Reviews (202)

This Book is "Frigg'n Sweet!!!"
If ever there was a humorous side to hyper-active, neglected and attention-deficient children, Robert Hamburger has found it! From cover to cover, "The REAL Ultimate Power" is chock full of childish hilarity counter-pointed by a very poignant under-belly displaying a fictional child's attempt to cope with being different and neglected. Yes, it's still HILARIOUS! Hamburger writes this essentially "for Dummies" spoof from the perspective of a learned 10-year-old kid who's inability to deal with his reality (parents he perceives as neglectful, friends who aren't his friends, etc.) leads him to be overly passionate (he calls it "pumped") about ninjas. I couldn't stop laughing! Not only are 99.9% of Robert's views on ninjas completely off-base and unrealistic (ah, childhood!), most times they're crude, disgusting, absurd and hilarious. Did you know that the defining characteristic of a ninja is the ability to "flip out and kill people" without the slightest provocation? Or that a BONER is the ninja's most prized weapon? Or that ninjas can fly? I, for one, was shocked to learn that Benjamin Franklin not only killed a man, but in the same night, laid in "feigned passion" with a sea turtle! These are just a few of Robert's skewed ideas, and they only get worse (or "better" if you're one to appreciate the humor!)
Brain bending awesomness
This book is great the way it's told. The "Genius" spotlight review hit my thoughts exactly. Many people might not get all the subtle hints in the text and footnotes that tell the real story of a boy. That would be a shame. But if you liked the website, you'll like the book either way.

Really funny
One of the funniest books I've ever read. Had me laughing out loud like a fool during my commute. This book was AWESOME.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Humor    3. Ninjutsu    4. Topic - Sports    5. Humor / General    6. Oriental martial arts   

Reviews (4)

Great Book
I was looking for new plays and ideas..Got a lot of great ideas

Blackboard strategies
Excellent concise book with plenty of ideas to suit any type of team you coach. Great ideas and easy to read and understand.

Great way to build FUN-damental hoops knowledge base
Whether you are a coach (at any level) or a casual fan, this book has something for you. Page after page of plays guarantee you'll find something that works for you.
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Subjects:  1. Coaching - Baseball    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Sports & Recreation / Basketball    5. Basketball    6. Coaching    7. Offense    8. Strategy   

Reviews (36)

Great story, Great man
This was a great read whether you're a Pirates and/or Clemente fan or not. You walk away from it truly appreciating the game, Roberto and his charitable side.

A Career and Life Beyond the Statistics
I have always been an admirer of Roberto Clemente. During his career he stood out because of his high batting averages in a period of pitcher dominance and legendary throwing arm. Watching his performance on television in the 1971 World Series sealed the deal for me. That World Series was one of the most entertaining of my life (I am not a Pirates fan) and his heroics were largely responsible. He really did seem to almost single-handedly lead the Pirates to victory over the favored Orioles, not withstanding the significant, if not vital, contributions of other Pirates such as Steve Blass (especially), Bob Robertson, and Bruce Kison. Although Clemente had a reputation for being a hypochondriac and difficult with the press earlier in his career, by this time he was universally admired and grouped with baseball's elite. Clemente, by David Maraniss, tells the story of how this came about. Starting with Clemente's boyhood in Puerto Rico, Maraniss chronicles his life and times. Besides describing his journey as a Hall of Fame ballplayer and development as a bona fide role model, Maraniss also presents a portrait of the era. Adding to the tragedy of Clemente's early death is that he could have had as equally a rewarding life after baseball as a public figure, philantropist and possibly a politcian.I learned a lot about baseball in Puerto Rico and the difficulties and discrimination Clemente faced as a black man coming into a foreign culture. The book is a reminder that bigotry did not stop in organized baseball with the advent of Jackie Robinson. For those interested in baseball history, the book contains an interesting profile of the World Champion 1960 Pittsburg Pirates and the city of Pittsburg in the fifties through the early seventies. The 1971 World Championship then served as Clemente's coronation into the baseball pantheon. Whether Clemente was truly one of the greatest of all time is open to debate. My opinion is that while he was a solid Hall of Famer, Clemente was a level below such players as Mays, Aaron, and Mantle. The stats simply do place him at their level. I understand that there is more to baseball than the statistics. At one point Maraniss acknowledges Clemente's statistical weaknesses, but he points that his greatness, like an artist, cannot be measured. I agree with him that there is more to rating a player than raw statistics. However, the same can be said for the three players mentioned above and many others. In my opinion, Clemente was a great player, but does not deserve the canonization that some call for to this day. However, as a man, Clemente should be judged on more than statistics when reviewing his life. I will conclude by saying he led a good life, made a positive and lasting impact on the world, and provided me (and many others) with many thrills and chills on the baseball field.

