Athletics Books

Mr. Browne does an excellent job of examining a sports phenomenon which has not received much actual scholarly treatment. His writing style is clear and level-headed, and the level of detail into which he goes is fascinating. He's written a useful and comprehensive book which is also consistently entertaining. I'd strongly recommend AMPED to anyone who would like to learn more about the subject matter in a pleasurable way.

This book wasnt all I thought it was cracked up to be, it was actually very dull sometimes. He doesnt seem to know what he is talking about to much and talks in very stereotypical terms sometimes. I wouldnt suggest this book.

Amped was an awesome book that really looked at the extreme sport industry. I loved it!

I thought that the book was solid. It points out a lot of aspects of the action sports world that haven't been covered before and I thought it was good. I'm backing it.

Im not a skater, bmxer, or rollerblader. I am a critic and was told to review this book honestly. Honestly it is very bland. It leaves you hoping the next chapter is the final chapter. I dis-like publications that leave me bored throughout each sentence. I would only compare this to my 5th grade social studies bible I so desprately wanted to burn in my fireplace.. Give it a chance and know that you will probably feel the same way..

After looking at the way Tiger has taken HIS game to the NEXT LEVEL, I know one factor is his level of fitness that is undoubtedly surpassing the rest of the field. This book has given me a new body and a new attitude toward the game of golf as well. I am playing with much more energy and control, both physically and mentally than ever before! If Tiger can be the example for being in great shape, why can't WE ALL learn from HIM??? I know I HAVE!

Compared to other books like Complete Golf Conditioning, etc, this is really generic fitness with the word golf added. I was really disappointed in the nutritional section as I am diabetic and there were only high-sugar options which I had to make. Out of all the golf fitness books I bought in the last 2 months, this was the worst by far.

Don Tinder's book gives the best golf fitness tips in the sport. Add this to the book, Nutritional Leverage for Great Golf which tells us how to improve our game through diet, and you have two books that can give you the edge you need to lower your score. Tinder is a master at swing technique and practices what he preaches.

I follow the recommendations in this book and feel great. I don't want to be bored with useless information, and this book hits at the heart of what to do both in the gym and on the golf course. The author has motivated me to work out again! Thanks Don!

The title of this book says it all. I am feeling better, looking better, and I play with more strength and energy than ever before. This book is the answer for my fitness and golf game too!

There are so many good running books. Don't waste your time with this poor effort. Ms. Pont's prose is passable but she has no feel for the sport of cross country. A very poor effort.

The story lines that make up this book are interesting, and the development of the team and individual student-athletes during the season makes the book a worthwhile read. Still, I found the author's relentless overuse of adverbs and adjectives almost unbearable at times. There is almost no event too trivial to be overdescribed. I would encourage the author to "think Hemingway" in the future, because sometimes less is more. I do not mean this criticism to be overly harsh, and perhaps for younger readers -- and by that I mean students, not middle-aged former runners like me -- the stylistic elements that annoyed me wouldn't be a concern. I have a son who's an aspiring runner, and he enjoyed the book, so maybe it's best suited for readers close to the age of the students the author teaches and coaches.

As a cross country coach and runner, I found this book appealing on several levels. It is an easy read and it shows the joys of running to run, not just to win. The style was very descriptive, but it gave a unique and original twist to the book. That is one thing about distance runners . . . they all have a unique and original twist!

Great topic, but I wish she'd written more like a coach and less like an English teacher. Does every runner on her team have blue shadows for muscles? Not a complete waste of time, but pretty close.

What a wonderful book!

Sally Pont truly captures the pain and glory of running in this elegant portrait of the Moravian Academy co-ed cross-country team. If you've confronted and embraced the daunting task of running at any time in your life--especially on a competetive level--you will love Sally Pont. As an extremely involved coach and teacher, Pont takes us on a journey through the fall cross-country season, showing us the changes in the leaves and the obstacles her athletes encounter as they continually ask themselves: Why run?

