5 comments about A World of My Own.

1. I enjoyed the very British humor of this author in describing his historic singlehanded around-the-world sail. A nice balance of description, technical information, and personal revelation.



2. Knox Johnson tells a good tale, and it's worth reading. But you have to wonder at his seamanship sometimes. He might have swapped the brandy for water and maybe tried a lifeline when he went overboard to fix a leak in mid-ocean. One also wonders whether some of his mishaps might have been man made. Makes a good companion to Bernard Moitessier's Long Way. No denying the courage and determination.
   He now runs the Around Alone race and another book worth reading is Sea of Dreams about the 2002 race. There were 3 Americans and 2 Canadians in the race and the book focusses on them and the Canadian Derek Hatfield who was rolled over in a hurricane at the Horn and lived to tell the tale. terrific stuff. As good as Godforsaken Sea, I think.



3. This is a quaint read. I picked it up after reading Peter Nichol's "A Voyage For Madmen" which provides an outstanding overview of all the men in this first-non-stop-solo-around-the-world race. Knox-Johnson waxes poetic about his extraordinary accomplishment, which, of course, he is entitled to do. There is no doubt he possessed the temperment to embark on this voyage. His skills, however, might be viewed as a bit lacking. Nevertheless, he shares his thoughts, adventures, and, on occaision, his shortcomings that occurred during this voyage. As well, there is an underlying psychological drama that unfolds as you make your way through this book. I recommend reading this book, but strongly recommend you read it only after you have read "A Voyage for Madmen" simply because it will be much more informative and provide better insight into Knox-Johnson.



4. ...Now, I will admit he was quite young and inexperienced as a writer when he wrote the preposterously titled tome, however, there were times when I wanted to throw him and his book over the side and get on with better reading material. Being curious though, I stuck it out though his many man-made and nature caused disasters some of which could have been avoided it seems to this armchair reader if he'd have laid off the hootch he was addicted to...fresh water would have been more in order instead of so many whiskey and beer bottles cluttering up the larder. His answer to most situations was to stroll down to the locker and pour a shot or two and light up. How many times can one screw up on a trip like this and then write shamelessly about it? Enough to sell a lot of copies I guess and keep us on the edge of our bunks wondering why in the hell he's swimming alongside his 32' ketch in the middle of the ocean with apparently no lifeline tied around him. God forbid how anybody with so little common sense but plenty of guts should make such an arduous journey so ill prepared for the worst and carrying old sails to boot...Robin being an example of both somewhat. Anyway, friends of the sea, it's a compelling book if for no other reason than to experience his many perils and his solutions to innumerable screw ups. Yeah, I liked it but for perverse reasons I suppose since I can play at being a superior know-it-all sailor after cringing through page after page of calamities I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED. Now it's on to his next adventure. Keep it up Robin, old boy or man as the case may be...



5. A good and easy read by Robin Knox-Johnson who now helps manage the Golden Globe race of today. (2003; see Brad VanLiew's brilliant success in the Class 2 fleet in the news)
   Readers should also include Bernard Moitessier's `The Long Way' book of the same 1968 race. It is intensely interesting that where one flourished, the appointed `winner' suffered a long and arduous ordeal. Knox-Johnson describes his exhausted stop in Australia and time at anchor in this book, yet accepted the trophy. Moitessier was far ahead off the South American coast when he took a right and continued on half way around the globe again to rest free of the commercialization the media had put upon the event. Bernard had reached the highest levels of thought and global mindedness, while Robin had been reduced to survival mode and raw instinct. Can you call the "Winner" of this non-stop circumnavigation? These two accounts of the same race cover the range of human limits and ethics and should be bundled together as a set.

5 comments about Faith in the Game: Lessons on Football, Work, and Life.

1. Faith in the Game by Tom Osborne covers the coaching career of Tom Osborne. He does this with the perspective of a Christian, which I enjoyed. But, I found that the middle of the book became somewhat dry and repetitive when discussing the legal troubles of the players. But I thought the overall message of the book was good. In comparison to other books about coaching and mentoring such as "Season of Life" I found Faith in the Game to be average.



2. I bought this book because I wanted to find out more about how Dr. Osborne managed to win 3 National Championships in a four year period.

   What surprised me was the incredible business value of the book, especially chapter 5 on Goal Setting. His process for setting and acheiving goals is simple, easy to implement and it works!
   I keep buying it and sending it to managers and business executives I work with, it is a great foundation for anyone serious about growing their ability to be more productive and to acheive more.

