Sports Books

Fantastic easy to read book. Very interesting and inspiring to see how persistent John was, his success was a long time in the making.

This is truly a great book to have if you are a true John Force fan.

this was a gift for my brother-in-law...he enjoyed it tremedously...would recommend it to anyone who loves drag racing

John Force has been my favorite professional driver for years. I was happy to see this book being packaged with Season I of Driving Force. Both the book and dvd were great. I'm hoping to see John win a couple more years before he decides to hand the reins over to Ashley and the rest of the Force Team. Ashley is going to live up to her family name and be another "Force" to be dealt with.

Excellent book. A true "everyman story", someone who started out as a nobody and became one of the most famous auto racers in history, and never forgot his roots. His is probably the most down to earth famous person on the planet. A true inspiration to anyone who has ever had a
dream. A true class act.

I am a Matsubayashi Ryu practitioner. And have been studing KI. This books covers all of the basic excercises I feel one needs to practice KI. It is easy to read and follow.

With this book, not only can you devlop good Metods of KI excercises; but a positive outlook on life in general.

The concepts of "Ki" as taught in Ki Society Aikido schools is not easy for westerners to comprehend. I first started practicing it in 1990. Since then, outside of the writings of the founder, Koichi Tohei Sensei, I have not found a readily available and readable book that expliains Ki to westerners. Then came "Ki in Aikido: A Sampler of Ki Exercises" by C. M. Shifflett. In this easily manageable (size wise) book, Ms Shifflett gives a breif discription of Aikido and Ki then gets into the "meat of the matter". She explains Ki very clearly and gives lots of examples of how to incorporate it into your Aikido and your life. The art work is excellent and very aptly displays what is discribed. For my money, there is no better book for anyone: from the seasoned high ranking instructor to the novice to the curious onlooker. Anyone can get something from this book.

I earned my shodan during three years training in Japan (my instructors were wonderful people), and have taught for three years also (receiving permission from World Aikido headquarters).

This is an excellent little book. It is pleasant both to look at and read, and covers a lot of information in a well-paced and thoughtful manner. The elegant presentation reminds me of books on Japanese flower arrranging.

It is also concise, delivering not only what I understand to be a near-complete rendition of the various ki techniques and their applications in a straightforward manner, but also including brief notes on the various influences of aikido on cinema (The Seven Samurai, Star Wars), apocryphal tales about the founder Ueshiba Morihei, etc.

I enjoyed reading this book and consider it, unlike several other books on the subject, both well worth the expense and a useful addition to one's aikido library.

Most books on aikido suffer from some common flaws. They usually have a whole lot of small blurry photographs of techniques and a set of platitudes, with no way to relate them to either aikido practice or real life. This book has neither of those flaws.

As a beginner in ki-aikido, now forced to be in a town without a ki society dojo, I use Ki in Aikido as a regular reference to when I want to practice the ki exercises, which are clearly and comprehensively explained.

More importantly, she discusses the positive outlook necessary for success in aikido and in life. In a sense, it's both a primer on ki exercises and a self-help book for maintaining a "plus" attitude in life.

Also extremely witty and enjoyable to read. If nothing else, get it for the beautiful drawings of real live aikido practitioners.

The only danger with this book is that you may love it and become an evangelist and enthusiastically loan it to a friend, who will love it and never give it back. That would be bad.

Many books have been written about the mysteries of aikido. This book unravels them into reality in the most digestible, practical, and readable form I have yet seen. As a somewhat experienced aikidoka, I refer to my copy when asked to teach, or explain a concept to a beginner. Very solid, engaging, grounded and even just a darn good read.

This book is essential reading for anyone seeking the truth about the Titanic.

We recently delved into Titanic literature, starting with the testimony from the stateside investigation. That led to a quest for more information because there were so many unanswered questions. After reading quite a few books, The Last Log of the Titanic finally arrived in the mail. And what a wonderful book!!!

David G. Brown carefully and exactly solves the mysteries involved in how and why the Titanic sank. It is all explained with a knowledge of navigation and engineering.

Read this book with an open mind and an attention to details. If you throw out all your pre-conceived notions from other books, the films, the TV specials etc., and really read what Brown is telling you, you cannot possibly have any doubts about what happened.

