Sports Books


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Sports Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Sports
Ranger' Guide to Yellowstone Day Hikes, A
Published in Paperback by Farcountry Press (2000-04)
Authors: Roger Anderson, Carol Shively Anderson, Roger, Anderson, and Carol Shively Anderson
List price: $11.95
New price: $6.95
Used price: $6.94

Average review score:

Leave the crowds behind and experience your own Yellowstone.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-05
There is so much more to Yellowstone than can be seen from the roads and boardwalks. "A Ranger's Guide to Yellowstone Day Hikes" guides you to trail heads you may not find on your own and out into the park revealing the incredible diversity that is unique to YNP. Each hike is rated for difficulty and the ratings are generally accurate. The book fits easily into a day pack and the topo maps let you know what you're getting into elevation wise before you set off. I strongly recommend that you include this book in your planning of a Yellowstone adventure.

Day hikes in Yellowstone
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-23
This guide was a birthday gift along with "Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks Road Guide." We used the two of these books nonstop during our nine days in the park. This book offers acurate information regarding the trails and rankings. Understand that not ALL trails are listed. I picked up "Best Easy Day Hikes Yellowstone" but it's trail rankings were not as acurate. If you are purchasing one book on trail hiking in Yellowstone, use this one.

The Bible of Yellowstone Hiking Books
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-03
We have been hiking the National Parks in the West for almost 20 years and this is the most valuable trail book I own. The information on each trail is completely accurate with respect to distances, maps, directions, etc., and the naturalist notes are very informational. We have completed 75% of the hikes in this book and have enjoyed every single one - some have even been done two or more times. The book is small enough to carry in a fanny pack. I have thrown away all of my other Yellowstone hiking books as this has become affectionately known as "The Bible".

Great Reference
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-20
We bought this book before a trip to Yellowstone with our family. The book was very helpful in helping us find trails that our whole family could do. The pictures and discriptions were very helpful in the planning and telling our kids what to look for.

Excellent hiking guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11
This is an excellent guide to relatively short day hikes in Yellowstone. Provides good descriptions on what you will see on the trails and it's small enough to take along on your hike.

Sports
Riverdance: The Story
Published in Hardcover by Trafalgar Square (1997-06-15)
Author: Sam Smyth
List price: $29.95
New price: $0.99
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $29.95

Average review score:

Terrific!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-08
Hey, this book is the closest thing to actually seeing Riverdance live or on video...but I definitely prefer to see it live!

A phenomenon you have to see to believe
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-18
I first saw an advertisement when "Riverdance" was showing on PBS, and I wanted a better inside look at this amazing show. I then looked it up in the library. I discovered a real look at how it really began, and how it spread to Canada, the United States, much of Europe, and most recently Japan, among many other places. If you want to discover exactly how much work is involved in putting together a dance show, I recommend this book to you.

The Story
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-21
It gives wonderful insight of the influences and origins of traditional Irish music and dance. It also tells the story of how Riverdance developed and became a theatrical phenomenon. It is filled with pictures from the the stage and behind the scenes. I enjoyed this immensely it helped provide me with inspiration and insight of the works. I would recommend this to any fan.

AN EXUBERANT, GLOSSY BOOK
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-24
"Riverdance," the exuberant Irish dance phenomenon that's sweeping both sides of the Atlantic, has swung its way in a scant few years from a seven-minute interval sequence in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest to a record-breaking stage spectacular. It's an audio, a much-in-demand video, and now a glossy richly illustrated book. Riverdance: The Story opens with a comprehensive history, an account "of an ancient Irish tradition in which dance and music are celebrated as a metaphor for life," then segues into the creation of Riverdance: The Show. Virtuoso Bill Whelan, who has written original music for 15 W.B. Yeats plays, ideated the piece - selecting a river's life as his overall theme, with the male lead dancer representing the land, and the female star embodying the river flowing through the land. He then composed the score for the original sequence and came up with the name "Riverdance." Neither John McColgan, director, or Moya Doherty, producer of the segment, dreamed of the reception it would receive: "It was seven minutes that shattered the hermetically sealed world of television, seizing the attention and igniting the imaginations of 300 million viewers." As the last note rang out the 3,000 member audience (made up of delegates from 25 countries) leapt to its feet, led by the usually staid Irish President, Mary Robinson. Tumultuous cries of "Riverdance! Riverdance!" filled the theater. The rest, to use a fatigued phrase, is entertainment history. The abruptly dissonant departure of audience-pleasing star Michael Flatley is not euphemistically described by the author . When Flatley did not renew his one-year contract, mediation was unsuccessful. A final volley from the multi-talented first generation Irish American is described as demanding control of the show. "I would like complete control over all that I do and all that I am involved with in this show," he wrote. "This includes what I wear, when I dance, and which dancers I choose to dance with." Finding his conditions unacceptable, the decision was made to replace him. Twenty-seven year old Colin Dunne learned only 1 day before curtain time that he would be taking over the starring role. That night the show received a standing ovation. Flatley went on to form "Lord of the Dance," an extravaganza enjoying enormous success. Nothing is overlooked in this meticulously conceived volume - themes, music, cast, production, and predictions for the future all receive studied attention. Author Sam Smyth, a columnist with the Irish Independent newspaper in Dublin, has filled his book with stunning full-page photographs of the phenomenon that has won millions of hearts and imaginations. "Riverdance" fans will love it. - Gail Cooke

