Recreation Books

I bought this book looking for a guide of some kind to help me know what to exspect, equipment I needed, and how to plan a trip. I got all I was looking for and more, I live and have grown up what most would consider a typical countryboy and have been hunting, camping, and fishing since I was old enough to walk, but I had never been on a long backpacking trip and have really always wanted to try it and this book is a great way to do it, it tells you everything you can think to ask and some you hadn't.I am going to head out on my first trip with confidence and ready for things that are going to happen. I have to say this guy knows what he is talking about andI would recamend you to buy this if you are planning even a short day hike. also the book is made to carry along in your pack with its plastic covered covers and pages. I would like to thank the auther in closing for this book it may have saved me alot of problems and maybe alot of injures.

In 1996 I took my first backpacking trip ever. It was in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Became lost, carried too much weight...but enjoyed myself anyway. Two years later was on Katahdin in Maine. A big smile on my face...had just completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

After that first fun, yet disaster prone trip, stumbled upon the first edition of this book. Read it cover to cover and quickly learned many aspsects of backpacking I was woefully ignorant about. All that summer put into practice what was in the book.

Over the years since I've read that book have done much backpacking. Two end to hikes on the Long Trail, a thru-hike on both the AT and the Pacific Crest Trail. From reading the book was able to get the confidence to tackle longer hikes...and be fired up for them as well.

Now that I head up beginner backpacking trips myself, I always reccomend the book to anyone starting out with this past timne that has become a lifestyle for me.

I rated this book 4 stars, but would actually give it 4 1/2. Why not five? Berger is still skeptical of lightweight hiking (despite her new book about the subject) and it shows in not only in book but hiking videos, articles, etc. But, for the beginner, the solid info about traditional backpacking will get them on to a great start! Worked for me!

This book is a terrific resource for those just starting out or those who would like to know more about hiking and backpacking. The author's topics cover everything from the complete basics like, why you should hike, straight through to the more complex, like how to adjust your compass for declination. She also makes extremely helpful suggestions on purchasing products such as tents, sleeping bags, water purifiers, stoves, and basically all types of gear. The author has a writing style that generates interest in the reading material. She also focuses on particular topics, like handling problems only women encounter in the outdoors, or what you should know before taking children hiking. This book is a must have.

I bought this book recently to expand on what I know about hiking and backpacking. I mainly do day hikes, and living in the desert of the southwest, I obviously end up doing a lot of desert hikes.

This book is very comprehensive, but by no means an all-inclusive description of what you need to know about hiking and backpacking.

It puts great emphasize on backpacking and not so much on hiking, although both activities are very similar in their nature. The book puts its main focus on backpacking in the Northeast of the USA, and talks a lot about the Appalachian Trail, which the author has hiked from one end to another.

The book contains all types of useful and important details about equipment, behavior on the trail, personal safety etc. Personally, I would've liked for it to mention more about travelling by foot in the desert, but that said, you can still find the most important information about desert hiking scattered around the book.

Pros:
* Very comprehensive - Contains information about most things you need to know about hiking and backpacking
* Easy and fun to read - very nice format
* Contains checklists
* Author is very knowledgable on the subject and an accomplished hiker/backpacker
* Good value for money

Cons:
* Not enough information about desert hiking/backpacking
* Very heavy - not something you'd want to bring in your pack unless you had to. On the flip side, it makes it more durable than your average book.
* Not all that good as a reference - best read from beginning to end.

All in all, I would rate it a 4 since it's a quite well written and comprehensive book. It covers what most people would expect to find in this type of book. It falls short of a rating of 5 mainly for the reasons mentioned in CON above.

(This review is of the February 2003 edition)

I'm new to backpacking. I bought a few backpacking books recently, and none of them are more interesting and clearly written than this book. Karen Berger has a great, down to earth writing style without being too "breathy" or wordy. She gets down to the point, shows specific examples,and breaks things down in a way that can be understood by anybody.

This is a no frills approach to success in not just athletics but life in my humble opinion. This is a great learning tool to have for any coach, athlete or someone wanting to just better themselves overall. Many thanks to Mr. Rooney for sharing his knowledge with us.

Ok, this are 11 principles that are important for being succesfull, but there are some more I think. Do the things the author says and you will improve your performance. After implementing all these principles, please search for further improvement. Don't stop exploring.