Surprisingly, this book is not just about or for the runners. Reaching into her bag of literary treats, the English teacher in Pont emerges as she looks lovingly at her athletes and compares them to Shakespearean characters or analyses the team in terms of Greek mythology. Her writing is lyrical and beautiful; even for those who have never run a mile, this book is inspirational in the pure feeling that Pont puts into her prose.

In glorious detail, she describes the ins and outs of training for a 5 kilometer race (3.1 miles), the struggle for improving a personal time, and the team effort that is its own ultimate reward at the end of the day. Through Pont, the reader shares in this experience as we find ourselves cheering through each winning race and empathizing with the disappointment of defeat.

An inspiring read for both runner and non-runner alike--I highly recommend Sally Pont's book for all readers!

This book is a very useful tool for any aspiring athlete. Some of it is obvious and some it is quarky but altogether it is very useful. And I'm certain that if one applies these techniques you will see big gains. This book helped me understand my emotions as they relate to my sport. And it gave me ways to be a tough thinker and a actor. Everyone knows its important to try and be tough but not everyone knows how. This book has just about everything you need to know to take you game to the next level.

If your short on time skip through and just read chapters 1,7,9,11, 14 and 15. Theres 18 chapters total.

This book provides some great "food for thought" for practitioners of any sport, be it a team or an individual sport. You do not have to believe every word or make all the written exercises the author proposes; just read and think. At least, you will approach the "mental game" in a new way.

Extremely helpful "how to" book for becoming mentally tough. Unlike other sports pysche books, this one tells you very specific things to do to improve concentration, focus and most important, resiliency. Think of this as a cookbook of recipes for creating the appropriate mental response at the right time.

All I can say is that my husband a college baseball coach of 35 yrs thought this book was so important he sent it to the Cubs trainer and the pitching coach for the Padres!

This is a pretty good, easy read. It doesn't hit you with a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo that you'll never understand. Instead, it gives you a basic, common-sense approach to improving the mental aspect of your game. The author shows how the physical world and the emotional world are related, and how being stronger mentally can help you perform better in your sport.

It is not geared towards any one sport, but rather it is geared to athletes in general.

The exercise introduced in the book
is precise and easy to do, also time
saving.

The book looks like brand new, thanks.

The author of this weight loss manual knows from personal experience how difficult it can be to lose weight. He used his own experiences to develop this weight loss plan.

As far as I am concerned, '8 Minutes in the Morning to a Flat Belly' was a total waste of my money. I've been following this workout and eating plan for over four months now and have seen no reduction in neither my belly size nor my weight. Frankly, I was seeing more results from my old Denise Austin Low Impact Aerobic Workout tape than this, so it looks like I'm saying goodbye to Jorge and going back to Denise. Sorry Jorge, I gave it my best shot but your plan just doesn't work for me.

Jorge Cruise has built a successful career around weight loss through books, appearances and his website. His personal experience struggling with weight as a young child and adult have won him over an audience that can relate. With this kit the New York Times Best selling author guarantees users will lose up to 6" in less than 4 weeks. I think it's more important to focus on the increased muscle strength and tone your body will have rather than the number of inches lost and that's how I went into this review.

This 8 Minutes in the Morning to a Flat Belly Kit includes an instructional CD (not DVD) of a 33 minute personal coaching session with Jorge and 26 daily workout cards made of very thick cardstock. The purpose of this kit is to help busy people lose two pounds a week by getting their muscles to burn fat 24/7.

THE CD

The CD Breakdown:

* Intro/Welcome
* Get Ready to Start
* How to Lose 6" in 4 Weeks
* Kit Overview
* Your New Life
* Your Challenge

Jorge explains the focus of this kit is using exercises to build muscle, not increasing your cardio like most weight loss programs. Cardio is good for your heart but it's not effective for weight loss but still he recommends some form of cardio activity three times a week for 20-30 minutes to strengthen your heart muscle. The exercises restore metabolism by building muscles that will burn more calories than fat. Jorge swears the biggest cause of muscle loss is fad diets.

