5 comments about The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire.

1. I read this book as soon as it came out, and things in the career of the Hardy Boyz has changed a lot since then. However, this book was fabulous. I loved learning more about them, their matches, their family and their career. I think it's a great book and any wrestling fan needs to read this. Even if you aren't a wrestling fan this book might turn you onto wrestling.



2. This book was great. The format made it seem as you were sitting in someones livingroom just talking to these guys. It gave you a totally different look at these two young men. In all the interviews I have seen it seemed like they always get along and agree with each other. It was refreshing to see that they both have varying opinions on many things. Just like most brothers. It was a very good read.



3. When i got this book i really loved the beggining when they meet everyone
   to when they made omega,their mom died when matt was 12 and jeff was 9 and their father had to take care of them.They first made their own wrestleing ring out of a trampoline.



4. This is another, in a long line of, insightful autobiographies of a revolutionary force in the recent resurgence of pro wrestling over the last 10 years. The Story of the young duo of Matt & Jeff Hardy is a compelling one. I recommend this to anyone who loves wrestling and any one loves watching these guys perform.



5. Ive been a huge fan of the Hardyz for a long time, and when I bought this book, I thought it would be about their lives outside the ring. I was wrong.
   
   The start of the book is great. But about halfway through, it just loses momentum. They go to far into detail on the matches, and it just gets very boring. Also, as I mentioned earlier, they have about 5 pages talking about their lives outside of the WWE.

5 comments about Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer's Quest to Play with the Pros.

1. I will say Tom Coyne got me from the jump; I was intrigued from the beginning upon referral from a friend.. I bought in, settled in, and gave the book a go.. The first couple chapters flew by, I thoroughly enjoyed the "hacker's ascent to respectability" portion of the book.. I enjoy his writing style, the self deprecating humor and everyman's take on golf..
   
   Then it all fell apart.. In my opinion, there is much more fantasy than reality in this book.. The constant failure to post legit scores combined with a GHIN lookup of Mr. Coyne made me doubt the author's recollection. But I plodded on, hoping for a dramatic finish.. It never came..
   
   In my opinion this was a golf odyssey failure turned marriage proposal; a writer moonlighting into his hobby, the end game not happening, and turning to Plan B, true love...
   
   If a better golfer wrote this, it would have been more believable that he was a +HCAP.. But then, that better golfer probably would have been an awful writer..
   
   For me, I just couldn't buy in 100% because I just don't believe Coyne posted the HCAPs he claims.. This is proven time again in his failure during public qualifying events..



2. I have to agree with another reviewer that it would seem highly unlikely that a person could carry a plus-handicap and RARELY be able to break 80 (and sometimes 90) in the tournaments. That said, the book is full of insight into the PGA and the enormous effort it takes to qualify for "the show". Mr. Coyne is an excellent and oftentimes very funny writer who finishes his story on a high note.
   
   This book would make an excellent gift for the golf fanatic in the family!



3. From Reid Sheftall, author of "Striking It Rich: Golf in the Kingdom with Generals, Patients and Pros"
   
   
   I can't begin to express how much I enjoyed this book. It works on every level. It is very, very funny. It is instructional. It is enlightening. It is honest. The main character (Tom Coyne, the author) is so very likable.
   The book is rich with love of game and girl. Perspective abounds at the end.
   
   Am I making myself clear?



4. Tom Coyne has a wonderful book here. I ended up laughing more times then I can count reading it. He has such a smooth style about his writing that it will wrap you up and make you want to keep reading. Reading this book you will laugh, be shocked, and amazed at what is going on. I highly recommend this book to any golfers out there or any one who has dared to follow their dreams.



5. this guys claims to have a plus handicap but shoots plus 40 in every tourney

5 comments about Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground: An Autobiography.

1. For a used product it is in excellent condition and i got my purchase on time, i will definately be back.



2. This book is a great book if you are a soccer fan. If your not it will still change the way you look at sports stars forever!
   This book talks about David Beckham inside and out. It makes you realize how many people take the sport called soccer (football) so seriously and how that can affect a player. It makes you see David as a different person. You see past the reputation and greatness of this wonderful man. It makes you look at him as a person like you and me. He is very humble as he tells his story. You realize how much respect he has for other stars such has Michel Jordan, Ronaldo, Zidane and more.
   He talks about his life in soccer and his life outside of soccer. Sometimes I got a little confused because he would go back and forth a little bit but it makes sense if you keep reading. He talks about all the important games and all the games that meant something to him personally. It is amazing how much he remembers from his career at Man U and Real Madrid. He mentions at least 4 games a chapter if not more. I loved that because I love soccer and hearing about what happened.
   He talks about his childhood and how much he was committed to playing. The long nights with his dad in the park and then going to watch his dad play soccer with his friends and how he was so happy when he got to play with them, about how he always liked to play against the older kids for a challenge. How the Ridge Way Rovers, his childhood team and his dad and his coaches made him the player that he is today.
   He talks about all his time with Man U. He talks about his time with the child development team, how he struggled to get a starting position in the first team when his friends were already starting regularly. How he scored his amazing goal from half field to make people start realizing him. He talks about locker room and the attitude and faces of players and coaches before and after the game.
   He talks about his time at England, how he got a red card in France 98 and the reaction he got when he came home to England. He talks about what it means to captain his nation (England).
   He talks about his first season with Real Madrid and how that affected him as a player and how different the culture is from his.
   He talks about his family, about how much he loves them and how much they mean to him and about all the special moment he's had with them.
   Last but not least he talks about the press and paparazzi, how they helped him and how they killed him and his family.
   This amazing book will change the way you look at famous people and the way you look at yourself as a person.



