Recreation Books

When Ruby discovers that her father is a gambler, things start to get scary. First, Two men followed her and her mother to Las Vegas. Her father was arrested after the trip and accused of killing his bookie. The evidence was some blood in his car. As Ruby Tuesday discovers the dark secrets of her family's past, she wonders if she too will follow in her family's footsteps.

This was a good book and I'll read more from this author. I couldn't give RUBY TUESDAY a five out of five though. It didn't leave me with that wow feeling, like with her other book.

A very entertaining book.

Growing up, everyone has lessons to learn. As we get older, we start to see that our parents are human beings--men and women--not just dad and mom. Thirteen-year-old Ruby Tuesday Sweet's awakening begins with the wedding of her older brother.

Sports have always been an important part of the Sweet household. Ruby Tuesday's dad, Hollis, is absolutely obsessed with the scores of the game--any game. Little does Ruby Tuesday realize that the reason Hollis is so concerned is not a simple love of competition, but a love of income: the Sweet family income. But during her brother's wedding celebration, a series of events gets the ball of awakening rolling for Ruby Tuesday and, suddenly, she is on the road with her rarely-present mother, Darlene, to hide out in Vegas with Hollis's crotchety old mother, Nana Sue. With her eyes opened wide by these two outspoken, independent women, Ruby Tuesday learns more about life--particularly her own--than she ever knew existed.

Kogler brings excitement and realism to Ruby Tuesday without crossing the line for adolescent readers. There is a lot of gambling slang used throughout the book, and readers may be rather confused by this language, just like their new friend Ruby Tuesday. But Kogler includes a glossary at the back of the book, and this will help readers decipher the "code" of the bookie-gambler world.

Fun and excitement, along with some rough awakenings for the naive-but-feisty heroine, make RUBY TUESDAY a coming-of-age eye-opener for both tweens and teens.

Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard

Ruby Tuesday Sweet's family has always been a little different from her classmates' families, but she never knew exactly how different. She had only a vague idea of what her father did, but now things are becoming a lot clearer. Ruby Tuesday has always known that her "Uncle" Larry, mother, grandmother, and father weren't like other people, sure, but now she knows that they're more than eccentric; they've been involved in some shady business, and now her father is in trouble following Larry's murder.

Ruby Tuesday and her mother, Daphne, skip town for a little bit until things blow over. Where do they go? To visit Ruby's grandmother, who lives with her pet iguana, 21, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Apparently, a lot of the secrets in Ruby's family go back to Las Vegas--and gambling. It's legal to gamble in Las Vegas, but Ruby's father and Larry were involved in that same business in California. Now, it's gotten them all into some hot water.

Ruby is just one of many fascinating, unusual, and well-written characters in a great novel by debut novelist Jennifer Anne Kogler. I also believe this is the first YA novel I've read taking place in Las Vegas, and that setting gives a lot to this book. Jennifer Anne Kogler has put captivating people in an enthralling location and written a funny, entertaining, original, and absorbing novel about them. It's a page-turner!

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce
12/20/2006

4.5-BOOKS on WUAT = 5-STARS on Amazon

Ruby Tuesday is one of those rare books that successfully voices the weirdnesses, funninesses, sadnesses, and revelations of moving from a kid world to an adult one, while managing to throw an iguana-filled Vegas adventure into the bargain. Like Roald Dahl, Jennifer Anne Kogler infuses an alternatively dark and touching humor into her novel that catches hold of both adults and kids- although Kogler's protagonist, being a bit older, speaks more to adolescent confusion than childhood rebellion.

Unlike the worlds of Harry Potter or Lemony Snickett, recent hits that also transcend the kid category, the world of Ruby Tuesday, although decidely wacky, is refreshingly and very recognizably the real world. Although Vegas glitz, grimy casino backrooms, and mafia hitmen aren't exactly part of the normal tween experience, the gritty reality of realizing that parents don't always do or say the right thing, and that sometimes it's the kid that needs to forgive, is. The best parts of the novel plunge you, right along with Ruby, into the dicey contradictions of adult relationships and the tension between doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong thing for the right ones.

