Sports Books

It's a nice book, well written and with a nice alternating between anedocts and game recaps with box scores and precise recollection of the Mets most important games over their history. I wish the author had expanded a bit more the final part of the book dedicated to players profiles. But overall it's a nice reading for baseball fans interested in the recent history of the game, not only Mets fans

I loved this book. If you are a baseball fan, half the fun is reliving great moments. Blatt puts you back on the field only the way a seasoned sportswriter can. There is also plenty of stuff from off the field. I love baseball and this book does it for me. Even after reading it, it's a book you can pick up and enjoy all over again. Buy it.

I just finished reading Howard Blatt's book, Amazin' Met Memories. I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane with the Mets. This book had terrific accounts of over 40 of the greatest games in Met history. My whole family have been fans of The NY Mets for many years. Since we don't live in New York anymore we can't attend the games, but this book made me feel that I was sitting on the third base line at Shea. I will keep this book in the company of every Met yearbook I own, since '62. Mr. Blatt, keep the Met books coming!!!

After realizing that Howard Blatt couldn't possibly have spent 40 years in the Mets' lockerroom, I became aware of the fact that his amazin' book only makes it seem so, and that he has astounding knowledge of both the Mets and baseball in general.
This is an enjoyable and fascinating chronicle of 40 sometimes great, often frustrating years.
Perhaps my biggest kick, however, came from Bud Harrelson's wonderful and honest introduction. It alone makes the book a great buy, and brought back for this original Met fan many fond memories of the '69 Miracle Mets.

Might this be the best Mets book -- ever? I'm old enough to recall the Mets first win in 1962, and here's that game again, one of dozens of games -- from the good years and the wishful -- with dozens of box scores (box scores! Why don't baseball books have more box scores like Blatt gives us?) and excellent game stories, with the best quotes, scene-setting and analysis you could want. I just pick this book up, read any game at random and next thing I know I'm reading three games, four, and the writing of each game-story is so crisp, evocative, witty and intelligent that nothing about it tires. It's like sitting next to a great afficianado who's seen it all and makes you feel as if you're seeing it fresh in the thrill of the original nights and afternoons. Like a time machine, you're placed in the game's seasonal situation, the immediate dugout calculations, and the cultural implications for the Blue and Orange. And then there are the chapters on best/worst trades, best players (complete with stats and rain-delay musings) and like the song says, "I don't care if I ever get back." And the topper is that he even includes "bonus" games, plucking the extraordinary from the ordinary (if there is such a thing as ordinary in baseball). Any old book can give you the World Series games but Blatt gives you it all, from the Aprils to the warm summers to the October chill. It works on every level. Not only is this a book for the deepest, most passionate fan but also the perfect volume to introduce and explain to your girlfriend, wife or kids why the Mets matter, why this is not just the Mets history but our own. Just as you can love and appreciate Wrigley without being a Cubs fan, or appreciate Jordan without being his team's fan, you can love this book even if you're not a Mets fan. If you value great baseball writing you'll become a Howard Blatt fan. As do all great authors and their classics, this book transcends its particulars to become something any fan will find fascinating and historically compelling. This book will become as dog-eared as your first scorecard and just as precious.

This book is the only reference one needs for any navigational issue. As a U.S. Naval Officer, I use this book to keep my navigation skills sharp. While it is an "official" publication, it is so useful I decided I needed a copy of my own, and purchased one. When I was instructing midshipmen at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, I routinely used Bowditch as my sourcebook, to ensure I was ready to teach each navigational subject (especially celestial nav). On the occasions where a midshipman asked me a question I could not immediately answer, I invariably found the answer in Bowditch. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

"Ship handling" is something you get a feel for, specific to each vessel. Navigation, on the otherhand, can be learned (and used) by a hermit in the desert. And quite easily with his trusty "Bowditch" by his side. Navigation, as a science, didn't spring up overnight. Like the Aztec calendar, thousands of years of observation went into its development, beginning with the earliest seamen. Today, the New American Practical Navigator reflects those years of patient record. Everyone, from the weekend warrior to the crustiest salt, can find a lesson in its pages. From the latest chapter on Electronic Navigation in 1995's "red book", to the esoteric sights for lunar longitude in the old leather-bound editions of the early 1800's, "Bowditch" gives you no excuse for losing your way.

