Outdoors Books

Yes, it's getting close to the end of 2008, but get either this book or the next version, for some real study on the mechanics of the rules and case studies.

In the case studies, is where this book really earns its price. There are clearly illustrated scenarios that make you understand the rules _in application_.

I can't see how a serious racer can get by without this book in their arsenal. It won my boat a protest just a few weeks ago in a situation with two port boats and a crossing starboard boat!

Besides being a great resource, it has the plastic cut-outs so useful in explaining the rules or recreating scenarios on the water.

I like this book so well my son is going to order his own copy.

This book has become the usual refernce source for every racer and Race Officer

Great book and very easy to understand. I have been practise martial art for about 20 years and this is one of the most well written books I have met on my journey. Buy IT!!

it is a great thing to see, every once in a while, when somebody manages to outdo themselves, even after a great first work. And in the Vol.2, Guro Stark certainly did, and then some!
Even my criticism about his first volume (photo quality) does not hold this time. Yes there are a couple of pics that are bit blurred, but in no way does that imede the understanding ofthe techniques presented. The main thing, however, is the fact that he does superb job of trying to pass the information intended, and some information it is. Never have I seen a book so detailed in description of the material presented, yet concise enouhg not to be smothering.
Especially worth commendation is the fact that for the firt time someone has presented (to my knowledge)in detail the weapon portion of Silat, instead of just giving a scarce information of the tools used within particular system. Guro Stark gives excellent instruction on the use of pisau and golok, as well as the applicability of karambit.Also, in this book the genius of Mr. Stark as the founder of the system shines through, because it becomes clear that everything he did in he first book falls in place really nicely, and makes one's attempts at grasping the new material much easier.
Bottom line - two thumbs up (but only because there is just two)!

Guru Stark's 2nd book is a great followup and expands in detail on the Jurus-jurus, the weapons of PSP and the Harmau/Monyet of PSP. This book (like the 1st book) is a must have for anyone studying Pencak Silat Pertempuran and would be interesting to any martial arts practitioner, especially silat. Buy a copy. You won't be disappointed.

Volume 2 of Guru Stark's book will take the reader even deeper into the art of Pencak Silat. I was unable to put the book down. The amount of detail, photos, and explanations in this book are phenominal. This book is a must have for anyone interested in Pencak Silat. I anxiously await for the release of Volume 3 !!!

This book is inspirational. It helps you maintain fitness habits and I like George's philosophical nature. I recommend this to runners and non-runners alike. We will miss the wit and humor of Sheehan who died of cancer during the last decade.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I was amazed at how Dr. Sheehan wrote about things that I have thought about, dreamt about, and had to deal with in my running and life. All types and levels of athletes and even non-athletes will love this book. If you are a runner, this book will help you take a deeper look. This book will also help non-runners understand their running loved ones better!

This is one of my top 5 favorite books ever. Not only is it highly motovating in terms of running, but it is very inspiring in terms of life in general. George Sheehan was a living hero and this book can help you become a hero too.

Being an amature philospher and a middle of the pack runner, one of the more memorable events in my running career, was meeting Dr. George Sheehan and getting a signed copy of this book.

Dr. Sheehan was one of the best writers I have ever read. I don't know if it is my love of the subject, the quality writing, or the ability to connect with his life, but I love to read his work!

I remember reading his column in the 'Runners World' before anything else every month--I just couldn't get enough.

This book is no different.

Bill Wasserman was probably the most dedicated WCO (Wildlife Conservation Officer) the PA Game Commission ever had as its employee for over thirty years.

Poacher Wars, by WCO Wasserman, is a compelling work in law enforcement and wildlife conservation ... a remarkable book that you will remember for years to come.

I had no idea that game wardens had the kind of investigative skills demonstrated by officer Wasserman. Crimes against wildlife can be more difficult to solve than crimes against humans. With wild animals, game wardens can't interview family & friends of the deceased to gather information that might lead to a suspect. Some of the crimes that officer Wasserman writes about were more difficult to solve than the murder of a human!

The book was very enjoyable, and I highly recommend it!

In POACHER WARS, Bill Wasserman portrays his villains vividly, comprehensively, and accurately. Reading this book reminded me of my own "hoofties" and my dealings with them, some of them with Bill at my side. Bill's writing style is easy to read, yet very descriptive. Each story has its own uniqueness and its end only wants to make you go on to the next story. If you want to know what working wildlife law enforcement is like for a Pennsylvania conservation officer, this book is a must read for you. Great job, Bill. And thanks for the memories and your friendship!
Chuck Arcovitch, WCO, retired

[...]

