5 comments about The Best of Frank Deford: I'm Just Getting Started.

1. I love listening to Frank Deford on NPR. He gets to the heart of the matter and uses such great vocabulary. I am not a sports fan but, as a High School teacher and Wife & Mother of 2 sports aficionados, I am interested in the History and modern day controversies that go on in sports, so I can periodically speak with some credibility with my constituents.
   
   I bought this book for my 15 year old son, who had never heard of Deford, but is a fan of Rick O'Reilly. He loved this book and could not put it down. He has added Deford to his list of favorite writers.



2. For anyone who enjoys Deford's witty, literate commentaries on sports and society-or those who haven't had the pleasure of reading his work-this book is a great introduction!
   I have to agree that Deford's best work is found in his longer magazine articles. His work for 'Sports Illustrated' alone could fill a few volumes, and the best pieces in this volume are those 'SI' stories already mentioned by other reviewers. Personally, I would have preferred more articles and fewer NPR essays. The shorter, 'intended for broadcast' commentaries are sort of a 'Reader's Digest Condensed' version of Deford's wit and wisdom-tantalizing glimpses that leave the reader wishing he had more room to elaborate!
   I especially recommend "When There Were Still Elusive Barriers"(about Bannister and Hillary), and "Got to Do Some Coachin'" (the brilliant play that encapsulizes the turbulent personal life of Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson).



3. One of the more boring and ill-thought out books I have read this decade. Deford is somewhat of a moron, yet thinks he is the gift to planet earth. I would not recommend reading this at all. I can't believe I gobbled it up at a used book store.



4. Frank Deford is a most articulate, persuasive, engaging writer---perhaps the finest sports journalist writing today.

   The collection of articles and commentaries contained in "I'm Just Getting Started" are from 1980 to 1999 and touch on every aspect of sports.

   You get insight, irony, humor, commentary, entertainment, nostalgia and optimism as you turn the pages---all delivered in a most literate manner.

   The essay on Bill Russell alone is worth the price of admission. "Frank Deford Goes Bowling" is an intriguing take on a subject seldom written up in sports pages.

   Enjoyable for more than sports fans.




5. Frank Deford is a brilliant writer, not to mention, probably the single greatest sports' writer on the planet. He just takes sports' writing to a higher level. The Best of Frank Deford will prove this.

   This book showcases some of Deford's best work as a journalist. Although some of the articles are a little dated, his style and amazing use of language still shines. The pieces included in this book are easily some of the best writng available. Any inspiring journalist could learn a great deal from this collection of writings.

   Deford never holds anything back, and he is never afraid to speak his mind. I personally enjoyed the in-depth look at Bobby Knight. But, there are many other treasures in this candid book.

   Overall, this is an excellent book and quite a fast read. Deford's witty and extremely articulate writing style allows you to flow right through the book. This is a masterpiece of writing, and a true pleasure for any sports' fan. The Best of Frank Deford is simply the best.

1 comments about Arsene Wenger: The Biography.

1. A look behind the man who transformed Arsenal! I especially liked the way the author was able to skillfully weave Wenger's personality into the biography - to a fan, it gave me a dimension that I never knew from watching the games or reading the newspaper articles.
   
   The biography gave me a good insight to Wenger's approach to the game and his quest for football perfection - each 'chapter' encapsulates the essence of what makes Arsenal such a joy to watch.
   
   Read this if you want a broad overview of the Arsene Years!

No comments about Juan Manuel Fangio: Motor Racing's Grand Master (Karl Ludvigsen Racer Biographies).

5 comments about Babe: The Life and Legend of Babe Didrikson Zaharias (Sport and Society).

1. THis is one of the best sports biographies I have read.Its very well written, very unbiased,sensitive and portrays an accurate picture of this amazing human being. Its also a fun read and reveals a side of the Babe,her pranks,egocentric often annoying style, that few knew.In my mind she surely was the greatest woman,s athlete and this book truly does her justice.You won,t be disappointed



2. Amazing champion this lady was. Her accomplishments in a short life are dazzling. Like many others naturally gifted with athleticism and a burning desire to compete and win, Babe did just that.

   This is well written, but suffers from my own perspective with an underlying desire to document how cruel and unmodern Babe's cultural times were to not allow lesbian relationships to be openly exposed and women to be subjected to conformity.

   We live in just the reversal, where abnormality shines brightly as acceptable or even desirable, and where has this sexual revolution gotten our society?

   Babe loved the game of golf, and my interest was primarily in this achievement area of her career. She should deserve more recognition as one of the game's truly greats!




3. Since I am from Beaumont, Texas (South Park) and a fan of the BABE, I found the book a very interesting read. I was unaware of the Babe's relationship with Betty Dodd; however, I feel that an individual's sexual life is their own business. I can't help but wonder how the author could have been sure of their special relationship without ever being in the same bedroom with them??? Changing her colostomy bag is hardly a sexual act, but the type of action from a nurse, close relative or friend.



