Tracks Books

Mann and Ornstein's "The Broken Branch" already needs an update to catch up on all the dysfunction since 2006. Congress' inability to accomplish much of anything is explained fairly well here, though the book is at its best when it offers the history of the Congress instead of the brief highlights it offers on more recent news events such as the attempt to change the filibuster rules (the so-called nuclear option), Terry Schiavo, and the multi-hour Medicare Part D vote.

A missing piece is a thorough discussion of the the consolidation of policymaking power in the Executive Branch. Congress has not only lost power due to a lack of institutional knowledge or partisanship, but also as a result of the President's increased budgeting authority, large staff, and regulatory powers since the 1930s.

Another weakness is how much time Ornstein and Mann, who are both excellent scholars of Congress, spend talking about their own efforts at reform. Reading the book, you would think there had been no reform efforts unless Ornstein and Mann were behind them. That seems unlikely despite their influence on the hill and the respect many have for them.

As stated above, it is time for an update to the story to include the two years of dysfunction since the 2006 election. The Republican minority has run roughshod over the Democratic majority, using procedural techniques to grind Congress to a halt and practically force Democrats to adopt the same practices they decried when in the minority. Part of the problem is just a philosophical difference. Democrats never let Congressional business grind to a complete halt because they believe in the power of government to create change. Republicans, broadly speaking, do not really care if an appropriations bill passes so they are happy to put Congressional business on hold endlessly. Mann and Ornstein offer no solution for this, and the only one might be a more active and engaged citizenry.

There are, of course, good people on both sides who want to reform Congress and keep the policymaking process running smoothly, but the current system is set up to be adversarial, money intensive, and leadership driven. Not a recipe for success unfortunately. As a partisan Democrat and former hill staffer, I probably share part of the blame as part of the problem, and this book and the current inability of Congress to do much of anything is a grim reminder of that.

This book is important. When you realize how much power Congress has and how little they have been doing, and how little institutional responsibility everyone on Capitol Hill seems to have, you will begin to fear that America may be on the start of a downward slide.

I want a job, where by I can inform the boss, when I will work, how long I will work, and what my benefits will be. When I will go on vacation, how many vacations I will take per year, and how long said vacation will be. Oh yes I want to enform my employer what my salary will be, when I get a raise, and what that amount of that raise will be.

I will refuse to meet with any of my employers, I will only meet with "Lobbists," and I will never discuss a pending law with my fellow law makers, and any and all significant laws will only be voted on in the dead of night to keep my employers in the dark.

I will spend most of my time in Washington chasing dollars so that I can keep this very wonderful job. You know I have to be able to tell my employers what a good job I am doing so that they will return me to my position, in two years, or maybe give me a promotion.

A dream job, and the title you would have would be "Congressman," or "Congresswoman." Oh did I mention I would be jetted around the world at the expense of Exxon, DuPont, or General Motors? How good is that? The really good part is it will not cost me one thin dime.

Besides, my employers are stupid. They do not keep any checks and balances on my activities, and care not what lie falls out of my mouth. I can dilute the powers and responsibilities of my office, "The War Powers," as an example. Once we are in a war, I can relenquish oversight of a few idiots who happened to have joined the military and may loose their lives, is not my concern, because that may get in the way of my "Dollar Chasing." Besides I can just rubber stamp what ever the president wants, look busy, and that keeps him happy. No one will rat on me because we are all doing it together. And I do not have to worry about the news media, because they are too busy smelling after Brittney Spears.

The good life, you think? All I can say is we get what we deserve. We as Americans do not keep ourselves informed, we will not pick up a newspaper, and definately not a book so that we know what is happening to our freedoms, or our nation. Well here it is all laid out for you the author has done the hard part, now all you have to do is read it.

Solutions are offered up here as well, but they too are as about as useless as udders on a bull, if we the people pay no attention.