Baseball even if your don't know the game
I am not a sports fan so I don't follow any of the happenings in those fields.Therefore, I was not sure that I would enjoy CLEMENTE but listened to it anyway.What I am is a Curious Kitty meaning that I like to know about people and their lives.This book is that type of story.
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Subjects:  1. 1934-1972    2. Baseball    3. Baseball - History    4. Baseball players    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography And Autobiography    9. Biography/Autobiography    10. Clemente, Roberto,    11. Ethnic Studies - Hispanic American Studies    12. Puerto Rico    13. Sports - Baseball    14. Sports - General    15. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (44)

Best collection of knots ever.
This book has just about every kind of knot you could ever imagine. The drawings are quite nice and history within the book is most interesting. If you've ever had an interest in knots, rope, or sailing this is the book for you.

Knot-Withstanding
This is a marvelous piece of work, a wonderfully compiled index and history on the amusing subject of knots.Moreover; this is the story of knots, written with a scholar's pen (so, it's educational), but told with a seaman's heart. The author's passion for his subject, evident on every page, animates all of his hand-drawn, disciplinedillustrations(Ashley was a student of the great Howard Pyle), which lends the book a nice, user-friendly appeal. As the author literally unravels the chords of the past on the subject, he then meticulously ties all loose ends together to knot the vast gamut of one ofhumanity's oldest skills and indispensable crafts in one timeless reference book. Here is a legendary work for the ages on a specialized professional skill, and a skill people rely upon everyday.
"I'm a bit tied up at the moment."
First published in 1944, THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS is a fundamental reference work for anyone who works with rope, be you a sailor, stevedore, circus acrobat or dominatrix.
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Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. General    5. Knots and splices    6. Sailing - General    7. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    8. Sports & Recreation / Sailing    9. CRAFTS/HOBBIES   

Reviews (73)

Memories for Cardinals fans delivered in terrible prose
This lifelong Cardinals fan managed to get through the book, but it's hard to imagine any non Cardinals fan who is not a speed reader doing the same.
Three Nights In August
Great baseball book. Very well written. Speaks to the hardship of coaching and the sacrifices that Tony LaRussa has made. Contains some interesting stories.

Quick read but has staying power
I bought this book in an airport and read it over several days on airplanes.It held my interest pretty well.It compares well to some of the best baseball writers and is a mix of story-line and analysis.Basically it covers a 3 game series between the Cubs and Cards in August 2003.There are several excursions into timelines of various players and events, but mostly the book is an analysis of the players and the games in this series.
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Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Baseball - History    3. Baseball - Specific Teams    4. Chicago Cubs (Baseball team)    5. La Russa, Tony    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball    9. St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)    10. Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History   

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. BG-JUVENILE PROP - BG-JUVY NON-FICTION    6. Sports & Recreation / Boating    7. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. Architecture    3. Architecture Of Specific Structures    4. Equestrian    5. Equestrian Sports    6. General    7. History - Specific Styles    8. Horses - General    9. Architecture / General    10. Equestrian & animal sports   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography And Autobiography    3. Football    4. Football - General    5. Football - Professional    6. Football coaches    7. History    8. Lombardi, Vince    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Sports - General    12. United States   

Reviews (60)

Fascinating and life saving
Couldn't put this book down!Instructive and illuminating!Tales and advice can apply to any hiking and biking trips that our family takes in the future.

