Recreation Books

I can't believe I missed out on this one as a child... but it's just as good coming to it as an adult. The perfect lazy Sunday afternoon book to read. Adults can also escape to the wilds of Lake Windemere (Lake District), to sail up the Amazon, do battle with pirates and search for buried treasure on Cormorant Island.

The year is 1929 and story is about four children - John, Susan, Titty and Roger (in age order) - who are holidaying on the shores of Lake Windemere with their mum and baby sister, Vicky. The children are an adventurous lot and love sailing in their boat, the Swallow. Towards the end of their holiday they persuade their mum to allow them on an adventure for a week. They're allowed to sail across to the island not far away and make camp there by themselves.

This is a great adventure for these intrepid explorers. They discover a retired pirate, camp, bathe in the lake, fish and cook for themselves, and are threatened by a rival group of bandits, the Amazons (otherwise known as Nancy and Peggy). All in all a great week of fun and adventure is had by all - brilliant to read about, although there are very few children who'd be allowed to do this now! Inspired by the author's own childhood holidays at the south end of Coniston in the Lake District.

This wonderful book was written about 75 years ago, but is still extremely popular today. It is ageless. I first read it as a nine or ten year old and have read it several times since then. The last time I read it I was in my late 50s or early 60s. Every young person should enjoy it immensely as a fictional story. But there are many moral and ethical issues that are slyly inserted into this novel. The biography of the author and how he came to write this book, which was the first in a series of 9 or 10 novels, is a fascinating story in itself.

The Swallows and Amazons series was one of my favorites when I was a child. The story, set in the Lake District of England where Wordsworth and other great poets grew up, is a gentle adventure tale about children camping out on an island and rigging a little sailboat. It is slower paced than children are used to today. But I think a sensitive boy or girl would find it reassuring that the children solve their own problems of navigation etc.

While it didn't bother me as a child that the language was distinctly British, as I'd been prepared by the Winnie the Pooh stories, and Wind in the Willows, I would recommend Swallows and Amazons as a bedtime story to be read aloud by an adult reader. The reader could then explain the language. A map of the UK would help too, as the story is set in the Lake District.

An adult storyteller might be interested in a biography of the series author, Arthur Ransome, who led an adventurous life - including work in the Soviet Union and marriage to a Russian woman.

Enchanting
It's hard to explain what makes this book so charming: The writing, the way the children and their relationships with each other are shown so clearly and believably, the very real adventures they have, the sense of place....but listing those traits doesn't do the book justice. It's also really funny in places! Ransome creates a world that is clearer and lighter and more enchanting than the one most of us live in -- but he's also written a realistic book. The Lake District DOES look the way he describes it, and there could be children like the Swallows and their friends the Amazon pirates.

The books are for all ages, and I think they are also inspiring and a good influence! They make me want to have adventures -- and they encourage parents by example to let their children have them. The parents in the books are responsible, teach their children well -- and allow them to adventure on their own. They can do that because they've taught the children to have good judgment and be responsible.

Arthur Ransome's own favorite in the series was WINTER HOLIDAY, which I also loved. Once the original characters leave the series, it loses its interest (for me, anyway) -- children who enjoyed the first books will also probably like Blow Out the Moon by Libby Koponen and all the E.Nesbit books.

About 60 years ago I read as many books from this series that I could find in my local public library. I had passed through a phase of devouring the Dr. Doolittle fantasy series (so damaged by the motion pictures using that title - how could they cast tall lanky Rex Harrison in the role of a short cuddly grandfather-like figure?) Another series in which, as an American boy fascinated by warplanes during the Worl War II era - I went on to become an aerospace engineer - I was enthralled, was "A Yank in the RAF", which I don't think would translate to the 21st Century very well. But the series that made the most impact on me was Ransome's Swallow family. As with Hugh Lofting's Doolittle, the author's drawings enhanced the books.

