United States Books

I felt better knowing that my fears with my illness are not mine alone.

I recently read this book, and I can't honestly say that I liked it. I too have been diagnosed with MS. I'm happy that Mr. Lander can find humor in his condition, however I find nothing he had to say not in the least bit funny.

MS is a terrible diease that affects the Central Nervous System and there's nothing funny about that. Even the title of the book is seriously upsetting(How Squiggy caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell Nobody). You can't catch MS, and to put that in print is misleading.

I take my MS, the treatment for it, and all the symptoms very seriously. I have no desire to joke about them.

Some of the information in his book were very informative and very much worth reading, however I believe his approach is less than ideal.

When my father finally told me he had MS (like David Lander, he kept it a secret), he suggested I read this book. The insight it gave me was priceless. Everyone will find their own path, but I can tell you that by sharing his experiences, Mr. Lander has helped me to be the best son (and friend) that I can be.

I just loved this book. It is a very quick read and very upbeat. For someone with MS or caring for someone with MS it is a story you can relate to. My husband was recently diagnosed with MS and has been very reluctant to read anything about the disease. I am going to have him read this book because while I whink it might confirm some of his fears, at the same time it does so in a positive manner.

The book is a quick read. Sometimes you feel very alone with MS. This book will help you feel better. And, it explains some of the MS symptoms that you are experiencing better than a medical text. It will put some words on your feelings.

Pat Jordan wrote this book about his three years playing minor league baseball trying to live up to the giant bonus the Milwaukee Braves had given him to be a pitcher for them. He chronicles what days he can remember spent in small towns, meeting interesting people, and going through the struggles any 18 year old boy must go through with the extra added pressure of having to throw a small white ball past a professional athlete.

What makes this book stand out from other such books is that Jordan is an extremely strong writer. Some of his landscape descriptions bring back Steinbeck and his tales of dankness Dreiser. He is very talented and I finished the book in about four days because of its easy flow.

The biggest disappointment was that many parts of the story are left unresolved. About halfway through the book he drops a major bomb after calling an old girlfriend and yet nothing more about it is ever mentioned. The ending too is sort of dropped on us, almost as though there is was another chapter that got cut off. I know this is a non-fiction book and sometimes real life is unresolved, but it seems as though there are parts left out. I only hope some of the answers are contained in his sequel to the book written almost 30 years later entitled "A Nice Tuesday".

Those of us who are profesional sportswriters spend a lot of time in press boxes with other writers who criticize what they see on the field, but either never played the game or never played it well. "The Suitors of Spring" is brilliantly written by Pat Jordan, who did play the game. It also brings to mind some of the best sports books ever. "Ball Four's" Jim Bouton played the game. "North Dallas Forty's" Peter Gent played the game.

Having stood on the mound, facing down a hitter with the bases loaded, the crowd yelling, the opposition hurling insults, your future on the line and the hair standing up on the back of his neck, is an experience known by few. Jordan knows it.

Here he writes about pitchers, his specialty. He writes about superstars like Tom Seaver, playboys like Bo Belinsky, hardthrowing drunks like Steve Dalkowski, 6-6 lefties who never lived up their potential, like Sam McDowell, and prep phenoms from his home state of Connecticut who met the same fate as the author.

Jordan's talent is not one that can be learned in a literary class. He is of the school of hard knoocks, rough hewn, real, human. Bravo, Pat.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

"A False Spring" is so good I cannot do it justice here. It is, along with "Ball Four", "The Suitors of Spring" (also by Pat Jordan) and "Bo: Pitching and Wooing" by Maury Allen, one of the best baseball books ever written. This book describes minor league baseball, the hopes and dreams of a young athlete, youthful sex, raunchiness, crushing disappointment, and Americana. I read this book and memorized it, then went off to play minor league ball myself and totally lived all of it. My experiences in the Cardinal and A's organization did not resemble Jordan's, they rhymed. This book tells the story of thousands of young hopefuls who live amongst us, and many more of us can relate to it than can relate to the superhuman life and accomplishments of Barry Bonds.

