No comments about ADDICTED.

5 comments about Oyama: The Legend, the Legacy.

1. The book is OK if you do not know about Mas Oyama. The problem that I found; the writer repeats some parts in some chapters



2. Unfortunately Michael L. Lorden's, "Mas Oyama: The Legend, the Legacy" falls short of its intended target.
   
   Michael L. Lorden begins his book on a positive note, but unfortunately seems to lose his way in portraying the life of Masutatsu Oyama, one of the greatest martial artist of our time. Lorden collects some important facts about Mas Oyama and his karate, but there is very little new information on Mas Oyama's life.
   
   I, like many other admirers, looked forward to reading more of the younger Yong I Choi (Oyama's birth name, in Korea), but there was little written on his youth in this book. Lorden scarcely touches upon Mas Oyama's Korean family, his childhood or teen-age years, his schooling or education, his friends, hobbies - apart from his love of reading, his short-lived military career, etc.
   
   Masutatsu Oyama was undoubtedly one of the world's great martial artists and the founder of Kyokushin Karate, a formidable style that stressed full contact kumite with no protective gear. Mas Oyama was regarded as a true master because he practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced - he lived the life of a true martial artist. His devotion to his Kyokushin Karate was everything to him. Mas Oyama first exhibitions in the United States flabbergasted audiences and martial artists alike. Mas Oyama's extraordinary speed, inconceivable power, and unwavering spirit were recognized throughout the martial arts world. His forceful demonstrations illustrated to all the grand possibilities of Kyokushin Karate and karate in general. The author tells us of Oyama's "uchi-deshi program" wherein a selected few students are permitted to spend three years at his honbu in pursuit of excellence in Kyokushin Karate. Few students made it into his program and even fewer graduated from it.
   
   Any individual that is a product of the 60s and was interested in, or practiced, a martial art was very familiar with Sosai Masutatsu Oyama's karate. You Knew of his exploits with bulls, his open challenges to all fighters (whatever their fighting style), his breaking of boards, roof tiles, blocks of ice, rocks, bricks, and his ability to chop the neck off of a bottle without knocking the bottle over. People were also aware of Mas Oyama's devotion, philosophy, and maxims on karate and on life.
   
   In "Mas Oyama: The Legend, the Legacy", Lorden writes on Mas Oyama's way of life; the value he placed on self-discipline, perseverance, goodness, civility, respect, devotion, and arduous training. Unfortunately, Lorden presents no new biographical footprints to Mas Oyama's past. Whereas other biographers utilize research, archival documents, interviews . . . in order to uncover new insights into their subjects, Lorden is content to put together a book with a conglomeration of previous and well-known facts on Mas Oyama. Lorden does not follow any particular pattern in his writing - he jumps back and forth and uses too much repetition in his writing.
   
   "Mas Oyama: The Legend, the Legacy" is a good book for those unfamiliar with the life of Masutatsu Oyama, but for those who are acquainted with Mas Oyama's life, Michael L. Lorden book offers no new material or insights.



3. the problems with this book have already been addressed by other reviewers for the most part. the author is a terrible writer, and the book repeats itself all the way through. the book is very short. the author is a fanboy and writes like one, with no thought given to an unbiased look at oyama. all in all a pitiful book, 0 out of 5 stars.



4. Interesting story about Mas Oyama. I enjoyed reading about my sosai, but first of all the book is quite short. I read it in one evening. It will take at most two if you have other things to attend to. Second, add to the brevity of the book, it is very repetitious. And as most of the repetition is about the "legendary exploits of the godlike Oyama", you'll soon start feeling like you're going to throw up your lunch. When you just think you've seen the last of it, another chapter starts by reciting how many challenge fights and how many bulls Oyama has beaten and how many months he trained inhumanly in the mountains and so on. Just too much of repetition for such a short book overall. I've also heard rumours that there are some factual errors in the book, but don't have any further info about them. Some obvious typoes are repeated throughout the book (like goju-ryu is spelled gojo-ryu). Also, quite an amount of the book focuses on other aspects than Oyama, things like the different kinds of sparring practice and the different master instructors and tournament champions of kyokushinkai. Perhaps the book should've been named "Oyama and His Karatekai". It definitely should've been longer and less repetitious.



