Recreation Books

Joe Henderson & Joe Ellis do a fine job of covering just about every running injury humanly possible. Strengthening, stretching, proper technique, cautions, encouragement, this book includes it all. As a gravity-challenged strider, I personally consider this a valuable resource, and recommend it to anyone who walks, hikes, or runs.

If you run fewer than 30 miles a week, have never uttered the words "my coach" or "my physiotherapist," have never won more than a goodie bag at a 10k... in short, if you are a committed, non-elite, non-professional runner, this book is a must.

This is not to say that professionals won't benefit - they will. But for those of us who don't receive regular training-level medical attention, the great value of this book lies in its ability to clearly distinguish nagging pains that you can often home-treat from those that - even from the first twinge - signal something more serious. Add it to your running library.

If you are a runner for nontrivial amount of time, you are very likely to experience some sort of injury already. I did. And I hope I could have bought and read this book before I started running.

The book covers many common forms of injuries experienced by runners, and gives several treatments you can practice in home. Even if you do see a doctor later, the book is an excellent introduction to what happens to your injury so you can coordinate with your doctor in a more helpful way.

The book is written in a very plain and easy to follow way which is a big plus for non-medical background person like me.

I recommend this book to any runner. If you just start running or plan to run, buy and read this book. You won't regret it and could avoid many possible painful results.

I find that this book has been very helpful in my running and triathlon training. The first few chapters are very good, replete with some basic theory about running and remaining injury free.
The second third of the book is very informative regarding injuries and their treatment.
The last part of the book has great stretching exercises, and good information about how to stay injury free.
My only criticism of the book is based on a comment that my physical therapist had. I've recently had big problems with sprained ankles in both feet and receive physical therapy from a PT specializing in runners. I discussed the book and the chapter on ankles with her and she mentioned that the chapter only describes the author's success and that for every successful treatment outcome, there are lots of not-so-total successes. It would be helpful to understand both.
But overall, a worthy book to buy and read and re-read as the need arises.

Not only did this book manage to supply the info I needed in enough detail to be meaningful, particularly with the case studies, it was actually an entertaining page-turner. The author had such a human voice and managed to entirely avoid the tone of smarmy condescension that seems to be rampant in books of this sort. I was particularly won over by his willingness to even poke fun at himself as a case study. I certainly came away with a new respect for the field of podiatry in sports medicine.

John Lull is an excellent paddler and teacher, a combination that doesn't occur often. As the only core member of the Tsunami Rangers that paddles a decked(true)kayak, he lends a real, practical level of expertise to the science and execution of safety practices and rescue procedures. Unlike many other treatments of this subject, Lull looks at the big picture of hazards and conditions that can complicate recovery and rescue, rather than looking at the practices in a vacuum. Great photos give a real sense of progression to the rescue and recovery methods presented. These photographs are backed with well-written explanations that help paddlers choose and apply methods that appeal and apply to them. A really concise book that packs Lull's extensive experience and knowledge into a portable format, this is required reading for anyone venturing into water in a kayak.

This is the premier book on kayak safety for those venturing to the outer coast -- in my case for Alaska and BC coasts. It deals with rescues, rock gardens, breaking waves, surf landings etc. To the best of my knowledge, this book is the best of its kind.

Although there are a few similar books that focus on Sea Kayaking safety; this author's approach is my favorite. He approaches the subject from the perspective of managing risk rather than "being safe". In other words, he takes a real world approach to being out on the water where things are rarely "cut-and-dry". There are plenty of introductory level books, some with useful information for intermediate paddlers willing to look for it. Lull's work is clearly intended for the paddler who wants to develop their skills and "sea sense". I recommend this book to any intermediate sea kayaker.

A great comprehensive book about the skills required to safely Sea Kayak in just about any conditions. Well written, easy to follow explanations and pictures on the skills of rescues, rolling, strokes, "reading" the water and Weather, essential equipment....basically everything every kayaker needs to be safe on the water.

Novices and experienced kayakers will find valuable information in this book. Read through it in a few hours and can't wait to get out and practice!!

