Book Description
With his breathtaking victory in the 2006 Kentucky Derby, Barbaro immediately captured racing fans' hearts and excited hopes of finally seeing a Triple Crown winner. His story was that much more captivating for the real-life heroics of his trainer, former
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-07-18
Sean Clancy did a marvelous job with this book. I laughed, I cried (a lot). If anyone followed what happened to Barbaro this book is a must. Thank you Mr. Clancy for writing such a glowing story about this beautiful animal.
A truly wonderful, must-read story.......2007-06-08
This book was beautifully written and I enjoyed every page. Barbaro touched the lives of so many of us and I still feel the sorrow of his tragic injury and ultimate death. What a courageous animal! I also want to give praise to Edgar Prado who wept for Barbaro and probably still does.
This strong, tough as nails jockey has a heart and lots of soul and I admire him tremendously. Barbaro meant much more than a paycheck to Mr. Prado. I am a fan and admirer of this man who felt so much for Barbaro mand who grieved with the rest of the world at his loss.
No praise and no words could pay proper tribute to Dr. Dean Richardson and all the staff who fought so hard to keep Barbaro alive and whose main objective was that he live a life free from pain. What a valient struggle!
It's wonderful knowing there are still professionals who truly care, and human beings who aren't afraid of having a heart and aren't afraid of allowing the world to see it.
Read it Without Crying..........2007-05-13
This is a very well written book of the Barbaro story told with insight and compassion, without being maudlin. Of course when he wrote the book he thought Barbaro would live, as most of us who were rooting for him, did. So the tone is positive and the pictures are worth the price of the book. A great horse and a great story - worth every penny!
Barbaro: A Nation's Love Story.......2007-05-12
What a gift this is. Wonderful pictures and step by step story of this incredible horse. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
A compelling read and especially recommended to horse racing enthusiasts in general.......2007-05-08
Not since the legendary Secretariat has any thoroughbred race horse captured the imagination of the public so swiftly and enthusiastically as Barbaro. His was a story of high achievement over great odds and the promise of a Triple Crown winner - only to suffer a catastrophic racing injury that resulted in the shattering of his right hind leg. "Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America's Heart" is also the story of a dedicated trainer, Michael Matz, and a veterinary science that brought the cutting edge of medical technology to the service of a badly injured and beloved animal. Profusely illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Barbaro" is a compelling read and especially recommended to horse racing enthusiasts in general, and Barbaro fans in particular.
Book Description
The definitive and rollicking story of one of the best, and one of the wackiest, teams of all time, during one of the most vital eras in baseball.
With The Gashouse Gang, John Heidenry delivers the definitive account of one the greatest and most colorful baseball teams of all times, the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, filled with larger-than-life baseball personalities like Branch Rickey, Leo Durocher, Pepper Martin, Casey Stengel, Satchel Paige, Frankie Frisch, and--especially--the eccentric good ol' boy and great pitcher Dizzy Dean and his brother Paul.
The year 1934 marked the lowest point of the Great Depression, when the U.S. went off the gold standard, banks collapsed by the score, and millions of Americans were out of work. Epic baseball feats offered welcome relief from the hardships of daily life. The Gashouse Gang, the brilliant culmination of a dream by its general manager, Branch Rickey, the first to envision a farm system that would acquire and "educate" young players in the art of baseball, was adored by the nation, who saw itself--scruffy, proud, and unbeatable--in the Gang.
Based on original research and told in entertaining narrative style, The Gashouse Gang brings a bygone era and a cast full of vivid personalities to life and unearths a treasure trove of baseball lore that will delight any fan of the great American pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Baseball lover's only!.......2007-09-23
Baseball in times long passed was a very different game, but like today there were some really wild characters to mke the game all the more interesting. The 1934 Cardinals, "The Gashouse Gang" were an exciting, odd collection of great ball payers who played for the love of the game in a way we wish today's players did.
If you love baseball you won't be able to put this down, and even if you don't it will be too intriquing to stop reading once you start. Well written, well researched and as entertaining as anything I've read this season. Highly reccommended!