A Great Story of a Great Show
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-29
This terrific book begins with a history of Irish music and dance, which are "celebrated as a metaphor for life." Included in this background was information about the 17th century cake dance (the dancers ate the prize) and the 18th century emergence of the solo or step dance. This was the most important development in Irish dance history. In the late 1700s dance masters traveled around Ireland teaching complex steps. The Gaelic League was formed in 1893 to promote Irish culture. The first ceili (dance event) was held in London in 1897.

The second part of the book was about Riverdance (the show)-- the original story is based on the life of a river: small and quiet at its source, then feeding and nourishing the lands it passes, and finally rushing out to sea at the estuary. The show was planned to have a soft choral opening and a big finale. It was designed as a seven-minute interval during a Eurovision song contest and got a standing ovation from a roaring audience. Thus, Riverdance "the phenomenon" was born in a Dublin theater in 1994.

From there on, it was expanded and developed into the stage show as we know it today, complete with a premier Spanish flamenco dancer, a six-person troupe from the Moscow Folk Ballet, African American tap dancers, and a choir from Atlanta, Georgia. It also made stars of its first two principal dancers, Michael Flatly and the beautiful Jean Butler, both Americans. Flatly, in fact, was the first American to win the World Irish Dancing Championships.

A "great swell" of national pride resulted from Riverdance's exploration of the internal and outward journeys of the Irish people. Riverdance rescued Irish dancing, reinforcing its sensitivity with simple costumes while utilizing generations of skills and traditions.

A lovely and beautiful book.

Sports
Rugby for Dummies
Published in Paperback by For Dummies (2004-08-15)
Authors: Patrick Guthrie and Mathew Brown
List price: $21.99
New price: $182.81
Used price: $25.50

Average review score:

Clear and easy to read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-01
A very interesting book with very clear explanations and a full comprehensible vocabulary. I am not an english speaking man, but I can understand almost the whole of the text withouth effort. And this although it is a technical mate. I recommend it to everybody with interest in rugby.

If you want to know Ruby this is the book for you.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-12
This review refers to the 2nd edition (2007).

If you have seen a few games and are lost, this is the book you want to get. It explains everything from the smallest detail to the history of the world cup. If you don't know the difference between a ruck and a maul or you have no idea what a pitch or a try is then buy this book. Everything is explained in a simple and easy to understand manner.

But then isn't that how all "for dummies" books are written? Well this one is written by people who play and know the game and have an idea how hard it can be for an American on the outside looking in to grasp the game.

I highly recommend this book for both those new to the game and those that have been just using Rugby as an excuse to pop down to the pub for a few pints.

Rugby for this dummy
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-19
The very first time I saw a game rugby I thought "what a cool looking game". I was absolutly though clueless as to what on earth was goin on and why certain things happened, all I knew it was a lot of fun to watch. This was how it was for years until I got a copy of "Rugby for Dummies", I was very lucky to get my copy as I won it on the Fox Sports World short segment on the "Rugby Report" hosted by one of the authors; Brownie himself. Every Thursday he would read and answer a question concerning rugby that one of the viewers had sent in; if he read that persons question you'd get a free copy of the book; which is how I got mine.

