Sports and Recreation Books

Hardy's book is an excellent source of information about the medieval English longbow. I've personally only seen one better--"The Great Warbow"--and Hardy is co-author of it.

If someone mentioned the name of Robert Hardy to you, you mind would probably bring to mind a picture of an English actor with a plummy-voice and tweed suit, who has appeared in countless television and theatre dramas and you would be correct. Many people do not know Robert Hardy's alter ego, the author and man who is interested in medieval weaponry in general and the English longbow in particular. Robert Hardy also has a long association with the Royal Armouries, so it soon becomes apparent that his love and knowledge of weaponry has been gleaned over a long period of time. With these qualifications it is only right and proper that people interested in the subject are more than ready to read what the author has to say on the subject.

I found the book both fascinating and informative. I did however feel that some of the photographs could have been slightly better, but this is a minor criticism and I suppose there are only so many ways that you can photograph a bow before the photographs begin to look repetitive. The book covers every conceivable question anyone could possibly ask on the subject of the longbow the medieval equivalent of the automatic rifle.

The book takes us from when the longbow was first used, possibly 8,000 years ago, right through until the present day. It gives detailed information on how to make a longbow from scratch, showing the tools and material needed. It covers all the major battles where either the outcome was decided by this fearsome weapon, or it featured heavily in the battle and even shows photographs of bows that were raised with the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's ship of war.

I found it fascinating to read about a weapon that virtually every Englishman had to practice using at some point during his life, much like the football practice that many young men religiously attend today. Although in the case of the longbow, depending on the period in history, we are talking about it was compulsory.

I purchased this book out of curiosity and for its historical value.

I find it to be well-written, informative, and has the occasional nugget of the wry humour that the author brings to his acting work.

All in all, a good buy.

Robert Hardy's 'Longbow: A Social and Military History' is elegant, beautifully written. It permits old folks like me to re-live the glory days of youth, when we used to make our own bows and arrows and set out to see to it that good triumphs over evil, whilst enjoying the illusion of scholarly maturity. My wife and I read passages of Hardy's wonderful prose out loud to one another, and time stops - a good thing, at our age.

I read this book for a graduate course in medieval history.
Robert Hardy's book Longbow A Social and Military History. This is the third edition printed in 1993. It is enlarged to include information on the archery equipment found on the archaeological dive from the ship, "The Mary Rose;" a warship from the Reign of the English King, Henry VIII. Besides being a famous British actor, Mr. Hardy is an acknowledged expert on the longbow, including how it is manufactured. He is a longtime member of the Royal Toxophilite Society, which is the society for archery enthusiasts. In his book, Hardy has meticulously researched the history of the longbow, from ancient history through its greatest impact in warfare during the Hundred Years' War; specifically, the battles of Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt. Hardy even has chapters devoted to the longbow's use in hunting and as a modern day sporting weapon. In addition, his book includes a very scientific and technical appendix on all manners pertaining to the physics and ballistics of the bow and arrow, including their material and design, as well as the ballistic effects of arrows on armor.

Bows fall into two classifications-composite and wooden. Composite bows are made of wood and other organic components, such as horn or sinew. Since composite bows are short, the other organic materials used to construct them increase the bow's power. Composite bows were used primarily in Africa and Asia, and were most likely manufactured in reaction to the scarcity of wood in these areas. The longbow, as defined by the British Longbow Society, is no less then five feet long, for arrows of up to twenty-six inches in length, and no less then five foot six inches in length for arrows of over twenty-six inches long. It is a D sectioned wooden spring and not flat, and the limbs are to be made of wood and the bow is to be convex. The very best bows are made from Yew wood. This describes the sixteenth century bows found on the Mary Rose and from all historical indications, those that were in use during the Hundred Years' War.

Hardy opens his book with an informative history of the bow and arrow. In researching the early history of the bow, archaeologists have found arrowheads in Northern Africa from 50,000 years ago. They have also discovered cave paintings depicting men using several different shapes of bows while engaged in hunting. The Romans used short composite bows with their cavalry forces, since longbows were too cumbersome to use on horseback. Most of the Roman army's mounted bowmen where from Eastern Europe and Asia Minor. The Germanic tribes that the Romans found themselves fighting so often, used longbows against them to a devastating effect, which was reminiscent of the battle of Crecy from the Hundred Years' War. In 354 C. E., the Germanic shower of arrows prevented the Romans from crossing the Rhine River and thus, halted their expansion on the European continent. The oldest bow found in Britain is from Somerset. Radiocarbon dating shows it to be from 2,690 B.C.E. The bow was made of Yew wood and was over six feet long.

