5 comments about Sherlock Holmes: A Baker Street Dozen.

1. superb acting, excellent production and writing. it takes great skill to turn one of doyle's most excellent tales into a less than 30 minute radio play, and, to do a darn good job of it.
   no matter how little time you have or how short your attention span, these are doable on the daily commute or while making dinner or housecleaning. if for some reason you are unable to read these stories, these cd's are the next best thing and a great introduction to the canon.



2. Three kinds of customers will appreciate this well-remastered collection: (1) Sherlockians, who love all things Doyle; (2) lovers of classic radio drama; (3) afficionados of two of England's finest actors of the modern stage, Sir John Gielgud (playing Holmes) and Sir Ralph Richardson (Watson). Since both actors also possessed two of the twentieth century's most mellifluous stage voices, these dramatizations are a feast for the ear. If you're at least two of these three customers in one, this reasonably priced set may be an irresistible buy. Get it now, before it goes out of print.



3. These great recordings were made for the BBC in 1954 and were first aired in the UK that year and in the US in early 1955. The casting is perfect John Gielgud as Holmes and Ralph Richardson as Watson could not be beaten for a radio broadcast, and this probably still holds true to this day 53 years later. Although I think Jeremy Brett would push Gielgud close even without the visual aspect.
   
   The addition of Orson Welles as Prof Moriarty in the story The Final problem is the icing on the cake. That penetrating voice is chilling and truly Holmes/Geilgud meets his match in Welles/Moriarty. Any Sherlock Holmes fan should get these historic recordings - you really don't know what you are missing.



4. I pick this audiobook up recently and have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Gielgud and Richardson were simply amazing in their respective roles as Holmes & Watson, and I believe the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself would have approved.
   
   Worth mentioning is another item I read recently, The Crime Doctor. This book depicts EW Horung's sleuth, Dr. John Dollar, in his exploits in England and throughout Europe.
   
   Both products recieve 5 stars from me.



5. I'm 25. I first heard Gielgud and Richardson's "The Speckled Band" back when I was in 6th grade. I found copies of the Baker Street Dozen stories at my local library, and would constantly check them out, over and over again. Around 8 or 9 years ago, I bought my own copies in a cassette boxed set, which have since worn out.
   
   So I was more than thrilled to see this, the Baker Street Dozen stories on CD, and separated into chapters, at that! There are websites that have copies of these stories, but they are in terrible quality, or chopped up. For stories that were first recorded in 1953, they sound like they were recorded yesterday. I have a bunch of old radio broadcasts on CD, ranging from THE SHADOW to MURDER AT MIDNIGHT and THE GREEN HORNET, and their quality ranges from horrible to fair. But THIS, my friends, is British radio at its finest; fully dramatized, with music and sound effects that fit right into the story, characters that come to life, and stories that will keep you listening over and over again.
   
   It seems everyone in America can't look past the Sherlock Holmes ideal with Basil Rathbone and his rendition of the great detective... nobody really bothers to look or listen to other actors' versions of the character. Sir John Gielgud is, in my opinion, the greatest portrayer of Holmes. EVER.
   
   To wrap this up... if you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, GET THIS. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. The acting is superb, the quality is astounding for something that's over 50 years old, and the replay value is higher than high, because these stories are timeless. The game is afoot, and you should come along...

5 comments about Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life.

1. This book was well written and a good read. I love reading good books on leadership and success. Sports and Life always a good parallel.



2. Quiet Strength was a very enlightening story of Tony Dungy's career. Even through very harsh times, he seemed to discover the positive aspects of the situation. He always believed that god always had a reason for everything, and that every downward slump always meant that certain things would get better in the future.
   Tony Dungy started his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler. He was originally drafted as a defensive back (he played quarterback in college). After realizing that the NFL did not give as much opportunities as he expected, the head coach of the Steelers (Coach Noll) gave him the opportunity to be the defensive backs coach. This was the turning point of his career.
   From this point on Tony Dungy went to coach for the multiple other teams, until landing his head-coaching job at Tampa. When he took this position, he took in all the information from all of his former colleagues and coaches to help mold his team into a winning organization. He also realized that god played a major role in his success. He also took his fathers knowledge into consideration when he was creating a game plan for his team.
   Tony Dungy believes that his second season with the Buccaneers was his most successful season as a head coach for the National Football League. He believes this because that season, he felt the greatest bond between everybody on the team. He thought that because they started the season with tremendous success. They were winning games as a "team", not just as players.
   Once Tony Dungy moved on from the Buccaneers he continued to have great success with the Indianapolis Colts. They were even able to win Tony Dungy his first Super Bowl. But throughout Tony Dungy's life he will continue to live life with god in consideration.