Greetings
Tom

Train To Win is a great book and I recommend it to any athlete. I read the book in one sitting. It is enjoyable to read, and it seems like you are constantly learning lessons. It touches on so many different aspects, all of which are crucial to your training.

I am playing professionally in France and I still pull the book out for guidance at times. The book is useful to me at 24, but it would also be useful for a 14 year old athlete or a 55 year old one as well.

Sometimes training can seem like a big task. where do i begin? what is most important for me? how do I organize? what is my biggest priority? Rooneys 11 principles really breaks it down for you, and makes things clearer. Another great book and oppurtunity to Learn from Martin Rooney.

This is an excellent book with tons of information on how to create your own training program.

The principles in the book are 100% and it is from these principles that you can design your own regime based on your own strengths/weaknesses and demands of your sport.

The book covers nutrition, workout length, periodisation, variety, economy, amongst other things but one of the real assets of the book is the plethora of inspiring quotes and anecdotes that will you to take and use these principles to create a program to put yourself a class above the rest. Train smart, buy this book, train to win!

As a sidenote, I purchased this book along with Training for Warriors: the Team Renzo Gracie Workout.
Both books are top notch, whether you train martial arts or not, the Warriors book is a great way to see the principles in action and the workouts entailed can be tailored to any sport or training regime. As a combo, these book are unbeatable value.

This is a book who's principals can be used for any athlete. From the pro to casual and from basketball to Mixed Martial Arts and beyond. To many athletes buy a couple body-building magazines and take the workouts from those magazines and implement them into their training for their sport. With no real knowledge why they are doing these workouts other than some pro athlete listed it as what they do. Without knowing what you are trying to accomplish and how to do it you're certain to fail. This book is a great step in the right direction.

This book is different from all the other WWE books I have read. All of the wrestlers are in it. It tells you how they grew up what has happened in their life. It also tells how they got into wrestling if it was for the better or the worst. It also tells you about what really goes on behind the curtain, also how they prepare before a match. The book also tells you if you want to get into the business the superstars tell you how you can and what they use to help them stay healthy and strong and some of them flexible. They also talk about what kind of injuries they have had, how long they were out for, and how serious the injury was.

I would recommend this book to any wrestling fan. It is a really good book for people who just started to get into wrestling because it tells you a little bit about them and it has pictures of the superstars. You will also know what their real names are and what there characters names are.

This book is different from all the other WWE books I read. All of the wrestlers are in it. It tells you how they grow up what has happened in there life. It also tells how they got into wrestling if it was for the better or the worst. It also tells you about what really goes on behind the curtain, also how they prepare before a match. The book also tells you if you want to get into the business the superstars tell you how you can and what they use to help them stay healthy and strong and some of them flexible.

I would recommend this book to any wrestling fans it is a really good book for people who just started to get into wrestling because it tells you a little bit about them and it has pictures of the superstars. You will also know what there real names are and what there character name are.

This book is a wonderful read into the lives of WWE wrestlers. One of the best things about this book is that it shows what the real names of the wrestlers are. The best name belongs to Kane, a.k.a Glenn! GOD BLESS YOU EDDIE GUERRERO AND RIP! WE LOVE YOU!

I must admit I wasn't too keen on this book, at first. I thought it was going to be some fluffy coffee table book with loads of pictures and absolutely no substance whatsoever.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

This book gives its audience of wrestling fans a glimpse at some of their favorite performers' lives outside the ring and a lot of what's revealed is oft-surprising and always insightful. I've been a fan for more than twenty years and even I was somewhat shocked at some of what I read. An excellent read as far as coffee table books go.

The pictures are well done and appropriate and the actual content of the book is very enjoyable. I whole-heartedly recommend this selection to wrestling fans everywhere.

"Unscripted" is a coffee table style book from World Wrestling Entertainment. It focuses on the WWE Superstars and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Superstars and their lives. The book is broken up into three sections, each with the focus on a different aspect of the Superstars' life. In each section, a Superstar gets a two page spread that has photography and something written by the Superstar about his or her life (or career).

