Racing Books

Excellent picturs, and data on the cars. I reccommend this book, although amazon packing was not the best.

As a fan of prototype race cars especially the Porsche 956/962 it's nice to finally see a book on this. Haynes publshing and Peter Morgan do it again with another detailed, thoroughly researched book on Porsches. Great photos with coverage of the IMSA series, Group C and races in Japan. A chassis record and race results are included. I highly recommend this book!!

Peter Morgan has done an excellent job of taking what could be a dry and technical subject and making it an easy and enjoyable read. If you like the Porsche 956/962 series of race cars, this book is a must-have, with outstanding pictures and text that helps explain the origins of the cars as well as the fascinating technical background - and all in such a way that even a novice to the world of sports car racing would understand and enjoy. And did I mention that the pictures in this book are outstanding?

This is the best of the Dr. Walker books. It's a concise treatice on all the tactical elements needed for around the buoys racing.

Dr Walker's book, Positioning, has provided me with an integrated and logical framework with which to formulate my own racing strategy. The categorisation of beats and runs into category I, II or III conditions and a thorough discusion of the principles pertinent to each, greatly simplify the process of data collection and effective strategic decision making during a race. The book is made very readable by Dr Walker's use of interesting examples from races in soling yachts conducted at a high level (names such as Torben Grael, Buddy Melges and Hans Fogh feature regularly). The book integrates much of the content of Dr Walker's earlier books such as Advanced Racing Tactics into a far more digestible format which is suitable for beginners, but also is beneficial for experienced sailors wishing to achieve true mastery of sail boat strategy and wind shifts.

This is the book by Stuart Walker which cleared a lot of things up for me -- I go back to it constantly, especially when there are areas of my racing that I want cleared up a bit. As he likes to do, the author has plenty of real-race situations from which he draws his experience. This one is out of print, but keep checking out-of-print sources; it is well worth the search!

"Nash Black's Qualifying Laps will leave you asking when this exciting new author will have another book out! Wonderfully original, the book is filled with fast action, realistic description and dialgue, with believable characters you will never forget! Mystery fans must add this one to their collections." Roberta Simpson Brown, Queen of the Cold-Blooded Tales.

If you like a good mystery with a little humor and can't wait to see how the book ends, you will enjoy reading this book.

Qualifying Laps is a good little mystery. A family of nine boys and their mother get involved in trying to solve the mystery of the skeleton found sitting in the Corvette in a Brewster County barn. The book is exciting and even funny in places. Being from Kentucky, I really enjoyed the references to real names and places. This is a good start. We want more!

i think this book was a great it shows God is always there even in hard times. it is about a girl who loves racing but when her father gets sick it's up to her and older brother to keep the farm running , but when some of the horses start getting sick her homework suffers. This book is best if you want excitement i hope you like it like i did

I loved this book so much, that I couldn't put it down!! I am also a horse lover, and Spitfire seemed like a dream horse. But when her dad went into the hospital with lung cancer, I cried for a long time. I hope that I can read this whole series and find out what happens!!

I received this book when I was little and I didn't read it until maybe two years ago...

This book was VERY GOOD...I cannot stress that enough. Even if you aren't a Christian, if you love horses and powerful writing, you'll love this book. I think the seris gets a little cheesy after this because every horse in every racing book wins the triple crown, but anyway..read it...it's inspiring and it's got real problems and real people in it. :)

Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70, is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary. Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century.

If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world, its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present.

I read a small portion of this book several years ago and made the mistake of not purchasing it. Upon finding it, I read it in its entirety and relished it.

Van Barries' novel is a collection of stories about trainers, jockeys, racehorses, and everything in between. The famous are intermixed with the obscure, but each is worth reading. Man O' War, Dr. Fager, and Holy Bull are there, along with Earl Sande and many others. Each character and story is enthralling and well-written. Von Barries asserts that the racing industry is ashamed of its past, but it should instead embrace and promote it. I agree completely. The story of diminutive Powder Break alone inspired me to research her, but this information is not easily available. The racing industry is filled with color and pageantry. The success of recent racing films confirms that the general public is still interested in this sport. The real stories are so much better than the films too (such as the Seabiscuit film).

