5 comments about Chief Bender's Burden: The Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star.

1. This is the best biography I have read. It provides important details about an player important in baseball history, and also illuminates the history of many Native Americans and how they were assimilated into society in the late 19th early 20th centuries. This is one to purchase and keep.



2. A great book on an early 20th Century forgotten Baseball pitcher who is in the Hall of Fame. "Chief" Bender was one of the mainstays of those early great Philadelphia A's teams. This is a about a native American player who excelled in Major League Baseball in spite of all the racial comments, taunts and low expectations of Native Americans. There is information about his days at the Carlisle School. Tom Swift also uses the racially charged quotes from the papers of those years to demonstrate what he had to live with. His real name was Charles and like Baseball in those days everyone had a nickname some weren't too flattering like "Chief", "Rube" and "Dummy" While this is not a movie where the character has flashbacks of his past, Tom Swift starts with the 1914 World Series game 1 in which the "Chief" lost and continues to go back to that game leading off of many of the chapters of the events surrounding that game. I don't understand by discussing all the racial sterotypes on the man why then does the author keep going back to that same unsuccessful game? To me it is slamning the man all over again. If you can get past this stupid movie technique then the book is a worth while read.



3. When I saw there was a new biography of the great Chief Bender, I grabbed it up. Tom Swift has done a great service by bringing the life of Charles Bender to print. He is one of the all-time greats and should not be overlooked.
   
   Swift also lets the reader get to know the man behind the legend, and the Chief was a Hall-of-Famer in nearly every aspect of his life. His was a great man and a great pitcher. Connie Mack said that if he had to win one big game, there is no one he'd rather have on the mound. And Connie Mack saw them all, from the 1880s to the 1950s -- from Cy Young to Walter Johnson to Lefty Grove to Whitey Ford.
   
   There are a few problems with the book, which keeps it, at least in my mind, from meriting five stars. Swift begins his book with the opening game of the 1914 World Series, and then he keeps coming back to it throughout. This doesn't work for a number of reasons, especially since this is the "big game" the Chief lost (the A's were swept in the series by the "Miracle" Boston Braves). There are also occasional problems with Swift's prose. He uses sentence fragments to good effect in some cases, but in most instances, they just confuse the issue and make it seem as though he doesn't realize that a fragment is not a complete sentence. I also felt that many of his similes were weak.
   
   Lastly, a book about a baseball star should include that player's career statistics, but this Swift fails to do. I found myself going to [...] (a great web site) to view the Chief's stats.
   
   Overall, however, I enjoyed getting to know the great Charles Bender a little better.



4. Speaking as a former archivist, "Chief Bender's Burden" is an archivist's dream: well researched with an exquisitely detailed bibliographic essay, and an index! But more than that, it is a book lover's dream. It is the brilliantly written story of a unique American, "the pitcher who looked in the face of pressure and winked." Author Swift replays the Deadball Era games with the enthusiasm of a modern day radio announcer. The inclusion of Bender's quotes on page 128 and 211, and paragraph one on page 275 alone make this book a gem. More than baseball history, it is pathos and glory and inspiration.
   Beverly Hermes



5. Even if readers are not affectionados of baseball, Chief Bender's Burden offers the bonus of a sensitive glimpse into some of the realities that can be masked by America's favorite pastime. Tom Swift has a distinctive gift for weaving play by play details into a larger tapestry of human brokenness and accomplishment. His honesty and integrity are refreshingly manifested in background and research notations.

5 comments about The Bruce Lee Story.

1. I was surprised at how poor a quality the actual book was. It's large, but the paper that it was printed on just made me think how cheap it was.
   
   The content of the book was alright. It's a nice short read, but there are parts that are kind of slow.



2. The Bruce Lee story is really good! Linda Lee's book about her husband, the legendary Bruce Lee is a great biographical story! Linda Lee shares her private moments and her thoughts about the man she loved so much! Bruce Lee is the Chinese-American who would eventually become the greatest Martial Artist of all time! The photos from Linda Lee's personal collection are great! Bruce Lee is at his best when pictured on the set of his movies, like the Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Game of Death, and Enter the Dragon! I do recommend this book because Linda lee is the only person who knew Bruce lee better than anyone because she was his wife! their is no information on the death of Brandon Lee because this book was published in 1989. A+



3. Bruce Lee books or papers about him and his success are the best basis for every serious training martial artist. BL & his JKD are open minded, only truth development we can join this world.