I read this after I saw one of the authors interviewed by Chris Matthews who spoke of the quality of the text. The author had obviously been 'around the block' a few times in Washington and it is clear he not only knows Congress's procedures but he knows the players as well. The author does a remarkable job of explaining how legislation is crafted and how deals are put together often in the 11th hour to 'insure' the outcome of the vote. Much discussion, often critical, of how Congress has failed on both sides of the aisle gives the book a very non-partisan feel. You sit back and hope that somehow this thing is on cruise control, because with more and more human intervention, things just seem to be getting worse.

This book, though purporting to expose abuses of the legislative process in the House, is lacking in a number of areas. Its substance suffers from an obvious rush to get to print prior to the 2006 midterm elections. It could easily have been written as a less profitable and more concise essay.

There is very little history of the Houses's storied past. The book is best when it differentiates between abuses of the Democrats in the majority in the past, and the Republicans in their 12 year reign. The Medicare prescription drug vote stands out.

That vote, however, does not stand out as much as the author's naivete in their own dealings with Congress. While working on a House study group, formed by the Democrats to help improve the operation of the House, the authors actually inserted in the report that the Democratic house leadership was "arrogant."

The authors then appear to be taken aback that they were called to a meeting of House chairmen who didn't appreciate that characterization of their leadership. Regardless of whether true or not, their characterization of the leadership not only could have been more diplomatically stated, it needn't have been stated at all. Such naivete raises the question as to how effective the authors can actually be in their declared mission to fix a broken branch.

This is the kind of political book all too often found in the public domain these days. It was rushed to print to address a contemparary issue that will fade into history. it won't even meet President Bush's criterion as a footnote. It will not serve as a good primary source for historians.

It also spends too much of its time in discussing the authors's self-laudatory attempts to "reform" Congress. These days self-promotion seems to be required material for books whose existence drifts between contemporary journalism, history, and "expert" commentary.

Other than Andrew Beyer's handicapping books and Joe Takach's videos on appearance, there are almost no works on the subject of winning at the races that really made an impression on me - until I read Exotic Betting. Author Crist makes a cogent and powerful argument on the long-ignored art of correctly ranking and betting your contenders. Crist simply is better than anyone else at turning his opinions into profits - and after reading this book, I improved dramatically in my rating and betting skills. Just the section on his A,B,C ranking of contenders was a revelation for me. If you ever want to seriously play multihorse and multirace wagers, read this book or just stick to the lottery.

Steve explains the math behind exotic betting and perfect rationale for using multi-race bets. A must read for the fan who wants to get more from the track.

With so many combinations suggested in this book, I find it difficult to believe that one could make money over the long haul. Getting 20 or so combinations for exactas or doubles or tris is just asking for trouble. With shorter fields these days the payoffs just don't justify the investment and risks.

I've been playing, with marginal success, straight exactas or, at most, a 2 horse box. Even then, my 20-1 exacta payoff drops to 10-1 with the box. The combinations suggested in this book shrinks your payoff odds big time. If you have a bad day, and we all have them, you could lose a lot of $. And I'm not into sinking $20 into a pick 3 for a $50 payoff. No thanks.

I guess with the big plays, like superfectas and super 7s, some of this might work. I don't know. I never play these. But I guarantee if you keep betting lots of combinations in the doubles or exactas, it's going to be a rough road.

Pick who you think is going to win, find a good runner-up and bet it straight. Even with a 2-1 favorite on top, you could be looking at a 15-1 exacta. Not bad. A common scenario for me is a nice 5-1 shot on top of the 3/2 favorite with a payoff of $40-$50. No bad again.

I found this book to be highly informative, but not because I agree with all of the author's conclusions. The main conclusion I disagree with is the author's repeated assertions throughout that exotics are not about trying to figure out who the two, three or four most likely finishers are and betting them in the order of most likely finish. Christ somehow thinks that there is more to it than that. But there isn't.