The Gashouse Gang Personalities.......2007-09-15
This book climbs to the top wrung of my baseball ladder. Rather than a statistical or play-by-play book so common in baseball pages, this features personality development of some of the wackiest players of all time. Learn that Ducky Joe should have been Mean Joe, that Leo the Lip couldn't handle relationships, or that Dizzy Dean was really Jerome or Jay or Hanna or Herman, maybe that he was from Arkansas or Oklahoma or Texas -- well, you get it.
This book captures the thrill of a season and the joy of a team effort. It really makes you think of the Oakland Athletics of the Catfish days.
Just one observation: John Heidenry missed the point of the moniker, "Gashouse Gang." He can't figure out where it came from. He even ponders how "Gas Tank" became "Gashouse." During that day, electricity was provided by manufactured gas plants, sometimes called "witch's brew." The main structure was known as the "gashouse." The working class fellows who toiled away in those dirty gashouses were known as "the gashouse gangs." They cursed, they played dirty and hilarious tricks on each other, they had great and sour dispositions -- necessary to get through the tough days, and yes, their clothes were always filthy. Sound like the beloved Gashouse Gang?
Snag this book, and you will enjoy several hours of quiet time, if you can block out your own laughter.
Me 'n' Paul.......2007-09-02
In baseball, 1934 was a year to remember, a year in which the Saint Louis Cardinals, a scruffy team of misfits and malcontents, came from almost the graveyard to win the National League pennant, and then the World Series. While we learn a tremendous amount about the Cardinals, and especially the Dean brothers, Dizzy and Paul, there are others about whom we receive thumbnail biographies. Most importantly, Branch Rickey is focused upon for much of the early part of the book, and just reading about this remarkable man is sufficient reason to study this book. Other famous players make cameo appearances: Babe Ruth, Mel Otto, Mickey Cochrane, Leo Durocher, and Pie Traynor, with whom I was once priviledged to have an extensive conversation about baseball when I was in college. I also remember listening to Dizzy on the television announcing(?) games and talking about all kinds of extraneous subjects other than the game he was supposed to be calling. Of course, Dizzy is the centerpiece of this book, and he strides through it like a colossus. He did things then that would not be tolerated by a basseball organization today, and perhaps we are the pooorer for not having men such as him (and Curt Flood)to challenge what is considered the "right" way to act as a porfessional ball player. He's gone, and so are all of those famous old-timers, and the world misses them!
Great Father's Day gift.......2007-07-12
I gave this book to my 60 year old father for Father's Day. He hasn't read a book in years but is a huge baseball fan. He loved the book and stayed up late into the night reading it. Great for a Cardinals or baseball fan!
RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "73 YEARS AFTER WINNING THE WORLD SERIES "THE GASHOUSE GANG" ST LOUIS CARDINALS HAVE A BOOK!".......2007-06-13
Before I give you the details of this book, let me save some people their valuable time, by telling you who this book would appeal to! Old School Baseball fanatics, "Baseball Historians", Saint Louis Cardinal fans. If you think the designated hitter rule is good for baseball this book isn't for you.
73 years after the famous (To the above listed people.) Saint Louis Cardinals, hereafter known as "The Gashouse Gang", won the World Series, they have had an excellent book released on their exploits and accomplishments. As a self-acclaimed baseball fanatic, some of the statistics, and idiosyncrasies, I discovered in this book about famous old time players that I already knew about, were both interesting and amusing. The author's writing style is not anything you'll remember as out of the ordinary, since so much of the meat of the book, you can tell is repeated from old newspaper articles. But the detailed, meticulous, research should be applauded. As I've mentioned in my earlier reviews, I've read literally hundreds of baseball books, and memorized half the "Encyclopedia Of Baseball" when I was 10 years old, yet I learned even more details and amusing personality "quirks" of some of the old-time stars. I of course already knew that Dizzy Dean was a great pitcher, in the Hall Of Fame, and the last National League pitcher to win 30 games. What I didn't know, but learned here, was the absolute bottom of the barrel poverty he came from in the historically famous "dust bowl"! I knew he was a "wacky" character, but I didn't know, it went to the extent of him literally being the Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, of the baseball world in the 1930's, before there was an Ali. I didn't know that Dizzy held out and boycotted games, in a demand for an increased contract, in the middle of the season. I also got to learn much more about the great Ducky Medwick, (The last National League Player to win the Triple Crown 70 years ago.) who was one of my dear departed Mother's favorite players, when he later played on the Brooklyn Dodgers. I never knew he was such a New Jersey, street fighting, chip on the shoulder, ready to fight anyone, including his own teammates, type of guy! I learned more than I ever had known about what led up to one of the biggest name trades in baseball history, Rogers Hornsby for Frankie Frisch. The detailed background on Branch Rickey, before his famous relationship with Jackie Robinson, was also expertly detailed. The almost blow by blow reporting on the 1934 World Series between the Gashouse Gang and the star studded Detroit Tigers makes you feel like you were there. I could go on and on, but like I said in my opening sentences, these facts, that are exciting and educational to me, would only be exciting to the type of people I described in my opening.