Hardy next turns his attention to the more detailed study of the longbow's genesis and development in Britain. It is definitively impossible to know when the longbow first came into existence in Britain. However, history does record several historical periods when we know that the longbow, or a weapon similar to it, was used and introduced by invaders of the British Isles. There is evidence that shows that the Germanic longbow made its way into Britain with the invasion of the Saxons in the fifth century. Viking law, from mid-tenth century, required that while aboard ship, fighting men must be equipped with bows and arrows as an addition to their other usual weapons that they employed in their raiding parties. One can still read Viking Sagas of the era extolling the use of bows and arrows as weapons. In 1055, Welsh bowmen while firing from hidden positions on mountain ridges, cut down the Earl of Hereford's Saxon cavalry with devastating effect. This action would be a great lesson lost on King Harold eleven years later, in his defeat at the battle of Hastings. King Harold did have some longbow men in the battle, if one takes the Bayeux Tapestry to be a true pictorial history of the Norman Conquest. Unfortunately, for the Anglo-Saxon army of King Harold, he had to travel very quickly over 250 miles south to engage the invading Normans, which prevented him from taking many archers on foot. In fact, the Bayeux Tapestry is famous for its depiction of King Harold being fatally shot in the eye by a Norman arrow, and thus, changing the course of British history forever.

Chapters three through six of Hardy's book cover Britain's celebrated history of the longbow, and are the chapters most germane to our course of study. It is during the fourteenth century in Britain that the longbow gains its reputation as a force multiplier in battle. In military terminology, a force multiplier denotes a factor, in this case, the longbow providing a technological factor, dramatically increasing the combat capability of a military force. In keeping with the theme of our course in comparing fourteenth century events to modern times, one can easily equate the importance of the longbow to fourteenth century warfare in the same way that one can compare the importance that the machine gun had on early twentieth century warfare-specifically during World War I. The longbow provided the English armies of Edward I, through the end of the Hundred Years' War, a distinct and singular advantage over the French armies and their cavalry forces.

Despite all of the early history of the longbow in Britain, it is Edward I who is the real progenitor of the longbow, as used in battle. Edward I keenly learned the tactics and logistics that were necessary to employ with great success the longbow on the battlefields of Wales and Scotland. He realized that the longbow was less expensive and awkward to use in battle then the crossbow, and with a moderate amount of practice, his Welsh bowmen could shoot more arrows in a given time then cross bowmen could. He worked hard at building a national army. In 1298, at the battle of Falkirk, most of his longbow men were Welsh. By 1346, most longbow men were English. They were well trained, well paid, and could be counted by the thousands. Longbow men where deemed so important to the army that they were given pardons for all types of offenses, including murder, in order to go off to France to fight. Their pay was comparable to that of master craftsmen. During the reign of Edward II, English military prowess was in decline. Although Edward II continued many of the recruiting and logistical policies of his father, his tactical decisions, and those of his commanders, were sorely lacking. He suffered an embarrassing defeat at the battle of Bannockburn at the hands of Robert the Bruce of Scotland. However, the lessons his son, Edward III, learned from that defeat put the British army in good stead for fighting in the Hundred Years' War. Those lessons, learned and used in such future battles as Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt, were insuring good organization before battle and good discipline of soldiers during the fight. In addition, cavalry without longbow support was useless against enemy spearmen. Conversely, longbow men who were isolated on the battlefield without support, would easily fall prey to enemy cavalry attack.

