Players Books

This is a very good book on chess that goes beyond the basics of the game. It is a "must read" for chess enthusiasts.

I really like the way Lev Alburt and Larry Parr have written these Volumes of the " Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters". I think reading Volume 1 is a must for beginners if you want to get the most out of Volume 2. I had no problem going from Volume 1 to Volume 2. Volume 2 (about the first 100 pages) starts mainly with more detailed Tactics and many helpful Diagrams. There are up to 3 diagrams on one page with the answers & explanations on the opposite page or just below the diagrams, no searching for answers. The last half of the book is mainly about Openings. There about 20 openings he explains and many have an accompanying Master Games ( Reti, Fischer, Tal ) which are easy to follow. I also like that he gives some specific Opening recommendations. Thus, this book explains Advanced Tactics and will prepare you for a more advanced Opening Book. Lev also gives a list of all the Chess Champions starting 1745(A.Philidor) to 1997(G.Kasparov). The book is 231 pages including a nice Index.

It's probably the quickest way to learn chess, and the right way to do it. Very pleasing to read and full of "Chessercizes" that help you test your understanding of the presented material. This volume enhances your knowledge of the game not through boring opening memorization but through tactics and tactical devices that can be applied to any game at anytime. won't believe how it will improve your game and playing style as well as your appreciation for the fine art of chess.

This book teaches you elements of tactics. There are a lot of puzzles to solve and they are quiet challenging. The book is not for beginners, so take a note of that. Seems that most of the examples in this book were used to create Alburt's "300 most important positions" published later.

Smooth, easy transaction, item arrived promptly. Easier than asking the local bookstore to order it in. A+

Great item for bass players. Helpful tips on sound production and fine tuning your bass to give you just the right sound for your playing. Repair tips and step by step guides to fixing most problems that you will run across. Highly suggested for bass players and luthiers.

I find this book very informative and thorough. Many illustrations to show operations and much information overall. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the performance of their upright bass as well as anyone working on basses as a luthier etc.

I have been making and repairing bowed stringed instruments for 20 years. Although this book is written by a bass expert, it is the best one you will find covering all aspects of string repair and optimizing tone. Mr. Traeger explains how to do this, with plenty of pictures, and, most importantly, why it works.
If you are a player, you will learn all about how your bass should be repaired. The mystery of the repairmans magic is revealed completely. This will give you the insight you need to ask intelligent questions the next time you need expensive repairs.
If you are a luthier, you will gain the insight and experinace of Treager's many years of successful practice.
This book is the most valuable single book in my library of making and repairing bowed stringed instruments.

In "Shattering the Glass," Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford explain how women's basketball became one of the most exciting and dynamic sports in America today. They document how the sport first became popular in the late 1800s, leading many high schools and colleges to create teams. The book contains outstanding biographical sketches of the game's early pioneers, many of whom came from rural communities, factory towns, and working class neighborhoods to attract local support to the game. The authors also describe how women's basketball was strongly embraced by black high schools and historically black colleges, long before the civil rights era, as a means to combat racism and demonstrate the courage, determination, and ability that black athletes possessed, following in the footsteps of Jesse Owens and Joe Louis.

Grundy and Shackelford do an excellent job of describing how women's sports have historically been hamstrung by presumptions about women's role in society. In the early 1900s, concerns about female frailty led many communities to ban women from playing. As time progressed and more colleges created teams, administrators feared that women's teams wouldn't bring in enough revenue, or that funding women would draw too much revenue away from men's teams. In the 1950s, rising incomes and the introduction of television loosened local community ties around the nation, forcing the women's game to evolve to appeal to a national audience. Even after Title IX was enacted in the early 1970s, the severe recession forced many colleges to reduce funding for women's programs. Over time, though, women's basketball overcome these obstacles and began to thrive.

The most fascinating parts of "Shattering the Glass" involve debates regarding the future direction that the sport should take. In 1974, a group of female physical education instructors created the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) to govern women's basketball because the NCAA had little interest in supporting it. The AIAW banned athletic scholarships because it wanted to avoid the academic and recruiting scandals that plagued the NCAA. As the AIAW built momentum and achieved success, the NCAA lobbied vigorously against federal enforcement of Title IX. However, when the women's game reached the limits of where the AIAW's limited resources could take it, many women's programs chose to make the transition to the NCAA. Grundy and Shackelford explain that while giving up on the AIAW was agonizing, many women had the foresight to see that working within the confines of the NCAA was necessary to give women's college basketball the exposure it deserved.