4. Bruce Lee was an "original" no doubt..He was an innovative martial artist who created an eclectic style of Gung Fu called Jeet Kune Do, an assimilation of many fighting styles...Bruce didn't believe in systems..he always believed that if you could use something to achieve a result use it! Bruce had many followers and "famous" students..such as Steve McQueen, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Mike Stone, James Coburn and many others...Bruce would be the first to admit that he was first and foremost a martial artist...He used the movies to bring his "art" to the masses and what an impact he made! His films today are quintessential examples of what a martial arts film should be! This book by his wife Linda Lee is a beautifully written biography that offers worlds of insight into who Bruce Lee was as a person..Linda writes lovingly of their relationship and brings a history of Bruce from a baby to his death at the too young age of 32 to you..Bruce lived his life to the fullest and was not only a great martial artist but a very profound philosopher as well...This is a wonderful book and highly recommended, not only to fans of Bruce but to anyone seeking inspiration in their lives....



5. Bruce Lee. Some things the average reader will not know about this man: Bruce Lee only made four movies in his lifetime. Bruce Lee was an intellectual. Bruce Lee revolutionized the martial arts. Bruce Lee brought the martial arts to the masses.

   This book is written by Bruce Lee's wife. It is a short and loving memory to an extraordianry man who is still famous. Why exactly is a mystery. Perhaps it is the outstanding artistry Bruce Lee brought to the martial arts.

   Bruce Lee had been a child actor in Hong Kong before coming to the United States and studying at the University of Washington. Ironically, he was a philosophy major. However, Lee transformed himself into a tremendous human specimen through his physical discipline, and a intellectual regarding his sport. He introduced "the way of the moving fist," which was a new methodology in the training of martial arts. He also dared to tech the subject to non-Asians, a idea which was tremendously disturbing to many and resulted in a fistfight with a young challenger in Lee's studio in Oakland, California.

   Linda Lee comes across as a traveler who feels luck in being able to travel (for a brief while) on the road with Bruce Lee. He was convinced to move to Hollywood, where he began training stars like James Coburn, and later Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Unfortunnately, Bruce Lee had to fight racism and stereotypes. At home, his wife's family rejected him because of his Asian heritage. Hollywood rejected him because he didn't want to play the 'chop-suey' roles Hollywood routinely put forth in portraying Asians in film and television. However, a searing performance in the late 1960's on a detective show cemented his star quality,and he made some appearences on "the Green Hornet."

   Finally, he made some pictures in the Hollywood system such as "Enter the Dragon."

   Unfortunately, his most interesting and allusionary work, "The Game of Death," which was supposed to be a representation of his philophy of his art was never completed. I believe an assembled film was cobbeld together after his death, but the film was never finished. Interestingly, Kareem Abdul Jabbar played the ultimate obstacle in the movie.

   Linda Lee's book has many interesting pictures, and I think gives an interesting look at Bruce Lee's life and impact that will have even the most casual reader satisfied.

   If you are looking for lurid details, conspiracies and the like this book is not for you. Understandably, Ms. Lee does not cover the topic of Bruce Lee's supposed drug use and the unusual circumstances of his death, but what would you expect, this is a loving portrait by a woman who obviously loved Bruce Lee very much. Cheers for her!

   Interestingly, several weeks ago, I watched a Turkish film in which a charecter kept repeating the line, " I will chop them up like Bruce Lee." In a Turkish film for crying out loud.

   Obviously, Bruce Lee ahd a great impact on the world for his incredible talent which was taken from us before Bruce Lee could intepret it for the rest of us. In this way, he reminds me of Jimi Hendrix; Bruce Lee was a shooting star across the heavens.

   This is a good book, and I believe you will like it as well.

5 comments about Posh & Becks.