This book is very well writen and easy to understand. After years in the fog knowing about this mystery sport, my eyes and understanding of this game have finally been opened and I now understand the hows and whys of this game I have come to love, thanks to this fantastic book! So a big thank you to Brownie, Guthrie and Growden for helping this dummy understand the great sport of Rugby!!!!

Great book for newcomers
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-03
I am new to the world of Rugby. This book was great. It really breaks down a sport that, to me, looked like a bunch of men running in to each other. I have a much better idea of the game and it's history because of this book.

Very Informative. A great resource book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-22
The book was very informative. The book is great for all people, from those who don't know anything about rugby to those just looking for spare bits of information. The authors did a great job with their style as well, making the reader feel as if they were having a discussion with the authors, and giving the reader confidence in his/her rugby ability. It covers all areas of the game, from the rules, to techniques, to training, to the public world of rugby. I recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn anything about the sport

Sports
Santa Anita Morning Rhapsody
Published in Hardcover by Highland Press (2006-01-25)
Author: Karen S. Davis
List price: $59.95
New price: $59.95

Average review score:

Amazingly Beautiful and Breathtaking!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-10
I originally purchased this book for my daughter who LOVES horses and has been to the Santa Anita track. Since then I have purchased several more to give as gifts. Ms. Davis has an excellent eye and has truly captured the 'aura' of the horses, as well as the people and location that surround them.

Stunning!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-24
The author has created a gorgeous book by simply capturing racetrack life as it happens. She gingerly sprinkles quotes throughout to accentuate her beautiful photographs. A must for your coffee table!

Easy Christmas Shopping
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-17
I don't usually do my Christmas shopping in April, but this was just too easy! This will be THE book on everybody's coffee table this year; I bought one for every friend who loves horses, sunrise, or beautiful photography. Gorgeous!

A Masterpiece!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-07
Astounding! This *is* a rhapsody! She has written a whole piano concerto while the rest of us are doing finger exercises ... produced a Raphael while we are finger painting. The rest of us run around snapping pictures but she has given birth to art. Those of us not endowed with such gifts wonder in awe. It is an intimate creation, even for those who don't know the place. Of the highest standard throughout. A masterpiece!

Ten Stars -- Sheer Genius
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-01
Davis is a genius with a camera. Her book consistently takes your breath away. Passionate, dramatic, and purely gorgeous, with each turned page your eyes widen and you say "Wow!" Women weep. Men get goose bumps. I've watched people. A photographic page-turner! Many horse photos are beautiful but can seem "staged" and artificial. Davis's photos make you feel like you're standing right there. They're alive. Vibrant. And suddenly so are you. But the whole book is a work of genius. From the magnificent sunrise cover, past the stunning and stormy inside front, you're drawn into the private world of morning thoroughbred training at Santa Anita racetrack ... starting in the dark, full moon setting over silent paddock, walking to the back side, looking down a predawn shedrow, horses hungry, fed and saddled, off to the track in mysterious fog, sun rising over galloping steeds, horses getting loose, caught, walked, bathed, and brushed. Bunnies, goats, and cats keep them company. Horses are magnificent animals most would agree, but Davis reveals so many personality traits. Mischievous, stubborn, frightened, trusting, gentle, bored, as playful as a child. We see everything, in a setting so real you smell the hay and want to peel a paint chip off the barn, and drop your jaw at the glorious mountain surroundings. Davis's composition in a photo is perfection, but the order of photos equally captures you, as does the ingenious design ... not just a photo per stark white page, but riders chasing loose horses across two pages; arresting scenes laid against backdrops of *other* photos or pieces of photos enlarged to bring out remarkable detail; a center gatefold that leaves you gasping. Incredible! And just when it couldn't get any better, some of the most evocative lines of Shakespeare---about horses---send chills through you. All professionals aspire to images that leave the clinical, two-dimensional realm and achieve art. Davis succeeds. Sheer genius. Sweet perfection. Passion. They're within her, in her heart and eye. Included are the praises of over a dozen famous jockeys, trainers, artists (practically unheard of in a first edition)! This book puts other horse and track, and many plain old photography, books to shame.