I am a professional Capt. and I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to become a proficent mariner.

as a first year student in a marine program in Canada I don't know where I would be with out "Bowditch" this is the book for any one who sails on the Great Lakes or Deep Sea. I would advise any person who sails or is pondering sailing buy this book!

I am a career, surface warfare-qualified Navy officer and believe this to be the best reference in the world for nautical navigation and related matters. Superb.

This is the 'source' information from which all useable functional,and common sense hitting instruction comes from.It's still just as relevant in '08 as it was back when the White Sox had those horrible uniforms.(and haircuts)
This book De-bunks a lot of the 'Red Herrings' of Hitting folklore. I am constantly amazed as a player and coach how much out and out, wrong information is out there.
Lau wrote this book right at the advent of the use of video. He was the first person to analyze a swing in all it's entirety. He not only came up with the '10 absolutes' but he points out what is NOT important...(stance,elbows up,staying back...whatever that means?)

No more 'squashing butterflies and squishing bugs'....
He speaks of the importance of:
Rhythm,weight shift
You Hit off of your FRONT foot.
You go back to get forward!
You do not keep your eye on the ball....Your head goes down when you swing.
and all importantly...tough as nails Charlie LAU talking about what most guys don't want to...fear and tension in hitting.

etc,etc,etc.

I was struggling at the plate when I bought this book. I was a power hitting .200 pull hitter. I retired from adult ball,hitting twice that. More importantly I taught everything I learned in this book to my son who has won a few league batting titles,though he still gets the occasional snide remark about how his swing 'looks' (LOL!)

I have taught many sub .150 hitting kids how to hit .400...it always lights up a kids face to find out I don't give a darn where his elbow is (or how many bugs he squashes)

I recently stepped into a cage after not having touched a bat in over a year. I drilled 10 consecutive line drives into the L-screen. I thought of Charlie's ghost smiling down as I imagined 'hitting the pitcher in the forehead' and driving it 'back through the box'

Charlie lives forever!!

I know this book isn't cheap because it's so hard to find (they need to reprint it!!)

BUT... It'll be worth every penny !!

-solpig

I read the first edition of this book when I was 14 years old. I followed all the advice to the letter. Subsequently, I led my baseball league in hitting with a .625 batting average. What a ringing endorsement, huh.

I was a scrawny little kid to whom baseball was everything. To my parent's dismay, I judged myself by how I played baseball. But I was scared of the baseball and lost as to how to go about hitting it. My coaches gave me harmful, misguided instructions like, "make sure it's a stike, then swing at it" and "snap those wrists". I was a wreck. Then one winter my Dad (like me, a George Brett/Wade Boggs fan) bought me this book. My Dad had never been able to hit either, but he and I dissected it over the course of a summer.

It was a lot of work, more work than any 12-year-old could could have undertaken without the guidance of an equally determined adult. But my Dad and I realized that hitting was a process, a method that could be learned. Lau taught that everything I had been told -with horrible results- was in fact wrong. You don't judge whether a pitch is a strike and then swing; you start your swing and let your reflexes hold you back. You don't swing hard with your arms; you swing easy and get your power from your whole body.

All spring we worked on it, practicing in the garage, spending literally hundreds of dollars at batting cages working on mechanics. That very next season, I was hitting the ball better, and I only improved from there. By the end of that season, I was a certified leadoff terror. My team won its league title thanks to a game-winning single by yours truly. I even hit a few home runs (by not trying to, as Lau teaches). I was deliriously happy.

Even since then I've been a good hitter. Not a power hitter (I'm much too small), but a solid doubles guy with surprising pop. What I learned from this book kept me in organized baseball through Babe Ruth and high school (simultaneously), college, and semi-professional leagues. I am a hideously slow runner who soon after puberty had to give up dreams of playing professionally, but to this day I can step in front of a pitcher or pitching machine -cold- and drive the ball. This book taught me how. If you really want to hit a baseball, buy it, read it, internalize it, and put your faith in it. It will serve you well.

I recommend this book for anyone wants to learn (or teach) advanced hitting techniques. Pictures and descriptions clearly explain common hitting problems and show correct swing mechanics. My 15-year old struggled through his first slump before we applied Lau's hitting fundamentals. He added fifty points to his batting average over the next month and hit 0.638 in a national tournament. I believe this book had a lot to do with his improvement.