Like so many baseball books, this really isn't just about baseball. It's about a young mans' journey growing up. It's about what happens to a "can't miss" prospect when he does miss. Pat Jordan looks back 15 years after he threw his last pitch--trying to figure out what happened. He's still not sure-I got the feeling he wrote this book for theraputic reasons. But we learn a lot about Mr. Jordan, and some of it is not too flattering. It's obvious he's still searching for the answers, and that's what I like the most about the book-because YOU understand while reading that he just didn't have what it takes to be a big league pitcher. A wonderful peek inside Mr. Jordan's "coming of age." Highly recommended!

I first read excerpts from "A False Spring" about 30 years ago when they appeared in three consecutive issues of Sports Illustrated. From the moment I began reading that first installment, I was entranced. It is hard to describe exactly why, but I am sure that the baseball action in the book was not the reason. Instead, I remember Jordan's vivid portrayls of such seemingly mundane things as a prarie thunderstorm, an afternoon fishing in the swamplands of Florida and the glow of the instruments on his dashboard. These depictions riveted me, I'm convinced, because they put into words how I saw the world. As an 11 year-old, this was a unique and novel experience for me.

Jordan's portrayal of his own feelings of dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger, rage and finally resignation also resonated with me. Most of the reading I had done up to that point portrayed life's events in a linear fashion that was totally at odds with what I had already experienced. I was fascinated that Jordan could take an accessible subject matter and weave all of these other elements into it.

Mind you, all of this came to me from reading the three SI excerpts. I never did read the book until, by chance, I was searching on this site and came across a name I remembered. So, 30 years later, I got a copy and tried to find out whether this book would have meaning for me anything like what I experienced as an 11 year-old.

Some pompous windbag spoke at my college graduation ceremony about the test for what he called "clahsic stahtus." According to this guy, any writing qualified for that status if one could read the work at widely spaced intervals and still feel the same spark as in the previous readings. He assumed, I guess, that peoples' perceptions and interests change over the years and that only writing that had a certain breadth would be able to appeal to a reader who had undergone those changes.

"A False Spring" certainly passed the test. All of the vivid descriptions -- the hand-me-down uniforms, the barracks-like atmosphere of minor league spring training, the experience of pitching in frozen northern outposts-- remained as vital and gripping as before, as did Jordan's portrayal of the unravelling of his baseball career. With the benefit of 30 years' experience, I was able to understand the author's struggles in more than the visceral way I did as an 11 year-old. Further, I got the strong sense -- confirmed in Jordan's later memoir, "A Nice Tuesday" -- that Jordan himself had not figured out exactly why things had gone so wrong for him.

At times, reading this book was like watching someone reliving some horrible nightmare. At other times, it was simply a pleasant experience to read Jordan's description of day-to-day life in small town America in the late 50s. Throughout, the book was just as gripping as those SI excerpts that grabbed me 30 years ago.

I have read that Pat Jordan set about to create a persona in this book and that the portrayal of that persona was calculated and not always accurate. Even so, this book reveals enough of the real experiences of the man that it withstands the test of time. I'm not so interested in absolute historical accuracy when I come across a book that can hold my attention and bring me back for more 30 years after the first reading.

Fat City by Leonard Gardner is a singular masterpiece of modern American literature. I was introduced to the book by the John Houston film of 1972 which in its own right is a work of wonder.

Gardner, who has regrettably not written another novel since, tells the story of an over-the-hill boxer in Stockton, California, his brief affair with an alcoholic woman, and the last chance he is given at a bout. In a spare, flawless prose, the novelist depicts the starkness of this life which unfolds in cheap hotel rooms and bars, in third-rate boxing arenas and in the agrarian fields where he has to work as a picker to eke out a living. A scene of onion picking is often cited as an example of supple, kinetic writing at its best.

By being so specific and immersing the reader in this small world, the author manages to make devastating statements about the mercilessness of American life and even the ultimate futility of life's many struggles.

As the veteran boxer mentors a young contender who is getting married and starting his own life, the reader is given every reason to believe that the travesty is open-ended.

Fat City is a short book, so I'll write a short review. You can get a plot synopsis from the other reviewers. This is high-quality noir territory. It is 180 pages of boxing, booze, lousy jobs, poisoned relationships, and flophouse squalor. It perfectly captures the characters' desperation and hopelessness. If you are looking for a tough, lean, gritty read, then look no farther.