Sports
Saved
Published in Hardcover by Thomas Dunne Books (2008-01-08)
Author: Jack Falla
List price: $23.95
New price: $13.39
Used price: $9.95

Average review score:

Falla adds to legend with this gem!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-25
I write this review with bittersweet feelings, as Jack Falla's recent passing has left a void in the hockey community. I don't know of many authors more qualified to touch on the subjects covered in "Saved" than the esteemed Boston University journalism professor, who touched so many lives with his professional writing skills and love of the sport. Although I met him only briefly a few years ago, he made my year when he recognized my name and acknowledged my own meager contributions to sports journalism.

"Saved" is the tale of a veteran NHL goaltender who is still trying to find his balance several years after losing his wife, an aging talent who realizes that his opportunities to win the coveted Stanley Cup are dwindling. Throughout the course of this fictional season, JP Savard will have his world turned upside down both on and off the ice, as he deals with positive changes in his life (a new love) along with challenges he never really seriously considered (an unexpected trade to a bitter rival).

Falla's intricate knowledge of the sport, the position (he was a goalie) and its real-life characters serve him well in this tale of modern athletes who are in many ways, still reflective of the old time hockey pro hockey players Falla grew up admiring/folllowing and later covering as Sports Illustrated's NHL correspondent. As a kid growing up near Boston in the 70's and 80's, I was a fanatical devotee of the Boston Bruins and can readily identify with so many of the themes and storylines surrounding the team in Falla's fictional yarn (the bottom-line conscious billionaire owner, the curmudgeonly, set-in-his-ways GM, the heart-and-soul captain who has never won a championship and desperately wants to before he can no longer play, the team that always comes up short to the hated Montreal Canadiens [sorry Habs fans]). I was (and am still) a hockey goalie, so Falla's book is especially meaningful to me, as I have quite a bit in common with JP Savard from a playing standpoint.

I wasn't good enough to pursue a professional hockey career, but my love of the game never subsided. Through Jack Falla's timeless hockey classic, I got to live vicariously through JP Savard and thoroughly enjoyed his quirky, yet honest NHL journey as if it had been my own.

RIP, Professor. You are dearly missed, but your spirit lives on this great book.

Really great hockey book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-09
I loved this book! Parts of it are laugh-out-loud funny and all of it gives great insight into the minds and hearts of hockey players. Lots of good stuff that you know had to happen to someone, although I know names and locations have been changed. Also, a lot of interesting and informative bits of hockey lore. But, above all, the story is great and the characters are all three-dimensional ones. You care about them and want to know what happens next. I hope to see more hockey fiction from Mr Falla.

Good book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-07
This book is a MUST for any hockey fan.Anybody looking for any behind the scenes expose of life in the Nhl should go elsewhere. The book took me two days to read.JP Savard is a goalie determined to hang on to his job and continue playing in the Nhl.Throughout one season we follow him through the highs and lows and how he deals with them. Jp is a very likeable protagonist as well as the rest of the characters. I really liked the way Falla includes hockey history throughout the book without bogging the story down.

A Book Worth Saving for Your Reading List
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-11
The summer season is rapidly approaching and many travelers will be compiling a list of books to read while on vacation. The hockey fan should consider Saved, by Jack Falla. It follows the season of Jean Pierre Savard, a goalie for the Bruins and his quest to win the Cup as his career is winding down. There are no surprises here but the book is loaded with hockey history and behind the scenes looks at the life of a professional hockey player. Falla covered the NHL for many years for Sports Illustrated and he brings the reader into the locker room, the rink and lives of these fictional characters.
At first Jean Pierre (JP) appears to be the main character as the first thirty pages focus on his background information, how he became a goalie and his college career then launches into present day. We are introduced to his best friend and teammate Cam Carter, get a glimpse of JP's personal life which includes a Ferrari and a lot of sex, which should entice the male reader to pick up the book. However, as the book progresses the real main character becomes evident, the hockey culture and game. Hockey is all JP has ever known and as the end of his career looms, he is terrified by the prospect of not knowing what to do with the rest of his life. Three concussions during the season cannot deter him from his need to keep playing, even with a warning from his fiancée Faith McNeil, a former college classmate and hotshot basketball player, now a dotcom millionaire and doctor.
My husband obviously has done a good job over the past eight years because I was familiar with the majority of the names, terms and events mentioned in the book and some basic hockey knowledge does make the book more pleasurable. Falla does provide a lot of detail, so that the new hockey fan will not be completely lost while reading this book. An example is the description of the Vezina Trophy. The reader learns for whom the trophy is named and why, and the details about Vezina's final game and untimely death. Sports metaphors run amuck in the book, which at times was cumbersome to this reader. It may be a gender difference, as the book is told from a male point of view, because while a sports fan I certainly don't answer every question directed to me with a sports reference.
As JP moves through his season and a trade from the Bruins, he gives details about the games he playing, what they mean during the different points of the season, what needs to happen for his Cup run to continue and how it feels to have someone else gunning for his job the entire time. Most readers cannot identify with being a professional athlete and being paid millions of dollars a year. But they can relate to being in their thirties, not knowing what to do next in their lives and struggling to hold onto their youth. This, coupled with the hockey history woven throughout the book makes it an enjoyable and quick read. (Provided the reader does not have a four year old and six month old vying for his or her attention.) As you pack your bags for the beach, mountains and beyond make sure you include Saved.