Crécy is emblematic of the successes that the British enjoyed at the battles of Poitiers and Agincourt. It was the sight of the first major battle of The Hundred Years' War and was a rousing success for the invading British army of Edward III and his sixteen-year-old son, Edward, also known as the Black Prince. Edward III had 12,000 men arrayed against a French force of between 30,000 to 40,000 combatants. Although heavily outnumbered, Edward's longbow men were the force multiplier that garnered a stunning victory for the British over the French. The record shows that the English longbow men were capable of firing ten arrows in a minute. Most estimates of the longbow tactics used in the battle, state that the over one-half million arrows fired by the British, easily cut down the French armored cavalry. The longbow, and the brilliant way in which it was employed, were responsible for the lopsided casualty figures of the battle. Although casualty figures are somewhat unreliable, most sources put the French losses at one-third of the French nobility-about 12,000 men in all, against the British losses of 150 to 1,000 total. In the battle, longbow men comprised anywhere from between five to one, upwards to three to one, of the English invading force. Hardy states in his book, and I quote, "They were some of the finest, most highly trained and militarily efficient troops that any nation ever put into the field of battle." So, why did the French when seeing the efficient destructive power of the longbow, not learn from the advantage it could afford them and emulate the English? Hardy postulates a few reasons, such as, the French culture of class snobbery made it difficult for the nobles to accept peasants as equals on the battlefield. In addition, cavalry and chivalry were too hard for French nobles to give up. Another reason was that the French King did not have the power to field a national army in the same way that his English counterparts did. French kings had to rely on their nobles and Italian mercenaries to prosecute their wars during this time; thus, they could not enforce regular training regimens, nor standardized battlefield logistics and tactics. In fact, the longbow reigned supreme on the battlefield until the mid-sixteenth century. By this time, other technologies such as better-tempered armor, cannon, and musketry, overtook the effectiveness of the longbow.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Hardy's book to any serious student of medieval history. Longbow A Social and Military History, is an excellent introductory work for understanding the significance that the weapon had during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It is well written and appointed with plenty of illustrations. The book is a very enjoyable read for anyone with even a casual interest in the longbow or the Hundred Years' War.

Recommended reading for those interested in medieval history, and military history.

In my opinion, this book is great. It not only shows the technique of martial arts but how the sport can be fun. I have been under the instruction of Glen for two summers now. The group of figure skaters I am with are his youngest students. He makes the sport easy for all of us and tells many stories about how his book came to be and his road to victory. I have to say, this book is about as good as the live show. It's an all-around great book.

As a Novice in the Martial Art's I found this book to be clear and engaging from the Introduction to the Conclusion, Glen Doyle guides you through a concise understanding in "The Martial Artist's Way".

With every page that unfolded in front of me I was so immersed in reading "Choosing A Style" to "Cross-Training" that I found myself highlighting his words, as Sifu Doyle has become instrumental in my journey.

Written in an unpretentious style, this book would appeal to anyone who is interested in the martial arts, and has a lot to say even to those who aren't. Glen Doyle's engaging personality brightens up every page and keeps the book lively. He is obviously someone who lives the talk and walks the walk. I found it fascinating even though I'm not a martial artist. Almost every page has quotes that will linger in my mind and which I can apply to my every day life. I would definitely recommend this book.

Glen Doyle is refreshing with his book by the relaxed method of how he tells it to you, instead of the usual "down the throat" other books portray. Each chapter is insightful, meaingful and compassionate. I already read the book but I keep going back to it because I always pick up something new from it. My favorite chapter is titled "Making your Style your Own." Glenn tells you to listen to the voice in your head, to find the courage to change your mind if a style isn't working for you.

Sifu Doyle writes from the body, the mind and the spirit, and shares the depth of his experience in practical, down-to-earth terms. His book is like a new-found friend and a long-time buddy rolled into one - a welcome traveling companion on the journey of life. With clear examples and accessible language, Sifu Doyle elucidates the power and dissipates the myths of the inner world of martial arts. The chapters on Choosing a Style and a School contain sound advice for beginners. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Training, Cross-training, and the Street.

Sifu Doyle's book is a valuable resource for everyone because his style encourages the reader to look into themselves for answers and encompasses concepts that are universal to any ongoing process - training, running a business, running a household, any art or craft. As an acupuncturist and a martial artist, I wholeheartedly look forward to referring many people to "The Martial Artist's Way" in the years to come.

Depending on your preference, top game or guard work, Eddie Bravo's books are excellent variations on the art. Rubber Guard was excellent and the Twister doesnt disappoint either. Victory Belt does a great job of showing alternate angle photos of the techniques, limiting the amount of blindspots. The only problem is the landscape of bjj competition, some moves aren't allowed in various tournaments. But there's plenty to add to your game and helps to keep training fresh and fun. Bravo has encouraged practitioners to think outside the box and be inventive.

This is one of the best jiu jitsu books ever it gives in great detail insight to Eddie Bravo's game.