Book Description
When Legendary Negro League player Buck O'Neil asked sports columnist Joe Posnanski how he fell in love with baseball, Posnanski had to think about it. From that question was born the idea behind BASEBALL AND JAZZ. Posnanski and the 94 year old O'Neil decided to spend the 2005 baseball season touring the country in hopes of stirring up the love that first drew them to the game. This book is just as much the story of Buck O'Neil as it is the story of baseball. In a time when disillusioned, steroid–shooting, money hungry athletes define the sport, Buck O'Neil stands out as a man that truly played for the love of the game. Posnanski writes about that love and the one thing that O'Neil loved almost as much as baseball: jazz. BASEBALL AND JAZZ is an endearing step back in time to the days when the crack of a bat and the smoky notes of a midnight jam session were the sounds that brought the most joy to a man's heart.
Customer Reviews:
Buck: Almost too good to be true.......2007-09-23
Like many baseball followers, my admiration for Buck O'Neil can be traced to Ken Burns' documentary on baseball. How a black man could live through the era in which Buck lived with the attitudes he has is beyond me. (I am white, not American but lived in the US in the 60s and 70s.) Mr Posnanski's book is is a little too sugary, uncritical and unprobing for my liking. I cannot but help to think that with a little probing there is probably bit more to Buck's attitudes than is presented. However, if you want a feel-good book about this topic, this is the dream book.
On the road with Buck.......2007-09-10
A splendid collection of stories, told by one of our most valuable citizens, and conveyed by a very talented listener and writer.
I Knew Buck O'Neil.......2007-08-24
A great read of a great human being, and baseball man. I would see Buck several times a year in the '80s at the Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, when he was a scout with the Kansas City Royals. He was a pleasant a man you could ever meet. I am pleased to have known the man, even if only those brief moments I was able see and to talk to him.
Buy this book, and read a great tribute of this man and to the Negro Leagues of the past.
A year in the life of Buck O'Neil.......2007-08-23
I found the book very readable and never really got bored with it. I would have liked more in depth stories from when Buck played and managed. Most of the reminisces were short and sweet versions. All and all, I did enjoy the book and consider it a good book, not a great book.
Hmmm..........2007-08-08
I can't help but wonder if the 22 reviews -- all giving this book 5 stars -- are some of the author's closest friends. I am not saying I didn't like the book, but the writing was drab. Through the first few chapters, I got it, Buck O'neal was a good man. So, I'm just saying that the stories were not told in a way that made me connect with Mr. O'Neal --he was just a nice guy and then he died. There are a few editing errors as well, which made it confusing. I am by no means a critic of writing, but I just don't see the amazing book everyone else here did -- anyone agree with me?
Book Description
The story fo the evolution of the gambling racket from mobbed-up vice to corporate success story as told through the biographies of the men who made it happen.
Customer Reviews:
Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused.......2007-03-22
This is a book that appeals to no one. If you're not already familiar with Vegas history, it is not a good place to start. And if you already know something about Vegas, it will not teach you anything new.
In theory, the structure of this book seems like a good idea -- devote a chapter each on the movers and shakers who built Las Vegas. The problem is that they all influenced each other, so separating them results in an arbitrary, fragmented, sometimes difficult-to-follow, narrative. Even the chapters themselves tend to jump back and forth in time and place. Structurally, the book just doesn't work.
Then there's the problem of sketchy information. Smith doesn't go into great detail explaining the why's and how's of events, leaving the reader with a great longing to know more about the individual characters of these men and what makes them tick. If you're looking for some good dish on Vegas -- which is what the snappy title promises -- there are better choices.