heykay
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-22
Jack Falla has written the ultimate book about hockey, its characters, its culture and its athletic charm. It's like being dropped down into "hockey world" and allowed to be an invisible observer. Falla's style conveys the feeling of the sport without slowing it down with extraneous detail. You get to appreciate the characters and I wished it would just go on without end. It is the most enjoyable story that I can remember. Get yourself a copy to read whenever you feel the world around you sucks.

Sports
The Secrets of Fashioning Ribbon Flowers: Heirlooms for the Next Generation
Published in Paperback by Krause Publications (1998-02)
Author: Helen Gibb
List price: $24.95
New price: $2.95
Used price: $3.56

Average review score:

Good, but not great.
Helpful Votes: 16 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-21
I have to say I was very interested in this book, but it was not exactly what I wanted. I have yet to find a ribbonwork book that is set up as clearly as possible and is really designed for a beginner. The Artful Ribbon, by Candace Kling is a treasure for those seeking old fashioned ribbonwork and is still the best reference I have found. Overall, if you are looking for how to make very realistic Roses (esp. Tea Roses) you will be absolutely thrilled with Helen Gibbs's book. Also, if you are looking for a book to teach you how to make flowers that look as realistic as possible, this is for you. Bear in mind that you are only taught how to make the flowers in the book (Pansies, violets, sweet peas, poppies, canterbury bells, bluebells, hollyhocks, fuchias, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, carnations, peonies, and gardenias). Actually, the gardenias alone may be worth the price of the book! Spectacular! You will also be taught to make only specific sizes and flowers are mostly done on stems, which makes them hard to use as embellishments on clothing. The projects in the book are not as appealing to me as playing on my own. I am still seeking the definitive book on using silk bias ribbon and, while Helen uses it when she's on the Carol Duvall show, she doesn't have many examples in this book. This is a crying shame, since I have a bunch I bought from The Store on the Corner in San Diego. I've also seen Helen's last two books and they seem to contain basically the same material. Another book to check would be A Passion for Ribbonry by Camela Nitschke.

Best yet book on making flowers from ribbon!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
The instructions in this book on making beautiful flowers out of ribbon, are clear and easy to follow. I have other similar books, but this one is by far the best! Truly worth the money!

Fantastic
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-16
This is a great book on ribbon flowers. The author explains how to make the flowers so it is easy to follow and you have a flower like hers when you finish. I highly recommend this book.

A history, a guide, and lovely flowers, too!
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 20 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-27
Wow, what can I say? I love this book. There's a great introduction to crafting ribbon flowers which includes a history as well. The instructions are so easy to follow it's a wonder that this hobby/craft is on the brink of vanishing for good! Not only that, but it's such a beautiful craft, too. I've used the book's techniques to embellish pillows, curtains, dresses, purses... you name it! Here's the great thing: I'm usually not even good at crafts! All it takes is to buy a cute little unadorned girls' dress from, say, Target, make a few ribbon flowers to attach to the dress and you have an instant artful creation. The things I have made (or embellished) have been such a hit with my family and friends. Also, Helen Gibb is an amazing person. I've seen her a few times on HGTV (which inspired me to get this book). I went to her website and sent an e-mail saying I enjoyed her segments on HGTV and she wrote me back a letter of thanks! It wasn't a canned response, either. Great lady, great book, great craft, so go get it!

book + practice = nice ribbon flowers
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-14
I've had this book for about 4 weeks and have tried making a couple types of roses and, just last night, tried making a pansy. The directions are easy to follow and, after some practice, the reader is able to make some nice looking flowers. The particular projects in the book don't appeal to me, but I could see that they would be of interest to those who like the frills and complexity of Victorian-inspired objects. The author does provide a variety of ideas for using ribbon flowers that the reader can adjust to her or his taste.

