Associations Books

This book is very unique. I am a coach of my girls soccer team in Connecticut. I have found the book to be very valuable. Most of these girls have had limited experience playing. The drills which I have incorporated in practice have enabled my players to play a control game and to play as a team. One of the drills "The low inside-of-the foot trap drill for ground balls helped my team contol the ball and prevent them from playing kick ball. This as well as the shielding drills taught them to make better traps and to maintain possession of the ball. This book also speaks on the necessity of fairness to all players.

I have used several of these drills with my high school team with good results; I especially like the Shoulder Charging Tackle Drill and the Preliminary Shielding/Trapping Drill.

This is an easy to understand drill book. It has unique and practical drills that I use during our team's training.

I have never seen some of the traps outlined in this book in other books. They are very interesting. Others traps are explained in an easily understandable and well-illustrated manner. There is also a section describing goalkeeping that is necessary for any coach or goalkeeper to master. Not only am I a coach but also a referee, and so the information for a good refereeing has been very useful. The book has only a few photographs, but many clear illustrations. Many of my other soccer books are full of photographs that really do not clearly tell the whole story when it comes to understanding a concept. The sketches however leave no doubt as to what the author is pointing out. I also agree with Luongo's delineation of identifying quality vs. poor soccer.

Jeff Gruwell
Schertz, Texas

Mr. Luongo
Sir I could go on and on and on about what I thought of your book. I have tried to teach the principles I learned in it to my own children but I have become so frustrated because they don't mesh well with the way that so many coaches coach. If only people would play disciplined soccer. At first the kids would be frustrated and even get beat but their grasp on the fundamentals would eventually far outshine the gambling mentality with which most of the soccer I've seen has been played. From the first kick down the field from the keeper, to the crosses down near the goal I just remember the analogy you used of how crazy that would be if basketball where played in that manner. Hey, thank you so much for your work. Shortball soccer without all of this one touch stuff ( I don't remember if you commented on that but most kids don't have the talent yet to handle the one touch stuff nor do I personally see the need for it if people are spread out and exercising proper ball handling skills) would make me much happier. I want my son to experience disciplined soccer but his high school team is stuck in the long ball, one touch, cross towards the goal rutt. They've individually have talent but the ball is thrown away or headed away throughout the game. I want to let the coach see your book or do something. Last year I tried to summarize some of the principles I had learned from your book and pass them on to him, but that was a fragile situation. I don't think it did any good. Do you have any suggestions? My daughter plays community soccer and has the same type of coaching. I'm not a know it all but would just love to see the game played upon sounder principles.
Thank you for the talents and knowledge you have shared. Take care.
Sincerely,
Jeff Gruwell

Whether you are a coach or a parent of a child who plays soccer, this book is a must! I own several soccer books, but I use this book as a reference and often carry it to the training field. If you are serious about soccer, this book is for you.

Everything you want to know about the Nascar tracks. Jay goes into detail about many different tracks. This is a must read for race lovers. Nascar expert, Joey Baird, read this book and loved it.

If you are one of many who make vacation plans around NASCAR events or you are just planning to attend an event where travel is required to a relatively unfamiliar track, Speed Dreams is a "must have" reference book. Jay Ahuja goes into great detail on hotels, restaurants and most inportantly...nightlife. He also helps by providing alternative exiting procedures from the track, which concessions at the track are the best and what to expect to pay for them. Having been in racing for many years now, I recommend Speed Dreams to anyone looking for tips on how to make the event more enjoyable...both at and away from the track.

What a resource! This book is filled with oodles of information about each of the tracks in addition to suggestions for great places to eat and points of interest in each of the cities for when you aren't at the track. If you follow the circuit in an RV, camping information is provided for your convenience. Another great feature is that instructions on how to get to each of the tracks is provided. If you attend some of the races or are thinking about it, this is something you should own.

I first used the "Student Companion" when I was a student at secondary school in the 1970s. Initially I was just trying to impress other students in debates by using big words that I read from the book but as I developed, I found the book as an excellent reference book on a diverse range of subjects such as English language, History, Geography and nature study, among others.