I have not visited there yet but I plan on touring Britain's Lake District (I don't think I was cognizant of where the tales took place, except I knew the children were British. They liked to drink ginger beer; in the US we had a ginger ale drink, but not ginger beer and I was curious to have some.) I have long wanted to live somewhere that would allow me to experience the thrill of mastering the small sailing boats of the story. The closest I came was living near the Pacific in California and near the Potomac River. But the boats in those regions were larger and not terribly accessible. I did go sailing with friends and tried to sail on my own in a marina with a rented boat (a too narrow and crowded venue for a novice just learning to tack and unfamiliar with how to dump wind from the sail when being carried in the wrong direction.) I have gotten to taste ginger beer. I have also used the children's means of including coded messages in their letters in the form of dancing stick figures around the page's margin (the secret was to ignore other parts of the figures and concentrate on the positions of the arms, which were standard semaphore code.) I introduced the code to one of my daughters when we were in the "Indian Princesses" organization. (Is the name and programs of that organization offensive to American Indians? I'm sure its founders weren't sensitive to the fact that American Indians still existed.)

I will introduce this series to my precocius 6 year old grand daughter when I think she is ready.

Outstanding text, very clear. VERY inspirational. Goes into background of material and deep insights into Mindfullness, meditation. Immensely spiritual.

Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness is well worth the time it will take to absorb its pages. When applying these principles to your daily life you will discover the profound effects yoga can have, not just through physical discipline, but mental, emotional, and spiritual effects as well.

This is an excellent book.

-SP. Amherst, MA

this is the third copy i have bought to give to a friend.
i am a yoga and meditation teacher. i also suggest erichs book to my students. i really think you can put all other yoga books aside and i really like many of them, but the way erich writes you can feel the poses.the last chapter on meditation is the very best.
read every word and go out into the world and do every word.
this is the only meditation book you will need. you can relate so simply to his real approach. i think he should publish the meditation chapter on its own.

I am disappointed in this book. I was expecting a book which takes you right into practicing Yoga but the first Chapter is all about the author's youthful years in England and India. Then the next Chapters are on meditation. I got bored and put it down and haven't picked up it since.

This book is definitely for advanced students. My daughter loves it because she is 18 and can more easily twist herself into a pretzel than I could ever dream of. Eric is amazing and if nothing else, I look at this book periodically for the WOW factor and keep dreaming that some day I'll be able to do these postures.

Veryyyyyy good information... Has both mental and physical approaches to the game! Definately a good buy!

For young and inexperienced players, Ted Williams' name may no longer hold the magic it did when I was growing up and playing baseball. But most of us "old-timers" will still remember that Williams was the last professional ball player (in the MLB) to hit over .400 for a full season. So when my Little League aged son was struggling a bit at the plate a season ago, I broke out my copy of Williams' The Science of Hitting to look for some kernel of wisdom that would help my son get out of his slump.

But, the first line in the book is an admonition that today's best hitters fail more than they succeed "...even if you're a .300 hitter...you are going to fail at your job seven out of ten times." This statement is at once encouraging as well as discouraging. That is hitting in a nutshell (triumphant in success yet unbelievably humbling and potentially discouraging in failure) and any good player will need to remember that success as a ball player is measured a bit differently.

The admonition out of the way, Williams' book splits the topic of hitting up into two basic parts--first, the physical mechanics involved in hitting; second, the mental duel taking place between the batter and pitcher.

Much of what is written in the book is the result of Williams' conversations with great hitters of the past. As a result, much of the advice in the book is shared in the form of readable anecdotes, which make the book easy to read and enjoyable for baseball aficionados as well -- where else are you going to learn about Harry Heillman's philosophy of hitting?

One of the primary keys to Teddy Ballgame's success was his swing. The best "old-time" hitters (and Williams was certainly one of them) had a nearly a flat swing plane, flat wrist-roll and a low, rather than high finish. Most of today's hitters' display an upper cutting arc and high finish to their swings. Yet, in the "dead ball" the old-timers managed to wrack up nearly as many homeruns but had much higher batting averages and strike-out to hit ratios. This ended up being the clincher for me. I noticed immediately that my son had started trying to uppercut the ball so he could hit more homeruns (after hitting his one in his first at-bat of the season).

