Sports Books

I am a Master of Wine Student. I have own 5 editions of this atlas during my wine career. I thought I wouldn't need to upgrade to this new edition because, well, honestly, I didn't think this book could tell me any more than I already knew. Wow, I was wrong. The details of New World regions alone is reason to buy this book. The maps are always the BEST, but now they are more informative and more realistic of the wine world at large. You can also see the maps on the [...] site, but the book is still a great reference.

Great update to a reference work well-known among wine educators and consumers. The geographical context of the knowledge base about wine and winemaking is exceptionally well done and informative.

Really better than 6th edition. I hardly encourage anyone interested in wines to buy it

This seems to be truly a complete Atlas on wine and locations for
finding anything you might desire in wines.

This is my third copy of World Atlas. Each one has been such a substantial improvement over the previous one that its purchase was inevitable. Great maps, witty, relevant text and the usual breath-taking photographs of wine country. (did you ever notice that no body grows wine in ugly places?)

I used it teaching beginner lessons. It really helped me come up with new and creative exercises for the kids to do. You replace the jumps for rails on the ground for students that do not jump yet. I love it and use the exercises in this book all the time.

Brilliant diagrams, excellent keys, simply mapped out and laid out information for difficult and also the easiest of dressage manoevres. It's bound at the top for a vertical flip, with a hole punched down near the bottom so you can hang the book on a nail on your bulletin board or at home and keep it open while you study it. It has handy hints how to achieve positions and gives you ideas to improve certain flaws. It is by far the best book on jumping exercises I have read so far that is dedicated purely to jumping exercises.

Just about EVERY page has another full A4 riding arena on it showing the pattern where the horse is going, it shows crossbars and it shows trotting poles, verticals, gymnastics and where to place them, it shows where you should be directing your horse and what way to approach with an excellent use of diagrams and patterns which have a key right next to it so the design remains uncluttered and simple to read. It even gives you cheap alternatives to make some jumps yourselves and offers quick solutions. A best buy for anyone serious about jumping - or even dressage - to keep their horse supple and to keep their horse (and themselves!) from boredom. Brilliant.

The best how to book on ground poles and jumping that I have experienced. It's a great tool by an expert to keep your horses (young and old) interested as well as the rider thinking. Linda laid out the book very well. Good illustrations and great explanations accompany each exercise. The ground pole exercises are very helpful to use between jumping lessons. This one is a book to keep and give as a gift to a riding friend!

This book has so much info on different exercises and each exercises has little hits about when to use this exercise and what to watch out for while riding it.

This book breaks the demands or jumping down into a logical progression of skills until it takes the insecure beginning rider into a confident partner to the jumping horse. If these lessons are followed correctly, it can also take a training level horse into a skilled show jumper. This book is a must for anyone interested int he discipline of jumping.

This book honors in simple verse and vivid picture, the triumph of the underdog. For young and old, it celebrates that persistence can materialize and that "losers" can win and that even odd-balls can overcome poor odds. Give this as a gift of encouragement to those (male and female) that may "think" there is no hope and let them witness that even when they feel as though they may "standing out in the field, alone and hopeless" the power of BELIEF can, will and does manifest into a life victory. A sweet story of success against all odds.

My husband and I are expecting our first child in June. I bought this as a gift for my husband to read to the baby. He was so excited to receive this! He read the book and immediately declared it, "Wicked Awesome." Get it! Every other line rhymes, and they are are not simplistic. We both have our degrees in education and feel this a good book to help develop children's personal histories.
Get it!

Our small grandson received one as he joined his dad and grandfathers (yes, one lives near Denver) for the current World Series. In his Red Sox regalia, he wanted it read to him again and again. His great-grandfather had seen the last Series before this one, just like the book talks about, and anyone with children who need to be raised as True Believers should make sure they have a copy to pass on to their children in the future.

Although this is a children's book, people of all ages will delight in it. The illustrations are genuine masterpieces.