Fat city is a book that took place in Stockton California in the 1950's that follows the broken lives of several men who are brought together from boxing. This book is written by Leonard Gardner, a boxer himself during the 1950's. As you read through the pages a story of the lives of different men unfolds.
Billy Tully is an out of shape boxer who gave everything up because of long losing streak and the painful divorce with his wife. Living off of almost nothing he decides he wants to go back and try to fight. While training he meets a young boy named Ernie Munger who has a natural talent for boxing. Ernie wants to be a boxer so bad that he trains day and night letting nothing get in his way. In the middle of his career he gets his girlfriend pregnant but tries his hardest to stay in the life of boxing. While following the characters in their lives this book goes though the struggle of each man and illustrates how they react to their failures. In this story the women are the cause of problems between all of the unhappy boxers; a problem that cannot be fixed.
Some chapters in the story are dedicated to small parts of other men's lives such as the trainer and the opponent, letting you understand the story from both sides. Although these men are brought together by boxing the book is about these men doing what they can do to survive. From boxing to farming this book accurately covers the actions taken to survive. Although the book can be slow at parts over all it is a quick read.

I read Fat City sometime in the mid-sixties, when it was first published, and was immediately captivated and envious of Gardner's powerful style and talent. If you appreciate and admire Hemingway or Steinbeck you will likely feel the same about Gardner, who, unfortunately, has not published anything since. Perhaps this small gem of a book was the only one he had in him. Even so, this novel is a remarkable accomplishment and may well become an American classic. What intrigues me the most in this work is that Gardner gets it all down right--the sights and smells and sounds of the seedy streets and flophouses; the drifters and dingy diners; the sweaty gyms, barsweeps and whores and how it is to work as a stoop-laborer in the fields, especially the true-to-life characters inhabiting the pages. Fat City is simply a well-crafted execution of art throughout and is as pleasurable to read now as when I first picked it up years ago.

Short novel, published in 1969, about two boxers, Billy Tully, who is 29 and down and out, and Ernie Mugger, who is 18 and up and coming, two versions of the same man, in some respects. Terrific skilled prose, short chapters, switching points of view between these two main characters and an assortment of other minor characters. The author takes you inside the characters' deepest despair or elation. How simple the author makes it look, one thinks, reading this book. But of course it is not. The prose is precise and honed, and looks easy only after who knows how many drafts. There are only 18 or 19 short chapters, and much of the novel is dialogue. But somehow one comes away with a panoramic view of Stockton, California, this woeful place, and the people the inhabit it - the immigrant fruit pickers, the bartenders and bar girls, the hobos on the street. The descriptions are compact and dead-on. About Billy Tully's hotel room: "All his neighbors had lung trouble." One could quote sentences from this book almost at will, the prose is so spare and perfect.

That the author never published another book, and that this was his first, is incredible. To write this cleanly and confidently, he must have practiced and studied for years. Yet to never do it again.

Save some time and buy two. If you frequent the beach often you'll want to keep one in your car for any spontaneous trips that you won't mind getting dirty. The other one to display at home, because it is a beautiful book. The clear, detailed photography match the informative "Did you know?" text, while the intuitive and logical layout makes it easy to find whatever your looking for. It is always a conversation starter for any guests who pick up this book.

If you've picked-up shells off of Florida's beaches and wanted to be able to identify them, then this book is for you! It offers great descriptions and photographs to assist you in being able to easily identify the shells and other things you find on the beach. I highly recommend this book! It's got a wealth of information "...for the curious beachcomber:)"

I purchased this thinking it was going to be different from the other one titled similarily but smaller...but most of the information was the same. THere was however, additional information - like birds, grasses, etc. than just Shells. GOod book.

Living near the ocean I wanted to learn more about what all I see on the beach. I was in search of a book that would help me learn more and included pictures to help identify (pictures as opposed to drawing illustrations). I came across this book and liked the other reviews it received, so I ordered it. This book is by far one of the best books I've ever purchased! So much information for the price. It's an amazing book. Packed with great full-color photos of all the things I've seen on the beach and others I'll start keeping an eye open for. Wonderful layout, great images, just enough information, etc. This book will be one that my family uses for many years to come. It's awesome! Even my 4 year old was in awe over the pictures and started learning new things as she kept asking me what everything was. Two thumbs way up on this one. I can't see anyone purchasing this book and being disappointed.

