them for a total of 24 seconds during race day -I'm talking about the people Michael Schumacher usually thanks in the winner's press conference which is rightfully so as they do most of the hard work.

This book is a Benetton mechanic's view of the 1994 Formula One season. The content of this book do not delve on racing analysis but on the suitcase life of a mechanic, the middle of night repairs to get a car ready plus many, many more. Contains many interesting anecdotes that are unseen in news reports like when a driver requests the brake pedal to be moved a little bit closer to him, and the mechanic moves it back a fraction. Driver says, 'Er no, too far back just a bit' then the mechanic moves it back to its original position and driver says, 'Yes, that's perfect, just there!' Author also describes his immense gratitude to the McLaren team mechanics who helped him out during the pit lane fire in the German Prix.

There's also something on the fuel rig tampering charge the author defends Benetton's position in this issue. I find the author's take on cheating quite convincing - that no one in Formula One intentionally cheats for fear of being disqualified from the competition altogether.

However, I would have wanted Matchett's opinion on the Damon Hill-M. Schumacher Adelaide collision which effectively decided the 1994 Driver's Championship as he merely glossed it over.

Interesting read nonetheless and a must for every Formula One Fan.