The book warms up with a Red Sox game in 1918. Somebody's Great-Grandfather watches that game and celebrates the Red Sox' 2004 victory, poignantly reminicing about that 1918 victory. At the time of this review, Boston is celebrating the 2007 Sweep in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies! Go Boston!

Dirty Water was the anthem of the 2007 World Series. The Standells' classic was very a propos!

The illustrations bring history into the picture, literally with the Duck Float Parade; the 1918 lineup and the excitement of the game! Varitek, who helped the Red Sox barrel into victory in 2004 was also part of the Victory Team in 2007! Go, Boston!

I recommend this book for everyone. If you like good baseball and you love Boston, then you want this book. It will hit a home run into the hearts of all readers, just as Lowell hit that winning home run in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series! Go Boston!

Excellent book for any Red Sox fan young or old. Great story for the young, great nostalgia for the not-so-young! A must for any Bostonian!

As an aspiring sportswriter/PR individual for a baseball team, having a book such as Baseball Field Guide (An in-depth illustrated guide to the complete rules of baseball) to reference is absolutely essential. If you are in anyway like me and need to have some visual clues this book is right up your alley. The book is as simple and concise as it is precise and informative.

The book begins by giving the reader a view of the basic rules of baseball followed by and overview of teams from little league up to the pro-level. Following that is an understanding of the equipment that is used and pregame preperation. Did you know that before a game starts the umpires must prep the balls by rubbing a particular type of mud from the New Jersey shore on them; this a tradition that has dated back more than half a century?

It is with continued illustrated outline precision that Formosa and Hamburger delve further into pitching, batting, running, fielding, umpires and a myriad of other needed information concerning America's pastime.

This books is brilliantly composed!

I learned lot from this book. While watching baseball I was having a difficult time understanding all the terms and moves. This book helped me understand all of it and more.

This book makes sense out of the disorganised mess that is the Offical Baseball Rule Book. Good indexing and graphics clear up the confusion most fans have about balks, interference, and other fine points of the game. A must for the serious fan.

I have attended minor league baseball for 15 years. It is amazing what I didn't know.

The illustrations in this book are excellent. The visual layouts of all the major league fields alone is worth the price of admission. All of the visulas are excellent. Makes the book enjoyable to peruse even if you know the rule. The book is smart enough to know the difference between the official and actual strike zone too.

This volume is an absolute must for those interested in baseball history from 1900 to 1991 or fans who want to see how the uniforms of their favorite teams have changed over the years.

The book was recommended to me - when it was initially published - by an artist who was working at that time for a major trading card company. You will notice that most of the current uniforms borrow style points from years past. I guess the "retro" look of stadiums led to a "retro" look in the home garb.

Since its publication, teams have literally flooded the market with variations of their standard home and away uniforms. An update of the book may not be cost efficient due to this situation, but I hope at some point a companion volume will be published to chronicle the years starting from 1992.

Extremely comprehensive for any baseball historian. Very informative and extremely interesting. Much like everyone else who submitted a review, I would love to see a revised edition of this book - especially with the onslaught of alternate jerseys and sleeve patches.

Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century is THE definitive reference on baseball uniforms. Nowhere will you find a more complete list illustrating every major league uniform used every single year. Do you know when the Astros introduced their "rainbow" uniforms? What year did the White Sox sport Bermuda shorts? Did you know that the New York Giants once wore plaid uniforms? It's all in this book. I find it odd that this book was written to represent the uniforms of the 20th century seven years before the century's end. This book is crying out for a second edition. There have already been dozens of uniform changes since 1993. Marc Okkonen, I'm beggin' ya. PLEASE!