I am a new to kayaking with only beginning classes under my belt and 12 hours on mostly flat water. Living is the SF Bay area there is lots of water close at hand. Plenty of afternoon wind as well. As a newbie John Lull's book has been great. I really like how John breaks the water down into domains. As he goes through the characteristics of each domain he lists the "Skills Needed" to be successful in that domain. His first chapter "Building A Safety Foundation" has a great section on managing fear. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about the sport of sea kayaking. It is a must read. It's an enjoyable read as well.

Great book! I can't believe where those guys ski and they always look to control their skiing. Unbelievable photos. The content not extremely technique-oriented but still very useful and absolutely inspiring. Something in-between mountain novel and skiing manual.

I'm a see and learn type and have found that the vast majority of how to books for various sports are typically a waste of time. I purchased this book out of curiosity and on account of other reviews and I was not disappointed. It exceeded my expectations and I intend to take their clinics. A definite read for any advanced skier as they keep everything simple and are able to articulate their philosophy concisely.

Hi, my name is Pieter, I'm from the Netherlands. I am an intermediate skier who bought this book to get additional instruction on how to treat my skis in challenging circumstances. And yes, this book gives you most of the answers you need. Carving, steeps, powder and moguls are explained in a simple but very instructive way. The authors claim to be inspired, among others, by Harald Harb's teaching method. If you are not familiar with Harb's method, I doubt if you fully understand the meaning of all tips and tricks the DesLauriers brothers give you. Apart from that, it is a must read for all intermediate and near-expert skiers who are looking for a great ski companion.

Having read every respectable ski instruction book and watched every video available I highly recomend this book to every intermediate and above skier looking to advance. Actually beginners could profit also before the PSIA crowd confuses the simple tricks of skiing on the "new" skis. Skiing well means skiing in all snow conditions and on all types of terrain. As the Deslauriers explain,the same basic physical moves apply to all terrain and snow conditions. Read Chapter 1,then reread it. Do it again. Get it in your head and you'll raise your level several notches. This is the best instructional book in the ski world, bar none. When will they put it on video?
It is amazing that world famous extreme skiers can actually write coherently. (Was it ghostwritten?) Unlike the current crop of freeskiers, the bros. D. must have gotten a little education before opting for the skier's life.

This book has a very, very brief chapter on the basics of edging and then it jumps directly to skiing powder, crud, steeps, trees, moguls, and air! Um, needless to say, not a book for your average beginner.

I've previously gave this book a low rating, but have now changed it because I realize this is a really good book for expert skiers. I have not tried the powder techniques because there is no powder where I am, but the crud techniques are very useful. There is no doubt the authors spend a lot of time on steeps because this is the biggest and most comprehensive section of the book. The worst section is the one on moguls because it is very short and does not provide sufficient information to rip them like a pro. Another book, "The All-Mountain Skier", provides the best mogul section I've seen so far. The air techniques are great and provide good fundamentals for anyone going to the terrain park. There is even a section on cross-country skiing for anyone interested in starting. The photos in this book will probably be the best you will ever see and they are full-color. The skiers photographed in this book are emulatable (unlike the skiers photographed in "The All-Mountain Skier"). Check out "The Skier's Edge" for b/w photos of pro-skiers. It's ashame there is no one book with all the necessary information to improve your skiing. But getting all three books will come close to such an imaginary book.

I Love this writer. There is nothing dated about these absorbing tales from one of the English language's greatest adventure writers, regardless of Hollywood's love of his fictative works; and regardless of the time and venue in which men were men and heroes were conquerers of the elements.: M. Gann's achievement has been to see himself, daringly or humbly pick his way up the ladder of seamanship, and evoke,with humour and narrative storytelling, among the fleet of all us fellow lovers of the sea and ships, delightful fascination for the vessels of a now-passing era.

I read as many sea and sailing stories as I can get my hands on. This is one of the best. Read the other rave reviews here of this book--they pretty much say it all.

I would just emphasize that this is one of the few contemporary sailing books that has a lot about sailing square rigged boats.

Also an interesting twist is that Gann's Albatros is the boat that Sheldon lost in White Squall.