Compounding the reader's frustration are the numerous typos, spelling, and grammatical errors. Smith either had no editor or edited this himself. It feels like a first draft in serious need of a major rewrite and fact checking. It's difficult to believe Smith makes a living as a journalist. He must have a good editor at the Review/Journal.
The Real McCoy........2007-03-05
This book gives you the real story behind the Vegas gaming legends. Nobody does justice to this topic like John L. Smith. His research is impeccable.
It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way.......2006-10-31
This book is a fun read if you are someone who is familiar with Las Vegas. The book indeed delivers on what the subtitle, "..The Founding Fathers and Current Kings of Las Vegas" states. Each chapter is more or less devoted to discussing a specific person and the impact they had on setting the stage for the evolution of Las Vegas. I imagine those of you who have never been infatuated with Las Vegas will want to pass on this one.
Based on some of the anecdotes, it seems amazing that some of the Vegas hotels are still open today. The mobsters and the so called "straight laced" owners who ran (or still run) the hotels come off as either extremely brilliant or totally incompetent. It is no wonder that most of the Strip hotels have all been swallowed up by one or two companies. The author also seems to question if some hotels are completely honest when it comes to gaming.
The problem I had with the book was perhaps I was expecting something more chronological and dramatic. Instead, the book is like a compilation of old newpaper columns that are all put together in one place(of course, maybe that is not a surprise since the author is a newspaper reporter). Much like other books of that nature, the reading becomes almost repetitive and seems easier to take over a long haul rather than a week or two of reading cover to cover. Also note that there are a few typos and errors that make it seem like someone did a spellcheck with a computer rather than really proofreading it.
If you can stick with this type of book, you will probably enjoy it. Now this is the first book about Las Vegas I have read so I can not compare it to anything but I've got to believe there is probably something a bit more compelling.
Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate.......2006-03-16
The complete saga of Las Vegas from its early roots with the mob to modern corporate times is presented in a lively history of the city's real rulers in SHARKS IN THE DESERT: THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND CURRENT KINGS OF LAS VEGAS. Many made their fortunes developing the casino business the city is most famous for today - but many myths have surrounded their activities - myths which columnist Smith dispels in an investigative history which tracked mobsters and their connections to the city's rich and monied.
Great book and great shipping time.......2006-02-17
I received this book almost right away. It's a very good summary of the people of Las Vegas written by someone who knows, John Smith.
Average customer rating:
- Hold-your-breath reading
- You feel like you were there
- A must for anyone who plans to win anything
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Born to Win: A Lifelong Struggle to Capture the America's Cup
John Bertrand , and
Patrick Robinson
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
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ASIN: 0688043496 |
Customer Reviews:
Hold-your-breath reading.......2006-09-17
There's a saying in sailboat racing: nothing makes you look smarter than a fast boat. Yet John Bertrand and the crew of Australia II, despite having the demonstrably superior yacht, nearly failed to win the 1983 regatta that ended the longest winning streak in the history of sport.
Bertrand begins at the low point. Down three races to one in the best of seven series, Australia II is on her way out for the fifth race. One more loss and it's over.
What follows makes blow by blow, hold-your-breath reading. Bertrand opens with a major blunder. Australia II is over early - on the course before the starting signal - and has to go back and start correctly, thus handing the Americans and Dennis Conner a one minute advantage.
In match racing, such an error is almost always fatal. Once again, however, when you have the fast boat, mistakes tend not to be as costly. Eventually, Australia II makes up the lost time and sails to a wide margin of victory to remain alive in the series.
So, if they had the faster boat, how did Bertrand and crew manage to lose those three races? From the reading, I see two answers; in the "slow" boat, the American team sailed a series of unsurpassed magnificence, and the Australian team committed mistake after mistake. Race one - steering failure; race two - mainsail headboard broke; race five the major blunder described above. Fact is, from Bertrand's telling the charismatic Aussies were poorly organized in general. To complicate matters, syndicate owner Alan Bond's hatchet man Warren Jones seemed to enjoy putting the screws to Bertrand at every opportunity. Given these pressures, it's a miracle Bertrand could function on the water at all.
Born to Win stands out for its wonderful race descriptions and inside knowledge but sags when the author delves into the underlying personal issues - where maybe he sounds a little too self-serving. But what would you expect, it is his side of things he's telling.