When I discovered BASEBALL UNIFORMS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, I was overjoyed. It is a true missing link of baseball information. Of all the pictures of ball players I poured over through the years, players who graced the diamonds during the first 50 years of this century, the one thing I could never discern was the COLOR of their uniforms. However hard you studied the permeations of gray and black in the photographs, you could not accurately guess the colors. Similarly, it was difficult to detect the exact year each major league uniform changed. This book solved those mysteries for me. I place it among my most valuable baseball books, a collection which encompasses maybe 80 books. I would love to see a similar book done on baseball uniforms of the 1870s-1890s, as well as a book on football uniforms of the 20th Century. Kudos to the author and publisher!

I have been collecting MLB replica/current baseball caps since the late sixties. I guess that makes me a fanatic. I received a postcard from Marc Okkonen a few years ago, and thought his 1991 volume was without sequel. Now I have heard that there is a 1993 revision of this fine book, with corrections. (Baseball lovers need this). I started getting serious about tracing the history of team caps in 1995, so I have a bit of a gap that a "new" Okkonen could help me fill. I have found a few errors in the book; in fact the author said there were some. Where can anyone go to improve and update Okkonen? Until further notice, he is my constant reference for cap styles, a monumental piece of research, which I use "for the love of the game."

The purpose of a book, in my opinion, is to take the reader away and allow him to experience what the author writes about. McGough has done an excellent job of doing this in his debut.

As a kid, I was obsessed with baseball. It was a rite of passage in our country for young boys to collect baseball cards and idolize the players on their faces. McGough was able to gain access to this world, which is a privilege most of us would have died for. He preserves that childlike wonder throughout this book. Rather than becoming annoying, this tone allows the reader to empathize with McGough's struggles and cheer at his triumphs.

The book also gives a fresh new look at the inner workings of a baseball team. Most sports books are written by players or journalists. Both groups have a certain detachment from society as a whole. McGough is an average kid from New York city with an average kid's problems. He writes about how his grades suffer, struggling to talk to girls, and other situations an adolescent male would find himself in. The difference is that most kids don't have millionaire pals who will lend a helping hand in impressing a young lady. McGough's description of his interactions with the players is very humanizing. In a way, McGough takes these players off the pedestal society has placed them on and shows the reader they are average guys.

This book is my favorite baseball book by far, even surpassing Jim Bouton's Ball Four. If you have a baseball fan in the family, get this book for them. You won't be sorry.

You don't need to be a Yankee fan or a baseball fan to enjoy this book. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I feel guilty that I've taken a liking to a Yankee's team written about in this book. Mr. Mcgough does an incredible job of making you feel that you're part of the locker room, in the dugout, and on the field with the team.

If you are a Yankee fan who remembers the team of the mid-80's era, this book is a nice walk down memory lane. It's a quick, easy read written in an enjoyable narrative style, and it provides the reader with an inside glimpse that most of us Yankee fans would have given our left foot to experience.

This was an amazing book and probably one of the best autobiographys I've ever read. Growing up in California I've been a hard core Oakland a's and San Fransico Giants fan. Reading this book makes you love the Yankees. Mr.Mcough's writing gives you the feeling that you're actually at the baseball game. Matt gives you a full on description of everything he does and if he does something bad or gets in trouble it makes you relate when something like that happened to you. It's great description and humor this definitely a must read for anyone.

I can't recommend this book enough for any Yankee fan who suffered through the '80's and early '90's. Perfect read for a day at the beach or a plane ride.

This is one of the most interesting books on fly tying I have ever read, breaks its down so the very beginner can just pick it up. I was having problems in the past with all the flys and the elements that went into making a fly, but with this book it was all spelled out very plain.
As far as I am concerned this is a must read for all beginners.

Victor Akopian

I purchased this book about a year ago, and I have found it to be every bit as helpful as the other posters on this site have already attested.

The book is well illustrated, printed on thick paper, and both ingenious and unique in it's presentation of the patterns and the techniques needed in tying.

I work overseas most of the time, so I do almost all of my shopping via Amazon... I don't write too many reviews, but a year later here I am singing the praises of this great book.

