5 comments about Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide To Winning In Soccer And Life.

1. Personally, I found this really boring. I'm not really sure what I just read. I was kind of hoping that there'd be some personal insight because Mia Hamm is a facsinating person. When I finished I really wasn't inspired, or informed, or anything. I was just bored. There are better books out there, this one isn't really worth your time.



2. super.
   
   1. chapters on her ideas is just extremely inspiring
   2. soccer tips are great.



3. i love women's soccer and mia hamm takes the cake. this book makes you feel like you're part of the game. the narrative is good and mia has put some personal and important photos in the book that you'll cherish as well.
   
   for the soccer lover, run out and get it immediately!



4. This book is great for anyone who likes soccer and Mia Hamm. It has training tips, drills, and it tells a lot about Mia Hamm. I can't put the book down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. "Go for the Goal" is about Mia Hamm, one of the best soccer players in the world and about her struggles, difficulties, and accomplishments in her life. She helped lead the women's world cup team to a victory in 1999. She has faith that every one that dreams about being a soccer star, go for it! This is one of my favorate books not only because I play soccer competitively but because she has showed me some techniques and strategies she used to be an amazing soccer player. This book is interesting and factual about Mia life and could help change your idea about soccer.

1 comments about Gerrard: My Autobiography.

1. As an American who loves watching the Premier League games every weekend, I have become a huge fan of Liverpool. Reading this autobiography of Steven Gerrard helped me gain insight into the depth of the football culture from youth leagues to the professional ranks in England. Gerrard's story is a fairly typical young boy achieves his dreams tale, but he is engaging and the book is lively and highly readable. His competitiveness and drive come through on every page and the background on some of the better known personalities in European football were very enlightening to this Yank since we obviously don't get the coverage here.

5 comments about Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman.

1. i am a reading specialist in Washington, DC and chose this book b/c i love David Diaz and because, like wilma, my children have many obstacles in their lives. i simply can not finish this book without nearly crying in front of my class. i've read it so many times, but the suspenseful writing and triumphant ending never get tiring. it is a truly wonderful story and wonderfully told and illustrated by this duo.



2. Inspirational stories fill hundreds of picture books every year. Most are simply awful. They either tell tales that are loose plots barely supported by facts or they paste together a slapdash concoction of truth and fiction with as little thought as possible. The truly beautiful bio-picture books out there are as rare as hummingbirds in autumn. So it was with great joy that I located "Wilma Unlimited" and found it to be not only inspirational but also a darned good read. Written by Kathleen Krull (the woman who could make long dead musicians fascinating in "Lives of the Musicians" and bring Cesar Chavez to life in the recent "Harvesting Hope") and illustrated by David Diaz the book is the best possible way to introduce kids to one of the world's greatest athletes.
   
   Born in 1940 to a family of twenty-one people (nineteen siblings, no less), Wilma Rudolph was initially a sickly child. Though she was energetic enough, she often caught every disease imaginable. At the age of five, Wilma's left leg twisted inward and it was clear that she'd come down with polio. Still, Wilma was a determined child and she consistently exercised her unruly leg to get stronger. After continual practice, she was finally able to walk free of the leg brace that had weighed her down. At twelve the brace was put away for good and Wilma started participating in sports. She led her high school basketball team to the finals, catching the eye of a college coach. Before you knew it, Wilma was recruited into the Tennessee State University's track-and-field team on a full ride scholarship. In 1960 she competed in the Olympic Games in Rome. The book sets this part up beautifully. Wilma arrived with a twisted ankle into a place filled with television cameras (the first time they ever filmed the Olympics), the place "shimmering heat", and her competition consisting of runners who had run faster races than she ever had. Then Wilma proceeds to win one... two... three gold medals! The last medal is especially dramatic, hinging on the moment when Wilma drops her baton and STILL beats the other runners in the 400-meter relay. The last double page spread in this book shows Wilma standing, "tall and still, like a queen", earning the last of her three medals. It's a truly proud moment for all who have the privilege to experience it once again in picture book form.
   
