Ball Books

I have never seen some of the traps outlined in this book in other books. They are very interesting. Others traps are explained in an easily understandable and well-illustrated manner. There is also a section describing goalkeeping that is necessary for any coach or goalkeeper to master. Not only am I a coach but also a referee, and so the information for a good refereeing has been very useful. The book has only a few photographs, but many clear illustrations. Many of my other soccer books are full of photographs that really do not clearly tell the whole story when it comes to understanding a concept. The sketches however leave no doubt as to what the author is pointing out. I also agree with Luongo's delineation of identifying quality vs. poor soccer.

Jeff Gruwell
Schertz, Texas

Mr. Luongo
Sir I could go on and on and on about what I thought of your book. I have tried to teach the principles I learned in it to my own children but I have become so frustrated because they don't mesh well with the way that so many coaches coach. If only people would play disciplined soccer. At first the kids would be frustrated and even get beat but their grasp on the fundamentals would eventually far outshine the gambling mentality with which most of the soccer I've seen has been played. From the first kick down the field from the keeper, to the crosses down near the goal I just remember the analogy you used of how crazy that would be if basketball where played in that manner. Hey, thank you so much for your work. Shortball soccer without all of this one touch stuff ( I don't remember if you commented on that but most kids don't have the talent yet to handle the one touch stuff nor do I personally see the need for it if people are spread out and exercising proper ball handling skills) would make me much happier. I want my son to experience disciplined soccer but his high school team is stuck in the long ball, one touch, cross towards the goal rutt. They've individually have talent but the ball is thrown away or headed away throughout the game. I want to let the coach see your book or do something. Last year I tried to summarize some of the principles I had learned from your book and pass them on to him, but that was a fragile situation. I don't think it did any good. Do you have any suggestions? My daughter plays community soccer and has the same type of coaching. I'm not a know it all but would just love to see the game played upon sounder principles.
Thank you for the talents and knowledge you have shared. Take care.
Sincerely,
Jeff Gruwell

Whether you are a coach or a parent of a child who plays soccer, this book is a must! I own several soccer books, but I use this book as a reference and often carry it to the training field. If you are serious about soccer, this book is for you.

If there was any doubt that Garrity is the best golf writer in the business, this anthology should dispel it. Much of his most memorable work is here, from the 2000 article that ignited the Vijay Singh cheating controversy, to the 2003 close-quarters look at the tumultuous marriage of John and Sherrie Daly, to more recent, outstanding pieces on Tiger Woods and Johnny Miller. (Each seems to be reworked and/or lengthened from its original SI form.) Between the profiles are offbeat pieces on, for example, driving ranges and golf schools-- the kind of pieces that open up the seams of the recreational game and, with empathy and wit, explore its grip on everyday addict-players. In all, this is the kind of book that's so approachable and engaging that you're almost surprised when you look up from it and say, Wow-- it's hard to imagine anybody doing a better job writing on this subject than this guy does.

A fine, very fine, anthology of golf writing. Garrity is one of the best and it only follows that a collection of his stories would be one of the best as well.

Singling out the best of the pieces in this book proves to be very difficult. There are exceptional pieces on the "usual suspects," Tiger, Nicklaus, Palmer, and others. But there are exceptional pieces on Tom Watson, Frank Stranahan, the man who was "muscled out of the Masters" and many, many others.

There are lots of golf anthologies that are read and passed along. This is one golf anthology that will be read and put on the shelf. It is a keeper. Truly a keeper.

A very enjoyable (and informative) book. The author's ability to entertain the reader makes this collection of articles special.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves baseball and wants to learn more. This book gives you a lot of different ways to improve your mental and physical aspects of hitting. It is a great nonfiction book; there is really nothing wrong with this book because everything is pretty important information.

your kid will ask you why you didn't hit 70 hr's when you were younger...but seriously ...learn GOOD form here...if you want your kid to hit like a pro...teach him right...or if you've been going 0for...this should help

Very thorough and detailed book on the art of hitting. I had never heard of Bernardo Leonard before purchasing this book, but it becomes apparent as you start reading that the guy knows his stuff. By the way, who better to teach hitting than someone who struggled themselves. Enjoy!

David Niall Wilson offers us an exquisite short story about that most pastoral and elegant summer sport, baseball. Don't be fooled, though, dear reader, because this tale about the Boys of Summer is firmly embedded in the cold bedrock of terror. While the long days of warmth play host to the crack of the bat and the umpire's gruff calls, a fast pitch can kill a batter if it catches him just wrong. Or...just right. When a fastball pitcher named Jeb "Rocket" Rabinowicz fired a ninety-five-mile-an-hour pitch at a batter named Smith in the summer of 1939, the ball went wonky and Smith was left dead at the plate. The ball that killed Smith becomes a favorite attraction in a baseball museum, made famous by its tragic trajectory. However, when an elderly man shows up at the museum one day and declares the ball a fake, this knowledge places everyone he tells in jeopardy. This is a finely crafted and very spooky story that illustrates how easily guilt can become a fertile a soil in which horror can grow.