If you want to learn to hit the right way, this might be the best investment you will ever make. Like another reviewer wrote, though, you must be willing to do the work to learn the lessons the book teaches. Also, if you just want to be a home run hitter, this book is not for you; a home run is only a pleasant mistake in the Charlie Lau/George Brett school, which teaches solid line-drive hitting. After studying this book, I became a Top 10 hitter in a highly-competitive Texas league. The Art of Hitting .300 is a baseball treasure.

this book was the only thing that kept me sane on my last trip. there is not a mountaineer or climber that can not relate to some part of the book. i lent it out and ever one who has read it (3-4 times i might add) asked me where they can get a copy of their own. all i have to say is this should take the rated to a new level of 6 stars. read it, and then read it again!

AFTER TRAVELING OCEANS, CONTINENTS, MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS,
RIVERS AND SUCH, OUR INTREPIDS SUFFER LASSITUDES OF
EVERY MAGNITUDE AND OVERCOMING ALL, CELEBRATING EVERY
VICTORY IN GRAND STYLE, COME HOME WITHOUT A SINGLE
PHOTOGRAPH? VIVE'RUM DOODLE. BEWARE LEST YOU FALL OUT
OF YOUR FAVORITE READING CHAISE LOUNGE.
HAIL, RUM DOODLE! ALAS NO SINGLE HARDBACK IS TO BE
FOUND...THOSE TO WHOM I LOANED IT HAVE PASSED ON AND
HEIRS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE ITS VALUE. AS TO THE TITLE OF
THIS REVIEW, YOU WILL FIND THE LINE IN THE TEXT...
DON'T MISS THIS BOOK...AT ANY PRICE.

THE FISH...WELL, I ADMIT...I NEVER READ IT. TOO
EXHAUSED FROM, 'THE ASCENT...'

Mount Everest is a mere planetary pimple compared to Rum Doodle, the fictional 40,000 1/2 foot mountain in "The Ascent of Rum Doodle," a hilarious spoof of mountain climbing expeditions. Perhaps the reason why Rum Doodle was not previously conquered was "because it is there"--way out "there"--in the remote Central Asian Kingdom of Yogistan. The Yogistani language alone crippled many expeditions. The language, a branch of the aneroid-megalithic tongue, contains no verbs and is spoken entirely through the stomach. Over 95% of Yogistanis understandably suffer from gastritis. Altitude deafness often compounds the problem. The ascent begins inauspiciously enough with two great circles until Jungle, the route-finder, releases the safety catch on his compass. Risibility rises with altitude as the intrepid six Rum Doodle dandies and their 3,000 porters overcome one embarrassment after another in their quest for mountaineering immortality. No praise is too high for the men who could go no higher. Or could they have? Why are there no photographs at the top? What about the Atrocious Snowman? And then there's the question inquiring minds most want to know: "Can I see my house from there?" Read this book at your own risk--of laughing aloud! But "The Cruise of the Talking Fish" was a mediocre book at best.

I must have this book. The publisher is out of stock. I NEEEDDDD this book to fulfill a lifelong promise to my mom, who loaned it to someone who didn't return it. If you know how I could get this book, please let me know. I'd pay a premium.

TO ALL THOSE LOOKING FOR COPIES OF THIS MASTERPIECE!....I had the distinct opportunity to read all 40,000 1/2 feet of the book while in Nepal at THE Rum Doodle Restaurant! We'll be heading back in the near future and can likely get more copies. Space in my pack is very limited but I may be able to slip in an extra copy or two...let me know if you'd like one.

Many players played for the Pied Piper(Holcombe Rucker).No one was has great as him though.He was a great man and founder of the Rucker Tournament.Most people who ended up playing in the Rucker Tournamet was better then most players in the NBA.They first started playing just in Harlem,New York then went to playing more teams in New York then more and more teams.They played as far as Mississippi.

this book talks about problems the players and coaches had with racism.Most players got started in the Rucker Park Tournament.After the park tournament they went on to college ball even some went to the NBA!
Asphalt Gods by Vincet M. Mallozziwas a great book about players before professional ball games.This book is a excellent book to pick up and read.