This debate played out again in 1996, when conditions became ripe to launch a professional women's league. Once again, women had to choose whether to create their own league and achieve success on their own terms, or to work with the established men's organization, in this case the NBA. Grundy and Shackelford explain how women who wanted to strike out on their own created the American Basketball League (ABL), which played during the winter, sponsored teams in college cities, offered relatively high player salaries, and held games in small arenas. Women who chose to work with the NBA formed the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which played in the summer, had relatively modest salaries, played in large NBA cities, and used the NBA's large arenas. Although both leagues got off to a good start, the ABL was not able to secure the long-term television contracts and corporate sponsorship necessary to survive. The WNBA went on to become an extraordinarily success, offering exciting games while solving many of the problems that plague men's professional sports leagues.

"Shattering the Glass" is a rewarding account of how women persevered over time to make women's high school, college, and professional basketball as exciting to watch as men's. The book is strongly recommended to WNBA fans who want to learn more about how the league got to where it is today with athletes who demonstrate character and integrity, vibrant franchises in both small and large market cities, strong competitive balance among the teams, and great people working to make the league work behind the scenes. The women who paved the way for the WNBA's stars overcame extraordinary adversity to make women's basketball what it is today, and fans owe it to themselves to read this excellent book and learn more about their stories.

I just purchased two more copies for friends and fellow coaches ... and I'm only halfway through this mesmorizing read. I especially enjoyed the accompanying photographs beginning in the 1890s ... and the timeless, oh-so-familiar looks of intensity, confidence, and joy in the eyes of the players. My own life in sports was incomplete until I was introduced to the women's game through my own daughters. Attention Ken Burns: Here is the script for your next project. Long live Title IX!

I checked this book out from the library after I first got WNBA fever two years ago. Before that, my only experience with women's bball was playing in 7th grade. Although it was the funnest sport I ever tried, I left it completely behind when i became a grungy teen and eschewed all sports. (Blame in on Texas' sports-centric culture y'all, I was just reacting, ha!)

Then WNBA games starting broadcasting regularly on ESPN2. The women's game mesmerized me. I couldn't get enough - which brought me to Shattering the Glass. It's a great overview of the history. If you're new to the scene, it's a fabulous introduction to the stories behind the big names. I didn't know Nancy Lieberman was nicknamed Fire in the 70s, thanks to her showy moves! Too awesome. The cover, showing Chamique Holdsclaw (who recently retired, sadly) and Lisa Leslie, is a great indication of the guts, brawn and glory that is the women's game.

Wow--I can't believe I'm the first person to review this book, given how comprehensive it is and what a great overview it provides for the sport of women's basketball in the United States.

Grundy takes us from the first days of the game itself as developed by James Naismith (what a smart guy he was, to envision this great game) and then quickly adopted by Victorians to allow women to play sports but with all of the quirky Victorian values in place. Readers will learn a little about the first rules for women's basketball, including organization of the court into cells, each one containing a woman who stood within its boundaries to defend her team's basket and pass the ball for offensive plays. Yes, the game was really that slow and inactive back then! But the rules were designed to prevent women from over-exerting themselves and retaining that air of refinement.

Grundy also does a good job of including stories about the key players at the college and professional levels from the 1930s onward. You'll recognize the well known women players and learn about others who, while less well known, were still instrumental in growing the sport. You'll also learn something of the spirit, vision, and character of these physically and psychologically strong women pioneers.

And, because this is a history involving women, you will also learn about the difficulties women, as recently as Pat Summitt (Lady Vols basketball coach--GO VOLS!) and Tara VanDerveer (Stanford women's basketball coach--GO STANFORD!) who went to high school when there was NO basketball team for girls, had in finding places where they could learn to play the game and play with other teams. That's hard (thankfully) for women of the next generations (like me) to imagine, but this was the reality for much of the country until the 1970s. Readers will also learn about the passage of "Title IX" by Congress, legislation that was key to creating greater opportunity in sports, and how it was actually part of a larger piece of legislation that didn't initially actually have a sports/althetics focus. Women's basketball in this country is a fine mirror of the equality, civil rights, and social justice movements that were happening concurrently with the development of the sport.