I took this book to North Captiva Island and was amazed on how much info is in it. We went with a group of 17 and any questions anyone had we could look up. Anything to seashells, birds, fish we caught, trees turtles, and more. I love this book!! It's a must have for anyone looking for info on Florida!!!

"It's a comprehensive and exhaustively researched offering and a fine addition to Wolf's career in helping Pennsylvania anglers better know and respect their home waters. With its detailed maps and hatch charts, it also will help traveling anglers find and fish their way around the Keystone State."

"Over the years, a number of books have been written offering insight to the best places where (fishing) opportunity can be found. However, none is as complete as recently released, Dave Wolf's, Flyfishers Guide to Pennsylvania. This book is complete and provides tidbits of information overlooked in the past, but not in this book. The book can not only serve as a fishing guide, but for travel as well, covering where to stay, restaurants, fly shops and much more."

"Wolf, although an ardent trout fisherman, includes in this book information for the ever-growing number of anglers that have taken to fishing for cool and warm-water species using buggy-whip techniques. And it doesn't end there. It is a great reference to the special waters of Pennsylvania even for bait and spinning tackle anglers....

If you are looking for a book to give you general knowledge on better known trout fishing streams in Pennsylvania, then this book will meet your needs. Unfortunately, the author does not do a good job of covering remote streams in many parts of the state that are excellent producing streams and beautiful places to fish. I was especially disappointed in his lack of coverage of streams in McKean and Warren County. I would not recommend this book to an avid Pennsylvania fisherman. The book is adequate for an out-of-state fisherman who is looking to fish some of the more popular streams in PA.

I've had this book for several years and I've found it to be a very useful resource. The hatch charts are extremely helpful, especially for trout anglers. While the author made a better than average attempt to cover the warmwater opportunities in the Keystone State, for the most part only the most well known sites were covered. Certainly Pennsylvania has some world famous trout streams, but the variety and quality of our warmwater fisheries is truly extraordinary. Some of the streams that were covered specifically for the trout they hold probably offer better bass fishing over most of their length. Trout centered thinking is far too prevalent in the fly fishing community and as a result this sort of overemphasis on trout is typical of many fly fishing guides. Indeed, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is guilty of killing thousands of trout annually by stocking them in waters so warm they are almost certain to all die by Memorial Day. I know that Mr. Wolf is a skilled and avid warmwater fly fisher. I hope in the future he will update this guide and give our warmwater fisheries the coverage they deserve.

Good book, if your looking for furniture deals. Some of the information is not as updated especially websites addresses but there is a lot of great sources in the book.

With this guide, we were able to save 40% over the price at a local Flexsteel dealer for some custom ordered furniture. We wouldn't have known where to order from without the guide. We saved several hundred dollars, offsetting the investment in the book many times over.

I've bought this book twice - it's a must have before you shop for furniture. You save so much money the book really doesn't cost you anything. It will make you an informed shopper when buying furniture. Kimberly tells you what brands are sold where, and the discount you can expect. Information on stores to visit, stores to just call in your order, or stores to avoid are given - saving both time and money. Four years ago I wanted a sofa from a not so well known manufacturer and this book gave the info on the one place that carried that brand. I saved so much time and money, and knew what to expect when buying.

She also has a website referenced in the book that provides the lastest updates to the book, as well as comparing some prices, and lots of other great information. There is also very helpful information regarding purchasing fabrics for decorating.

Don't shop without it!

The author details many stores, their policies, pricing, shipping and product selection.

Have not actually travelled to NC yet, but plan to in October. This book is very helpful in planning the trip and deciding where to go. It's exactly what the description is and I'm sure will be very useful.

A General History of the Pyrates is good reading! Great history on famous pirates!

I compared this book with the pirate history published by Captain Charles Johnson. Daniel Defoe is definitely Captain Johnson. The one dissimilarity in the History of the pirate Gow is Johnson says he is John Smith alias Gow, while Daniel Defoe calls him the pirate Gow aka Smith. Gow is derived from the Erse name Gobha which translates to Blacksmith or Smith. So both version are in fact correct. But why the difference? Maybe editorial?