There is an emotional description of Niatross reflects the deep feelings that horse racing inspires. It seemed overwrought at first. Such feelings inspired Von Borries to write this book. The same feelings inspire people to live out their days at the track, watching great horses come and go. Every once in a while, a horse comes along that seems to possess abilities that take us out of the every day and show us that the impossible is indeed possible. Their innocence and courage remind us of long-lost dreams.

Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70, is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary. Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century. If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world, its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present.

Easily the best source on the subject of motorcycle chassis design. Its too bad that it is painful to obtain (guessing not readily kept in stock...delay in shipping). This pain isn't made any better by the artificial shipping delay induced by Amazon if the buyer elects to use the "super saver" shipping option. Also, for some unknown bureaucratic reason, Amazon US will not make available Vol 2 even though many customers have requested it. Everyone I know who has bought Vol 1 through Amazon has requested Vol 2.

So, if your motorcycle interest is serious, buy the book...it is well worth the price and the wait. And be sure to make a formal request to Amazon for Vol 2. Who knows...maybe customer service will do something about it?

I've "only" read half the book, but, you see, I'll be reading this book over and over for a "LONG, LONG" time. This is NOT a "How Too", read through, put it on the shelf type book. Not for the weak minded, mathmatically challenged, engineering phobic types. This is serious stuff that needs your full attention, a good calculator, and more importantly, time. If your serious about racing motorcycle engineering or want a thorough understanding of motorcycle engineering, this is it. Very well written, easily understandable and a "METRIC TON" of information. Everything given in Metric and Imperial. By the way, if you need/want, volume 2, you'll have to order it from "Amazon UK". These two volumes are undervalued in my opinion! Two Excellent Books!

when this book arrived at my house, i sat down & read it for 5 hrs straight. i didn't move from my chair. when i took it to my friend's house he sat for 3 hrs buried in it while i fidgeted quietly nearby - he never looked up. he straight away ordered himself a copy, as did most motorcyclists i knew.

this book will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about how bikes work. that is, the why's of frame design, how gears work, types of suspension & what they do... and all as clear as day. this is the best book every made - bar none - about motorcycles. the title sounds dry & perhaps niche-like, but if you care at all about how motorbikes do what they do, you will be totally absorbed by this book.

we are all still waiting for volume 2... please John Bradley!!!


---edit... you can get vol 2 from amazon.co.uk, and i just ordered it. Its a damn shame i didn't know it was available for the past 3 years.. i guess i was stupid to think amazon US would sell it just cos they sell vol 1 (???)

I read a lot of books for research on starting a Race team, this is one of the best books I chose!! This book takes you though the in's and out's and up's and down's of starting Stewart Ford. A lot of books give WAY too much detail, this one is just right, it gives the reader (race fan) just the right amount of content and excitement in the text followed by wonderful color and black and white photos. If you were not a Stewart Ford fan before, this book will at least make you have a little pull for them come race day. If you are interested in how it all started this is a great book, I couldn't put it down, it kept me going from front cover to back... I'll be looking for them this race year!

As fan of the Stewart Grand prix team, this book was the number one book on my christmas list last year. Here, a grand prix team opens it's doors to you, and shows you around. The whole book charts the first year of the Stewart Team in the world of F1. Described to you are the problems, barriers and hinderances in the way of setting up a grand prix team from next to nothing. It also re-accounts the moments of joy and great acheivement the team had in it's first year. "The" book for any supporter of the new guys in F1.

I've been a fan of the wee Scott for many years following his career first as a driver and now as an entrant. One cannot imagine the problems faced by someone wanting to enter the competitive world of Formula One motor racing until you read this book.

A very informative account of the conception, launch and first year of a brand new Grand Prix race team. The book is extremely well written and supplemented by beautiful photography in both b&w and colour.

Now that Stewart Grand Prix has been bought out by Jaguar, this book is a must for any Formula One fan and provides a much valued documentary of this era of Grand Prix history.

