Outdoors Books

I have ead allot of hunting and outdoor books but this is the best. This is a very well written book that will be in my libary for a long time. I also bought the trapping video and found it a great companion to the book.

I just finished reading your book, "Buckshot's Modern Trapper's Guide..." My congratulations to you, Buckshot, on a fine piece of work. Having been a trapper for over 30 years and a trapping supplies dealer the past 23 years, I have had the opportunity to read hundreds of trapping books. Yours has a twist I've not seen in print before. I simply can't imagine even a rank amateur NOT MAKING a respectable catch after reading your book.

This is one of the most complete trapping book ever written, without a doubt! Detailed photos take you step by step through successful trapping techniques. Learn the best sets for Beaver, muskrats, mink, otter, etc. Buckshot shows sure fire sets for Raccoons, fox, coyotes, bobcats, and many others!

This is one of the most complete trapping book ever written, without a doubt! Detailed photos take you step by step through successful trapping techniques. Learn the best sets for Beaver, muskrats, mink, otter, etc. Buckshot shows sure fire sets for Raccoons, fox, coyotes, bobcats, and many others!

This book is an excellent "how to" book. Teaches you almost everything you need to know about trapping. I would recommend this book to all mountain man wanna bes, and experienced trappers as well.

Buff brings us back to the fascination of hunting.

If you want to ride in the co-pilot seat of a Canadian bear hunt or a Texas hog hunt and more, jump on board with Buff as his words put you right on the game.

Outstanding read.

This author takes you along on his hunting trips and makes you feel like you were a part of the hunt. Great stories!

I was given this book and asked for a non-hunter's review. However, I am married to an avid bowhunter. I opened the book and randomly picked out two stories: Night Hunt and Afternoon in Africa. Written in first-person, Buff takes you on his personal journeys. This is a nice collection of short stories, written by a man who loves to hunt and has a gift for story telling. As a non-hunter/hunter's wife, I found the stories interesting and well-written. I am now looking forward to reading the entire book. Good job, Buff!

Great book. Bought it. Read it. Liked it.

Give it a try....good stories from a good ole boy.

JS

These are hunting stories from an average guy. They are the kind of easy to read, believable, down-to-earth stories outdoors people share around a campfire.

The author takes you to a few exotic places but comes across like your best friend or your neighbor. If you like hunting tales, you will probably like this book.

I've just completed my first deck project, and it would not have been a success without this book. Not excessivly wordy, but to the point on every aspect of construction. Given patience, common sense, the right tools, and this book, you have everything you need to build a great deck. Other books give you some standard methods of construction, which are helpful as a reference, but this allows you to create something more than standard.

I will be building my first deck in the near future and have purchased several "how to" books on the subject. This book is far and away superior. For starters, it has construction PHOTOS where most books have only drawings. It's so much easier grasp the techniques when looking at a photo. Also, when reading the other books, I always seemed to have many unanswered questions. This book answered them all. Don't make my mistake - buy this book first. It's the only one you'll need.

Used this book several years ago on my first and only deck. It was recommended by someone at work, and since has made the rounds with all the people at work building decks, with positive reviews. I still get complements on my deck, in no small part due to this book. Highly recommended.

After successfully completing a bookcase I decided I'd tackle a bigger project - a 500 sq. ft. second-story multi-level cantilevered deck. It took me a long time by myself, but I did it and every single thing I needed to know was in this book. Design issues, code requirements, foundation work, hardware, and clearly illustrated instructions for each procedure. I spent about a month reading this book, walking the space, and sketching designs. I frequently referenced the book during the construction and always found solutions I needed. The guy delivering the French doors commented that my "contractor" was doing a very professional job!

As a side note, the author presents a variety of railing designs but prefers a "porch-style" railing. This was MUCH more time consuming than I expected, but is my single favorite feature of my deck.

The gallery of deck photos was good, though many of the exotic design elements could not be built with the information in this book alone. In my opinion you can't look at too many design photos while preparing your own, and I did browse a number of other books and magazines for this purpose. But for the technical details, this book was my bible.