Mostly good
I was afraid that this book would be a boring, thorough, and complete list of Grand Canyon deaths.It isn't -- except for Chapter 4.With that exception, this book is a complete page-turner, well-written and informative.
Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon
It is a most interesting and informative book.It should be read by anyone who has or wants to hike the Grand Canyon.It relates individual stories of people that have died in the Canyon and what they did wrong that caused or contributed to their death.It weaves many of these stories together to create an excellent book that was hard to put down.
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Subjects:  1. Accidents    2. Anecdotes    3. Arizona    4. Grand Canyon    5. Grand Canyon (Ariz.)    6. History    7. Social Science / Death & Dying    8. Travel    9. Travel / Parks & Campgrounds    10. Violent deaths    11. Death    12. Death & Dying    13. Parks & Campgrounds    14. Social Science    15. United States - State & Local   

Subjects:  1. Fish    2. Fishing - General    3. Fishing Sports    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Fishing, angling    7. Sports & Recreation / Fishing   

Reviews (8)

Nice book
I bought this book and it was not a bad decision.Most of the reviews here are pretty accurate.He does cover unique ground in pointing out exercises that are not common in the more mainstream books like Body for Life and Lean Body Promise.The first edition has its fair share of editorial bugs but I think that you could piece together the general meaning given the context.I would point out that most books do not go into lifts such as the clean and snatch due to injury possibility.This is something that needs to be covered because some of these exercises can really put a person into jeopardy if they did not slowly build up to these type of movements.The more mainstream books tend to stick with bodyshaping movements and do not really go into more "athletic" moves.This is a good resource to consult for those type of movements but most people that I see working out at the gym are not into that type of lifting.In that way, the book is a bit overkill.The author has taken unnecessary pot-shots at the Body for Life and Lean Body books for being to simplistic or "looks based", but that is what a lot of people go for these days.They just want to know how to get from A to B as fast as possible.You look at Body for Life (even with its flaws) and the program is fairly simple and will give results as long as you are consistent.The downside with this book is that in being as comprehensive as it is, it misses the typical American way of life.I am not saying that this is the right way of thinking but it is out there.I would say that this is really geared towards those that are more advanced and not intimidated about more advanced lifting techniques.

Best Technique Book
This is the most detailed and complete book that I've ever read on weightlifting form.It's written in an outline-bullet format so that it's easy to understand, but it's still dense with information.
Good book
I purchased this book with the intent to learn more about the sport I participate in, which is Olympic Weightlifting. I found the book to very informative on each aspect of lifting. I also liked the detailed explanations throughout the book.
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Subjects:  1. Bodybuilding    2. Bodybuilding & Weight Training    3. Consumer Health    4. Exercise    5. Muscle strength    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Weight lifting   

Reviews (8)

No detail left unexplored
An impressive level of detail, covering absolutely every aspect of training for a full ironman.This will serve as a constant reference for me as I embark on my training, and I highly recommend this as a reference guide for those even enagaged in a 1/2 iron or shorter-distance triathlon.

Highly recommended!
This was very helpful for my first triathlon.Good and useful information.