I have the latest revised copy of the book (1991 edition) which I sometimes refer to. I encourage my kids that are at secondary school to use it for general knowledge.

For a book that was written several decades ago but is still popular, I consider it as a timeless classic that every secondary school student should have in their library.

This small book is excellent. I got my first copy about 30 years ago and I currently use as a teaching aid. I recommend this book to all my English students and especially non-native instructors. An excellent book for all native and non-native speakers of the English language.

I USED THIS BOOK AS A CHILD AND THAT WAS THIRTY YEARS AGO, IT WAS A GREAT BOOK AND THE REVISED EDITION WHICH I BOUGHT AS A GIFT FOR A FRIEND IS STILL A GREAT BOOK. IT IS "THE STUDENTS' COMPANION".

Although the book was wriiten over 100 years ago, and some of the resources quoted are outdated for our day, the principle behind this volume and its subject of armageddon is amazing!

The author has deep insight into the deep things of God, much of what he has forseen in scripture has been fulfilled, and continues to be fulfilled. The verse-by-verse commentary on "The Lord's Great Prophecy" of Matthew 24 and 25 is insightful and an asset to those student of end time prophecy.

If one wants to understand the nature of what Armageddon is really like, this is the book to read. It delineates the principles involved showing that the final crash of the Day of the Lord will come as a result of man's behavior. While many of the examples used are quite old (the book was written more than 100 years ago), they are illustrative of human nature that has not changed. A favorite chapter is on "The Cries of the Reapers" about how wages are withheld by *fraud*--an apt description of the treatment of the under classes by the upper classes, especially today. Another favorite chapter on Proposed Remedies" shows how no man-made solution can solve the problems of mankind.

This book gives tremendous detail historically and Biblically of events leading up to the battle of the title. My favorite part is in the last three chapters which tell the positive events that follow the conflicts. Specifically I am impressed by the beauty of God's plan of restitution promised by all of God's prophets. The harmony of the scriptures paint a beautiful picture of man's future. The best part about God's promises is that they are true!

The wisdom of the heart must be aligned with the presence of the force of life. Rumi said "In between all right doings and all wrong doings there is a field. I will meet you thEre." This must be revered. Bow now your head to the east. As Ellen said in one of her funny episodes of "Ellen": I must bow toward Mecca Now". A joke, but it's true. We must bow toward the force..Good day.

This book presents personal stories of outstanding, contemporary Sufi women, describing how they came to the "straight path" of Sufism and how this path has transformed their lives. Here are some examples of strong, intelligent women, many of whom are Islamic Sufis, who challenge the image of Muslim women often presented in the media. Compelling stories.

It is about time that a women's movement show the immense contribution women have made to spirituality, and Sufism in particular. These stories of modern Sufi women are truly inspirational for the feminine in all of us. Women often feel religion is a masculine field. Yet, this book, published by the renowned Sufi Women Organization, shares the struggles and triumphs of contemporary Sufi women ... who are shining examples of the strength of women's spirituality. The only book of its kind that I have come across.

dr. bongar's work is especially helpful for mental health professionals to help them understand and appreciate the experience through which the prospectively suicidal patient finds him or herself. like most books published by the apa, it is fairly exhaustive on research (although this review is written 4 years after publication and i acknowledge that a current revision would be welcome in a couple years), perhaps a bit theoretical, and does not provide succinctly written summaries for a busy professionals. it outlines clinical considerations and potential courses or action. it examines legal issues relevant to clinical intervention and failed intervention. the recommendations dr. bongar makes are excellent. this is not, in my opinion, a book for families or patients. i highly recommend this book for academicians and clinicians who wish to better understand and want to more effectively manage potentially suicidal situations. at $33, i think that the information i learned more than justified the purchase.

Dr. Bongar gives a practicing psychotherapist the information she or he needs to decrease the risk of suicide by a patient and effectively intervene with the suicidal patient.

Essential reading.