I wouldn't say that "Unscripted" is in depth, by any means, but it does gives us descriptions of the lives of the wrestlers that we would not ordinarily have. For example, Chris Jericho writes about how he does not have an ego about what he does because when he gets home his wife still makes him take out the garbage. The Undertaker wrote about how he had almost played professional basketball and how he decided to turn to the ring. Kurt Angle wrote about wrestling in the Olympics with a broken neck and why he did it. Each wrestler gives a little glimpse into their lives, what they do, and why. We really just get a glimpse of the wrestling world through the eyes of the wrestlers. As a fan of the WWE product, I found this to be interesting (if less in depth than, say, Mick Foley's autobiography). This is a coffee table book, however, so there are many pictures and not too much text. This is one you can pick up, look at a two page spread, and then put down again to peruse at your leisure.

I bought this book when I was planning my own wedding and wanted to learn more about the various traditional elements of the wedding ceremony. I loved it so much that I gave my sister a copy when she got engaged.

This isn't just another wedding-planning guide, though. It's a book of essays, one woman's view of life from the perspective of a soon-to-be-bride - and it's well worth the read, whether you have a wedding in your future or not. I still re-read it from time to time just because I enjoy the writing so much, and I really wish Ms. Cohen would put out another book.

I am in a situation very simiar to that of the author - in a long-term live-in relationship and we've just decided to get married. This book addresses SO MANY of the things that've been bugging me. For example: many marriages end in divorce, how can we be sure this one will last? In all actuallity, no one really knows, because I'm sure just about everyone who gets married truly believes it will be forever. In reality, people change, and it isn't always possible to be together forever. It helps so much just to know other's have struggled with the same issues.

The only reason I gave it 4/5 is because the book goes off on some weird tangents that didn't flow too well. The transitions weren't smooth and I was confused as to why they were included.

Overall, very good book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in a similar situation themselves.

A Walk Down the Aisle is a beautiful and powerful book--witty and wise, poignant and moving (but never maudlin), intimate and communal at the same time. Cohen's writing is lyrical and her messages are profound. Above all, her book is incredibly real and authentic in a way that no other book I've read about marriage has been. (Plus I cried all the way through the last chapter, and it was a good, cleansing cry.) I have been married to Jeff for twenty-two years, but Cohen's book led me back down that aisle, and my reflections on "my" day (it was definitely the bride's day for us), on dozens of weddings since, and on my marriage have been fruitful for me. If we were to marry again today, we would do almost everything completely differently. I don't think Kate and Adam will ever need to say that.

When I got married, a well meaning Sunday school teacher from my church gave me a book of "devotional readings for the newly married." Reading it was a miserable experience for me. It created all sorts of guilt and anxiety; there was just no way Jeff and I were ever going to conform to the images of the perfect couples who filled those pages. After a while, I realized that I didn't want to be one of those cardboard cutouts. So Cohen's is the flesh and blood book I'm going to give to all my engaged friends. I encourage you also to read it, share it with your friends and loved ones, and return to it often.

I was absolutely thrilled when I found this book by chance one day and bought it (I almost never buy hardcovers, but...). I have read it twice and frequently pick it up to reread parts of it again. I love the combination of such deeply personal and thoughtful writing with tidbits about the history of the wedding traditions. I find it so inspiring in planning my own wedding and helpful in clarifying exactly what marriage means for people like my fiance and I in today's world. Thank you Kate Cohen for writing this!

To marry or not to marry. That is the question, and Kate Cohen answers it masterfully. For anyone who has lived with someone and is now contemplating marriage, (is there anyone else?), this book is a "must read"!

Not only does Kate Cohen write like an angel, she offers an unusual blend of intense and scrupulously honest self-scrutiny with an extremely scholarly and comprehensive storehouse of knowledge about the customs of weddings. From Dante and Milton to Brides magazine, she presents information that is fascinating and often hilarious.

This book should provide comfort for anyone wondering what love is, if they even are in love, and especially, why they should get married in the first place.

Listen to Cohen describe her own love for Adam (the man she eventually marries):

Love "is a slow process...we did not instantly see on one another's faces 'the one' that eternal love songs promise us. We didn't see blessed perfection, the moon and the stars and the sun all rolled up into one. We saw a possibility, one among many."

I chose this quote because it is representative of Cohen's commitment to the truth, and of how well she writes.

So, to all of you who may have cold feet, who are in a quandary of when, where, why, and how to marry, this is the book for you!