I got this book because I really liked how Mastering the Rubber guard was set up and hoped that Mastering the Twister would be just as useful and enjoyable. I can honestly say that it was and that I was very pleased with the purchase. What I liked about both products was that they both teach a System of techniques that all link together and include "go to" moves for when things don't go according to plan. I also liked the personal stories that Mr. Bravo included; I felt that the combination of these two elements took these books well beyond what most martial arts books provide. The value of these books is that they are useful as reference, good for new ideas as they contain an unorthodox BJJ game, and they are highly entertaining. Definitely well worth the purchase. Keep up the good work!

Just like his book on the Rubber Guard, Eddie Bravo's 'Mastering the Twister' is an innovative, effective and insightful system of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu without the gi, that both intermediate and longtime practitioners will benefit in many ways from.

Like 'Mastering the Rubber Guard', this isn't just an encyclopedia of moves and positions, but a complete gameplan and system. There is a flow-chart that details each position as it transitions to the next, and Eddie goes into excellent detail on the intricacies of each technique. Like other Victory Belt published books, this is as good an instructional you will get short of a DVD video release. Highly recommended.

This is advanced BJJ however, so beginners will be adviced not to just jump in without a firm grasp of the basics. It should also be noted that Mastering the Twister is a direct "sequel" if you will to Mastering the Rubber Guard, so it will be good to start with that book first, though not totally necessary. What MTRG did for the bottom game, MTTwister does for the top game.

Eddie's system is freaking awesome! I am an accomplished grappler and have always been interested in new techniques, etc. I was already familiar with the twister and a couple of the setups, but Eddie's book blew me away. My top game is so sick right now, that not one of my fellow students, nor my coach, can touch me!
If you have some grappling experience, this book will revolutionize your top game.
If you are new, this will help you, but you might get lost in some of the more complex transitions.
Either way, Eddie Bravo and his system kick butt!

If you are a competitive skydiver, it's worth picking up. However, there are better books for non-skydivers, like "The Pursuit of Excellence"

Using this book and some other training I was able to gain the tools needed to finish my AFF and do it in style. After failing my level 4 I needed a boost. After reading this and realizing that a lot of what I was going through was normal, and getting my mind in check, I went out and nailed the rest. I've got 12 jumps now and gaining more confidence all the time. Thanks John!!

Bill K.

Excellent book. Applies to all parts of life, not just sports performance. Gives the best explanation of how your thoughts impact your performance that I have ever read.

If you are serious about your skydiving, you must get a hold of this book. I'm sure you heard, or read Jack Jeffries' review of this book, he's right. Skydiving, as are other sports, is a mental game. MORE so than other sports because we only have about a minute of "pratice" time, each time we go up. That is important to remember. The author explains simply the techniques and exercises he uses and teaches to fly with proficiency. You'll breeze through it with his plucky attitude, and personal stories that relate to the ideas he teaches you. You won't be disappointed! And like the title says, it will help you in life as well. Mental training is where it's at. Get into the zone and WIN competitions!

I have been a Parachute Instructor for 38 years and I recomend the book to all my students.

I liked this book because soccer is my favorite sport after basketball. Also the character in this story is Whisper and theres a girl in my grade with that name. Whisper plays socbowl in the story. I think thats a funny name. This was a very good book!

Wandering through the library, searching to find an interesting book, one caught my eye. It was the, The Million Dollar Kick. The book starts out in Oklahoma City. Whisper is an ordinary kid who is haunted by a mental picture of a soccer game. One afternoon Whisper took her little sister, who is an athlete, to the mall. Where her sister enters her in a contest. Where if you win you get the chance to win a million dollars by kicking a soccer ball past a famous soccer goalie. She wins, but now she has to learn how to kick a soccer ball. She thought she was toast until Ellie decided to coach her. I thought it was a great book full of action, surprise, and pure interest.

wisper nelson who lives in oklahoma she goes to the donut shop with her little siter and they see a thing that says Come Up With A Good Slogen and if they win then that person gets 1 shot to kick a soccer ball in to the goal if they mis they get a year supply of donuts if they get it in they win a million dollars but it ant that easy you need to kick it past carmen applegate the pro goal keeper. wisper wins and she doesnt want to do it but she still does it, she gets help bye this nice 11th grade soccer player when she got enough help she was going to do the kick in a day then for some rreason carmen applegate got hert so she couldnt play so wisper teacher was the goalie but wisper kicked it in she was really really really happy

The Million Dollar Kick is a great book. It is so suspenseful. You never know what she is going to do. The main character hates being the star but her sister loves it. My mom, my six year old sister and I all liked it. It is such a good book.

