Sports Books

I can admit it now, but for a long period of my life, it was quite painful: I'm an Angels fan. Have been since the days of Bo Belinski. That's why I was delighted to see Bucky Fox's addition to the history, lore and trivia of my beloved Angels -- be they of Anaheim or Los Angeles. His book is crammed with stuff I didn't know or, in many cases, had forgotten. Like "Adam Kennedy's Reggie Moment," when Kennedy hit three dingers in Game 5 of the ALC championship series to beat the Twins. Or the key role played by the relatively unknown pitcher John Lackey in a number of major Angel wins (Game 7 of 2002 World Series, Game 4 of 2002 ALC championship, Game 2 of 2005 AL Division series). Bucky's book is filled with this stuff.

For a demented Angel fan, it's all pure gold.

Bucky Fox has done a terrific job of highlighting the top players, moments and memories of the Angels' storied past. This book is written in a short, punchy style that makes it a quick, easy read. It brings back memories for any Angels fan of the great moments in franchise history, and it reminds you that the Angels have a lot more high points in their history than you might think.

I'm not an Angels fan. I'm a Yankees fan and what I want to know is why MY team doesn't have a kickass book like this. With his fast-paced, tightly-written countdown to victory, Fox does the seemingly impossible. He makes the Angels look like the Yankees. And for that, I tip my pro cap to him.

Great introduction for new fans to the history of the Angels and a great rememberance for long time Angel Fans. It was a fun read because you could just tell that the Author is an Angels fan.

As an Angel fan I think this book makes a delightful quick read and scores consistently with interesting tidbits of Angel player triva. Should be in any Angel fan's collection.

this book gave me the understanding on how to take it to the next step. currently I climb 5.10 but I am ready for the next step and I feel this book gave it to me.

I bought this and the "Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Climbing Performance" from the same author and I think it is a lot better than how to climb 5.12 beacause it has everything and a lot more things. I don't regret buying both, but If I knew It maybe I would just buy one of them. But both are excelent.

This is a great book. Just a heads-up though.

The book "Training for Climbing" is an equally excellent reference - it contains much the same information as this book, only in more detail, with sections on anatomy, physiology etc. If you want to dispense with those discussions, buy this book. But I'd say buy one or the other, and save your extra money for another reference.

This the authoratative text for the advanced climber who wishes to boost his/her skills to the maximum potential.

Explaining the basics of medical knowledge the author lucidly shows how to apply this to climbing.

The book is rife with plenty of exercises and routines to keep even the most experienced climber busy.

By applying the principles in this book and training consistently you should see your climbing level jump by at least 4 grades within a few months ( eg - 5.10a - 5.11a ).

Be sure to mix your routines and not overtrain.

This is definitely not a book for beginner rock climbers.

If you're getting into climbing and getting into it fast, there are about five books to get, and this is one. Eric Horst gives a solid overview about how to speed progress and avoid typical mistakes such as overtraining, a common problem that kept me in 5.9 longer than I needed. The progression from grade to grade is more a mental one than a physical one, as my weeklong slothfest followed by a near full number jump in climbing ability will attest. Buy this, Performance Rock Climbing by Dale Goddard, the Heather Sagar book, and as much John Long as you can afford, and you will move more quickly up the ladder. Or, you can lift and jog yourself to death and spend your money on fingerboards, supplements, and other dubious methods, and hang out at your current level for a few more months or years like the other groundlings. Success requires effort; efficient effort requires knowledge. Get some.

This is a fantastic product. My boys at 6yrs and 8yrs both love this.We take it to the park and picnics etc. Overall great fun for any age. I would highly recommend it.

I'm waiting til summer to try this out with my grandson, but it looks awesome.. i can't wait!!!

My husband, I and our 7 year-old love this bubble book and wand. There is a recipe in the book for the bubble liquid and it works great. The wand is easy to use, and is easy enough that my daughter can make HUGE bubbles. This is my new "birthday gift" for kids. A great outdoor activity for the whole family! (Hint: Buy an extra wand...it's worth it!) The Amazon.com price for the book was the best I had found in April '08 when I bought it.