5. As a new student of the Kyokushin style of karate, I looked around for biographical information on Mas Oyama, it's founder. This book, while it covers basic facts and offers a few interesting stories, was not written well. Chapter by chapter, the author repeats himself, sometimes almost word-for-word paragraphs at a time. It's disjointed, almost as though the chapters were written as individuals essays, then the whole lot thrown together for publication. He keeps jumping forward and back in time, making any chronology difficult to follow. It's a decent introductory read, but I'm going to look elsewhere for a real biography.

No comments about The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story (Mainstream Sport).

5 comments about Papa Bear : The Life and Legacy of George Halas.

1. What a treat this book is, not only for Bears fans but also for anyone who loves the NFL. There wouldn't be an NFL without the tireless work of George Halas, the Papa Bear. And Davis's book tells you all you need to know about this fascinating character. It is also a trove of information about the early years of the NFL. It is a delight to read, and it belongs in the library of anyone who fancies himself a true follower or professional football.
   
   Al Bowers
   Prescott, Arizona



2. ...though it's a bit long at 512 pages (excluding notes, index, etc).
   
   The book does read pretty quickly. Not any particular chapter that I enjoyed the most. Sid Luckman was George's favorite. Interesting insights on the way the author describes George Allen, Mugs (George, Jr.), the rest of the Halas clan, and many of his ex-players including Geo Blanda, Bobby Layne, Rich Casares, et al. Definitely worth your time to read the book. When I visited Chicago, I passed by the old Soldier Field several times, but never took the time to visit it which is uncharacteristic of me. Wished not I had taken the time, as the place was reportedly to be very antiquated.



3. George S. Halas was, depending on who wrote the piece that you're reading, either the cheapest, back-stabbingest skinflint who ever threw nickels around like manhole covers, or a visionary who had the foresight to see what the NFL could become and ran his family business and associations (read: NFL) to the top of the sporting world heap. You can find both sides in this book, which is a reason that it ranks as high as it does.
   
   To understand the man, the book starts out with his parents, from the old country, Bohemia. As new immigrants, they worked in ways that we don't seem to do any more, like thrift, saving for something better, hard work at odd jobs to get that extra change. This is how George Halas operatered because he was "programmed" to do this at a young age. Subsequently, when he owned the Bears, that was how he operated his business. He saw the possibilities of growth of his team and the NFL through the media. He saw the wealth could be generated, mainly in terms of the league as a whole. He was determined to make his franchise the best, and that meant applying those principles that he learned when young (i.e., thrift). But he could also be extremely generous with his money, especially in family/business tragedies like Brian Piccolo, Willie Galimore and others. His line of succession, to take over the Bears, was also something learned from The Old Country, and thrown into pandimonium when his only son died and his son was estranged from Halas. Therefore, it fell to the McCaskeys to carry on the Halas-nurtured Bears into the 21st century, something G.S. Halas would conceivably be turning over in his grave about.
   
   The book does no favors at all concerning the McCaskeys; they are depicted as rather ignorant of most things concerning football and especially about the Bears, and greedy, controlling the Bears only for the money and prestige. The accuracy of this, since it was laid on so thickly by the author, makes you wonder if it is really true, but the record and gaffes committed by the Bears over the last 20 years tend to bear the author's characterization out. "Papa Bear" is a good, absorbing book for the history of the Chicago Bears and how the league got to where it is today, and hits much closer to the heart, mind and soul of George Halas and how he lived that many other biographies and autobiographies that one may find.



4. As a Bears season ticket holder and lifelong fan who attended the same grade school (St. Emily's in Mt. Prospect, IL) as the McCaskey children and grew up their neighborhood, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Then, right on page 3 it says the McCaskeys lived in Arlington Heights when they actually lived in Des Plaines, and I am left wondering how many other inaccuracies this book contains. It seems very anti McCaskey.



5. Pros: Everything you should know about Papa Bear (including everything the McCaskeys have spent years trying to hide from you)
   Cons: None
   
   I think it's safe to say we've finally seen the
   definitive literary work on George Halas. It did take
   more than two decades after his death for it to be
   published, but that's fitting. To truly grasp
   everything about the man and his legacy, you need to
   have lived through it and it's aftermath. Finally,
   one of us who has experienced it all first hand has put
   it out in the open for all to see. It's the most
   captivating sports book I've read in years, easily.

