1 comments about Poles and Gridwork (Threshold Picture Guide).

1. Helped my dau-in-law build and set up the best jumps for her students. Very nice directions and drawings. Lots of pictures to explain even to the youngest child. The entire series is well done. Recommended.

4 comments about Passion Play (Kosinski, Jerzy).

1. You ever read one of those books and get about a third of the way in and you say to yourself "what the..."?
   Well this is one of those books.
   In essence its about a rather sad individual who drives across the country in a horse box with his polo ponies.
   Now, anyone who plays polo and reads this book will read some of the descriptions with utter astonishment. The idea that you can stop your horsebox in a middle of a city car parking lot and practise on the tarmac is to anyone who knows about horses and or polo impossible. Immediately the writers credibility goes out the window.
   This book is badly researched, dull in its content and baffling in its plot.
   The second half may be much better than the first - I wouldnt know - I never got that far.



2. As another commenter indicated, this book is written by someone who only wished he was a polo player. It's frighteningly inaccurate and I can't believe that one polo player in the world would agree with the presentations (or should I say misrepresentations) provided within the book. But to focus on the pathetic longings of a man who cannot even understand the rudimentary principles and practices of an elegant and beautiful sport that he wishes to focus his novel on is not even enough...no the content of the book is entirely jumbled with ridiculous sexual escapades merely placed in convenient intervals to titillate domesticated bookworms who may find men and women and transvestites and transsexuals sodomizing each other interesting. Fortunately I didn't buy this book and with the cold weather upon us I now have the kindling I need to start the Yule log--so thanks Jerzy!



3. Painted Bird is on my all time best book list, so after learning that Kosinski had also written about polo--a sport I play & love, I rushed to read it. However, the main character and the baroque & over-the-top violence of the game and sex with a panoply of individuals who might be found in Joel Peter Witkin's photographs gets tiring, and Fabian always remains abstruse at best. If Kosinski desired to shock the polo world, he acheived it--see the other reviews by polo players below--and I do have to give him kudos for that, the image of the average upper-class WASP professional, or better yet macho South American, who bought the book based on polo content, reading the sex scenes does make me laugh. But in the end I'd recommend staying away from this book both from the perspective of a polo lover and Kosinski fan. There is a great novel to be written around polo, but this ain't it.



4. That is, if you can forget about the polo mistakes Kosinski or his ghost writers made. After all, polo is an abstruse sport, filled with arcane rules few understand. The rest of us can enjoy the novel for what it is, a fairly difficult novel about rootlessness and exile in 20th Century America. The hero, Fabian, takes his name from the socialist society of turn of the century England, and uses a trailer to transport himself and his animal across the nation. It's his "little home on wheels," as he calls it. Fabian is a suitable symbol for our deracinated society, in which nobody really has a home because of the topsy-turvy state of the planet.
   
   As for the (numerous) sex scenes, Kosinski does a great job at making us care for the emotions behind the sex acts, not just the bodies, but the hearts and minds of his players. The book is called "Passion Play" not just because of the polo scenes, but because in this book JK hoped to expose the open nerves of his hero with the precision of a master surgeon, each vein and ambition caught and held deftly by a scalpel of precise imagery and language. Who would have thought that he didn't know how to speak a word of English until age eight? Play on, "PASSION PLAY."

5 comments about Land Of The Giants Cl.

1. 1963 - my first look at the Polo Grounds as a child. All I remember is that the seats, the facade, and the grass was green. Little esle did I remember Stew Thornly brought it all back. Stew delves into how the stadium grew into that weird horseshoe shape and does a great job highlighting all the great events that took place there. Its an easy read but I wish he included more pictures and blueprints. Nonetheless, its the best work I've ever seen of the big green bathtub in Harlem.



2. I REALLY LIKE THIS BOOK. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB OF DESCRIBING THE HISTORY, APPEARENCE, AND EVENTS OF THIS TRULY A LANDMARK FACILITY. I WISH HE WOULD HAVE ADDED MORE PICTURES AND MORE DESCRIPTION OF THE 4 HOMERUNS THAT WERE HIT INTO THE CENTERFIELD BLEACHERS. AN AWESOME ACCOMPLISHMENT BY 4 MEN. THE ONLY BAD PART OF THIS BOOK IS THAT IT ENDED. WELL WORTH PURCHASING. A MUST FOR NOSTALGIC FANS.