   Krull has a way with words. I'm not saying that Wilma Rudolph's life is dull. Far from it. But in the hands of a lesser author this story could easily have been bogged down in all the wrong moments. This author knows which moments should be given full glory. The moment when Wilma removes her brace and walks proudly into church will banish from your mind that similar pseudo-inspirational moment in "Forrest Gump". Wilma's struggle at the Olympics through pain and skepticism puts the reader through the same strains. You yearn for this woman to beat them and beat 'em she does. Then, best of all, come the illustrations of David Diaz. This is my first Diaz experience, though I suspect that I'll read many more of his books as the days go on. Diaz has accompanied his illustrations in this tale with sepia toned photographs. The book's endpapers display the outlines of footprints in the dirt. The title page is an evocative view of ivy climbing a raw wooden fence. Behind his colorful illustrations, each background photograph refers to the corresponding scene obliquely. When Wilma and her mother take the bus to the hospital, the photograph is a close-up of a wheel. When she packs away her leg brace, it's shredded packing paper. A great relief it is indeed that the colored illustrations are worthy of their sepia compatriots. Though these pictures may appear blunt at first, they are filled with the most delicate of designs. I loved watching the character of Wilma as she aged. As she grows in confidence, her posture improves and back stiffens until, by the last shot, she is standing taller than all the women around her. Than all the women in the world.
   
   "Wilma Unlimited" should be known to everyone living in American today. This is inspirational without being either annoying or faux-patriotic. It's an actual honest-to-goodness amazing story. The book is beautiful and its story is worthy of its packaging. I challenge you to read it and not shake your head at least once in amazement. It's just that good.



3. I have used Wilman Unlimited in my classroom for the past few years. It is a fantastic book to use any time during the year, but good for Black History Month also. I use it with fourth graders to teach sequencing and analyzing character. I highly recommend this book.



4. This is a true and exciting story that will make you never want to give up on your dreams. I really liked this book and recommend that you read it.



5. My granddaughter needed books on Wilma Rudolph for a 5th grade school project. This ended up being her favorite. The text was just right for her understanding and she really liked the illustrations. As she was reading it she clutched it to her chest and exclaimed to me, "Grandma, I love this book!" It prompted a conversation about overcoming doubts, believing in yourself and what things inspire us... a conversation I don't think we would have had otherwise.

No comments about Pele (DK Biography).

5 comments about The Soccer War.

1. The Soccer Wars is a timeless diary( timeless in the sense that it lacks chronology, not timeless in the sense of transcendance) that bounces from Eastern Europe to West Africa, the Great Lakes region, Central America and through the west back to Poland. Kapuschinski is usually a more thourough analyst and offers insights along the journey.He suggests many times that this is the book "he never got 'round to writing". Unfortunately, the lack of flow, ideas and critical thought makes it a book he shouldn't have written.



2. As somebody who once lived in Honduras before the infamous soccer war of 1969, I long had Kapuscinski's book on my "must read" list. Though I bought it five years ago, I didn't get around to reading it till just now. I'm glad I did. THE SOCCER WAR is another sterling volume from this master of description.
   
   THE SOCCER WAR isn't a book about the absurd war between El Salvador and Honduras, triggered by World Cup qualification matches, but really caused by El Salvador's overpopulation and the subsequent overflow of Salvadorenos into much-emptier Honduras. The war may also be ascribed to the fact that neither country has been able to tame its landowning classes, who continue to this day to run rampant over the poor masses of people. In any case, this war, which happened decades ago, occupies only 30 pages of a 234 page book. The rest of the book contains vignettes from Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Burundi, Algeria, Tanganyika, Syria, Cyprus, and Ethiopia. I think another title would have given readers a better idea of what the book is about. Anyway, I would not say this book is about particular societies or countries, rather it is about the human condition. Kapuscinski, if you have read any of his other (excellent) work, specializes in inserting himself into extreme situations----war, rebellion, conflict, and abnormal behavior. Where the strictures of daily life have fallen down, we find him reporting, usually at considerable risk to his person. He is nearly burned to death in Nigeria, nearly executed in Burundi, nearly lynched in the Congo, nearly blown up in Honduras. In every case, he manages to portray some participants as humane and decent, or as simple people caught up in events beyond their control. He never writes off groups of people as `wild' or `barbarous', but manages to `read' them even as he faces almost certain death. The absurdity of all this violence, the violence that never ends on this planet, comes through loud and clear. Ryszard, you wrote your best, but nobody in charge listened. Readers of the book, however, will come away with a better understanding of human nature and its universal similarity on every continent, among every race and religion. From the stupidity, waste, and blood, we can learn. We just don't.



