5 comments about Sea Change: Alone Across the Atlantic in a Wooden Boat.

1. Peter writes about his love for boats that he developed early in life from his teacher Mr. Earl; his love for his wife J; for Toad, his little wooden boat that he rebuilt and sailed for so many miles, often alone; his love for the sea; the Hiscocks; even for the Captain that rescues him (without telling the end of the story). His is a very entertaining and inspiring story, which also teaches a whole lot about sailing offshore. This is a true story with all the elements of an intense life, as real as it gets. I definitively recommend reading this book. At one point Peter is thousands of miles offshore, alone in his small boat, and taking on water at an increasing rate. Hard to put down.



2. A story that weaves the threads of life is found in this book. I first read it when it came out, and recently re-read it. I found it more enjoyable the second-time around. The stories within the story are filled with great tales, danger, introspection, teak, and global adventures. The reward of getting through this book will stay with you long after it has been put away. It is true that this is a story of sailing, but it is really so much more. It contains much more than other books in the same genre.



3. Peter Nichols book interweaves two stories quite well- his emotions as his marriage declines, and the story of trying to get a wooden boat across the Atlantic. Both stories are told in a very honest manner, reminding the reader that even the best sailors and partners can hit troubled waters. The sailing lore is impressive, and will give a day-sailor a new respect for long distance sailing.



4. As a memoir of love and loss, Peter Nichols' book is as moving and accomplished as any I've read, including such recognized classics as Siegfried Sassoon's "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer." I highly recommend it for the sailor and landlubber alike.



5. Nice book about crossing the Atlantic mixxed with reflections on the writer's failed marriage. Nothing new or real exciting about the book. I thought his reflections on his marriage over indulgent and sometimes boring. I kept wanting to tell him to get a girlfriend so that he could forget his depressing wife.

   The sailing part is fun but there are much better naratives.

5 comments about To the Edge and Back: My Story from Organ Transplant Survivor to Olympic Snowboarder.

1. Chris Klug and Steve Jackson's account of the Olympian's triumphant life is an excellent example of the modern sports autobiography: Truly spoken, well-written, and a glimpse inside a sport not too many readers probably know too much about. But it's Klug's life -- so far -- that intrigues. Like Lance Armstrong, Klug has faced adversity outside of sports and conquered it, making his athletic achievement so much more important and interesting. Top-notch work.



2. This is simply an amazing story. From beginning to end, it instills a sense of wanting to go out and live life to the fullest. It has everything a great book should. This book will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate life. A great inspirational story, everyone should have this in his or her collection. This book appeals not only to skiers and snowboarders but also across generations.



3. This is one of the most motivational books I have read. If you finish reading this book and aren't totally stoked about attacking life, you need serious help.
   
   Imagine having a dream to be on an Olympic Snowboarding team BEFORE snowboarding was even accepted at most ski resorts, BEFORE snowboarding was even considered a sport. If I learned one thing while reading this book, it was to never tell a kid something is impossible.
   
   I'd highly recommend this book as a present for parents to give their snowboarding teens. It shows how dedication, hard work and never giving up on yourself can be your ticket to anywhere.



4. From the moment I picked up this book I had a tough time putting it down. This book will have you both laughing hysterically and crying. "To The Edge and Back" is not only a truly inspirational story of Chris Klug and his epic story of going from Organ Transplant survivor to Olympic Athlete; it also speaks to the history and character of the sport of snowboarding. From it's beginnings as an "outcast" sport that "will never last" to becoming an Olympic sport, "To the Edge and Back" gives us a peak into what snowboarding (and its athletes) are all about and the obstacles that the sport has had to overcome.
   
   The book tells a story of a dream, and an athlete who refused to ever let go of that dream even while facing head-on the reality of his own impending mortality. Seeing & feeling the impact of organ donation from both sides, both the donor family and the recipient, truly makes this an epic read and a story that needs to be heard/read by all.