Genre: Fiction
Three sentence summary: In this book Whisper Nelson is chosen to kick a ball past a professional soccer player and if she makes it, she is awarded $1,000,000. There's just a little problem: she is not athletic. She has not played a sport since she was eight.

What I liked most about the book: The thing I like about this book is that Whisper has a chance to win $1,000,000.

What I didn't like and why: The only thing that I didnt like about the book was that it was about soccer and I do not like soccer very much.

My favorite character and why: Whisper Nelson because she wasn't very athletic but she still tried. (why wouldn't you if you made the goal you can win $1,000,000.)

The scene, line, or passage that meant something to me and why (page#): Well it was probably when she was getting ready to kick the goal. It's exciting to kick a ball and if you score you win $1,000,000 dollars.

What I would say about this book to someone else: That it's nice that the characters are realistic and the author Dan Gutman discribed the setting very well.

One question i have after reading this book: I wonder if the soccer player became good friends with Whisper Nelson.

My strongest reason for recommending this book: Well if you like sports you would be very interested.

Boy, does this book bring back memories of all the happily miserable hours spent hunting. Now we need books about fishing, birding, gardening and similar miserable outdoor activities that bring back such happy memories.

Great photos which capture the extemes waterfowl hunters live to persue their sport. I felt the cold, the dampness and excitement of the duck blind in Buckleys photographs. Great book!

This book is a must have for any duck hunter! This book reassured my friends and I that we are not the only ones these things happen to!

My husband and a few of my guy friends are avid waterfowlers. These books (Misery Loves Company: Waterfowling and the Relentless Pursuit of Self-Abuse & Don't Shoot the Decoys: Original Stories of Waterfowling Obsession) were purchased as gifts, and so suited the purpose. Huge amounts of relaying aloud of their content was overheard by any and all in vicinity. An obvious indication to the entertaining aspect these books provided. Many a moment was there a reminiscent feel to the reading - of what is actually experienced in the field. Kudos to the authors!

Written and illustrated by waterfowler and photographer Bill Buckley, Misery Loves Company: Waterfowling And The Relentless Pursuit Of Self-Abuse is an adventurous and photographic celebration of the successes, trials, and battles against the elements that determined and dedicated waterfowl hunters endure in pursuit of their sport. Full color photographs illustrate of every stage of the hunt, and are enhanced with an informal and descriptive text of what it is like to be out in the wet and the cold in search of airborne game, making Misery Loves Company an enjoyable and mildly humorous giftbook.

Molly Saves The Day

In 1944, during World War 2, loved ones were away fighting the war, gas was rationed and families couldn't travel far. They saved their gas for necessary trips. Families couldn't even see their relatives during the holidays.

In 1944-1945 it was common for parents to send their children to summer camp. The children could get away from the stress of everyday life, and enjoy the outdoors.

Molly and her friends Linda and Susan are very excited to go to camp Go-on-Again. They have many challenges to learn at camp. Molly finds that she is very afraid of swimming underwater. Susan is having difficulty paddling a canoe, and Linda is afraid of bugs. When the camp girls are divided into teams and challenged to capture the flag, Susan and Molly are placed in a canoe together. Susan has difficulty rowing and she loses her ore, when both girls reach for the ore, the canoe tips over, causing the girls to dunk under water.

Molly and Susan reach shore, only to find that their whole team has been captured by the other team, and the jailer is their own best friend, Linda.

Will Molly and Susan get away? Will Linda capture her own best friends? How can Molly and Susan rescue their whole team? Will the girls ever be able to resume their friendship?

My daughter Karen enjoyed dressing her Molly doll in her camp Go-on-Again outfit, with a white blouse, red shorts and a blue neck scarf.