3. It's almost impossible to process the news with the same perspective after reading this book...what was true in the 60s still rings true today. I picked up this book while simultaneously reading articles in Esquire and The New Yorker about people (Bill Gates, Bill Clinton...) trying to make a difference in Africa. While I was made hopeful by the observations in today's mainstream press, I grew increasingly frustrated when confronted with the dark reality that Kapuscinski exposes.



4. Kapuscinski is the master of international journalism. Often he prefaces his accounts by saying something to the affect of, "Everyone told me that trying to get into the Congo was suicide. I had to do it." The result is a perspective that no one else is able to give, a sometimes brutal but eye-opening account of the effects of war.
   The best part of The Soccer War to me is Kapuscinski's ability not only to report on war, but to capture the humanity of the people involved. He is in this way an anthropologist as much a journalist. True, this book covers extensive topic matter: Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Algeria, Congo, Burundi, Cyprus, etc, but Kapuscinki's voice is powerful enough to unify these seemingly disparate stories.
   If you are curious about world history, if you want a humanistic and first-hand view of events that have shaped our world today, this is your book. There were times when I was literally on the edge of my seat wondering if Kapuscinski would make it out alive. Of course, we know he did because he pubished a book about these experiences.
   
   Visit my blog: http://www.writingup.com/blog/namingame



5. It is a striking book. Mr. Kapuscinski is a great writer and the narrative is simply wonderful.
   
   It is a great account of the cold war, as fought in Africa and Latin America.

5 comments about Mia Hamm: On the Field with... (Matt Christopher Sports Biographies).

1. This book is by far the best i've ever read. It has great pictures and has lots of info on Mia. I think she is the best player i've ever seen. So this book was very interesting. If you love to play soccer, and enjoy watching and learning about Mia , this is THE perfect book! Once you start reading it, you won't stop reading until you've finished! SO GET OUT THERE,GET OFF YOUR BUTT, AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER, AND READ!



2. On teh field with Mia Hamm by Matt Christopher was a very goodbook. I didn't have a very good idea who Mia Hamm really was though.The only thing I know is a professional soccer player. I aw the book and it looked pretty interesting. I'm about a quarter of the way through the book and I'm liking it so far. Usually I don't read books , let alone a whole book.



3. I would recommend this book not only to people who love soccer, but to everyone who enjoys a true story about a great athlete and role model. The story of Mia Hamm is basically about how she was introduced to soccer and how she follows her dream to be the best women's soccer player in the world.



4. Very good review of a current sports star. Easy for my 7 year old daughter to understand and keep her interested.



5. Mia Hamm
   
   Mia Hamm was a talented soccer player. As a toddler she lived in Italy, that is how she discovered her love of soccer. Her dad was a marine and so she moved around frequently. During High School she decided to focus on soccer, and so all through High School and college she played on her schools' teams. Mia graduated college in 1994 and married her college boyfriend, Christian Corey. After that, Mia and her team went to Sweden to defend their world cup title. IN 1998, she was named America's best female athlete.
   
   My book, On the Field With Mia Hamm, gave me lots of information about Mia. The cover page is green with a colored picture of her running down the field with the ball. This book is organized into chapters and that made it a lot easier to sort the information about Mia. In the middle of the book are nine colored pictures of Mia and her teammates. In would have made the book easier if there were more pictures, though. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves soccer!
   
   
   

5 comments about Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968.