I think Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson have started something that won't stop until they've created a whole universe. The game is a little hard at first, but that's not enough to lose it any more than one star. It's a really great idea. They've actually produced something that no one has ever thought of before.

I once owned "war torn kingdom" and "cities of gold and glory"
but I lost them both in a house fire. I have always wished to own the entire series. But I would be happy with one for the time being. Info on where to get any would be great.

You're right, these books are genius. Books 1-6 in the series were released in the UK under the name "Fabled Lands". I own books 1, 2, 4, and 5 and would be very interested to know where i could get 3 and 6.

I got this book for my birthday, but didn't play it until 3 months later. I loved it!!!! I found out that Cities of Gold and Glory are part of the Series, all I want to know how many more their and and where I can get them and their name!!!!

My wife found this in a clearance rack at our local Safeway store and thought I might like it. I actually forgot about it until 2 months later. I was drawn into it last week, and could not put it down. I think it is a wonderful role-playing adventure. I only have this one, and am searching for more books. There was a web-site that had the entire series, but it was taken off the web. If anyone can, please let me know where I can find more in the series. Thank you!

excellent- covered things that took me years to learn. Great for students of any level.I recomend it my students.

It is rare indeed to read so many glowing reviews and as of this date, all reviews are five stars. I am adding to that equation. I read the reviews and thought others have said it all better; however, I would like to point our one addition that has been somewhat neglected. The title of the book suggests it is directed towards novices or inquires into karate. This is true, but the authors have written a book that can be applied by seasoned black belts as well.

This book belongs to a brown belt student and he loaned it to me for a couple of days. I was impressed on how the book is about a journey and if one reads beyond the text, these examples, suggestions, and narratives can be used beyond training toward the goal of black belt. After all, many schools promote almost everyone to black belt eventually anyway, creating paper dragons. These authors, Kane and Wilder, provide a service beyond self-help martial arts style, but real examples to follow and techniques to persevere. The book serves to yes, help one attain the goal of black belt, but more importantly, to help individuals becomes good martial artist - for the long haul. After many years of teaching and training, I highly recommend this text.

I read the book very quickly, so the more detailed reviews here on Amazon will provide much needed information in helping one decide to purchase this fine book. I hope I have added something worthwhile to help these authors sell this very well written text.

Reading this book will give anyone for whom the goal of a black belt seems nearly impossible a huge dose of inspiration. No matter how old you are when you start or how naturally athletic, this is a goal you can set and reach. The insights and advice are spot-on and the many students' perspectives illustrate that while we all have our doubts and challenges on the way, that though paying attention, perseverence, and discipline you can push through and reach your goal. I can't recommend it enough!

Let me begin by stating that I have been disappointed in one way or another with nearly every martial arts book I've read over the years: unclear instruction, unworkable techniques, too basic, too advanced, too much reliance upon foreign words and phrases, too much space devoted to katas, and a myriad of similar complaints -- this was not the case with THE WAY TO BLACK BELT by Kane and Wilder.

The front cover says, "A Comprehensive Guide to Rapid, Rock-Solid Results", and the back cover proclaims, "Cut to the very core of what it means to be successful in the martial arts" -- and to my surprise and pleasure this book delivers what has been promised.

There are no kata to be memorized here. No questionable responses to knife attacks. And no need to learn a bizarre vocabulary in order to understand the lessons. Indeed, atypical of most martial art books, very little time is spent addressing things like technique, terminology, or tactics. This book's focus is on training and mindset, which is far more valuable for the beginner to learn.

The authors have each spent a lifetime practicing the martial arts, and the chapters have introductions, excerpts, and commentary by over a dozen highly respected martial art instructors and authors. These folks have learned the hard way what works and what doesn't, and are willing to share these priceless insights with you the reader.

Outstanding advice on important subjects like: overcoming negative thinking, weeding out potential instructors who are not right for you, improving your technique, being a good student, dealing with injuries through common sense and pererverance, training aids, self study, and LOTS more. Best of all, this fine text does not limit itself to any particular style and can be implemented by practitioners of any martial art regardless of their age, ability, or rank.

This book NEEDS TO BE READ by all martial art students, and is quite possibly the BEST MARTIAL ART BOOK available at this time. I highly recommend purchasing this text as a gift for friends whom you know are students of any martial art . . . they will thank you for it, and refer to it for years to come. Destined to be a classic textbook for students of all styles.

