Pennsylvania Books

I started to get interested in the Phillies this year. They are doing great in the standings and have a great team.

It led me to wonder about the history of the Phillies and their place in baseball. I don't think they get the publicity of teams like The New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox.

This book takes you from a few years ago all the way back to the teams beginnings. You find out about some colorful characters that have played for the Phillies and you will find every statistic through the years. I recommend this book for any Phillies fan or anyone who would like to learn more about this fascinating team.

Some books I read for the history, some I read for the story, and then there is The Phillies Reader. Being a life long Philadelphia Phillies fan, this book allowed me to read about some of my boyhood heroes and bring out the kid in me once again.

Follow the 300-page trail of one of baseball's oldest and most storied franchises in this remarkable collection of Phillies archives. From the earliest days of Ed Delahanty and his four home run game to Billy Hamilton to the roaring 20's with Pete Alexander.

Travel back in time to watch the Whiz Kids like Robin Roberts and Ritchie Ashburn of the 50's to the Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton lead powerhouses of the 70's and 80's. You'll read about the Wheeze Kids with Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez of 1983.

I was amazed at the ups and downs, the trial and tribulations, the emotional roller coaster this book presented and how it all falls neatly into place. A true must have for any Phillies Fan at a price that should be of no objection. Congratulations on a spectacular job well done!

This is a wonderful and educational chronological collection of newspaper columns written about the Phillies from the 1930's through the 1993 World Series. There is a pleasing array of writing styles, perspectives and events chronicled. I wish the book were bigger, though. For instance, I hoped for more detail about the infamous 1964 "stretch drive." I was born in 1958 and first started rooting for the Fightins in 1970. 1964 is not in my personal memory bank, thank goodness. But, even in the absence of material I had hoped to see, this book is very entertaining reading, and a must for any Phillie fan - or baseball fan - who appreciates the history of the Phils or the game itself.

Yes, I am one of the few, the proud,.....the Philadelphia Phillies' fans. And was this book ever perfect for me.

I have always been a baseball fan, and my favorite team has always been the Philadelphia Phillies. This book allowed me to travel back through the wild history of the ball club. The stories are wonderful, but more importantly, most of them are written by top-notch newspaper reporters or well-known authors. Some of the more personal stories, written by players, etc., are also well-done, and give a nice human touch to the book.

This was an intersting and entertaining read, and one that could be enjoyed by all fans of America's Pastime.

A rare, relevant, perhaps even urgent, achievement. Edwards skillfully and lucidly negotiates the complexities of, elicits the subtle kinships amongst, several philosophical diagnosticians of western culture, among whom Nietzsche, Heidegger and Kierkegaard figure most prominently. Edwards' ambition and ability far exceeds the merely expository. He weaves a compelling tale, drawn from various threads of the West's philosophical heritage, of how we -- a powerfully invitational 'we' whose reach proves to be remarkably broad -- came to our present state of reflective malaise which seems to aggravate our obdurate hankering for the ineffable, under the shadow of which stands much of contemporary "unbelief," however robust. With canny persistence, Edwards pursues several important consequences of this situation, exposes their risks, and elegantly conjures, from what he has gleaned from his philosophical forebears, a vision of rigor, of the piety that inspires rigor, divested of those commitments which no longer survive the imperatives of truthfulness.

This book was written by my professor and advisor in Philosophy. He is an amazing teacher, and much this comes across in this book. The subject of the book is a relevant one, and the perspective he offers is refreshing. His book largely deals with the question, "How do we give our lives meaning in an age where religion has lost its POWER?" He examines how this loss of power has come about in broad terms, and sees our society as one in which beliefs about the world are all devalued and convenient, available to anyone to pick and choose like clothes in a shopping mall. Dr. Edwards does not put up with philosophical talk that does not have real meaning or relevance to one's life. He speaks plainly, and he will make you think.