3. This book is an one special of its kind. It's like "Lost Ballparks" but enfocused only at the mythic Polo Grounds. The simply evocation of the name of the former field of the baseball's Giants wake up alots of events and personalities all very well descripted there in the book. Highly recommended.
   One only thing I didn't like from the book: its binding.



4. One ballpark that has fascinated me more than any other has been the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants. This is due to my interest in reading books about John McGraw and Christy Mathewson. My only two visits to the site came long after the stadium had been demolished. Author Stew Thornley provides the reader with a concise history of all four arenas called the Polo Grounds. Polo Grounds I was located at 110th Street and 5th Avenue and was the only location that polo was acutally played. Polo Grounds II was located on the site of Manhattan Field where the parking lot for the future arenas was to be located. Polo Grounds III had a short life as fire destroyed the park and the team moved into Hilltop Park after accepting an invitation from the Highlanders (Yankees) to play there while Polo Grounds IV was being rebuilt on the same location. I enjoyed the pictures that were in the book which included a couple views I hadn't seen before and also the history of the plaques in center field. I've often wondered what happened to the Eddie Grant memorial and I've found I'm not alone in this respect. Also of interest to me was the information provided on the Putnam Bridge near center field outside the park and the Macombs Dan Bridge that crosses the Harlem River. Of additional interest is the information provided on groundskeeper Matty Schwab and his family that lived in an apartment in the left field area and his son who had friends who would sleep over with him on the outfield grass. The area around Coogan's Bluff has history dating back to the days of George Washington and the Revolutionary War and two of baseball's most memorable moments in the 1950's took place there, Thompson's homer off Branca in '51 and Mays's catch off Wertz in '54. I remember writing to Tom Meany who worked for the New York Mets in the 1960's, asking him if he could provide me with a piece of concrete from the stadium when it was to be demolished. He sent back a picture with a note saying, "Sending you a piece of concrete would necessitate my using a chisel and I've never been a chiseler in all my life." The history of the Giants and Mets provided in this book can be found in any number of other baseball books, but some of the things I mentioned above I was not familiar with. Thanks, Stew Thornley, for an interesting book.



5. This is a concise but thorough story of one of baseball's most fabled stadiums. As many of the old classic ballparks go the way of the wrecking ball, such accounts become more and more necessary.

   The Polo Grounds met its demise as long ago as 1964, but it is likely to continue to have a hold on baseball fans long after some of the newer monstrosities which were built and/or abandoned afterwards (I.e., Riverfront Stadium, Houston Astrodome, Three Rivers Stadium) have been long forgotten.

   Many of those who pick up this book will already know that the New York National League baseball team (which was known as the "Mutuals" before it became the "Giants") actually played in four different ballparks known as the Polo Grounds and that polo was never played in any but the first one (the succeeding ones simply kept the name for familiarity's sake).

   But this book will add some breadth and scope to that knowledge. The author, Stew Thornley, has nothing new to add concerning the most famous events that took place there. At this late date, what more is there to be said about Merkle's Boner, Zimmerman's Boner, Snodgrass's Muff, Merkle's Second Boner, Hubbell's 1934 All Star Game performance, The Shot Heard Round the World, or Willie's Catch?

   On the other hand, would you believe that Willie Mays's first Polo Grounds home run took place before his 1951 rookie season with the Giants? How and when? I didn't know before reading this book.

   Thornley also seems to have swallowed the myth that a vengeful Brooklyn Dodgers team beat the Giants in 1934 to spoil their pennant chances and get even for the slight that Bill Terry inflicted when he asked, "Is Brooklyn still in the league?" The story is part of Giant-Dodger lore, and all of those events took place, except that it is likely that Terry's question was really an innocent response to a rumor circulating over that franchises's future.

   Thornley's principal contribution concerns the political and business history of the four ballparks, as well as their dimensions and how they affected baseball as it was played there. But while there are some wonderful photographs in the centerpieces of the book, Thornley fails to integrate them with his technical descriptions of the ballparks' dimensions. Some maps of old New York and some diagrams of the four ballparks facing the pages containing the descriptions would have been helpful.

   There were not only once baseball giants at Polo Grounds IV but football giants too. Boxing and other athletic events also took place, and, in a separate chapter, Thornley dutifully pays homage to the Grounds's non-baseball history.

   Regarding Polo Grounds I, where the Giants played from 1883 to 1888, it is described as a "difficult place to hit home runs". As Thornley states, "Total Baseball lists the home run factor for the east diamond as 71, with 100 being average; this means that home runs were reduced by nearly 30 percent...because of the characteristics of the ballpark itself."

