Outdoors Books

I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.

I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.

I was lucky to find it in an antique store, but what a load of infomation it has provided me. It has given me more training advice and tips that I can use on western horses through to hunters. Starting from the foal to yearlings to finishing, he is practicle informative of training a well manered and obidient horse and is not bias in the breed of horses he uses. I found this a great book for any one who wants to lern more on riding and horsemanship. John Richard Young is a great horseman and knows and respects his horses.

I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

Okay, now if you don't know much about Pittsburgh, but if you like football, this book will enlighten you. Whether you are a remaining native Burger or were born here and left, keeping your allegiance to the city(such as I), this book will open all your senses and you will recall the glory of walking duntown in a seemingly not too distant past where the Stillers were the lifeblood of the city. These were the days when the "legendary" performers were writing their part of history. If you want to read about mostly plays and scores, this may not be for you. If you have ties with either or both the city and the team, this may be the best thing out there. Do not miss it.

I must preface this review by saying that I am not a Steelers fan or even a football fan. Never the less I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was given to me by a Pittsburgh based friend who thought I would appreciate the writing and ( as a Cubs fan ) the 'lovable losers' quality of the early Steelers. My friend was right.
This is indeed a terrific underdog story. With a founder/owner straight out of Damon Runyon and a record of only eight winning seasons between 1933 and 1971 this team was the doormat of the NFL. Then with Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception in 1972 everything turned around. The Steelers became the dominant pro football team for the rest of the '70s with eight future Hall of Famers and nine visits to the playoffs.
The writers assembled to tell this compelling story are first rate. This book is required reading for Steelers fans, but I would recommend this book to all football fans or fans of good writing.

I was thirteen years old on December 23, 1972 when, on a small black-and-white television in our half-finished basement, my buddy and I watched Jack Tatum viciously pop Frenchy Fuqua on a play that should have ended the game and season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. What happened moments later and still burns in memory is just one of the many stories wonderfully captured in THE STEELERS READER, a must-read for any thinking sports fan with or without connections to the city and people of Pittsburgh. Although this collection covers the 70-year history of the team, for me it's the great Steelers teams of the 1970s which are most vividly brought to life from a series of cultural, historical -- even geographical -- perspectives. This collection includes some great sports writing from Frank Deford, Roy Blount, Jr., and others, but best of all there are the characters and the folklore: the Terrible Towel, Three Rivers Stadium, Gerela's Gorilla's, Terry Bradshaw, Art Rooney, Mean Joe Greene, Ernie "Fats" Holmes, Chuck Knoll, Rocky Bleir, and Franco's Italian Army. If only my local sports section were this well written and fun to read!

In retrospect, it's not just the BEST book, but probably the ONLY book that deals effectively with this subject in one comprehensive volume.

This book really is in a class of its own when it comes to self-defence. Yes, it's a large book but it's packed FULL of information that you'll ever need to protect yourself (or your family) with. Simply laid out in an easy to read fashion. Peter C. is in a league of his own when it comes to this subject, his lifetime of study and experience are all summarised in this book.

You don't have to be a martial artist or learn any fancy moves here - just easy to apply common sense practices to keep you safe, any time, anywhere.

Don't be put off by the price either, it's worth every penny. That's why it's becoming rare, everyone wants a copy!!

If you're a martial arts instructor or self-defence expert, this is probably the last book you'll ever need to buy on the subject. If you're 'just' a member of the public, it may just save you're life!

Peter Consterdine expertly details the correct attitude that should be developed and strategies that should be followed if you wish to reduce the dangers facing you in todays high risk society. In Chapters 1 & 2 he covers The Basic Principles of Personal Security and takes us through Awareness Training the cornerstone of good personal security. He covers personal security in all types of enviroment and then goes on to deal with fear, the law and what does and does not work in any physical encounter. Here he comes into his own helping the reader to understand how they will feel under the extremely stressful conditions of a physical encounter and how to override this and develop aggression together with the use of pre-emptive strikes which will help win the day. I highly recommend this book, buy it, it may one day save your life.