I was introduced to this text in a class taught by Richard Rorty from whom James Edwards draws much of his discourse. The book was almost revelatory in its effect on me. It eloquently (though sometimes difficultly) expressed feelings and thoughts I'd had my entire life but could never fully express. He writes to "End of Century Western Intellectuals" which refers to all those who have intuitvely searched for some sort of "meaning" or "truth" but who have likely found most ostensible sources of such meaning to be hollow and weak. You will not find truth here either but you might find the explanation as to why that might be OK.

Before reading James C. Edwards new book, the closest I had come to "Fear and Trembling" was some occasional fear and loathing. Okay, a lifetime of fear and loathing. Then halfway through "The Plain Sense of Things" I realized that I knew more about country music than I did Soren Kierkegarde. So off I went to the public library, where no one had even heard of Soren Kierkegarde. Somehow, we figured out how to spell his name. So I checked out "Fear and Trembling." No wonder I had never read this book! In summary, any book that can make somebody go to the public library, knowing full well that he or she will end up paying some ridiculous fine because they are constitutionally incapable of returning the book on time, to check out and actually try to read something by Soren Kierkegarde, and I'm not talking about "the light side of Soren Kierkegarde" either, is one hell of a provocative read !

In POACHER WARS, Bill Wasserman portrays his villains vividly, comprehensively, and accurately. Reading this book reminded me of my own "hoofties" and my dealings with them, some of them with Bill at my side. Bill's writing style is easy to read, yet very descriptive. Each story has its own uniqueness and its end only wants to make you go on to the next story. If you want to know what working wildlife law enforcement is like for a Pennsylvania conservation officer, this book is a must read for you. Great job, Bill. And thanks for the memories and your friendship!
Chuck Arcovitch, WCO, retired

Yep, every ridgerunner has at least one story involving a game warden. There are times when they can be annoying, like that time you hit that deer at 1am, only the deer was still twitching and the tire iron was only to put it out of its misery. After all, if you were going to jacklight deer, wouldn't you have a spotlight and a loaded tire iron, and still have an intact radiator? There's no sense letting all that good meat go to waste.

Of course, lots of poachers like to make the claim that a deer was just "road kill", and to portray themselves as down-on-their-luck rascals just looking for meat to feed their hungry family. The hardcore poacher is often a serious outlaw with an extensive criminal record, and little respect for life. Illegal hunting to meet the demands of an international trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a major problem facing those concerned with the protection and sustainability of wildlife populations. Many of the people involved in the trade of illegally hunted animals are the same people involved with organized crime --such as drugs and prostitution. They want to be where the money is. The trade in bear's gall bladders is a good example. The bear gallbladder trade is similar to the heroin business, except that bear organs are harder to come by and harder to smoke. There is money in wildlife.

If you want to know more about poaching, ask a poacher, or better yet, ask a game warden who has pursued poachers on foot, by vehicle or boat. Or you can just read Poacher Wars, A Pennsylvania Game Warden's Journal by William Wasserman. Bill was a Pennsylvania game warden for more than thirty years, and was responsible for patrolling 400 square miles of rugged mountain terrain.

He's encountered a number of poachers who were convicted felons including murderers, drug addicts, dope dealers and outlaw bikers. He's seen men shot in the woods, with their blood seeping from wounds, and put his own life at risk. In his book you will find sixteen true short stories about these dangerous and unpredictable men.

If you want to know what working wildlife law enforcement is like for a Pennsylvania conservation officer, this book is a definite must-read. Game wardens are police officers with full arrest powers: they solve poaching cases with many of the same forensic skills that police investigators use to solve murder cases-such as DNA analysis and ballistic evidence. Crimes against wildlife can be more difficult to solve than crimes against humans, because there is often a lack of witnesses to interview, and Bambi can't or won't talk.

Hunting season is meant to protect animal populations and breeding cycles. So if you love the taste of venison, polish up the rifle, or your car, and bone up on the latest game regulations. Now where did I put my shotgun???

If you love this book, check out "Of A Predatory Heart" by Joe Parry and "Of Woods and Wild Things" by Don Knauss


Guns? Game? Or is meat just tasty, tasty murder? Email me at frommyshelf@epix.net Miss a previous column, check out past columns at www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com Hobo swears he had a valid hunting license for that mouse, he can check it out in his book "Hobo Finds A Home", a children's book about a cat who wanted more out of life.