And as anyone who has read the book will tell you, we're all excited to see what Ruby will do next....

This technical guide is full of tables and statistics, along with lots of tips to make you shoot a better game of pool.

I purchased this book as a total beginner to pool and it has really jumpstarted my learning process. Normally I'd have learned by trial and error and would eventually develop a 'feel' for it. This book explains scientifically, geometrically and physically what is taking place on the table so that I understand what it is I'm attempting to make happen. Feel will always be necessary, that's much of the fun, but understanding the logic behind each shot is a great guide and really helps me get back online when I lose that elusive feel.

Koehler's book starts with the basics of equipment and terminology and proceeds through technique, strategy, psychology and more. One thing that I really like is that the book offers many alternatives so that I can choose the ones that suit me best, or have options when my usual approach isn't available. The author offers some opinions on which might be a better choice but provides enough information on each to allow an informed decision.

Though I'm still a beginner I am confident that this book would benefit players of all levels. I've got a pool buddy (also a beginner) that lives a few hours away. I sent him a copy of this book so that I won't have an unfair advantage next time we get together!

The book is very comprehensive going into a lot of detail and at times is very technical. There are lots of tables and statistics. However, it does a great job of explaining how the various aspects of the game impact the outcome of each shot. Things like cue ball and object ball movement, best cue stick positions for type of shot, how english and top and bottom spin impact cue ball placement, and much more. If you focus on the less technical aspects taught in this book you will come out with a much better understanding of how to shoot better pool. I'm still reading it but have learned alot and I consider myself a better than average pool player already. It is at times tough reading but you can get into it as deeply as you desire and several readings over time will glean more information.

First of all, please excuse my English - it is not my native.
I've bought this book and really happy with this purchase, even Byrne's books were not even close to improve my skills in pool. The were commercially composed so that I had to buy more and more books, but fortunately I've found "Science of pocket billiards". Beleive me, its amazing, right now with a small practice after reading this book I beat my friends.
The best one.

Sometimes people feel that explaining wonderful things makes them somehow less magical, as if a bit of knowledge could rub the awe off of us. I'm inclined to disagree and fortunately for me, there's a whole genre of books devoted to the related jobs of explaining the wonderful and unravelling the mysteries behind ordinary stuff.

This book stands out in that world and also in the world of books about pool. The author has taken the ordinary, sometimes despised game of pocket billiards and subjected its truths to rigorous experimentation. He built apparatus for standardizing speed and direction of balls and developed a simple device for recording where balls struck a cushion.

Koehler's attention to details is pretty wonderful in itself. Consider this: "Theoretically, the center of the tip doesn't need chalk because it makes contact with the cue ball only when it's struck dead-center. When the cue ball is struck dead-center, there's no chance of the tip slipping off and thus, no need for chalk." A tiny matter? sure. Admire the mind behind it? you bet.

The same thorough approach can be seen in chapters like

1. Equipment
2. Shooting stance and technique
3. Pocketing the object ball
4. Shot selection
5. Cue-ball deflection path
6. English
7. Positioning the cue ball
8. Rail shot
9. Combination shots
10.Bank shots

If you love the game or if you simply marvel at a job well done, this is a book for you. Any pool player will find his or her appeite for practice increased and game improved



Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine from Prentice-Hall and bang-BANG, a novel from Kunati to be published in 2007

The author does a great job of making the historical text easy to understand. The book is really interesting from a historical standpoint, too. I found it fascinating to read the riddle-like descriptions of moves by a german swordmaster (he didn't want those who didn't already know the system to understand) followed by the explanation given by one of his students (he wanted anyone who was familiar with swords to be able to understand the system). For anyone interested in medieval swordplay, this is an excellent read.

Before I recommend this book, I want to put a disclaimer in. The techniques in this book are DEADLY. I highly recommend that if you have never handled a steel weapon before, or even IF you are a trained Martial Artist, that you use a WASTER to practice this art. Good wooden Wasters from Purpleheartarmory are available through Amazon.com for a reasonable price. Repeat...even if you've handled edged weapons use a WASTER. Liechtenauer's methods were not meant to win a Martial Arts match...they were meant to KILL your opponent on a battlefield. Remember that when you practice.