3. Loved the book, many lessons to be learned, a little too much football at times but if you can look by that it is a quick and enjoyable read



4. The autobiography, "Quiet Strength," of Tony Dungy is appropriately subtitled "The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life." Dungy recounts his life from its beginnings to the present as the Coach of the world champion Indianapolis Colts. A man of proactive faith, Dungy has been able to climb many mountains, from being one of the first black quarterbacks in NCAA college football to one of the first black head coaches in the National Football League.
   
   "Quiet Strength" details key formative relationships, those that helped him to become what he is today. They include his mother, The Most Athletic Dungy, who supported in him in a number of sports; his father who taught him what was most important - not the accolades and memories of success, but the way you respond when opportunities are denied; his high school assistant principal, Mr. Rockquemore, who took a great interest in him and Dungy claims things would have been different if he had not; and his first pro coach, Chuck Noll, who taught him how to win in the NFL and how to maintain family-career balance.
   
   Dungy always viewed his work in football as a means to do something more as a servant of God. When he was fired as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the firing itself was not the cause of shock, but rather, the thought that God was allowing this great experiment of using him as a head coach in the NFL to end. He wondered, what's next? How will God use him, whether in the NFL or not.
   
   I am grateful that Dungy went on from Tampa to win the Super Bowl as coach of Indianapolis. More than becoming the first African-American to win a Super Bowl, this extraordinary achievement provided an excellent platform from which to tell this great story.
   
   Dungy's story is inspirational, challenging, and encouraging - reminding us about what really is important in a world driven by the love of material success. He shows that one can live their Christian faith in the workplace and succeed - even in the demanding fish bowl atmosphere of the NFL. He is a living testimony of one man's faith in God.
   
   "Do you your best and let God do the rest."



5. This book is fantastic - I couldn't put it down! I have been a big fan of Tony since he was the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, because of his presence on the football field. This book is an honest and inspiring account of Tony's life and the trials and successes he has encountered. Thank you Tony for a great read.

No comments about Your 15th Club: The Inner Secret to Great Golf.

5 comments about Playing for Pizza: A Novel.

1. I'm a fan of John Grisham; however,don't bother to read this book unless you have nothing else to do.



2. John Grisham has written several non legal books and I loved reading every one of them. This one is again no exception.



3. I did not care for it. My wife loved it. We are both huge Grisham fans.



4. I have read two other Grisham books and they were both good ("The Client" and "The Pelican Brief"), but I believe this one is my favorite. This book is about making good on second or third chances and about growing-up. The main character, Rick Dockery, makes a wonderful transformation that leaves you cheering at the end for him. I highly recommend this book.



5. Rick Dockery has spent his career in the NFL as a back up quarterback. Who would have thought he'd end up in a critical game for the Cleveland Browns- and blow it? Now, Rick has become the most hated person in Cleveland and no team will touch him. No team, that is, except the Parma Panthers in Italy. Will Italy thoroughly enchant Rick or will he continue to bemoan the loss of his NFL career?
   
   John Grisham consistently makes the best seller lists, no matter what he writes. Sadly, PLAYING FOR PIZZA didn't meet my expectations. Mr. Grisham's legal thrillers have almost a dry writing style that works well in that genre. However, in a book about football and about having the will to truly compete, more heart and less dry prose would have helped. Instead of focusing on the development of Rick's passion for playing the game, really playing the game rather than just going through the motions, PLAYING FOR PIZZA offers almost a sports page version of the various plays only broken up by admittedly beautiful descriptions of the food and architecture of Italy.
   
   PLAYING FOR PIZZA is populated by a wide variety of characters, none of which stand out as very likeable. Rick's self centeredness gets old quickly. Perhaps he would have been more likeable had the emotional aspect been explored a bit more. As it was, PLAYING FOR PIZZA felt like a brief but overly simplistic story without any real depth to it.
   
   COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

No comments about NPR Driveway Moments: Baseball: Radio Stories That Won't Let You Go.

5 comments about Always By My Side.

1. This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time. If you follow sports AT ALL - especially golf - then you will love this book. Jim Nantz weaves the story of his career in with the people he has come to know, along with his reflections from those relationships on father-child connections. Have a hanky ready at all times!



2. I am not a golfer, but Jim's book grabbed me and in many places brought tears. His relationships with his father, his family and his coworkers and friends was exemplary. The personal things he shared were great. It gave me an insight into the lives of the many people he has meet in his career. Everyone should have such lasting relationships!



3. I enjoyed reading Jim's book and gave it to my two sons-in-law as a Fathers Day gift



4. Like me Jim Nantz is from the Houston area, so based on that commonality I've always been a fan. This book details a professional career that's gone very right and a personal life that's posed one significant challenge. There are points where everything that is written, said, etc. has been so perfect that you just want a strong cup of black coffee to wash the sugary taste from your mouth. Then you read the challenges with his Dad and it makes you want to tip you hat to the man and hope that I would react in the same way that he's done.
   
   Great behind-the-scenes and name-dropping book that makes a good summer read.



5. I gave this book as a Father's Day gift to my son, who lost his Dad a few years ago. We both read it. What an inspiration.

5 comments about FearlessTennis: The 5 Mental Keys to Unlocking Your Potential (2 Disc Set).

1. I've done a lot of sports in my life, and have only rarely been given any guidance by coaches about how to address the issue of nerves, tension, relaxation, focus, and playing my best physical game while my mental side was going crazy with the tension of the moment. It's no easy task, but Jeff Greenwald's "Fearless Tennis" finally tackles a subject that affects all of us who play the game, any game for that matter. Relaxing and hitting our best stuff under the pressure of a match, at any level, has always been elusive at best. It's obvious when your hear this CD, that Jeff has "been there". His professional experience on the tour gives credence to his insights on how the pressure of a match can undermine so devastatingly our ability to hit the ball like we do when it doesn't count. I think Jeff has done us all a great service by combining his extensive match experience, knowledge of the game, and advanced psychological training to produce this CD. I feel like Jeff has lifted a real load of mental anguish off my shoulders every time I walk on a court. I'm playing more relaxed, hitting out more on the pressure points, and am making fewer errors. I have mixed emotions about letting everybody know about this great CD.
   It's helped me immensely , I'm just not sure I want my opponents to know this stuff too!
   Bill Dunn - 4.0-4.5



2. Obviously if you are going to buy this CD you play tennis. Alot of tennis.
   It does help with visualization and match play, relaxation etc. I was skeptical when I first listened to it, but it grows on you.
   If you put some of his ideas into practice you really do relax on the court.



3. I bought this book specifically because this year I have been nervous and unconfident during matches. Was this helpful? Absolutely! Does it completely cure the problem and will listening to this make your problems go away? Absolutely not!
   
   This tape hit right on the problems I had. That there is an internal conflict between my physical self and my ego. My ego makes me play tight when playing lesser talented people. It restricts my mental thought process when I'm getting beat by better players making me mad at myself instead of focusing on how I should try to cure the problem.
   
   Let me give you an example where it immediately helped. I'm an adequate server but can be prone to double fault issues. This tape asks you to visualize the stroke or a part of the stroke you are struggling with and how to correct it. Now, that sounds simple. But instead of doing this, I was mentally losing it thinking of nothing in particular until I fulfilled my destiny with a double fault. In case you haven't noticed, it's a village idiot writing this review but at least I recognize this. I was actually surprised how well these simple adjustments in attitude helped. I'm still working on all the negative discussions that I have with myself on court.
   
   Who knows, with a little work, maybe I'll be considered a normal humanoid.



4. There is really some good advice and suggestions in this CD for dealing with the tension and fears that can hinder athletic performance. Many of these can be applied to more than just tennis. One of the best keys for improving any athletic skill is reducing tension and this CD addresses several causes and introduces potential ways to address issues. I found the advice very relevant and useful.



5. Jeff Greenwald makes some very useful comments and analysis for improving your mental game of competitive tennis. His tone is deliberate, uses good examples from real experience and has usable suggestions.