Grundy also does a good job of including some information about other women's basketball leagues that have been a part of the game's history, including Asian-only leagues. While she only mentions Chinese-American leagues, there were also Japanese-American leagues for children and youth, where many of the players and families were Japanese American. These ethnic-specific leagues were and, for some, continue to be important aspects of ethnic communities and ethnic identities, often being the only time a child or youth from that background would think to play the sport. That Grundy knew about these leagues and included them in her book only adds to the diversity, love, and support this game has had from all groups, but whose stories would otherwise be lost over time.

Grundy's book ends in 2004 and with the story of the successful WNBA (and accompanying demise of the ABL, the other competing women's pro ball league that eventually folded).

The only reason why I gave this book only 4 stars and not all 5 is because the book is too short and I would've enjoyed more details. Still, this is a great book to read if you want to know the comprehensive history of this game for women, be inspired to play the game or support players who do, and understand the evolution of sports and athletics for women. It's an even greater book to read in between the college and pro women's basketball seasons!

For those not familiar with the Second City, it is basically the granddaddy of all comedy troupes. Started in the mid-'50s as the Compass Players, it transformed into Second City in 1959 and has been going strong ever since, even opening sister theatres in Toronto & Detroit. So many of our current and past comedy stars have started here, it's mindboggling. The Belushi brothers, Bill Murray, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Chris Farley, Bonnie Hunt, Ryan Stiles, Richard Kind, David Steinberg, Alan Alda, Peter Boyle, the entire cast of "SCTV Network," Philip Baker Hall, Mike Myers, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Meadows, Dan Aykroyd... the list goes on and on. This book was written in the '70s and is a collection of interviews w/ several of the company's key writer/performer/directors, among them Gilda Radner, Avery Schreiber, & Mina Kolb. A must-read for anyone who loves improv, sketch comedy, theatre technique, and, specifically, the Second City!

This is a completely self-serving comment because I wrote thebook. But it occurs to me that it's hard to tell from the listingwhat the book is about. Briefly -- it's an oral history of the Second City, the Chicago-based theatre that popularized improvisational comedy. There are extensive and exclusive interviews here with Mike Nichols, Barbara Harris (her only full-length interview in more than 25 years), Alan Arkin, Alan Alda, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, David Steinberg, Gilda Radner, Del Close, the late, great Severn Darden, Paul Mazursky and the founder, Paul Sills.Being a book about people who created classic comedy, it can't help but be funny. But, beyond that, it and Viola Spolin's Improvisation for the Theatre and Keith Johnstone's Impro offer concrete ideas on how to build theatre of all kinds -- not just improv. I have been told by several people that Something Wonderful helped them decide what kind of theatre they wanted to do. (Mick Napier, founder of Chicago's celebrated Annoyance Theatre, was quoted as saying this in an interview with him in Chicago Magazine.) Certainly, working on the book changes my own ideas about the theatre in general and playwriting in particular. (How is the subject of another book, The Dramatist's Toolkit. Incidentally, I'd be delighted to receive E-mail regarding any of my writing.Jeffrey Sweet -- E-mail: DGSweet@aol.com

Jeff's review may be self serving, but so is mine - my dad, the late Bill Alton, is interviewed in the book. This is probably one of the best books about Second City because it is written in the words of those who created Second City. Don't get me wrong, Sheldon's new book is O.K. but this book is better. Bless Jeff for getting these interviews before we lost too many of the original performers. If you can only get one book about Second City - buy this one.

I read this book when I was first starting out in improv about 12 years ago. It features interviews with many of my heros and is still inspiring to me. I went on to work at Second City years later and found this book essential to my understanding of that place's traditions as well as the fact that traditions are made to be broken--with respect, of course.

To judge by this book and Cox's book on Alekhine's Defense, Cox is one of the very best opening book authors going. Defying the constraints of the dumbed-down "Starting Out" format, he usually manages to provide a quite decent view of theory, and I find his explanations lively and instructive. I'm hoping he writes more soon.