We started working on having him hit line drives and sure enough he raised his average from .175 to .403 by the end of the season. Then this season he kept the swing we worked on and ended up hitting .390+, but also leading the league in home runs, finishing with 22 (including 6 in the post-season).

The other thing that Williams writes (which is often misinterpreted) is that he'd never swing at a pitch he hadn't seen before. Often time people will swear (incorrectly) that Williams never swung at a pitcher's first pitch. Williams was, if nothing else, a student of the game. He intently studied pitchers watching them warm up, watching them from the on-deck circle and mentally replaying previous at-bats in his head. When he stepped into the batters box he had a game plan and he had a good understanding of what a pitcher threw and when. My son used this part of Williams' game as well and it was fun to watch him "studying" the opposing pitchers.

Thank you Ted Williams! My son, whose name is Theodore William by the way, earned the nickname "Teddy Ballgame" from his coaches and teammates as well.

Williams text in The Science of Hitting is accompanied by the wonderful pen and ink illustrations of Robert E. Cupp. These drawings and other explanatory photographs to help illustrate the points Williams is trying to make and really enhance the book.

If you are a player, coach or just a parent wanting to help your son or daughter improve their game, this book is a must have!

I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE READ THIS WHEN I WAS LOANED A COPY FROM HIGH SCHOOL COACH - UNFORUNATELY I NEVER GAVE IT BACK, UNTIL NOW - BUT I DID SHARE IT WITH MY COUSINS AND THEN SONS AND DAUGHTERS - AND NEPHEWS - ALL TO FANTASTIC RESULTS...THIS IS THE HITTERS GUIDE BY THE GREATEST HITTER OF ALL TIME...THANK YOU TED WILLIAMS - AGAIN AND AGAIN...

Nice read, talks about a ton of ideas for hitting better, have used some of them, and have noticed improved power to the opposite field.

Ted Williams was the second best player of all time, anytime he speaks or writes about baseball, it's in your best interest to soak up the info.

This book, along with "The Art of Hitting .300" by Charlie Lau, simply belongs on every ballplayer and coaches bookshelve. This book is rather simple in format, yet loaded with subtle tips and techniques.

Are there books that may be better? Absolutley.

However, these two books are the foundation on which all others are built.

If you dont own it, buy it!

If you love the game of tennis, you'll love Paul Fein's insightful comments on the game that fill this book. From the "look behind the curtain" that Paul provides in his interviews with Pete, Mac, Jimbo, etc., to the well thought out logic he applies to many of the current controversies of the game, you will find much interesting, amusing, and thought-provoking material in Tennis Confidential. Buy it!

Tennis Confidential is not an encyclopedia, but it IS encyclopedic. There's a lot of substance within its covers: player profiles, interviews, controversies, history, greatest matches, and even a brief history of racquet design.
Fein's passionate concern for the sport is evident throughout. He writes, "If tennis tries to be all things to all people, it will lose its brilliant uniqueness and end up being nothing much to anyone." His book, however, comes close to being all things to all tennis fans.

As Founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (IMGCA), I am always searching for new material, stories and background on sports psychology that I can bring to our members via articles, training programs and our IMGCA Certification programs.

I have followed Paul Fein's writing for years and have always been greatly impressed by his tennis acumen, his intellectual depth, and his writing style. He is one of the very best tennis writers being published today, and this book, Tennis Confidential, is no exception. This is a superb addition to the tennis literature, and one you will want on your bookshelf.

Paul's in-depth analysis of the social context of tennis is remarkable, and I really appreciate his engaging interviews with tour players that reveal the hidden mental dimension.

This book has appeal to all tennis players. I highly recommend this book for players, coaches, teachers, parents and officials.

As a former coach of several world-class players and also former National coach for the French, Swiss and Hellenic tennis Associations, I most appreciated the originality and expertise in Tennis Confidential. Pro tennis has plenty of controversies about on-court coaching, the scoring system, equal prize money, ranking systems, doubles reforms, the service let, etc. The essays analyze them with more thoughtfulness and fairness than I've seen before. Your opinions about certain issues will undoubtedly change after you read these essays. Interviews and features with Agassi, Serena Williams, McEnroe, Ashe, Navratilova, Borg, Sampras and other champions are also eye-openers. History fans will definitely enjoy the six retrospectives and the 10 greatest matches. On a light note, everyone will have fun with "True Confessions" and the amusing and sometimes shocking trivia that is sprinkled throughout the book. Several of the articles received writing awards. This is a book you will want to read and re-read.