If you find the winning horses in the order of finish, you will cash. Because that's precisely what the Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Daily Double, Superfecta, Pick 6, etc are all about: finding the requisite number of top finishes and the order of finish. He might have meant to say that figuring out the order of finish is a complex process which it indeed is, but the way he choose to express this in the text was really mind boggling. To argue that there is something else to it is - well - nutty.

Despite this one flaw, Christ does get you thinking the right way in alot of areas. He does cover takeout and how that effects your betting decisions, the Win-Place-Show (WPS) pools vs. exotics pools and how they work, why box bets are losing bets, when not to bet and other information that is vital info for the newbie pony player. If you are a newbie to the game of playing the ponies, then this is a must-read. Veterans should also take a look so they have the benefit of a perspective possibly different than their own.

I thought this was a pretty solid book on the proper ways to construct exotic betting tickets. I found Crist's discussions of exacta and trifecta plays to be particularly interesting. Specifically, Crist tells the player to get away from the boxes (and other "chance plays") and go for big payouts by trusting your handicapping skills. Anyone can throw five longshots into a $1 exacta box and get lucky once and a while. Crist's philososphy, and that of many professional players, is to play less combinations at a greater price. Key your top horse over your second choice for $10. Then the top horse over a longshot play for $5. Crist encourages the player to structure bets in a manner that will reward them the most when their handicapping is spot on.....not just when they get lucky by throwing every longshot on the borad underneath and exoctic play. Why play four horses equally in a leg of the Pick 4 when you like two of them much more than the other two?

This book, along with Steve Davidowitz's classic, is an excellent read for the intermediate player who wants to learn to take his bet structuring to the next level. My only complaint is that the book wasn't longer....I would love to be able to sit down with Steve Crist and talk betting strategies all day. The only caution that I would give is that this book is not at all about how to pick winners. In fact, this book is not going to be valuable at all to a player who does not possess solid handicapping skills. If you have trouble picking winners to begin with then its probably not a good idea to try and get creative with exotic betting.

I have been recording a little on my Fostex MR8 and a little on my computer. I have a few audio editing programs, but was just fuddling through. I didn't know the difference between a dynamic mic and a condenser, didn't know how to properly mic a cabinet, or even which frequencies bring out the best aspects of an instrument. This book solved all of those programs. If you need detailed info on computer recording or MIDI, go elsewhere. If you want a good smattering of audio, digital, computer, and MIDI recording, this is the book for you.

I've just started recording on my pc on a budget, this book has definitely provided some helpful tips. Since I'm recording exclusively on the pc, it has alot of information I don't need since it covers a variety of recording methods. The Dummies book for PC recording may have been a better choice for me, but I haven't read it so I can't be sure. If you're just getting started like me, I don't think this book will answer all your questions. But along with some internet browsing and some questions at your local music store, this book is useful so at least you have a basic idea of what to ask and look for.

According to my 17-year-old guitar and drum playing son, this book has lots of useful information for home recording. He's got a Tascam 8-track recording deck in the basement and has used this book to learn how to better use the Tascam. I guess I'd recommend it to anyone who does home recording. If my kid finds it useful, I'm sure you will, too. Unless you're already a home recording expert.

I have used dummies books for just about everything I need to learn about that I don't already know. They have always been found to be helpful and full of information that I would have otherwise either not understood or had no clue about.
I have been messing around with recording myself for quite some time. I recently purchased Cakewalk Sonar Producer edition for my laptop to do some home recording for a demo I am producing. I purchased the venerable Power Books on the subject, as well as used the online Help. All of which are fine for the program, but if you really want to learn what it takes to record a great sound, you need this book. It covers all the topics, in a simple, straight forward way, for an amateur musician to understand all the concepts, hardware and processes involved in getting that great sound out of your hard work. There is no frustration here trying to figure out what it all means. No lengthy babbling about what, how and why.
If your a pro, well, Dummies books certainly aren't for you unless you need a reference, however, if you just simply want to learn how to do it, this is the book for you.
With all that being said, I have already cut three songs that I previously recorded without using this book and the sound is light years ahead of my original recordings.
If you are going to school to study Sound or Sound reinforcement, then reading this book will give you a hedge in your classes.
Stop trying to do it yourself without learning the basics and get this book. It will save you a lot of frustration and time and have you produce that sound you've always been looking for!