The only controversy caused by this book will be brought on by those who will defend their earlier positions on the foundering of this floating hotel.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I admit that the Titanic movie of 1997 made a big change in my Titanic collecting - mainly before that time I had only about 5 books. One of the books I had was an original from 1912 that was produced due to the fact that there was no radio, Internet or CNN to blast the news into your daily lives. Only the newspapers carried the story and people wanted to know more.

Needless to say, the movie got a lot of people interested in the subject (as it always seems to do whenever a new movie gets produced) Due to this interest all sorts of books got re-published and published for the first time. I started to collect and read and read and read.

I was always interested in the many points of debate that continue on and on, but this book seemed to make so much sense because it aligned with those things that I had read and had questions about but that never really got answered.

There were several reports of iceberg sightings, before the ship hit. There was a report that the alarm bell was rung three times, not three sounds but three different times for three different icebergs. Why did Murdock keep going when they entered the ice field? All the other reasons didn't quite hold up. This author gives forth a logical answer.

The idea that the iceberg grazed along the side of the ship didn't really seem to answer how the ship could go down so fast, the author of this book explains how the ship could have hit. Not only does his explanation make sense but it aligns with the other eye witness accounts of that night.

The list goes on. I can only say that it is well worth the read, and I currently have 58 Titanic related books and have talked and talked to other historians who have their theories.

This is a really good book.

Chris, Founder, McVitamins

I have watched movies and read several books about the Titanic disaster; but, without doubt this is the very, very best I've seen. This book explains in great detail, how things happened. It is written in an easy to read style. It presents numerous references and direct quotes throughout the book, as well as written testimony presented at the official enquires, so it is clearly not simply the author's spectulation. This was one book I could not put down. It answers important questions, such as "Did the nearby frieghter Californian, see Titanic's distress signals; and, if so, why didn't they come to aid the striken liner?", "Were the engines placed in "FULL ASTERN" immediatley when the iceberg was sighted?", "Why were some of the lifeboats only half filled with passengers?", "Would it have been better if the Titanic hit the iceberg head-on instead of side-swiping it?" and "Was the Titanic excessively (and carelessly) speeding to New York in attempt to set a record?" Every page was a pleasure! I just cannot give it enough praise. You won't be sorry if you buy this book.

This is a really good book, but not for Titanic novices (read "A Night to Remember" and its sequal for that). It's a shame the book has such a speculative and rather silly title because it may put-off some of it's intended readership - Titanic buffs.

Refreshingly, rather than rehashing tired old stories, Brown keeps his book narrow and focussed. Drawing from the original statements made for both the American and British official enquiries and his own expertise in ship handling and dynamics, he manages to make a radical yet convincing arguments.

Like some of the other reviewers here, I too had trouble with some of the conclusions. Swerving around icebergs at 21+ knots in an unstabilised hull would have surely caused the odd spilt drink and more to observant passengers. Likewise, I believe the hull did split near the surface, but not on it. But in the context of the book's major conclusions, this is just minor nit-picking!

Highly recommended - crackpot theories on the Titanic sinking are so common it is a real pleasure to find original ideas that are so convincing.

I first read this book in 2000 and found it to be one of the more plausible explanations of the damage suffered by TITANIC when she hit the berg, as well as what happened afterward. Captain Brown has brought what is so lacking in many TITANIC books into LAST LOG OF THE TITANIC--actual shiphandling experience.

Captain Brown had also produced an eminently readable text, one which I think most people will have little trouble understanding.

I cannot reccommend LAST LOG OF THE TITANIC too highly to everyone, TITANIC buff or not.

Good book. Worth getting.

Boy, this one really brings back the memories! But it also gives one pause for reflection on what real martial arts training is all about.
A wonderful book. I've already read through my copy several times...

Kris Wilder has put together an excellent book of anecdotes and learnings he has gained from the floor of his karate school. These lessons are important philosophical approaches for all martial artists, but they are also great lessons for life in general.

I read the whole book in a single sitting, and recommend it highly to all martial arts instructors and practitioners.

Kris Wilder shares his hard won wisdom through a collection of poignant tales and pithy vignettes. This is a book I can pick up for a few minutes or a few hours and gain something new each time. It is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read yet thought provoking and profound. I recommend it without reservation.

