Green Books

I found this incredible interview regarding how the game of Golf has changed over the years. It focuses on how modern golf courses have become much easier than they were meant to be. You wouldn't believe the evolution! If you have any interest in the history of Golf, this is a must read. If you want to become even more knowledgeable on the subject, scroll to the bottom of the interview and get in touch with the author. After reading, I guarantee you will be able to lead the most interesting discussions and impress your friends!

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewroden.html

Mike Hurdzan's Golf Greens is not an easy read straight through from cover to cover because it is highly technical. But I did it and I'm glad. It searches the subject in far greater depth of detail and pictorially than anyone has ever done before. Great coverage! And it doesn't always simply "sell the conventional line". I learned lots from it, though before thought I was already pretty well experienced in this important matter. I recommend this book to all golf course developers, contractors, maintenance superintendents and other golf course architects for learning much more about golf greens.

Avid golfers always want to improve their game, and here's where James Frank's Golf Secrets: Tee-To-Green Solutions for Golf's Everyday Challenges comes in: with a hard-driving set of suggestions and golf applications offering tee-to-green solutions for the average golfer's challenges. From hitting the flop shot to straightening a slice and chipping, golfers receive black and white photos and step-by-step answers from the former editor of Golf Magazine James A. Frank.

I have a golf library -- much of it is too technical to read in the evening. And it seems every author their own technique -- that's about 100 techniques so far! If my body could do what the drawings illustrate, I would give up golf and become a male model! This book is different. It's simple. It's direct. It has pictures, not drawings! It's layout is totally unimaginative, making it easy to read and use. About every other page is a post it note to remind myself why I do what I do when I do it so I won't do it anymore. I guess I love this little book, after all, I have just written my fist Amazon review ever!

I love that this is the original oldy-timey version of the Thomas stories. My son loves the illustrations. The size is easy to handle. There are about 3-4 stories per book.

These original format books are charming. The stories, while they usually have a moral, are not heavy handed. The art is lovely and appears to be original to the vintage. This series introduces new characters without the rampant commercialism the is so apparent in the more recently written Thomas books. I've read all of these stories many, many times, and they still charm both myself and my son.

This book takes you to a place where you can feel the passion of Anne Rices works.he is brilliant. What woundn't a person do to meet the creater of the Vampire Chronicles And The Lifes of the Mayfair Witches.She is incredible.

The gothic world of Annne Rice is an absolute must have for both fan of the gothic, vampirism or scholar. The anthology is A direct rout into the marvellous world behind the authour. Not only does it convey an unchartered depth of her literature, but is also A direct approach to A more academic criticsim. This book is of universal appeal because it charts A thought provoking desent through her key best sellers. For any reaserching vampirism especially, or just fasinated by this tallented writer this book is essential. It provides integral essays which traverse themes of anthrapology, in which is discussed how |Rice's characters assume A place in modern society, through to her more historical novels. But more invaluable are the essays which discuss her infamous vampire characters. In these essays is disclosed the intrinsic roots of vampirism and the gothic, linking back to writters of the Romantic epoch. They also provide A rich source of information, which deals with the more academic side of the gothic as well as A direct insight into the novels themselves. It is well researched, astute and perceptive. With Rice's work rapidly becoming recognised for its academic appel this book provides A critical idiom of her work and deserves A place on the shelf of any avid fan of the gothic, vampirism, or who is just enchanted by the pen of this literary sorceress.

I first read this when I was about eleven, the same age as the character of the title. The story, style and characters are all tough, vivid and unsentimental. The main character is a disruptive, bullying loner from a broken home who's let down by everyone except his pet rat and a new girl at school called Rosie, a deeply compassionate African-American who befriends and helps him.

There's a particular bit in the book where Gowie is being caned on the hands by the headmaster for the latest in a long line of misdemeanours, and although the headmaster stops after one lash and dismisses him, sensing that the punishment will make no difference anyway, Gowie asks, "Aren't you going to cane me any more?" The headmaster says, "You want to be caned?" to which he replies, "No, but I don't want not to be." The headmaster continues to thrash him, and when he goes out, he says he was "crying for a lot of things that have nothing to do with having hands that hurt." It was written in 1979 but it's timeless stuff, like all great writing.