This book proved invaluable when my wife and I built our second-story deck five years ago. The design tips on layout and construction techniques turned what could have been just an ordinary rectangular deck into (if I may say so) a work of art. Although we are both engineers, it was still very useful to see the photos and diagrams describing exactly how each step should be completed, and also how to add the little touches that noticeably increase the professionalism of the finished job.

This is a beautifully written and well-researched story, and to that extent it is a good book. Chuck and Mary Kastner are friends, and frequent visitors to our Bed & Breakfast, so I won't say any more about the book than "Buy it" you won't be disappointed!

The story on the other hand belongs not only to the book, but to American History. The racers formed a cross-section of American society, with some fascinating foreigners thrown in for good measure. The trials and tribulations of all the runners amazed me and their sheer persistence could not help but become fodder for the story. But more than that the story is of ordinary people whose characters and personalities were forever changed by their phenomenal efforts. When the leaders of the race cross into New York State, there is a gesture by the leading racer which brought tears to my eyes. I leave it to you to buy the book and read the story, and admire these Bunioneers.

Whether you're interested in running, history, or African American studies, you'll find this book fascinating. Well written and surprisingly well researched and referenced, Bunion Derby presents the story of the first footrace across the United States. Among the different elements of the footrace Kastner brings to life, the most intriguing is the story of Ed Gardner, an African American competitor from Seattle.
As ultra distance running becomes increasing popular in contemporary times, Bunion Derby reminds us that such feats of endurance and will have been part of the American fiber since well before the term 'ultramarathon' was heard of.

I found this book to be intriguing and inspirational. It is a book that anyone who is interested in the history of distance running should read. It tells the story of the 1928 footrace across the United States and the stories of the brave men who competed in the race. I couldn't put this book down. It was extremely well researched, and the stories of competitors were inspiring. I strongly recommend this book.

Ostensibly a book about running - it is concerned with the cross country foot race from Los Angeles to New York in 1928 - it is so much more. It is a slice of American history, our pride and our shame. Runners and walkers from all over the globe were competing for a $25,000 prize - a vast sum in those days. Many who entered did so for the money and what it might do for their families. It didn't matter that so many of these men lacked the training, the support people, and the proper attire for such an endeavor. C.C. Pyle, the promoter of the race, and all the attendant side show foolishness that capped most days of competition, promised food and housing along the way. (The eleven-foot tall coffee pot fastened on a truck chassis, a famous curiosity of the day, followed the racers and served the runners and staff 90 gallons of coffee a day).

The reality was this: The food Pyle provided was inadequate to such an arduous venture. Lodging was minimal - tents or boxcars barely serving to keep runners out of the worst of the weather. When one of the front runners persisted in publicly complaining about Pyle's lack of sufficient attention to the men, he received a telegram stating that his wife had died. She had, in fact, died several years earlier; the idea was that he would rush home and forget about the race.

The Black runners fared as well, or as poorly, as the rest of the pack until they ran smack into the Jim Crow South. There they were harassed and threatened. Their treatment was referred to by the international runners as "the most disgraceful thing they ever knew anything about."

Kastner has illuminated what was great and what was wrong with America as it was in 1928. Despite the scorching heat of the Mojave, the sleet, the wind, and the altitude of the mountains, the filthy, sweat-soaked clothing and ill-fitting shoes, and threats and humiliation aimed at the Black athletes, 55 men completed the 3,400-mile trek. These men rose to a challenge and would not be daunted. Why did so many put themselves through such an ordeal? As one racer put it, "Every man who finishes such a race is a winner. He has shown strength of heart and purpose, which should uplift him with pride and uplift his children after him."

The 1920's are famous for grandiose stunts and promotions. One of the most arduous was the great bunion derby of 1928. Brainchild of promoter Charles C. Pyle, this was a foot race from California to New York, spotlighting the newly laid Route 66. This grueling race attracted trained athletes from across the United States and beyond. But most participants were amateurs, ill-suited to the trial before them. They came for the glory, or the thrill, or perhaps the $25,000 prize. Of the 199 starters an ama zing 55 men completed the race.