Now to the review.

This book is by far one of the best and most comprehensive Martial Arts Books I've ever read. What makes it even more exciting is that this book deals with the subject of Medieval Western Combat as practiced by the German School of Johannes Liechtenauer and interpreted by his disciple, Sigmund Ringeck.

Master Christian Henry Tobler's presentation of Liechtenauer provides a complete system of Defense, including combat with Longswords, Short Swords and Bucklers, Hand-to-Hand-Combat and Armored Combat either on foot or on horseback and presents it in a manner that is clear, concise and easy-to-follow. The scope of this work is simply astounding and there is literally a life-times worth of study in this work alone, should you choose to concentrate on it.

Abundant photographs with supporting documentation and a comprehensive glossary put the icing on the cake. In short, this is the book many a martial artist looks for...a complete combat system. Yes...you can buy this book and you've got all you need.

Note:Daggers are not included, but as the author points out, it appears that this section of the original manuscript was probably lost a long time ago. However, even without dagger combat, this is a complete system.

As someone who's practiced Martial Arts for over thirty years, I feel the best facit of Liechtenauer's school is it's simplicity. In combat...the simpler the technique the better. Trust me...you will forget more complex techniques under a pressure situation...so Leichtenauer's philosophy makes abundant good sense.

As an Asian Martial Artist, I found the section on using the Half-Sword to be most exciting! There are really no comparable techniques in the Oriental Arts (although Chinese Broadsword fighting has some simularities.) The Half-Sword Technique lends a devestating new arsenal of moves to your combat reperitory that is well worth studying.

There is another version of Liechtenauer/Ringeck out by David Lindhold which is also excellent. However, I believe that Master Tobler's text is slightly superior in that 1:It uses photographs and not line drawings and 2:It contains everything (Lindholms version is split into two books.) However, if you become a serious student of Liechtenauer, I'd recommend eventually getting Lindholm as well...but buy THIS BOOK by Master Tobler FIRST.

As for the criticisms by the "reviewer from Japan" I'd say that these "criticisms" stem from the fact that it is DIFFICULT to interpret ancient Martial Arts Texts, even if the tradition survived! Everybody has a slightly different take on a text. But it is a credit to BOTH Master Tobler and Master Lindholm that they are virtually in agreement to Liechtenauer's techniques...which shows very careful analysis and scholarship (contrary to what the critical reviewer claimed.)

The previous "Japanese writer's" critiques are simply groundless and a similar criticism could be made of the over-killed "Book of Five Rings" by Musashi. I've studied Musashi for twenty years and have yet to figure out what he was really trying to say. Even the fact that there are schools in Japan that claim descent from Musashi doesn't help matters much...since you'll find differences from school-to-school. Frankly, you can go to two different Kendo schools and get different intrepretations of the SAME standardized techniques. Everybody will have a slighlty different twist on a technique.

In closing, the curious Martial Artist might ask me, which technique is superior...Eastern or Western? My answer is that it depends upon the Practitioner and the circumstances and the terrain. However...I feel that the WESTERN techniques are slightly superior. Let me explain.

Contrary to common opinion, the Eastern Arts (although they retained more combat techniques than Western Olympic Fencing, Boxing, etc.) are also all SPORTIZED versions of the original arts. In Japan this resulted from the Shogun supressing all the Samurai Houses and then Meiji trying to outlaw them. In China this came from the Manchus trying to supress the Native Chinese. The upstart is that the techniques that survived became sportified...whereas the techniques being revived by Western Masters like Christian Tobler and David Lindholm are the original FIGHTING techniques. Therefore someone who's practicing sport Kendo is going to be trounced by someone who knows Liechtenauer's system.

Today, most Asian Fighting Arts are for winning tournaments (as is the vaunted Gracie Ju-Jitsu and Ultimate Fighting League.) Sure, people might get beaten up, and sometimes beaten badly...but the goal isn't to KILL someone, it's to win a tournament by scoring points. In contrast, Liechtenauer is talking about KILLING someone. As one of my teachers said, "There'a BIG difference between Karate-do (Martial arts as a way of life) and Karate-show."