A little confused
First of all let me say that this is about the best ironman training book out there.However, there are several severe flaws.First, the authors are confused about their audience.It is never clear when they are talking to novices and when they are addressing elites. They float around willy-nilly first addressing one then the other.Warnings are given to beginners right in the middle of long spiels obviously addressed only to pros.I believe this book is probably meant for novice to intermmediate triatheletes. But the authors are inconsistent in their approach to this.Second, most of the equipment information is very shallow but nevertheless useful to novices.However, once again the intended audience is unclear.Thirdly, the training bricks, many workout, and much of the advice are clearly geared to triatheletes who are very advanced.Any first-timer is going to overtrainand many advanced atheletes will as well if they utilize some of these workouts.They authors recommend no more than two breakthough workouts per week!!Is anybody else reading this?So once again the audience is unclear.If the authors are going to address novices then they need to do so in a consistent way throughout the book.The same with elites and intermmediates etc.Despite these flaws I managed to extract a great deal of useful information from this book and will continue to use it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Athletic Sports And Games    2. Ironman triathlons    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Track & Field    6. Training    7. Triathlon    8. Fitness training    9. Multidiscipline sports   

Reviews (2)

An antidote to muddled thinking
Ortega y Gasset brings philosophical rigor and logic to the consideration of hunting.In a powerful counterblast to muddled, emotion-driven, anthropomorphic, confused, sentimental arguments - one can't call them "ideas" - OyG clarifies the core questions and quandaries, and gives a sound philosophical foundation for the defense - indeed, the celebration -of the hunting imperative that 21st century urban man sublimates or ignores at his environmental and spiritual peril.

An absolute necessity for the animal rights debate.
Ortega delves into the art of hunting, and gets to the root of the matter. Both the nature of human, and of animal are examined. Be forewarned, this is heavy duty philosophy, not just an article on where to hang a tree stand. Ortega wrote in the early twentieth century, and so some will think his ideas are dated, and that we know much better now. This gives rise to the thought that humans change rapidly. Ortega's work stands because we do not substantially change over just a hundred or even a thousand years. This is why Shakespear and the Bible are still applicable, and why Ortega's Meditations On Hunting still stands.The act of hunting has changed over the centuries, to evolve into sport. Ortega delves into this also, and his answer to our inner questions, and the current questions of animal rightists is so clear and distilled that it shines in one's brain. It is rare to find one so clear in academia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hunting    2. Hunting - General    3. Spain    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Equipment & Supplies    2. Guns/Rifles For Hunting    3. Hunting - General    4. Hunting Sports    5. Hunting rifles    6. Shooting    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / General   

Subjects:  1. Sports - General    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Mantle, Mickey,    5. Sports - Baseball    6. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    7. Sports & Recreation / Baseball / General    8. Sports; baseball; biography    9. 1931-    10. United States    11. Biography/Autobiography    12. Baseball    13. Biography And Autobiography    14. Baseball players    15. Biography   

Reviews (116)

Am I reading the same book?
I thought that this book was very short on actual, useful data. It seems that it could be boiled down to about 20 good pages to get the pertinent information across to the reader and dispense with the "this is the best book in the world" hard sell. The physiology was only mildly interesting as I just wanted the "program"-give me the workout and let me decide if it works or not and spare me the anatomy and physiology lessons.

It worked for me
I followed Phase II of the book, as it was detailed in an a May/June 2005 Special Edition of Rodale Press entitled "Muscle."I jumped from 138 to 150 pounds in four weeks.I performed NO cardio and ate like a horse, but probably could have gotten adequate results by eating 3000 calories instead of the 4200.About half the gain was fat, with a very impressive 6 pound gain of lean muscle.Forget isolation exercises.Get the mass you need, then go for the beach muscles if that's what you want... or get shredded and start over.I'm 46 and I'm finally getting the mass I've worked all my life for.