Rebecca Taylor

Gowie Corby is a tough English schoolboy who is enemies with everyone: Stuart, the self-important captain of the football team, Johnathan Johns, the brainy, prissy teacher's pet, and especially the odious and sniveling Heather. Then one day a black American girl named Rosie comes to school, and surprisingly, she and Gowie become friends. They are complete opposites; Rosie is brainy, hard-working, and optimistic, while Gowie is unstudious, rebellious, pessimistic, and fascinated by fictional horror. Gowie is able to confide his family troubles to Rosie and her friendship helps teach him how to get along with the people he despises. This book is written from Gowie's point of view, and his humorous narration of events and adept characterization of his teachers and schoolmates makes for a very interesting read. Viewed by another person, Gowie would just be another bully, but by reading his retelling of events readers can sympathize with him.

As with "B Karem", I must admit to a bit of nepotism in my accolades for this book. However, my great-aunt Chris brought back to me a clearer version of the hazy childhood memories of my great-Grandma Karem. Yes, I remember the blue sweater. And how she always wore her hair in those two braids up on her head, but let them down at bedtime. One of my favorite parts of the book is how the author captures the subtle, poetic flavor of the Arabic language when Gram tells Rafe "sachtine" (usually followed by "yu ulbe"). What does it mean ? You'll have to read the book. . .

I admit to a certain amount of bias as we're talking about a story written by a member of my family about a member of my family.

But, my Aunt Chris really got it right. I bought it and read it to my kids and my three-year-old gets a delightful kick out of it.

May your children enjoy it as much as my own.

Depicted in early twentieth century rural Norway, this novel is perhaps the most sympathetic and sensitive depiction of a farmer's life that I have read.

Even as a young farm boy our central character, Per, has a life as deeply rooted to the soil as a tree is to the Earth. While other people travel freely from place to place, the routine chores and immeasurable demands of the farm preclude lackadaisical outings. Isolation is measured in the paucity of folks he meets, beyond the odd tramp who wanders by in hopes of spending the night in the hayloft. Reconciling the contradictions of farm life pits Per conscientiously against his father. If dad is so good to animals, as everyone says, how can he so summarily slaughter them? Vessas poignantly lays bare the harsh realities of life and death in the country. Most of us have no contact with the animals we eat, other than jockeing shiny carts through sterile aisles, choosing from the wide assortment of choice cuts, wrapped in their neat cellophane packaging. What it must be like to be affectionately nuzzled by the very creature that will the next day be served up to us on a dinner platter. To Per as a mature adult, the act of killing is always dreaded and pushed-off; it is an act born with a solemn sense of responsiblity---not with a cavalier flippancy, or as a sort of macabre sport!


Beyond a rather condescending suburban attitude I held as a youth that demoted farm culture to the lowest tier, Per's struggles allowed me to empathize with a way of life that was largely foreign and misunderstood by me. It is ironic that we are so removed from a rural heritage that a little more than a century ago most of us found hope and comfort in.

For further information about Tarjei Vesaas see: 'Columbia Dictionary of Modern European Literature' (Second Edition) pgs. 848-849

This is possibly Vesaas' main work, and at least among his 5 best tales. The book is about Per, the farm he is born on, and everything that comes from that. It is simply put the classic European tale of pre-modern rural life. The family is large; their lives revolve around the different seasons and not much decadence at all is to be found. You could call this an epic tale, since it spans Per's entire life; from childhood to old age. He has no desire to take over the farm from his father, but as the time passes by, he realizes that he too is part of the great cycle, hence the title. I can't recommend this enough; the only annoying part I can think of is the fact that I'm unsure if the follow-up novel has been translated to English. Although, don't let that be any reason to keep you away from this book, because if you want to read one of the North's greatest author at his best, then this is the place to start. Two thumbs up!

(I read a different edition of the book)

I spent most of yesterday afternoon reading Doug Riston's Great White Duck Hunter, I laughed so hard, I nearly ripped the stiches off my hernia operation. The work is an insightfull, thought provoking novel. A joy to read.

The Great White Duck Hunter is reminiscent of Ken Kesey's novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, in the relationship between the two main characters, Riston's Norman Powers & Angela Nicoletti juxtaposed with Kesey's R.P. McMurphy & Nurse Ratched. Norman Powers, despite his drinking and slightly seedy notions of romance, is a hero. Powers is a free-spirited creative soul seeking recognition, if not approval, in the antiseptic, domineering world of his live-in girlfriend, Angela. Angela Nicoletti, like Nurse Ratched, obsessed with cleanliness and order, is determined to squash the bohemian spirit of Norman. In the hysterical scene where the "great white duck hunt" actually transpires, Norman's tenacity can be best described by McMurphy's philosophy "But I tried didn't I, God-damn it. At least I did that." I enjoyed this book immensely, the characters are real, people that you meet sitting next to you on a barstool, or watching the ducks in the park.

