Recreation Books

This book is a great read for anyone who is a student of life, not just of a martial art. It is philosophical, historical, and somewhat autobiographical in nature, and its lessons can apply to everyday life. I found the short chapter entitled "YU" or "Bravery" particularly relevant and moving to me personally.

Peter writes that "There is a grace, a depth and a character to the movement of the expert, akin to the fit of a well-broken pair of boots." Peter personifies this. He seems to glide gracefully through life. He is always the gentleman; always the master willing to lend his hand and expertise to the willing and eager student. At times, even in his own well-worn pair of boots! It is an honor to know a man of his character.

....ask those who have gone before. Sometimes, I struggle to blend eastern thought with everyday western living. Peter Hobart helps by taking years of experience and distilling it down to an essence over a few pages. Pick out either an idea or concept listed, and gain a new thought (or revisit an old one semi forgotten) to work on. Not just for the martial artist, also for those who wish to live, rather then exist.
The chapters may be thin, so what?! Never say in 300 words what can be said in 30.So, if you are wanting to stetch your mind, or just want a degree of clarity in everyday living, then perhaps this is the book for you.

I found this book to be an interesting read. It is divided into five sections, each containing 10 short commentaries about different subjects which are applicable to the martial arts. Each new commentary is accompanied by interesting quotes which introduce the commentary's theme. While this is not my favorite book on martial philosophy at all, it is worth while and it is an interesting read. It is well done and well organized. I think that you will find it enjoyable and be able to pull a few gems from the pages of Kishido.

Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

This collection of short stories is very philosophical and eclectic spanning a wide range of topics that all have to do with personal growth. The story Ihtaram: A Civil Code takes place takes decades ago on the Arabian Peninsula. The author incorporates Bushido principles as he tells of a good host allowing a murder to happen rather than violate the code of hospitality. The point of this extreme story is to show that the host chose to find resolution by working within the mandated code. I don't exactly agree with this viewpoint but the story was intriguing. I also loved the calligraphy and the quotations.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Kishido: The Way of the Western Warrior" by Peter Hobart. The book can be read pretty quickly. It contains 50 short chapters in 161 pages and then includes a short Glossary of Japanese terms used in the book as well. While the chapters are short, the contain some very important lessons.

The book is a series of lessons that Hobart's martial art master passed to his students while not only teaching martial arts, but teaching virtues embedded in all traditional martial ways. The instructor taught through example that conduct is just as important as ability. He exemplified integrity, dignity, courtesy, chivalry, truth, trust, benevolence, and wisdom. He passed these lessons to his students, and now Hobart has written them down so the reader can blend the philosophical and spiritual concepts found in martial arts with the physical and technical training of their specific art.

The lessons include:

Part I: Foundation

1. Kishido The Way of the Western Warrior
2. Bumon Lineage
3. Shoshin An Open Mind
4. Junshin A Pure Heart
5. Fudoshin A Determined Spirit
6. Ihtaram A Civil Code
7. Enkyoku The Winding Way
8. Ganshiki Insight
9. Discretio Mater Virtutis Restraint
10. Noblesse Oblige Obligation

Part II: Range

1. Bangei Versatility
2. Bunbuichi Sword and Brush
3. Bokuden, Ima Anachronism?
4. Koji The Master Texts
5. Nihongo The Lingua Franca
6. Shika, Doka, Renga Expression
7. Heiho Strategy
8. Koan Mumonkan
9. Kanpo Healing
10. Garyotensei The Eyes of the Dragon

Part III: Strategy

1. Yohei Mercenaries and Merchants
2. Gi Right Decision
3. Yu Bravery
4. Jin Benevolence
5. Rei Right Action
6. Makoto Truth
7. Meiyo A Matter of Honor
8. Chugi Loyalty
9. Ichigo, Ichie The Power of One
10. Hanare Time to Let Go