It is worth every penny, and would happily pay double if I had to replace the copy I currently own.

This is the best how to book format I have ever seen. It is so great. It just makes sense to have spilt pages with the recipe on the top half of the page and instructions for the different techniques on the bottom half. It has helped me to understand fly tieing so much. Great book.

I have several fly tying books, of which, none can approach this book in explaining how to tye flies. The way this book is laid out is a clear advantage. I feel that most anyone will benefit who is interested in tying. A person can purchase a less expensive book on tying, but remember the old saying, "buy the best and cry once."
































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If you are thinking of getting started in fly tying,this IS the book to purchase. It will be your last and only book that you will need to purchase on this subject. It is extremely easy to navigate and takes the mystery out of fly tying techniques. Even seasoned veterans might find an easier technique to use. I would recommend it to family and friends!

I first had the pleasure of reading "Charlie's Touchdown" in 2004. I have recently savored the story again and enjoyed it just as much. The story, told through the eyes of his mother, focuses on Charlie, a courageous and inspiring boy who was born with multiple heart anomalies. The book is written in a conversant manner; you can't help but feel like you come to know Charlie and his family. The summation of Charlie's life is so much more than his medical problems. The truest meaning of life is exemplified by the example of this young man. His life, though relatively brief, was a woven tapestry of hope, determination, faith, trust, love, humilty, joy and gave validity to the value of suffering.
I highly recommend this book. After reading "Charlie's Touchdown" you will readily see the appropriateness of the book's title.

Vickie Batcheldor

"Charlie's Touchdown" is an awesome testimony of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness (no matter the daily struggles, the never-ending challenges, the pain of human suffering, and the grief of the human heart). Charlie, his family, and their faith will inspire you. And you will find plenty of the Holy Spirit all along the way!

A powerful read for anyone; an especially uplifting read for bereaved parents and those grieving the loss of a loved one.

"Charlie's Touchdown" is a very personal account of a family's joys and sorrows in living with a member with a physical disability. As I read this true story, written by the mother, I felt as though she was actually taking me with her and her husband and her family as they lived with Charlie and his gift. I laughed and I cried as I went through the years with Charlie. One wonders why I would call Charlie's disability a "gift", especially in our society, which no longer values people with disabilities and actually eliminates them through untold abortions and the growing tide of euthanasia. I call it a "gift", because when seen with the eyes of faith, one is able to connect all sufferings up to the Cross of Christ, which is the greatest gift we have been given. Then, our sufferings can, indeed, become redemptive as St. Paul states in Colossians, chapter 1, verse 24: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the Church..." God gives us the opportunity, as He gave Charlie and his family, to grow in love through suffering. I highly recommend this book for all, especially those who struggle to see the value of suffering in our world today. Read the book and you will be uplifted.

This is a beautiful and well written true story of love, perseverance, tragedy, humor, and faith. Every parent, no, every person, should read this story!

This book is an inspiring example of how much we can rely on God to help us through the pain of this life. Mary Jo's reliance on faith to provide strength in her most painful and difficult experiences helped me see that we can and must TRUST God ... His plan is eternel and reaches far beyond this life. Thank you, Mary Jo, for sharing this experience with the world and demonstrating the very faith and trust that Jesus told us was possible.

Fantastic book/offensive system. Worded very well..

Pros:
- Quarterback and Wide Reciever play is focused on thouroughly and is very clear
- The system is very efficient in terms of play names etc
- Playbook section in the back sets up the young coach with plenty to base his offense off as a start
- Read progressions for every play are simple, very organized
- Provides a sample practice plan
- Describes how the huddle should be run
- Provides a template for an effective call sheet
- Running system is extremely simple

Cons:
- While a template is provided for the call sheet, Coach Jenkins doesn't do a complete job of identifying what type of plays can fill out the sheet. A beginner coach might have trouble creating his sheet using this book as his pure source.
- While the running system is defined, runningback play and run-blocking is somewhat ignored. Coach makes it clear that offensive line play is something that he feels is up to the personal coach so he does not go into detail.
- Unlike most coaching books, Coach doesn't list the specific characteristics the WCO coach should be looking for at each position

well that was difficult trying to find cons lol..great book, 5 stars

I just heard coach Jenkins speak at the Irvine Mega Clinic and he was probably the best speaker there. I don't think he even mentioned his books, but I bought all three. His books are the best out there, bar none! I highly recommend all three of his books.