I'm the person this book was written for. I'm a musician and when I record I'm not interested in delving into the subtle nuances of sound manipulation, I just want to play. I found this book to be a great reference, full of tips and tricks that are easy to apply. For anyone that's ever played around with live recording, the concepts are clear and the information understandable. I think it's a great reference book.

mark hatmaker did it again. another very good book on NHB. mark is a credible author who can share his knowledge easily and practical. a 5 star rating was given for a very good author and NHB practitioner. hoping for more books to come

If you are looking for detailed information on how to execute a particular technique, then this is not the book for you. If you are looking for detailed information on techniques that can be applied in a self-defense situation, then this isn't the book for you either.

However, if you are looking for a book that gives you a very good overall look at the various punches and strikes that are used in MMA or NHB competition, then this is definitely one of the books that you will want to own. Are all of the techniques shown in this book demonstrated correctly? Well, that is a matter of opinion, and my opinion is NO! But then you have to remember that each person is going to do a particular technique slightly different because of physical limitations, body types, experience, etc.

It is quite obvious that the author knows what he is talking about and he does seem to convey that knowledge fairly easily within the pages of this book. I own it and found quite a few interesting and informative things within its pages that I have no reservation in recommending this book to anyone who buys it for the right reasons, that being to learn the various strikes used in MMA or NHB competition.

Can these techniques be used effectively in an actual self-defense situation? Of course they can, but not before some modifications. Some slight, while others are quite extensive in their modifications for self-defense use.

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

This book is really geared toward MMA sport fighters, and my only complaint is that the self-defense section was a bit lacking compared to the boxing stuff, as well as I would have liked to see some diversity with hand strikes, for example palm strikes, finger jabs and such. However, great section on combinations in the back that made up for anything that was slightly off with the rest. Lots of ideas you can put to work in your training.

This is all the book you will ever need for striking. It covers everything from basics punches, to edvanced combos. If you want to know how to fight on the street then get this book and a jiu-jitsu book. Practice these moves on a heavybag, get about a thousand reps on each technique and your on your way. I've used most of these in real life and they are good stuff.

I have read dozens of books about martial arts and self-defense, and this one totally stands out in its complete lack of BS and filler! Not just for the NHB student, but for anyone interested in realistic self-defense tactics. The photos and instructions are wonderfully concise and practical, telling you exactly what you need to know---nothing more, nothing less. No self-aggrandizing, overbearing machismo like that commonly found in most allegedly "reality-based" self defense books such as Marc McYoung's (I like his books overall, but sometimes his verbal swagger gets a bit annoying), just straight, to the point, economical and efficient writing...ah, the sweetness of SIMPLICITY!

In all seriousness, you still need a competent instructor or at least a training partner if you want to really pick up these techniques, of course. But if you absolutely can't have either, this book is the next best thing and simply wipes the floor with all other books on this subject.

Ten stars!!!

From a guy's perspective, I think Liz makes a great point in this book about first dates with her Kiss Test. She advises to relax and avoid being nervous so you can have better first dates. Smart Man Hunting also gives you some great dos and don'ts. Women want guys who are confident - so don't be nervous and check out the down-to-earth tips in this book.

This book had some really great advice on dating and how you should approach 'dating'. We should approach dating or finding Mr. Right the same way we would anything else in life. It is definetly worth reading!

I must say that this a must have for any woman who is doing internet dating . It is informative, pulls no pucnches and tells it like it is . A great read and a great reference guide.

Liz helped me get on the right track with internet dating. Not only did she help me revise my essays, but she sent me to LookBetterOnline.com for new photos. After I posted my new essays and professional photos, I got a ton of emails from great guys - and just married one of them! If you are looking for Mr. Right, this book is a must-have.

