Miscellaneous Books - Page 15

100 Things Red Sox Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die

Nick Cafardo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

100 Things Red Sox Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true fans of the Boston Red Sox. It takes 100-plus years of Red Sox history and distills it to the absolute best and most compelling--identifying in an informative, lively, and illuminating way the personalities, events, and facts every living Red Sox fan should know without hesitation. Read about hugely important Red Sox numbers, like 86, 3,419, and .406. Learn about the memorable moments involving stellar Red Sox players with nicknames like Smoky Joe, Oil Can, and the Splendid Splinter. Other memorable moments, singular achievements, and signature calls all highlight the list of 100.

Knowledge of the team and its history is the foundation of being a true Red Sox fan. But experience is not far behind. 100 Things Red Sox Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die also includes things Red Sox fans should actually see and do before they join Ted Williams and others at the pearly gates. From sitting atop the Green Monster to taking in a brew at the best Red Sox bar in town to visiting the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame, this book contains numerous suggestions for how to enjoy being a Red Sox fan on a different, more involved, level.

No fan should go to the grave without knowing what's really important about his or her team. No fan would want to. That's why 100 Things Red Sox Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is essential for all real Red Sox fans everywhere.

Then Levy Said to Kelly: The Best Buffalo Bills Stories Ever Told (Best Sports Stories Ever Told the Best Sports Stories Ever T) with CD

Jim Gehman, Forewords by Jack Kemp and Joe Ferguson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Buffalo Bills are a charter member of the American Football League. They have been playing professional football in New York for almost 50 years, a period filled with untold moments of happiness and heartache, humor and horror.

"Then Levy Said to Kelly..." collects many of the best stories and anecdotes in the history of the Buffalo Bills. From the earliest days of Elbert "Golden Wheels" Dubenion and Wray Carlton to the team's two AFC championship victories later in the 1960s to the four consecutive Super Bowl appearances (all losses) in the 1990s, this book unearths scores of stirring, hilarious, and poignant stories about the best and worst Buffalo Bills personalities and moments over the last half-century.

Go inside the huddle, inside the locker room, and inside the postgame celebrations and get the real history of this standout team! Read about O.J. Simpson's 2,003-yard season; about those Bills who were sidelined due to injury and illness; and about the real personalities of greats like Jack Kemp, Chuck Knox, Marv Levy, Don Beebe, Jim Kelly, and many others. Many of these stories have never been published before, and because they are culled from the author's first-person interviews, they are all presented here in an unvarnished, straight-from-the-horse's-mouth fashion that will appeal both to hardcore fans and new fans alike.

The Buffalo Bills are a relatively young team, but the franchise's history is as rich and storied as that of much older teams. "Then Levy Said to Kelly..." does a remarkable job of collecting the best stories that have emerged from this always fascinating franchise.

Pete Maravich: The Authorized Biography of Pistol Pete

Wayne Federman, Marshall Terrill

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

The Best Biography of Pistol Pete Maravich 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

OK, I read the hard-cover version of this book (Maravich) a couple years back and found it - far and away - the most comprehensive and informative book ever written on the Pistol (and I've read them all).

This is basically the paperback version of that book but with an added forward by James Dobson. Yes, THAT James Dobson. He was with Pete the day he died. (Focus on the Family published this version - which doesn't bother me but I won't be lending it to my sister.)

What sets Pete Maravich: The Authorized Biography of Pistol Pete apart is the astonishing detail of every aspect of Pete's life (Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, LSU, the NBA, Christianity, and his legacy). For example - there's an entire chapter on Pete's year at prep-school (Southwood College) and another on his failed attempt to make the 1968 Olympic basketball team.

It was written with the full co-operation of the Maravich family and it shows. The private letters from Pete to his wife and boys are beautiful and heart-breaking.

My only complaint is that Ronnie Maravich is referred to as Pete's "step" brother when, in fact, he was Pete's "half" brother.

This is the book (along with the CBS documentary) that future historians will resource when chronicling his life. ESPN called it "The definitive biography of Pistol Pete Maravich." The NY Times called it the "essential biography of Pete Maravich."

It's that and so much more.

Editorial Review:

The youngest person to be voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, "Pistol" Pete Maravich is recognized by the NBA as one of the all-time top 50 basketball players. More than 30 years after he left Louisiana State University, his NCAA scoring record still stands. He enjoyed fame, wealth, and short of winning an NBA championship, achieved every possible success. But there was a price. Pete brought a childlike exuberance to the court that often masked a tortured and confused adult. Things changed dramatically and permanently, however, when Pete found Christ. At last he experienced peace and a purpose that extended beyond the basketball court. He became an avid student of the Bible and a tireless evangelist. Tragically, at age 40, Pete Maravich died. This is the first authorized biography.

