Players Books

Last September I painted a mural of "Shoeless " Joe Jackson in his home town---Greenville, South Carolina. His name meant nothing to me until I went to the library to do research for the painting. There I discovered I might be the only person in the world who was unaware of "Shoeless."

Never interested in sports, I thought I was reading about the legendary hero only to acquaint myself with the visual particulars of the man and the game of baseball in the early 1900's. Before I finished the first book I was hooked----not by the sport, but by the deeply moving life story of Joe himself.

Further research led me to read Joe Thompson's GROWING UP WITH "SHOELESS" JOE JACKSON, The Greatest Natural Player In Baseball History. Here was an account, written in the personal first person that makes one feel the intimacy of a hometown boy's acquaintance, and love for the subject. There was no turning back then. I became an ardent fan of "Shoeless" Joe.

Thompson has written in the voice of the South Carolina native he is. Unpretentiously he tells, not only the history of Jackson's baseball career, but of the man as a child of impoverished mill worker parents. He speaks of a small boy who was never sent to school, and who was sweeping the floors of Brandon Mill when only seven years old. He makes you hear the taunts "Shoeless" endured because he never learned to read or write. He makes you proud of the little mill kid who, in spite of everything, made it to the major leagues. And he makes you weep for the wretched debacle which cost an innocent "Shoeless" his brilliant career.

In 1996 the Brandon Mill Baseball Field in West Greenville was finally named for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Thompson's vivid fury that publicity and general media coverage was as lackluster as the bitterly cold day of the dedication, fairly sizzles on the pages of his book.

Thompson's infectious outrage that "Shoeless" has been slighted by his own hometown has persuaded me to become involved in the renewal of the once thriving business district of the mill village. Many more murals depicting "Shoeless'" career, and the textile history of the area, are on the drawing boards.

Buddy Hunt, who commissioned the original mural, is opening a coffee shop, Cuppa Joe, so fans will have a place to stop and chat when visiting. Hunt owns a number of large empty buildings across the street from where "Shoeless" Joe owned a liquor store. His hope is to attract investors, restaurateurs and shop keepers---all with sports, or related themes---to the long neglected area.

I have met the author of GROWING UP WITH "SHOELESS" JOE JACKSON, and am proud that he not only approves of the renewal project, but is helping to bring it about.

Whether or not you are a sports fan, this book will tug at your heartstrings, for it is a rich and poignant history written by a hometown boy who tells it like it is.

Polly Hunt Neal

This book is very unusual. When I received it and began reading it, I felt as though I'd been duped. The font is abnormally large making it look initially like a book meant for young adults or children. As I read I was completely shocked to see many misspelled words, subject verb disagreements, problems with modifiers, incomplete sentences, you name it. I considered sending it back, but I'm a serious fan of Shoeless Joe, so I kept on reading and discovered something very interesting. This book isn't the product of a huge publishing conglomerate, in fact, it's a truly home-spun effort. I examined the credits and realized the author published it himself much the same way an underground band would market it's own music. Members of his family provided the photos. It looks like he may have had friends proofread and edit it. It seems to have been printed locally as well. The upside is that it has a "down home" charm that a true fan of Joe Jackson can appreciate. I'm sure Joe would considerate it a literary masterpiece. I'm currently writing a one-man-play about Joe, and I've found things in this book that I haven't read before. After allowing myself to digest its differences, and accept what it really is, I can honestly say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks very much Mr Thompson.

As web master of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame (http://www.blackbetsy.com/), the Official web site of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Society, I highly recommend this book. I have been to every town and city that Joe played ball in and have read most, if not all newspaper accounts of the day and every book on Joe Jackson. Unlike the other books on Joe Jackson, this one is written by someone that actually knew Joe and it shows in this great work. Joe Thompson grew up in the forties in the Brandon Mill community where Joe Jackson ran a liquor store. Jackson would take Joe and his friends to the school yard and teach them how to play baseball. Jackson also taught them lessons about life of which Joe Thompson speaks about in this book. This book is more than just about Joe Jackson the ballplayer, it about Joe Jackson the man. This book will give you insight into the man, to let you know that he held no grudge against baseball. It will show you that he would go out of his way to help his fellow man and he gave of himself to help young kids grow up and lead a productive life. This is a must read for Jackson fans, as well as baseball fans in general.......get the real story about Joe Jackson!!!!!