4. As a former student of Dr. Susan Cayleff, I found the book to be a wonderful and informative read. Knowing Dr. Cayleff and her constant search for truth and knowledge of women and their accomplishments, this book is one more testament to her thoroughness, her brilliance as an academic, and the passions that she imbues in her students - - the fire of wanting to know more about women,who and what they are, who and what they have been, and who and what they can become. Anything that Dr. Cayleff writes stands as witness to her intellect, her love of the written word, and her desire to spread the joyous news of women's feats and accomplishments. Is it any wonder that this book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize? Keep them coming Susan. The next one will be terrific too, after all, I had the opportunity to be one of your research assistants for the next book. Thank you for all of it, the books, the awareness that you instilled and inspired in so many of your students and readers, for your caring about humanity in general, and women in particular.



5. Cayleff has thoroughly researched and documented Babe's life and times. She conducted extensive interviews with surviving members of Babe's family, friends, and partner (Betty Dodd). Cayleff also incorporated massive amounts of journalistic accounts--sports writers, magazines accounts, etc. This is not a fluff biography--the book will teach you about what it meant to be a woman in Babe's time, what it meant to be a female athlete, and how Babe managed--and manipulated--these things. Babe fans will learn more about her, and scholars will be able to follow up on Cayleff's work through her extensive endnotes. This is the first book to tell of Babe's relationship with Betty Dodd, but Cayleff does not label it "lesbian." That is because Babe herself never did. Remember that this was the 1950s. They were life partners, spouses. The loved each other. Cayleff's book is important for bringing this relationship to light, as well as many other hidden realities of Didrikson's life--her heroism as an "out" cancer patient (when it was taboo to talk about it), as well as how Babe manipulated the press. As dozens of published book review has stated (see quotes above at this cite), this is absolutely THE most extensive research ever done on Babe. I've seen rave reviews of the book in SOJOURNER, WEST COAST WOMAN, WOMEN'S REVIEW OF BOOKS, and SPORTS HISTORY REVIEW, among many others.

5 comments about Damn Senators: My Grandfather and the Story of Washington's Only World Series.

1. Although I found parts of this book enjoyable, I was appalled at some of the factual errors that easily could have been checked out and corrected. Judge borrows and quotes extensively from both Shirley Povich's 1954 team history "The Washington Senators'' and from Tom Deveaux's 2001 "The Washington Senators, 1901-1971'' without crediting either book. He didn't even spell Deveaux's name correctly ("Devaux'') nor did he spell longtime Senators beat writer and Sporting News columnist Bob Addie's name right ("Adie''). The cover jacket photo is appropriated, according to the title page from "a baseball card'' -- It's from the 1961 Fleer set of old-timers, which is popular with collectors and images of which are easy to find on the Web. When an author can't spell names of well-known people correctly and doesn't bother to give proper credit to his sources, it calls into question the accuracy of the rest of the book. These mistakes were in the edition I bought in 2003. If there have been subsequent printings, I hope the errors have been corrected.



2. Mark Gauvreau Judge has done a fine job of putting together the story of the Washington Senators in the 1920s and 1930s. He has also, thankfully, shed some light on a very good player of that time, Joe Judge, his grandfather. Through player development and some good trades, the Senators were built into an excellent team in the mid-20s, good enough to beat the Yankee (when they were bad in 1924) and when they were good in 1925. They also beat back rugged competition from the Indians and the Tigers, who could hit but had pitching difficulties. One of the more interesting aspects of that time was how close the players were back then, with general harmony in the Senator locker room. A surprise in the book was what seemed to be a kind of bashing of Goose Goslin by the author; I always kind of liked Goose based on his interview in "The Glory of Their Times" and while I realize that he can have his moments like anyone else, there never really seemed to be anything good said about the man. Be it a personal matter or my perception, it is a minor point to a book worth reading.



3. I enjoyed reading the book. Perhaps it's a function of having read previous works on the old Washington Senators (e.g., Henry Thomas' book on Walter Johnson, Fred Lieb, Shirley Povich), but there doesn't seem to be much here that I haven't read before other than a few personal rememberances handed down within the Judge family. In fact, Judge the grandson cites Lieb and Thomas in several passages. The only thing I really learned was how beat up Peckinpaugh was during the 1924 World Series.



4. Written by the grandson of the legendary first baseman of the old Washington Senators, Joe Judge, Damn Senators is a nostalgic telling of how the Senators with Joe Judge achieved their first and only World Series championship in 1924. A drama filled with history, legends, and profiles of great baseball figures of history, Damn Senators combines an introspective personal tale with a portrait of the riveting pressure of playing in the big leagues three-quarters of a century ago. A thoroughly engaging read and highly recommended -- especially for baseball fans.



5. Mark Judge's book, Damn Senators, is as finely executed as any 3-6-3 double play turned by the author's grandfather, Washington Senators first baseman Joe Judge. The book focuses on Joe Judge and the Senators victorious season in 1924. In addition to writing about his grandfather, Mark Judge includes fine descriptions of Senators owner Clark Griffith, legendary Senators pitcher Walter Johnson and a superb sketch of Washington D.C. and its citizens at the time of the Senators all too brief ascendency.