I could write a long treatise on why this book should be on the shelf of every aspiring black belt, but you're better off spending the time reading the book than any review. Suffice it to say, many seasoned practitioners contributed to the insights here, and their thoughts have been beautifully organized and presented by Kane and Wilder. Even the photographs are excellent, especially the wonderful action shot near the front of the book. Each and every chapter is full of tips, strategies, and sage counsel, (injuries, technology, teacher-student relationships, motivation, linaments, styles, and much more--even movies). The martial path is as much about self-cultivation as skill building, as much about character as punches and kicks, and this book, chock full of practical information and profound, foundation-building concepts, helps in both regards. Savor it, refer to it, recommend it to a martial friend.

Well written, easy-to-use book that will be of use to not only beginning bakers, but experienced-but-busy bakers. Dodge provides a wealth of information that is often missing from other cookbooks: (1) what steps can be done in advance, (2) what can be frozen, and WHEN in the baking process it can be frozen, (3) useful adaptations, such as the pan size to use when you double a recipe, and flavor modifications. The measurements are given in cups and teaspoons, and the recipes are geared towards a home cook.

She has a great peanut butter cookie recipe that requires NO flour, which is helpful if someone in your family cannot eat gluten.

Recipe chapters are divided into two overall categories: "baker's express," and "cooking in stages." Each one of those categories contains the following sections: cookies and bars; cakes, large and small; breads; mousses, custards, and puddings; pies, tarts, cobblers, crips. In summary, this is a book that the home baker will actually use, and with great success.

I was working on a project that required multiple baked goods. In my search for a variety, I checked out several baking books from the library. Once my project ended, I had fallen in love with only one book and discovered I had to have the book for my own personal use. That book was, "The Weekend Baker" by Abigail Johnson Dodge.

Now, I'll be honest there are 3 things that I think you should consider if you are considering buying this book.
1. This is a hard bound book, which makes it slightly challenging to keep open on your counter as you work throught he recipe. A couple of #10 cans will easily help you out but it is a bit annoying.
2. This book is said to be for those who love to bake but struggle to find the time. While I agree, I think we forget that there are a lot of people who "love to bake" yet assume baking means boxed cake/brownine mixes, premade pie crusts or frozen cookie dough - it is important to note that this book is for people who love to bake FROM SCRATCH and are too busy. (My friend was disappointed in the book when she discovered Abigail is NOT Sandra Lee!)
3. Further to my note in #2, if you are baker who relies on photo images to assure your finished result is correct, you may be disappointed. While the photos that are in the book are fabulous they are sparse and not available for every recipe.

That being said; The Ginger Snaps on the cover are fabulous! I now have a friend that expects the Banana Cake with Fudgy Frosting every year for his birthday and in a recent search for the perfect "shortcake" this book provided the winning recipe! A wonderful book!

I'm a cookbook junkie on a short bookshelf leash so when I found out about this book, I checked it out of my library before I grabbed my checkbook just in case I was being lead astray by another pretty cover. Boy, did I underestimate this book! If you have an interest in baking, buy this book, buy it now, buy it for baking friends! I did.

It looks like a simple list of recipes that you probably already have in any number of other baking books, and really it is, but what makes this book so useful is that it's like all the best recipes in those books are condensed into one easy to read, easy to follow and easy to grab reference. It saves me time not because of any earth-shattering shortcuts, but because I don't have to sift through 10 baking books to find a recipe I want to make or spend time figuring out how I can spread out the recipe over time -- that's already done. And the author is fabulously reassuring that yes, you can do this if you have a few minutes, and yes, it will be worth it!

My only complaint: an index of recipes at the start of the three main chapters would make finding a particular recipe even quicker. Currently, I have to mark them with post-it flags, making my book look like it's eating a tibetan prayer flag.

Thanks for putting the fun back in baking!!

I purchased this book several months ago and I have to say that every recipe I've made has been superb! I really like the way each recipe is broken down into stages and the added bonus of variations to change things up a bit (if you care to do so). I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who loves to bake, but can't take a whole day to do so. The author really has a passion for baking and it shows, trust me you won't be dissapointed!! Kudos!!