Tonka I'm A Great Big Monster Truck

Michael Anthony Steele

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Enjoyable 3 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book is very enjoyable with two to four year olds of our family;however, I was disappointed that Tonka was listed on every truck...and not real monster trucks that compete were highlighted....My fault I guess since I didn't realize it was a generic type book.

The two year old in our family really enjoyed it, but our young four year old who is reading some now was disappointed not to enjoy a story with real trucks like Gravedigger/Eradicator/etc.

I am searching now for a "real monster jam book" and I think he will enjoy it more.

I would buy the book again though with more emphasis on the younger child.

PERFECT! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

My 4-year-old son is hugely into Monster Trucks and Monster Jam, so this book is a great pleaser for him. This is the perfect book for young ones who love anything with wheels on it (especially when they're big wheels).

Editorial Review:

Monster trucks are awesome! There's a very good reason why kids love monster truck rallies in stadiums and on TV--the huge trucks rumble and loom, smash and flatten, and roar as they race! They're great. They're big. They're great big monster trucks!Kids will never forget this book's power, excitement, and realistic full-color illustrations!

Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour de France

Matt Rendell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A Pocket History of Cycling's Most Celebrated and Eccentric Race 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

"Hell, there are no rules here. We are trying to accomplish something."
Thomas Alva Edison

Leafing through the entertaining pages of "Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour de France" one is struck by the tone of the book, released just in time for this year's Tour. Instead of the usual paeans of praise to the great athletes of cycling history, author Matt Rendell has instead emphasized that the glorious Tour de France, one of the world's great sporting events, is "[a] fine spectacle of life-threatening exertion, bare-faced cheating, roadside sabotage, ludicrous clothing, extreme intimate discomfort and grown men at the absolute end of their tethers..."

At the pinnacle of the gang of eccentrics who populate this volume must stand the founder of the Tour, Henri Desgrange. Clearly a man who loved to give orders, M. Desgrange had a vision of the Tour as the ultimate test of strength and courage and dogged manliness. He once said that the ideal Tour winner would be the sole survivor. To realize this goal, the early Tours were insanely difficult. With staggering stage lengths over terrible roads and often started in the middle of the night, the Tour de France attracted some Very Tough Competitors, men not mollycoddled by technology. Desgrange objected to freewheels ("Are our races seriously threatened with decadence by the freewheel? Will the Tour de France be undermined by this infernal invention?") and although eventually relenting on that he did prevent racers from using variable gearing until 1937, some 15 years after cycletourists began happily shifting their way up the mountains to greet their heroes en route.

Desgrange, as the inventor of the first great national tour (and still the greatest) had to find his way as he went. The recent exclusion of Astana, seemingly based on a change-of-rules-on-the-fly, is in the great tradition of the Tour. Desgrange first prevented riders from working together, then he allowed it; he accepted trade teams and then banned them for national, or even regional ones; he used a time-elapsed system for determining the winner; then he had a points system so complex nobody knew where they stood until a day after the stage was over. He was angry the riders hadn't tried hard enough, so he instituted a Tour that was full of team time trials in 1927, a system that Australian Hubert Opperman called "a crime that should never have been perpetrated on the roads of France." Desgranges soon gave this idea up, but then reverted to only allowing solo riders rather than teams. For a short time. Then he changed the rules again. And again. But there was method in this madness as the popularity of the Tour went from strength to strength.

Of course, the response of the riders, who were, as noted, Very Tough Men, to all these rules was to cheat. As the author notes: "Frame builders, component manufacturers and the riders themselves have always dreamed of weightlessness, so it's hardly surprising some of the latter have tended to dispense with the excess baggage of a conscience." In 1904, there was widespread cheating, the mildest version of which was drafting (against the rules) and the most extreme was getting a lift in a car. Some riders had their supporters dump tacks in the road to slow their competitors. And occasionally it seemed that a bicycle race would break out in the middle of a fistfight between riders and "fans." Desgrange thought this would be the last Tour de France, but on it went. Later editions featured even better cheating: in 1906, two competitors hopped on a train. Starting in 1910 real mountains were added, although Desgrange's scouts were somewhat negligent about whether there were actual roads over the so-called passes or not.