1. The simple introduction here would be, "Liked him but didn't like her." Of course, he has that warm, winning smile that makes him both attractive and seemingly approachable--while she favors a frowny pout that is very off-putting. (The book contains 16 pages of photographs, most of them in color.) But more importantly, he has real talent that he has worked all his life to cultivate, while her skills might be charitably described as modest and haphazardly developed. Morton makes the point that Posh has always pursued success rather than proficiency: "Victoria's supreme ambition, the goal she had had since childhood, was to be famous and admired . . . [and her] success was achieved quickly and in spite of, rather than because of, any real talent she could demonstrate." I am also not keen on promoting anorexic role models for today's youth, and there are many pages in this tome devoted to her slenderizing habits.
   
   For a change of pace (although not a sports buff), I took the time while reading this book to watch clips of David's action on the soccer field. I was amazed at what I saw, both in terms of skill but also, and unexpectedly, in terms of joy--this man loves to play! Yet he is described as "nice but dim," and his wife is a high school dropout.
   
   Morton provides his own analysis of this couple: "He seems content to be who he is, secure in his skin, a talented footballer doing what he has always wanted. On the other hand, Victoria is driven by the demons within; a woman who is at once dauntless, intrepid, and dynamic, and yet insecure, vulnerable, and needy." But they have found each other, they love their kids, and they have been successful at promoting "Brand Beckham." Maybe it will all work out in the end . . .



2. this book didn't tell me anything i didn't already know. i guess i was hoping it would go more into friendships and events these two had been involved with but it seemed to just skim over their life with the bare minimum of details. i wasted my money.



3. I have read many books this is the second time and last time I ever read a book from this author. I happen to like the Beckhams, and feel that every single public personality deserves a key word privacy. When you cannot trust your nannies, cleaning people that is really sad, especially since they are a normal couple with children that fight and have their difficulties like everyone else in the world, they are the upper 3% of the world with money, they worked hard for it and deserve every single penny if we buy into them and their branding..and strong family values.
   I am sad if David did have affairs on his wife because that is a lack of respect for her and his boys and if they even have an agreement to an open marriage it is still no ones business but their own. there is a saying men like blueberry pie, once in awhile they like a little apple but than they return to the bluebuerry pie men love history they never leave their wives!
   To Victoria if you want your fashion sense to soar like an eagle think globally not locally to size 0.,go larger bring your books sell it all and than use some of it for charity or a training school for homeless teenagers to get them off the streets.
   I would go QVC or Shopping channel with your fragrances and clothing and sunglasses the more units you sell the more you make it is simple math. Do Jewlery too and anything you can brand your name on because Beckham sells because everyone wants a piece of you it represents wealth and abundance.
   You go Beckhams and when the press hate you it is because you are doing well. No one wants your sucess it is a famous saying. Andrew Morton can you never write a book that is pleasant I challenge you to do it my gosh man you are a negative and jealous writter and no better than the thousands of papparazzi that chase these people daily for their fix!



4. Andrew Morton is presented as the something between the devil incarnate and the Brit version of Kitty Kelley but this book, Posh and Becks isn't that bad actually. In fact, it's pretty fair. He makes it clear that the whole Girl Power thing that the Spice Girls had going was actually crap. They were invented by two busnessmen and their careers were guided by their male manager. They were a business venture first and musicians second. But hey, they entertained a whole lot of people and they all got rich so who can complain?
   
   Morton says that the Adams/Beckham wedding was tacky. Well, that's a mater of opinion but the pictures of the wedding did provoke more derisive laughter than envy in most people who commented publicly.
   
   Morton presents Beckham as a nice guy who let's his wife make the decisions... that could said for most happily married men. Morton also brings up a few alleged affairs but he makes it clear that the women involved all told their stories to the media so their actions have to be suspect.
   
   As for Victoria Beckham herself, Morton spent less time talking about her relationships before Beckham than she did in her own book. She complains bitterly about Morton in her book but all in all, Posh and Becks isn't a hatchet job and seemed rather mild to me. Pity about Beckham's soccer career though.