5. Before picking up the book, everyone should be ready for an incredibly inspiring story. Having survived a liver transplant to return to a professional athletic career, and then win an olympic medal should leave anyone in complete awe. Comparisons to Lance Armstrong and his book campaign will abound. However, in "To the Edge and Back," Klug does much more than just inspire. The story is an incredible one of course, but this piece is also very well written and impeccably put together. Each of the chapters brings the reader to (and sometimes past) the verge of tears, and then moments later has one holding his/her sides in laughter. What will seem to many as a story primarily about overcoming unimaginable odds offers much more as Klug pays homage to his sport, his friends and his family. The book is clearly an influential work for Chris's primary cause of organ donation, and shows readers the importance of the medical miracle and the necessity for more organ donors right here in America. This is a must read for all athletes, but is a moving and entertaining work that should find its way onto bookshelves and bedside tables world wide.

5 comments about Keep Australia On Your Left: A True Story of an Attempt to Circumnavigate Australia by Kayak.

1. I picked up this book as my husband is Australian and we both kayak. I can't imagine trying to accomplish this feat, and I found the tale pretty accurate of a long kayaking trip.



2. I wished they could have finished the trip, but it kind of seemed like they wanted it for the wrong reasons. Don't get me wrong they accomplished quite a feat and I"m not trying to take away from that. It's just that Eric and Tony seemed to grow up rich and be given all the oppurtunites in life, so when presented with severe obstacles they had a hard time dealing with them. It seemed more like an extended vacation rather then an expedition. Maybe, I"m just a little biased after reading Paddle to the Amazon and discovering all they went through. Still, this book isn't as bad as some say, it's good read, and you get a good sense of thier journey, it just could have been better.



3. I struggled through 106 pages before I gave up on it altogether. The book held every potential of a great adventure but sorely lacked in its characters - the whining and vain Stiller coupled with a boorish Tony made for a literary flop. Their trip was doomed from the beginning, the two seemed to be in a state of constant bickering - where was the camaderie? The whole thing begged for credibility and substance. Sorry - just couldn't take it. Save your money and buy Chris Duff's 'Southern Exposure'.



4. Caffyn's "Dreamtime Voyage" is the best on kayaking around Australia. It is more of a 5 star book. And his NZ book "Obscured by Waves" is back in print!



5. I got this one for my birthday and started reading it with great enthusiasm. Few people have attempted to circumnavigate Australia in a kayak and except of Paul Caffyn no one succeeded so far. Therefore, Eric Stiller (the author) and Tony Brown (his paddle partner) are in good company with their failed attempt to complete the circumnavigation. This book is Eric's account of five months of paddling over 3500 miles from Sydney along Oz's east and north coasts to Darwin.
   
   Paddling almost half the way around Australia in a Klepper foldable boat in five months is a great adventure. It must have been quite an amazing journey along one of the worlds most beatiful shorelines. However, there is hardly any of this aspect in the book. Instead you'll get bored of Eric's dwelling in endless complaints about his sore butt, the always higher-than-expected swell, and his ever ongoing struggles with Tony. The only thing more disappointing than Eric's whining about all the evil surrounding him is the stretch of lousy b/w pictures (on all of which the water is as flat as a mirror, so there must have been a couple of good days at least).
   
   The title refers to Tony's rejection of Eric's request to buy charts for the trip. Instead, he recommends, to simply "keep Oz on the left". I would not want to go on a week-long trip with a guy as naive as that. Tony's naive attitude and Erics subordination to Tony's moods borders on stupidity more often than not. Day after day the two get up too late to make their distance in daylight, they have to make a dangerous landing at some beach they can hardly see in the dark, they find some food and exhaustedly fall asleep, which makes them get up too late the next morning and so on. They once take off in a storm out of a "cabin-fever" mood and almost die that day, triggering a coast guard search. A long list of misjudgements and rants of self-pity later, the duo almost get themselves killed in the gulf of carpentaria and, to the big relief of the reader, give up their journey shortly thereafter.
   