   Thornley continues, "However, the Giants had a slugger capable of reaching not just the outfield fences but the property fences that provided the outside border to the stadium itself." The slugger was Hall of Famer Roger Connor, described by another historian as "the premier power hitter of the `Gaslight Era'", and Thornley recapitulates a contemporary description from 1886 of a Connor home run traveling majestically over the right field stands and into a field across 112th Street.

   A Giants baseball team playing its home games in a pitcher's ballpark, stingy with home runs, but having in its lineup the premier home run hitter of the era, a left-handed slugger and future Hall of Famer capable of overcoming the park's dimensions by muscling baseballs entirely out of it.

   Thornley deserves thanks for reminding his readers that after 116 years and a move to the West Coast, the more baseball changes, the more it remains the same.

5 comments about Pafko at the Wall: A Novella.

1. Well this has to be a classic, but describing it as a new 2001 novella by Delillo is a sure way to rile Delillo fans like me, who almost ordered it on reflex. It turns out to be the first part of Underworld. While Underworld is, in my view, one of the great books of this decade, the publisher should at least warn potential buyers that they may already own this book. On the other hand for those who find it hard to stick through an 800 page book, this sample delicacy might be a good introduction to the art of Delillo. As for me I prefer the original Underworld, or Body Artist, a completely mesmerizing novella about the same size as Pafko.



2. No, not really. Since this novella first appeared in Harper's some years back and then was the prologue in Underworld, this makes the third time it's appeared in print. And while it is brilliant, why buy this when you can buy Underworld for about the same price?



3. First things first - this is a brilliantly-evoked account of the Giants/Dodgers playoff game that ended with the "Shot Heard Round the World". It is also the opening section of DeLillo's novel Underworld. Like most of the other reviewers of this book, my main beef is "Why should one bother to buy this extract?" In context, this is only the beginning of a long exploration of American history in the 50 years that separate us from that game - particularly the Cold War, which could be said to begin on that day with news of the Soviet Union's atomic test reaching the US. The historic baseball goes weaving from hand to hand binding the stories together. If you're a DeLillo fan, then, don't buy it for yourself. If you want a taster of his work, perhaps buy it as an entry-level sample but be prepared to fork out for it all over again if you decide you need to read the full novel. Best of all, buy it as a gift for someone who's unlikely to be a DeLillo reader, now or in future, but is a fan of baseball and/of 50s Americana. It's great stuff, but its appeal in this format is just pretty limited.



4. And I really believe that. This is the opening section of *Underworld* (1997), and it originally appeared in Harpers--so, when I saw it in stores, I thought "why re-release this as a BOOK?"

   Then, I read it. It stands on its own as a novella--and it's not *just* about baseball, either, so don't let that mislead you or put you off. It's about *everything*. Maybe you don't wish to read the lengthy *Underworld* (though the themes and characters and plotlines here run through the entire novel)--but at LEAST read THIS.

   And while I own the novel, I'm pleased to own this, too--and if you like DeLillo and wish to turn others on to his work, this is what you give them. I've given copies to several people, and use this brilliant work in my "Writing a Novella" Creative Writing class. I don't test the students, or ask them to try to emulate the work--I just ask them to read it.

   Their jaws drop open every time, just as mine did--and does.




5. Who cares about Underworld? I didn't go near it. Separating this classic from that tome was the best marketing move anyone's ever done. This book should be in the public domain anyway. Imagine taking a baseball game, exploding it into one of the world's greatest historical events as seen from various characters' points of view, and at the same time encapsulating the dawning of a new moment in world history. Every sentence is sharp and detailed, anticipating the next. And then when Thomson hits the home run, Delillo freeze frames each second like you're in a car crash, making sure you're aware of everything that's going on. It's one of the best books ever written.

5 comments about Dandelion, The Extraordinary Life of a Misfit.

1. Dandelion is a book for all ages. I think this is a wonderful book for those that have children to encourage them to follow their own path in life. I highly recommend this easy and quick read for the kid in you, regardless of age.



2. Amazingly simple yet so deep, well written, fun yet moving story, with incredibly powerful, inspiring reminder of this truth so many of us had forgotten. Well worth the short time to read it! I have purchased 15 books to present to loved ones- the message is that profound, life changing, and yet simple once we begin to consciously think about it. Horse lovers will love the picture the story paints in their minds, yet non-animal people will still be able to identify to the characters and appreciate and comprehend the message just as much, too. Cannot say enough good about this book!!!!