Outfit Pattern Set 1 For American Girl Dolls

The American Girls, Molly, Doll Dress Patterns

Molly's Magnetic Mini World (The American Girls Collection)
Molly's Paper Dolls: Molly and Her Old-Fashioned Outfits for You to Cut Out (American Girls Pastimes)

Molly Mini Doll (American Girl)

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

Of all the American Girls, Molly's our favorite and Molly Saves the Day our favorite Molly book. My six year old recognized that Molly, Linda and Susan, while away together at sleep-away camp, each had fears that they were forced to try to overcome. Molly is a very well-rounded character, and the fact that she is somewhat overly competitive (this shows up clearly during the camp color-wars) only makes her more realistic. She is nonetheless very likeable. Beyond Molly's character, however, my daughter simply found the book very exciting.

this book was relly good. it was about a girl in this coler war she and her friend are on the blueteam and there other friend was on the red team and how ever got the other teams flag and the blue team wins

i read Molly saves the day when i was 9 now im 10 and i really injoyed it! I`ve allways whanted to go to summer camp! But im not allowed `till im a teen ager so reading molly saves the day sort-of prepaired me for what it might be like! I`ve allways wanted to be brave reading Molly saves the day Kind of got me to face my fears a bit more! Thanks!

Mia

Molly returns in "Molly Saves The Day" as an enthusiastic ten-year-old headed off to summer camp for the first time ever. Along with her best friends Linda and Susan, Molly enjoys meeting the challenges of camp. Well, almost all of them- Molly is afraid of swimming underwater after she fell off the dock during a swimming lesson. In the final days of camp, the counsellors organize a game of Capture the Flag, which pits Molly and Susan against Linda in an all-out battle. Molly's team's plan backfires and leaves Molly and Susan to save their team from losing the game. But to win, will Molly and Susan have to betray their best friend?

I liked this book because it was fast-paced with a good dose of adventure while retaining realistic content. Molly is, as always, lively and lovable and I really enjoyed this installment of her series. I highly recommend this book to any fans of WWII historical fiction or the Molly series.

I thoroughly enjoyed Pete Vordenberg's story and can hardly wait for the snow to fly this winter. While I can say I'm especially motivated to get on the XC trails now, I can't say I'll be draggng a log behind me as part of my experience! What an incredibe story and entertaining read. I'm hoping to see a follow up book (non-fiction or fiction) from this talented writer.

I dove into this story in the first few sentences, "Game on." in the back seat of a small car stuffed with skis, food, and loved ones. This writing is a total rush of heart and soul, as twisty, full of speed, and "unrelenting" as the courses Pete challenged himself on. There is no comparison to other athletes' books; each person's journey is unique. What sets this one apart is that the author is the athlete himself, and he reflects his physical grace and power as a champion nordic athlete in his intellectual grace and power as a writer and story teller. I loved his unique way of telling his story, like a meandering trail in all seasons, evolving and alive, and still living and breathing in glorious color. I felt a sense that the past is always alive as a part of here-and-now. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us, Pete, and hope it keeps on growing for you and others you continue to inspire.
Thanks to Jeff Potter for his vision and creativity, and a very meaningful gift of heart.

Just kidding, everything in this book is absolutely true. Read it here first. Thanks Pete for writing a great book, but more importantly thanks for telling the world about the time I wiped with poison oak! ouch.

Admittedly I felt a little like Sancho Panza, because I didn't really anticipate reading "Momentum." Odds were that it prove to be just another insipid, quixotic memoir in the vast wasteland of sports literature. I was in for a surprise. In that ego-fueled and littered expanse "Momentum" shines like a rare and precious gem.

The body of the work is solid, and there are several scenes which are more than adequately--shall we say--"fleshed out." For example: the Halloween night revenge of the NMU xc ski team against a less than candid comedian-evangelist. Some guys are probably going to spend some time in purgatory for that caper, and I don't mean skiing in Colorado!

It is a very well written work. This book is autobiographical--Pete Vordenberg as he bled, sweat, toiled, cried and laughed trying to acquire Olympic fulfillment in a practically anonymous nordic odyssey. Nevertheless, if measured together with a Sasquatch or two, Pete's life would balance the scales of 10,000 ordinary men.

Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream is the 191-page autobiography of two-time Olympian, National Champion, and current US Ski Team Coach Pete Vordenberg. A frequent and popular contributor to ski magazines, Vordenberg ably narrates his life in skiing from his youthful efforts to his adult accomplishments around the world. More than a simple chronicle of obstacles and accomplishments, Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream is an engaging read that covers Vordenberg's attitudes, aspirations, and motivations. Adeptly written with personal candor and a flair for narration, this engaging personal memoir is informative, entertaining, and occasionally inspiring. If you've ever strapped on a pair skis and dreamed of Olympic Gold, then you will want to read Pete Vordenberg's Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream!