   Eric does not seem to really enjoy any of this whole trip - everything always seems to be worse than expected. He doesn't seem to live the journey, he seems to long for it to end before it even started. The book reads as if all this was pushed onto him, and this way it ends up to be a depressing account of quite a tremendous achievement. Unfortunately, Eric does not seem to understand anything of what has happened. Instead of writing a pity-party of a book like this, he should fall down on his knees and thank his god for the fact, that he pulled his sorry butt out of this alive.

5 comments about Dan Inosanto: The Man, the Teacher, the Artist.

1. Finally, I got this book. I was looking for it forever. It definitely has great info on Guro Dan. Having met him in 2006, what the author tells in this book is true. Guro Dan is a great man, a great martial artist and the humblest man you'd ever meet. The book has great stories from the earlier days to the Bruce Lee days to Guro Dan's path of touching different peoples in different walks of life. I thought it was well put together. I would love the opportunity to talk to Guro Dan once again. Get the book, it's a good read.



2. Bruce Lee is amazing. He was before his time. Dan Inosanto, however, is beyond anything I have ever experienced. Having gone to seminars to train with the man himself, I can truly say this man is responsible for the JKD we know and also one of, if not THE, most well-read, experienced, and talented martial artist to date.

   This book, although a LITTLE thin, is a wonderful read and addition to any martial artist's collection. He is, afterall, THE martial artist of our time. READ IT!!




3. This is a fair book about an extraordinary man and martial artist. Although I learned a few things about Dan Inosato that I didn't know from reading magazine articles, I wanted more. I was left feeling that the overall presentation was flat, almost lifeless at times.

   Inasanto is an incredible, tireless martial arts master who is an icon in the martial arts world. I didn't feel that energy in this read and I was left wanting it.

   The positives are that you will learn much about him, including some of his human weaknesses. But mostly you will learn that he is a driven man, who even now, in his 60s, is willing to be a student and learn from others.

   I recommend this book, I just wish it had a little more spark.

   Loren W. Christensen, author of FIGHTER'S FACT BOOK




4. This book is an excellent general biography of a great martial artist. It covers his life before and after Bruce Lee, touches on his progress since Lee's death and has some very interesting interviews and quotes. The book is a fine tribute to a humble, talented person and instructor.



5. I was very excited to see that a biography has been written about Guro Dan Inosanto. He has led (and continues to lead) a fascinating life and influences a great many people through his passion for the martial arts. This book is a pleasant read, serving as an overview to Guro Dan's life-long journey in the martial arts. Much of the information in this book will be familiar to those who have read other interviews with Guro Dan. It's no surprise, there are no secrets. His hard work, dedication and humility are expounded upon throughout the book. It is well researched, with an extensive bibliography, and contains excerpts from interviews with Guro Dan and many of his students. One of the most interesting sections of the book, in my opinion, is the partial list of his many teachers. Overall, a good, light read for a sunday afternoon.

   Respectfully, Chris H. student: EEMD, Boston (JKD/FMA)

5 comments about Strongman: The Doug Hepburn Story.

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



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



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



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



5. Hello! I'm a 26 year old weightlifter, and had heard the name Doug Hepburn a few times in strength and bodybuilding magazines. However, I really didnt know much about the man until I purchased this book. I can honestly say, this man's story was inspiring and yet sad at times. It's one of the best reads I've had in a while, and those who are involved in weight training will want to pick up a copy of this book.

   I really came away feeling inspired and grateful. With all the hogwash out there written by juiced-up "athletes," it's good to know people like Mr. Hepburn were truly the strongest of the strong naturally and that it IS possible to become strong without chemicals. Had I known of him years ago before his passing, he truly would have been someone I'd want to meet in person.