A no-nonsense book about personal safety, the author addresses principles of personal security, the threat pyramid, security on the street, fear and adrenal responses, personal threat analysis, legal aspects of self defense, ranges, tools, handling multiple attackers, situational awareness, psychology of conflict, conflict resolution, and a whole lot more. Home, mobile and office security are covered as well. It is holistic, well written, and imminently practical.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction; co-author of The Way of Kata and The Way to Black Belt

This book is terrific! It details the best ways to protect yourself from harm. It emphasizes awareness and preemptive strikes, if necessary. It covers home, work, car, and mobile security issues. I plan on reading other books by this author.

Dr. Horrigan and "Doc" Kreis have done a great job with this book. It contains an abundance of information that anyone interested in enhancing sport performance will benefit from reviewing and reading. This text has enough "meat" in it that the strength training professional will benefit by having it on their reference list and the teaching approach is clear and so well illustrated so the athlete can use the materials also.

I just started playing hockey two years ago and was looking for a book to help me become a better player. This book is very detailed and easy to use for a beginner such as me. I have seen immediate results in my strength and conditioning since buying this book.

This is one of the finest and most comprehensive books ever written on sports conditioning. It is not only for the hockey player, but for all athletes in all sports looking to gain an edge. It gives great detail and clarity on ways to improve speed, strength, and overall conditioning. This book will make the average coach look like a genius.

This book is one of the finest and most compehensive books ever written on sports conditioning. It can stand on its own for training not only hockey, but any sport. As a strength and conditioning coach for 14 years, it is the most organized and a highly practical tool for writing and executing programs for the improvement of speed, strength and overall conditioning of every athlete. It can turn an average coach into a genius.

This book has so much to offer SO many people. It's got information on just about everything that's needed for summer fun. Games for kids to play & HOW to play them. Recipes that will make a hit with your company. There's many gift items to make to bring along when you're visiting friends & they're easy to make too. There's even a section on how to take stains out. This book is a MUST HAVE, not only for summer, but the whole year through.

Great Book! Great presentation and style. Nice tone and helpful. I truly believe the author loves summer and wants to share her experience with all of us. Highly recommended.

Reading this book is like slipping back to one's childhood when the long summer days seemed to go on forever and the endless possibilities of life were cut short by the screams of your mother calling you to dinner as the sun slowly fell behind the tall green trees swaying in the gentle warm breezes of an evening in July. Spend some time with this book and you'll be transported back in time without wasting one of your genie's three wishes.

Title sums it up. The book captures the essence of summer. Very well written and chock-full of incredibly useful information. We have already done about half the activities, cooking and playing our way through a couple of weekends. We applaud the author and anxiously await her next book!

Kudos!

Very well written. Informative and educational. I'm fortunate to live within easy reach of all of these rides and will try most all this summer.

I bought this as a gift for a motorcycling relative. They loved it and use it quite often. Great recommendations for beautiful drives.

Sunday Rides On Two Wheels: Motorcycling In Southern Wisconsin by Barbara Barber is an original and "user friendly" travel guide to motorcycling for fun and relaxation in and around the southern Wisconsin area. Travel routes, black-and-white photographs, and a spiral binding for easy reference while on the go, make Sunday Rides On Two Wheels an excellent, enjoyable and very worthwhile vacation planner and travel guide for the dedicated motorcyclist.

I have to honestly say that this book is one of the best I have ever spent my money on. I have been riding motorcycles for about two years and in that time I have tried to find backroads in the suburbs of Chicago and southern Wisconsin using detailed maps, but have found nothing but construction and traffic. I noticed this book on Amazon and right away thought it would be another waste of money, but to my surprise it was nothing but fun to read.