I was at a football clinic this past weekend and a guy comes out of one of the talks and makes the guy selling the books unpack (he had just packed up and was walking out the door). He said he needed a "West Coast Offense" book. So he opens two or three cartons and takes out "Coaching The Multiple West Coast Offense" (the second edition for what it's worth). So I decide to go ahead and get a copy for myself because it must be good? Long story short -It's the best darn book on football out there! Just a lucky timing thing and I really love the offense. We are bringing the author out to our school to install the offense..... An outstanding book that I found because of luck. It's that good........

This book is very indepth and comprehensive. It not only diagrams plays, but it also explains the techniques and read progressions that make the plays work. It's a great book if you are looking for an offense or just looking to add to your own.

Excellent, best-of-breed books on the West Coast offense, especially for those who haven't lived in the system from ground zero as a player or a coach.

HS coaches should beware...the WCO works well, BUT only if you have a stellar athlete/passer as a QB and at least one receiver w/great speed who is capable of consuming the cushion, tracking the ball, and acting as a complete deep threat. The strength of the WCO (the desired traits in the QB and WR) is also its achilles heel, in the same way as the WCO's mirror-opposite, the wishbone (you must have a dominating FB who can draw defenders at the point of attack). Given the paucity of talented QBs who are able to throw 40 - 70 yards with great accuracy consistently and WRs who demand and get consistent double coverage, it would behoove you to think twice about installing the WCO at the HS level.

If you make the mistake of pushing the WCO as a template on a HS team w/out the QB and WR, you are going to be in for a long and painful season. Defensive backs will congregate in the short zones, defensive coaches will send 6 - 7 defenders in full blitz, and if your QB isn't mobile you can count on numerous sacks, missed throwes, interceptions, or an injured QB (the shotgun, a favorite in the WCO, only delays the agony).

Good luck, and this book is as good as it gets for the HS coach seeking to implement the WCO.

My son is going to have an eagle court this fall and I am going to use this book to help me plan his eagle court. It has alot of great information and ideas. I think anyone trying to plan an eagle court should have this book.

This book made my son's Eagle ceremony. Dryse became and Eagle Scout with two of his friends /troop scouts. They each had several different ideas of what to do at their combined ceremony. With the help of this book the program they put together was perfect. The program was reverent, imformative, funny and touching. This book helped them to outline what they wanted in the program and a timeline to be able to complete the tack at hand. Each boy took on parts of the ceremony to orginize and their leadership skills they learned on their road toward Eagle shined through.

Very well laid out...a quick read that contains great ideas and sample formats for the big night.

I will be planning an Eagle Court of Honor in the near future. This book has all the information I need to be ready soon. I am no longer worried, just busy.

For thoses to strived past hardships and challenges, put aside the confusion and ease the anxiety when preparing for this important event. No matter what kind of Eagle you are, you'll find this book helpful in making the best ceremony possible for you that commerating the achievement few and many met. Say you are non-religious, thats ok, though reverent is one of the twelve points, there is a ceremony pertaining to your interest and devotions of causes. If God fearing is what defines you, look no further than to prayers and poems that are appendixed. Any Eagle with the eye for the creative can think up and use almost any ceremony easily and gain publicity effortlessly. Other items, For your Information, though, can be purchased from Mark Ray. Both this book and other items are a great helpful in making the best Eagle Court of Honor.