Brings back many fond memories of when I was a child. I had this same book and kit. I spent many many many hours blowing bubbles and entertaining the younger children in the neighborhood. Same great quality and easy to read book that teaches techniques and facts. The best bubble making formula has changed though, so don't go buy the ingredients until you read the new formula.

We have had a lot of fun with this product. The recipe for the bubble solution is easy and can be stored for weeks and it only takes a little practice to get the hang of making the big bubbles. Granted, I haven't had luck with making the 10 ft. bubbles they mention in the book, but you can get some really big ones! Keep in mind that humid weather is essential for these bubbles, if it's too dry it gets frustrating. We have had ours for a couple years and it still works great (just rinse the solution out of the wand when you're done) so I've started buying them as gifts. We love it!

"...a high-quality, hard-cover, beautifully crafted book, which could be a gift, a prize possession of a golfing fan or player-or to anyone who enjoys a little humor."

"The Humorous Golf Poetry of Tom Edwards is quite a good read. I got a kick out of it and I'm a pretty tough critic."

"...a delightful new book...Although I'd rather be beaten with sticks as play golf, I thoroughly enjoyed reading his [Edwards'] witticisms. Edwards may not have mastered the game itself, but he is a gifted wordsmith when it comes to describing his sport in verse."

I got this book as a gift. Being an avid golfer I thought it was a hoot. I'm getting more for gifts. Great illustrations too.

Tom Edwards slim book is packed with whimsey and verse so charming that every golfer needs one in his bag. Clever drawings only amplify the twists of rhyme that lead one down the fairway between sand trap and trees. Fresh, quotable lines for venting the frustration only the game of golf can create. This book was more refreshing to read than eighteen holes on an empty green.

Genre: Non Fiction/Biography
Title: If This is Heaven, I Am Going to Be a Good Boy.
The Tommy Leonard Story
AUTHOR: Kathleen Cleary

Tommy Leonard was and still is an outstanding character, well know by many. He began life in a poor family. His parents finally had to send he and his sister to Shurtleff Mission, a home with the sole purpose helping children of destitute families while teaching the gospel. Tommy was determined to leave the mission, but each time he ran away, he was caught, returned and punished. He was finally freed of his mission experience and lived with several different families during his youth. As he grew into his teens and young adulthood, he became known for drinking and partying and having a way with the girls but Tommy was also a runner. He loved to run and after a stint in the Marine Corp, he continued running in marathons, becoming known for his promotion of health and fitness. He founded the Falmouth Road Race.
Kathleen Cleary has captured the personality and warmth of this man. He is truly loved by so many. Even those who have never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance, can sit back and chuckle at many of the events of Tommy's life, or share in the heartfelt love that Tommy has for his fellow man. The reader will also find a selection of pictures dating back to his life in the mission and forward to 2004 where he is seen with Edie Doyle in front of the Boston Red Sox World Series trophy. So many years with so much to tell, and Kathleen Cleary has been able to share these years, giving us a view of an extraordinary man.



Reviewer: Elaine Fuhr, Allbooks Reviews

I am not an avid runner. Nor have I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Leonard. Readers may not know the people or recognize the local names in this book, but the Kathleen Cleary's message is unmistakably universal: Tommy Leonard touched the lives of many and made his and our world a better place. Read this book and learn how and why he did it. The title alone is worth the price of admission into Leonard's remarkable life.
Mike Considine, Lenox, MA

This book is a true delight from start to finish. In this day and age where we hear so many stories of people doing bad things, it is so uplifting to read about a man who is such a good person through and through. Kathleen Cleary has captured the spirit of Tommy Leonard for everyone. I highly recommend this book and I promise it will bring tears to your eyes, a smile to your face and probably quite a few belly laughs. Enjoy!

This book is very interesting and well-written and is not just for running fans. The life of Tommy Leonard serves as an example of how enthusiasm and a positive attitude can prevail over almost any difficulty life may throw at you. If you want to read an uplifting book, this is the one!

Joe Concannon, Boston Globe sportswriter and chronicler of the Boston Marathon, tabbed Tommy "The Guru" as every runner of note made their way to the Eliot Lounge, from all corners of the planet so that they could counsel with the great one: Thomas Francis Leonard!