Ernest Gann has written a memoir of what happens when you hear the Sirens singing and follow them. I loved this book as the sea-going counterpart to his marvelous memoir of flight, Fate Is the Hunter; there's the same wrily witty, compassionate observations on the vicissitudes of the sea and those who sail upon it, particularly himself, the same amused humility in the face of the perversities and miracles of chance, whether they be a failing engine at the height of a tempest, intransigent bureaucrats of the Panama Canal, a balsa raft costing less than sixteen dollars which can leave a scientifically designed catamaran in its wake, or a wild voice singing in the Greek Islands. Whether recounting desperation in a great storm off the Oregon coast, or the nostalgic reminiscenses of his earlier sailing boats and shipmates, or the languid monotony of a long tropical ocean passage, or the nature and the workings of what he terms the 'Dock Committee' (which has membership worldwide), even the time he was masterfully conned by a crafty old sailor on the wharves of New York, Gann maintains a close and humorously affectionate eye on the sometimes clear, sometimes problematical, but always interesting relationships between the mundane acts of everyday and the greater universe which lurks behind every common act and thought.

Above all, there is in Sirens, as in all his books whether fic or nonfic, a love of the sea, of boats, of living fully in and of the world and of us frail, fallible and funny humans in it. In Fate Is the Hunter, it is the world of the air and those who fly; in Song of the Sirens, the sea. A wonderful read.

I've read several book by Ernie Gann and being a pilot I was in awe of Mr. Gann's story telling ability in "Fate is the Hunter" and thought this is surely the best autobiography ever written. Now having read "Song of Sirens" I have to re-evaluate this opinion. It makes you want to run out and buy a boat!

Ernest K. Gann is, quite simply, a great writer. In Song of the Sirens he writes about his adventures aboard the many ships he has owned. His writing skill takes the reader, even a landlubber like me, along with him to experience what it is like to ride out a storm 50 miles off the coast of Oregon in a fishing trawler or to sail across the Atlantic Ocean with an old, rusty, leaky training boat with a suspect engine. The book is slanted more for the boating afficionado. While he does explain some of the technical terms, a lot of them are obviously for someone who knows sailboats. There are no pictures, either. Pictures of the ships (not boats because, as he explains in the book, a boat is carried by a ship)would have been helpful. All in all, though, this book will greatly appeal to Ernest K. Gann fans, those who enjoy adventure stories, and those who enjoy sailing stories.

This book is like a personal trainer for inline (roller skating). I started reading this book in July 2006 and by August 2006 I was so much faster in inline skating. This is from someone who has never taken any lessons and started to skate on his own. I did the Northshore Inline (Duluth) half marathon later in Sept 2006 in 1 hour 6 mts (pretty impressive by my own standards). I keep referrring to it once in a while to keep up my training and speed.

This book is thorugh and even those of us that are completely uneducated about athletics and how to improve in them can understand clearly what is written in this book. I was afraid it would be too technical but it caters to all levels of knowledge. I am very impressed. I plan to start impleting these practices very soon.

A must have. Loaded with information and great pictures. Also very technical training schedules for the serious skaters. Not too much for short trackers but still alot of useful skating information.

From the background I had during my competitive years in the sport of inline speedskating, I believe the book is a complete and technical guide to the basic terminology, strategy, and mechanics that are involved with speedskating; both on ice and inline skates. There is heavy usage on photographs to show you the correct way to skate to reach your potential but to achieve what is seen in the picture typically takes years of training with coaches to show you the ways to train your body to achieve the form and stride of an effecient inline skater.

I also believe that some of the material is dated regarding the current face of the sport but the book is a staple in the sport and is a worthy look for outsiders and internally at the facets of the sport of inline and ice speedskating. For anyone interested in speedskating either on ice skates or inline skates, this book is the most comprehensive guide from a champion speedskater that covers most facets of the sport.

This is a great book for anyone involved in in-line or ice speedskating. Being a speedskater myself, I have had much success using the book. It is great for novice and elite skaters. The book offers a lot of information regarding techinique and training. I hope others have or will have as much success using this book as I have.

A MUST-HAVE FOR ANY SPEEDSKATERS LIBRARY!!!

It is time I write a review for this book. I weighed about 150 when I was in my early twenties. in my mid twenties to early thirties, I went up to 235. I wanted to lose weight for a long time, but didn't really know how.