In closing, I feel it's VERY exciting that the Western arts are being revived. I look forward to the day when a revitalized system of Combat Masters exists and it would be possible for me to study with a WESTERN Master without having to move half-way across the United States.

Knighthood transcends nationality, and knowledge has no boundaries. In the pursuit of Martial Excellence to defend your family, your planet and yourself and to prefect your character in the process, the more dissemination of knowledge with different approaches to the problem, the better.

Christian Henry Tobler's book should set the bar for all future Martial Arts books, be they concerned with an Eastern Art or a Western Art. It's well worth the price...but...remember...please use a WASTER and BE SAFE.

Yet another outstanding book from the Chivalry Bookshelf, the ultimate source for literature on Medieval martial arts.

Translated from the Fechtuch of Sigmund Ringeck of Bavaria, Tobler provides us with a modern interpretation of this significant work on fencing. The book is heavily illustrated with photos to demonstate the techniques. Ringeck's original text is translated into English, supplemented by Christian,s modern interpretation.

The text begins with basic skills in use of the bastard sword, and also features instruction in use of broadsword and buckler, unarmed grappling skills, and armored combat.

This is an astoundingly high quality text, a series of lessons in battle-skills from across the centuries, presented in a manner that is useful to the student in our time. Sigmund Ringeck would be quite pleased to see this portrayal of his work, still inspiring students of arms half a milennia after his day.

What can I say besides this is a great book. It really helps understand Ringeck's work. Get this book if you are interested in German Longsword fighting. Though if you are starting off I would recommend the excellent book Fighting with the German Longsword, also written by Tobler.

This book also works well with Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of The Longsword by Lindholm and Svard. Same material but some different interpretations.

If you are interested in this book go to the publisher's website. It's in stock there at the regular price, not this inflated used market price at Amazon.

This book is essential for anyone interested in doing medieval swordsmanship. Tobler has done all the hard work for you, he has interpreted the moves perfectly. There is very little guesswork left up to you, each move has many pictures showing every subtle change in position. Easy to follow and the pictures are very clear. A great book, none better.

The book and its photos are great. However, Brian Shul is not well-thought of in the Habu community. I don't know if I can buy a book by a person that broke all the rules, and now acts like he is a hero. One of the most incriminating photos is a self-portrait of Shul, with his David Clark pressure suit and helmet, taken DURING a mission. From what I have learned about the "Sled," the pilot was too busy to be snapping photos of himself--especially in a super-secret airplane, during a classified mission.

The amazingly true story of Sled Driver was about a very daring pilot that flew one of the most secretive airplanes in history, the SR-71. Brain Shul, the author and the main personality throughout the book, started as a military fighter pilot, was one of the few people in the world to be to be trained to fly the SR-71 "Black Bird" or the "Sled" as it is sometimes called, let alone actually fly the beast, was chosen to fly the airplane. Two months of severe flight simulating and text manual reading, Brain is chosen to fly the "Sled" and is partnered with the only black man to ever fly the SR-7, Walt Watson. These two men are paired for their entire career of flying the SR-71. The rest of the book are tales of wondrous experiences and frightful mishaps that nearly take their lives, though they always came out strong.
In every book there are at least on thing that does not click with the reader, and in this book this rule holds true. The only problem I experienced while reading this book was the odd placement of pictures. Whenever the Author got into a serious thought or story, the next page would have a picture or series of pictures that would make you lose your trail of thought and provoke you to look at the photos. This severely annoyed me most of the way through the book. I don't quit think the author was thinking to deeply into the placement of the photos or he's a total genius and didn't want you to get completely trapped into his story, giving you time to think about what just happened or recollect on what exactly he was saying.
Of course there are good or great things about a book or the reader would stop reading it, unless he was forced to read it like I was in grade school and throughout High School. The pictures were phenomenal, even though their placement was off. The sheer quality and beauty of them was overwhelming. Also, the author used so much detail in his writing, it was almost as if you were in the cockpit with him and Walt. He used so manning adjectives, that it was almost as if he wanted your full attention on a specific object or experience, just so that you didn't miss a thing.