If I had to keep one baking cookbook this would be it. The recipes are fabulous, easy and always fetch rave reviews. It is a definate asset to both the experienced and novice baker's kitchen.

This easy- to- read- page- turner provides new insight into a truly great man. I had admired him for years, but with reservations, due mostly to rumors. After reading this one-on-one report by a man who experienced the good and the bad of Ted Williams, I came away with tremendous insight into a sensitive, caring, loving, beautiful human being. Who knew?? I'm grateful for Richard Ben Cramer's memories of his thought provoking time with Ted Williams, so the rest of us can realize that there was SO much more behind this man than his remarkable life in baseball. I have purchased this book for many of my friends, due to its' uniqueness, and they have all loved it as much as myself. This little book can be read in an evening, but packs a powerful punch!

In a paper-thin volume, Richard Ben Cramer manages to capture the many contradictions of the greatest hitter who ever lived and the last man to bat over .400, Theodore Samuel (Ted) Williams. His book is must reading for any Red Sox fan, and for that matter anyone who wonders why baseball heroes like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose, Joe DiMaggio, and Williams lead such dysfunctional lives, often estranged from their own families.

Contradiction: Williams respected authority (never argued with umpires and liked the military life), but he refused to conform to societal customs, e.g. wearing a necktie.

Contradiction: He was an obsessive perfectionist, but often half-hearted on defense or while running the bases.

Contradiction: He was a self-centered loner, but unfailingly generous toward charities.

Contradiction: He resented the Boston sports press, but wanted no publicity for his unselfish work for the Jimmy Fund.

Contradiction: He came from poverty, was poorly educated, yet became a dyed-in-the-wool Republican and establishmentarian.

One thing Ted never lost was his potty-mouth, which he used to rail against the "knights of the keyboard," Boston's habitually self-righteous sports reporters who attacked him not only for his lackadaisical defensive habits but even for his failure to call his mother on holidays (she was a Salvation Army worker who wasn't home, anyway) or stay home for his daughter's birth (she was born two months prematurely, but he was supposed to have known it would happen). The more Ted cursed at his enemies in the press, the more they'd dig up irrelevant dirt to throw at him. Things never improved. He also refused to tip his cap for the fans after a home run, resentful of earlier booing.

So why did Ted Williams enjoy such a renaissance in public aspect, especially in Boston? It wasn't because he changed as a person. On the contrary, as Cramer makes clear, his later life (with his life partner, Louise, whom he settled down with after three unsuccessful marriages), was filled with the same profanity, the same volatile temper, the same need to be right all the time that the younger Ted Williams exhibited.

What happened, apparently, was that the public was no longer exposed to the constant friction between Ted and the press, and so remembered only the good stuff: his .406 batting average in 1941, his home run that decided the All-Star game that year, and the home run in his last at bat in 1960, all of which were replayed via TV highlights regularly. John Updike's dissertation on the 1960 home run helped, too.

Cramer makes us understand Ted Williams. Like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose and Joe DiMaggio, he was no scholar. Also like them, he was able to cultivate a specific skill set on the baseball diamond. He became (arguably) the greatest hitter who ever lived. Still, his lack of education and lonely childhood left vacuums in his life...he compensated for the first by having to be right all the time, and for the second by finally admitting to Cramer, "I was a terrible husband and father."

In the interest of full disclosure, the present writer met Ted Williams at two Red Sox fantasy camps.

Richard Ben Cramer wrote a somewhat controversial but well-researched biography of Joe DiMaggio. The major difference between this excellent portrait, and the latter project, was that we see and hear the protagonist in his own words. At times, it is a loud, booming voice full of life, stories, regrets, and accomplishments of one of our sporting legends.

Mr. Cramer does a masterful job weaving this interesting portrayal. This book is rather brief compared to the DiMaggio biography; however, it has more "life." The bulk of this work concentrates upon an interview that took place in 1986. It is written in such a way that the author fades into the background. In a strange sense, the reader feels present. As if we are sitting with Mr. Williams in his living room, and spellbound to imagine what will come next. The sheer force of his personality makes this a very entertaining and informative read.

