2 comments about The Best Game Ever: Giants vs. Colts, 1958, and the Birth of the Modern NFL.

1. Raymond Emmett Berry did not have one leg shorter than the other; his father was NEVER called "Ray" by anyone except this author; and he went to Schreiner Junior College because he weighed 151 pounds his senior season in high school and, more importantly, because former Paris Junior College head football coach Chena Gilstrap had just moved to Kerrville as the new Schreiner head coach.
   
   Coach Gilstrap was a life-long friend of both Raymond Emmett--his family name and his "Paris, Texas" name--and his father, Mark Raymond Berry, who was always called "Raymond," "Coach," or "Mr. Berry" by everyone who knew him. Another life-long friend was Gene Stallings--the Texas A&M, Alabama, St. Louis Cardinals coach--who replaced Raymond as the left end at Paris High School after Raymond graduated.
   
   Why couldn't the author just ask Raymond to clarify some of those "legends" and errors instead of just copying them from some old newspaper story? Although they distract from the story--especially if you are Raymond Emmett's cousin, revered his father, and your brother played for Coach Gilstrap at UT Arlington--the story of the game itself is worth every minute of this read. Although I'm obviously somewhat biased, it was certainly the greatest NFL football game I ever saw!



2. The 1958 NFL championship game between the Colts and Giants has been chronicled and debated so much over the past 50 years that another book would seem to be past redundant.
   
   But author Mark Bowden runs a fly route past the typical coverage and places the contest in a context of the NFL's evolution in the decade after the Second World War and relives the era through sketches of the participants, some who remain familiar names and others whose glory had faded like the print on the pages of sports sections in old newspapers.
   
   The book is an nice primer to new fans and a decent stride down the sidelines to paydirt for those who have read extensively on this classic contest.

5 comments about SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea.

1. This is a nice book for everything from scouting trips to real life survival situations.



2. Simply put, this is the best survival guide on the market today. Bar none. I am a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army. Even the US Army Survival Manual is not as comprehensive as this guide.



3. SAS world famous for their skills. Now you can be one of them. All you need to know in a pocket package.



4. This book is a perfect addition to any camping pack. Filled with things as simple as the best ways to start a fire and identifying edible foods in the wild, to constructing shelters and first aid, this thing has everything.
   
   It's a valuable resource that has lots of information, and if you ever found yourself in a bad situation, you would be happy to have it with you.



5. I am always a bit hesitant when purchasing a book without a recommendation, online and without feeling and reading a few pages. However this is one of the good ones. Its well thought out, informative and thorough not to mention value for money. If you're looking for a all round survival book than this is the best. Only problem is that its heavy if you want to take it with you on a hike or camping.

5 comments about Strength Training Anatomy.

1. Good book gives a great overview of what workouts target specific body parts and how to do them.



2. Very nice book, with a lot of excersises that are availible in most fitnessrooms and group excersise classes. For all this excersises it is shown which muscles are used and how to do it correctly. Also some variations are shown if these are possible.



3. Very good for those who wants to know deeper what is going on with the muscles, tendons and bones, when you do weight exercises. Which muscles works with which exercises (and its variations), and secondary muscles too.
   
   Excellent illustrations, excellent explanations (including how the exercise is done), and how to prevent injuries.
   
   Very interesting and useful. Several exercises included for all parts of the body!
   It really worths!



4. I just ordered this book of Amazon and already received it. This is definatly the best Strength Training book published. It shows 100s of workouts for all parts of your body including your arms, legs, buttocks, back, chest, abdomen, and shoulders. Now, I am 13 years old and I am currently lifting weights, so since Im younger than most guys, I like to make sure I know what Im doing so I dont hurt myself, and this book gives me it all. It tells me how to do workouts, different ways of doing them, what muscles it mainly works, and it even informs you on possible injuries.
   
   I recommend this to anyone intrested in getting a Strength Training book



5. The information provided in this book is not rigorously based on in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and exercise kinesiology. For example, the Bridging exercise is shown in this book to exercise only th buttock muscle. Anyone who has done this exercise will know that it works the lower back just as much if not more. It seems that the author simply assumed what is going on without much studies. The only value of this book is all the drawings. It may help some people understand their muscle better and can be used as a simple reference but should not be taken seriously. It is not really worth buying for people who just want to learn how to exercise. It doesn't really give you ideas on how to plan your workout.