In baseball there are some memorable moments, Carlton Fisk hitting the game winning home run in the 1975 World Series for example. In baseball there are also some darker moments, The Black Sox Scandal is probably the most notable of these.

In the book Growing Up with Shoeless Joe, author Joe Thompson takes you inside baseball's past and gives you a first rate look at the Greatest Natural Hitter baseball has ever seen. Thompson's book is the first I have ever read that is more than the typical slander on Joe Jackson.

Thompson takes a look into the man, more than the ball player, and allows you to see a side of Jackson never before revealed. What Thompson gives the reader is by far the best accounting of a true hero in the game of baseball.

This book is so much more than a story about a World Series in 1919; it's so much more than a story about baseball. This book is about the man Joe Jackson and the side of him most of us have never seen. I am extremely proud to be allowed to review this book

I discovered this book at my local library and after I read a few pages I knew I had to own it. I purchased it new and received it in pristine condition. The book has everything you need to know as a beginning musician and some tips for the professionals as well. Denyer covers lots of ground including artist profiles, guitar construction and repair, music theory, guitar scales and chords, the list goes on. The book is something I will keep in my music room near my gear and other favorite music books and periodicals. This is a rare find. You won't be disappointed!

I took up guitar playing back in India in the 80's and taught myself how to play using this book, then life took its course and brought me to the US and I quit playing till last month. I picked up this book again (photocopies of most sections as it was not available except in the library in my hometown) and started playing again. The book is timeless and covers scales, triads and chords systematically by building the right theoretical underpinnings allowing one to play melody and rhythm while having a solid understanding of how to compose for the guitar.

It covers tremendous ground that I have not found in any other book since encountering it in terms of playing guitar.

If you want to learn guitar from the very basics to the most advanced concepts in order to play your own music, buy this book! You will not regret it! I am buying this book today at long last!

This book is laid out in a very easy to approach format. Most items are a page or two long with tones of illustrations. You could print out most sections and they would stand on their own as a handout. I've been told this is THE book for music instructors (of which I'm not), and I couldn't agree more! Beyond that, it gives great direction to what to learn for us self educated guitar players. The book explains not only concepts but popular opinions on those concepts. It tries not to focus or narrow your options, and I think it succeeds. Awesome book with an appropriate title.

This is one of the few guitar books I've seen that is well rounded without lacking substance. It has a good amount of material covering the history of the guitar, how it is amplified, how things like materials, neck length, string action, etc, can effect tone, and playability on all sorts of axes. It even includes brief histories on some of the larger manufacturers and what to look for when buying a guitar. Likewise, it has sections dedicated to tuning and adjusting your guitar...basic information that doesn't seem readily available in many beginner books. What's nice about this, especially for the new player, is that it enlightens you as to what a guitar really is and helps you to learn your instrument, aside from your basic chords. On that note, it has great recommendations for the beginning guitarist, including which chords to learn, how to make progressions, and basic solo licks. It explains in very nice illustrated/photographed details some of the more advanced methods, including trills, hammer-ons, bends, etc. I've played guitar for many years, now, and I think this is a great book that finds focus in the right areas, and I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to know more about guitars and playing them.

Ray's Guitar Players Practice Guide is an outstanding teaching tool for professionals and serious enthusiasts alike. If you are a guitarist serious about improving your skills or already a serious guitarist looking to improve --- I highly recommend this book.

I so highly recommend it, that I now make sure each guitarist I work with has the opportunity to use this guide. Make no mistake, this is work. But with this practice guide you will quickly develop and hone your musicianship beyond what you can dream. I have now made Ray's Practice Guide a regular part of my own daily music routine and am astounded by the results. Simply put, I've not found any other workbook, teaching, or guide that can produce such amazing results in such a short amount of time.