Art Tirrell - author of The Secret Ever Keeps, Spring 2007 ISBN 978-1-60164-004-8.
You feel like you were there.......1999-12-03
This book is fabulous! For sailors, the story alone is worth the read, but it is much more than just a story about sailing. Bertrand's description of the final race against "the red boat" (Dennis Connor) is so powerful that I felt what he and his crew felt, even before I had read what they felt! Any reader interested in the nature of sport and competition will find this book valuable.
A must for anyone who plans to win anything.......1999-06-08
Fantastic book. It is an instructive lesson in how to prepare for what you overwhelmingly want to achieve. Being set in the context of one of the most famous sporting events in history, the attempt to wrest the America's Cup from the US after 132 years, makes it that much more exciting. Sailors will love it, but anyone interested in the psychology of winning will gain from this book.
Book Description
The Baseball America 2007 Prospect Handbook is the leading annual reference guide to the next generation of rising stars. The Prospect Handbook profiles in-depth analysis and statistics of 900 players, provides a detailed amateur draft report card, a list of the top one hundred prospects, and a ranking of the Major League Baseball player development programs. The Prospect Handbook is the resource for information regarding the leading minor leaguers throughout baseball and is a valuable tool for fans, fantasy leaguers, and anyone who wants to know more about the player development process.
Customer Reviews:
Great for fantasy leagues and watching Minor League Baseball.......2007-05-24
I don't know that anyone can do this type of thing better short of dedicating 5-6 pages per prospect. The profiles are concise but detailed and full of easily understood stats and reports. One of the most interesting things about this book is if you have the one from the year before, you can track how far a particular prospect has risen or fallen based on his performance over the last year.
Since I live in Hawaii, I also take this book to the Hawaii Winter League Games to I can get an idea of who I am watching (makes the whole experience 75 times more enjoyable). I feel it also helps with my fantasy baseball team, though if you took a look at my rankings, you wouldn't even notice it. But I was on to Hunter Pence before everyone else because of this book.
Mets in 2007!
Looking for Minor Leaguers ?.......2007-05-13
The most in-depth Minor League baseball publication out there. A must have for people trying to build Fantasy Baseball dynasties.
Excellent Information -- Poor Quality.......2007-05-01
This book brings a ton of excellent information to the reader about the minor league talent within each organization. With fantastic analysis of players' weaknesses and strengths, the information puts scouting quality information into the hands of the average fan.
My biggest beef is that the book seems to have been rushed through the editing process. While the information is definitely top quality, the writing that presents the information certainly is not. The grammar utilized throughout the book is spotty in numerous places and can somewhat detract from the information presented. My recommendation to Baseball America would be to obtain a higher quality editing process for the 2008 edition of this wonderful tome of information.
Always Good.......2007-04-12
This is the seventh year I have bought this item from Baseball America. The quality of their evaluations is always refreshing. It was nice that I was able not pay full retail by using Amazon and plan to use it in the future.
Prospects Handbook hands over the scoop.......2007-04-01
If you like to follow minor league baseball, this book is a must. Where the players came from, & where you can expect to find them playing in '07, is only a small part of all the info on over 900 major league hopefuls. Have fun reading about & if you have the time, going to see some of them in person.
Book Description
A private war is being waged on city playgrounds and in high school gyms in the never-ending search for the next big player, and the potential millions in sales that player could bring to the major athletic shoe companies by endorsing their products. For every legitimate spokesman like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant (the respective endorsers for Nike and Adidas) there are dozens of teenage kids all over North America who are lavished with brand new sneakers, expensive clothes, new athletic gear, or free trips in an attempt to gain their athletic shoe brand loyalty. And that's just where this sordid story begins.
Download Description
A private war is being waged on city playgrounds and in high school gyms in the never-ending search for the next big player--and the potential millions in sales that player could bring to the major athletic shoe companies by endorsing their products. Far from the glamour of the NBA or the NCAA Final Four, the sport has changed into a high-stakes war of greed and includes such tactics as expensive gifts, pampered perks, grade fixing, standardized-test fraud, and kickback recruitments. For every legitimate spokesman like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant (the respective endorsers for Nike and adidas) there are dozens of teenage kids all over America who are lavished with brand new sneakers, expensive clothes, new athletic gear, or free trips (parents included) in an attempt to gain their athletic shoe brand loyalty. And that's just where this sordid story begins.