Kastner's account follows African American, Ed Gardner, through the torturous ordeal. This is history that reads like a novel - absorbing and well-paced. Kastner brings into sharp focus the motivation, the perseverance, the will, the grit that made Gardner a hero of his day.

As I read this book, I couldn't help feeling that I was hearing these stories in person at a pub over a pint or two or three. That these two brothers have managed to carve out (sometimes literally!) a grat life from their working class origins is inspirational. My main sport is running, but I have done some climbing and much hiking and really appreciate these professionals and how even in advancing years, they kept trying to stretch their own envelope. I also really enjoyed reading how they learned so much from the Sherpas and the people in Nepal and Tibet. I live at the base of a small mountain (4,000 feet) and love to spend my days there. To be able to live a life among mountains of 24,000 is amazing to me!! I have to place this book in my top 10. Way to go Lads!!!!

If you do not know Adrian and Aid Burgess your in for a treat. The Burgess boys are known in the mountaineering circles as the crazy twins. These two have lived enough of a life for ten people. I am sure both are bared from a number of countries, as well as a couple of bars in France. The wit and humor they display from a lifetime of adventures will both entertain and amaze you as relive some of harrowing experiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you've read as many mountaineering books as I have, eventually you may read a dozen accounts of the same epic mountaineering tragedy. Even if I'd heard the story before I was enchanted with the Burgess viewpoint. I also encountered some of the tales about the twins' antics in other books. And I was delighted to hear them tell their own stories. Their respect for the local people and customs was very important to me. It's a much better world with the Burgess twins in it! Thanks for sharing your stories with the rest of us.

I am addicted to mountaineering books, the "who gets killed next on Everest" type. The Bad Burgess Boys were mentioned periodically in these. Just having read their own account of themselves and their adventures, I was very surprised and delighted by their flair for writing and obvious intelligence. Very few climbers who write about their own experiences seem to be able to analyze risks and apply prudence when necessary. These guys have done it all and lived to tell the tale. I had wondered if the title "Book of Lies" was tongue in cheek, because the book seemed very honest to me. I just read a quote from one of the twins that confirmed my hunch: "there's not a lie in it." One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long while.

A very funny account of the Burgess brothers misadventures. A must for anyone who has ever climbed a mountain or raised a little hell.

This book faithfully recreates the world of Frazier Robinson and the Negro Leagues. Outstanding and fascinating. It would make a perfect gift for any baseball fan. Paul Bauer inserts nothing between you and his subject. It is a must have book for any serious fan of the game.

This is a wonderful book that needed to be written. I had the opportunity to meet Frazier while living and I am so glad that his stories live on in this book. It brings back the memory of the time when players played the game for the love of the game and not for what they were being paid. And worrying about what deal they could acquire in the off season. Also in a time when color mattered over talent it should remind us that never again should we engage in human exclusion

This book tells how things realy were back then. When Mr.Robinson told his story, he did not sugar coat anything. You don't find this in alot of the other books that were written about the Nego Leagues. I highly recommend this to book to any baseball fan.

Being a baseball history buff (addict) for the past 42 years, I've read just about everything I could get my hands on. I cannot now think of an autobiographical book to which I could attach a higher recommendation that "Catching Dreams" by Frazier "Slow" Robinson. This true gentleman travelled the dusty roads that connected the sites of Negro League baseball during the 30's, 40,s and even the 50's. Although produced by the University of Syracuse press, there is no attempt to make the book erudite or complicate it with an assortment of exotic literary techniques and obscure words. Instead, the publisher and co-author, Paul Bauer have presented the story of Slow Robinson in language truly spoken by the man himself. When you read this book, you will feel that you are seated beside Mr. Robinson as he speaks with words, terms and expressions uniquely those of a man with little formal education, who gained his lessons in life on the fly and had to learn his own language. His ability to recall a voluminous list of names and anecdotal material from his experiences, and to relate them descriptively, suggest a man who would have had little trouble dealing with a formal post-secondary school education. His relationships with such Negro League stalwarts as Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Leon Day and Satchel Paige are detailed with humour, insight and compassion. He is forthright without offending his old friends, as in Ball Four by Jim Bouton. In his own words, his goal in life was to be remembered as a nice guy; he passed with flying colors. If you choose only one book to read on this subject, you simply cannot go wrong with Catching Dreams.