Another thing I might mention, this practice guide works wonderfully (with modifications).... on both keyboard and violin, particularly violin. If the person has enough knowledge and theory behind them, they can use the principles on a wide variety of instruments.

Regards,
kim wendt
creative worship
trinity united methodist church

When I received the practice guild my lead playing and knowlege of were to be on the fret board was in a state of disaray.
Once I started to study with the practice guild my playing made quantum leaps forward. Its easy and fun.

Thanks Ray
Jason Bishop

Hey folks, this book is great. I'm finally organized in my practice time. I'm seeing progress each day. Great technical and practical advice...I use it in conjunction with other material, the book actually helps organize all that other stuff as well. I ordered this guys CD from raycarrano.com, why he is not famous I can't tell you. Sounds like Joe Satrianni, Rush etc...

This book is the tool guitar players have been waiting for. I am a 20 veteran guitarist and teacher. I use this book with all my students and for my own practice time. You will be organized and you will learn....Randy, CA

"A Handful of Summers" is the most informative and entertaining book on tennis I've read.

But the 1997 HarperCollins edition is dreadful: the paper quality is poor, and -- most importantly -- all the photographs are missing. I was so disgusted with it I returned it to Amazon and bought a second-hand copy instead.

The five-star rating is for the writing, not the edition.

Be warned.

I think this book was named the best book on tennis by some or other panel. Though I have not read all that many books on the sport, I cannot imagine a better book on tennis, or any other sport for that matter. Forbes is a delightful author, writing with gentle wit and charm about his childhood on a farm in the Eastern Cape, his tennis career and his life after tennis. Reading the book it is impossible not to mourn the passing of an era when sport was played for the enjoyment thereof, and sports star were friends.

A book that should be read by everybody, not only people interested in tennis or sport.

Gordon Forbes has captured the essence of what sport used to and should still be. From South African farmlands to the lawns of Wimbledon "Forbsie" paints a humorous picture of tennis in the fifties and sixtys. The cast of characters become personal friends and the author like a big brother. A Handful of Summers is among the classics on my bookshelf.

This is a journey through one man's life in an era so different from today. An insight into the world of 'amateur' tennis and its twists of professionalism. An era when tennis was played for the joy of the game, travelling, a varied existence, and a lack of anything better to do!

This traces the realities of life on the tennis tour in the 50s and 60s and the ups and downs which went with it, especially given that Gordon Forbes was from a culture as complex as that of South Africa.

This books gets you really involved in the lives of some of the greatest tennis legends of all time, and others who strove to reach their heady heights, but never quite made it to the top! This book contains so much passion and honesty that it draws you in. You can almost believe that you are right beside these tennis greats, treading in their every footstep, hearing their every breath. You feel as if you grew up with them, laughed their every laugh, and suffered their every defeat.

This is a must for every lover of tennis, and should not be written off by those who have no interest in the game. This is no ordinary tennis chronicle.

This is a nice book about Hank Aaron, the baseball player who broke Babe Ruth's home run record. It is also about an African-American man who managed to brake into Major League Baseball and endure threats from racist people who didn't like the fact he played. An inspiring story about overcoming people's bad attitudes and hatred while trying to achieve a goal.

The story Henry "Hank" Aaron begins right when you open Hank Aaron Brave in Every Way by: Peter Golenbock. Paul Lee colorfully illustrates every page. Hank's story from birth to the HR record is told in this great biography.
The book will inspire every young person to not give up. Hank's perseverance to make the majors will show kids that miracles can happen. Paul Lee's illustrations by there selves could tell the story. Pictures of Henry with his family are extremely artistic. Hank Aaron is a great example that hard work pays off. His mom said "Hank, try to be the best." He took that attitude all the way.
Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way is a great read for people of all ages. People will admire Hank Aaron's talent and will. The pictures also help tell the story very well.