This book starts by explaining the simple scientific truth: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The trick is to eat the right foods in the right amounts so you can do that and stay full enough to stay on a diet long enough to lose the weight you want.

My girlfriend and I started by using their recipes only. We used the meals in the supermarket cookbook, because it had pictures (I prefer cookbooks with pictures), and the meals were EXCELLENT. There was no reason they shouldn't be, they were steak, pastas, etc., using normal foods from the grocery store.

After about three weeks, we switched to just using the nutrition guidelines, but using what we had learned in the recipes/meals... high fiber, whole grains, etc.

The first few weeks were difficult... not because of hunger, but simply because we had to change a lot of habits... cook more, plan ahead, keep a journal of calories. But here is the fantastic thing: After those few weeks, when our habits had changed, we didn't notice we were on a diet at all! I was eating better and with more variety than I had been pre-diet, and I wasn't hungry. My girlfriend stuck to 1500 calories a day, me to 1800, as the book recommended. And these are skill I now have for life... I know how to eat healthily, and I can adjust my calorie intake and weight as needed, without pain. I am back to 165 and still dropping.

Of course, it wasn't the book alone. I had to make weight loss a priority. But honestly, one of the most difficult lessons I had to learn was that pain did NOT equal gain (or loss in this case). The weirdest thing was feeling like I was doing nothing, and reminding myself that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be. Every month, I would drop 12 pounds. I exercised too, but only in ways I enjoyed (they talk about sensible exercise as well). Mostly hiking up a hill near my house.

So, I obviously highly recommend this book! Oh, and my girlfriend lost 25, and is still going as well!

Excellent book! It contains nutrition label and shopping information, menus and detailed menu planning. The recipes are quick and easy to make, and the meals nutritious and balanced. It has made my shopping excursions a breeze, by taking the guesswork of what I should buy to eat and live a healthy lifestyle! I highly recommend it!

My husband and I travel a lot in a RV. This is an easy diet to follow as there is little clean up and not a lot of ingredients to buy. The diet is well rounded and satisfying. My husband was happy on it. (That's worth the price of the book) Also, Good Housekeeping has a great web site for support and ideas. It even has a version of this diet called "Convenience Food Diet". All frozen and prepared food lists. I don't want to think about cooking and menus when I diet. This diet is a no brainer!

I have never written a review about anything, but I love this diet so much that I wanted to share it with others. I trully love this diet and I have REALLY tried them all. I have never lasted more than a week on a diet until now. I don't feel food deprived, hungry, moody, my energy is slowly returning and I'm still in the early stages of the diet (first two weeks), and I have already lost a few pounds too. The book is well written, easy to understand, and most importantly easy to follow. The author makes it all so simple. You are provided a shopping list broken down into catagories which makes your store visit quick. The diet is presented a week at a glance, with menus and recipes - it is so organized!!! This diet is superb for those like myself who are super busy, don't like to really cook, and like to grab things to eat quickly. The recipes are so simple to make and quick - less than 20 minutes! If you make a recipe for dinner, you eat it the next day for lunch so there is little waste and there is plenty to share with others even after you take your portions. Since the author teaches you the basics to eating healthy, and shopping healthy, it is a life style change that is longterm. I trully am very pleased with this book and so glad that I purchased it. Good luck!

This book shows you how to live and diet with ordinary food. Common sense and smart shopping can really be fun and easy if you follow the guidelines in this book.

This book is easy to read, and give great insight into the art of Taijiquan. I was fortunate enough to take lessons from the author and still use the principles I learned in those lessons. The book helps me remember and focus on these principles. Thank you Yang Yang!

I am beginning a Qigong practice. After researching many books on the art, I decided on this one. I feel very lucky to have found it. It is a clear and helpful guide to the practice. Yang Yang is a scholar and martial arts master. You will benefit from both his skills. He very clearly directs you in a practice, while explaining the intention behind each direction. In a complete practice, you seek to acquire the internal and external aspects of Taijiquan. If either component is missing in your practice, "gong", the fruit of practice, is limited. Specifically, Dr. Yang Yang's complete curriculum includes, "Three essential pillars": Qigong, Taiji Form, and Push-hands. My advice is to search out a copy of this book and buy it. I think you will appreciate it as much as I do.