This book is about so much more than martial arts. It has something to offer anyone seeking wisdom, insight and shared knowledge. I am not a martial arts fan or practitioner but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will reread it for the gems of wisdom it bestows.

I am a 29 year old that used to love to draw, and have wanted to get back into it, but needed a place to start, and some help along the way. I found this book, and it's one of the best books that I could find about drawing, and probably the best Manga drawing guide out there. It covers everything that you could ever imagine about the genre of manga art. It's detailed history on Manga, it's artists, and the step by step instructions are like nothing I have ran into. I plan on using it just for the fun of drawing again, and putting together my own graphic novel. If you're looking to improve your skills, want to know how to market yourself, or just want to brush up on your art skills while learning Manga at the same time, I highly reccommend this book.

I purchased this because I was a dummy with regards to drawing in general, and for some reason got a "wild hair" to try and draw manga. After looking at other how-to books, this seemed the most basic and I have learned to trust the dummies series.

In no time flat I was drawing faces and having fun. I spent my free time over the next few weeks going through the book advancing through the techniques. What I found is that nothing is impossible and I was able to draw Manga characters.

The author does a very good job at starting at ground zero, and giving very basic steps that you can replicate to produce decent results. He covers a wide array of topics that give you the tools you need.

Start with a head, then do eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hair. Step by step you work through each of these either doing advanced drawing with a lot of detail or more cartoony features with less detail. After the head is done he moves to the body - first basic layout, then more detail to create a full body, and then add clothes. All of this in a patient step-by-step manner that makes it achievable - for a dummy like me!

Finally when you are able to draw a character, you have a lot more to consider: what other characters are there? How big is he compared to others? how do i draw landscapes, cities, or space ships? The author walks through these types of topics and more to give you a basic understanding of what you need to do if you want to draw a manga page.

In addition to all this, he covers the basics of drawing, for instance, what tools do you need to draw (a pencil and piece of paper), or ink, or draw a full manga page, or publish a full manga magazine.

I purchased this book based on experiance of using the " For Dummies Series" in the past. The book does a good job on creating heads, bodies, and the differences in male/female. I had great results with those lessons. It does get brief in the areas for eyes, noses (especially front view), and mouths. Overall this book is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning the Manga style of drawing or to expand their current drawing abilities.

You may not be the greatest manga artist, but you WILL have the confidence to start.

I bought this book for my 17-year old stepson who always loves manga. He is very excited to have this book that can teach him Manga from very basic stuff to the leve he can draw himself.
Ths shipping is very fast although I chose free-shipping for order 25$, it arrived in a week.

I love Amazon!

Wow, I loved this book. I remember reading an excerpt from it somewhere online several months ago and I was so engrossed in it that I finally had to buy the book recently. And I was not disappointed - the entire book was incredibly easy and engaging to read. The only minor exception was that the last third of the book kind of got away from what made the book so interesting the first 2/3, but overall I would still give the book five stars without a thought. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading a book as much as I did this one.

the only few words i can use to describe this book is that it was a truly....inspirational and fantastic read. great book, i was so engrossed in it that i finished it in two days. runners and non runners alike can enjoy it. running for women has come a long way. i have read it once and will read it again. go ahead people buy it....you will never regret having this book in your collection.

As a woman born in 1980, I really had never grasped the concept of what the generation before my birth had done. I never really understood what the world believed about the abilities of women. Katherine Switzer's story is powerful and amazing. I'm so glad I could grow up believing that I could do anything. The book is well written and powerful.

This was hands down one of the most inspiring running books I've ever read. Kathrine's foresight into the sport of running amazes me - we can thank her not only for bringing the women's marathon to the 1984 Olympic games but also for today's modern marathon "comforts" that didn't exist when she first hit the streets of Boston.
I read this while training for a marathon and her story kept me going during those long and painful runs. This book is a must-read for any runner, male or female.

If ever there was a real-life Wonder Woman, it's Kathrine Switzer...whose brave pursuit and promotion of running events have benefitted countless millions who want to similarly express their joy for the sport. This fun-to-read, fascinating autobiography beautifully communicates the voice of its author: enthusiastic, funny, passionate. It's a must-read for marathoners and entertaining for anyone else who's ever shared in the excitement of witnessing and/or participating in a sporting event.