The story Henry "Hank" Aaron begins right when you open Hank Aaron Brave in Every Way by: Peter Golenbock. Paul Lee colorfully illustrates every page. Hank's story from birth to the HR record is told in this great biography.
The book will inspire every young person to not give up. Hank's perseverance to make the majors will show kids that miracles can happen. Paul Lee's illustrations by there selves could tell the story. Pictures of Henry with his family are extremely artistic. Hank Aaron is a great example that hard work pays off. His mom said "Hank, try to be the best." He took that attitude all the way.
Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way is a great read for people of all ages. People will admire Hank Aaron's talent and will. The pictures also help tell the story very well.

it is a great biography that descibes hanks courage during a very difficult time in his carrer. however, hank overcomes all the negativity and becomes the all time home run record holder.

I have to admit I'm not a big sports guy. I caught an interview with Jason Peter on Sirius, and was really sucked into his story when the interviewer read the opening paragraph of the book. Then hearing Jason talk about his football glory days, and his post NFL nightmare had me chomping at the bit to read this book.

I was not disappointed. Peter and O'Neill have crafted a book that grabs you by the throat on the first page, and doesn't let up until you close the cover.

I know - pro sports guy blows it on drugs, and then writes a book about it. So far, so Darryl Strawberry, right? But this one is different. For a start there is not an iota of self-pity in these pages. Peter comes on like the authentic version of the guy James Frey tried to pass himself off as: a primal, raging tough guy waging war on the world and himself. There are moments of poetry here, and some genuinely beautiful writing that really comes as a surprise. I picked up the book expecting a fun read, a behind the scenes look at the big money world of the NFL and the plentiful women and drugs that come along with it. I got all of that, but also I got a book which sits neatly on my bookshelf next to oddball classics like "A Fans Notes" by Fred Exely, "Permanent Midnight" by Jerry Stahl (no coincidence then that Stahl compares the author to Hunter S Thompson on the back flap) or even the brawling, boozy tough-guy poetry of Bukowski.

While Peter refrains from implicating others when talking about the culture of drugs and money in professional football, he is unsparing in exposing his own dark heart here. What starts off as a book about addiction becomes a book about the flipside of the American Dream itself: what DO you do when the adoration, the money, the women, the screaming crowds are no longer there for you? We follow Jason as he tries to fill this void with sex, painkillers, cocaine, crack, and eventually heroin. Even the faux-spirituality of Alcoholics Anonymous cannot satisfy the hole left by his aborted football career (in fact, some of the funniest passages of this book are set in rehab, and Peter offers a cynical view of "redemption" that is probably the polar opposite view of what we are normally offered in the standard "recovery memoir")

All in all, this is a great book, one for the football fans and certainly one for those who have never seen a game in their lives. Ultimately it's a story about one man rediscovering his humanity. Underneath the "jock monster" promised on the cover, there beats the heart of a real writer...

I'd read Tony O'Neill's novel, Digging the Vein, and so found out about this book he wrote with Jason Peter, a defensive linesman for first, Nebraska, and then the Carolina Panthers, and a former drug addict.

I read it, breathelessly, in one day. My family was annoyed. It was RIVETTING. Peter's story is - ah- something else and no doubt O'Neill helped craft the raw material into a really well constructed book. Unputdownable. Really.

I have such compassion for Peter. I mean, yeah, I wish I'd met him when he was still wild and I was young and wild and- but hey, he's doing OK now!!! And that's great. Because, man, he should be dead. And he knows it. But- he's not! And he has a really great way of dealing with his struggles. That is to say, he's not "AA". And I'm not against AA, but I am against the idea that it is the ONLY way to get it together.

Anyway, I love all the partying and hookers and private plane stuff. So did he. But, it's great he's got it together.

Oh, and I love summer. But now that I read this book, I sort of can't wait for football season to start. I totally recommend this book. Fantastic story, heartfelt, so well executed.

I picked up this book with some hesitation given that the subject matter is somewhat disturbing, but having enjoyed "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey (hoax notwithstanding) and being a huge fan of college football, I thought the combination of over-the-top drug use and big time American football would be interesting. After three pages I was hooked. The writing is fantastic, the story flows well and there is wonderful insight into the college football recruiting process, campus life as an All-American player, and the lonely existence as an NFL rookie arriving at camp. I highly recommend "Hero of the Underground".