The best part of Smart Man Hunting is the internet dating coaching section. The author describes the best features for sites such as Match.com, Yahoo Personals, Lavalife, Perfect Match, eHarmony, Friendster and others. Liz also gives great tips for your profile essays and photos - and even shares before and after examples for profiles that she re-wrote for people. It's like night and day to see the difference in the essays. If you are dating online, you definitely want to check out this book.

I am a physician. I thought the book was a great read. Whether Heart Scanning is practical or not, I am not sure. However, the extended lipid analysis is important and will become more of a standard of care in the future. Whatever a heart scan shows, every America should eat healthy. A heart scan would be beneficial in scaring someone to get fit and eat healthy. The author's blog is one of my favorite site. Kudos to him.

An informative book but leaves the following out:

1. It is an advertisement for the service in an interesting way ( you pay the cost by purchasing the book)

2. It does not emphasize the point that a heart scan is EBCT scan and not an MDCT scan. Lately allot of cardiology practices have been advertising MDCT scan which involves a huge radiation and kidney damage risk from the contrast used. Yes lets prevent heart disease and increase breast cancer!

3. EBCT scan is a way of assessing risk and not a way to follow response to treatment. Using a heart scan to follow up response to risk factor modification is psuedoscience. there are other methods to do that.

and finally as I applaud efforts to educate people about their health I despise building wealth from peoples misery. If your doctor doesn't have time to talk to you ( Find Another One)

I am one of the people in my mid 50's whose father had by-pass surgery in his 70's. I had low cholesterol, low blood pressure, exercised and ate very healthy food. I started to have unstable angina, and no one would believe that it was my heart, they said that was impossible. I ended up in the ER, had a stent put in and Re-stenosed (re-blocked) from the stent, then was forced to have Bypass surgery. No one could tell me why these things were happening. They put me on Lipitor even tho my cholesterol was not very high. It dropped down to 102, and I started to feel really strange, sort of out of it. After I read this book, I paid to have the blood test he recommends (it was too late to have the scan once you have had surgery), and found out I had 3 times the number of Small Dense LDL particles than you are supposed to have, which put me in the top risk category for another blockage. And guess what, there is only ONE thing that will change this number - it is plain old Niacin. Not only that, but my HDL went from the 30's to 88 on my last blood test! Please do not take the Sustained Release or Slow Release, I had liver problems from this (you have to have your liver enzymes tested periodically if you are going to take Niacin). I take 500 mg. after each meal, and had to work up to that amount. I eat a Mediterrean diet, but then I always have.
My doctors are amazed by these numbers, and still do not recommend the blood tests. cardiologists are in the Dark Ages - I have had 3 of the top ones in my city, it's a shame. Oh, its been 3 years and I feel great, but it took me 2 years to get back. One thing I notice is that when I go to my cardiologist's office, it is full of older, pretty out of shape people. Maybe its just a different population, and maybe they wouldn't be able to follow the recommendations in this book.

This book is fascinating. Tough science written in a friendly, accurate and motivating manner. I can think of few books that cover the depth of lipid biochemistry and heart disease in language that is understood by the non-science readers. I not only found the diet and supplements advise stimulating and convincing (and I'm a nutritionist!), but I have started to incorporate some of these concepts when I advise my subjects and patients at Rush who need to make positive health changes. Furthermore, I was surprised at the level of honesty, true caring and deep thought that went into this book. The documentation of references used in Dr. Davis's book gives it superb credibility--Dr. Davis did an excellent job assessing and critiquing the key studies that have been published and making the complex findings relative to his readers. He is a brilliant cardiologist with a heart!

Since heart disease is still the number one cause of death in the US and other developed nations, I highly recommend reading this book and incorporating the lessons into your daily life. These steps will focus your attention on necessary steps to decrease heart disease and stop the "wondering phase" we all tend to live in. I thank my former boss for buying me this book--he knew I would it stimulating!
Susie W. Rockway, Ph.D. CNS; Assistant Professor in Clinical Nutrition

I have researched coronary artery disease in great depth and I can say with confidence that the most important source of information about reversing heart disease is found on the author's website: [...]