I consider myself a student of Negro League history, and I read virtually everything I can locate on the subject. I have also developed friendships with many of these players over the years, and many of them have written books/memoirs regarding their playing days. In speaking with these great pioneers of professional sport, one quickly surmises that certain "stars" spent a fair amount of time embellishing legends and perfecting the art of self-promotion once their playing days ended. A handful have even managed to parlay this ability into a modest supplement to their income via baseball memorabilia shows, and I sincerely hope this trend continues for all who have mastered it.

Truthfully however, this group comprises only a tiny percentage of the remaining Negro Leaguers (they're just the loudest, so they garner the most notoriety, I suppose). Should you attend any gathering of former players, you will notice that these "showmen" are generally shunned or otherwise discredited by their peers. That speaks louder than anything I could write here. While these spotlight-lovers' ability to spin a yarn surely brings furthered interest and financial benefit to personal appearances by ALL former players, it likely also speaks to the historical accuracy one can expect from their books.

A select few didn't go the Barnum route -- they were who they were, they did what they did, and, while proud of their accomplishments on the diamond with arguably the greatest ballplayers of ANY era, they continued to live as they always had after their baseball careers ended. I am thankful when any player publishes a book, but when one of these select players leaves a record of what they saw, heard, accomplished and/or overcame, free of hyperbole, that book takes on a "treasured" status on my bookshelf. More than just a treasure, CATCHING DREAMS is flat-out the best of the genre. Buy it, read it, and learn something. I wouldn't recommend it this highly if it wasn't this good. It is.

Kudos to Paul Bauer for his efforts in faithfully documenting what was said and getting it published. I was fortunate enough to know Mr. Robinson well, and this book is an accurate representation of his character and personality -- it's honest, accurate, and self-effacing. You could waste time and money on lesser efforts by better-known players, or you could read something that captures the feel of a private audience with the author (with the added bonus that it's all TRUE!). I knew him well enough to know. I find myself wishing everyone else could have, too. Trust me. Buy the book.

Please find and read books by these authors, too:

Wilmer Fields (another honest account), Monte Irvin (yet another honest account), Effa Manley (difficult to find, but remarkable), Kevin Keating/Michael Kolleth (guide to the Negro League autograph collecting hobby, exhaustively researched and thoroughly enlightening), Phil Dixon/Patrick J. Hannigan (also hard to find, but still the best collection of negro league photos ever, and also well-researched).

Obviosly well researched with good photos. Beats the hell out of Cunningham's book.

I just finished reading "Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts by Serge Mol", But I know this book wont get covered by dust. The content of this book is so rich that I will just have to return to it again and again. I placed it at my Dojo'd library and my students were very impressed too.

The techniques and weapons in the book are described in clear photos and always followed by fascinating historical and practical explanation. This book together with Serge Mol's other book -"Classical Fighting Arts of Japan: A Complete Guide to Koryu Jujutsu", are now like a treasure box for my practice and study.

This book is nothing short of amazing. Incredibly detailed and thoroughly researched, it is the Magnum Opus on the subject of non-sword weaponry in ancient Japan. Swords have been covered extensively in many books, so it is very worthwhile to give the rest of the arsenal their due.

A history lesson as well as a weapons guide, "Classical Weaponry of Japan" compiles the secret scrolls of the various fighting schools of old Japan, along with the collections of noted weapons-scholar Fumon Tanaka and the authors personal collection of ancient weapons. From these, Serge Mol not only describes the weapons, their fighting styles, their lineage, but also the historical genesis behind the creations.

The sword being the legal property of the Samurai class, and its wearing and use highly proscribed, the non-Samurai citizens of Japan were incredibly creative in their adaptation of daily implements into lethal weapons. Also, each fighting school, in order to attract students, created a unique and secret arsenal of weapons available only to their high-ranking adherents. In this way, a warrior could unveil a weapon that his opponent had never seen, and thus would be unsure as to how to defend against.