4 comments about Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry.

1. Fifty years ago, the greatest rivalry in golf began. By forty years ago, it was all over, with the domination of Jack Nicklaus over Arnold Palmer. So for those who didn't live through it (and for those who did), Mr. O'Connor chronicles the the rise of Big Golf with these two men. Mr. Palmer with his come from behind wins and self-taught style came of age with the TV set and was golf's first superstar. Mr. Nicklaus was not the risk-taker on the golf course that Mr. Palmer was --which is why Arnie had his "Army" and Jack had all the major championships. Their rivalry continued in the business arena after their golfing days. Mr. O'Connor interviewed everyone who knew them and used every cliche to describe them. Other than that, the book is fun to read and a joy to every golfer.



2. Mr. O'Connor has done a fine job with his work on the Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry. No matter which side of the fence you may be on (Arnie's Army or Jack's Pack), there are enduring lessons to be learned here as well as a lot of inside information about two of the all time greats of the game so many of us love. If you have any memories of either of these guys in, or even close to, their primes, you can purchase this book with confidence knowing you have a wonderful read ahead of you.



3. Always an Arnie fan, reluctantly a Jack fan, Ian O'Connor has allowed me to go back to a wonderful time in my life. I cut school to watch these two men duel at Baltusrol. I remember seven kids jumping into the pond of the fourth green to recover a misplayed Palmer shot during the 67 US Open. Palmer's charisma has never been replicated, while Jack eventually earned the respect he deserved. Arnie and Jack reveals captivating insights into these two golfing warriors' lives and accomplishments. I had to send copies to my all my golfing buddies, even before Christmas



4. I grew up a member of Jack's Pack, having been born a little too late to be a soldier in Arnie's Army. It's funny how sports moments can stay with you. As I watched the Masters this year, in my mind's eye, I could see the Golden Bear prowling those greens. Ghosts of Augusta.
   
   This book tells the tale of two of Golf's titans, both their individual stories, and the story of their complicated relationship, from the first time they met, to the present day. Arnold Palmer, muscular arms bulging out of his short-sleeved shirts, cigarette hanging from his lips, going for every pin, with that wild looking swing of his. Jack Nicklaus: once Fat Jack, before he transformed himself. Picture perfect on the course, but not with the galleries, never getting the love that they showered on Palmer, the King. To say it was love/hate would be an understatement. They competed to the death in everything, but cared about each other much more than they would let on. Ironically, each wanted to be the other. Arnie wanted all those Majors, and the title of Greatest Golfer ever. Jack wanted the popularity and love that Arnie always had. But as Arnie said, "You can only be so many things in life."
   
   The book is wonderfully written. You almost feel like you were there, as the author describes so many memorable Arnie/Jack duels. There is also a fascinating look at their wives. Winnie Palmer & Barbara Nicklaus were fast friends from the moment they met, even as their husbands were trying to beat each other's brains out. When I finished this book, I remember thinking, "I really enjoyed that." I think you will,too.

5 comments about The Daring Book for Girls.

1. My daughter is an avid reader and seeks out challenging reads. She also craves adventure and is not really a girly girl in the traditional sense. She is the middle child with two brothers and loves riding her bike and skateboard. We had so much fun with this book. Highly recommended.



2. this book is trying to milk the success of the dangerous book for boys with content not quite on par with what was in that book. the book for boys had interesting and slightly obscure facts and activities one would enjoy reading about, and not just for little boys but in general for adults as well as kids, its an interesting book to flip through. the book for girls on the other hand had some activities in there that were... more widely known about, or in other words, common sense. examples can be found in the video provided above on this page... like bandana tying? tree swings? what do you need to know about those things other than the fact they exist? to need an instruction manual on how to tie a bandana or paddle a canoe is kind of sad. to compare the girls book to the boys book one would think we patronize our girls (which we do unfortunately but lets hope we grow out of that). i found most of the activities to be hands on and not so much intellectual, which is not completely bad, but the funny thing about 'active' activities is you learn them best by doing them, not so much reading about them. don't get me wrong, the fact that there are more so called 'hands on' activities in the girls book is not what makes it bad, its the fact that those activities are so juvenile and uninteresting compared to the information in the boys book. there were a few interesting things in the book, but overall not worth the time. the only way in which it is as good or maybe better than the book for boys was the recommended reading list at the back. there were a few good books and it was a more extensive list than the boys list (hint hint, go read those books instead of this one).
   