5. Morton must receive his praise for putting together all the dirt there was on Posh and Becks. Is it morally wrong? By no means. Instead of digging through old glossy magazines you can check one book with a glossy cover.
   One question which this book fails to answer is how a player who is apparently past his prime and a girl who never was a good singer could become and continue to be such celebrities world-wide. But this is not a question which has anything to do with this charming couple but with us.

5 comments about The Earth is Enough.

1. This is an unfortunate book. Based on reviews and the very interesting/ moving author bio I had big hopes for this one and it fell short. Middleton is clearly a gifted word-master; however, he fails to present a cohesive novel. The book is billed as both quality nature writing and literature, but in reality it exists in the undefined and, thus, unfortunate space between the two. That is, it falls short of, say, Rachel Carson's social portent, but also of the graceful emotive power of Maclean or Hemingway (both of whom also base novels around fly fishing, for whatever that is worth). Let it be said also that this book succumbs to the most consistent flaw of nature writing--it is often effusive. If you just want to read an account of the good ol' days in the rural south where life consisted of witticisms and outdoor activities, then go for it; otherwise, keep looking.



2. I finished up The Earth is Enough last night. It left me feeling both sad and at peace. It's a book that's in the niche genre along with the Travers Corners Books in that it's not a pure fly fishing book like a collection of Gierach essays but it's built around a type of fly fishing philosophy and a current of fly fishing is in every part of the book. Like Travers Corners it is also based on a true account with the names of the people and places changed. The author Henry Middleton has a beautifully rich style of writing. This is a story of a child who is sent to live with his eccentric grandfather, great uncle and crazy Indian (Elias Wonder). Their down to earth philosophy runs counter to the wordly progress that the other residents of the town seek. The philosophy of the grandfather and uncle has a beautiful and compelling simplicity that will leave you questioning who we relate to the world.



3. I picked up a paperback copy of this book on the eve of my daughter's wedding. It was to be something to occupy my mind in between the things that Bride's fathers are required to do before and after the hectic push and pull of a wedding; In the first few chapters I was immediately overcome by the book's characters.
   
   The book reached out to me. Reached into my heart and soul. I related to the childhood loss of a friend, being sent off to be raised (for a time) by my grandparents and meeting odd but colorful old sportsmen who baffled me with their dry wit and country philosophies of life. Although I went through these experiences in Northwestern Connecticut, I could appreciate the descriptions that Harry Middleton provided of the farm, the steam, the fields and woods in which Emerson and Albert molded his young mind.
   
   Although I do not believe this book to be a "flyfishing" book I do believe that one must have experienced the individual early development of the craft to appreciate the words in which Middleton describes his introduction, and early education in flyfishing.
   
   He handles well the loss of his elder mentors, a fact that many of us older sportsman had to deal with and still recall now and then. Upon finishing the book, I realized that had gone through an emotional journey. While reading Middleton's words, I recalled old memories - happy and sad - and when I set the book down I was glad that I had made the choice of this read at this point in my life. It was good to go back in time again, it makes me appreciate all the more what the future will bring.
   
   A must read for an older sportsman!!!!!



4. Five stars is a modest rating, it deserves ten. This book is what life is all about- simplicity, devotion, respect, and love for those things the earth has given these two old men. Being from this same Ozark mountain area, I have known men like these. It drew me back in time when I was youthful and the simple old men who impacted my life. Thank you Harry Middleton for a journey down memory lane.



5. I read a lot - probably 3 - 5 books a week and this has to be in the top three books I've come across.
   
   I have bought this as a gift for people not interested in fishing, confident that the style and characterization will carry it through. I have yet to be wrong!
   
   Sam

5 comments about Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot: The Life and Times of a Sportscaster Dad.

1. I am only halfway through reading this book, however I am surprised at how little Greenie talks about sports and how much he describes his experiences with his wife, child, and family...and I actually don't mind it! For those guys who prefer reading auto-bios on Dick Butkus' punishing style of football play, this may not be the book for you. What makes this a good book is that it actually appeals to both men and women, as I have been sharing excerpts from the book with my wife because Greenie's opinions and experiences sometimes relate to our own lives! I recommend this book...it's not a Pulitzer-caliber book, but worth reading nonetheless.