I see so many references in various reviews to GMs telling players that they shouldn't play main lines until they're 2000+, etc. I have never heard any strong player say this myself, but what they do say is that beginner-intermediate players shouldn't spend a lot of time on openings, which I agree with. This book is a nice compromise, because it gives you just enough theory to play main lines while not requiring that you spend hours memorizing moves. Lets be honest: there's not much risk in a 1500 player losing because they knew less theory in the Botvinnik than another 1500. Almost no 1500s know Semi-Slav theory! (The Dragon is another story, for some reason) As John Cox says, 'Bg5 is a good move, get it out there'. I couldn't agree more. I think his choices are wonderful because they don't just get you to a playable, even, middle game with white but rather give you a real chance for an advantage out of the opening (though I can't help but point out again how unimportant a +0.33 pawn opening advantage is below master level). This is good chess! Sharp lines, complicated positions, chances on both sides. Unless you're one of the myriad people on ICC who apparently took up chess just to play the Reversed Stonewall, try this book out. Both it's premise and it recommendations are ambitious, but you'll find both your ability and enjoyment of chess increase by playing some of the best systems chess has to offer. One of my few chess books that I would really regret not having.

This book, Starting Out 1 d4!, may be the best of all my opening books. Why is this? It is because this book provides a repertoire that can be counted on to get you a solid plus out of the opening. I have been duped more than once into buying a "win with the opening that always wins in 20 moves, yet it has escaped that notice of Kramnik and Ponomariov." As we all know, these books do not provide a good, let alone adequete reptoire. So then we search for and then buy book with a reliable repertore and find out that it has lines that are very easy to learn, but only bring you equality as white or the famous "chances for both sides" as black. What makes Starting Out 1 d4! different is that it actually gives you lines that are played by grandmasters. The bayonet attack for the King's Indian, the Botvinnik variation of the slav. But then the eternal question comes up: "aren't these lines designated for grandmasters who study chess 25 hours each day?"

"Yes."

Actually, the secret is that you actually won't be play Veselin Topalov very soon, so you can afford to know just a little theory and the main ideas of the opening. And that's what this book gives you. As we know from the back of every opening book in the world, knowing the ideas of your opening is the most important thing blah blah blah. This book, however, is one of the few that effectively teaches the ideas well. John Cox has written a book that should be popular with chess players for years to come. (And you should be one of the players it's popular with)

Finally, here's what the contents of the book are:

Bibliography, two pages

Introduction, four pages

Kings Indian, twenty-nine pages

Introduction, one page
The Bayonet Attack, six pages
The Fashionable 7...Na6, three pages
Alternatives to 7...Nc6 and 7...Na6, three pages
Black Avoids 6...e5, two pages
Illustrative Games, thirteen pages

The Grünfeld, twenty pages

Introduction, two pages
Black Swipes the a-pawn, four pages
Black Develops with ...Nc6, three pages
Black's Alternative Plans, three pages
Illustrative Games, seven pages

The Nimzo-Indian, twenty-five pages

Introduction, one page
Black Plays 4...d5, four pages
Black Plays 4...0-0, four pages
Black Plays 4...c5, two pages
The Zürich Variation, two pages
Illustrative Games, eleven pages

The Benoni and Benko, eighteen pages

Introduction, one page
The Modern Benoni, four pages
The Benko Gambit, three pages
Illustrative Games, nine pages

The Queen's Gambit Declined, twenty-one pages

Introduction, one page
The Exchange Variation with Nge2, three pages
Black Deviates from the Main Line, three pages
The Tarrasch Defence, five pages
Illustrative Games, eight pages

The Queen's Gambit Accepted, twenty pages

Introduction, two pages
Black Plays 7...b5, three pages
Black Forces an IQP, three pages
Other Defences to 7 Bb3, one page
Early Black Alternatives, three pages
Illustrative Games, seven pages

The Slav, twenty-five pages

Introduction, two pages
The Bishop Sacrifice, four pages
Black Plays 6 Ne5 Nbd7, five pages
Black Avoids Bf5, three pages
The ...a6 Slav, four pages
Illustrative Games, six pages

The Semi-Slav, twenty-five pages

Introduction, one page
The Botvinnik Variation, six pages
The Anti-Moscow Gambit, three pages
The Cambridge Springs, two pages
The Marshall Gambit, five pages
Illustrative Games, seven pages

The Albin and the Chigorin, ten pages

Introduction and Rare Defences, one page
The Albin Counter-gambit, two pages
The Chigorin, three pages
Illustrative Games, three pages

The Dutch, fifteen pages

Introduction, one page
The Classical, three pages
The Stonewall, two pages
The Leningrad, three pages
Illustrative Games, five pages

Rare but Tricky Tries, fifteen pages

The Budapest, two pages (a quarter of a page on the Fajarowicz Gambit, which is perhaps a bit lacking)
The Modern, two pages
Black Plays 1...d6, two pages
Black Plays 1...e6, two pages
Miscellaneous, one page (Includes 1...Nc6, 1...e5, 1...c5 2 d5 f5, 1...b5, The Vulture and the Tango)
Illustrative Games, five pages