Part IV: Harmony

1. The Dao Interconnectedness
2. Docere Versus Ducere Instructors and Educators
3. Primum Est Non Nocere First Do No Harm
4. Chaqun A Son Gout Horses for Courses
5. Shojin Demagogues and Curmudgeons
6. Stare Decisis Tradition
7. Girei Professional Courtesy
8. Kiki Opportunity
9. Kouhei No One is Above the Law
10. Tatsutoriatowonigosazu Leave Things a Little Better Than You Found Them

Part V: Void

1. Kotan Elegant Simplicity
2. Heisei Serenity
3. Fuga Refinement
4. Enryo Reserve
5. Panache A White Plume
6. Gyakute The Unexpected
7. Hokosaki Advance and Be Recognized!
8. Okunote The Other Hand
9. Matsunen The Final Days
10. Renzoku Passing the Torch


As you can see, there are quite a few topics with quite a range of lessons. I think some of the most important are illustrated in the final chapter, those of gi, yu, jin, rei, makoto, meiyo, and chugi; or Right Decision, Bravery, Benevolence, Right Action, Truth, Honor, and Loyalty.

The book is full of stories and examples of how the master not only taught the lessons, but lived them as well. I'll say again, you can read through this book quite quickly, but it will mean more if you savor each lesson and look to see if you are applying it to your own life. I know I related many of the lessons to teachings that I've had from my instructors and I looked for ways that I could better live by the code outlined in this book to make me a better teacher as well. I hope to be an example of these traits to my students also, and I truly believe if you are going to teach someone skills that can hurt or kill someone, you must also instill the positive character traits so that person will only use those skills if necessary and will never misuse the teachings.

I highly recommend this book. I believe the teachings Hobart has shared from the wise master will enhance your own martial art journey.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

I put off writing a review on this book for a long time,...Since Mr. Wu is my teacher. I did not want anyone to think I was Jumping on the band wagon, when this first came to Paperback, So I waited to review it.
So here it is:

This book is probably the most needed book on Kung Fu, Gong Fu, Shaolin.
It is HUGE,.....I mean HUGE!!
It just doesn't get any better than this book.
This book is "SO" worth the money that it is ALMOST OBSCENE!!!
Buy it, I guarantee you will not regret it.

Very detailed book, exellent reference material, as well as gives some insites into different styles.I am very happy with it and it has helped me already. Highly recomended to anyone intrested in the martial arts of this type.

This book does not illustrate the visually captivating "flowery fist" kung fu often seen in the movies. It really addresses the root elements of kung fu.Not only does it cover the fighting elements but also the fitness and spiritual aspects as well. This is a must have for anyone interested in martial arts.

I think this is one of the most complete book on Wushu that I've came across.
It contains information on warmups, techniques, sanshou, chin na, and chi kung.
The appendix at the end of the book was very informative. It provides information about many of the Wushu figures and styles.
The only thing I was unclear on is how to actually apply the wushu techniques from forms in free sparring or fight. It seems that there is a disconnect between the techniques used in the forms and the techniques used in Sanshou. The technique used in Sanshou looked more like a combination of Kickboxing and throws or even jeet kune do.
Maybe for many people, it questions the usefulness of learning technique used in forms other than for training movements and calesnetics.

This volume is nothing but great. It covers all the things you'll need for your wushu training and is crammed with loads of extra information about styles, people, weapons and more.

I especially like the fact that it stresses jibengong, the fundamental excercises of wushu, and not taolu (form). The sanda applications are well explained and covers a lot of ground. A little bit more fighting strategy and tactics would be a good thing though. The explanations and presentation of neigong, the internal martial arts, are also very good. I think that neigong and qigong have to be felt and describing them in words is an impossible task that nobody ever will be able to do well, but Shou Yu Liang does a good job none the less. The glossary in the end is very impressive indeed. It has a LOT of entries of which many are illustrated. Very well.

My only real criticism of the work is that I don't think it covers wushu history well enough. It's too much of a runthrough and dosen't really give any in-depth information. It is a subject that is very dear to me so I guess I'm biased on that point. Also their explanation of the character wu (as in wushu)is not satisfactory. There are generally two mainstream theories in linguistic circles of the original meaning of the word (the most popular by far is Berhard Karlgrens) none of which is the one presented in this volume.