   Great book!




3. Tom Osborne is one of the most successful college football coaches in history. His book is a wonderful treatise on how coaches and people can improve their lives and chances of success by simply preaching and practicing the basic values of our society. This book is a breath of fresh air in an increasingly fragmented and confused society.

   It is noteworthy that Tom Osborne's success is particularly remarkable because he never had the advantages of recruiting from a deep talent pool in Nebraska, and many of his players came from high school programs where 8 man football was common. Osborne overcame these obstacles with basic hard work, religious faith, and teamwork.

   This is a great book for any coach, manager, or parent. Highly recommmended. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the book is relatively short, and I would've loved to read on for several more chapters.




4. The premise of Faith In the Game is simple: It's a conservative primer for life.

   Now, whether you agree with everything within or not is your call, but Osborne successfully states his cases while interweaving stories of his own football team over the years. His transition from society to football is pretty effortless, quite frankly, and the book serves as a nice, non-confrontational entry into conservative living and philosophy. For all those people out there who are fed up with the liberal world -- and I am not one of them, mind you -- I'd suggest this book a thousand times over before I'd let them within 20 miles of Ann Coulter's rants.

   Unlike Coulter and other conservative zealots, Osborne starts at the ground level of living -- for the coach, it's character -- and builds from there. In other words, the book is more a plan than an argument. And plans are generally quite a bit more persuasive.

   Osborne always worked in the here and now, so this is not much of a grand memoir. He's still into trying to turn it all around. Frankly, I think some of these societal problems are beyond his grasp -- Osborne is too kind and sympathetic to consider our society as anything more than a collection of misguided folks, it seems -- but you won't find a lot of sports coaches who have actually considered these issues the way Osborne has.

   Faith in the Game is the work of a thoughtful man.




5. This is a neat book. It is fascinating, it has scores of information about how the Huskers built their program, and it is written in exactly the right amount of detail, including the technical details.

   If you are a coach in any sport, if you are a Husker fan, or if you are a Tom Osborne fan, this book is a good read. It is also an excellent gift. It is one of the five best sports books I have read in the last few years. You can't miss with Faith in the Game.

5 comments about Barry Sanders Now You See Him: His Story in His Own Words.

1. What a great Back. Rather booring book. Not too interesting at all. Very blah.



2. I was so glad to see this book and DVD come out. The story of Barry Sanders the NFL's legendary running back who played for the Detroit Lions for his entire NFL career. Barry Sanders didn't break the biggest records but, his name is mentioned as a runner up for all of them. This was mainly because Barry didn't play the game to break records. He played the game to the best of his abilities..... and his best, for those of us lucky enough to see him play, was nothing short of jaw-dropping! I know that Sanders could have broke all the records but, his modest and humble personality and upbringing would not permit any showboating. In many games where his team had a good lead he would take himself out of the game rather than pile on the garbage yards like so many others. Sanders also was able to produce a staggering amount of yards behind a mediocre front line. The Superbowl would elude him for his entire career and his sudden retirement was almost brilliant as we will never know what he could have accomplished if he played a few more years. Still if you look at his stats you will see he did break many records and left an impressive mark on the game. I don't think football has been as exciting since he retired. I know that many of today's players could take a lesson from this man in class,loyalty and good sportmanship. Even if you don't agree he was the greatest running back to play the game, he was certainly the most unique! The book is interesting and the DVD is very good but, I would have loved more footage of great runs from old "20 Blue", I'm sure they could fill a hefty DVD box set with just classic Barry runs. If your a fan it's worth picking up.



3. The greatest back of all time writes a pretty boring book. some things are interesting. I wish the DVD was better...but you could make a 10 disc set with his highlights.



4. THIS IS ABOUT FORMER DETROIT LION GREAT BARRY SANDERS. HE WROTE THIS HIMSELF WITH A LITTLE HELP. HIS STORY IS SHORT, SWEET AND VERY WELL WRITTEN. IT ALSO INCLUDES A DVD SHOWING SOME OF HIS RUNS. I THINK ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS HIS REASONS FOR RETIRING WHEN HE WAS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING THE TOP RUSHER OF ALL TIME. BARRY IS A CHRISTIAN AND IS HIS OWN MAN. THE BOOK IS FOR ALL LION AND FOOTBALL FANS. ENJOY.