As for eating, Jorge only touches on this. He wants participants to eat to make muscle, avoiding calorie counting, eat every three hours (breakfast, lunch, supper, two snacks and an evening treat), use the Cruise down plate (visual image of protein, carbs, veggies on your plate) and stop eating three hours before bed. The biggest asset here is the flat belly planner (you make copies for each day of the week) to organize and log success by tracking food, water and exercise.

He touches a bit on emotional eating and again touts his website for 24/7 support and meal plans but I couldn't find anything other than ads to buy meals, books and vitamins. The CD closes with an inspirational talk about enjoying your life.

THE CARDS

The specialized fold out cards are a multi level "strength training plan". Each card contains four one minute moves which you repeat once giving you an 8 minute workout. There is a card for every day of the week with a weekend card covering both Saturday and Sunday.

There are three levels of intensity to choose from. Level 1 is for the beginner and requires no equipment other than a chair, table, wall and the kit box. Jorge recommends everyone start at level one. If you haven't had any physical activity, I totally agree. Level 1 is by no means for wimps but it is doable. After 8 minutes you can definitely tell you've worked your muscles. Level 2 is more challenging; again, with only a chair and wall as your required equipment. In Level 3 the exercises are advanced using a fitness ball and medicine ball. The three levels are colour coded in pink, yellow, and blue for easy searching.

If you follow the recommended cards you only actually work the belly 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Tuesday is for the upper body and Thursday is for the lower body. On Sunday Jorge recommends a body cleanse using a Psyllium shake. The card and CD recommend you visit his website for further details on the shake but all I found was a link to buy the powdered product. The natural Psyllium husk can be found in a bulk food store if you need more fiber in your diet.

The cards also contain a Power Thought and Visualization. Jorge Thoughts provide useful suggestions for improving your health and mental wealth. Some of the visualizations are corny, i.e. visualizing a first date with someone after you've reached your goal and their response to your body. The first week of visualizations center around how others see you, looking better to get a response from others and feeling better because of their response. Sometimes there are hints on emotional eating and success stories about people who have used Jorge's plan.

Does it work? Yes, but like any routine meant to put you in shape it is a life long plan of action, not a miracle cure. This kit is easy to understand and the exercises are doable. Obese people can do these exercises (week one and two anyway) but might have to slightly modify the moves due to surrounding flesh and extra weight. I found it helpful to have a small minute timer to do the one minute exercises as there are no repetitions to keep track of. I felt reasonably energized after only 8 minutes. It actually works out to ten if you include the warm up and cool down stretches.

Even if you didn't follow his dietary suggestions these exercises will be of benefit. If only 8 minutes a day can improve your life it's worth trying and we all can spare 8 minutes for some activity. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.

I really love the exercises in this book, and they really do help me! I have been adding more than just these exercises to my routine (mostly walking), but for toning, I love these.

As for the rest of the book, I am not sure that I agree with his ideas. If you are looking just for some great exercises to do in a small amount of time, this is an awesome book!

The process as detailed in this book is completely correct and only a complete idiot could or would fail to see this in terms of the cycles functioning in every aspect of their own life. Its very simple and involved A "decision/belief" connected to what you want to do or find that you must do in your life. Then comes intense, hard training and focus ( mental and or physical ). All "training" toward a desired objective which you believe is possible to attain MUST consist of hard and intense focus - "sweating it out" with increasing stress to a specific level ( a la the Yerkes-Dodson Law ). When this level is reached, it is immediately followed by a "release", which means backing off or letting go of the training and pursuing some other unrelated activity or passtime which completely disconnects the intellect and body from the training process. This causes an automatic "catching up" of various elements and capabilities to take place, and in turn, this "catching up" causes a "Breakthrough" experience where you advance to a higher level in your training. A new reality of function is then the norm.
The process is absolutely accurate and it works with 100% consistency. However, the book is written in a meandering, long-winded, side-tracking manner that makes it tedious reading. When I read a book on subjects like this, I want the meat-and-potatoes right in front of me all layed out step-by-step sequencially with straight-up talk and explanations. I don't want trips into the lifestyles of people I don't know or views on case histories from almost the beginning of the book onward - all of which bogs down the flow and lessens the grasp of the topic.
The whole issue with what's wrong with this book is that it doesn't GET TO THE POINT fast enough. It doddles. It blathers. It keeps droning on and on. And in fact, the book could have been one third of its length if the topic had been explained properly ( A + B = C ) so that the reader could put the process into practice right off. Since the process is itself very simple and easy to employ, all the superfluous information must only have been included for one purpose, and that is to increase the book's size and thereby increase its price!
Still, its a great and accurate process and its worth learning about and consciously using, but its too bad the book explaining it is so damned drawn out.