1. My mother's book, in print since 1973 under various titles, the last being 'Under A Cruel Star', inspired me to write my own side of the story about my lost father, JUDr Rudolf Margolius. Now published and called 'Reflections of Prague: Journeys through the 20th century' it fills gaps in my mother's book provided by further research and historical information, some of which was not available to her and which many readers of her book had asked us for over the years. Hopefully this companion volume provides answers to these questions. I hope you find this book interesting and would welcome your feedback.



2. As good as this book is, it could have been much better. Kovaly has a fascinating story to tell but too much of her story tells how this happened and then that happened without enough analysis or explanation. Kovaly lived through Hitler and Stalin and she has an amazing story to tell.
   
   The book starts with the deportation of the Jews from Prague, where Kovaly lived, to the ghetto of Lodz in Poland. She describes the horrors and the death she encountered there. She then skips ahead to the last concentration/slave labor camp she was in before the war ended. She describes how she tells the German man who runs the factory about the extermination camps, a topic with which he seems to be utterly unfamiliar. And although the part she tells us is fascinating, she leaves out much of the story that she tells him. Finally she tells us of her escape as she is being marched away from the advancing Russian armies, her return to Prague, and her rejection by all the friends she had left behind. By far this is the best part of the book.
   
   But this part ends sixty pages into the book and she has much more to tell us. After the war, Kovaly marries the man she always loved and he becomes a member of the Czech communist party and eventually a minister in the government. With the failures of communism, a scapegoat is needed by the government and her husband is arrested and executed as a traitor as part of the Slansky trials. As the widow of a traitor, her life in Prague is hell but she spends her every effort to care for her child and to rehabilitate her husband. Finally, in the early 1960's, reforms in Czechoslovakia led to her husband and all the others having their convictions overturned. The reforms continue until the Prague Spring of 1968 leading to the Russian invasion and the crushing of the new freedoms. At this point Kovaly flees for the West to join her son who is living in London.
   
   The book is short at less than 200 pages and many things happen so the story moves quickly. But too much of the story tells us what happened as a way for Kovaly to avoid talking about herself. For example, by starting with the deportations, we learn nothing about Kovaly's life before the Nazis. Kovaly doesn't even tell us how old she was or what she was doing when she was rounded up. With all Kovaly has been through she has had to have built a wall to protect herself and she only shows us glimpses through that wall. But the book still remains an amazing story of the holocaust and the early communist years in Czechoslovakia. Her glimpses into how communism must always fail by its very nature from someone who was on the inside are worth reading to help us understand the 20th century. Kovaly leaves out the happy ending she finally achieved. It is a happy ending she deserves.



3. Clive James, in "Cultural Amnsia' - his magesterial review of literature and totalitarianism - said: "Given thirty seconds to recommend a single book that might start a serious young student on the hard road to understanding of the political tragedies of the twentieth century, I would choose this one". It tells a remarkable personal tale of a Jewish girl in Prague caught up by the Nazis and going to Auschwitz, then her escape and return to her beloved Prague, and subsequent worse sufferings under the communist government in the 1950s and 1960s. Her husband was a high ranking government official but later was put on a show trial and killed.
   
   "Under a Cruel Star" (also called "Prague Farewell" in some editions) is not as bleak as the story sounds. It is a slim volume of hope and understanding, written elegantly by a woman who later in life worked as a translator from English and finished her working life in the Harvard Law School library.



4. it is a great book use in my world civ class, and highly recommmand by my professor and TAs.



5. I would recommend this book to anyone. Even if you think you don't like reading about history, you'll like this book. In fact, it is books like these that are the reason I love history so much, and why I'm majoring in it. It isn't about the politics or the wars or whatever else (although those are certainly important), it is the story of a woman trying to survive through a hell most of us cannot even imagine has existed on this earth, especially not in the last 50 years. Peoples' lives are what connect us to the past, and what make it relevant to the future. It gives a little meaning and heart behind all the dates and events that you have to memorize in class...make them more personal. And furthermore, you will be inspired by this woman. Her strength and character is admirable, to say the very least. Actually, I don't think even a fictional writer could invent a heroine more honorable than this one.
   
   So please, read it. stories like these deserve to be shared.