   Those who believe game six of the 1975 World Series is the best game ever played in the fall classic should read Damn Senators. Mark Judge does a fine job depicting the excitment of game seven of the 1924 World Series, when Walter Johnson came out of the bullpen to gain victory for the Senators in their one and only World Series triumph. I saw game six of the 1975 World Series on television. After reading Damn Senators I almost feel as though I have seen game seven of the 1924 Series as well.

   Damn Senators is well worth its purchase price. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the winning combination of baseball and fine writing.

5 comments about The Secrets of Giron Arnis Escrima (Secrets of the Martial Arts).

1. This book told a lot about the background and philosophy, but didn't offer a lot of instruction. It was also hard to read and understand.



2. I really liked this book. I know it was not as deep in technique and theory as many would have liked, but for the price it is a great introduction. I would like to see a more in-depth version, akin to Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do the text book, or something as nice as either of the new Gracie Books. I am still waiting for the Filipino book that gives real grasp to the newbie, but still has a lot for the experienced player. In short I am looking for some thing with the thought and grace of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Theory and PRactice, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Self-Defense, or maybe a book as comprehensive in its coverage as is Simco's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master Text.
   Never the less it is still good to see old Giron, moving around and swinging a stick.
   Nice job.



3. I`ve bougth this book in order to support my own escrima training. As a rookie in escrima, it gives you the basic understandings in the escrima-fighting art of Grand Master Leo Giron. I think it`s not written with the intention to replace training under a qualified teacher. In my view it supports your training as a beginner in the art. What's more, it gives you a good overview including the origins. Escrima has to be practised to be learned.



4. This book is bad for beginner and practically useless for a master. There is no comprehensive description of training complexes, footwork drills and other important details, which were completely omitted. It gives just an overview of the system in general, so the reader can have some vague feeling of what Giron escrima is.



5. This book provides the reader with a very good taste of Grandmaster Giron's system of self-defense. It is particularily strong in the largo-mano or long range area, with clearly photographed techniques using sticks, knives and empty hands. In addition to the techniques, he puts his system into an ethical framework. The only part I would have liked to see more of was the excellent empty hands techniques present in the Filipino martial arts, including guntings and limb destructions. Nonetheless, this will make an excellent addition to anybody's library with interest in the subject matter.

No comments about Return To The Sea.

5 comments about Gordie: A Hockey Legend.

1. Gordie a Hockey Legend is book is a great book for anyone who knows about hockey and what the sport is and how it has evolved for its early stages with the popular players like Gordie Howe, He really set the bar in hockey back in his days. He held the NHL scoring title with the most goals in his career with 801 goals until "The Great One", Wayne Gretzky passed him in April of 1993.Gordie is really a Hockey legend.
   
   Gordie is really a legend. He was Known for his ability to be tough anytime during a game, and get the goals, and stand up for his team at anytime needed. This Book was really good in my view. It described his great career, and his life leading up to and being in the NHL.
   
   I would recommend this book to a lot of my friends, especially to my friends that like, and or play hockey. This book really shows the meaning for, and how hockey started to become more popular especially in the United States and in Canada. I really liked this book, and it is one of my favorites, and I would recommend it to anyone. This is truly a great book.



2. Gordie Howe: A hockey legend tells about his whole life. From when he was little kid, to when he made it in the NHL. It tells about how he first came upon hockey as a little kid. It tells about his carrer and the NHL. I thought that this book was ok. Not horrible but not excellent. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about gordie howe, or wants to read about him.



3. This book tells about Gordie Howe, one of the best hockey players ever, and his career in the NHL.In the beginning, it tells about his first couple of seasons, and then tells more about his great career and facts about him toward the end. I learned a lot about him from this book, for example, I learned that he has played for two teams, the Hartford Whalers and the Detroit Red Wings, and that he was considered one of the greatest players of his time.



4. As a lifetime fan of the Detroit Red Wings, I was overjoyed when I found that there is a recent biography of Howe that is much more up to date than many written in the 60's and 70's. This book gives the reader an inside look at what it was like to get into the NHL in the 50's, and what it took to stay there and become a star. Mackskimming is very candid when talking about the front office's team management "politics" The reader also gets an up-close look at other great stars of the era such as Red Kelly, Ted Linsay, Maurice "Rocket" Richard, and coach Jack Adams. A must read for any TRUE hockey fan.



5. The book starts out covering Howe in excellent detail. Several pages cover his first seasons. Then as if the author lost interest, the decades go flying by. My reasons for reading the book was to find out, why Howe was considered great, how Howe compared to Richard, how the game changed over the years and what it was about Howe that enabled him to play for so long. The book only addressed how Howe established his early greatness.

No comments about Backseat Quarterback.

1 comments about Neil Lennon: Man and Bhoy.

1. Neil comes across as being very honest in this book. It is a good read. However, he states that Willie Thorns was a former world snooker champion. This is incorrect as Willie Thorne never was. He mentions that Martin O'Neil won 64 caps playing for Northern Ireland where, approx. 15 pages later, Martin O'Neil goes onto explain to another player in front of Neil Lennon what he won as a player, including winning 62 caps playing for Northern Ireland. When I read inconsistencies like this, the credibility of the book drops & starts to disappoint me. If you don't mind such inconsistencies, then read the book, as you will enjoy it.