Some do it in the shower, some do it in the woods, some do it with friends, and some do it in their sleep. If you don't do it; read this book. "It" is `Breakout' of prior mental and emotional patterns and into a state of mind where enhance performance flows. Athletes call it the zone, for others it is when solutions `pop' into the mind or conversations/presentations flow and `connect' with others. In this book, Herbert Benson, M.D. and William Proctor take the reader through the body's biological or anatomical response during the Breakout process, as they define the four-stages:
* Stage one begins with a hard mental or physical struggle.
* Stage two involves pulling the Breakout trigger, completely severing prior thoughts and emotional patterns - the doing "it" part.
* Stage three is the `peak experience', or performance element of the process.
* Stage four is a return to a `new-normal' state, meaning one with enhanced mind-body performance patterns.

In Part II of the book, the authors devote a chapter each to six types of Breakout resulting `peak experiences' - Self-Awareness, Creativity, Productivity, Athleticism, Rejuvenation, and Transcendence - before discussing how an intrinsic belief system can help trigger a Breakout and offer peak experiences beyond our analytical mind-set's capabilities.

Although the book is an easy read and does contain several descriptions of how the Breakout trigger might be pulled, I would not describe this as a self-help book. It more of an informative read than a practical how-to book for finding your `zone'.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

Why did I buy this book? It was one of those darn impulse purchases. I mean it's not terrible or anything In some ways it explains the well-known phenomena of creativity after intellectual struggle and more interestingly it provides an explanation of why meditation etc. may work. But there's not much substance and it is certainly not worth full price. Also towards the end it pushes religion on the reader. If this type of thing bugs you, be forewarned.

Excellent Read! The best self-help book ever. It will take you to the next level and higher than you have ever been!

Greg

Pretty much anything you enjoy doing can be a source of "The Breakout Principle." There. I've read the book for you.

No matter how many times this story is told, it remains so brutal, so very cold.

Steven Ungerleider attempts to take the vast history of the rise of the East German athletic machine through the systematic usage of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, with young athletes as part of what was a vast research project which worked in conjunction with the fielding of international performers and the fall of so many athletes due to their bodies breaking down due to the prescribed illicit drugs.

With the backdrop being a sensational trial in Germany of a number of high-ranking members of the former GDR drug program, it may be as shocking what sentences were rendered, when juxtaposed with the reprehensible work done on unsuspecting athletes to literally turn their bodies into machines.

For those looking to get a solid start into researching this era of merging sports with a police state, Ungerleider provides the track to begin the journey.

...read this book. Cited by Fainaru-Wada and Williams in their controversial book about Barry Bonds and Balco, this is also a great read, though more limited in scope. Also think about picking up the new book from ESPN's Shaun Assael about the domestic steroid addiction, entitled Steroid Nation. In a country continually struggling with the role of chemicals and medicine in healthcare, these books will at least refine your opinions, if not change them altogether.