Sports
Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword
Published in Hardcover by Paladin Press, Boulder, CO (2003-07)
Authors: David Lindholm and Peter Svard
List price: $49.95
New price: $31.65
Used price: $34.71

Average review score:

The best book for describing longsword technique
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-01
I am a "newbie" to the longsword. For the last six months I have been studying on my own. I have used other books and publications to try to understand the guard and strike positions. These sources use "static" drawings or photos. This approach makes it difficult to visualize the full movement of a maneuver.

The authors of "Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword" converted photos to drawings. The drawings include arrows that represent the flow of the maneuver. It is much easier to get a complete visual image of the technique being discussed.

If you plan to "go it alone"; I would recommend this book above all others.

Doug C.
Austin, Texas

Changed my perspective on longsword
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-20
This is a seemingly accurate and easy to follow presentation. Manuals like this are hard to find. I was able to take it and within the space of a week employ many new gambits in my practice. I would have considered most of these beforehand to be inaplicable at speed or too awkward to quickly learn. Very direct and clearly illistrated. If you're part of any of the medieval re-enactment groups out there this book will be very rewarding.

Great Place to Start
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-06
This is an excellent book. It is a great place to start. Having said that, there is nothing like having a good Western Martial Arts instructor though.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-15
This is an excellent interpretation of Ringeck's manual. It offers clear concise instruction, guiding the reader and practitioner towards a very good understanding of the German Longsword combat system. Excellent read. The glossary alone is exceptional, explaining common and relatively obscure terms in comprehensible language.

Very thorough
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-04
This is David Lindholm in a subject he knows and masters. The book is well written and concise, the illustrations and interpretations sound and easy to grasp. An excellent addition to any WMA library.

Sports
Sixteen Years In Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
Published in Hardcover by Lee & Low Books (2005-04-01)
Author: Paula Yoo
List price: $16.95
New price: $9.80
Used price: $3.21

Average review score:

An inspiring story for readers of all ages
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-13
The true story of Dr. Sammy Lee and his journey to become the first Asian American Olympic gold medal champion while overcoming incredible obstacles, discrimination, and hardships is both inspiring and fascinating to read. Paula Yoo did a great job telling the story in a way that makes it easy for the reader to connect with the character, and Dom Lee's beautiful illustrations remind us of old photographs and are an integral part of the book. The book touches on many important themes such as pursuing your dreams and believing in yourself, even if the odds are stacked against you, and I will highly recommend it to all of my friends and family.

Inspiring story for all
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-26
My kids were amazed that Dr. Lee accomplished so much after dealing with so much discrimination. He is an inspiration to everyone and is a proud citizen of this country. The illustrations are wonderful. Just a note - the book implies that his father only wanted him to be a doctor - he says his father supported both of his dreams - to become a doctor and to be a diver. He became successful at both, and more.

An instant classic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-13
Before reading "Sixteen Years In Sixteen Seconds", I'd never heard of Dr. Lee. After reading this incredible book, I was moved and inspired by this courageous, fascinating human being. Though classified as a children's book, "Sixteen Years In Sixteen Seconds" can be enjoyed by adults as well as kids. With its beautiful illustration, thoughtful prose and universal themes of perseverance and beating the odds, Sammy Lee's story will continue to be enjoyed by generations of readers to come.

Suitable for adults and children
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-12
When my husband first picked this up, he was surprised to discover that Korean-Americans- in California- were subject to the same Jim Crow laws that African-Americans were in other parts of the country. Unfortunately, many people forget that although Asian-Americans have been a substantial presence on the West Coast for over a century, it has only been in the last few decades that we- as well as African-Americans and other ethnic minorities- have (mostly) attained equality.

As a Korean-American on the East Coast, I was moved by the story of Sammy Lee as he struggled with both his personal ambitions in a racist country and his father's desires to secure his future. Although the Korean-American father-son relationship is fraught with tension (at least in popular American literature), this story resolves it nicely, as Sam understands that his father does not endure insults and racism because he is weak and unable to change things, but because he is trying to face an unfair world with honor and dignity. This was the most important lesson of the book, I thought, and it enabled Sam to bridge both his father's desires for his future and his own desires.