Racing the Wind is part of the Dolphin Diaries series. Although I have not read any of the other dolphin books, it didn't matter. Racing the Wind was great! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Initially, I was drawn to the novel because I had traveled to the Amazon last year and swam with pink dolphins in the wild. Naturally I was curious to see if the book could capture the essence of these delightful and illusive creatures. I was impressed by the accuracy of description and the plausibility of the events that occurred. The various encounters with the dolphins as well as the development of the characters added the kind of suspense that makes you want to read on.

The pink river dolphin, called boto rosa, is an amazing animal. The myths and legends surrounding botos are numerous and many natives both fear and revere them. I found these animals fascinating and very gentle. I fed them, and I swam with them. When one in particular first looked me in the eye, I felt like the creature was gazing into my very soul. I was prepared, therefore, to be under whelmed by Racing the Wind. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover that although my personal adventures were wonderful, this novel enabled me to bring back all those memories, and I even learned some new information about botos that I hadn't known before. In my opinion, Racing the Wind provides the reader with a true picture of pink dolphins. I would encourage anyone who loves animals and adventures, to join Jody on an amazing journey to a place where some of us can only dream about.

After a while, the stories of Jody's dolphin adventures on the blue sea, which all seem to be slightly similar to one another, can be become rather boring. That is why this book is so entertaining! Imagine Jody, cruising down the colorful-but-dangerous Amazon river with her family and friends, in search of rare dolphins that, for once, don't befriend Jody right away as though they've known her all their lives. I could hardly put this book down until the time when I finished it, and couldn't help wishing that it wasn't over yet. I highly recommend this book if you have finished the fifth one, and I recommend this series to girls who love originality and adventure!

This story is amazing. It has so much warm hearted characters. I also like this story because I am interested in botos like Jody.
Jody is my favorite character. She really loves to study marine animals. She is very brave to save a baby boto from the deadly sinking sand. Even though I'd never been in Amazon, I had a great feeling like that I was in Amazon with Jody, her family and her friends, while I was reading this story. It is very adventurous and exiting story.

This was a wonderfully written book. I know nothing of science, and was mesmerized by the writing and the information imparted. Weinberg writes like a novelist, but has the impeccable scientific background to convey how important basic research was to the discovery of how cancer occurred on the molecular level. It gave me a great appreciation for research, and hope for the future of cancer treatment.

A true scientist turns spell-binding author as he unfolds the fascinating mystery of cancer and the blow by blow drama of the pursuit of its secrets. This is a page turner as much any novel you can find. Why? Because truth is stranger than fiction and a lot more relevant--if half of American males will have cancer before they die, and if 1,500 people are already dying every day in America from this mysterious enemy. If you are concerned about cancer, or you think one of your friends or children could do battle in this area, then this is the book for you and for them.

This book puts to rest the debate of whether basic science should receive as much priority as clinical science. Himself one of the most prominent figures in cancer research, Weinberg writes with captivating (and often amusing) narrative power how a very simple basic curiosity - how do we build a cancer cell from scratch? - has led to revolutionary views of cancer. Peter Gorner, the Tribune writer, once wrote "Science would like you to think that it marches steadily forward in white-coated splendor, but the truth is more mundane - fits and starts are the usual rhythms, with flashes of insight wasted by years of wrong-headedness...". In that sense, Weinberg captures successfully the frustration and maddening uncertainty every scientist has to endure to test their hypotheses as well as the jubilation and excitement that come when pleasant accidents occur, leading to the ultimate breakthroughs. More importantly, Weinberg highlights the critical intellectual input from scientists who cares more about the basic biological processes than curing diseases. These results from the basic scientific research have, unexpectedly, solved many central questions in cancer biology and AIDS. Many stories presented in the book thus challenge the currently prevailing wisdom of "disease-directed" scientific research. If you want to know how science operates in reality, this is THE book.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is an excellent tool for those who are interested or study the US Foreign Policy, Congressional politics, interest/ ethnic/ lobby groups and their influence on the decision making process in the US as well as politics of the Caucasus and Caspian region. The latter is especially well described and detailed in the book.

Ambassador Pashayev served as Azerbaijan's first ambassador to the US during one of the most interesting times in the country's history. On one hand- newly regained independence, opportunities ahead and new relations to build. On another hand- war with Armenia, flood refugees, new multi-billion energy projects to develop and security threats to take care of.