5 comments about The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport.

1. This book is one of the best golf related books I have ever read. I could not put it down! The author was so normal and honest and real that if you are a golfer who started playing golf again at an older age (40's) then you will really relate to his story. It is funny and just a great summer read!



2. Millions of golfers could play like Tiger Woods only if they had his golfing skills. And millions of golfers who play and score like Carl Hiassen could write a book like this if they had his wit and writing skills.
   Chuckling about Hiassen's antics on the links reduced my tension and I think was a contributing factor to one of my best games ever (right after I finished reading the book). But I will wait to see if this relaxing-Hiaaasen effect lasts before I recommend this amusing work also as a golf psychology/ self-help book.



3. I should have known. As a fan of Hiaasen, I should have realized that by leaving the reservation to write a book about his taking up golf again that he was walking out onto thin ice. As it turns out, he was trying to walk on water.
   
   Several descriptions of this "book" come to mind. The one that occurs the most is "unreadable." It is not funny. It is poorly structured. It has no sense of story.
   
   After several attempts to at least complete it, I have given up and last night it ended up in my trash compactor. I would give this effort NO STARS if Amazon allowed such a rating.



4. It is delightful to encounter a book that, in addition to being an excellent read, strikes an especially responsive chord in the reader's mind. Such was the experience with Carl Hiaasen's THE DOWNHILL LIE, an entertaining and enjoyable saga about the midlife return to the frustrating and fascinating game of golf that many readers may have gone through in their lives. As one who gave up the sport in my late 20s, when spending hours on the golf course became difficult and I found time to return to the game in my mid-40s, the Hiaasen narrative brought back many memories and nods of recognition. Perhaps more important, it offers many laugh-out-loud observations that a wise and humorous writer shares with his audience.
   
   Many will recognize the Hiaasen name as a newspaper columnist for the Miami Herald and the author of bawdy and entertaining novels set in the State of Florida that poke fun at contemporary issues of American life. A Hiaasen novel skewers politicians, businessmen, retirees, rednecks and countless other denizens of the "Sunshine State." He has applied this formula to more than a dozen bestselling fictional works.
   
   Now the celebrated author has turned his wry humor inward. After a 32-year absence from the game that he first played with his father, Hiaasen, now a grandfather with bad hips and other equally bad appendages, decides it's time to return to the game he abandoned in his youth. Why? Because, as he ruefully acknowledges, "I am one sick bastard."
   
   While he may be "sick," he is wonderfully funny. Any golfer will appreciate his observation about a fine-looking new set of irons, too beautiful to throw in anger after a bad shot. As he attempts to explain the golf handicap system, most golfers will nod in approval. But, just like Hiaasen, they really have no idea how that tell-tale number that appears after their name bears any relation to golfing reality. Reading THE DOWNHILL LIE is a reminder to every golfer of the various circles of the inferno that constitutes golf, from lessons to gadgets to ecstasy and occasional humiliation. He experiences it all and shares it with readers in a fashion that every golfer will understand.
   
   Hiaasen, of course, is not just an average guy returning to the game of his youth. Indeed, his book allows him extravagances that the average golfer can only dream about. One day, in a moment of deep depression, he emails his friend, professional golfer and television commentator David Feherty. His tale of woe and torment results in Feherty sending him the latest model Cobra Driver and ultimately a second model after the first is not quite the correct club for Hiaasen's swing. For his effort, Feherty gets the back page of THE DOWNHILL LIE in the form of a complimentary blurb.
   
   Every gadget purchased, every club and indeed some of the most expensive lessons in golf from the prestigious David Leadbetter Academy are chalked up to research for Hiaasen's book. I must admit to pangs of jealousy that he has really come up with the perfect scam to have someone else pay the price for satisfying his every golfing whim. That envy is assuaged by two facts: unlike Hiaasen I can't write, and nothing he does seems to help his golf game. Frustration fills the pages of THE DOWNHILL LIE, and because it is a golfer other than me suffering ignoble fate, I have to admit it is pretty funny.
   