Bill Wasserman was probably the most dedicated WCO (Wildlife Conservation Officer) the PA Game Commission ever had as its employee for over thirty years.

Poacher Wars, by WCO Wasserman, is a compelling work in law enforcement and wildlife conservation ... a remarkable book that you will remember for years to come.

I had no idea that game wardens had the kind of investigative skills demonstrated by officer Wasserman. Crimes against wildlife can be more difficult to solve than crimes against humans. With wild animals, game wardens can't interview family & friends of the deceased to gather information that might lead to a suspect. Some of the crimes that officer Wasserman writes about were more difficult to solve than the murder of a human!

The book was very enjoyable, and I highly recommend it!

Book follows alone with the trials & tribulations of the original people as it moves through the American Revolution

I am almost to the end of the last volume of the series. I have so come to appreciate the great sacrifice that our forefathers made to make and keep our country free. My heart was pained and I was brought to tears at the unbelievable things they had to suffer in their battle for independence. The 4th of July has a much deeper meaning for me now. I very much appreciated all the research done by the author to produce such a well written series. I have them all and they are prized.

This story of our American Revalutionary War, is told so vividly that the reader feels like they are there, experiencing it with the people at that time. It covers the period when George Washington and his troops were at Valley Forge. It is at the same calaber as the rest of this series; "Prelude to Glory". I highly recommend this book to all DAR members.

This book is extremely moving and intense. I have gained a great appreciation for the selfless acts and unyeilding faith that our forefathers had. I have learned a great deal about the history of the Revolutionary War as the author has creatively woven in fictional characters and yet accurately described events and locations that are a part of this nations history. I have read the entire series and cannot wait for the next one to be published.

This is a wonderful little book that does a marvelous job of introducing the reader to the building and development of the rail tunnels from New Jersey, under the Hudson, into New York City. While it is not a detailed history of the work, it is very well written, engaging, and absolutely enchanting. I highly recommend it.

Rails Under The Mighty Hudson: The Story Of The Hudson Tubes, The Pennsy Tunnels, And Manhattan Transfer by author and transportation expert Brian J. Cudahy is the true history of the construction of railway tunnels linking New Jersey and New York. Black-and-white photographs enrich this meticulous, thorough accounting of a turn-of-the-century engineering marvel that helped transform America into the modern engine of transportation and mass production that it is today. Rails Under The Mighty Hudson is a meticulously researched and deftly written addition to any personal, academic, and community library railroad history reference collections.

This story begins in the final years of the 19th century, when the first attempts to build rail tunnels under the Hudson were ending. Two of the tunnels were built by one company, the other by a competing railroad company. Brian Cadahy's new edition of Rails Under The Mighty Hudson is updated with more photos and a new preface and chapter of recent events.

I have always enjoyed Brian J. Cudahy's books. "The Malbone Street Wreck" was a sobering look at the disaster that befell the subway line in 1918. And last year's "A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York's Underground Railways" was just the opposite: it was a joyful, admiring look at the making of the subway system in New York, and tracked its progress through the 20th century.

I eagerly picked up this reprint of his 1975 book "Rails Under the Mighty Hudson: The Story of the Hudson Tubes, the Pennsy Tunnels and Manhattan Transfer" and was not disappointed. Briefly, this book describes the historical need for these tubes, the technological requirements, the difficulties in construction, and the dramatic effects they had upon completion. Villains and heroes abound, as they will in any tale of expensive public works, but they are relegated to a second-tier, as Cudahy's obvious admiration for this effort takes precedence. Comparisons to the Erie Canal are not far-fetched when describing the success of these tubes, and it is not far-fetched to say that only Brian Cudahy's passion for his subject makes this book one of the greatest about railroads, in general. The smattering of gorgeous photographs are gravy!