   Also, many thanks to the book's author, Mr. Tom Thurston, who took the time to respond to my letter and answer my questions.

5 comments about Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon (Bruce Lee Library).

1. Many of the documentaries and biographies out there about Bruce Lee were unauthorized and created by shysters trying to cash in on his sudden death. This book, based on the recent video documentary "Bruce Lee: In His Own Words" is not only superior because it really is based on the master's own words, but the book and video are also endorsed by Bruce's widow and daughter. Here we get plenty of great photographs from Bruce's films, training, and family life. Meanwhile, Bruce's thoughts on acting, family, and his martial arts style (or, according to him, its dismissal of style) are true revelations for any fan of Bruce's classic movies. His thoughts on being a serious actor, rather than a martial arts "superstar," are quite a surprise; while his personal philosophy and attitudes toward martial arts mastery are both fascinatingly Eastern but surprisingly down-to-Earth and accessible for Western enthusiasts. So instead of fighting your way through all the frauds and fakes out there, get it from the master himself. [~doomsdayer520~]



2. There are no limitations , save those that we create for ourselves... Bruce Lee

   This is a great book if you are looking for a compilation of rare photos and facts.. Unlike most books out there that beat around the bush , This book showcases the man as he wanted to project himself to the world .The perspectives are variable throughout the book , giving the reader a vast panoramic view of the life and times of the much hyped martial arts superstar..

   Frankly, if you're looking for a detailed description of his persona , you will find exactly that and more.. Full of great photos that give a realistic insight on the master , this book is a good buy if you are interested in the glam..

   If you are a martial artist however , I would strongly suggest that you do not buy this book . There are various other books that will serve your purpose, books like 'The Tao of JKD'.




3. This book is a great addition to my collection of Bruce Lee books of pictures, filmography, philosopy and techniques. It has one of the best picture collections of all the books I've seen. The content isn't bad either. Talking about the life of the Little Dragon and some of the deep thoughts he had in his short life in this world. My fan-ography of the Jeet Kune Do Sifu is just starting, even if I have been a follower for years. This book is not a dissapointment. It will be a great addition to any collection.



4. Bruce Lee was his own man.he had so much style&smoothness about him.this book highlights his world in front of the public&behind it.very detailed&very upfront.you get a very insightful look into his world&vision.a man who forever changed the world with his talent&craft.a man who was trying to make sense of his surroudings&the things that were in placed around him.He will never be forgotten.



5. What an intimate look at the man behind the image! The book is highly visual--the text is very limited--but the photos are like none that I've ever seen in other books on Lee. I'm talking about the baby pictures of Bruce and Brandon, photos of Lee from behind the scenes in his movies (a kind of spooky one of him and Sharon Tate from what must have been just before she was killed), and pictures of he and his wife just sitting on the couch at home. It makes you realize that there's a man and father behind the superhero that appears in his films. I loved it.

5 comments about Every Man Has His Price: The True Story of Wrestling's Million-Dollar Man.

1. Back in the day, Ted DiBiase was the ultimate pro wrestling heel - as the Million-Dollar Man - who could get the fans worked up during one of his classic monologues on why, "Every man has his price."
   
   But - in wrestling parlance - it was truly all a "work."
   
   Published a decade ago, the autobiography traces his life as a child who grew up around the business of pro wrestling - he is the stepson of legendary grappler, Iron Mile DiBiase, who passed away in the ring - to how he climbed the ladder to stardom and the pop culture trappings of success that nearly ruined more than his career inside the squared-circle.
   
   There is space devoted to his wrestling career - taking tentative steps while still a student at West Texas State University, the refining of his character in the old NWA territories and attaining main event status - but the book is not only about the industry; it is a testimony on how Christ showed him the direction that ultimately saved his life and his marriage.
   
   DiBiase was blessed with a vision to found Heart of David Ministries and that is a major reason why the book needs to be reissued, with additional information concerning the events in churches, schools and - yes - in the ring throughout the world.
   