As a tennis fan, especially in a family with few tennis fans, I enjoy reading outside material about the game. Not tips on playing, but about the pros, especially stories, history, analysis, etc. So I figured this book would fit right in with my appetite, especially from the subtitle, 'players, matches, and controversies.' I was right!



Tennis Confidential contains all of this and more! I was excited to read about events that happened before I was around, and also enjoyed reading about events that happened while I was around, and Fein brought a fresh and inside perspective to dozens of topics. Chapters I particularly enjoyed include the Burning Issues section, in which Fein examines modern topics like power, blacks' domination, new stats, and more; Controversies, with topics such as equal prize money, women's tennis superiority, the let rule, and more; and all time top 10 matches, with many surprises, but deep analysis.



No wonder my 2nd favorite sport is baseball. Both it and tennis, my favorite, invite analysis, discussion, controversy, have rich histories, and no clock. Reading this book allows me to appreciate the game more, want to discuss it more, and proud to be a tennis fan.
Plus, the author is very friendly and happy to discuss his work. I met him at a tournament, and we took a picture together.

The author did what many of us hikers, adventurers do not dare to do.
Tired of his 8-5 job he decided to hike the whole lenght of Appalachian Trail. At that time he had well paid job wife and children. Was his trip a form of middle age crisis? Possibly. But the trip beats getting a sports car, boat or a hair transplant.

The book is well written. It reflects the atmosphere of famous AT very well. It provides vivid description of people, small towns, small hostels with dedicated people running them. It also provides reader with honest facts about glory and guts of long distance hiking.

Read it. You will enjoy it.

I have read multiple books about thru hiking the Appalachian Trail and this one is the best so far. While some good tips are shared, this is not a how to hike the AT book. This book was about the thru hike itself and the writer's associations with other hikers, trials on the trail, and memorable moments on the trail. While reading I got the feeling that the author was being brutally honest about the entire experience and what he was feeling thru the entire hike. An excellent read for anyone who has or is considering a thru hike on the AT.

I picked this book up both for entertainment and because I was interested in learning more about the experience of thru-hiking the AT. Satisfaction was delivered on both fronts. The author provides just enough detail that you're there with him on the trail, while not boring you with constant day to day information which could get tedious. This is not a book for planning a hike, however is still a useful read for anyone who may be toying with the idea.

I won't pretend to know what it's like to be on the trail for 6 months and 2173 miles, but at the end of the book I felt a sense of not wanting it to end. When AWOL speaks of his longing and loss in the months following his hike the reader feels a similar nostalgia. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to spark their sense of adventure.

I've read almost a dozen books on thru-hiking the AT and this is simply the best. Honest and real in his actions and thoughts- AWOL represents the best you will ever encounter on the AT.

This book is very well written and gives great insight into the motivations and commitment that that form the basis for undertaking this incredible journey.

I highly recommend this book for hikers and non-hikers alike.

A very colorful look at Mt. Everest from the Imax Everest expedition. Much better than the Imax movie itself, compelling images interspersed with informative commentary and history from a number of writers.

Compared to Everest: Summit of Achievement this is a lightweight introduction. Yes, you will want to own this and read it more than once. Yes, it's better than the Imax Everest movie (not saying much). Unfortunately this book shares some of the superficial qualities the Imax movie had. The editors would have done well to drive their razor-sharp crampons a bit more forcefully into their subject matter, if you catch my drift...

This is another awesome book to show Mount Everest. If you like nice pictures of mountains(especially Mount Everest), this is the best.

As a former climber, I've always been fascinated by Everest. This is a wonderfully written and beautifully photographed account of the ill-fated assault on Everest that took a number of lives.
Especially sad, since as I was reading it yesterday, we got word of the death of Sir Edmund Hillary.