An excellent book. Well worth the read. Great read on the history of the fabled blacktop and the man who dedicated himself to making a difference in people lives. Great read on some of the characters to grace the early days of the tournament. you won't be dissapointed getting this book

Asphalt Gods is the best book on the planet.If you love basketball you should read this book.It is a true story which took place at Rucker Park.Rucker Park is named after the brother named Holcombe Rucker.Who was born in Harlem on March 2,1926.He was raised by his grandmother.It is interesting because Mr.Rucker brought some of the best players ever to play there.

I've read Heaven is a Playground, City Game, and seen On Hallowed Ground, for anyone that is a "real" basketball fan this is by far the "BEST" story of the best streetball.

Great subject, great storytelling. By the way, I played with Rucker legend Billy Rieser (aka White Jesus) and he was hands down the most incredible basketball talent and the most compelling personality I have ever been around. His story is worthy of a volume in itself.

Like all the titles in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, book 1 Back Kick is a comprehensive study of one of the important kicks used in modern martial arts today. The book is incredibly thorough with numerous photos demonstrating the every aspect of the kick in minute detail. Mr. Kovacich knows his stuff and it is obvious that he has spent many hours honing his technique. The book provides an in-depth study of the bones, muscles and mechanics involved in the kicking technique.

In addition, the book contains a wealth of supplemental information on strength, speed and power generating exercises to enhance the technique. There is also a section on stretching as well as the application of the technique.

This book is ideal for any martial artist who wishes to perfect their back kicking ability. The beginner will find a wealth of information to assist in developing proper mechanics while the advanced practitioner will glean some vital knowledge from an accomplished teacher.

Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.

Aaron Hoopes
author of Zen Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment through Breathing, Movement and Meditation

I have a vast library of martial arts books and I must say that this is by far the best book that I have ever read on kicking. To start with, let me confess that at first I was more than a little skeptical about another book on kicking, especially one which covers only one specific kick. I couldn't imagine how there could be enough information on one kick to fill an entire book. Well, now I know. This is the most complete book on the back kick that I have ever seen!

This book leaves nothing out. It covers everything including the anatomy of the leg, stretching, vital targets, foot positioning, timing, distancing, and the importance of correct recoil. Shawn Kovacich covers variations on the back kick which I haven't considered before, and I have been studying martial arts for 25 years. He also delves into training drills, weight training, speed training, and covers several ways to develop your kicking power.

Back Kick is very well written and easy to follow. So many of the technical martial arts books are so dry and boring that is is a struggle to get through them, but Back Kick uses a lot of analogies and great photographs which make it interesting and easy to follow the author's points. I especially found the "did you notice anything wrong photographs" and the trouble shooting section to be very helpful. The pictures really helped to drive home specific points and demonstrated specific mistakes, as well has how a good back kick should look.

Shawn Kovacich obviously knows his stuff! I am totally impressed with this book and plan on reading more of the series. I highly recommend this book to every martial artist who wants to improve his or her kicking skills.