5. I've been looking for a Barry Sanders highlights DVD for years.... good news - there finally is one, it comes with the book. Bad news? It's only about 20 minutes long, and doesn't show many of his spectacular runs. The book is outstanding, as it's written pretty much by Barry himself, and has great comments from other players in the NFL, giving him the praise he deserves. Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, they have entire 60 minute DVD's (and more) on their lives.... if any player in the history of football should have one, it's Barry Sanders. All in all, if you like football at all, and appreciate magic, this is a must have, from the most talented running back in the history of the game.

3 comments about K2: The Price of Conquest.

1. The 1954 Italian expedition to K2, the world's second highest peak and considered a tougher climb than Everest, was supposed to be a national redemption for Italy after the humiliations of the Second World War. Two members of the expedition, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, reached the summit, but the legacy of the expedition has been one of controversy. In 2006's "K2: The Price of Cnquest," Lacedelli breaks a silence of half a century to give his version of what happened.
   
   On 30 July 1954, Lacedelli and Compagnoni established Camp IX, a prelude to a try for the summit. Compagnoni, to the distress of Lacedelli, insisted on moving the camp off the line of ascent to the far end of a difficult traverse. When the support team of Walter Bonatti and Hunza porter Madhi reached the intended area of Camp IX with an oxygen bottle resupply in near darkness, they were unable to find the tent and spent the night in the open above 8000 meters. The two survived, but Madhi suffered severe frostbite injuries for which Bonatti was blamed. Compagnoni and Lacedelli made their difficult final ascent using Bonatti's cached oxygen, which ran out short of the summit. Bonatti was later accused of having used some of the oxygen during his night in the open, thereby putting the summit team at additional risk.
   
   Following an introduction to the history of K2 and a short account of the expedition, co-author Giovanni Cenacchi conducts an extended interview with Lino Lacedelli. Lacedelli provides his unflinching perspective on the expedition's leadership and on the events of 30-31 July 1954. His blunt views shine an unflatteringly light on some of the expedition members, in stark contradiction to the official account. This volume includes a terrific selection of photographs and some thoughts on the then-novel experience of functioning at extreme altitudes.
   
   "K2: The Price of Conquest" will appeal primarily to those interested in the history of high altitude climbing, for an honest account of expedition politics, the rub of climbers' egos, and the difficulties of functioning at high altitude with primitive equipment. The general reader may be shocked at some aspects of Lacedelli's account but ultimately cheered by his healthy perspective on the whole thing. "K2: The Price of Conquest" is highly recommended to fans of the history of "the savage mountain."



2. This is a great read for anyone interested in the history of mountaineering. It's mostly an interview with one of the first two men to reach the summit of K2, fifty years after the event. I saw Bonati give a talk in Telluride years ago and his rant about how he had been left for dead was memorable -- after all these decades he was still worked up about the events on that expedition. In this book, Lacedelli confirms nearly all of Walter's claims. His memory may be a bit tainted, perhaps by not having spoken up much earlier, so it may not be the final word. But better late than never. And a good reminder for those who think recent events on Everest are without precedent.



3. One of the major mysteries in mountaineering is what happened to the 1954 expedition, when a agreed-upon base camp was moved, forcing author Lino Lacedelli to reach the summit without rendezvousing with their teammates. Accusations of conspiracy and plots ran amok - here, more than fifty years later, Lacdedelli breaks silence to provide his own version of events, with documentary mountaineer Giovanni Cenacchi providing an excellent focus.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Ric Flair: To Be the Man (WWE).

1. RIC FLAIR
   TO BE THE MAN
   
   I have read many books that deal with wrestling, most of which are auto bios but I have to say that this has got to be one of the most insightful, entertaining, and honest ones I have had the joy of reading. For those who don't know [why are you reading this] who Ric Flair is just go ask the first person you see with any wrestling shirt on. You will probably get a weird look followed by a back hand to the chest and a lively "WOOOOOOOOOOO". That's right that will be the answer, if you were expecting an answer like "he is a legendary wrestler" you would be very wrong. He is that of course but the fact you would have to ask is what would warrant the back hand. To those who do know this would be the perfect way to get to know the man in ways most would never be able to. Whether you love him or hate I don't know anybody who is a wrestling fan that doesn't respect him.
   