This is by far the most researched book of its kind on the market today. To say that it is full of fun facts, Mopar models, various engines of the era, etc., etc., would be an understatement. Having lived in those glory days of Mopar myself - and owned and raced a few Mopars of my own - I highly recommend this book for any automotive enthusiasts library.

a good history of early MOPAR cars and the motors that made them great. If you know what a max wedge is you are in the right place. 413 and 426 wedges and then on to the hemi, its MOPAR at its best. Enjoy!

Very good book, but I was hoping to see more of us who raced our MaxWedge and Hemi Mopars on the west coast at LADS, San Fernando, Bakersfield, etc., but the book concentrates primarily on the mid-west and eastern area cars... and it was great to see these guys again. I bought my '62 Plymouth 413 Sport Fury from Milne Bros., trading in my '60 Chevy 348 tri-power, because I was tired of getting beat by the Mopars. My '63 426 Belvedere and '65 Plymouth Hemi also came from Milne Bros. and as Jim points out in this book, the Hemi HP was grossly understated, as mine was producing 543HP out of the box. Blueprinting it produced even more.

Overal, a very good book with a lot of good background and product spec. details. I only wish it had more of what us west coast guys were doing. Jim, FYI, Chrysler made a Teflon valve seal and valve guide machining tool for installing the Teflon seal available during '62. Stopped the 413 sparkplug bad oil fouling!

All that I was hoping for and more - very informative enjoyable book.

For those who love mopar and cool, classic Chryslers, you will love this book. Pictures of some really cool Plymouths and equally serious Dodge classics delight the eyes. A beautiful ca. 1965 Plymouth graces the cover. Note the strong resemblance to the 1965-1966 Dodge Dart 270. A very serious car indeed, that Dart! Super stockers never had it so good!

Book was nicely put together and contains some great pictures as well as reproductions of his first contract, a letter from Richard Nixon, a love letter to his wife, etc. I'm sure there are better books out there in terms of the amount of information about Mantle. Buy the book only if you want to own reproductions of Mantle memorabilia but skip it otherwise.

The book was given to my husband as a gift and he enjoyed it so much that we bought one for a friend. Our friend was equally impressed with the book from the different memorabilia to the overall presentation. It's a book you want to look over again and again.

This book contains many seldom to never seen photographs from the Mantle family archives that make the book priceless. The inserted reproductions of Mantle memorabilia are a perfect supplement that give the reader an insight to Mickey that you can't get anywhere else. Top that off with great stories from Mickey Herskowitz, David Mantle and Danny Mantle and you have a real winner.

Mantle was a one-of-a-kind ballplayer that the sport has not seen since his retirement. Almost 40 years later, Mickey still holds many baseball records including the fastest time from home plate to first base (3.1 seconds), the longest measured home run (565' even though he hit a few in excess of 600' that could not be measured) and most World Series home runs (18).

The legend of #7 will live forever.

My favorite player (my nickname is 'Mickey'). Well done different presentation. I really enjoyed

I got this wonderful book for my father for Christmas and he loves it! It's his favorite book on Mickey Mantle. As a Yankee fan myself I also love the book-it's very touching how Danny and David Mantle talk about their Father.The photos are beautiful and all the little extras are really neat to look at. I recommend this book to Mantle and Yankee fans everywhere.

This book was received in a very timely fashion,much faster than I expected.For a used book,it was in excellent condition.I also enjoyed this book very much.It was a heart warming story of a wonderful and some what eccentric family.

What a wonderful book of the American Family. Written from the perspective of the oldest sibling, who is also the only girl, it is just plain fun. Growing up without a lot of money doesn't mean life has to be boring or painful. Parents don't have to be perfect and neither do the kids.

For anyone who grew up around Columbus, OH in the 60s and 70s, this is a must. But, incredibly, O'Neill makes the book fascinating as well for her look at NY and its restaurant scene in the 80s and 90s. And the glue to the whole narrative is her and her family,including her famous little brother, Paul. Well done Molly.

Molly O'Neill has a very engaging writing style that pulls you into her world. It's a world peopled with the wildly obsessed, but go along as the ride is enjoyable. Molly O'Neill writes about a life that straddled midwest big city longings with utopian politics and food plays a big role at all stops. My only quibble is that the book has less to do about being Paul O'Neill's sister than the book jacket may lead you to believe.