2. Confession: I'm a sports radio junkie. Not being a cable-TV subscriber, I rely on sport-talk radio to slake my thirst for football news. So when Mike Greenberg, the self-described metro-sexual half of ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" show, released his first book "Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot" I took notice. And when it quickly charted on the New York Times best sellers list, I rushed to the local bookstore to get a copy of my own.
   
   I wasn't disappointed. With his impeccably-timed, deprecating humor and wit, Greenberg makes reading his memoirs an entertaining and enjoyable experience. The story of how becoming a father forced him to reconsider his priorities as a professional, a sports fan, and now a dad. Greenberg weaves a fantastic story and allows the reader to full access to his foiliables and his at-times narcissistic tendencies.
   
   WHY MY WIFE THINKS I'M AN IDIOT is presented to us as Mike's personal journal to aid his therapy sessions. However, book is equal parts journal, memoir, and stand-up comic routine. Mike presents himself as an everyman--a sports enthusiast, a dad and a husband. And for the most part, Mike connects. He struggles to meet his wife's emotional needs, change his daughter's diapers, and somehow squeezes in time to watch a golf tournament on TV.
   
   Unfortunately, Mike occasionally breaks the "everyman" illusion and reminds us that he is really a multimillionaire part of the entertainment elite. For instance, when he discusses how his infant's runny nose destroyed a $600 sweater (yes, that SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS for a shag of cloth to cover his upper torso!) or when his wife catches him ogling Ellie McPherson trying on blue jeans at a high-end department store (honestly, when was the last time you went shopping with a supermodel?). It's almost as if he can't help but let the reader know he's "arrived," and in those moments the book loses some of its luster.
   
   Still, in spite of those momentary breaks from being a regular guy, Mike Greenberg paints a captivating picture of his experience as a modern male. He's desperately in love with his wife, but continually finds himself frustrating her (a section about his wife's disapproval of the way he handled his best friend's marital crisis is with the price of the book alone!). Entering an NBA locker room to get the interview doesn't faze our hero; but managing his child's play date while his wife is away is a monumental task.
   
   And, at its core, WHY MY WIFE THINKS I'M AN IDIOT is a book about life's purpose. Mike Greenberg struggles with significance of his life's work--sports casting--as he contrasts it with the wonders of parenting. He honestly struggles with the questions whether or not his work matters, and what's truly important. It's these questions that give the book its tenderness and poignancy between the side-stitching one-liners.



3. I bought this book for my nonreader husband. He loved it and quoted from it so much that I had to read it for myself. Mike is fun, lighthearted, and says everything that everyone else is thinking, but never say. He is refreshingly honest. We couldn't put the book down. This is a must read for newly weds, new parents, sports fans, or any woman who thinks her husband is an idiot!



4. This book was excellent. I acctually bought it on kind of an impulse buy, but when I got it I couldn't put it down. Finished it in about 2 days. Never gets boring. Inspirational for someone like me who wants to go into sports broadcasting. The stories where he talks about meeting starts such as Michael Jordan will leave you in awe and you can acctually relate to his everyday stories with his family(just funny as hell). One of the best books I've read in a while. His personality on his radio show matches exactly to what is in the book and if you love sports and lots of stories, you'll love this book.



5. I've listened to Mike and Mike a lot over the past few years and very much enjoy their program. This book is a quick little insight into the life of Greeny and the format make the book a very quick read (I completed the whole thing on a round trip flight from Hartford, CT to Washington, D.C.). I think the overriding theme of dealing with being a minor celebrity and what it took to get to that point made it quite interesting and in the end I would recommend it for anyone looking for a pseudo-sports book without getting into a lot of technical aspects.

1 comments about My Life and the Beautiful Game: The Autobiography of Soccer's Greatest Star.

1. Pele is a soccer legend. Even those who don't know the sport, know Pele. This autobiography is a terrific read. You really feel Pele's enthusiasm for soccer, as the writing is so passionate, that you can't help appreciating one of the world's most popular sports.