Customer Reviews:
i dont like what they say about my friend myron piggie.......2003-11-13
Hi my name is quin and I live in Missouri. I dont like what they say about myron piggie. he is a good man. otherwise the book was pretty good. i recommend it for college basketball fans.
Interesting delve into amateur athletics ..........2003-04-27
However not always balanced, SOLE is a page turner for sports fans that enjoy the stories off the playing arena.
Wetzel and Yaeger provide interesting cases and a great work of journalism, however the line between reporting and storytelling is often blurred.
The best way to enjoy this book is to come away entertained, informed, but not disillusioned.
A Classic Hoops Book!!!.......2001-06-02
Buy this book. Love it.
A great look at how the big corporate money of the shoe industry has tainted high school level and college basketball, not to mention all of those who are involved in it.
A surprising aspect of the book is the names of villians who you would not believe; Billy Packer, Dickie V, George Raveling, and Roy Williams are a few who are found "guilty" of killing the game that I love.
This book will expose you to the negative underworkings of the great game of college basketball.
It explores the seamier side of sports........2001-02-24
I knew that high school and in some cases elementary school athletes in sports like basketball and football that are extremely gifted can get free perks, but I didn't think it would go as far as it did. The fact is there is a lot of fingerpointing at the athletes, but very little at the others involved in the game. Let's face it, no one would care about these sports if there wasn't a relatively high standard of quality players available. Everyone involved in the game makes money off the players, from the coaches,universities,athletic apparel companies,broadcasters, etcetera, you name it. It's about time that college athletes and high school athletes receive fair market value for the money they generate. The point is many schools would be probably be in a lot worse financial shape if it weren't for basketball and football. Yes, it exposes the greed behind the players, but it's human nature at work. I don't agree with the tactics employed by the agents and companies involved to get players, but I do understand the motivation for doing so. If they don't get these players, some other competing agent or company likely will get their services. It's no different than when univerisities engage in recruiting practices, and some of these universities can get put on probation for recruiting violations. All in all, this was a realistic look at what goes on in youth basketball. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the dark side of amateur basketball. An excellent companion book to this would be the book Money Players, which looks at things from the NBA perspective.
Outrage, a complete lack of ethics..........2000-06-19
I've suspected for decades that the college recruiting process was (is), to a certain extent, corrupt.
To even the casual observer of college basketball, at the upper echelon of Division I, there is (has been) an uneven playing field. It's as if some colleges have had the top five picks in the annual draft for several years in a row.
On the surface the uneven playing field seems impossible to explain, but books like "Sole Influence" begin to shed light of the corruption that mars college basketball -- the search for the next Michael Jordan.
In a series of anecdotes, the authors provide case studies of how, especially, Nike and Addidas have made a mess of AAU basketball, especially in large urban centers.
It's difficult, almost impossible, to get first hand information, especially from big-name college coaches -- few go on the record. What "Sole Influence" reveals, seems to me, is the tip of the iceberg.
The most shocking revelations surround the role played by George Raveling, the former head coach at Washington State, Iowa and USC. Thankfully, Raveling made himself available to the authors and provides candid comments which, while attempting to rationalize his role in this sorry mess, tend to indict him as one of the prime offenders.
The book, although poorly edited, contains much food for thought and is worthy of reading and reflection by serious college basketball fans.
The authors include a good index, but omit footnotes and a bibliography of sources. Also, a complete list of names of persons interviewed for the book would have been appreciated. To the layman, many of these "characters" are complete strangers.
The authors have included capsule introductions to the book's key "characters," which are especially helpful for those of us unfamiliar with the shoe company corruption of AAU basketball.
I agree with those who've commented about the book's excessive repetition, as the authors do a thorough job of indicting the shoe companies.
The authors do provide some implied remedies for the problems they've documented. Whether these recommendations are feasible, given the hunger for dollars, is questionable and discouraging.
Again, this title is recommended for college basketball fans who care about the integrity of the game. The book makes me wonder to what extent college basketball has integrity.
Book Description
From the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed The Greatest Game Ever Played comes The Grand Slam, a riveting, in-depth look at the life and times of golf icon Bobby Jones.