The book entitled "Faust's Gold: Inside the East German Doping Machine" is mostly about the trials against trainers and top directors of the former East German Sports Machinery.
It is well-known by those familiar with the history of olympic sports that, during the seventees and eightess, before the Berlin wall felt down, East Germany dominated some event competitions. In particular, the female German swimmers were recognized by their huge appearance, like football line-backers, among other comparissons.
The book digs in the system, how those athletes were induced to doping without their knowledge. It goes through the entire trial and at the same time describes the training process. Perhaps, since I would like to know more about their training methods, I miss a further discussion.
I think the book should also have the point of view of those who were not plaintiffs in the trials, i.e. those athletes who never failt a drug test and do not consider themselves as victims of the system. It could be good that the reader can create her own opinion.
I am convinced that the main purpose of the book is to show the damage of state-run doping programme on young athletes, and be aware of how harmfull it is for athletes involved in those practices. Something that has to be avoided at any cost.

The drug usage or brutal training methods that GDR sport system
applied are well reported in the media. Even from 1970s, some
atheletes who escaped to western countries revealed something.
After the collapse of Berlin Wall, more have been disclosed.
If all the previous reports in magazines and newspapers are
accumulated and surveyed, you will find how narrow this book
covers. It only focuses on a trial and those swimmers involved.
From other sources, I also know something more startling for
drug use, like swimmers are forced to take 11 shots in the butt
before they are allowed to go to the USA for a competition.
Some reports said that East European countries took
uninformed children for trials of the drugs in their summer
sport camps. I guess it also happened in GDR.
Some brutal methods beyond drugs are also taken, like applying
electric current for the muscle strength, or pumping air into
swimmer's rectum to increase the float. The author fails to
investigate these things and did not describe the whole
picture inside the GDR sport machine.

During the late 60s, 70s, and 80s Soviet dominated Eastern Europe was pre-eminent in Olympic sports. None was more so than the late unlamented East Germany. This account uncovers the means to that success as well as the cost to those individuals.
At the 1976 Olympics, The USA's swimming champion, Shirley Babashoff, asserted that the then overwhelming dominance of East Germany's swimmers was due to drugs and "blood doping". Many in the Western media said she had sour grapes.
When the Berlin Wall fell, the former East Geramn athletes came forward with their accounts. Many were administered drugs without their knowledge, being told they were "vitamins". Those who suspected, complied because of the competitive advantage or fear of being set off the elite squads.
In later years, former athletes had medical problems or had offspring with disabilities. The medical problems were similar in most cases, deformities in offspring, problems with fertility, or problems relating to seconday sex characteristics(deepened voices with females or breast cancers with males). Even during the 70s and 80s there were anecdotes of East German female athletes that exhibited overly agressive behavior and having masculine builds.
Many doctors who administered these drugs were or are still practicing medicine in the new reunited Germany. The author followed the efforts of the former athletes to get compenstion from these doctors through the German courts.
What is so disquieting is that there are athletes the world over(American athletes included) that are still using these drugs even when the side effects are widely known. This is all in the name of winning. To the USA's credit the government isn't systematically administering these drugs.
To think many years ago many sports pundits thought the US should try to imitate East German methods.

An outstanding work that is clearly (read the other reviews, all bar Mr Pen-some's are naive responses) not understood or appreciated. I spent some time trying to track down a copy of this text and it was well worth it. People who have not read it should gush less when offering their critiques of 1984. To define the text would be to insult it but those who have read other Burgess works will recognise his fascination with and utilisation of multiple styles and approaches, the better to deal with the subjects in hand. Another masterpiece from Wilson - and no surprises there!

The thing that strikes me about this book is that it now reads as alternate history. Say Margaret Thatcher never goes into politics, and the Labour ascendency of the '70s is not cut short. Given the grimy, hopeless bitterness of many ostensibly socialist societies, the excesses depicted in this novel become more realistic. The resolution of these excesses (to the extent that they are resolved at all) is, alas, less convincing.

Minor spoiler -
the idea that the elected government would fall under the general mess could be found in almost any book. The idea that
the King (Charles Tertius) would emerge as the _de jure_ head of state to get things moving again was pure brilliance.