   In this book you will learn about the man who actually had to struggle with himself and with his own confidence, that's right that cocky, arrogant, smooth nature boy character was at times just that, a character. You will be very surprised by what points in his career he had these feelings, though you will defiantly understand the situations and why he felt that way. I mention this at the beginning of this review because it shows what type of man Ric is; he is a very openly honest man that is really actually more of an emotional humble man. And it is because he is such that this book is a must read, because no matter how it makes him look he is honest about every topic covered in the book. All things are covered from how he broke into the business to the dying days of WCW all the way to his recent WWE days; of course this came out way before he retired so it only goes so far.
   
   The first third of this book is all about Ric growing up and getting into the wrestling world, this like every other I have read really surprised me by being one of the most interesting parts of the book. I say it surprised me because like most people I really wanted to get right into the final couple years of WCW to find out about the juicy stuff behind the scenes. Once I opened the book though I felt a little bad about thinking that way because this is Ric Flair, I should have wanted his whole story not just apart of it for the controversy. It is in these early chapters that you find out a lot of stuff about famous early wrestlers that you would have never known. There is one part in particular that had me dropping my jaw, I won't ruin it for you and give it away but it is truly surprising. Also it is cool to learn about how he learned about wrestling, and what he went through to make it in wrestling. He wasn't great right off the bat, and really had to work at it. It seems weird to say that, because as long as I have watched him he has been one of the greatest. I mean come on he had to survive Verne Gagne, Wahoo McDaniel, Harley Race, and many more that he learned from, some of the best ever. He also talks about how wild his early days were, and even at times shows how sorry he is that he acted that way. His days doing these types of things as you will learn through out the book strained a lot of relationships he had, and he seems truly sorry about them. Of course his times in early companies including the NWA are covered in full detail, these chapters end up being some of the best [learn some things about Dusty Rhodes].
   
   The middle of the book is where most people will be spending their time, this is of course were the WCW days starting in the 80's comes in to play. It is here that we learn all about the four Horsemen and Ric's numerous and legendary title reigns. The various versions of the Horsemen are really talked about in detail, more so then the WWE produced DVD about the group. And of course some of the most interesting topics come in about Eric Bischoff, these two had a real behind the scenes hatred that was so heated at times it could have [and probably did] burn the company down. I don't want to give any away of it away because to do so would rob you of the shock you would feel when you read some of this. Other interesting things like Hogan and Randy Savage are talked about a great deal in this, starting with his first stint in the WWF [which also is a good portion of the book] into when all three were in WCW. With Savage Flair goes into detail about how despite the intense feuds the two shared in the ring he actually liked and respected Savage. But how Savage's own personal demons and fragile mind around certain people put him out with a lot of people. Of course Hogan is talked about and it was interesting to read how these two actually got along at one point, of course what happened later with the two only helps in my opinion of Hogan [can't stand him, especially after I read about one thing in particular]. The hits don't stop there, Shane Douglas, the NWO, and all the talent that WCW held down like Jericho, Malenko, Benoit, Guerrero and others. Along with those Ric tells all about his feelings about Vince Russo, you may be surprised by some of this. There are some really really interesting things that are discussed about Bret Hart, in fact the only thing that up sets me a little about this book is something said during this portion.
   
   The last third of the book is about how low Ric felt at this point in his career and how he had no confidence any more. The last days of WCW and all his legal problems are discussed and his thoughts and feelings on the final Nitro show is a real interesting read. Of course his reemergence in the WWE is discussed up to that point in his legendary career. His words during these pages are touching and kind of sad at times, a real emotional and interesting read. I can honestly say that this is one of the most open and honest reads of all time. I would recommend this to not only wrestling fans but to anybody that likes a truly interesting book. Buy this, you will not be disappointed.
   
   
   P.S. Arn Anderson is talked about at length as well, and the pages with comments from Flair's friends and such was a great addition to this book.



2. This book did a great job at keeping me glued to the pages. The stories were interesting, especially those about his time on the road, breaking into the business. However, it felt like a meal where there is too many potatoes and not enough meat. The stories were nice, but they felt furnishings or sides to something that didn't have a compelling arch. The arch, Ric's realization of how he impacted the latest generation of wrestlers, came across with bitterness and an uber-sense of self-importance.
   
   In the book, Flair is in a constant state of competition with his contemporaries and manages even those he compliments. In one of the most puzzling portions of the book, he says Bruno Sammartino drew lots of money for the WWWF but was never a top wrestler compared to a few pages earlier where he defined a top guy as someone who draws a lot of money. Flair's opinion on Hulk Hogan also varies depending on the chapter, but not with the natural flow of his life. There are many instances of these weird happenings within the pages of the novel.
   