What a great book! Davis' crafting of fiction with legal practices took me back to the days of watching "Paper Chase". Shortly after reading the book I found myself Tarpon fishing in Boca Grand. I was amazed that my reality met my imaginations from the book. I hope there will be more... books as well as tarpon trips!

Follow Up,
Davis just released his second book, Implied Consent, wow! I wrote a review of it but check it out. Absolutely amazing!

I read a LOT of books, and I just didn't expect a first-time author--especially one with no background in writing or journalism-- to be able to produce something of this caliber.
Maybe that's his secret--he doesn't try to "write". He just tells his story, and develops his characters through their internal/external dialogue, rather than inserting too much description and background in the narration. (I don't read a whole lot of books in this particular genre, but when I do, I find that I'm often distracted from the plot by this very thing--probably the most recent example I can think of is The Da Vinci Code. It was all I could do not to throw that book across the room, and I would have, if I wasn't so anxious to get to the next "clue"...) It's refreshing to not have our protagonist's life story and physical description shoved down our throats in the first two pages of the book--we get to know Anderson by his thoughts and actions, but even at the end of the story, there is still much we don't know about him, which is good. Even the villain, Justin Cartwright, is rendered in such a way that makes him not just a bad person, but also a fascinating one, truly a guy you love to hate. I hope we see more of both characters!
As for the plot, I thought it was interesting and amazingly well-paced, and, although there was no mistaking that this was pure fiction, I felt like I was getting a privileged glimpse into the real litigation process. I was also impressed with how nicely the book was put together--the cover art and printing is top-notch, and the editing is flawless! (Seriously, I was kind of looking for errors or bad sentences, and there just weren't any!) Again, not what I expected from a first-time author and what I thought was a small press.
I'm not a writer or a literary critic, but, as I mentioned, I do read voraciously and I found Green 61 to be a very enjoyable little book. It's short enough to read in one sitting, and I'm sure that's how most people will read it, as it's definitely hard to put down. At the very least, Green 61 should be a staple of every Florida beach house bookshelf, alongside the Grisham and the Clancy! But I think it could do well anywhere. I'm looking forward to a second book in what I think could be a great series!

From start to finish this book hits the target. As cheesy as that sounds, this Green Arrow Adventure shows you the extent to which a man is willing to go in order to fight for a cause.
The once Green Arrow was a Robin Hood-like hero who used an array of trick arrows and a right hook to fight off a world of criminals. Yet conviction and a boxing-glove arrow can not stop all of them. GA decides that if he, Speedy and his son Connor are to continue to fight the good fight, they need more. This book explains to you how easily it was for GA to defeat his opponent (without ruining it for those that haven't read)in Crawling From The Wreckage, and why his uniform and attitude have drastically changed.
If your a fan of the GA or just a first time reader, from beginning to end Road to Jericho is a refreshing and new start to the Oliver Queen/Green Arrow legend.

ROAD TO JERICHO contains issues 66 to 75 of the current ongoing series. Judd Winick, Andy Owens and Scott McDaniel have delivered another masterful story arc about the opinionated, but loveable Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow, who has become my all time favorite DC character.

This time around, another opinionated hero, the Dark Knight, Batman, shows up in Star City , supposedly to lend his philanthropic support as Bruce Wayne to help Oliver Queen out. But of course, there's other reasons as we soon find out that a former protege of his - turned psychotic villian, has also arrived, with the intent of taking out Green Arrow's new adopted sidekick, the young female Speedy. But all this fun is preceded by a flashback as the Green Arrow contingent, supposedly blown up at the end of the preceding graphic novel, go through rigorous and tortuous survival and fighting training on a secluded island.

All in all, a great book, filled with all the passion, action, humor and thrills that have become associated with this wonderful character! Any book that throws together the Green Arrow and the Batman characters, so alike and yet so opposite at times, is always worth your time and your hard-earned sheckels!

Favorite scene: Green Arrow & Speedy are discussing their dislikes of Hawaiin Pizza (ham & pineapple on top), which they've retrieved from some thugs...and some panels later we see them chowing down on some slices while they're watching Batman in action from a nearby rooftop. Hilarious!