5 comments about Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics.

1. This is really a fine histury of the 1936 Olympics in addition to a review of Jesse Owens career leading to the Olympics. This should be required reading for all of the current sports writers and editors. it should be read especially by those that thought that Clay was even close to being the outstanding athlete of the century. It would be a five star book if the author hadn't inserted some of his personal biasis.



2. We ordered this work for our grandson who was doing a school project on Owens. The text captured his interest and proved a helpful source for his sixth grade research project.



3. Here we have a mostly victorious investigation into Jesse Owens' historic performance at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's Germany. The story is hugely inspiring and all readers will become fans of Owens for both his athletic prowess and his personal qualities. Jeremy Schaap untangles the pervasive racial politics surrounding this historical episode, as both the Americans and Germans badly over-interpreted and exploited (in many different ways) the presence of Owens and his black teammates at the Olympic games that Hitler tried to turn into a showcase for his regime's hateful ideas of Aryan superiority. Schaap also untangles the legends of Hitler's apparent refusal to personally meet with Owens, which may have been a more complex situation than the simplistic racial snub that historians have assumed in the decades since.
   
   But despite the inspiration offered by Owens and the exciting coverage of his many victories, this book suffers from some serious underlying problems. Most important is Schaap's use of invented dialogue and fanciful constructions of inner thoughts. The Notes section proves Schaap's diligent and frequent use of authentic sources for real historical events and occasional direct quotes, but citations are suspiciously rare for conversations between the persons covered and their supposed inner decision making. One especially worrisome example is the episode in which Owens decided not to show his coach a telegram he had received from the NAACP, in which Schaap gives no sources for Jesse's internal thoughts as presented in the book. Meanwhile, Schaap apparently couldn't decide if the book should be a biography of Owens or a historical account of the 1936 Olympics, leading to an inconsistent timeline, tiresome tangents into related events (like the petty parliamentary struggles surrounding an American movement to boycott the Games), and gaps in the thematic explorations of Owens' true influence on the issues of his day and on the future of sports. Regardless, Jesse Owens shines through for the reader, but Schaap's inability to avoid some of the weaknesses of standard sports reporting leaves the reader wanting more of the man who made history. [~doomsdayer520~]



4. Take a trip back to the days of World War II in this historical account of Jesse Owens and his trip to the Berlin Olympics.



5. Very good history lesson. The book flows well and gives a good account of what America and the world was like during Mr. Owen's life. Would encourage the reading of Triumph

3 comments about The Death of Marco Pantani: A Biography.

1. Rendell does a good job of chronicling the young Pantini and the promise he showed in his early races. He also details his family life and the seeds for his later emotional issues. Rendell works analytically and steps through the events related to Marco's medical evidence of doping, his mental and social issues, and his eventual death. I have read other reviews in which readers expressed disappointment that Pantani's pro racing victories are not highlighted more in the book. I think the title explains Rendell's focus and as long as the reader in interested in learning more about Pantani as a man in addition to a cycling champion, I think this is a very good read.



2. First off, this is a good book, but it depends what you want out of it. Maybe I just prefer the cycling writings of John Wilcockson. For me, I like something like "23 Days in July" about the ups and downs, real life of a bike racer so that I feel like I am living it. This is the 3rd of the 3 Pantani books I have read and what I can say about it is; if you want to dig very deep into whether or not the guy "doped" than this is for you. If you want a book that really celebrates the champion's accoplishments balanced with what brought him down, without a ton of science thrown in, then I would recommend "Marco Pantani: The Legend of a Tragic Champion" as the best of the 3 books out there. Rendell's book is tied for second with Ronchi's overall. Ronchi's book really sheds more light onto his personal life and is also worth the read.
   
   All good books, but I am on my second read of "tragic champion" and it probably won't be my last.
   
   Overall, I feel Rendell thought Pantini was guilty of cheating and he made a point of proving it, which he did. Problem is, it was proven in heavy detail and took up too much of the book.