This is Volume One of ten books devoted to mastering kicks. Shawn Kovacich devotes this book to the back kick: simple, deceptive, but effective. This review examines Shawn's book from a practical stand point--how well does this book enable me to learn the back kick?
I'm 50, 6'3" tall and 220 pounds, but I'm not an athlete--just healthy. I cannot perform the back kick higher than my own waist right now--I'll need to improve my flexibility. It isn't too much of a handicap for self defense--or active military service--but for those of you involved in karate matches, you need the high kicks for the match-winning points. The back kick is deceptive because most people are no threat when approached from behind. Employing the back kick can get you inside your enemy's OODA loop (John Boyd's Observe, Orient, Decide, Act cycle) and deliver the fight-winning initiative. Of course, if I fall to the ground or can hold onto something, my kick gains stability, height, and power--at the cost of being fixed in position for an instant. I'll need to work on my back kick more. Shawn's book has persuaded me that the back kick is worth mastering.
I have training prejudices: I like to employ mirrors, a video camera or two, a minimum of one sparring partner, and at least one referee when I train. Multiple sparring partners are to keep me from getting stuck kicking at the same height each time, and because in the real world, my problems usually come in bunches. Often, I must train alone or not train at all, so I have to limit my training intensity for safety. A second set of eyes can help spot flaws--and prevent injuries. It is very hard to dial 911 when one's back is thrown out. These kicking techniques can injure the practitioner if done incorrectly. I like both mirrors and video because when I initially practice, I can watch myself in the mirror. For realistic practice, I need to concentrate on technique and the target instead of watching my own reflection--instant video playback aids me in spotting what happened. I can even figure out if my kick was in the right place or not! Shawn wrote about the "crawl, walk, and run" phases of training and the basic and advanced kicking techniques are covered in detail. Exact detail. Train at your own risk. I perform a risk reduction prior to training--assess the risk level and employ risk reduction techniques to make training safe. Remember that training is synthetic reality, intended to be less expensive than gaining real-world experience.
I think that "Achieving Kicking Excellence: Back kick" is well organized. There are ten chapters. The introduction defines the kick and advises how to use the book. Chapter One is kick anatomy: bones and muscles. Chapter Two recommends warm up and stretching exercises. Chapter Three is Basic Principles: striking surface, target areas, and 11 other key points. Clear graphics left me with little doubt about what part of the foot to apply and where to hit my opponent. Chapter Four covered the primary kick technique. Again, the graphics are very clear. They include "dance step diagrams" showing where the feet go--footwork is critical to effective kicking. The photos have numbered labels stressing correct positioning of each part of the body. Chapter Five is variations of the primary technique. Chapter Six covers training and practice techniques to achieve skill, strength, speed, and power. Chapter Seven is a trouble-shooting guide. Chapter Eight is applications: how to use this in competition or combat. Chapter Nine is Shawn's awards and accomplishments. Chapter Ten previews the next volume in the series. There are a table of contents, a recommended reading list, and an index.
This is an excellent study guide. I can train some now, on my own, and when I find training partners (sparring partners and a referee) I might even get proficient!

I've been practicing the martial arts for over 20 years and the back kick is one of my specialties so I was most eager to read what Shawn Kovacich wrote. I was impressed at the level of detail and the proper foot positioning and distribution of weight. His pictures clearly demonstrated how to execute a proper Ushiro geri as well as variations such as the jumping back kick, the step in back kick, the step back, the offset, the jump 540 (actually the jump 360), the switch back kick, etc. He also devotes quite a lot to conditioning.

Now here are the draw backs of the book.

-Too much repetition (he repeats the same sentences over when explaining the proper mechanics of kicking technique)

- There is no mention of practicing with your back to the wall. This is a technique I've learned in order to condition myself to draw my knee in close to my body.

- Only 30 - 100 squats?? That's child's play. In the dojo, we do 300 - 400.

- The fighting stance he demonstrates is most suited for point fighting. In full contact tournaments and other styles like Kyokushin and Enshin, that stance makes one more susceptible to low kicks and sweeps. The stance should be lower. Even in JKA (Shotokan) style fighting, the stance is lower.

The author states that the book was written for all styles, yet he fails to mention that in many styles, the practitioner is on the balls of his feet much of the time while fighting. Hence it's important to practice this way as well to get used to executing the kick under less than ideal circumstances.

Over all, this was a good book.

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

This book has everything a casual offroader or overlander would want (this book does not cover the hardcore break stuff, tear up your rig trails). Great descriptions of the trails and the road surface you be riding on. Great turn bu turn directions to each trail with GPS coordinates! Also explains some of the history and highlights of the trail and rates all trails for remoteness and beauty. Interesting book just to read for fun. There is no better off road book available!

After being transplanted to Southern California from the Northwest, I felt hemmed in, separated from all things natural. Backcountry Adventures has helped to change that. It's a wonderful guide to exploring the region.

The hefty book begins with a historical, botanical and geographic guide to the region, highlighting Southern California's explorers, settlers, missionaries, bandits, flora, fauna and more. It then moves into the individual descriptions of off road routes.

The book is geared towards exploring Southern California's outdoors with a 4WD and might disappoint the Glamas crowd who is focused doing awesome things in their trucks. But, for those of us looking to justify the excess of our SUV's with some exploration, it's perfect.

Each route guide begins with a simple rating guide which rates the trail on a number of qualities like driving difficulty and remoteness, then moves into a description of its history and the history of the region it explores. Next comes a description of the route itself, and then a detailed turn by turn guide with GPS coordinates.

The only real complaint I have with this book is that sometimes routes can be difficult to find without reading through the entire guide. It does contain a few "20 most scenic routes" and whatnot lists, but includes no way to find, say, the most remote routes in the book.