Read this book and find out why, or read this book and feel all warm & fuzzy like. The man has had quite a life.

The quotable Tommy:

". . . Tommy Leonard, the running guru at the Eliot Lounge talking in a TV interview about the particular appeal of the Boston Marathon: "It's better than sex."

Tommy got some strange looks from folk's after that one.

A great book to enjoy over the Holidays!

I've been coaching youth football for several years. Many coaches have styles and techniques - some good, many bad.

This book gets right to the point and offers an all around complete coaching program.

I don't know Derek Wade personally, but several years ago I first "met" him through an Amazon book review. I was so impressed with his review that I did a search on his name and found out that he had a web site. At the time I was not coaching, but I was closely following my older son's progress in Youth football. I was trying to fill in the holes in my son's skill set, that his coaches were not able to cover because of their restrictions of practice time and ability to spend one on one time with the players. I soon realized I had good tactical knowledge of the skills required for individual football positions, but hardly any strategic knowledge of a football team from a coaches view. Derek's website http://www.fbforyouth.com/ contained tons of the knowledge he had gathered and shifted through on his similar quest for a strategic knowledge. His writing style was written in "Conversational" manner, where the emphasis is on communicating ideas in an understandable manner, as if having a conversation with an acquaintance, as opposed to trying to sound like an expert.

Chapter 1 History: This really filled in a lot of the holes in my knowledge. In other writings (or in my son's Madden Football) I would read references to offensive systems or defenses systems and I could only guess about them (ie. West Coast offense, 4-3 defense, etc.). Coach Wade explains these system with just enough detail and history to understand them from a 10,000 foot view. I couldn't put the book down while reading this. Then Coach Wade goes into a 5,000 foot view on the rules of football. This is an easy read as the entire section is labeled with bold headings so a person can skip what they don't want to read, and not worry about missing something they want to read.

Chapters 2 & 3 Video & book Reviews: There are a lot of coaching videos on the market. They are expensive. Most of them seem to be "Garage Projects". I agonize when I am trying to find the right video to fit my present need because it will cost a person tens of dollars to find out what you bought is not what you wanted. There needs to be more video & book reviews from trusted sources, so I was thankful for Coach Wade's insight. Coach Wade also has a few more book reviews on his web site.

Chapter 4 Film Study: Coach Wade makes it clear this is time intensive, but has big payback. I have been doing this for several years and I very much agree. As a dad, I would film a close up of the line where my son was, then slow it down to about 0.4 speed. That is VERY entertaining to watch as it emphasizes the hand to hand combat of the front line and has been VERY helpful to my son. Lots of good lessons learned in this section. Coaches should measure their resources and allocate them to film study accordingly.

Chapter 5 Dealing with Parents: Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 6 Selecting Staff: Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 7 Practice Preparation: Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 8 Practice Plan: This chapter is the biggest in the book. Coach Wade takes a person through weeks of individual practices. I had to keep in mind that Coach Wade talks from his present coaching assignment at the Jr. high level, but I felt there was lots of good philosophy and lessons learned to help me at the K-4th level. I just finished coaching K-2 graders, all first time players, and my team would not have been able to progress as fast as the outline, but my older son's 5-6th grade team would have been able too. I will be coaching 3-4 graders and I plan on incorporating a lot of Coach Wade's practice philosophy here. I am presently rewriting my future practice plan accordingly.

Appendix 1 Misc Drills: Having this many drills laid out by subject area, with diagrams, and field tested is really really nice.

Appendix 2 Practice Plan: This is what I am referencing while I rewrite my future practice plan.

Appendix 3 Helpful Charts: If you are a visual person like I am, having things laid out in forms and organized into relationships is very helpful, but it takes time and a good form evolves from its initial concept to its working state. This section allows a person to skip the evolution stage and get right to the working stage.

Appendix 4 Letter to Parents: Interesting.

Appendix 5 The Black Lion Award: Interesting.

Appendix 6 Concussions: Very helpful. I plan on taking this seriously.

Appendix 7 Football Terms: Very helpful and interesting to read.

Index: Even this shows that some time was put into it.