You will see that many physicians and patients are interacting and sharing the methods of authentic, measured reversals -- yes, reverals, measured by scans -- on this website.

This is the future of cardiology.

The problem with this book, is that you cannot argue for copyrights on one hand, and against them on the other. Either there is intellectual property or there is not. If there is not, then it is a government granted monopoly, and government granted monopolies can be shown to be less efficient then the market. As such, this means that copyrights would not do a better job at encouraging ingenuity. The thing is the book seems to talk about the philosophy of it a lot more then the reality of it.

A great presentation on why we should go to copyleft or the creative commons.

This book does not really explore aspects of copy protection beyond profit. Copy protection's original purpose was to protect others from taking your intellectual work and pretending to be theirs without giving the original authors any credit. So yes, copyright protection is indeed important, as it encourages creativity when implemented properly.

This is an insightful though often quick and unfocused examination of the history of copyright law. Vaidhyanathan outlines the deceptively complicated realm of copyright law from its origins in medieval Europe to current issues with peer-to-peer networks and intellectual property. Through his sometimes creative use of legal precedents and historical trends, Vaidhyanathan reaches a few outstanding insights here, such as debunking the incorrect impression that the term "copyright" implies a right when it is actually a privilege; while modern crazes like hip-hop sampling and MP3 file sharing are not direct violations of copyright law but instead offer harsh illuminations of the gaps and inconsistencies in that law. Most importantly, the highly varied nuances and applications of copyright law in the past have been ruinously combined in recent years into the poorly defined, but disastrously applied, concept of intellectual property. Thus we have the modern corporatist view of everything as "property" that can be owned, bought, and sold, including ideas and expression.

Vaidhyanathan provides plenty of believable evidence that this troublesome doctrine, while often disingenuously trotted out to supposedly protect original creators, does little more than enrich corporations while also chilling free speech and restricting creativity. The problem with this book is Vaidhyanathan's poorly constructed writing style, with distracting jumps in subject matter and unnecessary academic theoretical investigations into phenomena of doubtful value to the reader. An example is the chapter-long dissertation on Mark Twain's certainly voluminous but questionably influential (or relevant) thoughts on copyright law. Meanwhile, Vaidhyanathan's goal of finding the best answers to these problems is trickled out in passing throughout the book, rather than appearing authoritatively in the book's very rushed conclusion. But otherwise, if you can handle some reader-unfriendly passages, this is an acceptable look at the complex world of copyright law and how it is currently moving in all the wrong directions. [~doomsdayer520~]

I am writing this primarily to defend the style used by Dr. Vaidhyanathan in this book. The person who commented anonymously (as "a reader") suggested it was written at a second grade reading level. That was not a mistake.

I recently found an interview Dr. Vaidhyanathan gave to a magazine concerning this book, and he said that, "I went looking for a clearly written book for laypeople to read [about copyright], and I found that there wasn't one. I thought I should probably write one."

Copyright law is at best difficult to "translate", and and this book is an excellent beginner resource. "A Reader" complains that Dr. Vaidhyanathan is biased toward less restrictive copyright laws, but I can only imagine that "A Reader" is in fact a representative of a large corporation which holds very many copyrights it wishes to protect. I don't think that the average American who wishes to copy his/her CDs onto his/her iPod without being subject to prosecution would wish for more restrictive copyright laws.

Dr. Vaidhyanathan holds copyrights, but does not fight for very restrictive measures regarding his works. Think about what that means about his "bias."

As far as finding works which quote court decisions about copyright issues, and are written at a very highbrow level, just look for James Boyle's works. However, it is important to mention that he, also, believes that copyright laws have become very restrictive, especially since the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998.

McClelland brings the track into a perspective that any horse player can relate to. If you "work at the track", this read is a "sure thing".