The other thing I'd suggest to improve the book is an accompanying website with downloadable GPS coordinates and user comments. Typing in the coordinates for a route is needlessly time consuming, and being able to download them from the internets would be wonderful. Hearing feedback from other drivers would also be great.

All in all, this book has helped to liberate me from the urban sprawl of Southern California, and for that I'm very grateful.

Tons of info, loads of great photos show you clearly what to expect on each trail. I'll be buying the Northern Cali book next.

I've been using this book for close to a couple years now. While I don't consider myself a novice to off-roading, I definitely don't fall into the rock-crawling group, preferring to use my 4x4 to simply get me to new and out-of-the-way places when time permits. Thus far it has proven to be an excellent resource for quick weekend off-roading getaways and for reading up on new trails to explore. In fact, I've enjoyed this book so much I wound up buying two others as gifts for family and friends. The photos and overviews of each trail definitely help give a good feel for what to expect. If you're a techno-geek like me, being able to plot a computer-generated map using the detailed GPS coordinates will prove highly invaluable (though I have discovered a few critical--though easily identifiable and correctable--errors in the coordinates), and with a handheld GPS I don't need to worry about the often-unusual orientation of the printed maps. For those of us who love exploring, this book will make a fantastic resource.

I bought this, and another book about place to go off-roading in so-cal. This book is like the bible of southern California.
Not only does it have extensive trail location and info, it is a virtual encyclopedia of So-Cals towns, cities, how they got their start. In addition it has extensive info on native species, of plants and animals, important founders of California, and much more. I would definitely recommend it.

This new "Backcountry Skiing" guidebook is destined to become a classic in The Mountaineers Books collection ... one that will be considered an indispensible reference in the libraries of mountaineers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. Authors Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler have each guided ski tours in the Alps throughout Europe, where Ski Mountaineering has been popular for quite some time ... and have introduced their clients to the famous summits of the Alps, as well as the local peaks of the Cascade Range. We have a large number of Alpine Climbers in the Pacific Northwest, many of whom may find that their "next step" is Ski Mountaineering ... thanks to the information in this new and comprehensive guidebook. The large number of excellent pictures makes the text all-the-more understandable. Those Reviewers preceding me have already given a good account of some of the specifics that they've found valuable ... so I won't elaborate here, except to say that the information on avalanche safety is invaluable for ANY one who ventures into the backcountry. We have lost nine lives to avalanches in Washington State already in this season! The authors of this guidebook are Instructors of the AIARE courses, and are passionate about personal safety above all else. I've already sent copies of this "new classic" to some of my best friends! Armed with the knowledge from this book, the readers can venture into the backcountry with newfound confidence and enjoyment of a sport that is bound for increasing popularity worldwide.

This is a great book. It allows beginners to develop a good base of knowledge and provides a great reference for those with years of experience. It is exactly what we have come to expect from the Mountaineers.

The collaborative effort of Martine Volken (IFMGA certified Swiss Mountain Guide, founder and owner of Pro Guiding Services and Pro Ski Service of North Bend, Washington); Scott Schell, and certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides Scott Shell and Margaret Wheeler, "Backcountry Skiing: Skills For Ski Touring And Ski Mountaineering" is an informed and informative instructional guide and manual for skiing safely in winter mountain terrains and trails. Aspiring skiers are provided with intermediate to advanced level techniques for ski touring and mountaineering; skills for mastering uphill travel; primers on mountain weather and avalanche safety; practical advice on selecting gear, troubleshooting, and adapting to varying conditions; vital information on constructing emergency shelters and sleds; as well as a wealth of useful tips for wilderness trip planning and navigation. Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommended for anyone contemplating skiing mountain terrain in winter conditions anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

A welcome entrant, Martin Volken has written the best how to book for modern steep skiing and ski touring. He logically progresses through the process of a ski tour giving advice and insight for every level of skier. Well worth the acquisition.

This is a great book. Not too basic and not too advanced for someone wanting to get into the best way to ski-the earn your turns way.

I used to teach alpine touring and ski mountaineering in the army and this would have been a great book to have around as the textbook. We taught all of this and then went in depth on the important items like avalanche safety (avoidance) and rescue. This book gives a beginning or intermediate ski mountaineer a taste and encourages AIARE level one certification (I recommend level two personally...)