The story of Sam's relationship with his coach moved me as well. While, at first glance, we can't guarantee that we will meet the mentor of our dreams, this part of the story does jibe with the saying that "luck is when opportunity meets readiness." Maybe we won't all find what we need when we want it, but we can be responsive to what we need when it arrives.

This is a short book with nostalgic illustrations that will be a pleasure for anyone ages 8 and up to read.

excellent
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-18
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds documents the story of Sammy Lee. Lee was the first Asian American to win Olympic gold. This truly inspiring tale captures the American dream as a young person who overcame discrimination to bring Olympic recognition for a country that rejected him. Lee is the son of Korean immigrants who faced challenges just because of his skin color. Unable to practice in a whites only pool, Lee perfected his abilities in spite of discrimination. Yoo acknowleges the moment in an Olymipan's experience in which life-long training culminates in just a brief sliver of time. Paula Yoo really connects the reader to the subject. Dom Lee's sepia toned illustrations carry a nostalgic feel. This is a strong work and should be a good addition to the library collection.

Sports
The Skier's Edge
Published in Paperback by Human Kinetics Publishers (1998-12)
Author: Ron Lemaster
List price: $19.95
New price: $8.88
Used price: $3.69

Average review score:

Thought behind the action
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-29
Cool, to get the analysis behind what you've learned on the slopes when you were a child. It makes you aware of "good habits", and reminds you about the things you shouldn't do (that you got taught, but since have quickly forgotten).
Note, this does not replace lessons, this adds to what you've already learned, makes you think about it & understand better.

reader kindly and informartive
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-10
Good illustration, reader kindly explaining of its theory based on Physics, and informartive examples from famous skiers.

Good blend of technique and science
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-24
This book shows a set of technical skills that is based on the mechanics of skiing. I find them useful to incorporate into my skiing -- I find myself practicing one technique or another on some runs, and you can feel the difference.

The Skier's Edge
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-30
This is a great book for the seasoned skier wanting to understand more on how the body-skis-works together on snow when applying different movements, pressure and so on. Good insights comparing racing techniques to recreational skiing. As a ski instructor I can use this book as a reference guide.

great technical book
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-08
As everybody who wrote review here, I think this is a great book for who go skiing in a little bit "theoretical" way. Some of your tips that helped you as a quick learner in the first week may hold you back from becoming a professional-looking skier. The author of this book is trying to convince you by providing solid physical principle.

Also, the illustrations are carefully selected to demonstrate the arguments. Many of them are taken from real competition and show the movement in a sequence.

Even you have figured out most of the principles taught in this book, I believe there are still some paragraphs flashing here and there will push you downhill little faster.

Sports
Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running
Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (2006-03-01)
Authors: Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner
List price: $12.95
New price: $7.43
Used price: $1.87

Average review score:

woman runners!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-27
all woman runners should read this book!
it is well worth the time and money!!

A Collection of Running Stories
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-12
These personal stories of runners are perfect to share with your running friends. They'll get you all motivated to keep it up.

Another Sole Sister
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09
I had never read this book, but after reading a review, purchased it for two running friends. It was a hit! One copy has now been passed around to at least 3 different readers. The chapters are good, motivational, real to life running adventures. I would recommend it to both walkers and runners, beginners to advanced.

Ready for more!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-20
I very much enjoyed the personal nature of the story each runner had to tell. One or two were a little to much brag for me. Most provided inspiration and joy at the growth the runner achieved by their running. More than a couple brought a tear to my eye. I encourage the writers to create an annual supplement. (Keep it simple and don't over do it the way the Chicken Soup guys have done.) I look forward to more!

Thanks. egm, Vermont

Inspiring and Motivating
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
Great book. No matter what your sport or fitness regime, the stories in this book will inspire and motivate you to overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way.

The lessons can be applied to any struggle you might be facing, from relationships to business to yep, even learning how to run. The stories are short and easy to read--great if you don't have much time to indulge.

These amazing and uplifting stories of the power of women would make a great gift for any woman (or man). Give a copy to all your "sisters".


Books-Under-Review-->Kids and Teens-->Sports and Hobbies-->Sports-->65
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