Yep, every ridgerunner has at least one story involving a game warden. There are times when they can be annoying, like that time you hit that deer at 1am, only the deer was still twitching and the tire iron was only to put it out of its misery. After all, if you were going to jacklight deer, wouldn't you have a spotlight and a loaded tire iron, and still have an intact radiator? There's no sense letting all that good meat go to waste.

Of course, lots of poachers like to make the claim that a deer was just "road kill", and to portray themselves as down-on-their-luck rascals just looking for meat to feed their hungry family. The hardcore poacher is often a serious outlaw with an extensive criminal record, and little respect for life. Illegal hunting to meet the demands of an international trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a major problem facing those concerned with the protection and sustainability of wildlife populations. Many of the people involved in the trade of illegally hunted animals are the same people involved with organized crime --such as drugs and prostitution. They want to be where the money is. The trade in bear's gall bladders is a good example. The bear gallbladder trade is similar to the heroin business, except that bear organs are harder to come by and harder to smoke. There is money in wildlife.

If you want to know more about poaching, ask a poacher, or better yet, ask a game warden who has pursued poachers on foot, by vehicle or boat. Or you can just read Poacher Wars, A Pennsylvania Game Warden's Journal by William Wasserman. Bill was a Pennsylvania game warden for more than thirty years, and was responsible for patrolling 400 square miles of rugged mountain terrain.

He's encountered a number of poachers who were convicted felons including murderers, drug addicts, dope dealers and outlaw bikers. He's seen men shot in the woods, with their blood seeping from wounds, and put his own life at risk. In his book you will find sixteen true short stories about these dangerous and unpredictable men.

If you want to know what working wildlife law enforcement is like for a Pennsylvania conservation officer, this book is a definite must-read. Game wardens are police officers with full arrest powers: they solve poaching cases with many of the same forensic skills that police investigators use to solve murder cases-such as DNA analysis and ballistic evidence. Crimes against wildlife can be more difficult to solve than crimes against humans, because there is often a lack of witnesses to interview, and Bambi can't or won't talk.

Hunting season is meant to protect animal populations and breeding cycles. So if you love the taste of venison, polish up the rifle, or your car, and bone up on the latest game regulations. Now where did I put my shotgun???

Guns? Game? Or is meat just tasty, tasty murder? Email me at frommyshelf@epix.net Miss a previous column, check out past columns at www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com Hobo swears he had a valid hunting license for that mouse, he can check it out in his book "Hobo Finds A Home", a children's book about a cat who wanted more out of life.

ak shares years of experience - coupled with the k.i.s.s. principal.

my intermediate fly tying instructor spoke highly of the book so - sight unseen - i bought it and i'm so glad i did.

This paperback book is everything it's cracked up to be: umpteen tips on tying smarter and faster. The photographs are superb. A. K. still doesn't think much of many modern synthetics, exhibiting a strong preference for natural materials. Although not a professional, I just tie for my own use, this book will save me the purchase price in materials alone, with the time savings a bonus. This is not a recipe book - this is a how to tie in (fill in the blank) material better, more consistently, and quicker.

This book is a great resource for both beginner and advanced tyers...tyers who are looking to get better at their approach and technique. The insights that Mr. Best relays in his work are gained from thousand and thousands of ties. Having trouble with spinning a deer hair muddler head - I'll bet you can get some help from his section on just this topic - including how to better clip them. Same goes for his tips on building wings and proportionate bodies, tails, etc. My personal experience here saw me go from a tyer with 6-7 years experience back in the ealry 90's, struggling with some techniques, to a tyer with a better understanding of what I was doing wrong, (or how I could overcome my difficulties), and produce a better fly, more quickly. Not necessarily an "enjoyable" read, but a read that you will get something out of...a "workbook" for lack of a better term. One I keep going back to - to brush up from time to time.

Simply put, this is a great book that will aid any fly- tyer, from a beginner who can barely stick a hook in a vise to the expert tying for a living!