Indeed, 1990s was very challenging for the young Azerbaijani Republic and most of these challenges are well covered and described in the book. The readers will appreciate a number of personal stories, tips and guidelines on how to develop mutually beneficial relations with the US politicians both from legislative and executive branches as well as media sector. Several real-life letters to media outlets are US politicians are attached in the book.

One other feature of the book that I enjoyed most was the easiness it is written and smoothness with which it takes the reader throughout time. As if you get a chance to see the beginning of great ideas and political projects, their implementation despite hardships and obstacles and their final realization. Super regional projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which effectively broke the Russian monopoly on regional energy exports and Azerbaijan-US security ties and their joint war against terror are perfect examples of these ideas.

The book is written in a very honest and sincere manner. Ambassador touches upon both achievements and shortcomings of the modern Azerbaijan as well as the fair and unjust policies of the US towards the region.

Highly recommended for diplomats, researchers, college students and general audience.

"Racing Up Hill" by Ambassador Hafiz M. Pashayev is the first book to dwell into an in-depth analysis of U.S.-Azerbaijan relations and their development since 1992. It includes "speeches and public presentations at American universities, think tanks and business forums in over thirty U.S. states" and "a number of articles, interviews and statements that appeared in the U.S. press."

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski asserts that "Racing Up Hill" is "[a]n important documentary contribution as well as insightful personal collections, regarding the difficult path to Azerbaijan's international consolidation and closer American-Azeri relations. Ambassador Pashayev's work in Washington made an invaluable contribution to progress on both of the above fronts."

The description on the front flap sums up quite well all issues highlighted in the book. It reads, "The book sheds light on the intricate dynamics of U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relations since the first day of Azerbaijan's official presence in the United States. At the same time, the issues addressed herein - getting Caspian energy resources to the West, resolving regional conflicts, promoting democracy in a new state, geopolitical competition over the South Caucasus region and the role of Congress in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy - all have significance that extends far beyond the U.S.-Azerbaijan relationship."

"Racing Up Hill" consists of four chapters, in addition to a preface and an introduction. There are also sections with Photos, Maps and Appendix (I-III). The preface is written by Dr. Fred Starr of John Hopkins University, who asserts that "[Racing Up Hill] is a tale of formidable obstacles and of decisive advantages, of lofty principles and low cunning, of steady learning and willful ignorance. It is, in short, a microcosm of diplomacy itself"(p. xi).

Ambassador Pashayev starts his introduction with a quote from Mohandas Gandhi, which reads "Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment; full effort is full victory" (p. 1). This quote certainly reflects the spirit of Pashayev's work as the first Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States.

"This is not just the story of Hafiz Pashayev, the Ambassador of a once unknown country on the edge of the Caspian Sea," he writes, "It is also a personal reflection of life in America and the history behind a new and enduring relationship between a superpower and a small country surrounded by larger powers" (p.1).

Pashayev divides the stages in U.S.-Azerbaijan relations into three periods (Chapter 1-3): chp.1) Putting Azerbaijan on Washington's Map (1993-1994); chp.2) Developing Strong U.S.-Azerbaijan Relations (1995-2001); chp.3) From Cooperation and Partnership to Strategic Relationship (2002-2006). Each chapter also includes chronologically classified letters by Ambassador to the U.S. Congress and U.S. government. The last chapter has Pashayev's articles and letters to the Editor published in the U.S. press.

According to Pashayev, the first year in Washington (Chapter 1 - 1993-1994) was the "most complex" in his thirteen-year diplomatic service. He states that at the time U.S.-Azerbaijani relations were not only "practically non-existent," but they were also "downgraded" by the U.S. Congress, which placed "the first obstacle in the path of U.S.-Azerbaijani bilateral relations" (p. 13). By "obstacle" Pashayev refers to the Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act of 1992, which "paralyze[d] U.S.-Azerbaijani relations" and "banned all U.S. Government assistance, including humanitarian aid, to the Republic of Azerbaijan" (p. 12). He writes that "...by supporting Section 907, the U.S. Congress unknowingly facilitated humanitarian crisis in Azerbaijan and allowed the Armenian lobby to hold hostage U.S. Strategic interest in the region for many subsequent years" (p. 14). The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which resulted in the occupation of almost 20 percent of his country and about a million of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, was the second major issue that Pashayev "had to cope with during the first two years of his Ambassadorship" (p. 14).