Hilda Lessing is the heroine of The Red Signal. The book takes place during World War I, Hilda is sent by her uncle Otto to work on a farm run by German immigrants. She meets the hero of the story Dan Stevens almost at once when he saves her from being ran over by a train. Shortly after arriving at the farm she realizes not everyone is as they seem and in factthey are spies for Germany. The book is a good, I enjoyed the action and the understated romance between Hilda and Dan. The only complaint I have is that Hilda is extremely naive, but I excuse this because the book was written in 1919. Mrs. Hill wrote many books but this is one of my favorites.

This is a great book, full of suspense and excitement! If you're writing a mystery novel but got stumped, or if you're just looking for something good to read, get "The Red Signal"! Anything by Grace Livingston Hill is sure to be good!

Sent by her uncle to work on a truck farm during WWI, pretty, gentle Hilda Lessing uncovers a nest of German spies and risks her life to bring them to justice. Her faith and courage bring the admiration of a young train engineer.

A young woman takes a job on an isolated farm. So what's the big deal about that? Well, it turns out that her employers are a bunch of German spys and our young heroine finds herself in a whole passle of trouble and more danger and excitement than anyone would ever wish for. She has to make a daring escape, before she can take refuge in the arms of the man who has promised to protect her. I'd tell you more, but I might ruin it. But if you like mystery, wild chase scenes, and romance, you might like to check out this book. The hero is everything a girl could ever dream of...

I read this book in a translation to the portuguese, here in Brazil.It's concise, fun to read and good about this subject.
The problems in this book are small, but they exist.
One of these problems is that this book is a little outdated.To exemple, it teachs that Jim Bakker got tens of years in prision.Correct when this book was writen, but Jim Bakker was relased from jail some years later.

Islamic fundamentalists murdered nuns in Algeria, Menachem Goldstein opened fire on praying Muslims at the Tomb of the Patriarch, physicians and patients were gunned down at family planning clinics for performing legal abortions. The list of terror acts in the name of God is growing. What is the origin of this violence, and is there a common denominator between these different religious fundamentalists? Dr. Kepel describes in this very well written book how the three major Abrahamitic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam - four, if you like Dr. Kepel in this study, separate Protestantism and Catholicism) have gone through a notable transformation since the seventies, from adapting their doctrines to the surrounding secular world, to demanding that the secular world adapt to their doctrines. He shows how, as a consequence of this shift, the tolerance towards other religions as well as to secular society has been dramatically reduced. In turn, this has caused an increased willingness amongst religious extremists to use violence to ensure that the surrounding world follows and obeys the demands and customs of the religious communities. One of the central theses, and maybe the most interesting, in Kepel's book is how these tendencies are common to all four religions and how their origins also are similar. Partly because of his viewpoint - Kepel is a islamist at the French research agency CNRS - the book very effectively shows how also modern Christianity and Judaism show tendencies that many probably associate with only militant Islam. Kepel shows how for all three religions the transformation is a more or less explicit rebellion against the enlightenment and rationalism, mostly founded in a desperation about the social end economic conditions in the wake of the recession of the 70:ties. In all cases the "grass roots" movement that arouse around that time has since risen to power and it's in its fringes that the violence flourishes. There is a tendency to accept a certain amount of extremism in the name of cultural and religious freedom, but the question arises: how much do we accept that the freedom of expression and choice is limited in order to meet religious standards and norms? "The Revenge of God" won't answer these questions, but it's an excellent introduction to the background and the context in which they must be answered.

Gilles Kepel, professor at the Institute of Political Studies of Paris is one of the world's foremost experts on the modern Middle East. In "The Revenge of God" he discusses the resurgence of the three monotheisms that each claims Jerusalem as its own holy city. This book was first published in 1994, but Professor Kepel's chapters on the Islamic revival can be profitably read with post-9/11 hindsight.

Just a glance at this week's 'NY Times' headlines such as "Syria, Long Ruthlessly Secular, Sees Fervent Islamic Resurgence" and "Bush Says He Disagrees With General [Boykin's] Remarks on Religion" are an indication that Professor Kepel's comparative essay is still very topical.