5 comments about The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game.

1. This book is different from Lewis last few books in that sports takes a back seat to the human element.
   
   Lewis's theme in this book is that when a person is given an honest shot to succeed, then more often than not, that person will succeed. Michael Oher is functionally illiterate and almost incapable of learning when he enters high school. Through the availability of resources provided by Sean and Leann Tuohy, Michael Oher is able to graduate in time and play football at Ole Miss. I felt that Lewis glossed over a lot of the difficulties that Michael must have faced while he was studying. Lewis instead gives us anecdotes that show how Michael Oher is a fish out of water. He does prove his hypothesis that an underprivileged kid can succeed simply by being given love and opportunity.
   
   The book also shows the extreme divide between rich and poor in this country. While Oher was in the projects, no one cared whether he went to school. He spent his days playing basketball and hanging out. When Oher started attending high school in the rich part of Memphis, he was instantly thrust into an environment of privilege. Even when Oher is not living with the Tuohys, he is getting much more of an education than he would otherwise. The most stark example of this divide is that Oher's tutor is a teacher who used to teach in the Memphis Public Schools. Although it is never said, one can imagine she makes close to or more than what she made as a public school teacher tutoring Michael Oher. Lewis does a good job in showing the inequality that still exists between the resources of the rich and the poor.
   
   Finally, the pageantry and politics in big time college football recruiting, Given the recent scandals involving Bobby Petrino and Nick Saban, the reader can see the slimy way these coaches lure young kids to play for their programs. Beginning in his junior year, Oher gets hundreds of letters a week. Coaches are at all of his practices. Oher's high school coach tries to get his by making an assistant coaching job for himself a de facto prerequisite for Oher attending the University of Tennessee. College recruiting comes off as dishonest and unethical.
   
   As usual, Lewis has done a good job of mixing society and sport into an enjoyable narrative.



2. This is an outstanding book. Tells a story about a great young man and a great family that overcome a lot together. Fascinating as a sports story, a social commentary, inspirational to anyone who wonders if he can make a difference. And the best part is it's all true. A real page turner, more exciting than any novel.



3. Michael Lewis does it again: this time running two wonderful stories in parallel - that of a virtually-orphaned African-American child taken in by a wealthy white family that resoundingly points to nurture rather than nature as a determinant of success; and that of the revolutions in modern football that led to a reliance on the passing game. The reasoning and argumentation behind both of these stories is economic, and as always, Lewis writes with a flair and an ear for dramatization that makes what are sophisticated arguments into a compelling read - believe the story is actually being made into a movie. Terrific page turner.



4. One of the best sports books I have ever read. I enjoyed MoneyBall but could not put down this book. Fascinating.



5. Michael Lewis has done it again, presenting an overview of the evolution within a sport, while providing insightful social commentary within the context of a captivating story.
   
   Like in Moneyball, Lewis tracks the evolution of a major sport within the course of a generation; and like Friday Night Lights (by Buzz Bissinger), the social commentary about the role of sports, the values of our society, and the impact of race/wealth/privilege are presented through a heartful mosaic of incidents. I was especially impressed by the way this story highlights how unequal access to "the system" can be for kids growing up in different backgrounds (not a huge surprise), but what a case study!
   
   I couldn't put the book down and finished at 4 am. I will concur with a previous reviewer who felt a little bamboozled by the disclosure in the afterword about Lewis's relationship with the Tuohys. On the face of it, it seems like there should have been disclosure BEFORE reading the book - allowing the reader to make of it what he would.

5 comments about Fever Pitch.

1. The only thing keeping me from giving this book 5 stars is my own complete lack of interest in anything soccer-related. Take that personal bias out, and its a great read. The insight into the soccer culture in the UK is frankly frightening, but in a very funny way. Having lived through the Denver Bronco Super-Bowl failures of the 1980's as a kid, I empathized with Hornby as he details his own irrational emotions growing up as a fan.
   
   I think anyone, sports fan or not, will enjoy this book. Sports fans because they empathize, non-fans because it will help explain the mystery.