Index of Variation, four pages

Index of Complete Games, two pages

I suppose that the argument against lower rated players playing grandmaster level moves holds some weight. Obviously, a book that introduces you to the main lines of current theory is bound to fall short in terms of coverage. And, since you will be playing current theory you will also have to keep up with changes in it. Cox makes a good case for an advantage in many lines but I find it interesting that in several places that advantage is very minimal (just as if you had played some supposedly inferior variation) or, more to the point, the position is advantageous for White but you have to be a darned good player to understand what is going on. Also, what lines are you missing? I compared Cox's pages on the Zurich variation of the Nimzo-Indian (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 Nc6)to Alburt, Dzindzi, Perel.'s Chess Openings for Black Explained since they recommend the variation for Black. Interestingly, Cox had 5 Nf3 d6 6 Bd2 0-0 7 a3 Bxc3 8 Bxc3 Qe7 9 e4 e5 10 d5 Nb8 11 Be2 Nh5 12 Nxe5 but then gives 12...Nf4 as the move for Black rather than the surprising 12...Nf6 in COFBE. If I didn't own COFBE I would never have known about this. So, many master players would tell you to stay away from these lines. I listened to these arguments but bought the book anyway. I was curious but also a bit disatisfied with some of my current repertoire. Maybe I would get some new ideas?

If you are familiar with the quality found in most Starting Out books you will find that it is written like many of the others. The skull and crossbone warnings call attention to important information, there are typically at least two diagrams on each page,and the author cites recent games and ideas doing an admirable job of covering a lot of ground in a short space. The quality of writing is at least as good as the others in the series. I own nine others. I have tried playing all of the lines in the book over a period of four months now. In the end I had some difficulty playing the Slav (that positional concession with a4 just bugs me) and Grunfeld (give up a pawn? - oh my!)lines. Nobody at my level plays the Benko much so I can't say anything about it. I was most impressed with the Anti-Albin lines. I keep coming up against that Morozevich move 5...Nge7 and I think that Cox's "minimalist" approach (6 Nb3 Nf5 7 e4)is easy to play if you like those small advantages in the ending. The two or three pages on this were actually worth the price of the book since in online blitz I see a lot of the Albin. O.K. so I'm not convinced that I should be playing ALL of the lines in the book but I have found many of them quite useful and understandable as an amateur. My opening play has improved by incorporating some of the lines here into my repertoire. I think it is simply a mistake to use a repertoire "off the shelf" anyhow. You have to find the things that work for you. Of course, I also now have a better understanding of what I am avoiding when I choose some less theoretical line.

So if you are an amateur player like myself who has been playing the "simple" stuff for a while and you want to start playing some of the sharper lines in a few openings then this is a good book to start with. If you are getting good positions with your Richard Palliser Play 1 d4! lines then, by all means, keep playing them. If you don't think of this as a standard repertoire book but more like a survey of, in the author's onw words "where the world's best are presently fighting it out to establish whether White can obtain real winning chances in the opening", then you won't be disappointed.

Package arrived quickly and book as described. Content is helpful and has colorful pages. Wish I could have paid less, but "oh well". I will enjoy using it to teach other students the craft of clown makeup.

This is the best book on makeup available. In full color photos, you are taught - step by step - how to apply Whiteface, Auguste and Hobo makeup. Dozens of color photos at the back of the book, provide a photo gallery of styles and designs to choose from. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any clown who is looking for pointers on their makeup technique!

Best book on Clown make up out there. This is the one that is used for reference at the clown conferences and class I have gone too, NO OTHER! If you are a clown you need this book, review the steps on face design and application technique so you arent SCARY clown. Covers application and design of white face, auguste and hobo clowns. Has many pictures in the back of clown faces to search through. Also has many different examples of mouths, eyes and eyebrows.

This is the best book on clowning. My copy is covered with Mehron smudges and baby powder because I still open it up as I am getting ready to get into character.

Very practilcal. Good job of addressing the needs of the beginner AND helping the veteran.

If you are going to apply clown make-up and don't want to look like a lipstick clown in a rainbow afro wig you need to get this book.