3. I struggled through this chronicling of Pantani's storied career. The author detailed every one of Pantani's races while he was a teenager then barely mentioned his early Tours de France. If I could stand more Pantani trivia, I'd buy the other two biographies to compare them with this. A disappointment.

5 comments about Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride.

1. Annie Kopchovshy decided to ride around the world on a bike. So she changed her name to Annie Londonderry, conned half the planet in helping her ride around the world, mostly on trains and steamboats, and made money while doing it. An interesting story? Why, yes. An amazing woman? Yes. Smart? Yes. Amoral? Sure. A con artist? Yes. Did she lie and cheat and act self centered? Yes. Did she leave behind her husband and kids during her travels? Yes.
   Interesting, daring, and a great piece of history.



2. Instead of running to buy this book, bicycle there! I could not stop reading the story, and finished it over the weekend based upon my father's enthusiastic recommendation. What an amazing true story Peter Z. has discovered, digging from his family tree. This would make a blockbuster movie. It would secure at least an oscar nomination for the lucky actress who gets the role of Annie Londonberry, perhaps someone such as Natalie Portman?
   Mr. Zheutlin is an erudite story teller and I can't wait to read his next book.
   R. Bornstein, Ft Lauderdale, FL



3. "Around the World on Two Wheels" is the fascinating and highly amusing tale of how Annie Kopchovsky, a Jewish immigrant and mother of three living in Boston in the 1890s, singlehandedly reinvented herself as "Annie Londonderry," the subject of a high stakes wager over whether it was possible for a woman to cycle around the world. While the wager and much of Annie's recollection of her journey is apocryphal, she did succeed in circling the globe, all the time spinning fantastic travel tales to willing and gullible newspapermen.
   
   Zheutlin has done a marvelous job in researching the tale of Annie, a distant relative, and also in separating the facts from the many fictions she put forward. He also puts Annie's groundbreaking journey in the proper historical/societal context.
   
   A great read that will appeal to a large cross section of readers.



4. An extraordinary story! Peter Zheutlin, a descendant of Annie Londonderry's brother, has researched and written her incredible adventure. With all her claims, her outrageous self-promotion, her character flaws, Annie Londonderry has emerged again as one of modern women's most outstanding pioneers and role models. Her story--and this book--is inspiring, fun, and memorable. It is a stiring tale of one woman's incredible adventure, a provocative and thoughtful example of women's suffrage, and a tale of the Old West rarely investigated today. It is not only a must read, but a must have.



5. This true story of Annie (Kopchovsky)Londonderry is an exhilarating and fascinating romp through history with a companion the reader can't help but admire for her gumption, cleverness, and determination.
   
   Annie was the first woman to ride her bicycle around the world, possibly as part of a contest. It's just as likely, however, that she fabricated an excuse to travel because she felt claustrophobic, trapped within the societal constraints placed on women during the Victorian era. The author, Peter Zheutlin, writes Annie's story with tenderness (he's a descendent of Annie's, but I suspect he would do so regardless), yet also with appropriate skepticism and rich historical detail. (Read the endnotes!)
   
   While following in the wake of her fierce independence and almost reckless energy, the reader also explores the impact Annie's journey had on the advancement of women's rights, as well as uncomfortable questions it posed about traditional roles - including her own role as wife and mother.
   
   I'm recommending "Around the World on Two Wheels" for my book club selection next month. We'll have plenty of issues to discuss, and we'll get to do so in the company of one incredibly memorable character -- Annie Londonderry.

5 comments about Angry White Pyjamas: A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons From The Tokyo Riot Police.

1. Eye-opening. What the Japanese police practice seems more like Aikijutsu. The author and his gaijin classmates really deserve kudos for having stuck it out for the entire course.



2. This is a valuable book. Most books written about Martial Arts study are technique-centric, myth inspired anecdotes (usually third-hand legends) or philosophical contemplations of a self-styled modern-day samurai.
   
   Sprinkled throughout with the characteristically dry British humour, Twigger takes us on a very transparent personal account of his experience in Japan, as a young man in search of identity, masculinity, and adventure. It is then no surprise to learn he finds himself alongside others with similar aspirations, except, he finds the courage to join a 1-year gruelling course in elite Yoshinkan Aikido training. His ambition is rewarded, and as students, we can find re-assurance in the reality chronicled in this story.
   