Wow, this a riveting story from start to finish. I only bought this book because I was knocked out by Tony O'Neill's first novel (Digging The Vein) I know nothing about American Football and hadn't heard of Jason Peter before but that didn't matter, this is such a dark deep story that I was hooked immediately. Really amazing.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good roller coaster ride to the dark side. Great holiday read (but you'll probably end up just wanting to read it all in one day!)

Okay, so my husband who is a huge football fan bought this book. I really had no interest you know football and all. One day I was getting ready to go to the beach and had no new reads so I throw Hero of the Underground in my bag. I started reading the first chapter and was instantly sucked in. The story is so much more than football. It is an honest in your face account of someone's journey with addiction. The stories are riveting and ultimately it is a tale of bravery and triumph over addiction. Needless to say, I finished the book at the beach that very day. I hope it will help someone who is struggling with demons. Great read.

So many times have I heard stories about career(or dream)-ending injuries and knew it wasn't as mellow to them as they made it seem. It was nice to see Robinson rewarded with the HOF(Seton Hall) in the end. Biggio was destined for greatness, Valentin was better than I thought he was, and Vaughn was a monster from the start. They all have some facinating human stories that make it hard to look at them the same.

The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth by sports writer David Siroty is an involved and involving study of the lives of Craig Biggio, Mo Vaughn, and John Valentin, three renowned baseball players, each of whom earned MVP honors, Gold Gloves, and more, -- as well as the life of Marteese Robinson, a friend and college teammate of the three men who was left behind from the professional baseball world. Robinson would eventually find a way to join his friends; just not a way that any of them expected. The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth is an engaging tale, featuring an aside with a quotable quote from the men it spotlights on almost every page, as well as an inset section of black-and-white photographs. The Hit Men And The Kid Who Batted Ninth is a very fine read -- especially for baseball fans.

Maybe I'm a bit biased since two of the four players profiled in this book are now Mets, but I really enjoyed their stories. Siroty takes you from their childhoods through college, to the minor leagues and the majors. Every player has a different path, and not all of them have the traditional happy endings. Every page mentions a new player whose name you'll recognize - I always wondered how every baseball player seemed to know each other, even if their teams never competed. You'll love this book if you love baseball - because it really shows the players' passion for the game.

David Siroty writes a factually accurrate account of the Hit Men from Seton Hall. As a former Pirate player, I spent some time with these guys and they were all good guys and had one distinguishing trait in common; they all had the burning desire to play the great game of baseball. Excellent job by Siroty telling a great story about the greatest game on the face of the earth.
Brought back good memories. Wish I was there!
Can't wait to bring my son to Mike Sheppard's Basball Camp...keep the hustle.
PS: Marteese Robinson was one of the nicest guys in our high school, SHP.

As others have noted, the book is not only informative but entertaining. Barkley's photos set the tone brilliantly for a look at the game in earlier days. Where today players wear helmets and masks, then Barkley's close-in style highlighted the emotion of the game by vividly showing players' faces. The illuminated, rapid-fire sports photography of today loses the luster of Barkley's contrasted shots that make it seem as though there is only the players and the ice surface, which he lit with his own set of lights along the glass hours before each game.

A must-have along with Kevin Allen, Bob Duff and Johnny Bower's "Without Fear."

I own many hockey books, and this book is, by far, the one I open up most often. Each picture takes you into a world of NHL hockey that has long passed away. The beautiful full-color photographs will cause you to forget that they are images of the fastest moving sport in the world. It's as if the players have posed for the camera in an attempt to recreate hidden moments of the game. The facial expressions alone will capture your eye. You'll find yourself scanning every detail of the pictures, looking for that elusive black puck (and you'll find that puck in nearly every picture). This book is a pure treasure for fans of the game of hockey, in particular those fans who remember the simple days of 6 teams, 120 players, 1 Cup.