   of course the problem with both of the books is that they attempt to make the information gender specific which just perpetuates stereotypes and closes minds, but short of writing your own book or writing letters there's not much you can do about that other than tell your child its ok to like reading the book with the name of the opposite gender on the cover.
   
   my advice to you, buy the dangerous book for boys and give it to your daughters. or if you are really keen on getting a reference book with the word girls in the title, go with one called: Science Book for Girls and Other Intelligent Beings by Valerie Wyatt. that is a good one that will get them doing something and teaching them at the same time.



3. Wow. I must be the only reviewer who sees this book for what it really is -- a politically correct tome that encourages girls to be like boys. Some of the recommendations, to wit: always bring duct tape, carry a Swiss army knife, use a compass, tie knots, learn karate, change a tire, etc. Come on.
   
   This book is another leftist attempt to blur the distinction between the sexes at a young age. I'm surprised that the author didn't include military ranks (in case the girl wants to become a Marine), how to dig a trench, and rules for playing poker.
   
   If we traditionalists take any consolation, it's that no matter how much the leftists try and push girls to become boys, it never works.



4. This book is wonderful. I got a copy for myself and now feel obligated to get one for any family member that has a young daughter. I picked up this copy for my sister-in-law and had a great time reading some of the stuff to my niece. My sister-in-law was thrilled to receive!



5. And luckily in our present society, girls can do this almost any way they wish. This book, with its myriad of different activities, addresses just about every subject girls could be interested in.
   
   Along with traditional activities like jump rope (wich actually used to be a boys-only sport), there are essential things for girls to know, like changing tires and reading compasses. There are also history stories about strong women, instructions for slumber party games (including ghostly ones), and just about anything a girl could wish to do. Whether you (or your girl) is a tomboy or a princess, this book is a blast to have!
   
   I highly recommend both this book and "Dangerous book for Boys". We need to remember that "dangerous" boys and daring girls are just what we need in God's Kingdom. Both of these books are hard to put down and great fun to read and apply!

5 comments about The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever.

1. Mark Frost presents a wonderful golf story that is easily read. The reader will learn about some of the greatest golf legends of the twentieth century: Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward, who I had never heard of until reading this story.
   
   Also of interest is the story of Cypress Point golf course, which Alister MacKenzie claimed to be one of his best designs.
   
   There are a lot of books about golf, but this is one of the few that is worth reading. Good stuff! You won't be disappointed.



2. A great enjoyable look at the game of golf before it became the "professional" game that it is today. The weaving in and out of the four players life stories as the Match is beautifully told is masterful in itself. If you have any appreciation for the history and game of golf you'll love this book.



3. Lots of drama and even more background on the characters involved. Very good book, not in the league of The Greatest Game Ever Played, but quite good and worth the money.



4. I loved this book and so did my husband. It does help that I knew and worked with Harvie and that I used to go watch Bing Crosby Tournaments in the 70's.



5. This book is an excellent history of the birth of PGA golf in America. It goes into detail the lives of many of the great players who elevated the game to today's level. Such greats as: Ken Venturi, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson; along with several amateur players. This is a must read for any golf nut!

5 comments about Sports Illustrated: Brett Favre: The Tribute (Sports Illustrated).

1. Thank you so much! These books are going to make great Christmas gifts for my sons who are devoted Brett Favre fans!



2. FANTASTIC.A MUST FOR ANY PACKER FAN.ALL PHASES OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER ARE COVERED IN DEPTH AND UNBIASED.A GREAT READ.COLLECTORS ITEM IF THERE EVER WAS ONE.



3. Gave as a gift, it was a big hit! Nice photos and hardback book.



4. The book was put together to fast and only had old information. I think an interview of Brett afler he retired would have been the touch it needed to be a very good book.



5. An excellent collectors book! A compilation of SI, over the years. If you love Favre as the typical FAN does, why wouldn't you want this book? Excellent photo's, great articles and a nice B&W shot on a solid hard-covered edition. It's a keeper!

5 comments about Peek-A Who?.