The Suicidal Patient by Bruce Bongar provides a much-needed manual for all practicing clinicians. Why do I say all? Well, if you are a clinician the odds are that at some point in your career you will encounter a suicidal patient. In fact, according to Bongar, even "student therapists have a one in three chance of experiencing a patient suicide or suicide attempt during their training years."

By taking a few simple precautions you can greatly minimize your chance of being sued. But, I believe, even more importantly, Bongar champions the idea that if you provide high quality care the odds of you being able to prevent a suicide dramatically increase. According to Bongar, high quality care happens when you have a real understanding of both clinical and legal issues and you apply this knowledge and tailor your approach to each individual.

Obviously you're a therapist, and not a fortuneteller, and so mistakes will happen. Why not learn the basics ahead of time so that you don't make stupid mistakes?

If you effectively deal with a suicidal patient, and he or she improves, then you may have just helped someone save his or her own life. I can't think of a better feeling than that, which is why Bongar provides you with a manual to effectively deal with the suicidal patient. Take responsibility for your practice and prepare for the worst because by doing so you may achieve the best outcome of all.

With that said, I want to be clear about the format of this book. It is written for clinicians. If you are looking for a self-help book this is definitely not for you. Bongar is a therapy researcher and so like much therapy research the book is somewhat dry. This is to be expected since the list of citations alone span thirty-eight pages. The fact that all this voluminous literature has been synthesized into one book is impressive indeed and one only need consider how dry it would be to read all the primary sources to realize the service that this book provides.

Specifically the book provides:
1. A history of suicide research and current theories and research in the field.
2. A comprehensive section on the legal issues involved in treating suicidal patients.
3. Many methods to assess patient risk including assessment protocols and case histories.
4. Best practices for treatment in both inpatient and outpatient settings
5. A section on risk management that includes suggestions for unfortunate event that the patient carries out a suicidal act.

What a great way to learn some of the basics of statistics. This book is meant to cover most of the material that a standard statistics textbook would, but using solely examples from the game of baseball. I picked it up primarily for the sections on probability, but have enjoyed the entire thing so far. Obviously a lot of work went into its preparation, and one of the most impressive aspects is the sheer number of exercises at the end of each chapter -- more than enough to reinforce the central points.

Jim Albert is a Professor of Statistics at Bowling Green University. He is an excellent teacher and researcher. He has written a number of fine statistics books including a recent one on doing Bayesian statistics using R. He is also an avid baseball fan and has published statistical articles and books on the subject. My favorite is "Curve Ball" which he coauthored with Jay Bennett. He is one of the leaders in the American Statistical Associations section on statistics in sports.

Once at an ASA meeting I heard him give a talk about how he was able to make statistics exciting for non-statistics majors by teaching it solely using baseball examples. His course became one of the most popular in the school which is amazing. Most students who are required to take statistics don't understand why it is an important discipline to learn about. They are usually bored to tears because of the dry presentation of the usual statistics lectures. These courses are generally hated by these students and they avoid them if at all possible. Albert's approach is new and seems to be working. I think he wrote this book for statistics teachers to help them learn how to teach a course like this. This book can serve as a basic statistics text or as a reference for those fond of sabermetrics.