Barbara clearly explains each area of travel with history, facts, opinions, road conditions, contact information, pictures, etc. and the maps and directions are very clear. From the very start I could not wait to start up my Honda F4i sportbike and hit the road. My first tour was the Breakout Ride in the Kenosha area which was an absolute blast to ride. Being from the northern parts of Illinois with nothing but rushed traffic, very secluded roads and beautiful scenery were all I saw the whole day, which is what riding should consist of. I had loads of fun going down the few Rustic roads on the tour, with the overhanging trees and hills and curves that took my breath away more than once. It was such a great change of pace to have this much fun on my bike and I will definitely be making this a weekend activity until the winter comes. I cannot wait to take some further trips up to the Kettle Moraine area and even further up near LaCrosse.

A few things to look out for are the missing road signs in Wisconsin which occur frequently in the remote parts and a few of the directions in the book had a couple right/left turns switched. Also, the mileage was off on a few of the roads which weren't really a big problem once you figured out where you were going. Overall though, thanks to Barbara's experiences and research, she has made it possible for any kind of rider to enjoy a fun and scenic bike tour. I will definitely recommend this book to my group of friends and I would recommend it to any rider looking to have some fun on two wheels. Great job Barbara!!!

This is a great book !!..It is well written,informative and entertaining. many pictures,drawings and in depth information on just about everything..I also make my own primitive archery equipment and hunt with homemade bows/arrows which was my prime reason for buying the book.. I was very impressed with the in depth information in this area and as a primitive bowyer myself I can attest to the fact that the author at least has a good basic understanding of such archery.. Only those of us that are obsessed with such skills will know more than the author.. I can tell that it is not his primary hobby, but I can also tell that he is pretty knowledgeable on the subject..

If you are into primitive archery this section alone is interesting read( it is NOT an intructionional book, but is informative enough to give you good insight to how native bows were made)..

The book covers a lot of different topics and has very in depth knowledge of each area..

The author covers a wide range of survival skill subjects from the use of an atlatl to how a boat was made from tules. The book is filled with detailed information with cited sources. The table of contents is hefty and an excellent bibliography is provided. A must for anyone interested in survival skills of Native Californians from the past.

Pual Campbell's Survival Skills Of Native California is an impressive, scholarly, exhaustive, detailed compendium surveying more than 2000 California-based Native American tribal skills. Survival Skills Of Native California is superbly enhanced for readers, students, researchers, and scholars with almost one thousand instructional illustrations. Included are informative sections on all the basic survival skills, the tools of gathering and food preparation, the implements of household and personal necessity, as well as the arts of hunting and fishing. Survival Skills Of Native California offers the reader comprehensive, authentic, detailed information and instruction on how to live off the land and capably employ all of the varied resources of earth's bounty that enabled the survival of California's native population for millennia. Survival Skills Of Native California is a unique and invaluable acquisition for personal, academic, and community library Native American studies collections reference collections.

This book provides a fascinating and comprehensive glimpse into the daily lives of pre-contact California Indians. It is laid out in easy to use chapters that provide just enough information to be complete, but still include local examples and myths to add flavor to the narrative. My only complaint is that some of the skills are a bit complicated and are confusing to read. I guess you just have to go out to the wilderness and try it out! This is a must-read for anyone interested in California Indians and their history.

Julius Boros was famous for his effortless golf swing. As a kid I remember watching him play. He would swing the club on a approach shot and I remember wondering whether his ball would make it to the green. Not to worry. The swing that was so easy was always hard enough to fill the bill. And Boros' accuracy was uncanny.

What could be more applicable in today's approach to golf. We see professionals swinging savagely at the ball with a variety of resulting shots. It's easy to believe that you need the same sort of swing for your game. Take another look.

In SWING EASY, HIT HARD Boros offers a simple, applicable, unpretentious look at the essentials of the easy, hard-hitting swing. This is a very short read with but everything that you will need. The grip, the takeaway, various stances for various clubs. If nothing else, you will come away with a more relaxed view of and approach to the golf swing that will improve your game and make every round much more enjoyable.