   I know Hiaasen will never read this review, but perhaps a friend will call it to his attention. Patience, Carl. Several years ago, just like you, I returned to the game I had abandoned. I struggled for a few years, but now at age 60 I am playing the best golf of my life. True, it is mostly attributable to equipment and the humility of moving up a set of tees, but it is improvement nonetheless and I am enjoying every minute of it!
   
   THE DOWNHILL LIE is a perfect Father's Day gift for your golfing dad, or the book to take along on your next golfing trip. Those who have never suffered through golf hell will not understand Hiaasen's anguish, but the rest of us have a wonderful reminder that there are many out there equally frustrated and tortured by the game invented by drunken Scotsmen.
   
   --- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman



5. As a golfer, I could relate to the trials and tribulations of the writer as he suffered though his game but Hiassen's whining about his golf started to get boring and the book never really satisfied; it was like a sketch on Saturday Night Live that it went on too long.

5 comments about Into the Wild.

1. I first picked up this book because of all the hype around the movie. I had not seen the movie and decided that I really wanted to check out the book before hand. All I needed to do was read the author's notes in the front to know that I had to read it.
   
   Jon Krakauer's words stopped me from putting it down until the book was finished. I enjoyed how the book was woven together for good and bad on Chris Mc Candless's relationships. It made me appreciate my own experiences with people and helped me to understand how our approach to life has influences on those around us. Even when relationships are brief the outcome can be life altering.
   
   Into the Wild is a great read. I could not put it down and I was happy that I read the book before seeing the movie.
   
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2. I loved this story, and finished it in one sitting. How many of us ever dream of just dropping everything and going off, exploring nature and taking in the landscape around us, instead of the steady day to day rat race of life? I grew up into the area that Chris did, and can understand the pressures of competition, the hassle, and the need to just crawl inside yourself for awhile and be alone.
   My only irritation with this story was the fact that the author cut in with his own. I see the author trying to compare his experiences in understanding Chris's thought process, but it was a deviation most distracting. It made things feel out of order and even took some of the punch out of the ending. I didn't feel the need of the authors interruptions and musings.



3. This story shares a tale about life and death--real life and real death. Make no mistake, you know how this ends. But it's not the ending--it's the journey. It's about the people left behind, and the effect one soul can have when paths cross on the street called life.
   
   I read few non-fiction books like this. I recommend fewer. But I humbly request you read this one.
   
   Listen, learn, and live what Into the Wild tells you. It'll change the way you look at life.
   
   Wolfe



4. Into the Wild Great Book! It helped to understand why a person would want to do this. Very interesting. Also didnt know about the rest of them...............



5. This book was awsome. Chris McCandless is one of my true heroes and i was pleased to see this book came out after the small article about in in outdoor magazine. For anyone who like the movie, the book is 10 times better and more informative. i loved every minute i read of this book. GET IT.

5 comments about The Dr. Bob Rotella CD Collection.

1. It's amazing how Rotella knows every single thought that passes through a golfers mind while putting, approaching or while making any other type of shot. The examples and exercises are very helpful, I thought it would be difficult to imagine all the scenarios, since this is my first audiobook, but I had no problems at all! If you play golf and want to improve your game and handicap this is definitely a must have!



2. I'd really had few expectations about something like a psychologist saying things about golf playing. But I found myself so nervous last amateur tournament I engaged, that I was about to try anything. What a surprise!! Not only my game has improved immediately, but, most important, I'm having much more fun. My government has charged me 60% import taxes but it worthed every nickel.



3. Playing golf, getting lessons from the like of the great Dave Stockton(Mac O'grady system) and , attending the Masters for the last 10 years..none of that helped me like these Cds.
   My attitude and direction for a better game helped me garner my 1st Senior National Championship 2007 (1st flight Costa Rica). Find a pro, learn the mechanical side, and most importantly, trust the Rotella Mental game!



4. ... and this set is a must-own for any golfer insteresting in improving ... until this stuff becomes natural and intuititve, it is very useful to re-visit these CD's from time to time to refresh the topics being presented ... to be honest, I wasn't impressed with The Golf Of Your Dreams (it seemed like a whole CD that only said "get a coach and get serious"), but the other three make this package worth every penny, and then some! Highly recommended! Cheers to all ...



5. Great buy,
   
   Excellent Cd's and have a vast knowledge regarding the Golf mental game. Great addition to anyone's collection