Best book on Taiji for beginners or more advanced that I have read. It is very clearly written. Scientific literature review is very helpful.

I am a Yang-style tai chi student but found this book to be perfect for everyone. Yang Yang perfectly captures the essence of our art and presents it in a readable and enjoyable style. I read it slowly to savor every concept and every turn of phrase. This book is highly recommended to those just beginning tai chi or those who have been doing it for many years. If you have never experienced what tai chi can do for you, this book will send you looking for the nearest sifu.

Yang Yang's book, Taijiquan, is very deep and goes beyond what most people will ever know or need to know about Taijiquan and science. As a M.S. student in Exercise Science, as well as a practitioner of Hunyuan Taijiquan, I was very impressed at the depth that Yang goes into in describing the neural mechanisms at work in Taiji. He also points out various topics that western science can delve into that has yet to be investigated.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Taijiquan as well as to students of Exercise Science in order to better understand why Taijiquan is as helpful as it is in delaying aging processes.

This is a book I picked up on a whim, and it blew me away. It seems to me more than just a lesson in dogs and ratting; it is a lesson about mind over matter. Here is a guy who made reading about rat hunting as exciting (to me) as stories I've read about big game hunting in Africa. Maybe it was just his indomitable spirit; either way it is a good, short read.

I'vebeen involved with terriers for 25+ years and have hunted with terriers for the last ten years. Brian Plummer is one of the true "characters" of the terrier world. A Great read!

I read of this book in a Forbes magazine some years ago, and was fascinated. I don't hunt at all, but was very diverted and horrified by the details of this sport, as well as an illustration of a side of Great Britain I never expect to see. Remarkably well written and enjoyable, but not for the squeamish.

Being new to the world of rat-hunting,I borrowed an old yellowed copy of this book from a friend.
I just couldn't put it down!
I own two terriers (but i'm still trying to persuade my better half to allow some ferrets into our family)
I learned some very valuable tips from this book that will save me hours of heartache when training my dogs.
Whilst being absolutely rivetting reading it is also a mine of information.
Written in plain English, a true classic.
Ihave'nt read anything on this subject that comes even close.

This book is a favorite of mine. It is one of the best books on hunting ever written. Despite its apocalyptic setting, "Tales of a Rat Hunting Man" contains more wildness and freedom than the vast majority of books and magazines on hunting. That description doesn't do it justice. This is a fun book, one that you won't be able to put down. The descriptions of rats and terriers and rat hunts will take you to a world you never knew existed. Rat hunting is a weird pursuit, and Plummer conveys it with humor, adventure and passion.
The introduction by Steve Bodio is worth the price of the book.
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Shoshin Nagamine (1907 - 1997) was the founder of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do. He wrote The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do, another valuable tome, in addition to this book. Practicing his art for more than 70 years, he achieved the rank of Hanshi (10th dan black belt) in karate and also earned black belts in judo, kendo, and sumo. He was president of the Okinawan Police Station, served as police chief of Naha City, and as an instructor of police judo teams in Okinawa, Japan. The guy not only knew his stuff, but was one heck of a good researcher. His insight into the titans of Okinawan martial arts is fascinating, a "must read" for any serious martial artist. Patrick McCarthy's translations are extraordinary. The book is a quick, easy read, coming across as if it had been written by a native English speaker. McCarthy even translates haiku into poetic, user-friendly English.

Nagamine Sensei spent a lifetime researching the budoka covered in his book. He trained and/or talked with some of them personally, interviewing the relatives and students of those who have passed on. He artfully portrays the exploits of Tode Sakugawa, Sokon Matsumura, Kosaku Matsumora, Anko Itosu, Gichin Funakoshi, Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Kanryo Higaonna and Ankichi Arakaki, to name a few, cutting through the fables and exaggerated legends to get to the truth.