"Under the Black Flag", and all the rest of the pirate history books used this one as their basic reference. It's a lot of material, and took me several months to read as I'd read single captain's history before turning the lights out for the night. The stories are not watered down, there is enough murder, mayhem, robbery, thuggery, and general bad treatment of one person against another to fill years of "Pirates of the XXXX" movies with Johnny Depp scripts.

I did like this book, even though after about the 200th captain's adventure its sort of repetitive narrative. The other interesting thing was that amid this culture of mayhem there was a strong democratic theme. Captains and bosun's are elected positions on most of the boats! Colonies elect a "governor", they have jury trials to settle disputes and yet the economy revolves around ripping off passing merchant boats.

As for whether "Captain Johnson" or "Daniel Defoe" wrote the text, I can't tell. But it doesn't matter, there are no copyright royalties to be paid to the author at this point. The stories are just as good. Anyone who is really interested in Pirates would enjoy this book. (Although I got my copy from the public library.) I especially found the history of Annie Bonny and Mary Reed to be absolute soap opera story. History is stranger than fiction.

(Oh and read Richard Zack's book on Captain Kidd, Defoe got it wrong, and Zack's found the original documents to explain what really happened.) Zack's book is easier to read too.

This book is written in a different kind of English than we what are used to. As such, this book is amazing. Filled to the brim with pirate information, boat information, etc, this is a good book for anyone who really is interested in pirates.
For those who are interested in pirates purely at a humorous level, this isn't the book you should go with. This is packed with real information in older English, and is really intended for those who wish to know more about pirates and how they lived.

This book helped my understanding of pirates greatly! I recommend to anyone who is interested in trying to know more about those scalawags of the sea.

The dearth of primary sources have encouraged "scholars" to grasp onto the Furbanks / Owens short de-atrribution, which is basically an ad hominem attack against the preeminent 20th century Defoe scholar Moore. The tales in this book are wild and outlandish, much like Defoe's life. Full of get-rich quick schemes, bankruptcy, and being pilloried, he did not lack for his own source material. So enjoy the tales, picture a proto-democracy where illiterate desperate men create "articles" of piracy that would make a modern day attorney proud, read some more Defoe and make up your own mind. Clear sailing!

GLORY ROAD IS ABOUT TEXAS WESTERN COLLEGE WHO WON THE 1966 NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. THE BOOK IS WRITTEN BY DON HASKINS WHO COACHED THIS GROUND BREAKING TEAM. BY THAT I MEAN FIVE BLACKS WERE IN THE STARTING LINEUP AN UNHEARD OF THING BACK IN THE 1960'S. HASKINS REALLY KICKED PREJUDICE IN THE ASS. HE WAS NOT PREDJUCIDE TO COLOR BUT TO GUYS WHO WOULD NOT GIVE A 100% EFFORT. HE WAS A REAL S.O.B. TO PLAY FOR, MAKING HIS TEAM PRACTICE VERY HARD AND LONG. (SOMETIMES EVEN AFTER A GAME HE WOULD WORK THEM UNTIL WELL INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS) THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR TODAY WOULD GET HIM SUED OR TEMINATED OR BOTH. HE IS VERY DRIVEN AND VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WINNING. HE ALSO TRIES TO COME ACROSS AS BEING A NO EGO TYPE OF GUY BUT HE ALSO BRAGS HOW GREAT A POOL PLAYER HE WAS. NOT ALOT OF THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE ACTUAL 1966 TOURNAMENT ITSELF BUT MORE ABOUT HIS RESPECT FOR LEGENDARY COACH HANK IBA AND MORE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS WHO HELPED MAKE THEM CHAMPIONS. THIS IS A VERY GOOD READ AND I RECOMMEND IT MOSTLY FOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL FANS.