THE HORSEMAN

What a relief it is, as a golfer, to find a book like this!

Julius Boros' book is certainly lean (158 pages) but still manages to cover all the fundamentals of the golf swing without neglecting anything.

The bulk of the book is about the basic golf swing you will need to hit the ball consistently, and with good distance. He begins by explaining how spin affects ball flight, an invaluable section for the beginning golfer.

The rest of the book unfolds in a predictable, common sense approach. Grip, stance, ball position, etc. He then moves into swing mechanics and ends up with specialty shots (sand, difficult lies, etc) and what to look for when buying clubs. These end sections are not covered in much depth (for short game study, I recommend Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible), but are still instructive.

This is, without question, the single best instructional book on the golf swing that I've read, and I've read plenty. I think it's brevity is really helpful, as it allows anyone to learn about, or reacquaint themselves with the proper golf swing.

A real gem!

Excellent golf instructional book...the best I've ever read and applied. This will be the third time I've purchased the book. On two prior occasions, I loaned it to a golfing buddy, but never got it back. This time it will stay in my library. Great and simple illustrations, with clear and concise explanation that helps not only the beginner, but also the seasoned golfer who wants to correct flaws in the swing that tend to creep in every once and a while. I strongly recommend this book.

This book is extremely straight forward and is not cluttered with unintelligible lingo. It will help *any* golfer get the club face square at impact...and I believe that's what we're all searching for. The book has very good illustration which will help the golfer actually *see* what is being explained in the text. I have a copy handed down to me from my father and then purchased another following the reprinting. If you don't have a copy - get one! it's the best [money] you'll ever spend on your golf game.

One approach to history, the traditional approach, is the biography or linking the biographical sketches of the significant actors of a time to chronicle the time. Another approach, and the approach used by author Mike Cox in Texas Disasters:True Stories of Tragedy and Survival, is to develop a theme through telling the stories of the events over time.

In taking the second approach, Author Cox writes of disasters in Texas-both natural and man-made. He describes in detail 20 disasters beginning with the first recorded, the 1554 sinking of three gold and silver bearing Spanish ships off South Padre Island, through the deadly and destructive Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005 hurricane season, and then lists in appendix sixty-nine others (tops in terms of loss of human life killing fourteen or more) that have occurred, or at least that have left some discoverable documented trail. As Cox notes, "disaster often becomes a catalyst for positive change." For instance, the 1900 Galveston hurricane, in man's promise to himself to never let it happen again, gave birth to the commissioner model of municipal government, in order to more efficiently meet the local needs of anticipating and responding to a natural emergency. The 1921 San Antonio flood gave rise to a flood control system that in the 1968 era of Hemisfairs and Urban Renewal provided a structure upon which the Riverwalk and the economic engine for the most popular international tourist destination in the state arose. The 1937 New London school natural gas leak explosion resulted in tighter regulation of architects and engineers and the addition of mercapitan to odorless natural gas to give it a chance for detection by humans before explosions occurred. The 1947 Texas City fertilizer plant explosion gave rise to federal regulations for the handling of hazardous materials. The 1953 Waco tornado prompted the use of World War II radar as a tool for local weather stations to predict and therefore to be able to alert the public of killer storms in enough advance to get out of harm's way. The 1979 Wichita Falls tornado inspired the development of storm-safe rooms in houses. And the 1985 Delta Airlines crash at DFW Airport heightened the need for more study of wind-shear and the resulting of better windshear detection systems and pilot training to avoid or to handle downdrafts in critical stages of flight for better safety of the air traveling public.

As Cox writes, "[w]hile some measure of good came out of several of Texas's worst tragedies, other disasters caused heartbreak and havoc in the short term ...." While their effects may not have lingered on the community as a whole, their effects on individuals changed lives forever.

For an interesting read, one that the reader can do in 15-minute increments, this book is worth the price of admission.