Compared to the modern day ballplayer, Mr. Williams was indeed a rare bird. He had interesting and intriguing opinions about hitting, fishing, flying jet planes, marriage, lemonade, fickle fans, and the traffic patterns of the Florida Keys. ;-) He is both arrogant and enchanting, if one can imagine such a thing. Mr. Cramer draws out Williams in a way that writers of his own era failed to do. He showed him respect and deference, but like so many of the fish that Williams loved to catch, didn't allow him off the hook on tough subjects. In a way, this interview perhaps was a cathartic exercise for Mr. Williams.

The unfortunate circumstances that surrounded his death made this book quite pertinent. What do we think of him now? The best hitter to ever live, a true American patriot, a lover of the great outdoors, and a man who defined life in his own strike zone.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this excellent work by Mr. Cramer.

This book is deceptively short, yet like Ted Williams swinging at a baseball in his prime --- it packs one hell of wallop! Amazingly, the reader gets a very well-rounded picture of Williams the man, Williams the out-sized legend, Williams the S.O.B. and of course in his most famous guise as baseball's "greatest hitter who ever lived." The last man ever to hit .400 for a season with 521 career home runs to his credit (including one on his last ever time at bat), he was also the only man ever elected to both the baseball and fly-fishing halls of fame. His life was extremely rich and full and reads like it was five lifetimes rolled into one. A fighter pilot during WWII, many argue he may have even forfeited some of his best years in baseball to serve his country.... Considering his well-established contributions to the science of hitting, that's a scary thought! Anyway, if you're looking for a short and breezy read on one of baseball's all-time-greats look no further than this book by Richard Ben Cramer.

Ted Williams lived the kind of irrepressible life that Hollywood tried to invent for its toughest actors; old-skool masculinity personified, he was the finest baseball player of a generation (if not all time), a fisherman worthy of Hemingway's prose, and a lifelong Marine who served his country in not one but TWO deadly wars, the second of which nearly cost him his own life.

He was the eternal paradox, the New England sports hero with the "When Guns Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Have Guns" bumper sticker on his pick-up truck, the all-time All-Star outfielder who practiced his swing while playing defense, the surly bane to those in the sports press charged with selling his image to the Boston public, and the eternal cynic who could never fully give himself to the public's adoration because he would always hear the 2 or 3 boos among the thousands of cheers his very presence on the field generated.

This book does a fine job of encapsulating the highlights of Williams' career, covered sparingly among a (then) current interview of the man as living legend approaching his 70's. But the real joy and success of the book is the author's capturing the essence of the magnitude of Williams to the point that you can't possibly help but feel that you are listening to the man thunder away in your own living room, rather than from a far-off house in the Florida Keys (or from the more appropriate peak of Mount Olympus). Most enjoyable to me is the author's penchant FOR PRINTING WILLIAMS' QUOTES IN ALL CAPS (wherein I can't help but read them aloud -and at suitable volume- to my fiancee', much to her dismay).

We have a suitable account of Williams' life after his time as an active player and manager, but before his health began to rapidly deteriorate. It is a full portrait, balancing the more infamous qualities of the man with those that Williams fiercely guarded during his lifetime; that he was, beneath the callous exterior, as warm and giving a soul that baseball would be far more fortunate than it deserves to have as an ambassador today.
It's a joy to read, seemingly almost an afterthought in its brevity, but when considered that it was only ever supposed to be an article for Esquire magazine, it surely ranks among the finest sports writing of all time.

I found this book to be of outstanding usefulness. The book is designed for a person with advanced medical skill. It is not a first aid book. It is what the title says "Beyond First Aid". The writer displays his knowledge of care from his own experience as an outdoors man and lays out and describes in detail what is needed under various adverese circumstances.
Mingmei Jiang [BVocEd&Train(C.Sturt)]

Very good book. I felt like I had forgotten lot of what first aid was about and needed som refreshment.. I still do, but more on the pratical plan (!)

I have several outdoor medical and first aide books and this one is the best. It really approaches topics that other books avoid like what to do if you cannot get to a doctor or hospital. The suggested kits in the back are also the best I have found. I only have two negative comments:

1. The techniques and advice in the text could be cross referenced to the medical kits better.

2. The references for more information are old or not very good. The website for the book seems to be underconstruction for at least a year and the major suppliers only offer about half of the items suggested. Most of the hard to find items can be purchased at Amazon or Moore Medical.

The other book to consider for dealing with a lack of traditional medical care is "Where there is no Doctor" but that is geared towards running a clinic in the third world rather than hiking.