yes i know that the 'sled driver' by shul is a fantastic book!!
and yes indeed, i have yet to read it
at nearly 1/2 a grand to purchase, i believe i shall never read it
i find it wonderful that the author wants to release another limited printing of 3500 copies
once again, i am sure to be left out of the fold
what is the motivation here?
am i not to ever get a crack at reading this fine work??
am i expected to ever get a truthful answer to my questions??
being a realist and a pilot, i must say its a lousey day for v.f.r
warmest regards to all those profiting at my expense
tim

I first heard about this book when i was a freshman in high school seeing the add in the pacific flyer newspaper, Ever since then I have always wanted to get this book! I searched book stores to this day to find a copy! But after searching I have found it here only to have my dreams shot down like a japanese plane over pearl harbor that at a price of 245+ I will never be able to add this book to my extensive collection i have collected ever since i was 8! I hope one day to win the lottery or something so i can buy it!

I got my copy from Brian when he was selling them at an open house at March AFB. He was planted right under the left wing. You could sit in the cockpit of the SR-71 for a photo for $5. That was well worth it! When you look behind you and see all that mass of black titanium, and imagine that you would leave a 30-06 bullet in the dust, it is truly awe inspiring. By the way Brian was signing, to you personally, his Sled Driver books for a paltry $35. My friend who is also a plane nut , got one too. My treat. I also got his second book by mail from him for the same price. He is a great guy who answers his own phone and takes your order himself. He is also very funny. Look him up at the next big airshow you attend. He'll tell you all about "the sled" Lee

Not a pop-up book--but illustrated via a novel
moving screen. You have to see it to believe it---
and just try to figure out how it's done. Kudos
to Rufus B Seder! I'm giving it to my pre-school grandson---
but it would be suitable for all ages!

The text is quite simple, most kids in kindergarten will be able to read it by themselves, but, like Gallop (the first in this series) "Swing" uses similar technology to create moving pictures as a zeotrope (Invented 180AD!).

It's amazing that with all the latest gadgets and gizmos that this book can still mesmerize people of all ages. I recommend it whether you are 4 or 44.

One surprising thing about this book is how sturdy it is. You'd think it would break easily as would a pop-up book, but the mechanism is very simple and completely protected so even the copy at my 3 year old daughter's pre-school has survived for several years entirely intact!

I bought this book for Christmas presents for my 16 month old grandson and my 17 month old great nephew. I loved the book as did both of the kids! My great nephew already had the first book in this series (Gallop). All in all, this was a wonderful purchase for the boys! It is really neat how the pages seem to magically move in front of your eyes!

After you read this book once, you will want to tear it open and see how it works. Its a great book for kids who like to "read" to themselves in bed at night. They can flip through and marvel at how the pictures move, like movies. It can keep kids busy for quite some time. Providing they don't tear it open!

Wonderful kids book.

I am a kindergarten teacher and one of my students brought this book in and I ended up ordering it and also Gallop by same author which has a book and cards to send. I love them and so do my students. We all fight over looking at the books.

This is the only taekwondo book I own and it has served me very well. The section on stretching is wonderful. The photos, in general, are great. I refer to it regularly, especially the chapter covering the poomsae. I feel that this book has the right balance for anyone in their first year of taekwondo: clear instruction, great photos, and enough depth to give a feel for the subject.

Tae Kwon Do Basics, Techniques and Forms: The Indomitable Martial Art of Korea

This book was a long time coming and I'm proud that our father's technique is being shared in this book. The hope is that many would be able to learn from this book and instill confidence, self-discipline and self-respect in those that choose to practice it.

Congratulations and Happy New Year!

I really enjoyed learning from this book. There are so many Martial Arts books out these days, it's hard to find one that is really good. After looking at many books, I found that the author is the most qualified teacher in the TaeKwonDo world. Grandmaster Park is the best by far! Great Book!!!