1. We found this book at the library and it was my daughters favorite book! We had to buy our own copy to let other people check it out! She was about 10 months old at the time. She is almost a year and a half and she reads the book by herself now! It is really simple and cute. The last page is a mirror and she loves to look at herself:)



2. This has to be my sons favorite book right now. (He is one) He loves each of the surprises on each page, and likes to have it read to him over and over. The end of the book has a mirror with the words "Peek-a YOU!" And he loves Peek-a Boo! It's a fun book, the perfect amount of words and repetition to hold a little ones attention, along with cut-outs on each page that assist the little one in turning the pages, and grabbing their attention for the surprise on the next page. A big favorite at our house!



3. As soon as I opened this little board book my 7mo daughter laughed. She loved the colors/shapes and, of course, the "peeking." It's (thankfully) one of the few books I don't mind reading to her over and over!
   At first I thought the book was ridiculously small, but now I realize how easy it is to throw in the diaper bag.
   Would make a great shower/birthday gift.



4. Great book for infants up to about one and a half!!! Simple text, bright photos!! Fun to read!!! A good first or early book to use with your child.



5. I got this book for my baby when she was about 3-4 months old. She ADORES it and it is still her favorite to this day (she's 10 months old now!). She loves all her books but this one gets squeals of delight and lots of smiles at just the sight of it, and whimpers when it's over!

5 comments about The Dangerous Book for Boys.

1. Such a wonderful treasury of lost information and just plain fun, fundamental knowledge for young men. A must buy...



2. I bought this for my nephew. I had thumbed through it at the toy store about a month ago and liked what I saw so I thought I would give it a shot. Of course there's no pleasing everyone. Upon closer inspection after receiving this book I was a bit disappointed in seeing "The Ten Commandments" in this book. Then I realized - well, every boy should know something about the great fiction of our time, too. If part of that is the "Ten Commandments", so be it. And it's only one page. I didn't see any other hidden religious instruction in there (I looked). Hopefully there isn't any more. I'd hate for my sister (who has chosen not to indoctrinate her children into any specific religion) to be unprepared for that. I'll be mentioning it to her so when the boy has questions - his parents can explain that clap trap to him. So for those of you raising your kids with an "other than Christian" religion (a non-Abrahamic religion in general) or no religion at all - be aware it's in there so there are no surprises.



3. Bought this for my son. He keeps it by his bed and opens it randomly to find something interesting.
   He often brings it downstairs with him to ask us questions about things he's read, and if we can try this or that. We love it! We've made several of the projects, and he has learned so much about history and literature from it. He really enjoys it!



4. This book is a wonderful, educational, coming of age book for all boys. It includes all kinds of stuff that every boy needs to know. I picked this up for my brother who just became the daddy of a little boy and he was very excited to see all the different instructions, games, and so on in the book. Even though my sons are teenagers now, I'm still going to pick up a copy for them.



5. Remember the classic days when tanning skins, playing chess, and archery were naturally part of a boy's education? Welcome back!
   
   This cool book has everything from tying knots to survival tips, instructions for "marbling paper" (a gorgeous and artistic project I didn't even know an average person could do), how to play poker, and even a few naughty projects to do when you're bored in school. There are also geographic, historical, and even grammar tips for boys; just about anything a boy could need to know is in here. While not all of these things would be fun for me personally, I can tell just reading this book will be a blast in itself and make it hard for me to sit still.
   
   Just as a minor note: this book is NOT sexist. Just a few people have claimed this, but it's still ridiculous. The title says "For boys", not "ONLY for Boys". What do you think the author's going to do, guard the bookstores to make sure no female buys it? I'm a woman and I'm getting it; moreover, I'm a social feminist and I don't mind the title in the least. Heck, I love that it's shamelessly old-fashioned. I've always wanted sons and I can't wait to share this book with them when I do have them.
   
   But until then, it's all mine! :)

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

1. While the subject's different (golf, versus corrupt Floridians), Carl Hiaassen writes with the same shredding abandon as always. Here, he is taking up golf after a 32-year absence and documenting his "progress" with amusement and vitriol. As an 18-handicap golfer, I enjoyed and empathized with his misadventures.
   
   Now, how about another novel with Skink in it?