An amazing person as well as basketball player and coach, Don Haskins relates the history of Texas Western/UTEP basketball in a way that the movie "Glory Road" (though very good) simply could not. Even though the title makes it sound like the 1966 season is all that is covered, this book actually tells the history of Haskins' long tenure here at UTEP, from his first years at the school through the historic championship in '66, and beyond. His insights into the players, coaches, and personalities he came into contact with were enthralling, and the wonderful storytelling really makes you feel like you were there through all the good times and bad. I read it cover to cover the same afternoon I bought it, and highly recommend it to any fan of UTEP, Coach Haskins, or basketball in general. Thanks for everything you've done for the city of El Paso, our university, and the game of basketball, Mr. Haskins.

Your current published reviews are enthusiastic but in some cases contain factual inaccuracies. The movie and the book are related in title and subject (Don Haskins); but that is about as far as it goes. The movie which focuses on 1966 is moving and concludes with a happy and factual ending - that is, that Texas Western won that game in 1966 --- but the movie not always true to the facts. Understandably I suppose when you try to compress a life story, even if only one year of a life, into a 2 hour or so movie. The book, from someone who played for Coach, reviewed and commented on the galley proof, and has represented Coach Haskins and the '66 team as a lawyer and a friend for 35 plus years, is "spot-on" and should be read by everyone who has ever had an interest in basketball.

As to the fortunes of 1966 team and the gentlemen representing that team so well, then and now, suffice it to say that the past 3 or 4 years have indeed been a trip down Glory Road: The team was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA this past April, only the 6th team to ever be so honored - and the first collegiate team --- with the enshrinement proceedings to be held on September 7 and 8, 2007 at the HOF facility. The team has also been honored with dinner and a movie at the White House with President and Mrs. Bush; the team will be inducted in the Boys Clubs of New York Hall of Fame in October of 2007, and some of the members volunteered to take an Armed Services Entertainment Tour to Germany, the Netherlands and England in February of 2007 to entertain our country's troops and their families. Also, Texas Western's victory on March 19, 1966 in College Park, Maryland over Hall of Fame Coach Adolph Rupp and his great Kentucky Wildcat team, that included Pat Riley, Louie Dampier and Larry Conley, among others, was selected by the National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA") as one of 25 defining moments in the 100 year History of NCAA sports.

I could go on but I think this should at least clear up a few matters and hopefully whet the appetite of prospective readers and reviewers to pause and consider reading this book, viewing the movie. Coach Haskin's story is presented in an interesting manner, containing both Coach Haskin's well known skills as a pick-up riding around story teller and the literary skills of Dan Wetzel who spent hours upon hours riding, listening and recording those stories.

It is well written and factual to a fault; and points out what people can do when they put aside prejudices, rediculous stereoptypes (blacks had no discipline, couldn't be a point guard or quarterback) and circumstances and judge people by character and performance; not color and privilege. Every one of those (then but now not so) young men -- all are still alive except Bobby Joe Hill who passed away of a heart attack in 2002 --- that comprised the Texas Western Team in 1966 had talent and skill; more importantly they had character and heart and respect for each other and their coaches and that combination took them to over the top.

Enjoy this story and share it with others - because of their courage and accomplishments, and those of others in other aspects of the 60's civil rights movement, questions surrounding recruiting, playing, starting and honoring people of color in sports today seem strangely quaint, and beyond the imagination of most people born after the '60s. But it wasn't always so and for this all of society owes a debt of gratitude to Don Haskins, the members of his '66 team, the University of Texas at El Paso (formerly Texas Western College) and the citizens of El Paso for contributing to the environment in which we now find ourselves with respect to race relations in sports.

I have the honor of being Don Haskins teammate at Oklahoma A & M, now Oklahoma State University and couldn't be prouder and happier for a very good film about a very historic Coach and athletic event. Please be advised that Don's whole 1966 team was just inducted into the new Collegiate Hall of Fame in Kansas City, Missouri. Buy it, you will like it...!

In one of those quirky moments in the book and movie industries, the autobiography of coach Don Haskins was already "in the pipeline" before the development of the picture.

The book and movie share the title - Glory Road - which is a name of a street on the UTEP campus to commemorate the championship basketball season.

The book obviously gives a more fuller picture of Haskins and does not solely focus on the monumental victory by Texas Western College (UTEP) over Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA Finals. There will be areas "filled-in" where the movie takes artistic license with some facts/scenes to push the plot along.