   My final complaint is one that draws on voice. The book is very obviously ghost-written, which is very unfortunate, especially because this book comes from one of the best, most entertaining interviewees ever. The toughest parts to swallow are the instances in the book where Keith Elliot Greenberg, his ghost writer, overdoes the pro-wrestler aspect of the biography. It reads too much like an old WWF Magazine written in Kayfabe in parts where you really would like to know inside information about what happened in certain wrestling situations.
   
   Out of five, I would give this book Two Stars. I'd put it slightly above the Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper books but right behind Dynamite Kid's book, which, in turn is behind Foley's first two and the new Chris Jericho book. It wasn't disappointing at all, though. This is definitely a book recommended to smarter wrestling fans who know how things work but don't know all of the history that goes with it. Those who know quite a bit may find the book tedious and repetitive.



3. I finished reading this book in 2 days I couldn't put it down either. I didn't know that dusty was a booker back then. But I never understood why dusty didn't have the belt longer, I hated that Ric was always champion to me that didn't make sense when I was a kid and it still don't make sense now. The champ was suppose to be the good guy. Well anyway Ric is a legend and ranks No 1. amongst diehard wrestling fans over Hogan, Rock, and Stone Cold I guarantee it. I liked the book but was disspointed at its laziness of time events. IT skipped a lot of details and seemed to just summarize over peroids of his life. For example he never said how he met any of the horsemen, He didn't let us in on him and David talking about him becoming a wrestler. I will tell you the good points and the bad points.
   
   1. His Birth, childhood, and teenage yrs good
   
   2. His training to become a wrestler good
   
   3. His breaking into the wrestling business good
   
   4. His coming up in the ranks in wrestling and guys who were there good
   
   5. His affiliation with the Four horsmen Bad No details at all
   
   6. His affiliation with the popular baby faces and popular heels Bad no insight or detail especially through 84-88 guys like Nakita Koloff, Lugar, Sting, Rock n roll express, Magnum T.A.
   
   At that dissapointment everything else was ok....I do recommed it it's still good. He does talk about wrestlers who I didn't know he had an affiliation with with detail like Rowdy Piper, and others who I'm not that familiar with.
   
   Like I said the book has a sense of urgency like Ric was saying let's hurry up and finish this thing let's keep it kinda short, because if Ric told it all it would probably be around 500-600 pages.



4. One great roller-coster of an autobiography with the man himself "SLICK RIC". This book is great and really goes into details about Ric's life. BOTH personally and professionally.
   
   I must have read this book over 5 times cause thats good it is. Much better than Hogans book which reads like a childrens book compared to this.
   
   BUY IT ! YOU WONT REGRET IT !
   
   CAUSE TO KNOW THE MAN ......YOU GOTTA READ THE MAN .........WOOOOooooooooooooooooo !



5. I think reviews on this book will greatly vary depending on if the reader is going to compare it to other wrestling autobiographies or as a book about arguably the greatest performer in pro-wrestling. I reread this book with Ric Flair's imminent retirement coming up in mind. What we have here is Ric Flair (Richard Fleihr) relating his life in brief antecdotes and releasing some frustrations. This covers his life from birth to the formation of Evolution in 2004 (thus pre-road rage and Beth-divorce).
   
   His controversial birth was very surprising and claims to have not even known his birth name (Fred Philips) until he started writing this book. His high school life and brief college experience began him on his life of debauchery and partying. He breaks into wrestling by training under Verne Gange and spends most of his early career with Mid South Wrestling, later going to Georgia Championship Wrestling, NWA, WCW, and WWF/E. He hides little in how he overspent and did everything to live the 'Ric Flair lifestyle' that he's known for - expensive clothes, all-night partying, and womanizer. There are countless anecdotes about his fellow wrestlers and the things they did.
   
   Flair covers both fond and bitter memories. His respect for Ricky Steamboat and Sting abound. His rebuttal of Mick Foley is bitter and his personal friendship with Hulk Hogan dramatically changed once he helped get Hogan into WCW. He hides little in what he thinks of some of the other wrestlers (Bret Hart, Sid Viscious, pro & con of Dusty Rhodes, etc). His dispisal of Bischoff is great and takes up much of the latter part of the book. This treatment with Bischoff and the downfall of WCW affects Flair personally, causing him such great self doubt that he nearly quit the business and it took many years to regain his confidence to return to in-ring performing.
   