Impact is a great book for the new or old Head Coach and assistants. The book gives a head coach everything they need to start off the season on the right foot with parents, assistant coaches and kids. The detailed practice plans were exactly what I had been looking for. The offensive examples describe in the book are the double wing, with which Coach Wade has had a lot of success. This book is not an offensive or defensive play book and it was not the intent of the author to be one. You will have to get this in his other future books or from other sources. Coach Wade does point to a lot of great resources where these can be found and to ones that should be avoided. If you're new to coaching youth football and searching for the right plan or if you have a team but you need a better system, this is the book for you!!

This book by far was the best football coaching related book i've read by far. Coach Wade was very informing and intoned to what new coaches need to be successful.

If you are a rookie Coach (like me), and don't want to look like one this is a great book. It is very informative and gives you a step by step plan on how to organize your team. Includes Practice plans, Scheduals..everything you need. I am only halfway through the book and what I have read so far is worth more than I paid for the book. Highly Recomended...Thanks Coach Wade, for the great book.

-Rookie Coach Case

Truly a great book. Tales of epic adventures and misadventures from around the globe. I recommend Quigley's book, "In the Company of Rivers". It's the ideal paperback to take with you on your next fishing trip.

An eloquent work...destined to be a classic. Those who cherish the outdoors will relish every word.Ed Quigley has given us a magnificant gift. Thank you Ed.

I shelled out good money for this book - and thoroughly enjoyed it. Quigley is a masterful storyteller. While I am not a fisherman, the word pictures painted by the author really made me feel as if I were there with him. I particularly liked "The Legend" and "Painted Ladies."

I enjoyed it. Don't care much for fishing stories, but I like good writing. Nice tales, well told.

This book contains a great collection of stories which will stimulate an outdoorsman's desire to escape to a better place. A must for any fly fisherman's library.

This is a classic look at one of the greatest football teams of all time, headed by one of the greatest coaches of all time: the incomparable Vince Lombardi.

The book started out with a desire to keep a journal of a year in football from training camp through the end. Serendipitously, this particular year turned out to be the third straight (and unprecented) championship year for the Green Bay Packers -- and featured a spectacular end-of-the-game play by the author.

I wouldn't call myself a rabid football fan (that would be my husband), but this was an excellent book for anyone with a passing interest in football.

I am not a Packers fan, yet I found this book fascinating. Jerry Kramer has opened up the mystique of America's favorite spectator sport to the public in "Instant Replay." And what a cast of characters! So many legendary figures of the game participated in this single season: Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, and Ray Nitschke, to name a few. After the fabled "ice bowl" league championship game against the Cowboys, the Super Bowl vs the Raiders was almost anticlimactic. Football fans of any age would truly enjoy this personal account of a remarkable team in their most memorable season.

I read this book twice: once when I was a kid shortly after it was initially released, and again several years ago. It was just as interesting a read the second time as it was the first. I recently bought a copy of this re-released version for a friend. I thumbed through it and noticed some additional photo's have been added since the release of the paperback edition that I own.
Anyone who has an interest in football will want to read this book, despite the fact that it relates to events that took place 30 years ago. If you're my age, it will bring back memories of the glory days of the Packers (back when a water bucket was a tin pail with a ladle on the sidelines). If you aren't old enough to remember those days, the names in the book will most likely be familiar to you as great characters in football history.

Instant Replay is an essential book for every football fan. The tradition of the NFL and the inside story of the Green Bay Packers in the Vince Lombardi era come to life with a wonderful blend of humor and pro football detail in this great book.

There will never be another great team like the Packers of the 1960's for a number of reasons. The only way to relive this era is through the numerous books that rehash the Lombardi dynasty. This book has to be one of the cornerstones of reliving that era with its candid yet humble prose giving an inside view of the Packer locker room. Jerry Kramer, who resents the 'dumb jock' stereotype of football player, composed a well written memior of football in "Instant Replay".