However, that is only a tiny complaint and it dosen't alter the fact that this is a very impressive book. It truly IS the best book on wushu in English. I live and train traditional wushu in Beijing and have trained for some 8-9 years. I am of the opinion that wushu cannot be learned from a book, no matter how good it is, but it can definitely help you improve and clarify things for you. This book is a very good reference, especially for beginners, but also for the advanced student. It offers a lot of information and is WELL worth the price.

Rick Reilly has a unique gift for communicating his humorous tales. Thumbs up.

Every Thursday I check the mailbox when I get home, see my Sports Illustrated, and go straight for the back page so I can read Mr. Reilly's column. There is a reason he has been named Sportswriter of the Year so many times, he is simply the best. Reilly writes about the humorous, the sad, and the ironic of sports. I laughed at why he hates the Yankees so much, and almost bawled when reading about the Columbine teacher who gave his life for his students. I do some writing myself and even in my dreams I am not half as good as Mr. Reilly is, and never will be. If you are a fan of good, solid writing, pick this book up and read it over and over again.

There are serious columns in the book. The humorous ones are what made me read the book again. The chapter on the Olympics is the funniest thing I have ever read. Anyone who thinks Reilly is boring has no sense of humor.

Nobody writes about sport like Reilly. This is a great collection of his Sports Illustrated pieces. If you are a fan of sports journalism, this is a must read for you.

I had the privilege of being interviewed several times by Rick when I was a high school track athlete and he was a young flip-flop wearing sports writer for the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, Colorado earning his stripes covering high school sports. Even way back then it was obvious that he enjoyed sports writing and it came as little surprise to see him eventually end up as SI's most notable writer. This collection of some of his best (but not all of his best) SI columns is a gem. Not all are "laugh out loud" humorous, but many are (a testament to his versatility as a writer). His postscript comments are also entertaining. After a thorough reading, this book is a keeper. I can't wait for Volume 2.

A great read! My 4 year old can now recite just about every page word for word. The main character is is a girl so the story line promotes equality!

Nice illustrations, good story with rhyme. Better for ages 6 and up probably.

Once again, you have sent a book that will also become my grandson's favorite reading. It is a pleasure ordering books through this website.
Jan

Recommended to us by the PR staff at the Carolina Hurricanes and we love it!

This book is fun to read, cute artwork, with a lesson for all. My son enjoyed it very much and read it to his class for this birthday. Easy to read, fun to dream, easy for kids to connect.

I've been camping in Maine for a few weeks... Mainers expect you to have one of these. They say "get out your DeLorme's" not "do you have a map?" Some people I've met have pointed me to the right page without looking at the back.

The details in this atlas are great! All of Maine's public reserve land and campground are clearly marked. If you are trying to do some real camping in some remote areas, get this map. This is a must if you are going to be doing anything outdoors in ME. I never thought I'd say a map is fun to read.

After reading reviews on Amazon, I bought this book with a couple of others for my sister-in-law who moved to Maine. Within a week of moving to Maine, they got lost and used this atlas to find their way! They really like it.

This is the bible of maps of Maine. And most, if not all, other states have a version available. The first time you use it will probably make the purchase worthwhile.

If you like maps and spend any time in Maine hiking, paddling, or traveling backroads, you must have this. It is fun to study and indispensable for exploring Maine.

The detailed maps are great but guys...no use looking for a road map of Maine, I mean the whole state as it doesn't exist: incredible! so do order a map in addition!!

I love Jim Corbett, I don't know if any author is better at transporting you back in time & making you feel like you were there. A warning though, once you start reading a Jim Corbett book you will need to find more of his books they are addicting. Also you will be hard pressed to find stories as exciting. This book wasn't as good as Maneater's of Kumaon. If you haven't read any of his books start with that one.

Corbett is a natural writer and combines his knowledge of the jungle with uncanny hunting skills to give us one of the best Indian adventures ever written.