Having (to my recollection) never read any works by David Niall Wilson, the short story "Take Me Back To That Ball Game..."--available through Amazon.com's Shorts program--was the perfect introduction.

While it's difficult to describe a short story without giving the whole she-bang away, Wilson has quite successfully mixed baseball, antiques, mystery, death, a curse, and a couple of curve-ball plot twists into this 16 page offering. And, even though I'm not a fan of baseball, Wilson's smooth and easy writing, intriguing plot, and believable characters sucked me into the tale.

"Take Me Back To That Ball Game..." is certainly worth the paltry $0.49 fee from Amazon. It is one of those perfect short stories that succeeds where so many fail: it setups you up well then pays off big in a short space. I look forward to delving into some of Wilson's longer works in the near future.

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You'll enjoy this story even if you're not a baseball fanatic. Wilson throws enough curves to make it an exciting time at the plate.

Henry Fetter does a great job in dissecting what has enabled the loved & hated Yankees to establish and maintain their unparalleled dominance of a professional sport; in so doing, he has produced a CASEY Finalist that is battling nine other nominees for the coveted Award representing the Best Baseball Book of the Year.

I really enjoyed this book. I head about it reading a review in the Wall Street Journal. When I first saw the phrase "the business of baseball" in the title I was fearful. But this was no review of accounting ledgers. It was instead a lively tour though the history of baseball with a focus on its most successful, and colorful team. It debunked many myths that I always carried around in my head (e.g. that my beloved Red Sox sold the Bambino to finance a play), and constantly got me thinking about the role of baseball in society and society in baseball. I thought it just as good in discussing free agency and the labor agreements of the last few years as it was covering the early history of the game. The author had a point of view, but it didn't get in the way of a clear and objective telling of the story. Best of all, it was just fun to read.

This book offers a lively and original take on baseball history--the mighty Yankees from the viewpoint of their three great historical rivals, the Giants, the Cards and the Dodgers. Easy to read, full of interesting anecdotes, yet offering real insight into the development of baseball as a business.

You've read, digested and implemented Jim Thompson's Positive Coaching materials. Now take a Graduate Course.

Bruce Brown's book is filled with wonderful ideas on how to create a sports culture where individuals and teams maximize the personal growth that is possible through athletics.

Personal favorites include sections on the qualities of "Great Athletes" - successfully introduced to players as young as 11 (and, more importantly their parents) - about the choices that athleted make. Similarly "Great Teams" explores the qualities found in the most successful teams. "Positive Conditioning" is an eye-opener (imaging what happens when the winning team in a game at practice does 20 extra push-ups) as well as great team-building exercises such as "Spotlighting". The section on how parents can be helpful participants in the process is also worthwhile.

Run, don't walk (can you do that on-line?) to get this book.

Easily worth the money, this book is amazing. It poses great questions to coaches about why they coach and what they hope to accomplish, methods to teach character traits, and a wonderful section on using conditioning positively, to name a few sections. The book is geared primarily towards junior high or high school programs, and really has some great ideas for a sports program.

This book is essential for every coach in any sport. Bruce Brown does an excellent job of hitting on the issues of what coaches need to think about, but so often get missed in the whole scheme of things. Coaching is so much more than just knowing the particular x's and o's, and reading this book helps the present or future coach realize that. I would recommend Teaching Character Through Sport to any coach of any sport!!

easy to read, follow and absorb
definitely one for the bag and one for home

I've recently started getting serious about my tennis, and love to play, watch, and read tennis. This is my favorite tennis book -- easy to read, all at once or a little at a time, and in fact I'm going to order my third copy -- I've already given the first two away to tennis buddies! If you're a club level player, this is for you.

I have a few books on playing tennis and strategy -- this is by far the most straightforward and easiest to apply. Not lots of technical specifics about shots and strategy, but more about getting your head on the game your are playing. I highly recommend this book, and I am passing on the tips I learned from it to all my tennis team mates.

This book has been a great help and a pleasure to thumb through. I just wish there was a newer version.

A very comprehensive review and rating of 400+ golf courses from the Colonial country club to the Falfurrias,Tx muni!! If you've ever played a round of golf in Texs, your course is probably listed and rated. Excellent descriptions of the top 300.A few minor errors like calling Hole No.1 of the Woodlands TPC No.13, and a photo of a hole on Portland's Northshore CC which isn't there. But a big bang for your $$$$$ , and a true collector's item, or coffee table book.