Living out in the wild, in the wilderness, is a contest with Nature. Most of the time, man wins the contest, but sometimes ... stuff happens.

Chapter One is about Assessment and starts with that key question: scene safe? Then Dr Forgey takes his reader through the ABCD's, vital signs, levels of consciousness, head to toe examination, shock, respiration rates, heart rates, and CPR. (The numbers for chest compressions and breaths has been changed by the AHA since Dr Forgey updated this book, but that is a minor issue.)

Chapter Two is about body system management. The focus of this chapter is on the systems in the head but the abdomen and reproductive system are given sections as well. There is also a very good, short section on poisoning from food poisoning to shellfish poisoning.

Chapter Three covers soft tissue wounds and treatments ... and suturing and stapling.

Chapter Four covers orthopedic injuries from head to foot.

Chapter Five covers bites and stings and anaphylactic shock. Interest-ingly Dr Forgey finds that rubber suction cups are as worthless as mouth suction. His lone endorsement is the Sawyer Extractor (which is available from Amazon.com).

Chapter Six is on infectious disease. Dr Forgey lists the most signif-icant *wilderness* diseases for North America and the world should one be contesting Nature abroad.

Chapter Seven's environmental injuries include hypothermia, heat stress, high altitude related illnesses, and ... being struck by lightning. Step current is caused when lightning hass struck and the current spreads out like a wave across the ground and the victim's feet are different distances from the strike point. Since the body has less resistance than the ground, a circuit is completed.

There are two useful appendices at the end of the book.

I am EMS certified and as a BLS instructor. I had a few quibbles with Dr Forgey such as his choice of prescription medications to list in one of the appendices. However I had no major disagreements and found the book to be more easily readable than any EMS book I have read. Lots of nuts and bolts and no fluff.

Also as I write this review, I am preparing a first aid segment for a TCLEOSE course on mantracking. Dr Forgey's book provided me with a lot of detail and anecdotes to include. However just as the title says this book is about wilderness medicine *beyond* first aid.

It's no surprise that every reviewer has given this excellent and comprehensive book five stars.

Written by William Forgey, MD, former president of the Wilderness Medicine Society it goes beyond first aid, dealing with situations where you cannot merely administer initial care and then count on a rapid evacuation. Forgey writes with a light hand; he avoids jargon and has a dry sense of humor. For example (p. 157): "How do you calm a person who's just been bitten by a snake? Not surprisingly, just telling him to remain calm won't work."

There are seven chapters, beginning with assessment and stabilization, and going through body system disease symptoms, injuries, bites and stings, infectious diseases, and environmental injuries. There is an excellent appendix for putting together wilderness first aid/medical kits, both with prescription, and non-prescription meds, and with a bandaging module.

You don't have to be physician, nurse, or EMT to benefit from the book. All the information, is practical and hands-on; of value to the layperson who is interested in first aid and emergency medical situations. After an initial reading, Wilderness Medicine is a fine reference work.


A related website is: [...].

Not that I'm a huge fan of sweaty men in tights, but Mr. McAvennie totally captures the essence of the ring. A truly worthwhile read for any wrestling fan, and a pleasant diversion for the casual observer. Bring on the smackdown!

Brilliant. This the best WWE book I ever read.

I great read on the year of 2002 of wrestling. This has everything thing that happened within the year of 2002. It goes to pay-per-view to pay-per-view and laying out how all the story lines developed week to week. This is a great bookd if you want to know how everything was laid out and done.

THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST WRESTLING BOOKS I'VE EVER READ. IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WWE AND MORE!!! THE WRITING IS BRILLIANT THE PHOTOS ARE GREAT AND ALL THE INFORMATION ON EACH WRESTLER IS THERE

THIS IS A DEFINITE BUY FOR ANYONE WHO CALLS THEMSELVES A WRESTLING FAN.

A thoroughly comprehension year-in-review of almost every aspect of the 2002 season.
Well written, well researched, it's full of facts and behind the scenes dope that are presented in a witty and amazingly insightful manner.
I'd never heard of Mr.McAvennie before but he's a sports writer to watch out for- more like this please!
Matched with literally hundreds of great photos, this is a must for anyone who's got the slightest interest in WWE.