Reading his books is not just following a maneater with a gun - it is a journey into the days of the British Raj where you will be transported into the remote jungles of Northern India, read about the simple people and their unsophisticated lifestyle. There are no villians, no suspicious characters lurking around and nobody to provide humour. You just have village folk trying to eke out a living which is sometimes interrupted by a feline with a taste for humans.

This particular book is about one leopard which terrorised a large region for many years and claimed about 420 lives. To understand what these people must have felt, it must be noted that in those days there were no high security fences, no guns or any kind of technology to track the leopard. Yet the people had to enter the forest to earn their daily bread. There is an unforgettable chapter in the book titled 'Terror' which starts something like this:

'During the day, people went about their lives as usual. Trade and commerce, transport and all other transactions went about their normal way. But as evening approached, there was a marked change in their behaviour. Pilgrims rushed towards their night shelters, businessmen closed shops abruptly and people scurried towards their homes for relative safety. No curfew was more strictly imposed. No orders to remain indoors were observed as faithfully.'

This is one of the books which shows that for writing adventure you don't need weapons or FBI investigations. All you need is a writer with a big heart who loves what he is doing and knows what he is talking about.

If you like adventure literature, you should find this piece really wonderful. I read it while I was alone at home for a week and I started to "feel" leopards all aronud the house at night. Very well writen, hard to stop reading.

This book is available from the Oxford University Press website: http://www.oup.com/

I just purchased a new copy for 12.49 British pounds including shipping to the USA which is just over $21 USD (December, 2003) I don't know why the new/used books advertised on Amazon by private sellers are so expensive.

If it's anything like Corbett's "Man-eaters of Kumaon" it is a masterpiece.

Another excellent book from the corbett library. Its true that fact can be stranger than fiction. And no where is it more evident than in the story of the maneater of rudraprayag.

Corbett is out to kill this very clever and wily old leopard in the second half of the 1920's. The leopard is believed to have made its debut as a man-killer following the influenze outbreak of 1918. Corbett hunts this killer over two years. In an intense battle of nerves between the best shikari that ever was and the wily leopardus, corbett's life hangs by a thread many times. On one dark stormy night, robbed of his defenses, he makes his way back to the village after a failed attempt in an experience that he terms his scariest. Another time the leopard snatches a goat right under his nose and gives him a run for his money! All and many illustrations of man's utter helplessness when a clever maneater turns against him.

In the end, corbett suceeds in putting a bullet where it truly belongs - in the maneater - to end its career. In true corbett fashion he has a soft spot for the old dead leopard, which gave him such a sporty fight. I am sure they both met again in the happy hunting grounds!

A wonderful book by a wonderful man.

Michael Konik writes about golf as Emily Dickinson might have: with terse tenderness, through a quill of pliant steel. She would have noted the beetle scrambling out of the cup before her ball rattled in. She would have seen, in a five iron flying from the hands of the angry golfer on the south fairway, a metaphor of death in life or triumph in defeat. She would have asked if winning were "the only thing" decades before Red Sanders uttered the words or Vince Lombardi borrowed them, but without ever asking the question itself except through implication and indirection. She would have noted everything noteworthy in the only nine holes she ever played, and then reduced it to a phrase that floated up like monarch butterflies on a June thermal. She would have seen how one fine game--or one bad one--played with an old friend is a mirror held up to the world.

Dickinson was that good when the winds stirred the grass behind her home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Konik is that good when he totes a golf bag, heavy as a side of beef, for Jack Nicklaus, and then puzzles out nuanced truths of the experience for those of us who will never meet Nicklaus, or any of the golfing greats, except through a television screen.