The years after the title run are especially interesting, since the basketball program somewhat faded from national view as the sport became a multi-billion-dollar industry.

It is a shame that history - especially when it comes to matters of race - oftentimes become blurry as the years lumber forward. Though Haskins has always downplayed his role in what was a defining moment on the court of race & athletics, he truly deserved the attention from the national platform that propelled the book to national bestseller status.

The lessons learned along that glory road are as important today as they were 40 years ago.

From: www.BasilAndSpice.com
Author & Book Views On A Healthy Life!

Book Review: God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007) by George Foreman, written with Ken Abraham.



George Foreman, Olympic Gold Medalist, Entrepreneur, two-time Heavyweight Champion, Father, Benefactor, American, Rancher, Pastor, and Author, has published God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir.

Society, no matter what its generational age, will remember Mr. Foreman, also known as Big George, for his unique public life. Mr. Foreman is no closed book; his life - ups, downs, and accomplishments have been preserved for the benefit of future young people through television and the printed word. Born without a silver spoon, Mr. Foreman completed his financial, spiritual, and athletic journeys with all eyes on him. "I'm probably one of those few people in the world who has gone from rags to riches to rags and back to riches again. Having grown up in extreme poverty, I became a millionaire, and then went bankrupt. Now I'm better off than ever."--George Foreman

God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir is the revelation of the deepest part of George Foreman's inner spirit. It delves into the influence of his poverty-stricken childhood, the development of his boxing career, and the life he lived before accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior. Recounting his death experience and Christian conversion, Mr. Foreman continues his life's story about what he's chosen to achieve with the second chance at life. He attributes his success to his new found faith in God, and strives to live each day as a positive Christian role model for all to witness. Today, Mr. Foreman is an ordained minister and the pastor of The Church of Lord Jesus Christ in Houston where he preaches twice a week. As a benefactor, he founded and funds the George Foreman Youth Center, putting his money into a project that helps kids both physically and emotionally.

God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir opens the hearts and minds of readers through the honesty of George Foreman. Though he's stunned the world with his success in sports and business, he states, "Too many people are reaching for the stars and forgetting about the church. Don't let any opportunity lead you away from serving God. That's a price that's too high to pay." Spoken like a man who has been there and done that, Pastor Foreman offers positive lifestyle-reinforcing "Tips From George's Corner" at the end of each chapter. Unlike many in the spotlight, Pastor George has written openly about the mistakes he's made and how he's changed his life for the better. His goal is to not just have God in his corner, but to help others see that God can be the support system everyone needs.

Recently, my family endured several hits in life. They eventually happen to us all--illness, death, financial destruction, accidents. It was during this time that my husband and I read together God In My Corner. Laughing at Mr. Foreman's humor and thinking, `He's right about life,' it helped us persevere through some of the darkest days we've had. Refreshing, motivating, and positive--a second chance in life, like George Foreman, is what we all need.

5 Stars

God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir

I am so blessed by reading this book (I am not a reader). I find George Forman's experience so compelling that I cannot express how reading this book makes me feel. I would love to talk to him in person and hear his experience from his own lips. I would love to hear him preach in his Church, but that is not going to happen so I shall continue to cling to his words in this book.

Despite being a Christian myself, I am often a bit skeptical when athletes claim they have found the good Lord (as that claim is easy to say, not so easy to live). However, after reading this spiritual memoir by George Foreman, I am convinced that he truly has turned his life over to God, and that transformation is as fascinating as it gets.

Fans of classic boxing will remember Big George as one of the meanest, most ferocious heavyweight champions of all time. Yet, at nearly the height of his boxing fame, George (in the book) recounts a near-death experience sent to him by God that changed his life forever. Instead of letting his anger control him, George learned (though not without many trials) to trust in the Lord and serve the higher power. As a result, he believes, the Lord led him to make a comeback to boxing in his 40s and become the oldest heavyweight champion in the sport's long history.

Not only is Foreman's story interesting, but its principles can also be applied to the lives of every living human being. At the end of each chapter, George recaps the key points in easily-understood language, enough so that it can reach born-again Christians or those skeptical of religion altogether.