I bought this book for my Grandson and he just loves it! He said it was the best Christmas Gift ever! He loved all the color photos and the description was so easy to understand I could follow it too! Can't wait until GrandMaster Park's next book comes out!!!

This book co-authored by Taekwondo Hall of Famer GM Dong Keun Park
offers much for both the beginning and advanced student. The photos and
explanation of techniques are clear and crisp. Highly recommended!

Gerard Robbins,
3 Times National Taekwondo Champion
Competitor / 2nd World Taekwondo Championships

I bought this and reviewed it, and it appeared quite thorough. My friend's daughter was getting into weight lifting and wanted to learn more about it. I lent her this book and she is very happy with it.

Illustrations of working muscle groups coordinate with in-depth analysis of critical exercises to help you build a more complete routine.

I just got my copy of this book today. From what I've looked at so far, it seems to be very clear, thorough and well-illustrated. My only complaint is that this book is oversized and heavy. It's not the kind of thing that will fit in my gym bag so I can refer to it while working out. I think it needs a better format.

This book is heavily weighted toward the use of exercise machines. If you have access to them at home or in a gym, then it's an excellent book for toning and strength building. If you don't, you'll discover that, aside from the sturdy spiral format, it has little to offer the at-home exerciser interested in using handheld, wrist, or ankle weights and the Thera Band system. If the latter is more your speed, try Joan Pagano's excellent book: "Strength Training for Women."

I was surprised at the depth of and introduction to some critical exercises that even the best strength training books do not even attempt to address: things like wrist strength, pronation movements, and so forth. I felt this book really rounded out my exercises and it pictured the muscles I use so that I could build a more complete routine around all of the muscle groups I wanted to target or had been neglecting. Great book, spiral with pix, easy to take to gym.

I bought this book specifically because I want to make my own MRE's for my Bug-Out Bag. I have food allergies and cannot eat the typical emergency preparedness food. I will be using this book for that (and mine won't look and taste like barf in a bag.)I am so happy for the practical advice and experience of the author. Very helpful. I'm sure I'll be using it for summer fun, too.

Fmergency preparadness is my focus. I found recipes and food preparation to be excellent. Summer gardening with the bounty of our efforts dehydrated, prepared in delicious and easy meals for both home and traveling is a gratifying experience. Great book.

Trail Food by Alan S. Kesselheim is a spectacular little read for anyone interested in adventuring in the outdoors, self reliance, preperation, or even just making healthy snacks at home for a fraction of the price of storebought. Encouraging, practical, and written by an obviously experienced author, Trail Food helped enhance my outdoor experience. If you're still buying those freeze dried meals or even worse living off of ramen noodles when you're out in the wilds, I really suggest you consider dehydrating your own food, and this book is a great place to start. In addition to dehydration the author seasons the book with a bunch of other tidbits. There's little blurbs about the pros and cons of cooking over fires and various stoves, advice on setting up the camp kitchen, and at the beginning of every chapter there's a little blurb of a story about canoeing, backpacking, dogsledding, or just cabin living, that helped get me in that outdoorsy frame of mind. My two dehydrators are going to be working overtime!

This is a decent book which encourages experimentation with dehydrating your food and creating recipes- something often left out of both dehydrating and backpacking food books. However, for what everything it does have or encourage, it lacks detail and I felt like there could have been so much more. As it is, it is worth the purchase in conjuction with at least one more, far substantial book.

As a boyscout leader, we like to outdo the scouts on our creative cooking to inspire their creativity. It is a great book, to show how to make creative meals without the weight of heavy food items. This has been great!! Thanks C>

Being an old trout fly fisherman from Montana I bought "Trout and Salmon of North America" to gain additional information on these fish. I am very pleased with the book that will add to the knowlege I have gained through my 60 years of trout fishing.

When our top salmonid scientist teams with our best fish artist .. we get Trout & Salmon of N.A!
The other reviews cover the waterfront.
This book is first rate.
Wayne Heinz, author of, How to Catch Salmon, Sturgeon, Lingcod, Rockfish, and Halibut Along the Pacific Coast: Fish On!