I don't golf. It is a game of multiple demanding skills and attributes, of which I have none. "Nice Shot, Mr. Nicklaus" is, at least in part, a book for non golfers, such as the man with the physique of the skeleton hanging from a hook in the university's gross-anatomy class. I have that: the apparent lack of muscle, tendon, ligament or properly soldered nerves. My golf swing, as unpredictable as dice thrown on a fieldstone floor, makes dogs howl and Presbyterian caddies cross themselves. When my Titleist balls slice off the tee, men dive for the bunkers. As a teenager, I threw a driver through a plate glass window. I wasn't angry. I just didn't understand the grip. "Nice Shot" is for non golfers what Jon Krakauer's books on Mt. Everest are for flatlanders. Konik takes you there, be it a glorious course in Scotland or a cow-pie laden field in Wyoming. He stands behind you and wraps his arms around you and corrects your grip, stance, and balance. Mostly, though, he corrects your attitude. He whispers, "This is a lordly game, for ladies and gents. Be here now in body and soul. Smell the air and feel the smack at the end of the stick reverberate throughout the universe. Set an example of decorum for your children, and thereby teach them the essence of championship. Play in the Zen Master's Open, for it is open to all. Embrace your opponent whether you win or lose, as if they were the same event." And he spends much of the book explaining how they very nearly are. And the thing is, you come to believe it might even be true.

Konik has the ability to make a non golfer--and maybe even a golfer--believe he could actually discuss with Greg Norman, over a pint of Fosters lager, the advantages of graphite over steel. He worms his way into the hearts of those he interviews, and he permits a reader to imagine that his own heart might be shaped from the same warm clay. And be this the truth or merely the grand illusion of an extraordinarily deft writer really doesn't matter when you finally set the book on the nightstand, turn off the light, and dream of the skies over Augusta.

This is the man that flew to South Africa on the same plane as Bill Clinton, plays golf with the world's best players, was runner up in the world putting championships.... and .... took my money at Sun City.

Great book Michael... must be due another one soon? PW

What a fun book to read and what great little insights into the game and some of the people involved. The author did a great job in his "little stories" of some of the unusual things of golf - from the cow pasture open in Montana to golf in the Arctic Circle. This book is a keeper (as if I didn't have enough golf books).

Particularly nice is that the book it can be read story by story, so that you can enjoy each one separately from the rest. It's like a tapas lunch: accompanied by a nice glass of white wine, you can sip and enjoy the full flavor of each course. Get this book and enjoy.

Michael Konik weaves humor, insight, golf trivia, travel adventure and philosophy into a wonderful set of short stories. You don't have to play or even like golf to enjoy this collection of clever and witty observations about the game of golf and the people who play it. The "hero" of each story might be a world class pro, or a caddie. Konik's ability to capture the moment makes this book a joy to read.

Thanks Mike. Waiting for more.

Very enjoyable to read one chapter at a time. Like one nice golf hole after another. Funny, touching, educational. Any golfer you know will love this book. Looking forward to more.

I have previously spent a year living aboard a Hans Christian 38 on the west coast and in the Sea of Crortez. The sailing bug has hit me again and plan to get out again in a few years. This book rekindled knowledge that I already believed in and offered insights that I wish that I had had before. A true joy to read.

So many ideas, most will save you time, some safety tips could save your life.

I recommend this book to all novices and many experienced offshore sailors to prepare for the unexpected problems that you need to address or avoid especially when you are so exposed to the extremes of nature, and completely disconnected from any immediate help. Lots of good lessons learned and references.
Chris C.

This book looks disappointing at first because it is a thin expensive hardcover, but it is worth the money. There is very little fluff and the content is well structured and to the point. It covers most things necessary to prepare your boat for offshore sailing including tool lists, weight distribution, polars and VMG, secants and many other useful tips. Lots of pictures, tables and diagrams.

This is a very comprehensive book explaining what you need to know about offshore sailing.

This is a very helpfull read. In fact I have purchased three additional copies as presents for my playing partners. One has already told me it has straightened out his thinking on the game. I love it because of its straight up no bull dust approach. It is the best of my lavish collection of how to play or not to golf.

My pro told me he met Mr J. Flick during his stay in the U.S. and was immediately a fan of him. So if he thinks he's a wonderful teacher, why should I doubt?

I'm glad I bought the book for I went to the golfcourse to do my best, even better if possible. But it went all wrong. I read a lot about the golfswing, practised a lot of techniques and my play went down a bit every round I played.
Mr. Flick made me look with different eyes: first of all, it is a game, so play! Enjoy the game. How you played yesterday is not relevant and tomorrow is still to come. Concentrate on the next shot, forget the previous and don't worry what might happen on the next hole.