3. A great read. David really talks in depth about his early roots in football.
   
   Short and sweet - if you want to know about the world best soccer players....read his autobiography!



4. The life of David Beckham is often splashed across the tabloids and may or may not be the truth. In this honest autobiography, Mr Beckham details beginning as a boy with a passion for soccer, meeting the girl of his dreams, his role as proud father, and his triumphs and defeats playing for Manchester United and now for Real Madrid. Readers not avid fans of soccer will also find this memoir inspiring.



5. Are you looking for a great book to read? Then the book for you is Beckham Both Feet on the Ground. This is a fantastic autobiography by one of the greatest living soccer players of all time. You're probably thinking yuck soccer. That's boring. Well you couldn't be any more wrong. This book not only talks about his incredible soccer career, but he also talks about his fantastic stories of his childhood and his wonderful wife and children. This book goes through his whole life story from when he was a little boy in London to his new home in Real Madrid. He is said to be the next big soccer prodigy the world has ever seen. Is it true? He tells many stories of his glories victories to his upsetting losses. This book is an emotional roller coaster. From getting a red card in the world cup to winning the FA Primer league with his beloved club team Manchester United. This book is the number one international best seller. It was easy to understand. It was a lengthy book but don't be intimidated. It was so intriguing that you wont want to put it down. There are also a variety of pictures to help better understand what he is saying. To read more about the wonderful life of David Beckham pick this book up were ever books are sold.

No comments about King of the Mountain.

5 comments about Tunney: Boxing's Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey.

1. This biography of Gene Tunney is an excellent work that paints a portrait of an exceptionally interesting person, who happened to be a professional boxer for part of his life. Clearly, boxing was not his life, for his interests were many and varied and fascinating. The contrasts with Jack Dempsey, with whom Tunney's younger years were entwined, are drawn beautifully, even though both men were gentlemen at the core and appreciated each other into their later years. I read Dempsey's autobiography (an "as told to" book) when I was a boy and was fascinated by his story. I was no less drawn into Tunney's story and am very happy that I was able to read it and come to learn about this very remarkable man who sought to leave rather than to linger in the limelight.



2. After his first and only defeat in the ring,
   heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney salved his
   physical and mental anguish by pondering the pithy
   perplexities of Shakespeare's retelling of the Iliad,
   Troilus and Cressida. Lanky, literate, blessed with
   athletic and mental agility, uncommon self-possession,
   and artistic tastes, ranging from Victor Hugo to
   Wagnerian opera, Gene Tunney is portrayed as a
   pugilistic enigma in Jack Cavanaugh's fascinating
   biography. A Marine Corps boxing champion in WWI who,
   after turning pro, went undefeated as a heavyweight
   (his only loss came as a light-heavyweight), Tunney
   was knocked down only once in his career. He retired
   at age 31, married heiress Polly Lauder, and for the
   rest of his life pursued a variety of business
   ventures and the arts. Tunney, like F. Scott
   Fitzergerald's Gatsby, was a remarkable, self-created
   individual. Tunney's heroic flaw, however, was that
   he wasn't the champ the people wanted him to be -- but
   what a fighter he was. What a man.
   
   Jack Cavanaugh's wide-ranging biography chronicles not
   only Tunney, but also the parallel rise of his
   nemesis, heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey. Tunney
   defeated Dempsey twice, the first time to take the
   title from Dempsey in the "fight of the century" in
   1927. Their rematch a year later became an indelible
   event in boxing and sport history when Tunney was
   knocked down by Dempsey for the only time in his
   career in the round that became known as the "long
   count." Cavanaugh takes the reader on a fabulous
   carnival ride through the world of boxing as well as
   providing a wonderful panorama of American popular
   culture during the 1920s.
   
   Cavanaugh engages the reader early with Tunney's
   upbringing in Greenwich Village in New York. Tunney's
   Irish immigrant father, John, was a hardworking
   stevedore who labored on the docks of the Hudson
   River. John loved boxing and encouraged his oldest
   son, James, called by family members "Gene," to box,
   buying him gloves when he was ten years old. A tall,
   rangy kid, Gene Tunney learned how to fight not only
   for self-protection but also to defend his two younger
   brothers. It's not clear that Tunney ever loved
   fighting -- he was simply very good at it, as he was
   at almost everything he was to do in life from boxing
   to literature to business. He was highly disciplined,
   adept at learning and adapting from previous mistakes,
   and had unusually high self-confidence in his mental
   and physical abilities.
   
   Cavanaugh also plumbs fascinating biographical
   information about heavyweight champion and
   contemporary rival, Jack Dempsey. Dempsey's
   relentless, snarling, back-'em-up with hooks and
   uppercuts from out of his trademark coal miner crouch
   served as a marked contrast to Tunney's master-boxer
   style. Dempsey's story -- going from town to town,
   fighting grown men in bars while still a teenager --
   is boxing true grit. A charismatic fighter before,
   during, and after becoming champion, Dempsey had his
   share of image problems, stemming from a highly
   publicized divorce as well as the incorrect, yet
   public, perception that he avoided fighting in WWI.
   Dempsey was immortalized as an American icon in the
   famous George Bellows painting depicting him being
   knocked out of the ring (in one of eleven total
   knockdowns in less than four minutes) in his fight
   with the Argentinean "Bull of the Pampas," Luis Firpo.
   Firpo, who incredibly became a successful businessman
   and one of the wealthiest people in South America,
   commented, "so many writers pushed him [Dempsey] back
   in the ring it looked like he was getting a back
   massage!"
   
   Cavanaugh also describes an eerie foreshadowing when
   Dempsey and Tunney accidentally met on a ferry in New
   York. Tunney, recognizing Dempsey, strode over and
   introduced himself. Dempsey, as affable and friendly
   outside the ring as he was a raging pit bull inside,
   even advised Tunney how he could wrap his right hand
   to protect a knuckle that Tunney had previously
   injured. The right hand, of course, was one of
   Tunney's most damaging weapons in his future
   domination of Dempsey in their subsequent twenty
   championship rounds against each other.
   A fascinating digression in Tunney's tale is
   Cavanaugh's discussion of the great lightweight
   champion Benny Leonard, about whom writer Budd
   Schulberg said, "I think that Leonard was to many
   young Jews what Ali became to young blacks many years
   later." Cavanaugh tells the "you can't make this
   stuff up" story of Leonard's savage pounding of Irish
   Eddie Finnegan in a fight that took place in western
   Pennsylvania. Amidst the din of anti-Semitic catcalls
   and insults aimed at Leonard, Finnegan startled
   Leonard by begging in Yiddish for Leonard to take it
   easy on him -- telling him that his real name was
   Seymour Rosenbaum!
   
   Still another fascinating and entertaining side story
   is Cavanaugh's mention of five-time Tunney opponent
   Harry "The Pittsburgh Windmill" Greb. An incredible
   fighter who threw hailstorms of legal and illegal
   punches from every angle, Greb rarely trained, was a
   wanton womanizer, had perfect hair, powdered his face,
   and defied common sociological explanations as to how
   and why he ever got into and liked the fight game.
   Greb was the only man ever to beat Tunney, so badly,
   in fact, that writer Grantland Rice said it was "like
   a butcher hammering a Swiss steak." Harry Greb, who
   is ranked by boxing historian Burt Sugar ahead of
   Dempsey, Tunney, and Ali (#5 out of the hundred
   greatest fighters), is fabulous and, of course,
   ultimately tragic.
   
   But there's much more. Cavanaugh tells the
   machinations behind another "fight of the century,"
   the Jack Johnson versus Jim Jeffries title fight in
   Reno, Nevada, in 1912. And then there are the stories
   of the Jack Londonesque life of boxing promoter Tex
   Rickard, quotes by "Golden Age of Sportswriters"
   characters, like Damon Runyon, Grantland Rice, Ring
   Lardner, W.O. McGeehan and the
   hard-drinking-ukulele-playing Hype Igoe ⦠and
   there's more, incidental to Tunney. But who cares?
   It's vaudeville, it's a Broadway musical revue, it's
   boxing, and it's great.
   .
   The second half of the biography is more
   straightforward from the reader's standpoint as it
   chronicles Tunney's two fights with Jack Dempsey.
   Tunney's taste for reading the classics made for a lot
   of press. Tunney, for his part, was annoyed,
   sometimes disdainful, and tried to play it down. But
   when hearing of Tunney's training camp reading habits,
   Jack Dempsey's bodyguard told Dempsey, "The fight's in
   the bag, Jack. The so and so is reading a book!"
   
   The first fight between Tunney and Dempsey took place
   on September 23, 1926, in Philadelphia's
   Sesquicentennial Stadium. According to Cavanaugh, it
   was the "biggest sports attraction ever held before
   the largest sports crowd of all time." Attendees
   included, among others, the Astors, the Vanderbilts,
   Irving Berlin, Franklin Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt's
   three sons, William Randolph Hearst, Flo Zigfield,
   Babe Ruth, Gertrude Ederle (the first woman to swim
   the English Channel), Walter Chrysler, New York City
   Mayor Jimmy Walker, Ellis Gimbel, Leopold Stokowski,
   Douglas MacArthur, Charlie Chaplin, Mae West, Harry
   Sinclair, William Wrigley, Andrew Mellon, Charles
   Schwab, Bobby Jones, Arnold Rothstein, Abe Attell,
   eight members of the infamous 1919 Black Sox team,
   including Shoeless Joe Jackson, and more women
   (estimated at 10,000 out of a total 135,000 who came
   to the fight) than had ever attended a boxing match.
   Incredibly, seemingly totally out of character, and
   after vehemently denying rumors, Tunney and a
   colleague took off from a New York golf course in a
   bi-plane and flew to Philly the day of the fight -
   unheard of in a day when rail travel and the
   automobile were the preferred public modes of
   transportation. Though it turned out to be a mistake
   (the pilot got lost in the fog and the flight was
   nauseating), Tunney, nonetheless, had no problem
   handling Dempsey. His brilliant footwork, artful
   clenching, and well-timed right hand leads and jabs
   enabled Tunney to win all ten rounds on both judges'
   cards. It was the first time a heavyweight
   championship was won by decision and not a knockout.
   Tunney was the heavyweight champion, and the fans
   never loved Jack Dempsey more.
   
   The rematch was held on September 22, 1927 at Soldier
   Field in Chicago with 145, 000 fans in attendance.
   Cavanaugh quotes fight promoter, Tex Rickard, telling
   a sportswriter,
   
   Kid, if the earth came up and the sky came down and
   wiped out my first ten rows it would be the end of
   everything because I got in those ten rows all the
   world's wealth, all the world's big men,all the
   world's brains and production talent. Just in them
   ten rows, kid. And you and me never seen nothing like
   it.
   
   Tunney dominated Dempsey once again, but in round
   seven Dempsey caught Tunney with a flurry of blows
   that put him down. Tunney had righted himself to a
   sitting position and grasped the middle rope with one
   hand as the time-keeper counted to four. The ref,
   however, had been screaming at Dempsey to go to a
   neutral corner, starting his official count only after
   four seconds had elapsed. Tunney seemed to become
   aware at the ref's count of two, though six total
   seconds had expired. He watched as the ref counted to
   nine, then, according to Cavanaugh, "bounced to his
   feet." He succeeded in weathering Dempsey's assault
   for the rest of the round by dancing, clinching and
   rocking Dempsey with left-right combinations of his
   own. Tunney resumed boxing brilliantly, even knocking
   Dempsey down in the eighth round with a perfect right
   hand, and handily won the fight. In later interviews
   Tunney always claimed he took the maximum amount of
   time to clear his head in the "long-count" seventh
   round but could have gotten up any time after the
   ref's count of two. Dempsey, though bitter afterwards
   about losing, later said about Tunney, "he took the
   count, whatever it was, and that's what any smart
   fighter would have done." Promoter Tex Rickard wrote
   Tunney a check for $1,000,000 (Tunney's take was
   actually slightly less but Tunney wrote Rickard a
   personal check for the difference of $9554.46), which,
   according to Cavanaugh, made Tunney the first athlete,
   possibly the first person in history to get that sum
   of money for one evening's work. Dempsey didn't fight
   again. Tunney defended his title successfully with a
   TKO of Tom Heeney in twelve rounds almost a year later
   and retired. Months before his final fight, he held
   500 students, professors, and reporters spellbound
   discoursing on the ancient fight between Hector and
   Ajax in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, citing
   European scholars and critics, and amazing an audience
   who had come to hear him talk about his career as a
   fighter. He married heiress Polly Lauder and traveled
   to Europe, where he took in the museums, the theater,
   and the opera, and hobnobbed with F. Scott Fitzgerald,
   Ernest Hemingway, and H.G. Wells. He even carried on
   a long correspondence with Irish playwright George
   Bernard Shaw, with whom he shared a number of
   interests, including boxing.
   
   Though he taught his three sons to box, his four
   children were mainly oblivious to Tunney's career as a
   boxing champion since little memorabilia of his life a
   as professional pugilist was kept in his home. He
   went on to serve as the director of physical fitness
   for the U.S. Navy from 1941-1945 and spent the rest of
   his life in a variety of business ventures. He never
   lost his love of the arts and read avidly, attended
   the opera, and enjoyed the company of writers,
   artists, and business tycoons. He was not immune to
   family tragedy and triumph - his daughter Joan was
   accused of murdering her husband and committed to a
   hospital for the criminally insane. A son, John,
   narrowly won a Congressional seat in California after
   Jack Dempsey himself appeared in campaign rallies to
   support the son of his old adversary. Cavanaugh
   quotes Los Angeles Times sportswriter Jim Murray on
   Tunney:
   
   he was an austere man, pedantic, bookish, autocratic
   and aloof. He always acted as if he were slumming in
   pugilism. His fights were solo recitals. His
   opponents were just pianos, canvasses, spear-carriers.
   Something to practice his art on. He was the artist.
   He was like no Irishman you ever saw, but he was the
   greatest Irish athlete who ever lived. If you don't
   think so, tell me who was.
   
   Tunney died in 1978 at the age of 81. According to
   Cavanaugh, Tunney's obituary ran 750 words on page 22
   of the New York Times without a byline. Dempsey died
   in 1983 and was front page news on the New York Times
   with a 3,000 word obituary in the sports section.
   Tunney's grave-marker noted his date of birth, date of
   death, and his service in WWI and WWII. Nothing more.
   
   Cavanaugh's biography is not necessarily neatly woven
   - as in the Garment District in New York City in the
   1920s, there are plenty of loose threads. But what a
   great, great collection of anecdotes and quotes about
   boxing and about the man they rarely called champ (and
   his nemesis, Jack Dempsey, whom they did). The book,
   footnoted and indexed, includes a selected
   bibliography and the complete boxing records of both
   Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey.
   
   Tunney's self-made ascension from street to high
   society is quite remarkable - a real "American" story
   of success. And yet, the public could never relate to
   Tunney's unusual combination of pugilistic and
   literary erudition. Tunney was never quite a hero in
   sports or otherwise. What comes through loud and
   clear in Cavanaugh's book is that Tunney was a man of
   great discipline, self-insight, courage, and personal
   honor both in the ring and out. He didn't apologize
   to anyone for who he was, where he came from, or who
   he had become. I had to think through the "hero"
   thing again. So I'm glad I read Cavanaugh's book.
   Remarkable.
   
   
   
   
   ________________________



3. I really enjoyed this book.
   The only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was because it lacked info on the private and older Tunney.



4. Tunney was one of boxing's most underrated and unappreciated champions. Jack Cavanaugh did an excellent job writing about this renaissance man's remarkable life and of boxing scene in the first three decades of the 20th century. Of particular interest was the information of how black boxers were treated in that era. Tunney's life and times were thoroughly researched by Cavanaugh. (I assumed that Dempsey was always a very popular champion...not so, he attained hero status after his fights with Tunney.) The book could've been more succinctly edited - some of the subject matter was often repeated, but it was an easy and informative read.



5. If you're a boxing fan, you MUST read TUNNEY: BOXING'S
   BRAINIEST CHAMP AND HIS UPSET OF THE GREAT JACK
   DEMPSY by Jack Cavanaugh . . . fans of other sports and
   history buffs will enjoy it, too.
   
   It is the tale of Gene Tunney, the poetry-quoting fighter, who
   always was overshadowed by Dempsey--even though he
   beat him twice . . . but what made the book so enjoyable
   was that it featured tales of many other fighters of
   the era, including the amazing Harry Greb who fought
   for several years with just one eye . . . in addition, it
   gave me a greater appreciation of the role played by
   sports (and boxing in particular) in the 1920s and 30s.
   
   I also got a kick out of finding the story behind such
   famous quotes as the following:
   
   * Even Flynn seemed surprised at the knockout. "Well, it was this
   way," he explained some years after his most notable victory. "I hit
   him with a one-two. But just put it down that I didn't exactly knock
   Dempsey out. He just forgot to duck."
   
   * As he had feared, Dempsey was called on to say a few words. Though
   he had already appeared in movies and on the vaudeville stage, Dempsey
   was not comfortable speaking in public. But he handled himself well and
   seemed to win over his audience. "I feel like the Irishman who was asked
   to do something special for the guests at a very fancy affair," Dempsey
   said to the assembled guests. "The Irishman said, 'I can't sing, I can't
   dance, and I can't tell a story. But I will tell you what I will do. I'll fight
   anybody in the house.' "
   
   * Several days after the fight, Dempsey apologized to Firpo for hitting
   him as soon as he got up, claiming he was so dazed he didn't know
   what he was doing. To which Firpo, likable and with a wry sense of
   humor--and whose varied business interests would make him one
   of the richest men in South America-replied, "There were three of
   us in the ring, Jack, so if you didn't know what you were doing,
   why didn't you hit the referee?"
   
   I was most impressed by the author's thorough job of
   research . . . only the ending of the book left me a bit disappointed,
   in that it didn't contain very much information about Tunney's life
   after he left the ring . . . that was probably because he was
   such a private individual; however, he was one great fighter that
   might now finally get some credit that failed to come his way
   when he was active in the ring.

5 comments about Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D.--The Reality of Amy Dumas (WWE) (WWE).

1. This is probably one of the better biographies, that is written by a pro wrestler, I have read. Unlike Edge, she actually went into more depth about her personal life; unlike Kurt Angle, she didn't constantly remind everyone about how great she is. Also, unlike Edge or Kurt Angle, she actually had a lot to say, and gave the reader a very wide variety. So, unlike Edge's book, this could be classified as a biography.



2. As soon as I saw Lita on WWF (I was 15 years old at the time) I knew I was seeing something fresh and exciting. Lita was just so effortlessly cool and natural - nothing like most of the other female wrestlers who I felt were forced into being Barbie doll types. Lita is exactly the type of female wrestler I would have wanted to be...that is if I had even an ounce of athletic ability, which I just don't! I'll never forget watching those incredible moonsaults and hurricanranas and being blown away by her skills. Lita really showed that female wrestlers can be athletic, exciting, tough and sexy AND appeal to both male and female fans. As well as her fabulous partnership with the Hardy Boyz in Team Extreme, I also enjoyed watching her get involved in matches with the 'big boys' such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H.
   
   I was pleasantly surprised then to find that Lita's biography is actually a really, really good read. The co-writer did a great job in making the book flow and sound true to Lita's voice. The book is a good length too - it's not the type of thing that seems really superficial and you can read in 2 hours. I actually stayed up into the early hours to finish it because I just couldn't put it down.
   
   The most impressive thing about Amy is just how far she went to fulfill her dream of becoming a wrestler. Most people (certainly including me!) might have dreams of one kind or another, but would never actually get around to taking any positive action to make it a reality. But when Amy decided she wanted to be a wrestler, she started judo classes and even managed to get backstage at a wrestling event. She then went to Mexico, not knowing anybody, on the off-chance that she would be able to get some wrestling training. She ended up training with some future big names and then worked her butt off on the independent circuit and at ECW because joining WWF. Amy's success as Lita is truly deserved and reading her story inspired me to think that if I put more effort into fulfilling some of my dreams then there is a good chance I can do well in my chosen area.
   
   The second thing that I really admire about Amy is the voluntary work she has done with animals. Even when she broke her neck and was recuperating at home, she went to animal shelters and helped out with the most menial of tasks, which is even more impressive considering she was a very successful wrestler at this point and could have become detached from that way of life.
   
   Obviously, this book was written in 2003 so it doesn't include any of the things that have happened to Amy since, such as working with Edge, the reaction of some of the fans and eventually leaving WWE and forming a band. It does include Amy's background, how she got to WWF and also follows some of my all-time favourite storylines, which took place around 2000 / 2001.
   
   Amy is very honest about the wrestling business and talks alot about the behind the scenes stuff regarding how storylines are put together and matches are worked out and just how little time wrestlers are given to prepare before they have to go out and put on the show. I was shocked sometimes by how little support or common sense the managers at WWE seem to have in terms of storylines or working out what to do with wrestlers, but I suppose it must be hard to run such a huge and complex enterprise.
   
   Overall, this is a great book and I highly recommend it. If you enjoyed watching Lita in the early 2000s then I'm sure you'll love this book too!



3. I'll be perfectly honest I breezed through the first 1/2 to 2/3 of the book. The rest was a slow read. The first and interesting part of the book highlighted her journey to get to the WWE. Her start and journey into the business were highly entertaining. However once she made it to the WWE it seemed like all it was was a night by night account of her happenings for a year. Pretty dull. I struggled to finish it and then gave it to one of my students. I have read almost every wrestling book and all I can say is that it wasn't the worst.



4. This is a credible and important biography of a woman who played a part in wrestling's surge to national popularity. Amy Dumas really did come out of no where to become a household name. From strip clubs to mexican rings to minor valet status, Dumas crafted her talent and charisma to develop the character Lita. Not even a serious neck injury, which she suffered acting and not wrestling, has stopped her. This book, along with Fighting Girls, are the two best books dealing with women's wrestling that I have read.



5. Before reading this book, I'd been a wrestling fan for 10+ years, reading various autobiographies, most of which were "Oh, I love wrestling, I'm a wrestler, I don't like eggs, bye.". This book is different to anything you expect it to be -- it's better. At first, I wasn't too sure about getting it, but I had spare money one week and decided "what the hell". I picked it up as soon as it arrived, opened the first page and decided to skim through it.. but it sucks you in, you HAVE to read it all. I didn't sleep for one night and read it all in one sitting. It's gripping.
   
   It tells of the times when she was a child, feeling like an outcast, being brought in by a music genre and their family, the days that she was so hard up for cash that she had to go dumpster-diving, her job as a stripper, the only job she could manage without fixed hours or pay that she needed to do as much training to wrestle as possible, all up until her neck injury and rehab, the book was released shortly after the rehab, I believe. This book is captivating in every way, she is a beautiful, strong woman, strong willed, and doesn't come off as the least bit light headed. She tells of how she was mistreated by family as a child -- it's in no way the uplifting happy-happy book of the century, but it has it's ups and downs, but it's an honest tale of a woman's life, her quest to reach every goal that she wants to accomplish. I strongly suggest you buy this book - you will not be dissapointed.
   
   I wasn't a fan before, but I am now. The WWE are fools for not letting her unleash her true talent.

5 comments about Champions Are Raised, Not Born: How My Parents Made Me a Success.

1. It's hard to rate Sander's book. If you're a secular humanist, then fine, 5 stars. If you're a Christian, watch out, 3 at best, unless you classify it as a counter-example. I bought the book to try to help my daughter get the most out of athletics, but what I found was an eye-opener. The arguments are filled with reasoning that undermines the Christian faith: 1. You can do anything if you set your mind to it. A nice can-do attitude, but what about the grace of God? Summer forgot that she never had a debilitating traffic accident (try getting Olympic swimming gold with one leg) or a disease (thyroiditis will leave you in bed, not in a pool swimming laps) or a random act of violence against her. She, plus her parental guidance, were all that was needed. Hmmm... 2. Next is the issue of pure selfishness. Who really benefits from her pursuit of gold? Summer. Hours each day serving one person - yourself - when you could be serving others. I don't see another way to slice that. She makes a weak argument that not using your skill is selfish. Well, if you have a great physical talent, use if for something physically challenging that will help other people (armed forces, police, construction, anything). 3. The problem with spectator sports in general is (and yes, I'm a man and I don't watch sports) that the essence of sports is pride - showing that you are "better" than everyone else. Sanders pretty much states that this was her goal. Well, pride is one of the things that God hates the most. So to make your life's pursuit the goal of showing you are better than everyone else at anything is a pretty hollow existence. It's not surprising then that her second career choice is broadcasting ("look at me!" all over again). 4. Letting the kid call the shots - I let my child make decisions based on her age. I don't assume she has more wisdom than I. I would discourage my kid from taking four or more hours per day, outside of school, in a selfish, prideful pursuit. (And lastly, let's not forget that the parable of "talents" in the Bible is one of the most widely misunderstood and misapplied passages. Its meaning is in using your talents to expand the kingdom of God, not in expanding the glorification of yourself.)
   
   Sure, she makes some good points - let the kids have fun, don't push, enjoy the experience. But in my book, the Sanders parents failed.



2. In Summer Sander's book Champions are Raised, not Born she talks about her life and how her parents affected it. Summer believed that the measure of a true champion I show well they take a defeat and Summer was about to take them in stride. Summer believed that her four Olympic medals were not just from her hard work but from the support of her parents and coaches also. Her childhood wasn't easy with the divorce of her parents but no matter whose house she was at she had both of their support. In her childhood swimming was just something she did to make friends and take up time but it ended up changing her whole life.
   In this book Summer gives specific examples of how her parents helped her to be successful. What's good about this book it that Summer also talks about how her life was like other Olympians. She talks bout how her life was different or similar to Dot Richardson, Karch Kiraly, and Bonnie Blair. It makes the readers realize that Olympic athletes' childhoods are not very different from the average persons. Summer proves that everyone can become an Olympic athlete you don't have to come from the perfect family.
   Another thing that was good about the book was that Summer didn't just talk about the good times but also the bad ones. She didn't give the impression that her life easy perfect because the struggles made her stronger. No on e can live the perfect life because no matter how close they still have problems. Summer talks about the divorce of her parents as well as losses in major swim meets. There are the good times in her life but these are not the only tings that have made her who she is today.



3. As a former swimmer and as a parent of 3 age-groups swimmers I figured this book would provide some insight into success. However, i didn't anticipate how much insight I would take away from it. It is truly amazing how much Ms. Sanders had been able to accomplish in her life and it is refreshing to see that someone so young had everything in the proper perspective.

   Hats off to her parents for raising and supporting (without pushing) Summer to accomplish all that she set out to do. I see the parents on the side of the pool who constantly push their kids so much so that they ultimately push them totally out of the pool all together. This is a fantastic how-to book for parents, regardless of what their kids are into.




4. While not the most organized book ever written, Summer Sander's discussion is insightful and balanced. There are no "a-ha" moments that will blow you away, but a whole bunch of minor insights that add up to a lot. Great reading for any parent of an athlete, from a star to an also-ran.



5. Every parent should read this book. I am on my third time reading it and learn something new everytime.

5 comments about Kobe: The Story of the NBA's Rising Young Star Kobe Bryant.

1. i don't care if you like this review or not, but kobe should realize now what he had w/ shaq: the best player in the game, and now that it's his team they are not even going to make the playoffs- and kobe cares too much what the media says about him- blaming everyone else and telling on shaq and his "hush money" and karl malone "harassing" his wife- shut up kobe and just play your selfish game



2. The book Kobe is one of my all time favorites. It talks about the life of Kobe Bryant. Kobe is my all time favorite basketball player along with Michael Jordan. I see a lot in Kobe like in mj. This book talks about the life of the young rising star Kobe Bryant and how he got to where he is now. It is a great book.



3. "The Story of the NBA's Rising Young Star Kobe Bryant" great for Lakers' fans. If you like basketball you will like this nonfiction book. Joseph Layden .I thought that the book was very easy to read and young children could read it by themselves. In my mind he is the best player ever. It the best book I ever read. I like the book, because I like to play basketball too.
   In the beginning of the book it talks about his father and mother how they met each other. The book talked a bit about his family and also where he attend at school. I like the book, because you can image in your mind what it is talking about, and you can learn a little bit of vocabulary.
   The setting of the book is in Philadelphia and also in Los Angeles. The author wrote the book very well, because it gives a lot of important information, it the best book I ever read. I like the book, because I like to play basketball too. I want to read more byJoseph Laden.
   I want to recommend to book to people that like the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant and who like to play basketball. The book makes you think that you could be a great basketball player like Kobe, if you keep on practicing. I would recommend this book to grade school and also high school students.



4. I chose the book, Kobe, because I love basketball, and I was interested in knowing more about the life of Kobe Bryant. I was surprised to learn about Kobe's upbringing and background because it was totally different than what I had expected.

   I liked this book because it tells all about Kobe Bryant's love for basketball, and his determination and drive to improve his skills. Kobe's basketball career begins when his family moves back to his hometown in America. The book also contains a lot of really cool pictures.

   Learn about how this young star athlete developed into an all star basketball player. Joe Layden does a terrific job in revealing what makes Kobe a superstar. I recommend this book to anyone interested in basketball. It is very inspirational!




5. I chose the book, Kobe, because I was interested in knowing more about the life of Kobe Bryant. I was surprised to learn about Kobe's upbringing and background because it was totally different than what I had expected.

   I liked this book because it tells all about Kobe Bryant's love for basketball, and his determination and drive to improve his skills. Kobe's basketball career begins when his family moves back to his hometown in America. The book also contains a lot of really cool pictures.

   Learn about how this young star athlete developed into an all star basketball player. Joe Layden does a terrific job in revealing what makes Kobe a superstar. I recommend this book to anyone interested in basketball. It is very inspirational!

5 comments about How Lance Does It.

1. I truly admire Lance and what he is done, but this book overdoes it a bit!



2. There were a couple of Lance stories I hadn't heard before, but, overall, it wasn't a good Lance book nor did it impress me as a motivational tool. Save your money: re-read It's Not About the Bike. It's better written, tells a better Lance story and is a darn sight more motivational.



3. "How Lance Does It" is a good and motivational "airplane read." Author Brad Kearns, a former high-level triathlete, explores how Lance Armstrong's approach to sport and life can function as an effective template for our own success and self development.
   
   Some may tire of the elevation of Lance Armstrong as the greatest cyclist, the greatest athlete, the greatest Dad, the greatest philanthropic fund-raiser, et cetera, et cetera. It is difficult to deny that Armstrong is an extraordinary person.
   
   The problem is, does his way work for us and for YOU? Can it? Should it? Should we find our own path?
   
   Yes, the book is motivational but for how long? Is it be motivational equivalent of Chinese food -- 30 minutes later, you're hungry again and the effect wears off?
   
   Nevertheless, there is more good than bad in this short book. Some may find it unseemly idolatry of Lance Armstrong. Others will draw inspiration from it and it is the latter group which is the target audience most likely of author Brad Kearns.



4. For normal "everyday guys" who wonder how guys like Lance Armstrong approach training and racing but will never "stand on a podium in Paris" themselves this book is a must....Ive read every book about Lance Armstrong that I know about and this is the first one to give me insight into how Lance got "through it". Its the first book about Lance that I can actually use in my own life as an average guy doing average workouts and racing in the middle of the pack at the average Triathlon or 10k race! On top of that Brad Kearns sense of witty humor and his entertaining style of writing keep you in "the game". A good book for a pro racer who really does have a shot at the podium in Paris.....But better for the average guy like me who can only dream.....



5. Brad Kearns book "How Lance Does It" is a very well written and tremendously helpful read for anyone interested in performing their best - in all areas of life. Kearns has a frank, strong and empowering way of writing. He does not back down or "soften the blow". If something needs to be said, he lay's it out there which is really refreshing!
   
   This is a great addition to the library of any person who is passionate about living well, growing or improving how they live life.

5 comments about Final Rounds: A Father, A Son, The Golf Journey Of A Lifetime.

1. This book really hits home as a story of a grown son and his dad. They plan a final great trip together in the twilight of the dad's life. It is about life and is a great golf story also in that the story is intertwined with the history of golf on a personal basis.
   
   My dad is gone so I gave a copy to my son. I also gave a copy to a couple of friends whose fathers are now growing old. They are golfers who learned the game growing up and playing golf with their dads. If you fit this description, I highly recommend this book.



2. ISBN 0553375644 - I started reading this book hoping for the touching story of the father and son and was vaguely disappointed. Not to say the story isn't there, because it is in it's own way, but the golf far overshadows Dodson and his father, making this a far better book for golf fans than non-fans.
   
   James Dodson and his father finally get around to planning that dream trip: all the best courses in great company. Just before they are to leave, his father calls with bad news - the trip will have to be postponed because the cancer of years ago is back. With a small laugh, the man Dodson calls "Opti the Mystic" tells him the prognosis: he has a month, maybe two, to live. Dodson realizes that this means that the trip may never happen, but another call comes soon after and the trip is on. There are conditions and one of them is that when his father says it's time to go home, it's time to go home, no argument. Opti has "things to do", clearly the tying up of loose ends in his life.
   
   The men set out on the golf trip of a lifetime and, honestly, will bore the non-golf-fan cross-eyed with the details of games and players. If you've gotten that far, barrel through - the point of the book isn't the game, or the courses, it's the relationship between father and son. Golf is just the medium in which they relate to one another. Knowing, all along, that Opti is going to die doesn't detract from the sorrow when the time comes and, oddly, his death doesn't detract from the happier side of the story. Opti the Mystic, with an eye always for the silver lining, gives his son some incredible gifts and Dodson does his best to share them with the reader.
   
   I'm not a fan of golf and found myself just skimming very big sections of the book. The stories OFF the course were far more interesting and I wish they'd been given more ink, but Final Rounds is still a very good book.



3. Fanstic read. This will touch the heart of any golfer that has ever had the chance to play with their Dad.



4. I lost this book while I was vacationing with my wife in Italy for her 40th birthday. I couldn't wait to get home to buy another copy and finish it. That was 9 years ago. I was so moved by the story that I made a pledge to try and take my sons on a similar trip one day. Well, I've lost 3 jobs since then and have been paying college expenses for 6 years, the last 4 years for 2 kids at a time. However, my current job allowed me to go to Aberdeen, Scotland 6 times last year alone. While reading the book again, I dog earred places I wanted to include on my trip. I have also been saving magazine articles as well as itineraries from acquainteses who have made similar golf excursions. And during my trips to Scotland I've developed friendships and they have helped with insights to add my catalog of information.
   
   Well, the trip is planned. I compiled a notebook for both my sons with our planned itinerary, a route map showing the courses along our journey and website information on all the courses. I gave it to them for Christmas. They are pumped. Both are very good players and we have played alot together. My oldest is getting married in October and my yougner son plays for his college team and will graduate in May. For their birthdays they each will get a copy of Final Round to read as a prerequiste to the trip schedlued June 6-21. We will play both the famous and the hidden gems. We'll play Carnoustie on Father's Day and then drive down to St. Andrew's and watch the final round of the US Open in a pub 100 yards off the 18th green of the Old Course. Our last round will be on the Old Course. This book provided a dream for a once in a lifetime trip. I'm going to share it with two of my favorite people.



5. I picked up this book at a used book sale on a lark. I love Scotland and thought a book on a father and son golf trip to the old courses would be fun. What I didn't expect was such a great book about the relationship between a very optimistic father and his earnest son. Just before the trip the father discovers he has cancer and not long to live. They go on the trip anyway and we get to know two interesting people and how life's lessons can come in many places including on a golf course. I lost my father a few months before I read this book. I took my time reading it, not wanting it to end. It helped ease the pain of my loss and to direct my energies and lessons I have to offer to my sons.