In the wake of the stock market crash and the dawn of the Great Depression, a ray of light emerged from the world of sports in the summer of 1930. Bobby Jones, an amateur golfer who had already won nine of the seventeen major championships he'd entered during the last seven years, mounted his final campaign against the record books. In four months, he conquered the British Amateur Championship, the British Open, the United States Open, and finally the United States Amateur Championship, an achievement so extraordinary that writers dubbed it the Grand Slam.
A natural, self-taught player, Jones made his debut at the U.S. Amateur Championship at the age of 14. But for the next seven years, Jones struggled in major championships, and not until he turned 21 in 1923 would he harness his immense talent.
What the world didn't know was that throughout his playing career the intensely private Jones had longed to retreat from fame's glaring spotlight. While the press referred to him as "a golfing machine," the strain of competition exacted a ferocious toll on his physical and emotional well-being. During the season of the Slam he constantly battled exhaustion, nearly lost his life twice, and came perilously close to a total collapse. By the time he completed his unprecedented feat, Bobby Jones was the most famous man not only in golf, but in the history of American sports. Jones followed his crowning achievement with a shocking announcement: his retirement from the game at the age of 28. His abrupt disappearance from the public eye into a closely guarded private life helped create a mythological image of this hero from the Golden Age of sports that endures to this day.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as "Greatest Game," but still a worthwhile read.......2007-07-22
Frost's follow-up effort to the outstanding "The Greatest Game Ever Played" - the movie adaptation of which will be released by Disney this fall - this meandering tale tracks the career of Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, climaxing with his assault on the Grand Slam (back then, it was the US and British Open and Amateur titles) in 1930. After winning the Slam, Jones retired from tournament competition, at the age of 29. After reading Frost's harrowing account of his physical and mental anguish during the ordeal, you'll certain understand why.
Aesthetically, this book doesn't hold together nearly as well as "Greatest Game". Frost includes far too much "background" information (most of which is, quite honestly, common knowledge) about everything from the origins of World War I to the Scopes "Monkey Trial". The bits of early 20th-century lore than festooned the pages of "Greatest Game" were a welcome addition to the storyline, helping us to understand the time and place. Here, they are an annoying intrusion. Despite this unfortunate slip, Frost's prose is still enjoyable to read, and the story will be of interest to anyone who has an interest in the history of golf.
A good story of the life of Bobby Jones.......2007-05-14
Any golfer has heard about Bobby Jones, this book brings his life into focus for all of us. Bobby Jones played this game as an amateur and never was a professional golfer. He won many tournaments both here and in England as was able to afford this by the help of his father.
He was married and they lived with his parents as the many travels Bobby had to make playing golf, it made it handy for his family to be cared for. I was surprised that Bobby Jones had quite a temper and his language was not the best either. He tried to control this but he was such a prefectionist that whenever he made an error he let out his frustration this way.
This book covers all his winnings from a very young age until he won the Grand Slam with were all the big tournament in one year. A terrific feat that has not been done to this day. Until Tiger Woods did it but his was done covering from one year to the next.
If you love history and love golf, this book is worth the read.
Letta Meinen
A cherished read.......2006-09-10
By reading this book I began to admire Bobby Jones, not so much for his golf but for his character and his strength in making it to the end. It would have been a lot easier for him in a folklore sense if he had died young instead of being tortured with a crippling, painful disease that challenged him physically and was a test to him mentally and emotionally. I admire that he never hid himself away like so many famous people do that want to be remembered as they "were". I believe that this is the most admirable thing about him. That and his willingness to serve in WWII, landing on the same beach the day after D-Day. Not just a "for show" tour of duty. His devotion to his family, his country and his friends and his hometown are quite amazing. He is a role model in many ways that I don't even think of golf as one of them but for his tenaciousness, his intellect, his well roundedness and his extreme graciousness. He could have derailed many times but he never did in life. It's a loss that there isn't more to read about his life to know how he managed to adjust to everyday life and his illness, how he kept putting one foot in front of the other. The criticism seems unjust re: Chick Evans, Jones was very kind in all his correspondence to him which I have read in other books. Also, so much is made of his temper which he defends and explains in "Down the Fairway" by Jones, as not worse than any other player of the time and shortlived as a childish display that was never witnessed again at least publically for the rest of his life. Bobby Jones accomplished an amazing number of feats that most of us would feel proud to do even one of such as the many languages he spoke, the degrees, his many intellectual skills, a good family man and most of all his grace in a life.