A discussion of '1984' by George Orwell, followed by a mini-novel ('1985') putting forward an alternative oppression scenario for life in London.

The mini-novel puts protagonist Bev Jones in London in 1985. Crime is rife. The standard of education of the youth-of-today is dreadful. Everyone is required to be in a trades union. Like Winston Smith in '1984', Bev Jones rebels from the system, with consequences for himself...

The mini-novel has potential at its beginning, but it descends into too much chat and too little action to remain sufficiently interesting to the reader.

This is an interesting book which was written at the wrong time (1978). In 1979, the Conservative Party, with its Thatcher Government, took political control of the UK, and the power of the trades unions became considerably weaker thereafter, rendering the novel in this book less relevant. The discussion in the book is nonetheless interesting.

3/5

i never got to read the criqtues on 1984 that burgess put in this(well thats a lie i skimmed them but no in depth thought) but i did read "1985"and thought of it as more practical than 1984 i would enjoy it if burgess would have expanded on it much more than he did it seemend more policitcal and rational than 1984. though 1984 was a fantastic novel at that and i highly respect orwell's works. 1985 had more of a dark humor too with my favorite line from burgess's novels "you have to get off!" "why?" "because were going on strike"

The novel itself is pretty weak, especially for Burgess. He seems scared by the gulf oil money that was flowing into England in the 1970s, perhaps even a bit resentful. However, preceding the novel is an extended essay on imaginary fiction that includes Burgess' take on Orwell. This essay is worth reading. It is as insightful as the novel is disappointing.

I bought this book in hopes of weight training and still be a vegetarian. To find the information you have to browse through the pages back and forth. The recipes are thrown in between other information, they are hard to find and keep them organized. It seems as though the information is just thrown all together randomly without any kind of specific structure or plan. Everything is all over the place combined with a bunch of complicated words and unnecessary information. Also information on certain supplements and plans are "Out on the jury" meaning the author has no idea, proof, or real recommendation of wether it works or not. In my opinion if you don't know if something works for sure... don't write about it in a 'guide'. It's silly. I wouldn't buy this book and I do not recommend it. In fact if I could return it, I would. Right now it's just going to the trash can.

If you consider yourself to be an endurance athlete (of any type) and you are (or aspire to be) a vegan, then this book is definitely for you. I have seen many other books that say the word "Vegetarian" on the cover, when they really mean ovo-lacto-pesco-vegetarian (eggs, milk, and fish). This book lives up to it's title by featuring lots of recipes, example diets (from professional vegan athletes), and nutrition information for vegans (persons who eat absolutely NO animal products)!

I read in one review posted above "and you are (or aspire to be) a vegan, then this book is definitely for you." is this a JOKE? THIS reader obviously did not open this book at all! the term "vegetarian" in used so freely that people that eat a burger a week are considered "semi-vegetarians". What is that supposed to mean? And what about "pesco-vegetarians"? This guide is a joke. If you take veganism or vegetarianism seriously, don't waste your money on this title. However, I give it 2 stars because it has some information on vitamins and other supplements. Yet, I can get the same advice from any other "omni/carnivore" regular nutrition book.

This book uses many examples of athletes who call themselves "semi" vegetarian. Meaning they still consume meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, consuming any amount of animal flesh is not vegetarianism.

She also references the lacto-vegetarian diet as consuming poultry, eggs, and dairy. Poultry is meat and does not constitute vegetarianism. Lacto means consuming dairy.

She is a strong voice for the supplement industry suggesting large amounts of creatine supplements as well as protein supplements. It is well known that the body cannot store protein and any excess is excreted in the urine along with calcium used in the process of alkalinizing and excreting the protein which can put you at risk for osteoporosis, not a good idea.

Much of the information in the book is highly outdated, focused on supplements and does not offer any sound advice for a true vegetarian who avoids all animal flesh.

The book has a slight undertone of trying to persuade you away from vegetarianism which I found odd for a book that claims to be for vegetarians.