I still have my copy of the past standard, Peter Cliff's out of print classic "Ski Mountaineering" (no, I won't be selling it on EBay) and this is an improvement on it.

It is great for learning and a great review for those that think they remember everything. I got some good tips on gear that, damn, I SHOULD have known!!!

A great collection of information, but I'm struggling to keep up on all these publications and which one is the best. Too many baseball books giving you the same thing for about the same price. And this one doesn't really stand-out.

As a veteran fantasy leaguer and two-time defending league champion, I have been looking to broaden my horizons when it comes to projecting player stats. This was my first year buying Shandler's book, and I am amazed at the wealth of valuable information he includes.

In his projections, Shandler includes a host of statistical measures that you won't find anywhere else, and they have led me to a lot of insights I wouldn't have had without the book. The highlight for me was the PQS pitching log, which turns a subjective look at starting pitcher performance into a valuable quantitative tool. I also enjoyed the essays that he and his staff put together, looking into the minutia of baseball performance.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain an edge in fantasy baseball or to anyone with an unsatisfied curiosity about predicting baseball players' stats.

I started participating in fantasy baseball last year. It was a great time, but I became inundated with magazines and endless articles on what to do. It was too overwhelming that in retro I choked when it came to picks from rounds 5-10.
This book puts the mind at ease and also is a great read if you're getting into baseball and wanna understand the natural progression of talent and skill. Yes, it does come with an oh-so-handy spreadsheet and chart, but it does give you the tools needed to make educated choices and sleeper choices that are above "sleeper" quality.
Definitely a great tool to use and parlay come draft day. If anything you'll appreciate the number 26!

I just got the 2005 Baseball Forecaster. The tech analysis is great and it broken down very well.

It wiil be a great addition to your fantasty baseball draft overall.

Have subscribed to Shandler's Forecaster since 1997. Believe me, I've been through all the other mags and publications, both by noted fantasy gurus such as Bill James, John Benson, etc in addition to Spoting News, Fantasy Sports and so on. I still read and buy the others, as I consider them interesting and enjoyable reads. Yet, when I want the crucial info that will lead me to league titles, I refer to Baseball HQ. The Forecaster has guided my preseason and in season ship for 6 yrs now. The best, no questions asked. Projections based on empirical data, trends and base skill indicators. I could go on and on..... Play Ball!!!!!!!

This book is a must for the baseball enthusiast. Dave Gilbertson paints a vivid picture of Bad Land baseball. A very detailed description is given for each player as well as town they visited. While reading this book, you can't help but think about the many metaphors baseball is to these minor leaguers.

David Gilbertson had what most men stop dreaming of at age 8: a chance to play in a professional ballgame. His unique experience and masterful storytelling combine for a vivid and oftentimes humorous look at baseball in its purest form.

As a Red Sox fan it is hard not to be somewhat traditional. Gilbertson helps us remember players who ride on cramped buses, live day to day, and play the game for ore reason and one reason alone: a shot a the majors.

Truly a timely and enjoyable book. A wonderful debut, and I look forward to future offerings.

This book is part baseball adventure, part biography, and part exploration of small town America and it is always entertaining. The author does a fine job of telling the life story of many people he has encountered while working in the Dakota Rattlers front office (and any other office the team needed him in). In many instances, I rooted for the individual players as much as for the team itself. The book also does a running commentary of what life in the Prarie Leagues is like, not just for the players but for the fans as well. One can not tell of a doubleheader on the 4th of July without mentioning the pre-game parade, and one can easily see how American life and baseball are intermixed throughout this novel. Although one can describe the author's view of baseball as one of childlike wonder and amazement, one can also argue that the author examines baseball in the minor leagues with well-reasoned observation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of baseball.

This book is a classic on baseball. I loved it. Dave is the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An original storyteller, Mr. Gilbertson weaves a spellbinding tale of hot afternoons, smalltown life, and one of America's greatest passions--baseball. For the sports aficionado it is a unique look at the most under-appreciated aspect of baseball--the minor leagues. The author captures the essence of these players and what it is that binds them, and their fans, to this sport. He also transports the reader to the midwestern setting that reminds everyone--be they from North Dakota or New York--of the long-gone but not so far away America of Mom, apple pie, and, of course, baseball. A pleasure to read. I highly recommend it--A great FATHER'S DAY GIFT!