You can literally spend hours looking at this book and not tire of the images. They're so life-like it's eerie. Harold Barkley's strobe photography techniques give the pictures a "3-D" quality that is completely absent in today's "flat" images. Of course, the fact that the stars in the photos are from the "Golden Era" (50's and 60's) make the book all that much better. These stills make you yearn for the hockey of yesteryear, even if you weren't there! The flat sticks, the glossy narrow skates, the bryl-cream donned hair (helmet, what helmet?) - it's all here right down to the ice-shavings littering the goal crease, all in awesome detail.

Frank Selke's introduction is excellent as well. Here is a man that makes no bones about why this was hockey's greatest era. My favorite example - fights were seen as a gentlemanly way to settle differences, not as an indication of a sport gone awry with "violence". My only complaint is that his anecdotes are only a few pages rather than a few chapters.

But the photographs are really what this book is about. Sure, the statistics and history of each player featured are there, but I found my eyes continually wandering from the print back to the image - they're that good. It's tempting to cut them all out and frame them.

This book will be enjoyed by any hockey fan, but if your over 40 it will be a treasure.

Wow! Buy this book just for the fabulous photographs taken by Harold Barkley, a long-time photgrapher with the Toronto Star. Barkley pioneered the use of the strobe in sports photography, and the detail he captured in these bright color photos is phenomenal--the texture of the ice, the meticulously greased and combed hair on the players, the rows of dark-suited spectators in the audience. This is how hockey used to look! The text consists of 1-2 page spreads on individual players of the day. The stars are all here, of course, but more interesting, to me anyway, are the players who've slipped from memory--Andy Hebenton, Norm Ullman, Camille Henry, Elmer Vasko. These names ring bells for fans who grew up in that era, but you seldom hear them now. Yet, here they are, preserved for us both in prose and in pristine photographic detail. This book's a gem.

It's information is insightful, Biblical, practical and Ken puts into the hands of his readers a do-able, day to day playbook for Dad's to win with their kids. Ken's insights, stories and truths empower and equip men to leave lasting Godly imprints in the daily lives of their children and all those whom they touch....he helps us Packer fans to realize that though it may be hard to fathom...there are indeed higher priorities in life than football and dare I say it...the Green Bay Packers

Very inspirational. Easy read, great message. This book greatly affected my husband's relationship with our children. Great book for any dad, especially a sports (football) fan.

Home Field Advantage allows a father to remember what is really important and how he score where it really counts.

In 1992, Dave Branon of Sports Spectrum joined with Joe Pellegrino to present Christian role models in baseball. Now Branon and Packer Ken Ruettgers give us a role model in football, a sport in desperate need of same. When the bad boys get all the ink, we all need to look beyond that to the behavior and character of players like Ruettgers. Branon - we're waiting for the good guys of basketball. The mainstream media don't even try to hide their rolling eyes and smug boredom when Christian players praise The Lord. Get over it, media, and ask yourselves why you're disturbed at a player who kneels in the end zone to thank his Lord rather than break into a dance of self-glorification.Bit by bit, book by book, the good guys are gaining.For more on the Branon touch, try a subscription to his magazine, Sports Spectrum. It's a whole new world out there, sports fans, a world where the Minister of Defense is in the pulpit

I haven't read this book but I think it is a great book about a great player as well as person.I was shocked that he was getting death threats from people and it was over a stupid homerun.Thats my review on the book Homerun:My Life In Pictures by Hank Aaron and Dick Schapp and a forword by Ted Williams.

the man was not only a great ball player but a reminder of the struggle for african-americans.he broke down so many doors.imagine having the fbi escort you to a baseball game? hate mail for breaking babe ruth's record? jackie robinson&larry doby opened the doors as well as the negro league but mr. Aaron kicked it thru.he is a class act and a true ambassador.he stared racisim dead in the eye and achieved.a true hero for all time.this book states that&more.

the book deeply touched me , as it told the life of the great base ball palyer , and his struggle as an african american in the major leagues.

This was an excellent book with beautiful illustrations. The quotes from so many exceptional athletes really adds to the book. It made a great Father's Day gift, especially since Hank was in Atlanta last week for the book signing. He's a class act who is very humble. He's the type of person I hope my children have as one of their heroes. I didn't realize until I read the book the kind of discrimination and criticism he had to deal with in baseball.