   This is not the typical pro wrestling autobiography that focuses solely on the action inside the arena and the drama in the locker room & corporate offices. DiBiase gives the reader his true story and the tragic price he nearly paid without the ultimate tag-team partner in life.



2. For most people, Ted DiBiase is not one of the most well-known wrestlers. In the world of pro wrestling, DiBiase is one of the best heels ever. He perfectly played the part of the millionaire wrestler with arrogance and charisma.
   This book is far more than just a wrestling autobiography, although you will read about his fine wrestling career. DiBiase delivers enough wrestling stories and details to interest any wrestling fan.
   This book also relates the story of a man very devoted to his family and his God. In telling stories of his early family life, DiBiase clearly shows his love of family life. This sets the foundation for his total salvation later in life.
   DiBiase also discusses his life on the road as a wrestler and how that life style almost ruined his life. Fortunately, DiBiase's deep commitment to his God and his family saved him. He is very open and honest in discussing all of this. He is a devout Christian and he encourages all to follow his path, but he never comes across as phony or preachy. He just wants all to share in the same love as he does.
   This is a very good book for wrestling fans and all others, as well!



3. Ted Dibiase, a.k.a The Million Dollar Man, has added to the growing pantheon of professional wrestling autobiographies / biographies with this self-authored tome. Dibiase, a second-generation professional wrestler, has lived the life and walked the walk that so many wrestling fans desire to read about. The autobiography is a quick read but nonetheless full of candor and detail. Most interesting to me was the circuitous professional history of Iron Mike Dibiase, the father of the Million Dollar Man. These tales of the old days in professional wrestling totally ground the reader in hard work habits and touring road life, moving families about to stay fresh in the public eye. Dibiase's story is one of trial and error. He endured the deaths of both of his parents (both professional wrestlers) and survived the consolidation of the pro wrestling "territories" into just a few dinosaurs, eventually ending where we are at today with one professional organization, the WWE. Dibiase attended college in Texas on a football scholarship, and met several other future pro wrestlers there. The book also chronicles the religious development of Dibiase, presenting a unique Christian point-of-view within the professional wrestling circles that Dibiase was forced to retire from due to injuries suffered in the ring. If you are planning on buying this book for lurid detail and scandal, save your money for the tabloids. Dibiase is a straight-shooter who does without cussing. His biggest shortcoming is that he dropped out of college to earn money as a wrestler to support his family. With his deep bass voice and loaded black glove (his original trademark before becoming the Million Dollar Man) Dibiase could make a good political candidate. I came away from reading this book with more respect for Dibiase and his way of living life. He is a real person with a real voice. He also could have made the book longer with more anecdotes about his accomplishments inside the ring, with more name-dropping and historical recollection. If anything, Dibiase is too modest about his long career. This book is still well worth the cost of admission to glimpse behind the curtain and see the wrestlers as human instead of performers.



4. dibiase was in the business for over 20 years. for a man with that much experience he sure wrote a terrible book. he rarely talks about the other wrestlers he met in all those years.too much information about his pre-wrestling years. i'm a wrestling fan for 25 years, i want to read about wrestling and the wrestlers. dibiase wastes chapter after chapter talking about playgrounds, grammer school, how many times he had to move, his grandmother. he talks about his wcw days for approximately 3 pages - what a rip-off.he's a fake and a coward when he refuses to talk about his preChristian partying days. don't waste your time, read dynamite kid's book(british bulldogs)- much more entertaining



5. This book was not the wrestling bio I was looking for. Dibiase doesn't go into detail about the "unholy" things that he has participated in during his lifetime. He instead likes to focus on the positive aspects of having God in his life. Thats all well and good but I thought the book was a wrestling bio not a 200 page infomercial for the church. Bottom line..........if you want wrestling stories and detail this is not the book for you. However, if your looking for a great story about a man's love for Jesus Christ this book is great

5 comments about A Pitcher's Story: Innings with David Cone.