3. Every child and every Adult should read this book. It is a beautiful story, wonderfully told of a little horse growing up. Just like little anyone growing up she is subjected to the pressures of life. Parental, peer, job/school pressure and it shows the reader beautifully how to cope with that pressure. Dandelion, goes from being a misfit. She starts of in the eyes of those around her, a weedy little Dandelion. But, along with her struggles she emerges as a wondrous flower in full bloom.
   Every age group will benefit from reading this book...those of us who have forgotten the wonders of childhood, those still in childhood or adolescence it's a must for those going through it and finding it tough. A wonderful gift for Grandparents to give to their Grandchild. A Real GIFT!



4. After years of reading "Notes from the Universe" and dozens of other spiritual philosophies, I found Dandelion to be a little oversimplified. It struck me as the perfect read for a pre-teen or teen who is struggling with life's meaning for the first time, or perhaps an adult who has never explored spirituality before. With the right audience, this book would be very enjoyable and insightful, but if you have strong experience in spirituality, buy it for a teen in your life instead.



5. This book is an excellent way to introduce the LOA to your kids. It's a sweet story for any age -young and old- and reinforces the idea that we do have the ability to change our circumstances at any given moment. I enjoyed the story so much and feel the message is so important that I have given the book to my daughter's teacher. I am hoping it will become a message that she agrees is vital to share with everyone.

1 comments about Profiles in Polo: The Players Who Changed the Game.

1. Horace Laffaye is to be commended for taking up Chris Ashton's suggestion to compile this book and for drawing together the energies of the leading polo writers from around the world who have contributed profiles to it.
   
   Historical entries on the six identified pioneers of the Game of Kings set the context of the book very effectively, with Roger Chatterton-Newman's contribution on Francis Herbert a delight of depth and detail.
   
   Chris Ashton's tribute to Hanut Singh reminds the reader that "India was the very cradle of the game" and presents an entertaining picture of "the tiger" who played until the age of 72.
   
   The two great Australian players, Bob Skene and Sinclair Hill, are given the prominence they richly deserve, as are the American, Tommy Hitchcock Jr, and Juan Carlos Harriott Jr from Argentina but it is a pity that another Aergentine player, Eduardo "Gordo" Moore, does not have an entry of his own.
   
   Most of the great players are here and so too are those who have ensured that the game continues to be played at the highest level today: Kerry Packer and Gonzalo Pieres, Marcos Uranga, John Oxley, Lord Cowdray, Michael Rattray and Claire Tomlinson, who could arguably be credited with the fact that many more women play polo today than ever before.
   
   As to its content, the book is excellent and should be in the library of every polo enthusiast. Its production, however, lets it down. It is not a cheap book but spelling mistakes (Bob Skene's name is printed as "Skeene" at the top of each page of his entry) and the poor quality of photographic reproduction (particularly the colour plates) diminish its overall quality.

1 comments about Water Polo.

1. I play water polo on the high school level and this book helped me to understand the game...Even if you don't play you can always check it out.

No comments about 101 Water Polo Defensive and Conditioning Drills.

2 comments about 101 Offensive Water Polo Drills.

1. I am a relatively new coach, and this book is making my job a lot easier. The drills are easy to understand and useful and the book is very well organized. I always consult it when planning practice. I'm ordering the defensive book right now.



2. Great book. It outlines excellent drills, and the reasons for doing them. I would recommend it for all coaches and/or players looking to improve their game.

2 comments about Fishing in Oregon: The Complete Oregon Fishing Guide.

1. Excellent and up to date info on fishing in Oregon! Everything you need to know!



2. I have bought every revision of this book since the seventh. Why? The updated information it provides can be priceless. This fishing bible is not limited simply to what fish are biting and where. You'll find this reference book filled with random tips on what species are most common in different areas of your destination, what to catch them with throughout different seasons, if payment is required to park at certain places, accessible roadside parking, new changes to laws in the areas, where private property may border waterways, the latest state records and individualized tips to help you venture forth and catch your next trophy or meal. The information is endless and the maps are very useful as they show docks, roads, trails, put-ins and take-outs. Coming from an Oregon native and avid fisherman, this book is well worth its weight in gold. One thing to keep in mind is the information in this book is not designed for fly anglers seeking information on hatches and casting techniques. It is a general resource to help you plan for your next trip sufficiently and what to expect when you get there.