Solid and clear advice, except for meal plan
I learned a lot from this book. It is quite scientific, but rather disorganized. The meal plan is very vague, however. Don't get me wrong, the book tells you exactly how to calculate energy/nutrition/timing requirements, but to apply the calculations to months-worth of meals -- finding real recipes to meet those requirements -- is a huge amount of work. The book does not help at all with this significant task.
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Subjects:  1. Bodybuilders    2. Bodybuilding    3. Bodybuilding & Weight Training    4. Diet / Health / Fitness    5. Exercise    6. Handbooks, manuals, etc    7. Health & Fitness    8. Health/Fitness    9. Muscle strength    10. Nutrition    11. Sports & Recreation / Bodybuilding & Weight Training   

Reviews (44)

Excellent!
Excellent book, unveiling another dimension of the game. I applied its content, and I saw immediate results. I did not have to practice many hours to change any of my strokes to win against players who used to give me trouble. On the other hand, based on my improved analysis of the game, I now know the shots I have to master in my practice sessions to get even better.
The best book for tennis lovers!
If you love tennis, then you will love this book!I had put off buying it for many months, because I was turned off by the title.I equated "ugly" with cheating, or using cheap tricks to try to win matches.But I was wrong.It's not about cheating; it's about strategy and using your head!
Excellent book.
This is a great book.The stories about playing days are getting a little dated, but the concepts are timeless.There are several sections that I'm going to re-read. The only people who shouldn't read this are my opponents. :D ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Psychological aspects    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Tennis    5. Sports & Recreation / General   

Reviews (3)

Memories
Loved this book!!Had to keep the kleenex nearby.Every story different but the common theme is how fathers shape the lives of their daughters.It brought back so many memroies.

Great Book
Amazing Book. Not only for daughters and fathers, this book is for anyone.Emotional and intriguing.You wont want to put it down.

Emotions and glimpses
Karyn Frist has compiled a diverse group of women to open their hearts about their dads.Wow!! My favorite is Mary Higgins Clark who closes her story with her visit to Ireland to discover the barn where her dad (who died when she was 11) was raised, running her fingers over her dad's carved names in the old oak barn door.Have some tissues nearby when you read the many captivating, emotional memories!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family Relationships    4. Family/Marriage    5. Fathers and daughters    6. Parent And Child    7. Parenting - Fatherhood    8. Family & Relationships / General    9. Marriage, family & other relationships    10. Sports & Recreation / Football   

Reviews (61)

Rubin Cartert, the true story - it's not enough to see the movie
If you have seen "The Hurricane" motion picture, starring Denzel Washington (an amazing peformance), surely you'd think that you know everything there is to know about Rubin Carter. Unfortunately, that's incorrect. Furthermore, it's not even close.
A True Account
I bought this book my sophomore year of high school and that was over 7 years ago.It has literally been my bible to life.Rubin and his book have changed my life more than anything else I have ever encountered.Too often than not we find false heroes in this world.People like Paris Hilton who some look up to as a hero or a role model, but the true heroes in this life are often over looked or never seen at all.Rubin Carter is a true hero, I have never even heard of such a troubled life an to come out on top both a champion of his sport and one in life.A wise man told me once that it is now how we live this life but what we do during it.If your looking for a uplifting book of a true hero an a book that will give you strength when all doubt you, this is the one.

Brilliant and Touching
Obviously no one can write his story better than Rubin himself.This story is both and inspiring story of a man who has never stopped fighting and a terrifying reality check into the American judicial system.This book is filled with an anger that is only kept in check by the author's own love and compassion.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Boxing    5. Criminals & Outlaws    6. People of Color    7. Personal Memoirs    8. Prison Life    9. Sports    10. Sports - General    11. Biography & Autobiography / People of Color   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (21)

Trapshooting Secrets - a must read for all trapshooters
Trapshooting Secrets by James Russell is a must read for all trap shooters. It covers the fundamentals with clarity and good accompanying illustrations. If the shooter will read and incorporate the lessons contained, his scores will certainly reach new highs.

Trapshooting Secrets
Very useful book with a lot of great trap shooting tips. Good book for beginners and people who have been shooting trap for awhile. Lots of drawling's and diagrams with good detail explaining what the author is trying to teach you.

Trapshooting Secrets
I purchased this book for a gift for my husband. He has found some good and useful information in this book.He really likes it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Shooting    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Precision shooting    5. Shotgun    6. Small firearms, guns & other equipment    7. Trap Shooting    8. Trapshooting