I would not recommend this book, I should have read the other reviews before buying it. There are numerous truly vegetarian and vegan olympic or world class athletes, this book gives terrible examples of "semi" vegetarians or what should be termed non-vegetarians.
If you are a true vegetarian, I wouldn't buy this book as it really isn't for vegetarians.

If you are looking for a book with ammo to attack the non-vegans in your life, this is not it. As several of the previous reviews have stated, this book provides numerous alternative nutrition plans. Some of the references made in the book measure the effectiveness of vegetarian diets to non-vegetarian diets when addressing some specific nutritional deficiencies associated with intensive training programs. I suggest that this information is presented as comparative and not as encouragement to become omnivorous as has been implied. As a committed vegetarian I took no offense to any of the suspect references.

Read with the absence of political bias this book is extremely informative to the serious athlete. Actual nutrition plans and specific rationale are included from vegetarian athletes with unequivocal credibility. The book is also extremely readable with bios and recipes inserted appropriately to support the nutritional strategies.

My reason for buying this book was to get an edge on my long run times and learn how to recover faster after races and heavy workouts. This book delivered on both accounts.
If you're a weekend mall walker looking for a recipe book, there are several out there that will teach you how to make foo-foo dishes until your eyes bleed. If you are serious about athletic training and understanding vegetarian sports nutrition, you are in the right place.

I dig whenever Todd Boyd is on a Project because He has a way with words.this Book puts alot into Perspective&Bridges many a gap.I was hoping for more Pulling together of Hip-Hop with the NBA a bit more but overall this Book makes for a Pretty Good read.

In the book, Young Black Rich and Famous, Dr. Todd Boyd talks about the struggles young African American men and women have in the United States. He uses basketball and the hip-hop nation as a giant metaphor, illustrating their reach for the American Dream. In his attempt to make his analogy, I feel he barely backs up his contention about hip-hop. Boyd does color his content with quotes from rapiers such as Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z, but he doesn't go in depth with his ideal synopses. He does talk broadly about basketball though. I fill he over-powers his context with sports facts instead of getting strait to the point. I think he uses a lot of "fluff" to try and fill in his points with basketball. He talks in his book about "Keeping It Real", but my opinion is that he is far from that. I will give him the benefit of the doubt though. Along with the abysmal content, there were many times in the book that he has put some hefty passages that were mind-boggling. In conclusion, this book did change my perspective on things. And that's keeping it real.

Todd Boyd takes the notion of the hip-hop industry and basketball being synonymous to an entirely new level. With fluid and memorable references to the similarities of how hip-hop came from the streets, to the formation of how basketball is now the newest form of hip-hop, Boyd captures the essence of the sport like no other.

Using references of how both dominate the streets and how the world of basketball has been changed thereafter, Boyd highlights the game and its glitches, from racism down to the money-making formula that has taken hold today. With no stone unturned, readers are carried through moments of fame, glory and the challenges that former and current NBA players face, including dealings within the drug game and how money-making opportunities being offered today are very similar in nature.

Although basketball used to be a quiet and unnoticed, it has now emerged as a dominant and lucrative force in the professional sports arena. With unparalleled style, YOUNG BLACK RICH & FAMOUS details the life that almost every young black man dreams of. The NBA, its lucrative deals and opportunities have transformed the way everyone looks at young black males and the actual sport today. Actually, it's quite obvious that basketball has emerged as the new "American" sport. They said it couldn't be done and couldn't happen - next question: Who's Ballin' Now?