From the days after Superbowl I to Lombardi's retirement after Superbowl II, this book takes readers through the entire 1967 season. Lombardi is known for the grind players were made to endure in his training camps. Kramer tells what the players are feeling as speculation begins that this would be Lombardi's final season coaching in Green Bay. Being the number one target of the NFL after being champion for the last two years makes the regular season a grind. While the Packers did not play their best in the regular season, they turn their game up a notch in the playoffs. Often voted the greatest game in NFL history, Kramer devotes significant time to the Ice Bowl. This is significant because Kramer had a key role in the game and this book marks an early admission that he may have moved a little prematurely. After the Ice Bowl, the Superbowl almost seemed anticlimactic.

Two years after the 1967 season, Vince Lombardi died of cancer and many of the pieces of the Packer dynasty were in retirement. This book is a great way to relive the magic of the Packer dynasty.

Great book about a super guy! Easy to read & very inspirational. I highly recommend this book for anyone intersted in the human struggle to be on top - it's not just about the money or the fame, it's about life & winning as a human being, not a sports super star.

Pick this book up over the movie, it is much better. The movie didn't cover the entire story. Mr. Papale tells his story in the way it should. He is very upfront and totally honest with his entire story. I've recommended this book to so many. It is definitely an inspiring story full of determination that will have you looking at your own life. A great hometown hero story.

I enjoyed reading Invincible and thought the book was great. I watched the movie when it came out and as usual the book was alot better than the movie. I would recommend this book to any football fans.

I certainly enjoyed reading Invincible. However, my opinion may be bias. You see, I grew up with Vince Papale in Glenolden, PA. We lived about three blocks apart and went to the same schools. I was two years ahead of Vince. My sister and Vince's sister were best friends. I knew almost everyone and everyplace mentioned in the book. Although I didn't see Vince after high school, I followed his career with the Philadelphia Bell, Philadelphia Eagles, and TV sport casting years. Interestingly enough, the owner of the Philadelphia Bell was the star halfback on our high school football team. If you are looking for an inspirational story about a local boy overcoming many obstacles to become a professional football player, this book is for you. Unlike some similar stories (Rocky), this one is true!

Vincee and I first got together at the end of my right knee. We were on opposite sides in Pee Wee football. This story is in the book. The only thing faster than this read is Vincee on the football field or on the track. If you don't come away with a tear in your eye, your not normal. I've know Vincee since we were 11 or 12. But this book reveals the inner guy I never knew. I saw the Movie in Philly and we all stood and clapped. It's been 30 years since that great summer of '76 and it feels like yesterday that I watched Vincee play his first Pre-Season game as an Eagle. To top off that great event it was right here in Canton Ohio (my new adopted town). I just about had a heart attack when I read the program and found the name Vince Papale. Now go out and get this great book. Mike Paynter

This is a book for those who would like to know what Kodokan Judo differs from sport competition. As a sport Judo practicioner I could never expect so wide range of techniques and deep tradition. Now I can see the wisdom of Mr. Kano who preserved one of the best Japanese export products ever created -complete and powerful martial art! The photos, drawings and description are very clear and high quality. Absolute for every Judoka, regardless of rank and experience.

Running well over 400 pages, this book is a feast as well as a valuable resource for anyone interested in judo. The authors are both well know and highly respected martial artists and, in my estimation, this belongs on the shelf right along with "Kodokan Judo", "The Canon of Judo" and any other volumns you may consider indispensible to your judo library. Published in the early 80's it's not the easiest thing to come by, but is well worth the pursuit.

If you want a detailed study of nage no kata and katame no kata then this is the book for you. It is not for beginners, or anyone interested in just the basics. It is very comprehensive and authoritative. If you want to really understand the meaning of the kata, and every move in them, you will need this book. It does include general information about kata, but it does not give detailed information on any other kata besides nage and katame (known together as the randori no kata).

If Draeger's grocery list was published, I'd buy it just because I have yet to read anything by him that wasn't great. Draeger Sensei lived and breathed budo/bugei and it shows in his writing. This is the most detailed and best laid out manual for the Kodokan kata available and is essential to any serious judoka's library.

i just bought this book from kinokuniya bookstore. it is a very good book, i think. it presents the detailed explanation of techniques involved in judo. however, i think you will benefit most if you could combine this book with the reading of another one - "The Secrets of Judo" - a masterpiece in illustrating the mechanical principles that underlies Judo.