The book is divided into seven categories of weapons, such as bladed weapons, small hand-held weapons, truncheon-like weapons, shuriken and shurikenjutsu, and deceptive weapons. Each category then contains sub-categories, with several weapons described. Altogether, more than 100 different weapons are showcased, along with their histories and uses. Most weapons are accompanied by photographs, and several are shown in use. Some favorites include the spectacular Kusarigama (Sickle and Chain), which I have seen used in several films due to its visual flair, and the beautifully decorated Omamorito (Protection Knife) which high-ranking women carried in order to kill themselves should they be "dishonoured" during a castle raid.

A necessary book for weapons and martial arts enthusiasts, it is also a perfect reference book for writers and readers of ancient Japan, including those interested in Samurai films and comics.

At last, a decent book on Japanese feudal weaponry. Sure, there are many good books on the subject, but none of them are in English. If you want to know about the history of a lot of weapons, this is the definitive source. It's almost like looking through a catalog of lethal toys, and many times I found myself stopping to draw diagrams and write out dimensions so I can make some of them myself. As always, Amazon has the best price, so buy it now!

The work is extremely well researched, clear, and comprehensive; describing things I've never heard of in 30+ years of martial arts. The photographs and illustrations complement the wonderful text. While you can never truly learn any martial art solely from a book, no matter how well-written, this is a very worthwhile tome. It offers unique insight into the lessor-known weapons of feudal Japan, including kobuki (small/minor weapons), hibuki (secret weapons), and kakushibuki (hidden weapons).

Weapons addressed in detail include stuff like jitte, marohoshi, chidorigane, shuriken, and kusari-gama. Content includes bladed weapons (e.g., wakizashi, tanto, kubizashi, kama, jitte, marohoshi), small hand-held weapons (e.g., shutogane, tessho, dokko, suntetsu, tekken), truncheons (e.g., kabutowari, tetto, nashi, tetsuniyoi, hanbo, tanbo), miscellaneous hand weapons (e.g., kanamuchi, tamazue, hogu, kakute, kaginawa), chain weapons (e.g., konpi, kusariryuta, mijin, kusarigama, kursaibo, kusarijutte), shuriken (e.g., yarihogata, tanogata, kuji, senban, shiken, kamagata, tetsumari), deceptive weapons (e.g., yatate, shikomibue, tessen, jutte). A brief introduction on the history and use of each type of weapon precedes each section.

The book is easy and fun to read. I'm really impressed.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Buddy's son Rex does a great job teaching every aspect of the 46 defense and shows it can be used as a base more than just a package. As is true for all football books, you will get confused at times with the diagrams but if you dive into the book and appreciate everything going on you will see the big, beautiful picture that is the 46 defense. My only gripe is that it ends somewhat abruptly and leaves playcalling up to the personal coach, not much help in that department. I am now thinking of getting the DVD to go along with the book as I one day hope to coach competitive high school and up football!

If you want to know about the 4-6 defense this is the book for you. I has everything you need to start using the 4-6 defense at any level. Well written, full of diagrams, and easy to understand.

This book is a step by step guide on how to use the 4-6 Defense. It details every position. It covers why the 4-6 Defense works so well. This book has a great section on how to play and hide the coverages the defense is in. And it also covers how to stop the option. Any team that runs the option against this defense is crazy.

If you like to blitz this book is for you. However, stay away form the DVD/VHS you will not like it. Let us just say it is not up to the same level as the book.

I recommend this book for almost all levels of coaches. (not pop warner) Sorry!!!!

Being an agressive coach and one time player who played this defense in college, I can now grasp the total concept of the 46 defense. Although I already knew alot about the defense, this book allows someone to totally understand every part of the defense from coverage, to blitz's. The most important part of this book is chapter 9. This chapter is about the different coverages that one can use to confuse a quarterback, better yet an entire offense.I believe this is a good tool for learning especially on the highschool and college levels.

This book goes into the development and history of defense and shows how the 46 has evolved. Rex included many coaching points that can be applied to other defenses also. This has to be the best coaching book I have read.