   Twiggers personal accounts of his survival through an acceptance of: pain overcome by endurance, fear overcome by conditioning and fixation overcome by principle and finally, mastery attained by practice are all valid observations. It is good to see that someone has finally shown a degree of personal honesty in spelling this out. Most often, the candor on frustration, personal misgivings about effectiveness, anger etc. are not reflected by those who practice or aspire to master Aikido, their ego won't allow for this. Aikido, is not an art you can learn casually or quickly, most lessons come by way of painful failure and routine torture.
   
   This account of training most closely matches what I have learned of pre-war (WW2) training with the founder. One personal gripe that I have is related to the author's second-hand accounts related to the founder Morihei Ueshiba. If he finds speculation on marital fidelities and practices to increase sexual ki amusing, he should keep this to himself as it is shameful to insult someone in this manner, publicly and without basis. I respect that this is a memoir, and no doubt an artifact meant to amuse himself and others, however this added nothing to the story for me.
   
   I find the authors irreverance towards Japanese culture unique as well. In some ways I am glad he wasn't simply sipping the same Kool-Aid found in Japanophile dojo's. I think this adds to the authenticity.
   
   Last, I'm glad that the author spared us the non-sensical psuedo religious/mystical rants that many unfortunately spout about Aikido. Do your homework. The great masters of Aikido were flawed human beings, many of not most of them loved to fight and learned this art not in search of enlightenment, but because they needed to learn how to handle multiple attackers.



3. This book is hands down the best autobiographical material available on training in Asian martial arts. I love martial arts as both practice and history. I train in shotokan karate and am widely read in a variety of martial arts and in general Japanese history. I believe in honoring hierarchy and preserving tradition. But the, frankly, willful ignorance of the critical reviews here I have no respect for. Twigger's book is not only outstanding as literature, it is exceptionally non-judgemental. People who confuse personal observations and opinions as some kind of objective slander have simply fallen into the cult-like group-think displayed by so many western practitioners of Asian martial arts. It's pathetic, really.
   
   I guarantee you that if you are desperate for a work that combines real martial arts with real literature, this is the best and perhaps only book available to you.



4. This book gives me inspiration to continue practicing Aikido.
   The one of the best line in the book that I have read is:
   "The Japanese were more light hearted. For them aikido was a lifetime occupation; if you were too intense you wouldn't last it out".
   Aikido is a different martial arts. You think you knew something then suddenly you will realize that you haven't learn that much.
   And you still suck at it.
   Every time that this happens, I grab this book and just re-read it again.
   I have already read the book at least 5 times. And every time
   it gives me an energy to continue practicing this art of PEACE.



5. I've lived in Japan for 4 years now and sprained my knee in the dojo Robert writes about...if that's some badge of expertise. He gets a lot right in this book ... and maybe that's the problem. Just like the movie "Lost in Translation", he shares his unique views of a complicated nation. At one point, he even seems to admit the difficulty outsiders have when looking at Japan. Yet, that didn't seem to slow up his stereotyping.
   
   He denounces Japanese food, an amusing thing from a Brit. I've seen little evidence of English competency in cooking, yet the world seems enamoured with Japanese food.
   
   He knows two SGI folks in in his apartment complex - that relegates a very high-profile, worldwide organization (one with obvious flaws and great assets)to cult status. He never seems to get to the point of Yoshinkan Aikido - or did I miss it in his negativity. Yoshikan teaches the basics of Aikido better than anyone else. Whether you stay with them or not, you can learn so much from these folks.
   
   After reading the book, I'm lost at why someone with so much disdain for Japan was here. If Robert had lived in better circumstances, I'm sure his views of Japan would have been more positive. But, if Japan was half as screwed up as he claims, why be here?
   
   Again, there is merit in the book. Anyone considering practicing martial arts in Japan should read it first. Just remember - it's not a bible but an opinion. And, lesson number two, try to have another way to get by other than teaching English.
   
   Bryant