2. Great book. An excellent account of what it means to be a loyal fan or supporter.



3. A 2007 summer reading list mini review
   
   If you are so passionate, it's scary about sports you must read this book. Many reviewers have said here and elsewhere that a rudimentary understanding of British Football is imperative to enjoying this book. Quite simply, they are wrong. All I knew about soccer in Britain, prior to reading this, was from watching Bend it like Beckham. However,I had no trouble following the book, as obsession translates for itself.
   
   When Hornby tries to take partial credit for Arsenal's championship seasons simply because he attended their games I related. I still feel partially responsible for the White Sox winning the World Series in 2005. The previous 2 seasons the Sox had excellent records at home but were 0-8 when I attended. The sign that states welcome to the ballpark was modified adding except Dave Roller. But that did not stop me. I bought my first and only multi ticket plan and the White Sox went on their winning journey (musical pun intended).
   
   I encourage obsessive fans of any sport to put the lessons of Fever Pitch in their arsenal (again pun intended) of sports literature.



4. I pretty much hate all forms of football. The fact that I read a book about football (to the British, that is: the rest of the world calls it soccer) from cover to cover, smirking, chuckling and at times laughing out loud, attests, once again, to the talent of Nick Hornby as a wordsmith. This book is witty and clever, incredibly insightful about obsession and definitely worth a read!



5. This is simply put, a great book. I have been a fan of football for a few years now and have to admit I am always interested to read or hear about people experiences. More importantly I was always interested in how people picked their team and the life of an English fan. This is a very well written version of how someone became a life long football fan. It will keep you laughing and show you exactly how important football and sports in general can be to people.
   
   1 Warning: Do not buy this book simply because you enjoy Nick Hornby. This is a book about a football fan, not a novel. That being said if you enjoy football, or sports, and a good witty read, this book is for you!

5 comments about Among the Thugs.

1. This piece of investigative journalism will open your eyes to the British football (or American soccer) scene. The author takes this harrowing tale and takes time to find the humor in it.



2. This was a very interesting read. Buford seems to have "embedded" himself in the thugs, nearly becoming one of them himself and certainly being mistaken for one of the thugs (to his detriment). There are harrowing tales of drunken violence, racist chanting and mob scenes in just about every chapter of the book. After a while, the chapters seem to bleed together a little bit. Each new mob scene fairly resembles the last mob scene with only the setting and opponents being variable. Buford even acknowledges that it started becoming monotonous running with these professional soccer hooligans and I think that was part of his point. These thugs have nothing else in their lives that make them truly happy except their congregational violence. It bonds them and makes them closer than they would be without it. I only give it three stars because I can't really make sense of the point of this book other than, "mob violence is bad" which is something I already knew before I picked up the book.



3. "Among The Thugs" provides an inside view of the inner workings of an English football hooligan firm, and it's members. Told from the outsider's point of view, it is an unblinking and sometimes chilling account of football gang violence and those who purpotrate it. Bufford takes his readers places where most of them would dare not go. The narrative-like accounts are gripping and often disturbing, but always intersting. At some points book slows down just a bit to explain the philosophy of a gang, and that could get a little boring at times, but it is necessary to understanding of the subject. "Among the Thugs" is a great read and I recommend it to those interested in the subject of football violence, and just to football fans in general.



4. Fantastic book and a page turner. Opened my eyes to hooliganism in the sport of football. This was probably common knowledge to most people outside the U.S. Great story from an unbiased source.



5. This is a great book, albiet the first one I have read on football hooligans. This is not limited to one single firm though, as some of the many ICF books are. Buford runs with the Man. United firm, has a run in with the National Front, and has the grand finale with English hooligans during the world cup. This is really an eye opener into a section of history and life I never knew about in England, and Buford does an excellent job sharing it. There were a few points where he starts to ramble about unrelated crowd violence elsewhere, but these nuances are insignificant by the close of the book. At just over 300 pages I finished this book in 5 days, it's an engrossing book, funny, disturbing, and horrific at times. An excellent read. I would thouroughly reccomend this to any football fan, fan of Green Street Hooligans, or just about anyone else.