The Tour was dominated by Belgians in its early years but there was wide range of colourful characters-Eugène Christophe being the first to wear the Yellow Jersey in 1919. He apparently complained about it as spectators laughed at him for looking like a canary. This is the same legendary Christophe who had to drag his bike off to a blacksmith's to weld up a new fork not once but twice. The third time he broke a fork, in 1922, he quit on the descent of the Galibier. Interestingly, he was deeply opposed to doping and decades later furiously reproached another old Tour rider who admitted to drinking some champagne before each stage as a cheat.

Other riders were equally as unlucky as Eugène Christophe, although Raymond Poulidor, who never got to wear the Yellow Jersey, must surely be in a class by himself. Reading the book's accounts of his various misfortunes, you simply have to laugh at time because it seems to so unbelievable. Other events, such as Tom Simpson's collapse on Mt. Ventoux, bring the dangers of doping front and centre, and Matt Rendell zeroes in on this element of the Tour into the modern era. How about the 1968 race, nicknamed by organizers as "the Tour of Good Health?" It sure didn't stop doping and Mr. Rendell gleefully catalogues all the chemical disasters. And for more fun, check out his Appendix on statistics, which shows that nobody seems to know the actual distance of each Tour.

The book generally covers two Tours briefly per chapter and is best taken in small doses, like a particularly ripe blue cheese. Much of the information contained in it can, in truth, be found in other histories of the Tour. What sets "Blazing Saddles" apart is its unwillingness to worship at the Tour de France altar and Matt Rendell's enthusiasm to hold up elements that are ridiculous, unsporting or even unsavoury to the light. As the 95th Tour de France is underway, read this book, enjoy its often hilarious photos (I loved René Pottier's "milkmaid cap") and ponder this rich event that mixes so much of the human condition, for better and for worse, into three immortal weeks.

Editorial Review:

In this fascinating book, award-winning sports writer Matt Rendell covers every corner of "La Grande Boucle," from the eccentric couture of the first Tour winner (white blazer, black trousers, wool socks) to the earliest method of cheating (riding the train). Blazing Saddles recounts the famous rivalries and riders that contested the Tour, setting the score straight with complete records of every podium finisher. Rendell's vivid storytelling is complemented with more than 100 classic black-and-white photographs, portraying cycling's heroes and martyrs from Jacques Anquetil to Lance Armstrong.

Beyond Basketball: Coach K's Keywords for Success

Mike Krzyzewski, Jamie K. Spatola

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Coach K's book in review 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Coach K is a great leader and coach, he thinks beyond the apparent and tries to reach to the need, which many leaders do not ever seek to see. His insight is valuable.

Editorial Review:

The Duke University men's basketball team has served as the gold standard in college athletics for well over two decades - and that's all because of the extraordinary impact of Mike Krzyzewski, the highly-respected coach of the Duke squad.

Coach K's reputation as a teacher of young men has transcended his extraordinary success as a coach. The Duke team is always ranked at the top of the college game, year in and year out, but what's truly remarkable about Coach K are his players and the legacy they leave behind: Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Elton Brand, Bobby Hurley, and on and on -- these are not just great basketball players, but individuals who have become true leaders in American society, all thanks in large part to Coach K's leadership.

So how does Coach K do it? In this new book, he reveals his tips, advice, and time-tested guidance on how he coaches and educates his players about life beyond the basketball court.

Life: America the Beautiful: A Photographic Journey, Coast to Coast-and Beyond (Life (Life Books))

Editors of Life Magazine

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL - AMEN 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book was purchased for a friend who is in the early to mid stages of Alzheimers. He and his wife sit and look at the pictures and remember when they say the places photographed. It is an exercise for his brain and a delight for her to be able to share it with him.

Editorial Review:

We are living in a land that is everywhere rich with beauty and wonders. LIFE is fortunate that these stunning settings have attracted many of the country's--indeed, the world's--most talented scenic photographers. From the awe-inspiring work of Ansel Adams to the jaw-dropping photography of Galen Rowell to the serene pastorals of Joel Meyerowitz and Michael Melford, this is art of a high order. And their subjects are incomparable: The Grand Canyon, Big Sur. Yosemite, Yellowstone, sublime Nantucket island, the San Francisco skyline, the Amish country of Pennsylvania and Ohio--100 beautiful sites in all. In words and pictures, LIFE takes you there.

As a special bonus, America the Beautiful includes a print of one of Ansel Adams' finest scenics, suitable for framing. This is a rich and beautiful book about a beautiful land. Our land. America.

1968; The Year that Saved Ohio State Football

David Hyde

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

1968 begins in the mens' room of an exclusive Columbus restaurant and ends two years later in The Rose Bowl, an unwitting but flawless metaphor for Ohio State University's rise to the pinnacle of college football. Between these two events occurs one of the great adventure stories in the history of the sport.