Interesting insights on Jones.......2006-08-26
Most sports fans have heard that Jones won the Grand Slam, but few (including myself) realize the temper that Jones had or how the quest to win ate him up. Also the story of his later life was unknown to me as well.
Not just a golf story an excellent Historical Narrative .......2006-08-22
Historical Narrative in the spirit of Seabiscuit or Jeff or Michael Shaara's works. Excellent story interwoven with the characters, times, and actions that surrounded Bobby Jones.
Customer Reviews:
Your kidding right?.......2006-10-22
Is it possible to rate this rag as less then 1 star??
I love this statement from the book: "I did not win the America's cup. The entire team did". Bill Koch
Not for ONE MINUTE did ANYONE think that you, Bill, had "personally" won anything! You simply paid the bills so Buddy Melges and Dave Dellenbaugh could!
This book discribes Bill Koch as the "skipper" of America3. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!
An excellent primer for success in any field........1998-07-04
Mr. Larsen carefully details Bill Koch's diligently applied Total Quality Management philosophy, which always places attitude and teamwork first; it's an expert treatise on personnel management. Koch's no-nonsense approach to the pursuit of excellence in scientific research (boat design and building) is also very illuminating. Koch won the America's Cup because he earned it; money alone cannot buy victory in such a contest. A great book.
A superb account of victory against overwhelming odds........1996-07-24
Set against the backdrop of the America's Cup, Bill Koch demonstrates his plan for success and beats Dennis Conner, the most famous sailor in the world, in his own backyard. Koch's approach to the America's Cup can be applied to yacht racing, business and life. As a testimony to the validity of his approach, while Koch spent eighteen winning the America's Cup his business recorded very respectable profits in his absence by following his plan for success. Anyone who wants to excell as an employee, employer or entrepreneur can benefit from this well written chronicle of achievement. A revealing look at a master of his environment. This book should be required reading for anyone who wants to achieve their goals
Product Description
The most most detailed, most current and best selling surf guide to Costa Rica. Features over 80 breaks on both coasts and over 100 hotels nearest the breaks. Includes a helpful tips section including what to pack and how to pack surfboards. Many maps and helpful driving directions. Not a coffee table picture book or pocket guide. This is a comprehensive, down-and-dirty, backpack ready surf guide.
Customer Reviews:
Necessary for any surfer going to Costa Rica.......2007-08-31
This book was a lifesaver. You gotta read it BEFORE you go out, because at one spot we hit, turned out to be alligator infested.
But this book is essential and tells spots that would normally be a mystery. Breaks on and off the beaten path.
Nothing New!!.......2007-04-02
I am returning to costa rica for the third time, and bought this book thinking there would be some deep researched information that may reveal hidden secrets that I had not yet explored. I was wrong. The book provides little information that a travelling surfer (one that really surfs) doesn't already know, or really needs. If you like for your entire trip to be scheduled before hand this book will provide you the information to do so. Good only for the first time surfer Costa Traveller without an internet connection or hasn't discovered google.
Best surf guide I've seen but still...........2007-01-09
All and all this is a decent guidebook. It gives you a breakdown of a lot of surfspots in Costa Rica. However, the information is a little outdated. The names of many hotels/restaurants/hostels, changed many years ago and this hasn't been reflected in the guide. Further, the author seems to mainly list the more upscale establishments. I personally am a shoestring budget surfer, so I didn't find his hotel reccommendations that useful since they seem to mostly be in the upper price range. I also found that many of the spots he claims will be uncrowded, are absolutely packed (Ostional). His information regarding spot specifics is also a bit weak. He usually states something like "Works best on Low tide/High tide", but I didn't find these tips to be true as it is very much dependent on the swell direction and how the sand banks formed this year.
Overall I reccommend it, but when in Costa Rica it is best to ask people there for information rather than relying on the book.
The Surfer's Guide to Costa Rica by Mike Parise.......2006-03-26
Simpy a must have for anyone traveling to Costa Rica. Don't think too much about it, it would be foolish not to buy. It will definitly pay for itself many times over.
A board, towel and this book.......2005-12-14
are the only things you need for Costa Rica. I saw this on Cutback.com, bought it and it told me everything I needed to know.
Awesome!
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