1 comments about The King of Swings: Johnny Goodman, the Last Amateur to Beat the Pros at Their Own Game.

1. Great stories these days are hard to find, so reading the King of Swings was a rare treat. Michael Blaine's golf descriptions of actual tournaments from 70 years ago brought each match to life as if I was watching on TV as I was reading. I couldn't wait for another match to begin with Johnny Goodman taking on the best in the world. He was a unique and special person and I treasure being introduced to him. This has been a book that resonates within me months after my reading experience.

No comments about A Feel for the Game: A Master's Memoir.

5 comments about Strongman: The Doug Hepburn Story.

1. This book is a must read for anyone in the iron game. The programs spelled out in this book alone make it worth the price. In addition, this book does a wonderful job at showing the human side of Doug Hepburn and his struggles. Not only is this book entertaining, it is inspiring as well. The author does a superb job at bringing Doug Hepburn to life. It was nice, for once, to read a book about a man who prevailed in his quest to be the strongest without the use of steroids, straps, suits, etc... I wish this book had been available to me years ago.



2. One of the most depressing, sad books I have ever read. Hepburn was to be admired for his feats of strength,but saddened at his personal life. He was waiting for someone or something to either show him what to do with his life,or actually provide for him. What a waste.



3. STRONGMAN, THE DOUG HEPBURN STORY was a book I could not put down once I started reading it.
   
   I was aware of world champion strongman Doug Hepburn and was excited upon noticing his name and freight-train physique upon the attractive book cover. What was fascinating about Hepburn was that while the world was aware of his physical strength, it was his mental strength and determination that was even more paramount. What could fuel such an obsession? A deformed leg was an insecurity he fought to overcome.
   
   When Doug first traveled to New York City to display his power to the American strength community I found myself visualizing that I was riding in the train with him. In New York it was one thing to witness the poundage this massive man could lift, but even better watching the look of awe on the faces of the strength crowd watching as they realized this man had no match. This trip to New York City was a necessary confidence step in Hepburn's climb to winning the World Championship in Sweden in 1953.
   
   The insecurities to succeed to the top of the weight-lifting world continued to enigma Hepburn as his life continued. I thank Doug for his illumination as he explained how his LSD therapy in the early sixties made him aware of how negatives from childhood stay embedded in a person's conscience and it is up to each of us to attempt to eliminate these adversities as best as possible.
   
   I found STRONGMAN, THE DOUG HEPBURN STORY both entertaining and motivational, a great read.



4. You don't get to read about athletes like Doug Hepburn much these days. I'm talking about the kind of athlete who makes it to the top of his sport with no motivation other than the pure love of the sport, and the outright desire to just do it. In Strongman, Tom Thurston has captured the essence of Doug and I found the book to be a great read.
   
   This book is a 'must read' for anyone trying to uncover the secrets of success in sports, or in life itself. I knew Doug personally, and I recall a conversation I had with him regarding the mental barriers that can prevent regular gains in weightlifting. I asked him specifically what to do about that. Doug put it simply, "it depends how badly you want to lift the weight".
   
   That succinct statement eludes many athletes. They get so caught up in tactics and theory, they forget about the human spirit and the power of the mind itself. Doug wasn't advocating anything silly, like pushing through serious pain. He was referring to the little tricks the mind can play to set up a barrier to improvement. We're talking about sucking it up in order to get to the next level. Doug was a master of that and Tom Thurston captures that indominatible spirit in his book.
   
   I thought I knew a lot about Doug until I read Strongman. Through Tom Thurston's painstaking research I now realize there was a lot more to the man. Doug was a humourous, self-effacing, likeable character and the last thing you'd see in him was a man who destroyed world records and won Olympic Gold Medals. What I had not realized was the incredible struggle behind his success.
   
   That makes Doug all the more amazing in my mind and I strongly recommend this book.