2. Hiaasen is one of those authors whose books I automatically buy as soon as they're available - without question. Being a golfer as well made this a slam dunk - whoops, wrong sport - maybe a hole in one........At any rate, it's pretty good - not great, but quite readable. Hard to find an author who can turn a wickedly descriptive phrase like Hiassen. Basically, he's taken up the game after a hiatus of some 35 years with fairly hillarious results - and he still gets his digs in at crooked politicians & developers - what would a Hiassen tome be without that! If you don't find yourself laughing out loud at least a few times, you don't have a good, wharped sense of humor. That being said, the story does get a bit tedious because his game stays in the same schlock mode for the entire read despite thousands of dollars p***** away on numerous lessons, equipment and other items of dubious merit. If you're not a golfer, this story may not resonate, BUT, it is, afterall, Hiassen...........



3. Returning to golf thirty-two years after he gave it up, Carl Hiaasen, author of hilarious mysteries, shares his struggles to relearn the game of golf and maybe, even, learn to have fun with it. Golf is not a natural "fit" for Hiaasen--"I was just as restless, consumed, unreflective, fatalistic, and emotionally unequipped to play golf in my fifties as I was in my teens," he admits. He starts "on the path to perdition" in November, 2002, when Sports Illustrated asks him to go to Barbados to write a humorous piece about the photo shoot for the swimsuit issue, and he ends up playing golf with his editor during the downtime.
   
   Unfortunately, for Hiaasen, he plays well enough that he decides to play golf (with second-hand clubs) back home with friends, and soon gets caught up in the golf-mania of finding the perfect equipment, reading books by gurus like Bob Rotella, David Leadbetter, and legend Harvey Penick, subscribing to golf magazines, and buying anything that may improve his game--from pendants to wear around his neck (to reduce stress) to capsules of herbal supplements (to improve concentration).
   
   Describing himself as a "reclusive, neurotic, doubt-plagued duffer," he keeps a diary for almost six hundred days, obsessively recording, often in salty language and off-the-wall imagery, the rounds he plays with his friends, including Mike Lupica and CBS's David Feherty. Admitting that he suffers from "Wildly Unrealistic Expectations," he reflects the disappointments and frustrations of all beginning golfers as he describes playing in front of strangers (badly), having to play a new course for the first time (badly), and playing in a tournament (badly).
   
   Continuing his mockery of politicians for failing to protect the environment in Florida, a theme of many of his mysteries, he talks about the growth of golf communities and the loss of animal habitats, but he also reminds the reader that golf courses are not all bad. They could have been "two thousand, zero lot-line houses." Hilarious in his descriptions of his efforts to learn the game, he is also serious about his frustrations with it. He suffers, he tells us from "the most corrosive fundamental of golf, the S*ck Factor." When his wife and his seven-year-old son take lessons and love the game, Hiaasen is reminded of his own golf experiences with his father, and despite his "own foolish and overwrought tribulations," he begins to see "warmer days ahead." Perhaps he might grow to love the game or even share it with his family. n Mary Whipple
   
   Skin Tight
   Native Tongue
   Stormy Weather
   Basket Case
   Skinny Dip



4. I used to be a huge Hiaasen fan but his last book, Nature Girl, was such a stinker I decided I was through with him. When I saw this I decided to get it for a friend who has just taken up golf. I also have several other friends that golf and thought it'd be a fun gift for them.
   It's awful. The writing is amateurish even for Hiaasen. The story is boring (I'm not a golfer but really, how long can he go on about how bad he is at golf?) and, worse, he's not funny; the one thing that we require of Hiaasen.
   He also, needlessly and completely out of context,takes shots at the Republican Party, thereby insulting a large part of his market. His total disregard of insulting a major segment of the golfing public is incredible to me. it's so out of place and, again, unnecessary, it's almost laughable. The book is tedious to read and I'm glad to be done with it....save your $$$'s and your time.



5. Sports Illustrated published two excerpts of this book recently - in the Players Championship Special Issue and in the May 12, 2008 regular issue. Although there was some overlap, together the two excerpts paint a hilarious autobiographical picture of the author's attempted return to golf. Laugh-out-loud funny doesn't begin to describe the section of the excerpt in May 12th SI titled "Toad Golf". I have never laughed so hard when reading SI. I'm buying the book, and, hopefully, it will provide as much enjoyment.