1. Great authour, great pitcher, poor book.
   
   I am a great ball fan and a regular at the Blue Jays games - especially when the Yankees or the A's or Seattle come to town. Cone was here when we (my team the Jays - I do not own the Jays, everyone here calls them his team) won the world series in 92 and we all loved him.
   
   I was excited when the book arrived from Amazon.com, but very disappointed when I actually read the book. I never finished it. I thought it was slow and a bit light. The author cannot keep your attention and the book wanders. Waste of money only two or three stars. Sorry but that is my humble opinion. Read DiMaggios's book "The Hero's Life" for a good biography about life on and off the field.



2. I've been a fan of David Cone since I was a little kid growing up in New York as a Met's fan. Even as my team started to unravel after 1986 and 1988, Cone was stellar, leading the league in strikeouts and being the one constant quality player that the team had. When he was traded out of New York I still tried to follow his career and was happy when he returned to New York, even as a Yankee. It was with great disappointment that I read about his last season where he just fell apart and ended with a 4-14 record. It was a sad ending to a great pitcher.

   I wanted to read this book about David Cone. The book was originally supposed to be about the craft of pitching, how a top level pitcher prepares and the mechanics of pitching. That is the book that Roger Angell intended to write. However, when Cone's mechanics broke down and his season fell apart, Angell stayed with him and realized that he had a completely different story. This is the story of David Cone's last season with the Yankees and the collapse of a talented ballplayer.

   Baseball is a game of digression. Since the only action in the game takes place during frenzied bursts of motion between long periods of waiting, this gives the sportswriters and broadcasters time to talk about the game at hand as well as games and moments from years past. This is a good thing to think about as you begin to read the book. Roger Angell takes us through the 2000 season of David Cone. He also provides a biography of Cone as well as moments from different parts of his pitching career. This is just like a baseball game where everything is connected to history. What is happening in May might recall David's rookie year, or his high school days. This is how the book goes, from the 2000 season when Angell is spending time with Cone right to David's childhood and back again. It may feel at times that there is very little organization, but I felt that it had part of the natural flow of watching (or listening to) a baseball game.

   Some readers might be put off by the lack of chronology to the book and that it jumps around quite a bit. It is a little distracting, but it wasn't bad at all in my mind. It just felt like this is the way you tell the baseball story. I was completely enthralled by this book and I'm glad that I got the chance to read about one of my favorite pitchers from my childhood.




3. Roger Angell takes you through the troublesome and nail-biting career to the ordinary every day life of the renowned pitcher, David Cone. From his first participation in a major league uniform with the New York Mets, to many thriving seasons with the Yankees and Red Sox, and from the time that David's arm felt like a stable rocket launcher, to the end of his career when he prospered by throwing mostly split-fingers and curveballs instead of a blazing fastball. A Pitchers Story not only makes the reader envision a life as an imfamous pro-baseball player, but also learns from the way to handle themselves under extraordinary pressure. This book is also similar to a pitching lesson in itself, as grips of seams and the twists of wrists are manifested by the masterful Cone. I am sure that this story has made hundreds of people realize how hard-working and dedicated a person must be in order to maintain a respectable and successful career in the big-leagues, as Cone consistently did throughout his almost two-decade career. This book is certainly better than the average biography, and I would recommend it to any lovers of "America's Past Time."



4. I'd been waiting a long time for a book to be published about my favorite baseball player, David Cone. This book is excellent in describing Cone both professionally and personally. A must-read for David's fans!