   If you're a Flair fan, you will love this book. Comparing it to other similar books, you'll think it's good enough. It's a bit sporadic in the flow because it seems as though he throws in anecdotes as he remembers them. It could have been better organized and there's still topics I wanted more on. I would love to see a Top 10 style list of his favorite matches, opponents, and worst big matches. There's areas I'd like to have seen more on but there's plenty left for Flair to do a follow up book on after he retires. Unfortunately, this is a WWE published book so the praise he lays on McMahon, Triple H, HBK, and a few others seems tainted but there is a lot of respect shown to guys like Steamboat, Piper, Arn Anderson, Sting, Dusty Rhodes, and Undertaker.
   
   Definitely worth reading and it's certainly among the better wrestling autobiographies out there. Lots of memories in this long career by feasibly the best in-ring worker & interviewer in the business.

5 comments about Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike's Co-founder.

1. This book was recommended to me, and I am glad I took the recommendation. Kenny Moore, who wrote the screenplay for Without Limits, one of the two Prefontaine movies, does it again. One cautionary note: once you pick this book up be prepared to read for long periods of time without wanting to put it down.



2. Bill Bowerman lived an extraordinary life by any standards. He was a top college track coach who won four national NCAA track titles, the Olympic track coach during the fateful Munich Olympics, a decorated officer in the mountain/ski battalion during WWII, a co-founder of Nike, and with his millions from Nike, a generous philanthroper.
   
   Bowerman seemed destined to live a life the generated great fascinating stories. Examples: He was coach to the stormy and supremely talented Steve Prefontaine. He (Bowerman) took on the American Athletic Union and its hypocritical stand on amateurism. He was in love with a woman who love him when he was a quarterback for the University of Oregon at the same time that she also loved the quarterback for the University of Southern California--a man who eventually become president of Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. (The woman decided to marry the winner of the UO-USC football game! I won't tell you how that came out.)
   
   As a result, this book is amazingly enjoyable at multiple levels. The stories are fascinating in their own right, but especially because Bowerman's life had as its backdrop some of the most amazing events in American history: the settling of Oregon, the Olympic movement, the running explosion that helped Nike become a multi-billion-dollar company, World War II, Viet Nam, and unrest among black athletes. The stories are skillfully written by Sports Illustrated writer and Olympic runner Kenny Moore, whom Bowerman coached. The book is also a story about character, integrity, and the winning spirit.
   
   Bowerman and the Men of Oregon is more interesting and exciting than fiction. It's a must read for all athletes, especially runners, and it's a great read for everyone else. I highly recommend it.



3. This is THE book for anyone who ever ran ladders or repeat quarters (if you don't know what that means, you're still going to enjoy the story).
   
   Had the opportunity to get my copy signed by Kenny recently. I told him that nearly lost my composure when I read the intro; if I would've had someone to tell me to slow down during training, I wouldn't have burned out at age 17.
   
   I was bummed that he didn't include the picture of himself and Frank Shorter after the '72 Olympic Marathon; that shot has to win the award for best athletic facial hair by a duo.
   
   The stories are woven together so masterfully, and it's hard to believe that the book covers a full century in time.
   
   In the acknowledgements, Kenny's small note to the runners of Oregon really speaks volumes; namely, he apologizes for compressing and diluting their stories in order to fit them into the book. Anyone who has lived the life will surely understand the significance of that statement.
   
   "Bowerman" is a collector's piece.



4. Being a native Oregonian, I loooved reading about the Bowerman family history. As a former runner, I enjoyed reading about the races. The book is very detailed and thorough. It's very well done. Enjoy!



5. I "raced" through this book and now plan to re-read in a more "paced" manner. I had read the excerpt printed in Runner's World magazine (Rodale publishes the magazine and also is the book's publisher) and looked forward to the book with high interest.
   
   I very much enjoyed getting to know much more about Bowerman than I had previously. He was a multi-talented, caring (if somewhat imperfect) individual to whom all of us recreational runners owe a huge debt of gratitude.
   
   I was surprised by the sections on Prefontaine, since Mr. Moore was co-author of the script for the movie "Without Limits". The movie painted a slightly darker picture of Pre than does the book. I was thrilled to hear of Pre's charitable interests and his work in bringing the Norwegians to Oregon.
   