After reading this book I ordered several copies as gifts. That probably says it all, but I can't just leave it there. Molly O'Neill and her family grew up in the neighborhood where I live and I was taken by her memories of family life where she was the only girl with five male siblings and a father whose main focus was baseball. The exploits of the boys had me laughing out loud while also being thankful I didn't live next door to them.
I enjoyed reading how Molly's cooking expertise evolved and even included her brothers in this endeavor. Her writing, as always, was a delight.

A fantastic insight to the what the Search & Rescue volunteers go through to aid and assist the common and, not-so-common, adventurers. Exciting read where every chapter addresses a different rescue, different aspect, and different experience of Dr. Van Tilburg's.

With this insider's view of mountain rescue and wilderness medicine, Chris van Tilburg takes the reader along on some exciting missions. Along with the gripping tales, Dr. van Tilburg has included many thoughtful discussions of the issues involved, such as how some of the victims ended up in trouble in the mountains. He also shares a personal view of how he balances mountain rescue, medicine, and family life with a wife and two young daughters. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in mountain rescue, especially as a member or potential member of a rescue group. For doctors and other medical professionals who are interested in wilderness medicine, this is a must read.

I read this book in less than a week. Even though I am not part of the medical profession, rescue profession, or familiar with mountain climbing, I found it both fascinating and entertaining. Dr. Vantilburg relays his experience as a rescue doctor in a manner that is technical and interesting, but not too weighty in medical jargon. The stories are fascinating recounts of local rescues that balance tension with eloquent descriptions of natural beauty. I wanted to keep reading after the last story ended.

Our community is fortunate to have the Crag Rats as a rescue team, and I am grateful Dr. Vantilburg made me aware of this fine group of men and women. The book carefully describes the dedication, skill, and fitness each member must maintain so that we can be a little safer exploring the wilderness. It also brings to light the ongoing discussion as to who should be financially responsible for rescues that tax local resources and funding.

I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in outdoor recreation as it captures the wonder of the outdoors, but also delivers a cautionary warning as to what can go wrong if one is not prepared.

Wilderness medicine is the art and science of practicing medicine in unpredictable and sometimes extremely harsh environments, as found in the mountains at high altitude, at sea during expeditions to remote reefs or under the harsh sun of an equatorial desert. It is not for the faint of heart and requires a willingness to endure isolation, limited resources and physical and emotional hardship.

Most tales of search, rescue and wilderness medicine begin with an account of how the victims got into trouble. Sometimes they venture into inclement weather without having thought about how to prepare a shelter or what to do if they become injured or lost. Sometimes it's just plain bad luck, as the forces of nature conspire to produce an unanticipated storm or avalanche.

Christopher Van Tilburg, M.D. offers a collection of tales about mountain rescue in Oregon, where he is a member of the Hood River Crag Rats, reputed to be the oldest mountain rescue team in the United States. As an emergency physician and an expert in many aspects of wilderness medicine, he is well qualified to be part of such a team; as a skilled writer, he engages, informs and entertains the reader.

Van Tilburg's stories are highly personal, each describing the setting and events of an actual rescue. In river parlance, that is the main run - but as anyone knows who has floated the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon, there is much to be learned from the side hikes. Brief literary forays are scattered throughout Mountain Rescue Doctor as Van Tilburg shares his thoughts on what it means to be a physician, how he became an aficionado of wilderness medicine and how he depersonalizes rescue situations. He discusses topics such as injury prevention, rescuer and physician liability, and the risks, rewards, appropriateness and ethics of rescues. One of the questions I am most frequently asked by medical students and residents-in-training is how they can work wilderness medicine into their future as busy clinicians. Now I can suggest this book as an example of how one doctor answered his calling. Mountain Rescue Doctor is a useful addition to the literature of wilderness medicine because it sheds light on one doctor's motivation in devoting a large part of his professional life to this dynamic and essential specialty.

As an EMS volunteer, I've participated in a few rescues myself, but none as difficult or dangerous as described in this book. Van Tilberg's stories make for compulsive reading. He does an excellent job of explaining the difficult thought processes behind the amazing number and variety of life-and-death decisions that rescuers must make on every mission. This is a worthwhile and exciting read.