OK but I had to struggle through it. I wouldn't recommend it for a seasoned horse player!

The premise alone invites envy and curiosity. What aspiring writer would not wish to be paid for the priviledge of researching and writing about his own vice and be given a year to do it. The author's grasp of the material gives credibility even to his introduction to the world of thoroughbreds. His exposure of the invisible(to the ordinary visitor to the track)cadre of inveterate bettors is a real introduction to the pecking order and the order of intellect. From the railbirds to the racing form studiers tucked away in their respective hideouts waiting to make their move the author brings them to life.

As one who has followed the racing scene for over forty years and has spent a lot of time on the back of track I will admit to learning much more about what distinguishes horseplayers from handicappers and the art of betting the bettors and not the horses.

I look forward to his next book. Apparently another paid for vacation to explore the third coast. Another very clever premise.

Congratulations to the author.

Found the book to be an easy read for me. I could relate to most of the characters in the book. I would recommend this book to anybody.

This is a fun book for the literate two-dollar bettor or for anyone whose pulse quickens when they hear the words "Breeders Cup" or "Kentucky Derby." Mr. McClelland really captures the variety and perseverance of the dedicated handicappers who make the track their second home. I grew up going to the track with my father, and have met the same types at tracks in the midwest and Florida years ago. (Maybe old horseplayers don't die -- they just go to another meet?) Some of the characters and vignettes are funny, some poignant; and all are well-written and very entertaining. Damon Runyon would have loved it!

Kisha has lived all of her thirteen years in the projects of Oakland, California. It's not a good place to live, but the people who grow up there just seem to keep living there. Hardly anyone ever manages to get out and into a better situation. Kisha just sort of assumes that she and her little brother and her best friend and everyone else will be there forever.

Then one day Darren shows up. He is in his twenties and is the new director of the community center. He convinces Kisha and a handful of other girls to join the track team he's starting. At first no one is very enthusiastic. But before they realize, all of them are looking forward to their track practices every day. Part of the deal is staying off drugs, doing well in school and not getting pregnant, and all of the girls take these rules seriously.

It seems that things might really be looking up for the girls from the projects. But they can't escape from their reality. Something strange is going on with Kisha's best friend, who suddenly won't talk to her. And things are not smooth in her own family, where her mother has gotten a job over the protestations of her husband. Things are very tense and sometimes even violent.

The girls on the track team want to believe Darren when he says that running might be their ticket to a better life, but how will they survive their present life in order to get out?

I liked that this story was based on true events; it was neat that an uplifting story like this really happened. However, this story was often depressing. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the people living in the projects and I also couldn't help thinking that despite Darren's plans, most of them probably wouldn't escape from this life.

This book was discuss last month. And this was a wonderful book .
Two thumbs up for this book.
Southwood Bookclub.

In the beginning of the story there is a girl named Kisha who lives in a housing project in Oakland,California. She decices to join the track team is coached by the director of the community center,named Darren.

A Review by Tom

Growing up in the projects and having parents who constantly fight Kisha, and her friend Natonia are always looking for ways to keep themselves busy during the summer. That's why when the community center reopened they decided to join the track team. Even with all the problems in her life she stays determined and keeps the will to win.

I think the author did a great job showing how life for Kisha and the projects was like. I found it hard to connect with Kisha because we are so different, I've never lived in the projects and I don't have the problems at home like she does. The conflicts that arose in the story were realistic for someone of that age and situation. It made the story that much more enjoyable because it was based on a true story.

I recommend this book to anybody who thinks they could be able to compare their life with Kisha's. I think that if I was able to connect better with the character I would have enjoyed it much more.

The Book Run for Your Life is a really interesting book. I picked the book because the cover of the book looked interesting. When I first started reading the book I didnt think I was going to like it but I kept reading it and it got very interesting.