   Like other reviewers, I found some of the track info a bit technical for me, but enjoyed it. Also, I was a bit confused by some of the early Bowerman family chapters.
   
   I cannot recommend this book highly enough, however. It is a must read for runners of all types and anyone interested in the life story of a truly exceptional person.

1 comments about Bat Boy: Coming of Age with the New York Yankees.

1. Once I started reading this book it was hard to put down. The author (Matthew McGough) takes you behind the scene of one of the most prestige franchise of any sports teams. You'll experience what it was like to be on the inside of Yankee Stadium. The star struck kid interacting with the "Stars in Pinstripes". It's a must read book for anyone who has ever dreamed of being a bat boy for a professional baseball team. Anyone who has ever wanted to know what takes place before, doing, and after a baseball game this is also a must read book. You'll also read about the "good guys" and the not so friendly guys who played for the Yankees. Find out it's not always glamorous being a "bat boy". Finally a "kudos" to his parents who made sure school work was always his priority over working Yankees games. Enjoy the adventure!
   
   Andre' Fontenot (former bat boy San Francisco Giants 1974)

No comments about Justine Henin: From Tragedy to Triumph.

5 comments about Foley is Good: And the Real World is Faker Than Wrestling.

1. Mick Foley is truely a gifted individual.Ive watched him professionally for many many years,his in ring talents never faltered.His have a nice day book was a fabulous,and Foley is good is right on its tale.I look for ward to reading more by this author.This book is certainly something id recomend for any Mankind or Mick Foley fan.As well as westling fans alike.Even those just curious about the sport.



2. I read Mick's first book when it first came out and enjoyed it immensely. His writing style is so personal, it's almost like we became friends. I've been to Santa's Village with my kids many times, and Mick seems to be the type of guy that wouldn't mind having a quick picture taken with him. He's just a regular down-to-earth guy, and I admire his ability to write his own material without the use of a ghostwriter.
   
   Over the years, and as I age (I'm now 36), I admit I've lost touch with most of the wrestling world. I was a HUGE fan in the 80's and 90's. Mick's first book brought back memories. This book was very informative as well, particulary the epilogue. It's loaded with Al Snow and Test jokes, as well as going behind-the-scenes with great information about certain matches over the years. I read this book (about 475 pages) in a few days, and had trouble putting it down. His writing style and approach just clicks with me.
   
   Why then, only four stars? Simple. It's nearly impossible to follow up a classic with a classic. It's like when AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock" album was released in 1981. Did it go to number one on the charts? Sure it did. Did it sell over four million copies? Sure it did. Did it measure up to it's 1980 predessesor "Back in Black" (Twenty-two million copies sold)...no way.
   
   Unfortunately for Mick, his first book was so good, one could say he peaked too early. Once you hit the peak of the mountain, it's impossible to go any higher, and there's only one way left to go...down. Still a great read. If this were his first book, I'd give it five, but when compared to Have a Nice Day, just comes up a bit short...(but still great...do you know what I mean?)



3. With the massive success of "Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks" it seemed unlikely that a wrestler/entertainer would put out another autobiography only a year after the first. Having told all in the last 800 pages or so, what new could he possibly tell us in another 500?
   
   With the pace pro wrestling moves, an assload, and not only that, but with his personal life as well. Much of the book focuses on his fun and spellbinding journey through 1999 in the WWF, with the main subject being his pain from years of hard wrestling. There's also a lot of focus on his Royal Rumble 1999 match with The Rock, and the documentary Beyond the Mat, which featured footage of his wife and children crying as Mick was hit about 9 times more than originally agreed upon by The Rock with a steel chair.
   
   It becomes obvious by at least Wrestlemania XV that Foley is close to retiring, and his in-ring wrestling quality notably deteriorates. He more than makes up for this with great charisma, and truly humorous promos, interviews, and just random things he did in his career then.
   
   Some of the book is simply repeated in the documentary portion of the video/DVD "Hard Knocks and Cheap Pops", but a lot of the book is also dedicated to things outside of wrestling, from Foley's book writing, his interviews with prime time news programs, and the experience of having his interview manipulated to make him look like an uncaring asshole, and defending the WWF against such reports as the Indiana University one which, as Foley discovered after calling the professor heading the research, was grossly exaggerated and mis-represented, with absolutely no fact-checking occurring afterwards. Foley then takes the opportunity to conduct a similar study with watching hours worth of soap operas and sitcoms---and the results are astounding, as going by the standards set by the study, he finds the amount of reported "sex acts" to vastly outnumber those in the WWF, and simulated "drug use" (which included alcohol) to far outnumber those in the WWF.
   
   The latter part of Foley's book is very sharply devoted to defending the WWF against the usual gauntlet of highly intolerant, narrow-minded conservative groups and people who used the WWF as the scapegoat for acts of violence among children, TV violence and sex, and other issues of "morality" and the like.
   
   Brent Bozell is especially harsh on the WWF, and thus Foley is especially harsh on him, exposing him for the cold, harsh, hypocrite he is (if Foley's facts are accurate), to the amount of acts of children killing children blamed on wrestling, when in fact out of the many cases used by the likes of Bozell, virtually none of them could be directly attributed to pro wrestling, and the few that did being largely the result of parental incompetence and anti-social and sociopathic behavior of the children carrying out the crimes.
   
   His first book is definitely better, but this one is not in the same category, as it explores beyond his wrestling career of the past and focuses more on that of 1999-2000, and his career and life outside of wrestling, including humorous tales of his fandom of Britney Spears, and coming out to his friends with this, to discover The Blue Meanie, Edge, Stevie Richards, and others are also Spears fans, as well as finally explaining the legend of the Penis Suplex, and its origin.
   
   Highlight: An audition for a commercial with Jerry Seinfeld in New York which many wrestlers attend, including ECW stars. When asking Taz (Peter Senerchia) if he could guarantee Jerry's safety during the shoot, Taz, acting on their fears of wrestling being real, replies "I can't guarantee nothin'. If Jerry gets in there with me, he's kind of taking his chances."



4. Foley is a good writer, has a great sense of humour intermingled with some insights into the world of professional wrestling.
   
   Very much not the stereotypical wrestling thug but a man with an opinion and the ability to voice it.
   
   This book is not as good as his first book but it is still an entertaining read. Just wish he hadn't toed the WWE line and said that he hadn't seen anyone use steroids there. Bit fanciful.



5. Mick Foley's sequel to "Have a Nice Day" is good, but not great. Of the three he has written, it is not the best of the three.
   
   However, it is still a very good book and an entertaining read. The part where his words were spileced to make the point NBC was trying to make about professional wrestling is a great example of media manipulation, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer, more sincere person as Mick Foley.
   
   True fans of the work inside and outside of the ring still need to have this book.

5 comments about Payne Stewart: The Authorized Biography.

1. Hat's off to Tracey for her work in getting this together. Though lacking in specific details of his past behaivors enough is said to allow the reader to understand the change in his character once he accepted Christ. This book is not another Christian testimony. It contains the elements of a what makes a good man. We are all sinners and a perfect picture is not painted here. Payne was a great golfer and a great man that many could learn from. Then again, just act like you think Jesus would have and you will be close to the mark of Payne. Thank you for a great book Tracey.



2. I have recently finished the biography of payne stewart. It was one of the best books I have ever read. From start to finish of the book I was always interested.The best parts of the book is when it talks about all the tournaments he has been in and winning the U.S. open in 1999.



3. What an inspirational book based on the life of Payne Stewart. You could literally feel the love that Tracey had for Payne. No, I am sure that Payne wasn't a saint. Who of us is? But, he was a great man, a great father, and a great golfer who is sadly missed by thousands of his fans and followers.

   Payne was a devout Christian who was coming into his own. The scope of what his personal witnessing ministry could have become will now be tested in his death rather than his life. I know that it has served to strengthen my testimony and for that I will forever be indebted to Payne Stewart.

   Thanks Tracey and kids for sharing Payne with us!




4. This book is a must have book about the life and times of one of Golfs most flamboyunt golfer (the knickers) and the way Payne spoke his mind. I bought this book because Payne was one of my favorite golfers. This book was very intresting talked about the ups and downs of life on the PGA tour. I am glad that Payne relized that there is more to life than just golf. Family and relationship with God. This is a must have book.



5. this book was amazing. granted it could have been written a lot better, but it's understandable from the view thata his wife is writing this book shortly after his tragic death. tracey wrote well, but got a little boring here and there. other than that, this was great. i never knew the story of payne and his career untill i read this. it was truley a proof to me that he was a great father, husband, golfer, friend, and man. enjoy it!