A stunning photo-journal of Everest, focusing on the tragic/heroic month of May 1996. Excellent narrative accompanied by fantastic photographs.

I bought this book for the photography alone: this is as close as I am ever likely to get to the Himalayas.

The photographs are spectacular, and I can see why so many people are challenged to want to make the journey to Base Camp if not further. Appearances can be deceptive: beautiful colour photographs portray a seemingly benevolent picture of Everest which is quite at odds with reality.

Recommended for those with an interest in the Himalayas as well as to those who admire beautiful photography.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Every boat owner who plans on doing work on their boat should have a copy of this book. You will be able to do the work correctly the first time and fix what was done before you. Just an incredible reference.

Green horn or old salt, this book is an absolute must have for those among us who take pride in having boat grime under our fingernails. Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual covers well everything that makes the power and sailboat tick. Even if a topic encountered is beyond the reader's skill or comfort level, the knowledge gained through study of this manual give a foundation for understanding and measuring basic standards of quality and workmanship when, Heaven Forbid, you must pay someone else to make things right with your boat. I highly recommend this book to anyone who's boat is more than a floating cocktail lounge.

I have a 1987 Catalina 30 sailboat with a diesel engine. I wish I had purchased a copy of this book six years ago when I bought my boat. I might have saved hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars in yard bills by doing more of the work myself with the help of this book. I have the 2nd Edition published in 1995. I think it is well organized, well written, and I find the illustrations to be clear. A friend of mine purchased the 3rd Edition, which has updated information, particularly on electronics. However I am extremely satisfied with the 2nd Edition for my needs.

No this is not a book for inland gas boats! This is a book for ocean going vessels. Both power and sail. I have cruised on a 28' Columbia (outboard) and a 41' Islander Freeport (perkins). It was a *must have* with the Cruising Handbook in 4 years of full time cruising. [...] Fairwinds!

This is the second Nigel Calder book I own, and I am even more impressed. I am an ASA-certified instructor qualified to teach through bareboat chartering and coastal navigation. I have sailed on all sorts of boats, have owned a cruising style boat for six years, have heard boat owners and students complain about various problems, have read dozens of books, and through all of this have experienced so many mysteries related to corrosion, electrical problems, equipment problems, and issues with various boat systems. For the first time, I feel I have a single reference manual specific to boat systems that not only provides clear troubleshooting steps but goes beyond troubleshooting to clearly explain the mechanical and physical principles that demystify why things go wrong and how the troubelshooting steps systematically work through problems. The explanations are understandable, the instructions and safety tips are effective, and the diagrams and photos are valuable. It has already helped me deal with a grounding problem that was causing our main cirvruit breaker to trip!

this is the one. In my opinion, this is the only book you will need. Whether just starting out or a seasoned bodybuilder, this great book puts it all together. Sure there are hundreds of books out there all touting the latest routine or supplementation but Dave Draper plows through all that and gets down to the tried and true facts. His writing style is unique, refreshing, down to earth and motivational. The bodybuilding bug bit me at around age 15. I wish this book was around then as it would have saved me so much time and heartache. Not only is Dave Draper a great bodybuilder, (yup that's present tense for you yougins that think once one stops competing they aren't a bodybuilder anymore) but he's an all around great guy. I "met" Dave many years ago when I stumbled across his website, [...]. I was in a place in my life that needed some bodybuilding direction big time. Due to life circumstances, I let training take a back seat. Dave was kind (and wise) enough to teach me it was ok to get back on the horse after falling off. It's so easy to let life get in the way and make excuses. Buy the book, read it and get going!

Rick Fingerman, CFP(r)

Decades ago I saw on TV the movie Don't Make Waves, and I remembered Tony Curtis's foil the great beast of a man, blond and mostly mute, when the luminous James Wolcott linked to a literate and aging body builder in a blogpost this year.
And so they are the same. This warm and wise book is a great encouragement to those of us whose bodies need the stress of physical work to maintain health and joy.
Part technical guide, part moral guide, part memoir, the Bomber's book is still a whole work and for me it lifts the strange sport of body building, sans steroids, up on Dave's big back to a new level of respect. Highly recommended.