This book is about a girl named Kisha. Kisha is growing up in the projects. She lives in Oakland, CA. Kisha has started running track at the community center for a man named Darren who is her coach. She is on the team with her best friends Notonia, Jennifer, Ester, Shanika and Malika. Kisha spends most of her time at the community center. She lives with her mother,brother and her father. Kisha is going through a lot of problems at home with her parents.She finds out that her friends on the track team have similar problems with their parents.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone that is going through a lot of problems with their parents at home.I would rate this book as a 10. In this book I like the way the author writes exactly how a child would speak.

Run for Your Life is really a great book. It could help most teens with thier problems at home.

Shhhh.....don't tell anyone, but I'll give you a tip based on some recent observations; the early speed at Tampa Bay Downs is holding up in a number of races. I recently joked with someone while watching simulcast racing at Thistledown that Tampa Bay is Keeneland south (that is, before the synthetic track that was recently installed has taken most of the speed bias out of that Kentucky track).

But how can a handicapper - from a casual fan to a serious player - get an understanding on what runners - especially the ones who may have decent odds - in certain races have the type of pace to hold up from gate-to-wire, with you cashing a nice ticket & others tossing their tickets away?

Andrew Beyer takes the reader through the blueprint of effectively using speed figures as an effective betting strategy. He introduces such topics as pace, track bias and track conditions into the equation and provides a highly-readable plan that a handicapper can immediately utilize.

Since the 1995 reprint, the greatest change in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. has been the introduction of synthetic racing surfaces that are replacing dirt tracks. The book is still a great resource - coupled with this unique variable - if the reader follows the action at these "new" tracks.

There are numerous books available to assist the handicapper, but Beyer On Speed has held up over the years due to its practical application of an important angle that can get lost in the shuffle of handicapper's "overload" when trying to figure out how to wager on a race.

A very well written book. Easy to read, entertaining and full of useful information, this book makes otherwise complex theories easy to follow. The use of anecdotes and real life examples allow for easier understanding of the ideas presented. This is a useful addition to the library of any horseracing fan. The serious student of horse racing handicapping should easily recover several times the price of the book from using the information presented - that is a safe bet.

This is not a "NEW" Beyer book. It was orginally published in 1993. The only "NEW" is a six page preface. If you have the original Beyer on Speed, you don't need to purchase this one.

While probably not the best handicapping book even from the Beyer set, this is one of the more entertaining handicapping books around. You should read his earlier stuff first to see how he evolved as a handicapper to incorporate some ideas such as pace, trip, and form cycles, where earlier he had largely dismissed those. Where I spent a lot of time taking notes from other handicapping books, I spent more time turning pages and just enjoying a good read here.

Andrew Beyer is the godfather of speed figures in thoroughbred racing. In preparing to bet the Kentucky Derby and other races this year I read Andrew Beyer's fantastic book "Beyer on Speed" and Joe Cardello's book "Speed to Spare". These two books fundamentally changed the way I handicap races. It is simply careless to handicap races without understanding Beyer Speed Ratings and use them to your advantage. This book explains the origins of the Beyer Speed figures and walks you through an understanding of how the speed figures are calculated and how they work. I used the information on "Beyer on Speed" and "Speed to Spare" this year (March, 2005) to hit a big trifecta at Santa Anita - without Beyer Speed ratings and the information they provide, I would have never made the bet I made.

Andrew Beyer is not only a great author, but he is at the forefront of making a day at the races enjoyable to all. "Beyer on Speed" is a book that will absolutely make your trip to the track more enjoyable than you can imagine. Beyer doesn't sugar-coat the various elements that make handicapping a less-than-perfect science, but he does help you understand the fundamentals in a very concise way.

I appreciate Andrew Beyer's commitment to racing/handicapping that is so evident in this book and in all his other writings. Andrew Beyer remains at the forefront of the war against doping in racing and other honesty/integrity issues. Andrew Beyer is one of the reasons that horse racing is such a great sport. This book is for anyone wanting to know how to quickly understand the joys and pitfalls of handicapping - and why thorougbred racing is so much fun.