Against a backdrop of national turmoil and international crises, Coach Wayne Woodrow Hayes uncharacteristically brings into his lagging program new young coaches and an impressive bunch of extraordinary kids, including the first significant number of African-Americans.

There is an irreverent military school lineman who begins the school's lifting program by bringing his own weights, a Brooklyn fullback who can't believe Ohio's open spaces, a running back with New Jersey street-gang cred, and a homegrown quarterback with a bad back and an unassailable talent.

All of them labor under the shadow of Hayes, the promethean figure who would leave an indelible legacy as one of the century's great coaches- sly, mercurial, pugnacious, maddeningly contradictory, a larger-than-life figure who carries the football ambitions of an entire state on his beefy shoulders.

1968 is a rich tapestry of scenes and stories throughout an incandescent season, including some of the best football dialogue ever written. In scene after scene, the raw intensity of an unforgettable season pulls the reader along to its breathless climax in Pasadena when the Super Sophs take on one of college's greatest running backs.

It s a story that has everything- great drama, achievement, colorful characters, and the complex unfolding of Woody Hayes's multifaceted personality.

Near the end of a chaotic decade, the Buckeyes provide a badly needed feel-good lift to an entire state. And just as Woody predicted, they found themselves a large, inextricably bound family, tied forever by the commonalities of blood literally theirs sweat, tears, laughter, and, of course, their near-miraculous season.

NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training

National Academy of Sports Medicine

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Simply the Best 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Although I miss the seven phase OPT model of old, the new paradigm has streamlined the structure to progress athletes through the process more efficiently. The illustrations are an upgrade, however there are fewer sample exercises to use. I recommend the NASM program to any serious trainer. This isn't "gym science"; everything in this book is based on years of research in human biomechanics, physiology, and kinesiology. The information you absorb from these pages will make you question why you ever relied on news stand fitness magazines for your workouts. NASM OPT training isn't a fad, a quick-fix, or a unrealistic promise. It is hard work and discipline that is highly effective for those that commit.

In addition to the text and CPT certification, continuing education courses and workshops will help you to truly understand the material with hands on demonstrations and professional instructors to answer your questions. Trainers get certified...real trainers get NASM certified.

Editorial Review:

Developed by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), this book is designed to help people prepare for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Certification exam or learn the basic principles of personal training using NASM's Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model. The OPT model presents NASM's protocols for building stabilization, strength, and power. More than 600 full-color illustrations and photographs demonstrate concepts and techniques. Exercise color coding maps each exercise movement to a specific phase on the OPT model. Exercise boxes demonstrate core exercises and detail the necessary preparation and movement. Other features include research notes, memory joggers, safety tips, and review questions.

Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape, Tenth-Anniversary Edition

Galen A. Rowell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Reissued in celebration of the tenth anniversary of its original publication, featuring a new preface, Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape is the best-selling classic that captures the unique artistic vision of Galen Rowell, one of the world's foremost outdoor photographers.

Galen Rowell has devoted his life to photography, mountaineering, writing, and adventure. A frequent contributor to Life, National Geographic, Outside, Sports Illustrated, and many other publications both here and abroad, his award-winning work has been widely exhibited and praised. Among his many honors is the Ansel Adams Award for his outstanding contribution to outdoor photography. A recent recipient of a National Science Foundation grant to document the Antarctic, he is the author of many celebrated works including: The Yosemite, Mountains of the Middle Kingdom, In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods, My Tibet, and most recently, Galen Rowell's Vision: The Art of Adventure Photography. He lives with his wife, Barbara, in Northern California.

"One could call Mountain Light the classiest 'how-to' text on landscape color photography ever published. [It] will leave you delighted." The New York Times

"Part personal and artistic biography, part adventure story, part outdoor photography manual, [Mountain Light] is a tour de force. The images are charmed, compelling, imbued with a love of the high and wild."

San Francisco Chronicle

"Galen Rowell has a wonderful combination of qualities -- eye, energy, intelligence, sensitivity, courage both physical and moral, and above all, heart. Very seldom have I experienced so clearly defined the connection between the artist and what he sees, feels, and does with the work itself." Robert Redford

"Combine a devotion to mountains and wilderness, a sensitivity to the special quality of its pristine light, and a desire to communicate the beauty of the natural world, and you'll begin to understand what motivates photographer Galen Rowell .... In [Mountain Light], vision and technique are combined in one long paean to the marvel of the earth's wild places."

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