This book is one of the most complete books ever written on golf in the state; one part photo album, one part history book and one part travel guide. A large book with a large attitude.

McNeill shows his mastery of the english language and his knowlegde of American society in this great book. This book is just as good for a Yankee as it is for a Sox fan! I Love Daniel Frances McNeill

After reading The Theater of the Impossible, I will never look at baseball as just a simple passtime again. The novel does not revolve simply around baseball, but is an intellectual journey through American society. A real winner, I reccommend it to everyone.

After reading The Theater of the Impossible I look at baseball in an entirely different way. The topic of the novel does not revolve entirely around baseball though, it is also an intellectual journey through American society. A real winner, I recommend it to everyone.

"One of the most evocative images in the whole genre of the mind, body and spirit subjects--and of mysticism itself--is that of the gifted seer contemplating the depths of a crystal ball." - Titania Hardie

Individuals have sought answers from within or from the realm of spirit for thousands of years. One of the most ancient forms of divination, called scrying, employs the use of substances or objects with shiny surfaces, such as molten metal, ink, water, or glass. Whether though a light meditative trance state or via 6th sense function such as clairaudience and clairvoyance, seekers of wisdom consulted such objects from every culture.

Crystallomancy, a form of scrying using crystals or glass, is arguably one of the most easily recognized forms of divination, especially in the form of a crystal ball. Suggesting an infinite realm of possibilities and a cache of treasured insights, the image of crystal balls enchants children and adults alike. Through literature, movies, and television, wizards, witches, and fortunetellers are often shown gazing hopefully into a glistening orb--presumably to discern the future. In fact, crystal ball gazing figures prominently in one of the Harry Potter films!

For those who scry on a regular basis, the experience isn't quite so sensational. However, crystal gazing *can* be a wonderful way to access your subconscious, call on internal wisdom, and enter a mindful state through meditation.

An excellent kit for beginners, Titania's Crystal Ball by Titania Hardie includes a glass orb, round wood stand, and 64-page companion book. The "crystal ball" is a bit bigger than a golf ball, but smaller than a baseball. The circular wooden stand (imagine a thin donut) safely nestles the ball during meditation. Of course, you can use your own stand or cloth to keep the orb in place, but it's great that this kit happens to come with one!

The companion book serves as thorough introduction to crystallomancy, and Titania's knowledgeable yet empathetic approach encourages beginner scryers to experiment gently while learning how to use this unique tool. She explains theories of crystal gazing, as well as how to create a relaxed atmosphere and induce a meditative state. Titania also describes how to "cleanse" and charge the orb, and what to expect during your first attempts and crystal gazing.

In the companion book to Titania's Crystal Ball, the author also elaborates on the meanings of colors, objects, and images. For example, seeing small birds such as robins or sparrows may suggest activity, while flowers often presage invitations or new beginners in a love affair. Fruits may indicate time well spent, while books suggest study or the need to learn something.

Titania also provides additional ideas for using your crystal ball:

1. Meeting your spirit guide
2. Trying astral travel
3. Creating positive energy
4. Aspiring to a generous, higher consciousness

She also advocates keeping a diary or journal for recording your progress, insights, and readings. Looking back, she says, will likely astonish you when you realize what you've seen!

My husband bought Titania's Crystal Ball for me several years ago, for Christmas. He knew I always wanted one and it was *perfect*! Personally, I don't use it for scrying--it's not my preferred method of divination--but it's *fantastic* for meditation, especially when gazing at it with dim background light or candles. I keep my crystal ball on its wooden stand, which sits on a satin ice blue cloth next to a brass statue of Ganesh. I use this arrangement as an "altar" of sorts, sometimes placing Tarot or oracle card behind the orb.

This new version of Titania's Crystal Ball seems to be produced by another publisher, but I'm almost positive that the blue satin cloth I use for mine came *with* the kit (my husband seems to think so, too). However, it's possible that I'm incorrect, so assume that your crystal ball set will NOT come with a cloth.

Whether you use this kit for divination, meditation, decoration, or devotion (as in altars or rituals), Titania's Crystal Ball provides a truly lovely orb, stand, and guidebook for each of these purposes.

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

I was very pleased with the packaging. The crystal ball is made of real glass and very clear. It came in a nice firm box. The bottom of the box was cover with a black shiny material. It also has a wooden stand if you'd like to place it on your desktop. The book was short, easy to read and easy to understand. It gives enough information to get you started.
For the price, this set is a good value. I would've loved to have a more indepth book, but this one is wonderful for beginningers.

I've just received Titania's crystal ball and I am convinced it was a worthwhile investment. I now have another favorite to my collection and cannot wait to work with it more. Thank you for such an amazing object!