Reviewed by T. Belinda Williams
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Using the tools of a critical theorist, Todd Boyd sets out to analyze the quest for freedom of expression and existence, as it is played out on the basketball court and within the Black cultural renaissance of Hip-Hop music. American basketball, as it is played and lived by young African American men and Hip-Hop culture both resist being co-opted by mainstream America. They have both moved from the purlieus of the larger American popular cultural purview to occupy a unique space at the vortex of the American global marketing machine. Within this framework, America and the world, are live witnesses of the creative expression of black culture as it is lived and informed by black rather than white norms and of the global representation of American popular culture, in the face of black rather than white men. Such an analysis requires that one is able to navigate seamlessly between the theoretical constructs of critical theory, the lyrical genius of the Notorious B.I.G. and the choreographic grace of his Airness, Michael Jordan, all the while "keeping it real" as only a Black man can do. Boyd is successful in his methodological approach as he delivers with stunning detail the nuances of what it means to be young, black, rich and famous in America.
Boyd's expertise as a critical theorist is evident as he lays out the theoretical framework for the book and adeptly situates his theory within the venue of the National Basketball Association where Hip-Hop music has become the new national anthem. In addition, his background as a journalist and sports enthusiast gives him a solid foundation from which he recounts more than thirty years of basketball history. As an African American man and scholar, Boyd brings lived as well as critical experience to the understanding of the emergence of Hip-Hop culture as a counter hegemonic movement on the American landscape.
Boyd identifies the creative genius of the African American style of basketball at the center of a transformation that has taken place in the NBA. It is basketball, with its low equipment cost, ability to be played in small places, and its capacity to be played alone, that is uniquely suited for the African American urban reality. Basketball provides African American "ballers" the creative canvass on which portraits of individualized representations of freedom may be painted.
Reminiscent of the aesthetic rhythm of a Magic Johnson assist to James Worthy, Boyd show how the lyrics, the style of dress and the overall attitude of Hip-Hop has informed a new generation "Hip-Hop ballers" in the NBA. Boyd connects the freestyle of play in this new generation of ballers to the freedom of style and expression that is epitomized in Hip-Hop culture.
The connection between Hip-Hop and how it influences the rise of freestyle play in the NBA, and the uncompromising and unassimilated attitude of the young, black, rich and famous NBA stars is critical to Boyd's central theme. Boyd does an outstanding job in developing his thesis along the lines of the transformation of the NBA through these new school players. However, he fails to do justice to the emergence and the development of Hip-Hop as a cultural phenomenon. The book focuses on the transformation of the NBA and Hip-Hop is used primarily as the background music throughout the process. Boyd also neglects the significance of the WNBA as a creative context for African American woman, or perhaps as a restrictive platform for a black female cultural contribution. Finally, Boyd leaves important questions unanswered: Does the power to maintain one's personal freedom and individual creativity only lend itself to the "rich and famous"? If so, how should we address the simply "young and black"?
Overall, the work makes a significant contribution to the growing body of literature that concerns itself with the radical reconstruction of race and representation in a global society. Students and academicians of critical theory, critical race theory, and cultural anthropology will find the examination of the NBA and Hip-Hop as fascinating contexts in which to study race representations and the indigenous creation of cultural norms. In addition, the book provides for the sports enthusiast, a tremendous insight into the evolution of the game of basketball as it distinguishes itself from baseball and football, as the only major professional sport in which individual creativity has transformed the sport, and in doing so transformed the culture.
In the end Boyd makes a shocking revelation that shows that as the NBA gains global popularity as an American cultural commodity, the global spokesperson for American culture is increasingly a black man.

Dr. Boyd hits it on the head with this piece about basketball and hip-hop. The only way a book like this can be written the way it was is if you are a part of the culture yourself, because if not, it will not be easy to understand. I, for one, love it because he uses teams from the 80's, such as the Georgetown Hoyas, the early 90's with the Fab Five of the Michigan Wolverines, and other teams, players, and events in the game which took me back in time. When he speaks about these things, you can see the connection with hip-hop, such as Allen Iverson's influence, and others lack thereof. He uses lyrics from some of the hip-hop's greats, but like I mentioned before, you must be a part of the culture or at least familiar with it to see what he is trying to say. He keeps it real throughout the book and gives credit where it is due while being critical at the same time. 'Ball and hip-hop have a unique bond, and the significance of it cannot be ignored.