5. and your name is Roger Angell you turn them in the best lemonade you can make. Mr Angell's books are the heart and soul of my small baseball books collection and I need only take one of them on a trip away from the ballpark, to be sure that whatever happens the sounds, smell and feeling of the game are close at hand.
   Reading this book, knowing already that the task at hand was not what either Cone or Angell had bargained for, I was at first not overly impressed with the story. It went several directions at once and with all due respect felt like the book by an older writer who was too respectfull of his subject. But I take it all back after having finished the book. How many writers would have written this book in the first place? And of those how many would have been able to write a book that shows an athlete, flaws and quirks and all, yet always painting the true picture of the man. The bad year Cone has had makes for a somber tone in this book and maybe that fits with the time we live in. I think you cannot help but admire Cone and his frankness in his talks with Angell. And we cannot thank Mr Angell enough for having the courage and craftsmanship to turn this story into a beautiful novel.

5 comments about Fun While It Lasted: My Rise and Fall In the Land of Fame and Fortune.

1. Bruce Mcnall story is intriguing from page one...from working in a small coin shop in arcadia, ca ...to hobknobbing with the likes of the Texas Hunt brothers(at about the time they were trying to corner the silver market), investing horses, producing movies, and buying sport franchises...it is just unbelievable that one man could do all that he did by age 44...I loved every page of this book...would luv it to be made into a feature movie or atleast a t.v. movie.



2. Bruce McNall is a man who gained and lost a substantial fortune. How could a book detailing his experience not be entertaining?

   His memoir is at its most interesting as he is ascending from humble beginings to a place of wealth and affluence. It's a familiar story, but McNall's tale has a freshness to it. Somehow a coin dealer's evolution into a sports mogule is novel.

   Oddly, the book loses momentum when the author is shuffled off to jail. I doubt anyone picked up Bruce McNall's biography to catch a glimpse inside prison life, but his descripion of it is painstaking.

   Still, the man is a likable figure, and his story is an enjoyable one.




3. Just as he did in making LA Kings games a wonderfully popular attraction for hockey fans, McNall is providing heaps of fun for us in this memoir of his rise and fall. When watching a magician at work, we know the purpose is entertainment, rather than truth-telling; so, too, this volume is not a true soul-bearing confessional that reveals the internal demons that led McNall to a life of huge financial crimes. His deepest confession -- that he simply wanted to be liked too much -- clearly is a superficial revelation, but we know that McCall intends here to get us to like him (not to really understand him); although a different kind of book that truly exposed the dark side of his being would have been an important contribution, McCall instead succeeds in providing us here a thoroughly enjoyable few hours attending to his breezy recounting of his many colorful, if unlawful, achievements and a summary recounting of how they inevitably led to a 5-year detour behind bars. The worlds he traversed -- trading rare coins, breeding and racing thoroughbred horses, feature-film-making, and building winning sports franchises-- provide enough entertaining vignettes for many books (and many lives!), and we can be thankful that he crammed so much writing into such a manageable and readable volume.



4. It's hard to say which was worse. The man's fixation with his B list celebrity friends even as his life was crumbling around him. (Alan Thicke visited him in jail!) Or his rationalizing a 10 year pattern of fraud even as he claims he is taking responsibility for it. (his first coin collecting partner deserved to be swindled because he drove too hard a bargain; the Hunt brothers weren't really harmed by the fraud he worked on them; the banks practically forced him to defraud them).

   The book seems to be written not to understand or explain why he committed frauds in excess of $200 million but to have us know that Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are very,very dear friends. He mentions hockey players on dozens of pages while his children barely rate a mention until they are dragged in for bathetic effect when he is carted off to jail.

   Like Oscar Wilde in Reading Gaol, McNall in prison obviously plumbed the depths of his soul in order to understand himself. Why did he commit these massive frauds? Because he wanted too much to be liked. That's what he really said.

   His tepid story telling is no compensation for the fact that McNall clearly still believes that doing lunch matters more than doing crime.




5. What an amazing life and well written story! This book does a great job of describing Bruce's quest for the next big high -- from a rare coin, a win at the race track, or turning the Kings into a ice hockey powerhouse.

   Easy to read and a very interesting, I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

No comments about Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman.