5 comments about Invincible: My Journey from Fan to NFL Team Captain.

1. Great book about a super guy! Easy to read & very inspirational. I highly recommend this book for anyone intersted in the human struggle to be on top - it's not just about the money or the fame, it's about life & winning as a human being, not a sports super star.



2. Pick this book up over the movie, it is much better. The movie didn't cover the entire story. Mr. Papale tells his story in the way it should. He is very upfront and totally honest with his entire story. I've recommended this book to so many. It is definitely an inspiring story full of determination that will have you looking at your own life. A great hometown hero story.



3. I enjoyed reading Invincible and thought the book was great. I watched the movie when it came out and as usual the book was alot better than the movie. I would recommend this book to any football fans.



4. Vincee and I first got together at the end of my right knee. We were on opposite sides in Pee Wee football. This story is in the book. The only thing faster than this read is Vincee on the football field or on the track. If you don't come away with a tear in your eye, your not normal. I've know Vincee since we were 11 or 12. But this book reveals the inner guy I never knew. I saw the Movie in Philly and we all stood and clapped. It's been 30 years since that great summer of '76 and it feels like yesterday that I watched Vincee play his first Pre-Season game as an Eagle. To top off that great event it was right here in Canton Ohio (my new adopted town). I just about had a heart attack when I read the program and found the name Vince Papale. Now go out and get this great book. Mike Paynter



5. I certainly enjoyed reading Invincible. However, my opinion may be bias. You see, I grew up with Vince Papale in Glenolden, PA. We lived about three blocks apart and went to the same schools. I was two years ahead of Vince. My sister and Vince's sister were best friends. I knew almost everyone and everyplace mentioned in the book. Although I didn't see Vince after high school, I followed his career with the Philadelphia Bell, Philadelphia Eagles, and TV sport casting years. Interestingly enough, the owner of the Philadelphia Bell was the star halfback on our high school football team. If you are looking for an inspirational story about a local boy overcoming many obstacles to become a professional football player, this book is for you. Unlike some similar stories (Rocky), this one is true!

5 comments about An Act of State: The Execution of Martin Luther King.

1. This reviewer is an avowed conspiracy/cover-up supporter regarding the 1960s assassinations of JKK, RFK and Martin Luther King. He welcomed the opportunity to learn more of the MLK murder. Author Pepper's voice rings loud and clear: "James Earl Ray did not shoot Dr. King!" Unfortunately, in buttressing that statement, author Pepper over examines the evidence and overstates his case. Pepper tries to be thorough but succeeds only in being repetitive to the point of confusion. MLK's opposition to the Vietnam War and proposal of a Poor People's Campaign had angered too many powerful people who wanted him eliminated. It is totally unclear who those individuals might have been. Mysteriously one name that does emerge is that of New Orleans Mafia Boss Carlos Marcello, just as it also does, on the fringe of the JFK hit. The bottom line is that while Mr. Pepper may be a superior lawyer, he has failings as a writer of long and detailed prose. To his credit, Chapter 9 does attempt to marshal the supporting facts in one place-one ray of sunshine where more light is needed. An interesting sidebar to "An Act of State" is Pepper's unabashed skewering of Gerald Posner. GP is the Establishment's point guard in debunking any conspiracy theories, be they related to MLK or JFK. Pepper goes after Posner with a vengeance that can only emerge from the deepest sincerity. The final word here is that "An Act of State" is too important to NOT rate 5 stars. Potential readers are urged to focus on Pepper's efforts and not his results. Mainstream media (what a great term!) has ignored the MLK hit. We should be grateful that the William Peppers of the world have the intestinal fortitude to investigate and publicize periods of our history that many would just as soon ignore.



2. I rode once in a pickup truck associated with a black college professor running for a city council seat, which was soot blackened because it had been fire bombed. That was in the early 1980s in a progressive university town. The threat of violence in reaction to political activism is not academic. It is out there and it is real.
   
   It is chilling that one of Peppers' interviewees matter of factly states that he thinks the book will be buried, so his testimony can just be part of a record without his drawing consequence from providing it. The mainstream media certainly does bury stories that don't fit an establishment narrative. That they have done so in this case shall be a stain on the Fourth Estate for all time.
   
   This is an important work. Every citizen should read this, and it should be taught in all the schools along with material on who King was. One of the things that Pepper does best, in addition to show a lot of persistence in seeking evidence, is reflect on King's value as one of America's leading thinkers of all time.
   
   Given the state of the world, King's moral force is no less and his call to action to bring America back to its original vision still rings out like the echoing of the Liberty Bell.
   
   I think that Pepper's work brings a lot of implications that need to be seriously addressed, especially since there might be some sort of connections or parallels to the JFK and RFK assassinations. What does this mean for any attempt to gain power for a more progressive vision of America in the future? What can we do to make sure our civil processes are not to be trumped by those with a will to do violence in response?



3. William Pepper's exhaustive research could be better served-- An Act of State meanders in and out of consciousness with a loose structure and story line--it's confuing. There are seemingly several relevant and compelling theories layed out on King's murder but the book is so convoluted it is sometimes difficult to follow Pepper's aruguments or thesis if there is one. Lloyed Jowers, the centeral figure at the heart of the conspiracy surrounding King's murder (According to Pepper) is presented as a relativley one dimensional character? With so much riding on Jower's involvement the reader begs to know more about the credibility and character of the man who came out of the shadows and pronounced to the world a mass conspiracy of murder involving the New Orleans Mob (they always get blamed--think JFK) the FBI & Hoover, and the local MPD. One missing componenet in all Pepper's research is Hoover's motive--Hoover no doubt despised King, spied on him and thought him a hypocrite but why would he want to Marytr him by having him killed?? These are not stupid people, Hoover must of known King would be canonized if he was murdered and naturally Hoover would be subject of hate as being such a public adversary--Pepper brings forth the theory of "Raul" the gun runner and hired assasin--perhaps the most intriguing charcter...Overall worth reading--labor intensive--Something happened down in Memphis on April 4th in the shadows of the Lorraine and downtown but by reading this book-- Pepper and everyone else are none the wiser.



4. An excellent book, William Pepper's An Act of State can be read alongside Waldron and Hartmann's Ultimate Sacrifice, the best available book on the murder of JFK. The links between these two "hits" are particularly intriguing.



5. This book is written by an English lawyer, who comes to these events with an analytical eye. He compiles evidence, and draws conclusions based on the evidence. The resulting portrait is not flattering to the US government. The evidence he cites points to apparantly rogue elements of the FBI and intelligence services actively involved in plotting and cover-up of the assasination attempt. This book deserves a film or investigation of its own, as it reverses the commonly-held view that a lone gunman succeeded in the assasination attempt. Taken in context with later relevations of J.Edgar Hoover's abuses of power, spying on US citizens, the Nixon Enemies list, The Pentagon Papers, the growing power of the mob over political figures, and the insidious intersection of the drug trade with the arms trade and politics, this book shows a way that institutionalized violence by elements of the US government can undercut the democratic process.
   Students of English repression of the Irish, Indian colonies, double-dealing in Egypt and the Middle-East, and so on, will recognize the symptoms of absolute power corrupting absolutely. If the evidence in this book were demonstrated with the modern techniques of 3-dimensional (3-D) animation used in modern courtroom investigation, it would be even more convincing. As a sidenote, fans of the distinguished journalist Earl Caldwell will note how his eyewitness testimony (along with that of others) was ignored or contorted to the detriment of the evidence. If DNA analysis were available at the time this book was written, it is quite possible that the level of proof would be even more conclusive. This book, even at this late date, argues convincingly that the MLK investigation was absolutely inadequate. A potential remedy would be independent investigating commissions, perhaps under the aegis of the UN's Human Rights Commission. Modern investigations are failing to protect democracy and human rights; indeed, they are becoming part of the problem. An issue for schools of science to advance seriously, for the common good.

5 comments about Benoit: Wrestling with the Horror That Destroyed a Family and Crippled a Sport.

1. I think it speaks volumes that this book was released less than six months after the tragic events that occurred in June of 2007. First of all, this book was hastily written which always results in facts not being thuroughly confirmed. Secondly (and most importantly), it was written so quickly for nothing more than financial gain. It's sad that a murder/suicide that left a family confused and hurting has now been turned into a pay day for opportunistic journalists who no doubt are NOT a credit to their profession.
   Don't waste your time reading this. Anyone who has read it has assuredly spent more time on the task than the writers did on checking their facts and treating these events with the care and consideration that they should have.



2. I bought this and Chris Jeicho's book the same week. A lions tale blows this away,, im not even sure i learned one new thing in this "breaking new" book that the observer or the torch didnt report a long time ago.
   
   Save your money....on this one



3. know this - Chris Benoit's brain has been analyzed and it showed severe brain damage in all areas of the brain, even into the brain stem itself, due to trauma suffered in the ring over the years. He gave his life to the sport we all love so well, and the brain damage that resulted is what caused him to lose control and commit the terrible acts on that day. The doctor's reported that Benoit's brain resembled that of an 80-year old Alzheimer's patient. But no, they didn't report THAT on all the news programs, now did they? YES, what he did was horrible - but now we truly know WHY he did it, and that he did NOT have full control of his mental faculties. I have been a healthcare worker for over 8 years, and I am experienced in working with mental illness... and that's exactly what this was.
   
   Just buy the "Hard Knocks" DVD and remember Chris for the man he was through out his life.



4. I was disappointed with this book. It would of been ok if it was just one person writing it. It seems that they kept telling the same things over and over. Everyone would of known this part of Chris Benoit's wrestling career if they watched his wrestling dvd Hard Knocks. As for the murder/suicide they basically just stated what was said on tv instead of doing any kind of investigating reporting. I really thought that it was more of a angle into Chris Benoit's history, but it really wasn't.



5. I have never been a Chris Benoit fan but over the years I grew to gain respect for him for his great wrestling abillity.
   It is a shame that his 10+ year legacy was tarnished by his last three days alive.
   This book puts Benoits life into perspective and takes us from his early wrestling days in Japan, to the night that changed the Wrestling industry as we know it.
   The book also features several chapters on Daniel,and Nancy Benoit (Woman).
   This book is a Un-Bias look at the tarnished career of arguably the greatest Wrestler of this generation.
   It is a Intresting read that shows you the life of the Chris benoit who loved his family and was on a soul searching journey after the death of his best friend Eddie Guerrero.
   
   I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man.

1. I am glad I bought this book. Not only did I learn some cool boxing history I also learned some ways to look at life. Watch out for the mob in this one. Harsh growings up for Atlas and his brother. I always knew Tyson was a jerk and he is lucky Atlas did not kill him.... so is Atlas.
   I would love to learn some boxing from this guy..he's the best!



2. I am a big boxing fan and have read a lot of boxing books but Teddy's book is the best I have yet to read. Every chapter is full of Teddy's experiances with boxers and life. He pulls no punches (no pun intended) in his story and I learned things about fighters I never realized. The biggest being the fact that Michael Moorer was a real head case. This book is a must read for any fans of boxing. Great job Teddy.
   
   Tony



3. I am only half way through this book and it is amazing thus far. Teddy Atlas is a testimate to true integrity. He has his flaws, as we all do. Yet it is Atlas's struggle to stay true to his values and beliefs that will inspire you to be a better person. It is also very entertaining, his stories will amaze, astound, inspire, and make you laugh. A must have for any boxing fan!!!



4. Candid, stunning, amazing. Those who listen to Teddy Atlas are forever wrapped up in his passion for life and boxing. More than a boxing book, this is the true story of how to become a man. Mr. Atlas' candor and straight talk leave little to the imagination. Others talk tough, Teddy Atlas is tough. He doesn't try to hide his own misdeeds, he presents them in the context of reality. Anyone who reads this books is instantly indebted to Mr. Atlas for his wisdom.



5. I like Teddy Atlas. I like to listen to him analyze a fight. I like that he held a gun to Mike Tyson's head and later walked away from him even though he knew that nutjob could make him millions. I like the whole idea of Teddy Atlas. I didn't like the book though.
   
   If I had to read one more story about Teddy beating the b'jesus out of a guy, or better yet, out of a group of guys, I think I would have lost my lunch right into the book. His hands must be sore to this day from all the beatdowns he administered. Take it easy there Francis. Where do you bury your dead? If you were that tough you wouldn't have brought the gun along when you went to see Tyson.
   
   He doesn't come across that way on television, so I was very surprised, but to me the tone of the book was such that as I was reading I was afraid he was gonna come through the pages and catch me with a right cross if my mind wandered.

5 comments about John Force: The Straight Story of Drag Racing's 300-MPH Superstar.

1. This is truly a great book to have if you are a true John Force fan.



2. this was a gift for my brother-in-law...he enjoyed it tremedously...would recommend it to anyone who loves drag racing



3. Excellent book. A true "everyman story", someone who started out as a nobody and became one of the most famous auto racers in history, and never forgot his roots. His is probably the most down to earth famous person on the planet. A true inspiration to anyone who has ever had a
   dream. A true class act.



4. John Force has been my favorite professional driver for years. I was happy to see this book being packaged with Season I of Driving Force. Both the book and dvd were great. I'm hoping to see John win a couple more years before he decides to hand the reins over to Ashley and the rest of the Force Team. Ashley is going to live up to her family name and be another "Force" to be dealt with.



5. A great read, very informative with some awesome photos included.
   A great addition to my NHRA collection!

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.

2 comments about Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson.

1. A quick and engaging book for anyone interested in professional cycling and a historical perspective on one of the most impactful events of TDF history. Written without judgement and very matter of fact regarding drug use and how the "wink and a nod" attitude about it was so pervasive in the early 1960's cycling scene.



2. As a bike-mad teenager growing up in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Tom Simpson was the closest thing to a childhood hero that I had. His racing exploits used to make the headlines in the local paper, and I went to the cinema to see the Movietone News reports of his Classic wins in Europe. On a gas-pipe special bike that was far too big for me I tore around the lanes thinking that I was almost as fast as Tom. Along with thousands of other naive bike racing fans I stood out in the rain the day he was buried in Harworth, and cried, and did not understand.

   I read all the books and articles subsequently written about Tom, watched all the programs and videos, and over the years have been left with a cardboard-cutout impression of a talented, ambitious athlete who just tried too hard. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, after all, a man's reach should exceed his grasp. Now William Fotheringham's new book has added a whole new dimension to that flat cardboard cutout, and put real flesh and blood on the dry bones of Tom's story. Far more than a seedy drugs expose, the book puts the many aspects of Tom's character and the various pressures on him in his chosen career into perspective, and into the context of his life and untimely death. There is neither commendation nor condemnation of Tom, but he emerges from this book, as from no other book, as a real person, a real character, a real "lad".

   I am now in my second childhood, and Tom is still my hero, and tears still come to my eyes when I think about him, but now I do believe I finally understand.

5 comments about The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey.

1. This beautiful summary of Ali's life is not just a gift to his kids but to all of America as well. In his own simple words, Ali shares with us his greatest triumphs and his worse agonies. It is all done with the same Ali, verve, upbeat spirit, and of course with smatterings of his homespun poetry. It is a superb collection of wisdom and witticisms that greatly enriches all who read them. The arc of the amplitude of his life is breathtakingly wide in scope. And I am fortunate in having had the good luck to have met him on three different occasions, and to have been touched by his style, grace and confidence on many others. All have been memorable experiences for me personally.
   
   Some of the things he shares in this short volume come as a surprise even to me, one who kept up with his career almost religiously. For instance, I never knew that the Nation of Islam was against his refusal to go to Vietnam, and that he was expelled from the sect as a result of it? Nor did I know that he was refused a seat in a Louisville restaurant in 1960 while holding both the key to the city and while wearing his Olympic Gold Medal? Nor did I even know that he had actually denounced Malcolm X and "sided" with Elijah Muhammad in the feud between his two spiritual leaders: the feud that ended in Malcolm's death? Nor did I know that he was a Sunni Moslem? Or that he had thrown his Olympic Gold Medal into the Ohio River?
   
   Although the book only reflects it indirectly, Ali is proof, that, whether black or white, we are all still part of the "American racial holocaust": A part of the Big American racial lie. The truths that Ali could not reveal directly in this book is common knowledge to all the world, that:
   
   America hated Ali the same way it hated Dr. Martin Luther King, not for his arrogance, nor for his refusal to go to the war, but for being a proud black warrior in a "white only world." And then he used his pride and his boxing skills to take over the stage of America's drama of heroism, formerly reserved for white males only (or occasionally for others designated American "sanctioned Heroes," of which Ali clearly was not one). America's highly touted religion freedoms ceased to apply when this "proud black warrior" at center stage in the American drama, where he was not supposed to be, chose to exercise that freedom to, first become a Muslim, and then to refuse to go to war to kill others at the U.S. behest.
   
   For exercising his religious freedom in these two ways, many interpreted both of his actions as the supreme insult to the nation's sensibilities. As a result, America tried to take away everything he had: his livelihood, his title, his fame, his money, the best years of his youth, his pride, his confidence: I know, I visited him in his home in Chicago during the Christmas of 1969 when he was in the deepest part of his "in country exile." But even though they took away everything else, they could not take away his pride or his confidence or his belief in his new found God.
   
   America was most gleeful about dragging him off center stage, but even off center stage, his quiet strength grew to even greater proportions than his physical strength: Ali became larger than life outside the ring, not within it. When America saw that his quiet strength was greater than his pugilistic prowess, they knew they could not defeat him, in or out of the ring. Thus, there was no choice but to capitulate: After the Supreme Court Decision, America "ate crow" but they did not apologize for stealing the best four years of his youth, or taking away his title. They just cheered wildly when Joe Frazier beat him. This humbled him enough for white America to embrace him, but still without apologies. It was done as much to continue making money off of him, and so that they could now claim him as their own, and then be able to bask in his larger than life aura, as to redeem America's much embarrassed soul.
   
   Because America's past is so ugly, it is very much the American way to pretend that nothing at all has ever happened in the past. The "bad Ali tape" was simply erased from the collective cultural memory banks: no apologies necessary, the same as it was done for Dr. Martin Luther King: one day King was a villain, the next a martyr, the next day a hero? Such is the nature of true "Black" heroes in America: Muhammad Ali, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charley Parker, Sugar Ray Robinson, Malcolm X, Paul Roberson, WEB Du Bois, Eldridge Cleaver, Stokley Carmichael, Fanny Lou Hammer and on and on.
   
   But the racist American system can never "own" Ali, no matter how many Olympic torches they allow him to carry around the stadium, because he beat the American system in the same way he beat all of his opponents in the ring: fair and square. He looked it in the eye and refused to buckle. And this book proves that Ali won, this, his most important bout, with the strength of his character



2. A third of this book is pure junk, purely awful. A third of it is okay, interesting in spots. A third of it gets you inside the soul of a great man, and you come away with a new idea of who he was and what it takes, in the heart, to be like that. Most great athletes are interesting because they're great athletes, though, objectively, reading about them, reading what they have to say, their athletic greatness, you have to say, is coincidental to who they are as men. With Ali, it seems different. You're tempted to believe he was a great fighter because he was a great man. This book helps one understand that.



3. "All the world's a stage,
   and all the men and women merely players"
   said who? William shakespear.
   
   I say the world is a boxing ring and we are the fighters, fighting for everything, everyone even ourselves.
   well knitted by Hana yasmeen Ali "The soul of butterfly" reveals the true character of Muhammad Ali, three time world heavy weight champion, who conquered the world with his skills and now conquering it with his wisdom. The book is all about Ali's journey through life, about events that tested him and his virtues, and how everytime he stood by his words like a true fighter.



4. I was very pleased with my purchase of this book. It arrived early and in great condition



5. It is very heartening to feel the gentleness and deep caring for humanity from such a powerful man like Mohamed Ali. Reading of this book fills you with hope, love and light.

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

1. This book was a delight to read. It is both informative and entertaining. Although it is a work of history it is a very easy and interesting read. Tom Swift has done his homework as the book is filled with many details describing the life and times of this hall of famer. I recommend it to all fans of baseball history and eagerly look forward to his future works.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. He 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 web site to view the Chief's stats.
   
   Overall, however, I enjoyed getting to know the great Charles Bender a little better.