From my viewpoint, the most frightening chapters were not on the revival of Islamic extremism, but the battle for the re-Judaization of Israel by groups such as the Gush Emunim. Intellectually, the concept of 'sacred ground' is easily understood, but the viewpoint that non-Jews have no right to the land that had been promised to the Chosen People is harder to grasp by someone like myself who was raised in a secular state--especially when that viewpoint was carried to its logical extreme via a plot to blow up the mosques on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

If you think it is going to be easy for the Israeli Government to disband the West Bank settlements of its fundamentalist citizens, you need to read this book.

The title of this book might even give an atheist cause to fear when examined in the light of extremist groups such as Gush Emunium or the followers of Sayyid Qutb, the father of modern Islamist fundamentalism. According to Professor Kepel, the radical pessimism of Sayyid Qutb's message did not take root until social conditions in Egypt fell into disarray in the 1970s. Modernism and secularism were profoundly rejected by Qutb's followers, just as they had been by members of Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic fundamentalist groups.

The author contends that the 'simultaniety' of this rejection of modernism by all of these religious groups was the "loss of assurance born of scientific and technological progress since the 1950s." Another factor was the death of "the great atheist messianic ideology of the twentieth century, communism." In his concluding chapter, "Reconquering the World," Professor Kepel writes that the danger (although he does not use the word 'danger') posed by the fundamentalist groups is that in their rejection of the philosophy of the Enlightenment, they also reject the legitimacy of secular governments. "The successes of the Islamists are the clearest indication of the political, economic, and social bankruptcy of the post-independence ruling elites."

How will the social breakdown of the Muslim Mediterranean countries affect the rest of the world? We are just beginning to realize what a quagmire we've gotten ourselves into in Iraq. Even if you don't agree with Professor Kepel's thesis, read this book for a French professor's view of American evangelists Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, and Jim Bakker. He doesn't take any cheap shots, but he'll still make you smile (or say 'ouch').

This book was originally published in France in 1991 and remains incredibly topical. It illustrates better than any book I know, the resurgence of religion the author calls `re-Christianization', `re-Islamicization' and `re-Judaicization'. It powerfully points out that the views of those who still feel secure in - or dismayed by - the apparent triumph of secular modernity, may be thirty years out of date.

For although by the early 1970's it seemed that a modern liberal secularity was becoming everywhere more dominant, by the late 1970's, the tide began to turn.

Kepel locates his account of this turning in four streams: Protestant and Catholic Christianity, Judaism and Islam. He begins with the late 70's founding of Falwell's Moral Majority, the 1978 election of Pope John Paul II, Begin's 1977 victory over nearly thirty years of secular Zionism and Khomeini's 1979 revolution in Iran, and goes on to marshal, an amazing amount of facts and insights from the following years illustrating a continued activity in all of these domains to establish cultures that break from secularism in decisive ways and mount challenges to the secularist state.

I give this book high praise on numerous accounts. Its subject is incredibly important and still so overlooked in many attempts to understand our contemporary world. Kepel's marshalling of evidence is prodigious. It is very well written and accessible. Its tone is balanced, fair and non-polemical. It cries out to read and absorbed - deeply - by anyone seeking to understand our times. I can hardly recommend it highly enough.

Thus, I am not prepared to dock this book a single star. Yet, as far as I am concerned, it has serious faults. As a point of disclosure, I will say I am a Catholic traditionalist of the kind that arouses Kepel's concern. From my perspective, the book misrepresents aspects of Christianity and no doubt, it also misrepresents Judaism and Islam. As I am not qualified to comment on these latter, however, I will mostly restrict myself to the field of Christianity.

Thus, I will say that my main critique of Kepel's account of religious resurgence, is that it is too monolithic, too homogeneous. He seems to assume that the return to religion, is a more or less single phenomenon in response to secularism's failures, though varying from culture to culture. However such variations in culture are not sufficient to explain the fact that there is a world of difference between the Ayatollah ordering the execution of Rushdie and John Paul II proclaiming - with deep sincerity, I believe - that `the Church must propose, it must not impose'.