Overall, this book is very useful in serving two purposes: First, for more "advanced" Christians, it shows that, despite being difficult, the Christian battle can be won. Perhaps most importantly, though, it shows non-Christians how completely a life can be turned around for the better, as Foreman went from essentially a street thug to a servant of the Lord.

So, if you are waning in your faith and need a pick-me-up, or want to see the results of living a Godly life, George's cheerful attitude is just what you have been looking for!

I would recommend this book to anyone who does not believe dreams come true with a little hard work and a lot of faith. George Foreman came from nothing and look at him now. In spite of all of his wealth, he is committed to helping others. He is truly a rich man...in his heart and sould...not in his wallet. This book gives the reader an in-depth look at George Foreman the man...not the boxer. He has family values and morals that we don't find frequently in today's society.

Read this book!!!

George Foreman's personality, style and charisma make this perhaps my favorite book of all time. Why? Because George gives us a detailed look at his personal journey to finding spirituality and happiness in life and how he has shared that lesson with others in an attempt to improve their lives.

I liked George Foreman before reading this book but afterward, I achieved a higher sense of respect for a selfless man who gave up his boxing career to preach and follow the path to God. He even started the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in 1984 with retirement money that he had "tucked" away during his 8-year retirement from boxing. His goal was not to indoctrinate local kids but to give them a place to come and follow a productive direction.

Though George "un-retired" from boxing several times, he continued as a minister in his own local church and spreading the word of God in many ways. In fact, George illustrates that money, wealth and power do not necessarily create a sense of fulfillment; it's the spirituality that brings joy and contentment. George lays the advice out for his readers, plain and simple:

"I am convinced that God gives us all a chance to know Him. He gives us the opportunity and if we say "yes" to Him, He will choose us. But He won't force Himself on anyone".

"God is merciful and will always give us a new beginning if we are willing to change."

Clearly, this advice comes from a man who was transformed in that locker room in 1976.

Unlike other outdoor recreation guides for this area that solely write about one type of activity, this one is different, it offers three. Personally I like to mix biking and hiking up so it really suits my style and delivers all the information I could ever want.

Marin County and San Francisco have to be the most beautiful of all the places to get outside around here. I use this book as a trail finder mostly for dayhikes and coastal rides. It's unfussy and since the authors are natives and know the terrain so well, list plenty of places that are not on the postcards. The writing style is fresh and humor is interjected here in unsuspecting places. It's a unbelievable value for residents.

Last June I became aware of this guide. I hadn't realized that some of the best hiking in the world is in my own backyard....Marin County and San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Trailblazer opens the doors to every trail in the area and even includes bike routes. On Friday evenings my husband and I read over the hikes we want to take on the weekend. So many are shorties and are wonderful outings for our 5 and 7 year olds. There's a trail map for the Golden Gate Park as well as the San Francisco downtown and the design is very reader friendly. For anyone just visiting it makes for an ideal itinerary planner.

If you like getting outdoors for a walk or hike in San Fran or Marin and want to get advice from two Bay Area natives, get this guide. I recommend it for its thoroughness and presentation. For people like me who have just moved here, it's worth every penny.

The authors style puts adventurers at ease as they dissect the complex world of city streets and highways that lead to the trailheads. There's no trolling through pages of dense text. It's all broken up with pictures and maps and cleanly numbered trail lists and descriptions. It's by far the best I've come across for this area.

I found this book mentioned on a northern California traveler's blog and immediately went out and bought it for the family. Now that we've been using it for about a month it's opened up a whole new world of mountain trails, parks and off-the-radar beaches like Tennessee Valley which is tucked away near Mill Valley.

While there are heaps of travel books on the San Francisco Bay Area, I find this one is better than all the others. It has a good mix of activities and is laid out really logically. If you're on a budget it's a good fit since everything in it is free. Your own energy and curiousity is all that's needed. In addition to their long list of insider spots they've added some California history, just enough to make the outing interesting. This book will never go out of style.

I would say it's one of the most helpful travel books I've ever bought. The detailed descriptions for family walks around San Francisco and through the Marin woods were especially good. It's organized. The writing style is colorful, direct, and amusing. Buy this book and you might want to buy a restaurant guide to to along with it. Going to California is now going to be a yearly ritual.Zagat 2008 San Francisco Restaurants