I'll admit that I'm biased, just like an earlier reviewer, because I've ridden with and consider Timm a friend. However, I've got to take issue with a reviewer who lightly criticized this book as being lacking for a "newbie flatlander."

In his Introduction, Timm makes no bones about the fact that "This book is about singletrack: twisty hardpack, slaloming through trees and roots and rocks, rising through heartbreaking climbs, and descending in sometimes frightening fashion."

I applaud the newbie flatlander for taking a mountain biking vacation. Really, I do. I think it's the coolest thing, and I hope he takes more of them. But most people who take mountain biking vacations ARE people who are looking for trails like the ones in this book. And we can't change the landscape here in western NC...the fact of the matter is we have a lot of up and down, a lot of rocks and roots, and we usually get a lot of rain. If we want easier riding, we either stick to the fire roads or we travel somewhere in the eastern half of the state.

This book has what so many guidebooks lack: personality. The reason it's a great book is because Timm makes the trails seem, on paper, almost as much fun as they are on your bike. I've owned this book for a few years, and it never fails to snap me out of my doldrums when I can't decide where to ride. Just open a page, read the description, and I'm ready to go! I may even go ride Kitsuma today...

I bought this book to assist with planning for a trip to the Mt. Pisgah region.

POSITIVES: The writing was in a fairly entertaining style, and the trail descriptions and maps had lots of details.

NEGATIVES: There was no flow in the Mt. Pisgah section--the trails weren't arranged in sequence, neither by location nor by difficulty. Also, there were precious little recommendations for newbie flatlanders such as my son and I. The author seemed more interested in reporting his own experiences than in considering the needs of all his potential readers.

The book's OK, but I would only recommend it as an adjunct to the excellent "Western NC: Pisgah" book by Jim Parham.

Although it is dated, and trails have changed since 2003 this book remains a must for NC bikers for its range of trails, readability, elevations. Sets a high standard for mountain biking books. Trails range from easy to hard. If I were to buy one book for NC trails this would be the one hands down.

I found this book to be a real comfort to my coming vacation.

The trail discriptions are right on, along with the Elevations made my selections easy. I can't wait to spend a week in the mountians of Northern Carolina..

If you're going to mountain bike N.C. you need to own this book. It's easily the best one I own. The maps, directions, and charts are great and easy to follow. The rides are varied with all skill levels included. And this guy Muth has a great writing style, loaded with pesonality. My only suggestion is that he includes Dupont when he revises. Thanks Timm!

This book does a great job of taking you into the lives of people who live their passion for the great outdoors on a daily basis. The photos are outstanding...by renowned adventure photographer Corey Rich.

Buy it for all of your friends and family.

Corey's show about making this book rocked, I just loved the diversity of the athletes profiled, in particular Jeff Lowe, who shared at a book signing that his photo shoot for the book may have been his last ice climb. The book shows so many cool places to explore throughout the US. Jason and Corey pay great homage to each athlete's passion for being outside in nature, often instilling the same values in their children. Outdoor sports are a tremendous highlight of life for so many people and this is explored very well. Definitely made me reflect & feel good about my choices. I wish the book included even more stories. Great project!

Between the storytelling of Jason Paur and the beautiful photography of Corey Rich this book delivers on many levels. It is a staple on my coffee table, and I never tire of flipping through it.

The idea of the this book is so great i am surprised i haven't seen it done yet: find the best adventure athletes and interview and photograph them at their favorite places to play. The photography is awesome and the profiles do a great job of getting into the lives of the athletes. some of my favorite stories are of "the making of the book adventures" that show just how involved in the action the writer and photographer got. The stories of Corey getting airsick paragliding and getting talked into Base jumping by Shane McConkey and his girlfriend Kim are laugh-out-loud funny.

I became aware of this book on an Alaska Airlines flight where a few pages of it were featured in Alaska Air Magazine. I was so intrigued I had to run out and purchase a copy. The adventurous people the book focuses on are all very inspiring and interesting. As a "coffee table book", people will pick this up and not want to put it down. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in outdoor activities.