There is a world of difference between John Paul II declaring that other religions constitute the `normal' way of salvation for those involved in them, and being unsure `whether' any one is in hell and Protestant fundamentalism. There is a world of difference between a kind of Christianity - and I believe Judaism and Islam, as well - that weeps for the entire way secularism degrades humanity and that which focusses on a few limited issues, such as, say, abortion. Certainly John Paul was concerned with abortion too - but his critique of modernity was hardly limited to a few `flash-points'. It extended to include the entire way capitalism and communism debases the human being as a means, not an end, the way our culture of arid commercialism manipulates the desires of millions and the cultural deserts that results from utilitarianism and functionalism. You will not hear Jerry Falwell taking about these things ...

My point is that resurgent religion may encompass at least two distinct types of phenomena. On the one hand, a simplistic fundamentalist backlash. On the other hand, a profound meditative seeking for a higher order of values than secularism permits - an order of values that does not permit the tragedies of either laissez faire capitalism or communism. Moreover, although Kepel is understandably concerned with the way resurgent religion can compromise freedom, he does not consider nearly enough the way secularist ideology may do exactly the same - except perhaps unconsciously, as when he notes how the new religious resurgence is `an attempt to loosen the grip of secularism'. Yes, secularism has a powerful `grip' ... all the more effective and insidious, because it manages to disguise itself as `value-neutral'.

Whatever my qualms, I repeat: five stars. This book is incredibly useful for understanding matters of fundamental import to our times.

I've read every single one of 'em, all of Constantine's work, been following him all these years. I have to admit I miss Balzic and his wife, Marie. Rugs Carlucci succeeded Balzic as Rocksburg's Chief of Police, and those books were just as good. But those scenes with Mario and Mo Valcanas trading truths at Dom's - hard to beat.

Saving Room for Dessert somehow does it, it's the best to date. Somehow Constantine brings characters who were buried in the background all these years into the lead roles, and it's a fresh new look at the seemingly drab and monotonous life of Rocksburg, PA. How Constantine does it is simple - he's simply a masterful writer who has a keen ear for dialogue and is spot-on when it comes to understanding the human condition.

I'm not sure how this book reads not knowing about Rocksburg, or Balzic, Rugs, Valcanas, or any of these wonderful characters. My guess is that great writing is great writing, and Saving Room for Desset is the best of all.

Steve Alpert

I admit that I'm a long-time fan of KC Constantine's Rocksburg novels. Saving Room for Dessert is a continuation of Constantine's usual strengths: pitch-perfect dialogue, REAL characters, indelible sense of time and place, subtle social commentary, etc. If you're looking for a police procedural in the vein of, say, Ed McBain or Wambaugh (both of whom are outstanding), you'll probably be disappointed. However, Constantine's work truly transcends the genre, and Saving Room is as wonderful as the rest of the Rocksburg novels.

In Rocksburg, Pennsylvania, no police officer likes working the Flats, a dangerous part of the city that can go from a quiet neighborhood into a war zone in nanoseconds. Things may seem serene for the moment, but any veteran cop knows that in the Flats a moment is all it takes to get killed.

Working the Flats this evening are the Rocksburg Police Department's only African-American William Rayford, giant Robert "BooBoo" Canoza, and Nam vet James Reseta. Each has personal problems they bring to the job, but all three dedicated men know they must not allow their troubles to interfere with the beat if they want to live another day. Quickly the three officers are going to learn first hand how the Flats is different from any other neighborhood in town because the incident seems trivial, but the aftermath explosion proves dangerous and life threatening.

Once series fans understand that Mario is not making a comeback and Rugs is not the headliner, the readers will quickly comprehend that SAVING ROOM FOR DESSERT is a gourmet feast for the police procedural crowd. The story line follows the three officers on routine patrols that turns nasty. The story line focuses more on the trio than on what they face as each has their moment of introspection involving their personal woes as much as their professional troubles. K.C. Constantine changes direction with this tale in which the crime activity is interesting, but the up front look at the three stars is fascinating and fabulous.

Harriet Klausner

In a small town in Pennsylvania there is a small-town police department serving a small-town population. The main figure is Sargent William Milton Rayford, the only person of color within sight. We have James Resata, who went through his year in Viet Nam the hard way, and the gigantic Robert "Booboo" Canoza.