They say reporters write the first draft of history. Mike Cox, a seasoned journalist and public safety spokesperson, offers a lively and intensely human second draft on some of the worst disasters to strike Texas since Spanish colonization.

This book is an excellent read for those who prefer to learn about history through the poignant stories of people lived it, instead of through wordy, academic analysis. Cox's descriptions put you at the scene, often through the recollections of witnesses and survivors.

The featured stories bring to life twenty famous Texas disasters. In many cases, their lessons led to new inventions and protocols that help keep us safer today. The appendix, meanwhile, offers an exhaustive reference list of tornados, hurricanes, steamboat explosions and other calamities to strike the Lone Star State.

Hailing from Lamar County, I had to skip ahead and read about the 1916 Paris fire!

Captivating! After spending nearly 10 years in Texas emergency management, I mistakenly thought I had heard all the stories. Mike Cox has brought to light dramatic, real-life events that should hold the attention of anyone who knows that truth is more fascinating than fiction.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/06)

Mike Cox has written a gripping definitive account of twenty of the most devastating disasters in the history of the state of Texas. Cox, an acute observer, recounts theses stories of tragedy through the eyes of a news reporter. His accounts are readable, compelling and engaging.

Cox covers a period of over four hundred years of Texas history in the book. The account begins with the wreck of three Spanish ships off the coast of South Padre Island in 1554, and concludes with hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2006. Although Katrina came ashore in Louisiana the impact of Texas hospitality and the supreme effort to aid the 400,000 evacuees demonstrate that in adversity Americans unite in the effort to save lives and restore property.

The author provides an amazing number of prints and photographs that reflect the disasters, debris, and destruction of flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and explosions. Twisted houses, buildings leveled, smoke and fire damage are only a few of the results shown in these illustrations.

Dislocated families, lives lost, and mass graves of unidentified bodies, are among the horrors related in these true stories of tragedy. Fires subsequent to the initial disaster were often more devastating then the original cause.

The stories come from people who lived through those dreadful experiences. Mike has captured the essence of how the man of the street pitched in to reach out on a human level of compassion.

Cox gives specific examples of this in many of the stories. Men and women became heroes during the aftermath of the ravage, devastation, and destruction of nature's fury.

The following is typical of the action of civic leaders and hero's of the day: Following the Galveston hurricane in 1900, "Help began pouring in as fast as rescue and aid workers could reach Houston."

Mike Cox uses these accounts of disaster as a wake up call to civic leaders and citizens alike to focus on preparedness in the event of future similar catastrophes. The historical account and commentary in "Texas Disasters" is well researched and documented. The bibliography is comprehensive and impressive.

This is a collection of uplifting, heroic stories of survival in the face of overwhelming adversity.

With 38 years of rugby experience & a fairly extensive print reference collection, I rate this insightful work from Jim Greenwood as tops. Anyone who can view the strategic considerations in a rugby match as similar to the thought processes needed in a chess match will find delight here, Greenwood's earlier work Total Rugby is likewise, though more in a technical skills manner. Think Rugby brings the mental aspects of the game to the forefront. Physical prowess is valuable, but experience & conscious decision making can make all the difference. Opportunities are limited in any match and knowing how to capture the most & waste the least is what you want for your side. This book can take you there!

I'm only part way through this book, but so far it's been great. I have a hard time slowing the game down in my head during play and analyzing what's going on. This book has helped me to relax a bit, take my time, and think about what the other team is doing and what I should be doing to beat them. Overall, great book. Can't wait to finish it now.

Mr. Greenwood went into great detail about the Tactical Decision Making that goes on during a match. Not only does this book expand a players thinking capability on the pitch, but many of the methods of thinking can be used off the pitch. Do not buy to help out your physical game, but your mental game.

Thing Rugby is am amazing book for any coach, player or even fan of rugby. It will help you develop as a player or coach. This is a resource no team should be without. One of it's primary focus's is to help you learn to think and play as a team, from the coach down to the reserves. Definitely a must read for any Rugby Enthusiast.