The only drawback is that it does not include a glossary or index, so you will probably want to take notes as you peruse it. My copy is battered, dog-eared, and covered with sticky notes. An extraordinary tome, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Books with serious data on old Karate-do Masters' biography are not common, unfortunately. This one comes right to hit this spot. Learning Karate-do is far from being only punching and kicking. We need to learn and exercise other aspects, as already said by the Masters Nagamine presents in this book: philosophical, moral and historical aspects. Knowing the history, you know better your Karate-do. In addition, this book presents some peculiar aspects of Okinawan history and tradition (dance, Tegumi wrestling, etc.) and Nagamine's view of "Karate and Zen as one", presenting Zazen theory and exercises to complete the book in great style.

This book is a great read.

Valuable information on the early pioneers of karate, and important insights into their lives. This book is well written and exciting to read. I would say it is like reading fiction, but that belittles the historical accuracy of many of the accounts.

This book written by one of Okinawas legendary Masters and translated by one of Karate's leading authors is simply a masterpiece of writing. It gives detailed accounts of Okinawas early Te-Tode-Tuite Masters many of whom have never been written about before. It's a much more indepth account than Richard Kims Weaponless Warriors, not to knock Kim, and well worth the price. Lots of pictures and lots of info.

I highly recommend this book to all practioners of the Martial Art of Karate. Exploring not only his personal lineage but that of all the original styles of karate founded and developed on Okinawa, Shoshin Nagamine provides a great work and a first hand account of many of the mentioned Masters.
It is nice to know that historically correct information is starting to come out about the true origins of karate and of its' founders. It is also nice that a little bit of myth also surrounds those same founders. Shoshin Nagamine does well to dispell those myths.
By knowing and understanding truth from the past we grow today and prepare for the future. This reviewer is glad that Patrick McCarthy translated this work for the world to read.
Buy the book.

A fact filled book on the basics from one of the greats. A good read even if you aren't planning on going racing.

The basics are here, even though the book is some 45 years old. A good place to start from.

The Technique of Motor Racing
by Piero Taruffi

Aloha,
Thirty years ago I was a driver for the "Jim Russell International Racing Driving School" out at Willow Springs, CA USA. One of the greatest times in my life. Jim Russell (JRS) at that time had schools simultaneously on five continents. We taught in so many languages that we did not have a textbook of our own. JRS was busy training movie stars and World Champions for Formula One Race Car Driving. JRS put students in signal seaters from day one! We use to order Taruffi's by the case. It had been "The Book!" for over ten years and was very hard to find. I think Harry Morrow would get them for us from England. They would sell out every time. We could not keep them on the shelf.

I use the principles I learned every time I take to the road. I believe it has helped make me a safer and definitely faster better Motor Vehicle Driver. Probably contributed to my long life, considering I am in the habit of winning on or off the track.

For decades I did not see Taruffi at all. Sometimes I would pick them up in old bookstores. I am glad for the sake of all future drivers that someone has had the wisdom to keep Taruffi in publication. Just the fact that it is around after all these years should tell you something.

Even today, you will seldom see them sold used. You will never see them sold cheap. Many driving books are about the author. Some are about street driving. Taruffi is pure Racing!! How you can drive a car faster. The essence of driving. I do not see how things could have changed enough to invalidate anything Taruffi has had to say. Decide for yourself, you can always return it.

If you have read every book on Motor Racing ever published. You will find The Technique of Motor Racing not only has a lot to offer you. It may just be the most compact bit of Racing Knowledge you have ever found in one place.

Pass Um`
-ooO-(GoldTrader)-Ooo-

The classic corner lines and driving technique discussed. I bought this book based on Niki Lauda's (F1 World Champion 1975, 1997) recommendation of it in one of his books.

This book, first published in 1959, is mostly devoted to cornering, and this is the best publication about turns on flat surfaces with high adhesion, used in sport racing, and this information is still valid.

It has a pretty little chapter on physical training of a driver, with the schemes gymnastic exercises recommended for a motorist.

The details of driving position and handling of a steering wheel are mentioned, but not covered well enough.

Nevertheless, the cornering is explained fairly well, in 69 pages full of formulas, schemes and illustrations.

If you need a deeper text-book about fast and safe cornering, which is not only applicable to sport but also to driving on public road, and which covers slippery surfaces like ice, snow and dirt, I would have recommended a published work by Professor Tsygankov.