The play within the town of Rocksburg is also limited mostly to three neighboring families who are at each other throats almost daily. Once it is dog poop smeared on the neighbors door knob. Then it is threatening the neighbor with a knife.

The war in Nam is described in chilling detail. The neighborhood fights, however, develop into satire. That does not mean that they are not dangerous. But it means that the police officers have to summon all the accumulated wisdom of their many years on the force to keep the situations from exploding.

Mr. Constantine has everything under control.He gives us a picture - sometimes funny, and then brutally direct - of the cosmos of life in a small town. He has written a wonderful book that celebrates the simple cop on the beat.

To serve and protect - and they live by it.

I read his book many times. He relates to people and their own experiences. His nature pieces place his reader in our home and the fields and the woods we so love!

Reading this book is like taking a walk in the woods with a dear friend. I like this guy. O'Brien combines the wonders of the natural world, philosophy and an unusual wit to serve up a healthy dose of reality in a world gone mad. It's Thoreau meets Thurber. It's a vacation for the mind. Quality time. Soul food. If you can't find a quiet place where you live-- this book will open the door to one, even if you're perched on a fire escape two stories above Fifth Ave. Thanks so much.

I've been meaning to write for a while now to say how much I'm enjoying this book. I laughed out loud at the "Soup" piece. But, mostly, it's just nice to have the company of a truly sane person in this crazy world. I love all of his meditations and I wish I had written most of them!

What a surprise this book was for me. I rarely read essays, usually preferring books that offer more color and action. Although I live in California, Upper Turkeyfoot and Jeff O'Brien kept me totally involved with his life in the mountians of Pennsylvania. Something about his writting seems to keep you totally involved. I even identified with the mice that live in his typewriter. I highly recomend this book a an absoring read and look forward to more works by this author.

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

Okay, now if you don't know much about Pittsburgh, but if you like football, this book will enlighten you. Whether you are a remaining native Burger or were born here and left, keeping your allegiance to the city(such as I), this book will open all your senses and you will recall the glory of walking duntown in a seemingly not too distant past where the Stillers were the lifeblood of the city. These were the days when the "legendary" performers were writing their part of history. If you want to read about mostly plays and scores, this may not be for you. If you have ties with either or both the city and the team, this may be the best thing out there. Do not miss it.

I must preface this review by saying that I am not a Steelers fan or even a football fan. Never the less I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was given to me by a Pittsburgh based friend who thought I would appreciate the writing and ( as a Cubs fan ) the 'lovable losers' quality of the early Steelers. My friend was right.
This is indeed a terrific underdog story. With a founder/owner straight out of Damon Runyon and a record of only eight winning seasons between 1933 and 1971 this team was the doormat of the NFL. Then with Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception in 1972 everything turned around. The Steelers became the dominant pro football team for the rest of the '70s with eight future Hall of Famers and nine visits to the playoffs.
The writers assembled to tell this compelling story are first rate. This book is required reading for Steelers fans, but I would recommend this book to all football fans or fans of good writing.

I was thirteen years old on December 23, 1972 when, on a small black-and-white television in our half-finished basement, my buddy and I watched Jack Tatum viciously pop Frenchy Fuqua on a play that should have ended the game and season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. What happened moments later and still burns in memory is just one of the many stories wonderfully captured in THE STEELERS READER, a must-read for any thinking sports fan with or without connections to the city and people of Pittsburgh. Although this collection covers the 70-year history of the team, for me it's the great Steelers teams of the 1970s which are most vividly brought to life from a series of cultural, historical -- even geographical -- perspectives. This collection includes some great sports writing from Frank Deford, Roy Blount, Jr., and others, but best of all there are the characters and the folklore: the Terrible Towel, Three Rivers Stadium, Gerela's Gorilla's, Terry Bradshaw, Art Rooney, Mean Joe Greene, Ernie "Fats" Holmes, Chuck Knoll, Rocky Bleir, and Franco's Italian Army. If only my local sports section were this well written and fun to read!