5. Strongman - the Doug Hepburn Story
   by Tom Thurston
   
   Tom Thurston's aptly titled biography of Doug Hepburn, Strongman, is a telling tale of one man's aspirations to greatness, while struggling with the material world. For me, this book represents a very humanizing portrait of an inspiring boyhood hero from the fifties. Doug wrestled with the temptations of being exploited into the image of a larger than life, plastic fantastic, comic book like action figure. It is the story of one very human being. Combining insightful sensitivity with brutal reality, Tom delivers a penetrating study into Doug's indomitable spirit.
   
   This book is a must read, from those casually interested in fitness to the competing athlete. This is the story about one man who actually did live by the creed: no tricks, not gear, not drugs.
   
   Bill Owens
   Comox, BC
   Canada

5 comments about Winston Churchill (Penguin Lives).

1. Let's say you know absolutely nothing about Winston Churchill and in a few days you're about to meet the President of your company who happens to be a true blue card carrying Churchillian. How can you make an impression on this man?
   Well if I were that man, I wouldn't be reading Martin Gilbert's complete biography. Instead I would read John Keegan's Penguin version of Winston Churchill
   Keegan minces no words, he gets right to it from Winston at Harrow onto Sandhurst and his military career in India and Africa.
   Keegan goes right to the jugular in explaining the Conservative politics of Churchill onto his jumping the aisle to the other party and later his high office during World War I and after.
   He describes Winston's wilderness years and goes into detail of Churchill's leadership during World War II.
   All is described and gives the basic essence of this multi-talented man of the 20th Century.
   In keeping with the abbreviated Penguin format, I say in closing, good show. Five Stars!!



2. I've never been a big fan of Winston Churchill, but after reading esteemed historian John Keegan's succinct biography of the man, I must say that I like AND respect him just a little bit more. Keegan himself confesses that he never thought much of old Winston until he stumbled across an old recording of his speeches (in NYC of all places) and realized what a gifted and inspirational orator and leader he was. He led his beloved Britain through her darkest hours in modern history, to a victory that was anything but assured. The people seemed to genuinely love him, and his sentiment was seemingly mutual.
   
   His years as Prime Minister during WW2 are the most well known, but Churchill led an amazingly full life, and his life of public service began way back in the late 19th century. Keegan describes how the young Winston, who did poorly in school, but had an undeniable intelligence, educated himself in politics, history and the English Classics. He was a romantic who was in love with his small island nation, and he dedicated his life to it. He was a brave soldier who served in numerous wars, including WW1, and while it would be fair to say he was a little too fond of war, he was no different from the average English officer of the time in this regard. In my eyes, his major fault was his hypocrisy. It just seems hard to reconcile his staunch imperialism with his constant talk about the virtues of freedom and liberty, and how Britain was the main proponent of such things. I would have liked for Keegan to address this point a bit more, but for such a short biography, I can let it slide.
   
   I was intrigued to learn that Churchill and IRA founder Michael Collins were on friendly terms and greatly admired each other. In fact, Churchill apparently had a "gut sympathy for fighters" which is why he had more respect for the Irish and Boers of South Africa than he did for Ghandi and his passive movement in India.
   
   Anyways, the book is extremely well written and entertaining, and I found it to be an overall excellent introduction to the life of one of the most important figures of the 20th century. 4.5 stars.



3. In 1895 when his father died, the sickly and indifferent 21-year-old military cadet Winston Churchill was flat broke, the legacy of a father who was a compulsively extravagent wastrel.
   
   Lord Randolph had been syphilitic since early youth. His mother, American-born Jennie Jerome whose father was a stockbroker and part-owner of 'The New York Times', was always attracted to men other than her husband or her sons (Winston, born 1874, and John Spencer, born 1880). In modern terms, they were trailer trash; in Phoenix, Sheriff Joe would have set aside a bunk in his tent-city jail for Winston.
   
   But, instead of slums, Winston was born and brought up in Blenheim Palace, built 1704-22 and still one of the great estates of England. American ex-presidents get palatial libraries as their memorials; the British rewarded their leaders with mansions and great estates. Blenheim Palace was one of the finest, far better than the estates later awarded to Nelson and Wellington.
   