Both informational and inspiring, this book from a veteran bodybuilder will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about the sport.

The most useful part of this book is the advise about how to train around injury and over training. This is what happens when yer an old geezer and want the 18 year old body. I'm 59, and actually don't look like I'll be dead in 13 years. Thank you Dave.

Draper has an odd writing style, but his stories are motivational and informational. Everyone who lifts should read this.

I have read it over 20 times and am still learning from it as well as most of my buddies who have read it. It makes you a better snow goose hunter.

The book helped me a lot this spring. I got a lot more snow geese using the information and tactics suggested in this book.

The book helped me last Fall and this Spring. I got a lot more snow geese because of it.

There were so many good things in this book that helped me become a better snow goose hunter.

For the inflated price, this book was a total disappointment. The author deals EXCLUSIVELY with the Mississippi/Central flyway, and spends a great deal of time speaking of specific areas in this region. This large portion of a VERY SMALL (8" X 6", large type, barely over 100 pages), outdated book was of zero use to a snow goose hunter from Maryland. As far as decoy types and placement, the author only reiterated what I'd already gleaned from magazines over two years (and that wasn't much). I will be returning this book, the first time I've ever returned anything to Amazon.com.

I bought this book due to the highly rated feedback that it received and have not been disappointed. I am in the market for my very first horse and was looking for any training information that I could get my hands on. Clinton's book gives actual exercises that can be done and shows what to expect when done correctly. He took 2 people and their horses and worked with them and documented the results. This is excellent for a beginner and I will purchase any other books that Clinton writes.

I consistently rely on the reviews of others on Amazon, so I decided to place a review on this book, and other Clinton Anderson items. I am considered a "green rider". I also fit the demographic for the growing horse industry - woman, over 35, etc. More importantly, I have a PASSION for horses. I had researched several other clinicians in the area of Natural Horsemanship. It appears they all have something to offer. However, the three key elements that drew me to Clinton are is abiliy to communicate, his focus on safety, and gaining RESPECT from your horse. I am not opposed to Pat Parelli, but for a green rider like me, I do not think the focus should be on playing games.
Through this book, I have learned very critical basics, like where to stand with a horse, how humans act as predators, and horses are prey animals, that horses have "two brains", and most important, the one rein stop.
I have a fifteen year old quarter horse that had one speed GO. Truthfully, with being a green rider, I was afraid to ride her. So, I decided to follow the steps in the book...from square one. We focused on Backing Up, Yielding the Hindquarters, and a lot of Desensitizing...all stuff I had NO IDEA about - I just thought I could improve my riding and she would be a better horse. Well, now I wiggle the rope and she backs up! I can throw the rope around her, over her, you name it and she stands there. And she does the one rein stop! So now, my horse that had only one speed of go, is doing great on the trail - walking.
I would encourage this book, as well as other items by Clinton if you are new to riding, have been riding all of your life, or maybe returning to riding. You will find Clinton very easy to understand, he does not make his techniques complicated. Instead, he will say, "Pull the rope to the seam of your jeans." Yes, I get that!
I think this book would also make a great gift for anyone who has a horse, or is interested in buying a horse. Happy Trails!

Clinton Anderson has a way of making things easy to follow and explains the reasoning behind the ground work that he does. I like his no nonsense approach in working with horses. He takes you step by step through the lesson, answers what if questions, and talks you through other problems that may arise from the horse and the person working with it. I found his book to be simple, easy to understand, and once you get the hang of the basic concepts of what you're working towards, quite effective.

This book is great at illustration. I have a new horse that is only 5 yrs old and these techniques are working great. The book is very easy to follow and it totally helps to read each section over and over until you get it down. He gives do's and don't's and classic mistakes etc which help you to fine tune your technique because you know what mistakes to watch for in yourself.

I just received the book and am still reading it. I really like how he explains the lesson then has 2 students add their comments after their training session with Clinton. I find this helpful as it gives me insite how I might come across a problem similiar to theirs when I start my program.