If there is one thing that separates the baseball fan from those of other sports, it is their fascination with statistics. By this, I mean the raw data, not the detailed analysis. An enormous amount of data is kept about baseball players and their accomplishments, and nearly all of it is online. It is very detailed, as it is possible to obtain data regarding how a particular batter performed when facing a particular pitcher with a particular ball and strike count. With all of this data available, it is possible to find some raw data that can be used to illustrate any analytical technique demonstrated in basic statistic classes.
Using this data, the authors have hit a resounding home run, and touched all the bases. The examples are easily understood, even if you have limited knowledge of the game. Nearly all of the techniques of a basic statistics class are covered, making this suitable for use as a textbook. The main points of difference are the absence of a great deal of hypothesis testing and the inclusion of a chapter on the events of an inning modeled as a Markov chain.
Baseball fans will want to read this book to settle arguments and start new ones. One can argue, as I have on many occasions, about which of two players is the best or which one should have been the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for a particular year. There are some very detailed comparisons of players, showing conclusively, at least to me, which one was best. I was fascinated about the run producing value of all of the possible offensive outcomes of a batter getting on base by getting a hit, walk or being hit by a pitch. Their analysis includes the value of advancing runners already on base, which explains why a single is worth 1.0 and a walk worth 0.61. Runners often advance more than one base on a single and a walk will advance runners only if first base is already occupied. A large collection of problems is given at the end of each chapter and the data for the problem is always included.
At this point in my professional life, I dread the examination of textbooks for basic classes. Over time, they seem to take on a bland sameness that dulls the mind, even though they do have differences. This is the liveliest, most interesting statistics book that I have ever read.

With courageous honesty, Dwight takes readers along on his heartbreaking and yet inspiring journey of faith. Watching his response to the reality that his wife was gone forever and his two young sons were severely injured is hard. I am encouraged by his tenacity - he is determined to maintain a positive outlook. What amazing faith.

Dwight and his family are members of our community and church. The faith that he has exhibited has been an inspiration to all. God has worked mightily through this remarkable family and in that of his new wife, Michelle, who also experienced the loss of her husband through a separate tragedy. They have gone on to show the healing power of our Lord and His mercy to bring beauty out of ashes.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (1/07)

Dwight Alexander had it all, a loving bond and children. In the blink of an eye, his world began to tumble. Mr. Alexander was at a seminar when he received the call that his wife and children had been in a terrible accident. His wife Tina was killed on impact; his sons were hospitalized. "Colin was hurt, but his injuries appeared to be from the neck down." Grant had an extensive head injury. At first Mr. Alexander didn't understand just how serious the boy's injuries were. "Colin and Grant were both critical; they'd lost their mother and were fighting for their lives."

Mr. Alexander walks the reader through the tragedy one step at a time. "Sunday came and I did the same things." While life felt as though it should come to a standstill, it went on. People continued on with their lives. But part of Mr. Alexander was missing. There was Colin and Grant to think of; Dwight had to find a way to cope.

There came a point when Dwight had to turn things over to God. He drew strength from the story of Job. God restored all Job had lost and multiplied it. Dwight triumphantly went on with his life.

Dwight Alexander authored "Through These Doors," with the hope that his tragic loss and experience will help someone else to heal. Mr. Alexander offers encouragement to readers to weather the storms of life. His story is one of inspiration and courage. Mr. Alexander is a talented author. He successfully conveys his pain and triumph with others. The photographs make this story come to life on the pages. The cover is perfect for this book. I highly recommend "Through These Doors" to Christians and those who enjoy non-fiction.

A well written book, sensitive and thoughtful. Congratulations to the author and publisher for sharing this book with the public and those who are in a time of transition. This is a valuable book and important tool in the recovery process. As the author of another book on coping, "Shovel It: nature's health plan" and speaker on this topic, I admire Metzgar's compassion for a topic many avoid discussing. Thumbs up.

One of the things I appreciate the most about this book is that it talks about so many kinds of losses, not just death. It made it feel like an OK part of life. It was an easy read and the photography added to the very peaceful feel. I would recomend this book to anyone experiencing any kind of change or loss in their life. The section on children was also exceptional.

In her book, A TIME TO MOURN, A TIME TO DANCE, Margaret Metzgar gently and with such beauty in her words and photography, shares how to emotionally heal from a loss. This isn't just a step by step book on how to deal with grief--this is a book about losses, and what to expect as we work through the pain until we're on the other side. Until I read this book, it never dawned on me that we experience losses all the time! In a sense, we experience grief every day; the loss of a job or a pet, of being a homeowner, or being a full-time wife and mother, or having a friend move away. Loss isn't just about when a loved one passes away. Read A TIME TO MOURN, A TIME TO DANCE, and enjoy the words to help you or a friend heal from a life's many losses.