Chapter Two (May, 1994- September, 2001) marks the beginning of the second stage in U.S.-Azerbaijani relations. It starts with a signing of a cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that allowed Azerbaijan to concentrate on promoting its hydrocarbon wealth. "The Contract of the Century" between Azerbaijan and the western oil companies was signed on September 20, 1994. Pashayev writes that "From this time onward, U.S.-Azerbaijani relations developed in multiple directions; including the fields of energy and economic cooperation" (p. 81). In this chapter, he also talks about the 1997 visit of the late President Heydar Aliyev to Washington and discusses "the political and legal maneuvering surrounding the decision on" the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

In Chapter Three, Pashayev writes about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the global war on terror, the inauguration of the BTC pipeline, the upgraded "strategic relationship and alliance" between the United States and Azerbaijan, the "color revolutions" in the former Soviet Union republics, the October 2003 Presidential and November 2005 Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.

"This tragic event changed the United States and the rest of the world overnight," remarks Pashayev referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He states that "Azerbaijan was among the first states to offer its help to the United States and the American people." But he also complains that "in this critical moment for U.S. national security, it was Section 907 that blocked the U.S. military from cooperation with Azerbaijan" (p. 193). "Ironically, only after the 9/11 tragedy did the U.S. Government and U.S. Congress realize how damaging and detrimental Section 907 had been to the U.S. national interest for all these years" (p. 193).

Pashayev concludes the introduction of Chapter Three by stating that "Today U.S.-Azerbaijan relations are firmer than ever before and I am proud and elated that my years of service have contributed to building up these relations" (p. 201).

"Racing Up Hill" is a valuable source for any political science or international relations scholar, student and researcher who studies the foreign policy of Azerbaijan and/or interested in learning more about developments in U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, energy projects and geopolitics in the Caspian region, and the role of interest and ethnic lobbying groups in influencing U.S. foreign policy and decisions of U.S. Congress. The book will surely be an important addition to your library.

Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev, heading the Azerbaijani embassy in Washington D.C., since 1993, has been at the forefront of the constantly developing relations between Azerbaijan and the United States -- from its lows, stemming from the passage of the notorious Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act of 1992, and various other anti-Azerbaijan lobbying efforts by the Armenian diaspora and groups, to the waiver of that very same section 10 years later, and the elevation of the relationship to that of a "strategic partnership" (Amb. Harnish, 2003-2006) and Azerbaijan being described as the "locomotive of the region" (President George W. Bush, 2006).

Being appointed to represent the newly independent nation first under scientist-turned President Abulfaz Aliyev (Elchibey, 1992-1993), Dr. Pashayev, himself formerly a scientist in the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, then served under veteran politician and "political colossus" (in the words of President Putin, October 2003) Heydar Aliyev (1993-2003), and then under the current President Ilham Aliyev (since 2003), before leaving his post and transitioning to a new and perhaps more important job - bringing his experience and expertise back home, and giving it back to the young diplomats and International Relations (IR) specialists, as the Deputy Foreign Minister and Rector (Dean) of the newly founded Diplomatic Academy of Azerbaijan.

Being a first-hand witness of all the important developments shaping the world, the Caspian region, and particularly his native land from the hills of the "Third Rome", this book is important and interesting to the reading public at large for its historic value alone, as a memoir and chronological account of the challenging race up Hill. However, as one of the first books by an Azerbaijani expert being published in the West, in English, this monograph is also important as a valuable source of knowledge and insight for any diplomat, as well as students and scholars of the region, especially those researching the countries in transition and post-Soviet development. As such, the book is a must read for students of diplomacy, IR and Political Science, as well as International Political Economy.

One can only hope that such endeavors would continue in the future, and the Western public will be able to enjoy more scholarly, analytic and journalistic accounts, studies and research from Azerbaijani authors.