5. 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 comments about Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World.

1. This story of a good man who made a good life for himself, his family and his animals, built from circumstances that were to say the least, less than the best, is a case study in human nature.
   
   I cannot help but contrast Dr. Key with Michael Vic. Key was a man born into slavery and from that experience, chose to treat all life with respect. He and his horse became a catalyst for the change in public sentiment that came as a result of his goodness toward animals and activity the American Humane Movement. Michael Vic who, when also given a life of plenty, choose the opposite path. It seems to be a sad commentary.
   
   I must heartily endorse the book. It is a good story and a good read.



2. I found this story an interesting story about race relations and progress in teaching society about kindness to animals at the turn of the 19-20th century -- after I got through the heavy emphasis on commercialsim. However, the heavy thread of commercialism that ran throughout was very off-putting to me -- probably it was a big thread in the author's source materials. She tried to present the story with the exploitation of Jim Key's talents as a key to acceptance of kindness of animals in our society as a main theme -- but I saw that as more of a side benefit of the humans' desire to become wealthy -- a "gimmick" used to further the commercialization of Jim Key. To me altruism truly exists only where the primaries are not attempting to gain anything for themselves, whether that be money, reputation, or praise. Hence this story is about commercialization, not altruism. Now it is true that Bill Key highly valued kindness to animals and that he was uncompromising about the right of Jim Key to enjoy the wealth too -- and that was a great and unusual characteristic at that time (and probably still is today) -- but it does not change the fact that commercialization seems to me to be the main theme of the story. In fact the author seems to make more points about the promoter's innovative commercializations than she does about the progress of teaching kindness to animals.



3. Both Jim Key and Dr. Key were beautiful! What a lovely story...even better because it's true. Mim Rivas' research is extensive and detailed. It's good that a documentary is in the works...so that others will know the story...and perhaps read the book.



4. I am a longtime horse and animal lover, as well as a person with active interests in the humane movement. I was so excited to hear about this book--especially since I live in middle Tennessee and have been to Shelbyville numerous times and had never heard of Jim Key or the humans surrounding him.
   
   However, I finished reading the book tonight and was left feeling terribly frustrated. The book was confusingly written--at times it seemed more like a stream-of-consciousness narration than a compilation or unearthing of a historical story. The author's lack of attention to timelines made it difficult to follow--a less interested reader would probably have put it down early on. In addition, there was such obvious and annoying bias towards A.R. Rogers and his odd behavior after Dr. Key passed--the flowery adjectives used to describe him are less fit for anything resembling history but more for one of the pamphlets he'd have written! Those are just a few of the flaws of this book, sadly obscuring a wonderful and unknown history.
   
   I'm no great author, but I do love reading and good writing. This book was a terrible disappointment. That said--it is an amazing story that other reviewers have summed up nicely, and that alone garners the 2 stars.



5. There are those who have horses, then there are those who love and live with them. This book will truely touch the heart of those whos' horses are part of the family, and not just an object to be sold when no longer usefull. Me and my wife have aquired 12 horses who are perfectly healthy, but other people tossed away as used cars. We have seen that even though they are not as intelligent as Jim Key they do possess the ability to think and act unlike what most give credit for. This story made me cry as well as smile and just admire this magnificant horse. Its so true today we need another Jim Key as animal abuse still runs rampit in our society, but thanks to him and his influence, many, many animals are spared and saved by our human societies of today. I also found the history of William Key very fascinating, bringing your mind insync with the way those lived back then and how both the man and his horse faced the same obsticles in early american society on two differant levels. This book is sure to open ones mind not only to the feelings and wellfare of our animals, but even those feelings of our fellow human beings, no matter what race or color they may be as horses of all colors can get along in a herd, maybe we should be learning from these so called "stupid animal" as so many portray them. I have since then payed a visit to the Jim Key memorial as I needed to see for myself, to be closer in body as the book took me there already in mind. I thank the author for her hard work and research for such a book which is already affecting us once again, even to the point that Breyer has released a Jim Key model and I only hope to see this story maybe taken further into a full length movie or film, another true story which will surely equal if not surpass that of our other famous equines who have etched thier names in the making and history of our own race.