   Perhaps it was the milieu of Blenheim Palace, but Churchill matured into a man absolutely convinced of the majesty of the British virtues of patriotism, loyalty, courage and fair play. For him, being British meant manliness, courage, tenacity and ultimate moral decency. It resonated with the vigorous American spirit of Theodore Roosevelt and the beauty of the strenuous life.
   
   President George Bush is reported to keep a bust of Churchill in the Oval Office; perhaps as a reminder of the complete contrast to himself. Bush ducked the Vietnam War in the Texas Country Club Air Guard; Churchill eagerly sought war, even though he hated it.
   
   Like Ulysses S. Grant, Churchill was a gifted wordsmith instead of a stumblebum. He free-lanced as a journalist while serving as a British officer and was sometimes earning 20 times his military pay. He never stopped learning, he wanted facts, order, reason. His mother sent him crates of books while he was on duty, and he devoured them all.
   
   Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener described him as a "medal-hunter" and "self-advertiser" who was "super-precocious" and "insufferably bumptious." It was a good assessment. But, the public loved his books and even the Prince of Wales praised him. Whatever one thinks of Churchill, his career and successes are due to his own effort, intelligence, work and nerve.
   
   In brief, this is the story of a man who might well have ended up as a Soho souse, but instead became the greatest man of the past century. He did it through his own efforts, not because of Daddy's friends, money or ability to pull strings.
   
   This book defines the character of a great man.



4. Doubtless this biography is insufficient to really understand Churchill, but for those who are fairly ignorant of the man, it provides a useful quick sketch, and perhaps a jumping off point for further reading.



5. Let me make clear at the outset that I am no historian. Indeed, I wouldn't even qualify as an amateur historian. I am just your average 30-something fairly ignorant reader living a period of love for more or less recent history. Given this premise, I found this little book quite perfect for what I was looking for.
   
   This is a short, entertaining, and VERY well written biography of one of the greatest men in the 20th century. Because of the serious limits of my knowledge on the subject, I certainly cannot judge on the accuracy of the reports. However, to the best of my knowledge, the author is considered a reputable WWII historian. Indeed I liked this book so much that I also purchased his history of WWII. You can read this book in a day, and it will entertain you like a good novel, while also informing you as few novels would do.
   
   I would not pay too much attention to those reviewers that complain about this book not delving into Churchill's shortcomings as a man or as a politician. This is a very small book, about 190 small-format pages. You can hardly expect a comprehensive treatise from such a book. Also, I suspect that emphasizing Churchill's shortcomings would be like emphasizing Hitler's moments of tenderness with his lovers or with some German children during the Nazi regime. I mean, they surely happened, but it's not what you want to spend pages on, if you have only limited space to devote to the topic, isn't it? Besides, even if the Churchill that emerges from this book is certainly a truly great man, he does not emerge as a perfect great man. To me that was enough, and I am glad I read this book.
   
   I am grateful to the author, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short, beautifully written biography of this man, to whom I certainly owe something...

5 comments about Joe Rounding Third and Heading for Home.

1. I really enjoyed this book. It may not have tremendous depth but I grew up listening to Joe and Marty. They were a large part of my childhood. Reading the stories about Joe made me realize he lived up to all of my childhood expectations - a really good man who loved baseball and the Reds and shared that with me. Well worth the time.



2. I grew up watching Joe pitch. Lots of pictures in the book, but it could have been much better written. Not that much about his major league career. Mostly about his life up to making the big leagues. If you're a Reds' fan you may want to read the book, but don't make it a priority or buy the book. If you're not a Reds' fan, don't bother.



3. If you are a true Cincinnati Reds fan or even a Major League Baseball fan you must get this book. It is a biography of a baseball star. The writer didn't just write the book as he saw it he interviewed anyone and everyone that might have had contact with Joe Nuxhall throughout his life and carreer.



4. I purchased the book for a younger brother, knowing the Hamilton hometown scenes and connection would interest him. However, I couldn't put the book down. It was thrilling to hear of Joe's encounters with the Big League greats of the glory days of baseball. Greg Hoard's writing is clear and descriptive and moves you right along with it. This would be a good story if it were fiction. As a true narrative, it's fun and inspiring. It's easy to like Joe and it's easy to like this book.