As most fly tyers who are looking to purchase books on the subject know, most (if not all) tying- related books begin with a background on the tools of the trade and how to use them. Well, AK Best takes this and runs with it - in a VERY productive way! Sticking a needle into a cork to work with palm-held embroidery snips like a 3rd hand, etc... I could write a book just about this book! This book is not one of specific patterns, but rather one of techniques to be applied for multiple patterns.

Yes, the 'Flytyer's Benchside Reference' (ISBN 1571881263) is great for techniques, don't get me wrong! I don't care for that book's price, either, but it is a great book. Best's book, however, delves into more of the holistic view than the Benchside Reference. That is to say, Best looks at things in an efficiency-of-tying AND functionality-of-catching-fish perspective, where the Benchside Reference seems to simply list EVERY possible way of doing the task required without care for the time or energy used to tie. They both have their respective benefits: If you are looking for multiple ways of doing something, the Benchside Reference is the way to go; if looking for a very efficient way, then I find AK Best's book to be far superior.

For the crux of this book: graphics are large enough and numerous enough to fully see what is going on; language is narrative and brief, not using circumlocution to attempt a persona of godliness; the price is high for a book (in my opinion, as a cheap-skate), but worth it in the savings on materials alone. Again, this is a wonderful book for all tyers, regardless of experience.

This book is an excellent read, not only for the football history, but also for the context of the times. This paints a clear picture of what it was like in Stalinist Hungary after the war, and how even a man in a position of privilege could decide to leave. You don't need to be a football fan to appreciate this book, as it is an easy read, broken up into sections where other key figures are interviewed and offer their take on the same topics. Highly recommended.

This book depicts not only the life story of Ferenc Puskas who without any doubt should always be the member of the World Select, but the intrigues of the Communist system. I happen to personally know some of the participants named in the book, as I have lived In Hungary during the years of the Golden Squad! To have a team such as the Hungarian Select of the '50s may happen only once in a 100 years. The book, brings to life not only the achievements of the players but the intrigues of the totalitarian system that used such talents as Puskas & Co. to prove the superiority of the "Socialist Man".You don't need to be a "soccer" footbal fan to appreciate its true to life account of an era and its players gone by. The play-by-play reporting is outstanding. There was only one Puskas and this book immortalized him forever.It sure brought back the memories of the '52 Olympics, the "6:3" match in London and the thrill and the horrible end of the'54 World Cup... This book is a microcosm of man against the system and the system against the MAN...

This book depicts not only the life story of Ferenc Puskas who without any doubt should always be the member of the World Select, but the intrigues of the Communist system. I happen to personally know some of the participants named in the book, as I have lived In Hungary during the years of the Golden Squad! To have a team such as the Hungarian Select of the '50s may happen only once in a 100 years. The book, brings to life not only the achievements of the players but the intrigues of the totalitarian system that used such talents as Puskas & Co. to prove the superiority of the "Socialist Man".You don't need to be a "soccer" footbal fan to appreciate its true to life account of an era and its players gone by. The play-by-play reporting is outstanding. There was only one Puskas and this book immortalized him forever.It sure brought back the memories of the '52 Olympics, the "6:3" match in London and the thrill and the horrible end of the'54 World Cup... This book is a microcosm of man against the system and the system against the MAN...

This book is an excellent read, not only for the football history, but also for the context of the times. This paints a clear picture of what it was like in Stalinist Hungary after the war, and how even a man in a position of privilege could decide to leave. You don't need to be a football fan to appreciate this book, as it is an easy read, broken up into sections where other key figures are interviewed and offer their take on the same topics. Highly recommended.

I've always loved gambling, whether in a friendly poker game or I'll place a trifecta during lunch so after work I can see if I hit--there's a thrill in not knowing, having the possibility--I mean, maybe you won ten grand and you don't know it. I never thought much about that thrill, but when I saw this book on the shelf in Barnes & Noble and flipped it open I came across all these passages with people's insights on why and how people gamble. I never really thought of gambling in connection to belief or religion, but this book shows how gambling goes way back into the history of many cultures and how it appeals to that contest between human beings and their destinies. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand gambling better.

This book contains a lot of wit and wisdom gathered from a vast array of sources. Gambling pervades the economy of the American masculine soul, so we need to study it as art and as disease, and this book is a wonderful resources in that regard. Like the man said in the pool hall, take this book to Las Vegas along with "Das Kapital" and your lucky mojo charm.