Other than I do not believe in evolution and how old the earth is the book is amazing. The most informative book on trout I have ever seen. I love the art work , such detail is amazing. I recomend it to anyone interested in learning about and fishing for the amazing trout.

This book will turn readers into overnight salmonid experts.....the line drawings included with each species and sub-species are unbelievably detailed....and the text will be pleasantly familiar to readers of "Trout" magazine, where Behnke has educated fishermen on trout biology for many years. The evolutionary histories of our trout and salmon species tell the story of North America in geologic time....and ultimately point to what could be an imperiled future for all species....The only question I really have is why didn't I get this book ten years ago?

I would like to thank Joseph Tomelleri for introducing me to Robert Behnke. Like most fly fishermen, I fish for trout, in large part, because they are so beautiful, and I bought this book for Tomelleri's exquisite illustrations of trout. My first hint that I might have blundered into something more that a great coffee table book was that the forward was written by Tom McGuane. McGuane is one of my favorite authors (most recently Gallatin Canyon: Stories).

Now, I must admit that I am usually skeptical of academics as authors, and Dr. Behnke is a professor emeritus at the University of Colorado. Unlike most of his colleagues, however, Dr. Behnke is able to write well. Consequently, the book is packed with a lot of readable information about trout. I am a Michigander so I knew that the first brown trout in North America were introduced into Baldwin Creek (Baldwin, MI); however, I was not aware of the genetic diversity of the American strain. I was also interested to find out that apparently genetically identical steelhead (anadromous) and rainbow (riparian) trout breed true.

Does all this new knowledge help me select the right fly or land a raging steelhead? No. But it certainly adds richness, clarity and depth to both experiences. And, Salmon and Trout of North America, itself, is richly illustrated and is clearly written in depth. All of that, and Tom McGuane, too. What a bargin!

Mac McCauley
Professor
Wayne State University

I read this book in public places (on the Metro, in cafes), and some of the passages had me laughing OUT LOUD! People gave me funny looks, but I don't care. Mariah Burton Nelson is so FUNNY and inspirational! Reading this book just makes me feel like I want to be better...and that all of my goals are within reach. I agree with Ms. Burton Nelson that thinking of oneself as an athlete will change your life. I like the confidence being athletic brings, and I'm appreciative that this author brought the concept of being an athlete and personal success together in this book. I'm huge fan of all of Ms. Burton Nelson's work; finding her early books in the library helped ease the pain of some lonely, confusing summers while I was in college. I just like the concepts that she comes up with and the way she writes. All of her sports books are fabulous of course, but I also recommend her book about forgiveness, The Unburdened Heart (an important book for anyone, I believe). Read We Are All Athletes! You'll love it, and it might just change your life for the better.

This thoughtful, straightforward, fast read took me back to all the lessons sports taught me. This would make a terrific companion to any sports program, and is great for adults who want to continue to improve their game--in sports, life, or business. Useful, thought-provoking, fun. As a student of John Wooden, I think Mariah takes coaching to a new level. Thanks, Mariah!

This is a terrific book --- direct and right to the point. It is a short read, but long on food for thought. My "sport" is Duplicate Bridge and this book is just as relevant for that as it is for tennis, basketball or curling. Or even the sport of LIFE, as Ms. Nelson points out.

This is a terrific book --- direct and right to the point. It is a short read, but long on food for thought. My "sport" is Duplicate Bridge and this book is just as relevant for that as it is for tennis, basketball or curling. Or even the sport of LIFE, as Ms. Nelson points out.

Mariah is the real thing and it shows up in this book. This book is warm, thoughtful, full of good advice, friendly, and funny. You don't even have to be or like jocks to find little gems of how to live a good life in these pages.
As a spoken word performer who cannot have an inspired "A game" every night, I especially enjoyed the chapter "B Is for B-Game", "prepare to win on an off-day." Mariah understands the nuances of excellence--no matter how hard you train, you have off nights or off games, but you can still win, or in my case win the audience over, with your B or C game--with the fall back on skill, training, hard-work, focus, AND, the surrender to what is, not what you'd like things to be. There are many moments of such wisdom throughout this book. Yes, Mariah, thanks.