I am a Baltimore Ravens fan but still a Baltimore Colts lover. I just finished reading my grandfather's copy of this and it was the best Baltimore Colts book and possibly the best book that I have ever read. The interviews are great and some entertaining. Every time I had extra time, I read some of this. So, if you are a passionate fan of Baltimore sports, GET THIS BOOK!

The Baltimore Colts are not really gone, not as long as we remember them. And more than twenty years after their last game in 1983, they live on thanks to Steve Sabol of NFL Films, broadcasters like Don Criqui, Dick Enberg, Mike Patrick, and Pat Summeral, authors like Tom Callahan, Frank Deford and William Gildea, Super Bowl III conspiracy blogs on the internet, and the fans who rub Johnny U's bronze toe for luck before Ravens games and still hate the New York Jets.

The Colts were the original America's Team. When Unitas passed in 2002, veteran sportswriters Mickey Herskowitz and John McClain were as moved here in Houston as anyone in Baltimore. In 2004, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ordered his staff to read Michael Maccambridge's America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, which naturally featured Johnny U on the cover.

But if the national legacy of the team is inarguable, the best book about it, Sundays at 2:00 with the Baltimore Colts, is a local work of oral history. Rather than expound on the big picture, authors Vince Bagli and Norman L. Macht simply ask notable individuals to remember life before, during, and after they were Colts. The scope and span of the book are impressive: thirty people agreed to be interviewed, among them nine members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame such as Unitas and coaches Weeb Ewbank and Don Shula. Other participants include NFL MVPs Earl Morral and Bert Jones, and fan favorites from the 1958-1959 NFL champions, Super Bowls III and V, and the 1975-1977 AFC East division champions. The result is a flood of memories and emotions, from both the Colts and the reader who holds them dear.

Yes, the big games are here, from the sudden-death 1958 championship over the Giants to the Super Bowl III upset loss to the Jets, as are heroes like Gino Marchetti and villains like Robert Irsay. Historians will enjoy the roster of every coach, player, and draft pick, but the real gem is the All-Time Results of every game in team history. Looking for memories among this wealth of information will keep you busy, and happy, for years.

Still, the book covers far more than football. The reader will find stories about the Second World War from Art Donovan, racial segregation from John Mackey, Lenny Moore, and Jim Parker, and labor unions from Mike Curtis. Who could ask for anything more?

For fans who loved the Colts, the best part of the book may be the relationships between the players, both good and bad. Here and there someone will call out a teammate, but anyone looking for bitter denunciations or hysterical rants will be disappointed save for a few about Irsay. Apart from him, the Colts Family is no myth.

Of course it might have been interesting to hear from Bubba Smith, who once accused his teammates of throwing Super Bowl III. Other strong personalities are missing, like Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks. Moreover, the book includes just one member of the last-ever Colts team, Nesby Glasgow.

But this is no problem: just bring on volume 2.

Sometimes very sad ... but more often, quite hilarious.

Each chapter profiles a different ex-Colt and prompts that player or coach for his recollections of & reflections on playing for what is perhaps the greatest franchise in the history of the NFL.

This is of "Hall of Fame" caliber, cover-to-cover.

If it wasn't for a dude named Vince Lombardi many of these former Baltimore stars would have had their hands full of rings -- as in Championship.

Targeted toward the old Baltimore Colt fans with some interesting interviews with players like Bert Jones, John Unitas, Art Donovan and more. Whether you are or were a big football fan some of the interviews conducted are very interesting. Well researched with some photographs and inside stories. An enjoyable read!

This is the first time I have ever read this book. I thought it was great. This book proves you can be of different color,different religion, and of different build and still be best friends. Even though I don't like the Utah Jazz, I thought this book described the Utah Jazz,Stockton, and Malone very well.This book proves that even if you were once poor, you never forget where you came from.I would read this book or another book by this author if I could.

Wow. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Karl Malone and John Stockton, then I picked up Mr. Schnakenberg's book. All I can say is, he's painted a vivid portrait of two TRUE hardwood superstars. Their antics on and off the court are entertaining and inspiring. The writing is crisp,and the grammar is impeccable.

Schnakenberg's dazzling dual biography of John Stockton and Karl Malone proves once again that he is the master of middle grade biography. I heartily recommend this rich tapestry of basketball storytelling.