I have been waiting for a book like this ever since the inception of the 46 defense. There have been other books which discuss the subject but never one book devoted entirely to it. It is easy to read and useful for both casual onlookers of the game and serious readers. The terminology is clear and the author provides a detailed and insightful look at this defensive scheme. This is a definite buy for those who want to learn what a real NFL defense is supposed to look like!

For amateur "weekend warrior" coaches such as myself this is a topic that is far to often barely touched on if talked about at all. Telling kids to concentrate, focus and be mentally tough without teaching it like any other skill is like giving them a bat with no instruction and telling them to hit. Some will pick it up better than others due to their own make-up but all can get much better with a coach teaching them. The mental game can be taught as a skill the same as any physical skill we teach them.

This book is one that has the authentic "been-there-done-that" feel to it. It's well organized with great real world examples and has multiple lists at the end of each topic on how to make our athletes aware of the mental game and how to practice getting better at it.

This is a book you will read and re-read if you're truly interested in being the best coach you can be. It's one of those books where you can just open to any page and pick up a great idea or tip.

This is the 4th time I bought this book. I have given three away and the last one is worn out. Trying to make the most out of a player's ability is not complete until the mental aspect is addressed and this book helps with that approach. If you coach baseball, you need to have a copy.

The most useful book you will find on the mental game, and was very easy to ready. Great organization. A must read for any coach.

Harvey Dorfman is a no-BS kind of coach and his latest book is a great tool for coaches, teachers, managers, or anyone who wishes to get the edge. As a former basketball coach at various levels, I wish this book was available 15 years ago because it would have saved me a lot of trouble and mistakes!

Coach Dorfman covers three vital areas in the book: The Coach as Leader, Communicator, and Teacher; Impact Terms for Coaches, and Impact Terms for Athletes. He provides real life examples from professional, college, and high school coaches and athletes that are easy to relate to.

361 Pages Hardcover

ExerptPage 70 Coaching is teaching. The best coaches have something else. They have the good sense to instruct, then get out of the way. They are pedagogues not demagogues.

Table of contents
Section 1 The Coach as leader, Communicator, Teacher
Chapters:
1. Leadership & Power(s)
2. Leadership style
3. You, the leader-the coach
4. The substance of leadership
5. The coach communicates, one way or another
6. Communication: Considering the process Itself
7. Communication: The when, where, how, why-and who!
8. Coaching is teaching.
9. Learners: the Coach and athlete
Section 2 The mental game alphabet: Impact terms for the coach.
Section 3 The mental Game, A to Z: Athletes' impact terms.
Appendix A Leaders list
Appendix B "The guy in the glass"
Appendix C we learn what we've lived
Appendix D A winning way
Appendix E The final word on the mental game

I have been coaching volleyball for over 20 years and still consider this one of, if not THE, best comprehensive text for volleyball coaches - beginner and experienced alike.

...and I purchased it for less than I could have with my AVCA membership.

This book is a revamped version of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Handbook. Like the title of the review suggests, it is a great reference. I find myself going to it a lot in order to refresh my memory about some technical aspects of the game.

If you wanted just one book to help you with your coaching or with your own game. This is probably the book for you. If you have a deep burning desire to delve into other aspects of coaching and the game of volleyball, this is a great way station. One of the many books that you need to keep in your library, but a very dog eared book due to the many times you will need to look into the book.

Like the previous reviewer said, an excellent book for beginning to intermediate players and coaches.

The book's material is useful for the beginning and intermediate volleyball coach. I have been feeling my way in coaching my team in small tournaments for some years now, but reading this book makes me feel like I've gone to a volleyball coaching clinic.

I especially like the way the book emphasizes the development of each of the skills and positions in a team. Also, therapy of the common injuries included at the end are a great plus.

On the whole it has a very well-rounded treatment of coaching, including not only the physical, but also psychological, medical and nutritional elements that have to be considered by a good volleyball coach. The book is overflowing with actual coaching experience of a number of people. I learned a lot from it.

solid book on many aspects of coaching. Highly recommend

Asher's approach of employing experts in each chapter to discuss their respective forte yields a thorough and insightful text. I have upwards of 12 coaching books and this one I think to be the most valuable.