5. I thought I had pretty much heard all there was to hear about Joe, but I was way wrong. This book never got old because while Joe stated the obvious, he also took care to let us in on other things that happened at the same time. Everyone knows that Joe gave up his high school elgibility to sign with the Reds at the age of 14, but how many know that he later successfully petitioned to have his elgibility returned? That he was an all around athlete at Hamilton High? That he had a sister who died as a toddler? I didn't, but now I do. The minor league stories were the highlight of the book for me, but this is a recommended read for anyone who ever tuned into a Reds game on 700 WLW during one of the stretches where Joe had decided to punctuate the action with a long moment of silence, (Do I have this tuned right, or what?) or tried to figure out what was going on when the action was coming fast. You had to grow up with it to really appreciate it. Great book.

5 comments about Camp 4: Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber.

1. Roper is no doubt biased towards Yosemite climbing, and furthermore explicitly sided in the Robbins vs. Harding ethics debate, but he recounts his stance and memory of their adventures with amazing detail. The book becomes a bit of a chronological account of ascents by the end, but there are some good stories to read before then. A must for anybody who climbs in the valley or appreciates the history of the sport.



2. If you want to understand rock climbing, this book is a must read. Roper's "Camp 4" describes where it all began. This book should be part of every climber's education. It may not be written in the most beautiful prose and some may not always agree with Roper's perspective, but this book is packed with pictures, facts, and stories - many of them exciting, often funny, and some of them tragic and sad. Reading this book has only deepened my fascination with Yosemite and climbing in general. I wish there was a follow-up that tells the story about what happenend since the "Golden Age".



3. Steve Roper is meticulous. This is an excellent history, and I feel positive and secure that Mr. Roper's records are as accurate and precise as they can possibly be of that rowdy and rambunctious world. I enjoyed reading about the historical climbers and the more social rock climbers of the '30s. Those were the days when families came, climbed a little, picnicked a lot, and a good time was had by all.

   The Golden Age of the '60s, of which Steve was a part, was a time of great improvements in equipment and methods, and also a first crack at some of the awesome spires that were heretofore thought "impossible." It was wild, giddy and reckless, adjectives I would never apply to Steve Roper. Mr. Roper is austere in his beliefs of the "purity" of the climb and who is worthy. Though he recounts a few wild escapades, I had the feeling he did not approve. His callousness toward the first Camp 4 fatality made me back up and reread. Yep, I read it right, though I'm sure he was trying to keep up the "Right Stuff" façade in the face of what must have been a great shock to an 18-year old boy. That is the problem; there are so few that Roper considers to have the Right Stuff. If they were women, they were mere appendages. If male and had the misfortune to be born after 1955, they were not pure enough.

   John Long's "Rock Jocks, Wall Rats and Hang Dogs" is devoted to Camp 4 in the '70s. John is Steve's polar opposite except in their mutual love for and expertise in rock climbing. John is wildly funny and sometimes just wild, but I had more a feeling of place when reading his book.

   As another reviewer said, "Camp 4" is a must-have for West Coast rock enthusiasts. It is considered the Bible of the Golden Age.
   -sweetmolly-Amazon.com Reviewer




4. I was a Yosemite climber in the 1970's and met a number of the major characters (Frost, Chouinard, Robbins, Harding). Steve Roper has done an incredible job of capturing the ephemeral facts and essential spirit of the climbers and times. He is frank about their weaknesses: "We were thoughtless and immature"(pg 154) and "...we were puerile youths. We had been taught the correct values at home, yet we rebelled against everything," (pg 155-6), referring to the troubles they caused in the Vally. He is honest about his own failures, both in his own character and on climbs he could not do. He is enthusiastic about the successes of the pioneers and freely gives credit to those who deserve it. Steve not only gives you facts, he gives you feelings and insights. You can't get better history than this.

   The only criticism I have is that the book ends. I could have kept reading for many more days. If you want to FEEL what it was like, buy this book. I will bet you can't read it only once.




5. This is probably the best account of the Golden Age of Yosemite climbing that has come off the presses. Very honest portrayal of the figures and players by someone who has there to see it all. Very moving, and also very humurous at times. Roper has truly captured the spirit of a long gone era for the younger generation to enjoy and look up to. Thanks.