I admit, when my daughter brought this book home for a book report, my expectations were high. We both loved Mr. Schnakenberg's Scottie Pippen book, and didn't think he could top it. We were both pleasantly surprised. Once again, he has put together an informative and entertaining book. I know it is officially a "Young Adult's" offering, but I was not ashamed to borrow it from my daughter and bring it to work to read over lunch. When a co-worker noticed it he picked it up out of curiosity. Now my daughter has to borrow it from the library again so HE can finish it. I hope Mr. Schnakenberg continues to provide his own personal brand of wit to both young and old alike. He is rapidly distinguishing himself as one of our premiere "Young Adult" authors.

This book is a fitting tribute to a hero and man among men in the sport of baseball. The book is full of great pictures and inspiring stories about the Kid. A must for William's fans and baseball fanatics. Enjoy!!

This is the best book that I have ever read regarding the best hitter ever Ted Williams. Jim Prime has done an excellent job and he deservers an award for this great book. I recomend this book for anyone who is a baseball fan.Jim Prime I salute you!!You are the Best Writer ever and I now consider myself your biggest fan!!

Hi This was a great book and I loved the way it was written! i recomend it to all who like baseball....he he. Jim Prime I love you ...giggle giggle!!

TYRA B.

I've read just about all the books on Ted and this one is right up there. I can't believe the interviews these authors got - from John Glenn on serving with Ted in Korea to the connection between Ted and Jack Kerouac. Some very touching stories, too, about "The Kid and The Kids." Ted made all kinds of time for kids with cancer. There isn't that much on Ted's controversial son or on his family life in general. It seems like the authors were respectful of his privacy. There must be a couple of hundred photos before, and many of them I'd never seen. I didn't think there was that much more to be said about Ted - boy, was I wrong. I highly recommend this book.

"Through the Eyes of a Champion" is a must read for all who were fortunate enough to watch Burls play football. It is such an inspiring biography, though, that it is a wonderful book for anyone to read. I was barely able to put the book down once I started reading it, and I finished reading it in a couple of days. Just be sure you have a box of tissues handy if you are the least bit prone to tears.

Like Brandon, one of my sons will be an invited walk on to the Razorback football team this fall. If he works 75% as hard and accomplishes half as much, I will be the proudest Mom in the world! The book clearly demonstrates how far a person can go with the right attitude, total commitment and the hard work it takes to accomplish your goal.

The world, and especially the state of Arkansas, are better because of this young man who set a an impressive example that each of us can aspire to follow.

Don't think this is a book for Arkansas Razorback fans alone. This story walks way beyond the Arkansas border and outside the sports arena into the worlds of mass appeal. Sports lovers, not known for being your more veracious readers, will be surprised when the book's end comes easily and quickly. Young people will be inspired by the story of hard work and dedication. Mothers and grandmothers will be touched by the family relationships portrayed so well. No one will close the final chapter without a box of kleenex handy.
Read this book. As you see life through the eyes of a champion, life will never look the same again!

This book is a very touching story of a young man who showed that anything can be acheived with hard work and determination, even for those who dont necessarily "fit-in" with the popular crowd. And it also shows how fragile and how quickly life can be taken away from us. Also, for anyone who is familiar with Arkansas Razorback football, it would be an especially good read.

Brandon Burlsworth came from humble beginnings, born and raised by his mother in the small town of Harrison, Arkansas. A shy, quirky, kid who wasn't the most coordinated nor the most popular boy in school, Brandon relied on his faith and determination to prove everyone wrong. He worked his way into becoming an All-State high-school football player. Wanting to become a Razorback all his life but not getting a scholarship, Brandon refused other offers and walked-on at the University of Arkansas, later earning himself a starting role for 3 years. At the end of his collegiate carrer, Brandon became an All-American lineman and the only football player in Arkansas history to earn a Bachelors and Masters degrees before they finished playing football. Being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, Brandon was tragically killed in an auto accident on his way to church, just a few days after being drafted.

It does have many Christian references and messages as well.

I am fortunate to have gone to school with Brandon Burlsworth for 4 years. Although, I was never a close friend, I watched all the Razorback football games his senior year, just to see him. We were all fascinated watching him play. I wanted to ask him for an autograph, but always thought he might think it was stupid for a classmate to ask for one. After reading this wonderfully written book about his life, I realize, it was me who lost out never going up to talk to him. I cannot say enough good things about this book and how it just grabbed my heart and kept me reading. After reading this, it may change your life and your thoughts.. Brandon was so well loved around here in Harrison, and around the world. We know he is in Heaven looking down on us. Everyone should have this book to read when they are down. Brandon brought meaning to life... and you will see that in this book.