"Eat your betting money, but don't bet your eating money," may be true for some, but betting $20 of your eating money on this book will get you food for thought. The book groups quotations in categories and starts each category with commentary by editor Paul Lyons. Quotations come from writers, gamblers, sages, and whatall from all over the world and throughout history. A sure bet if ever there was one.

The quotes, including Einstein, Shakespeare, and Woody Allen are abundantly witty, with hopeful speculation mingling with multiple sarcasm. Loved it, and fully recommend it for all levels of gambling enthusiasts. Lyons did an excellent job of editing this book, and amazingly managed to transcend the trap of the quotation book genre.

A lovely book, plenty of inspirational photography and sufficient detail to inspire the intended pool builder or professional. Coffee table interest

The photography is fabulous. Many of the pools were designed by the author, but this does not detract from the book. It is well balanced. The chapters include: the natural pool, lap pools, infinity edges, indoor pools, historical pools, among others.

Detailed analysis of a few each of several different types of pools: lap pools, "natural" pools, indoor pools, famous pools, etc., all in California. Not a construction manual, but full of details worth considering when designing a pool. A must for anyone considering getting a pool on a difficult or very special piece of land.

This excelent book is focused exclusively on design. Very inspiring and unique. Do not expect to find anything about maintenance, it is a book meant for designers. A must for landscape designers and architects.

The newest edition of the Speer Manual remains one of the two best resources for beginning and experienced handloaders. The consolidation of so many of the historic component manufacturers and the loss of many of the traditional experts in this field makes this easy to read volume even more useful. It is a mix of readable, simple instructions and up-to-date ballistic science. It is a must for every handloader's library.

I have owned this book for years and I have used it a lot to reload. It lists the primers to use by name and number, it shows the case dementions, it tells a short history of each round and it has a wide veriety of loads.

My only complaint is it is gettin somewhat long in the tooth and doesn't list a lot of newer loads. For example in the 223 round section it only lists two loads for the heaver bullets used in target shooting - the 75 grain and the 80 grain bullets. Today there are several other weights of bullets available (69 grain, 77 grain etc)and this manual doesn't cover them.

If you are using newer rounds such as the short magnums this book will not list them and you will have to look elsewhere for information. Don't overlook the internet for basic reloading information. Hodgdon's site lists a lot of basic loads for use with their powders.

Another item I like about the book is the print. It is large enough to read easily and the type face is crisp and clear.

AD2

This book is jammed packed with information on every aspect of reloading, and it is the book to have if you are a beginner. In fact, the only thing to warn you about is if you are going to buy an RCBS kit, the manual may be included. Speaking of RCBS their website can answer any questions this book doesn't. If you are a beginner I recommend getting my Learn Handgun & Rifle Reloading in Under 41 Minutes dvd (ASIN: B0006PT29Y) to go along with the manual--as this video shows in detail the more complicated mechanical aspects of reloading--that will take you awhile to figure out if you haven't seen it done first.

Still waiting for Amazon to update the listing for #14 which is now out - I wish the best of luck to the unrealistic and greedy sellers of used copies above as the new version is currently $26.99 at Midway.

We just purchased a property with an old barn and this book was recommended to us as an initial resource. It has provided a good overview of barn history and guidance for restoration.

Excellent book on how to tackle serious structural deficiencies of your barn from foundation up to the roof.I think you could use this usefull information on other types of buildings such as older homes and garages.In fact this book will show you how to replace rotted out logs in a log cabin.Many simple pictures and diagrams on how to get it done.Also good basics on how to run water and electric utilities once you square up your building.

It's easy to say that this is the best book on renovating barns - it's the only one that I know of. But, this book is very, very good. I'm lucky enough to be able to spend much of my time designing new barns and helping clients restore old ones. I'm amazed and embarrassed by how much I learned from this book. Nick Engler presents a good primer on barn design, and then goes to work, explaining in detail how to repair each and every common problem with old barns. If your barn is leaning, if the stone foundation is buckled, if your pole-barn posts are rotting, if your timbers have splintered, if your roof sways, you'll learn what to do to fix the problem and to keep it from happening again.

if you are looking for good, solid, usable information on restoring old barns and the mechanics of their structure, this book is the bible on it. quite detailed and good instructions. the author doesn't just tell you it can be done, but how to do it as well. this book won't help trendy city folk, with no building skills, pick out carpet samples for turning a barn into a home, but it is the number one resource on the structure of barns and making them solid and usable again before changing their purpose. I highly recommend this book.