Practice with mechanics, do you exercises at the practiceground. Engrain you technique there. Let your body, muscles and mind experience how to move, to act and to react.
But on the playground you play by feel. Be yourself. Be your own driver and don't let someone else take the driver's seat of your mind. If you are wrong you will learn to do it better next time. If you are right, the great feeling is yours.

This book is not written as a teaching method. Of course there are hints, tips on how to practice. But not under pressure. It is up to the reader to react if he/she wants to do what he/she thinks is relevant to improve his/her game.
Only a man with a lot of experience can write a book like this. It reads like a fairy-tale or a book about a great adventure. I found a lot of things I already knew, but told so explicitly made me feel more confident and improved my game.

Peter van Wijck
vanwijckpj@zeelandnet.nl
332 CHurchilll Av
4532 ME Terneuzen
Holland

This book by Jim Flick puts the whole attitude of golfing in the right context. It's not about the perfect swing based on fundemantals we've heard about, read about, and seen forever, but rather finding the perfect swing -- the one most comfortable -- for you. No pressure of finding your game, it's about having fun at it, and working through your stumbling blocks. His approach is quite good. I can honestly say the recommendations I've incorporated have improved my game.

As someone only just starting out in the game, I found Jim Flick's book to be full of the kind of practical tips that you don't find in your typical golf magazine. Written in an easy-to-read engaging style, the book will be helpful to both the beginning and advanced golfer. Instructions are easy to understand. My only criticisim is that at the start of the book, he goes on a bit about "feel" and it gets a bit repetitive. Other than that, it'll be one of the best books you can buy on the subject of golf.

The other reviewers are full of it when they say no mechanics are in here. They're in here, but they are presented simply, so you will understand them. The vast majority of golfers need to get their bodies to calm down so they're arms and hands can swing the club. Go to any driving range in the world and you will see that most people heave, twist, turn, and flop all over the place with there bodies. Except on the PGA tour driving range. There you see economy of effort and very easy looking golf swings. Jim gives great drills for getting the body to calm down and feeling great mechanics. DO THEM and you will get better.

Jeff Richardson

There is a real scarcity of instructional golf books for lefties. I bought this book for my lefty wife and she loves it. The only thing that could be better would be a lefty golf book for women.

The book really helped me understand what is right about my golf swing and I like his simple teaching methods as I read through the rest of the book. I now take lessons from Steve which has really given me the correct foundaion to build a proper swing on. I have given this book as gifts and even though I am left handed (which less than 8% are, he can work his magic on the right hander also.) I highly recommend the book and if you live in the area go get some lessons.

Being a left-hander and a begining golfer, this book taught me several things to do to improve my game the first time I read it.

My husband who is right handed and an experienced golfer also improved his golf game. He passed on some of the information to his friend who is also a right handed golfer.

Received this book on a Monday and had to play in a tournament the very next day. After reading just the first 40 pages it became clear the mistakes I was making. Before the tournament I went to the driving range and practiced what I had read and just like that I was hitting the straightest shots I've ever hit. I can't wait to read the rest of it and watch the strokes disappear!! I applaud Steve Anderson for writing a book for lefties and I agree with him that lefties are still being left behind in the area of equipment. The golf stores around here offer very little in the way of equipment for us.

I have just recently completed 8 lessons with Steve Anderson and as part of his instrucution I was given his book. Steve
could not be any clearer about the golf swing than he is
within "On the Other Hand". This book shows you everything that is needed to build a solid golf swing. I am a 16 handicap and after being down in Flordia the last 5 weeks and studying under
Steve, I have had the 2 best rounds of my career in tournaments
82 - 86 . I have no one other than Steve to thank fo that. Buy the book, and more importantly get down here and take a lesson with him !!! The great thing is that Steve's instruction follows the book word for word, so even if you don't get a chance to come down and work on your swing in person, you can be guaranteed to feel like you're "almost there" when reading his book. THANKS STEVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!