5 comments about From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France.

1. Can you believe David Walsh? David certainly belives and promotes the thought that liars and cheats should be exposed and punished, after reading his interviews and learning that there is no proof, it was really a matter of whether i believed him or not - Wanting to find out more i came across this very interesting article in "Outdoors" magazine - http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200512/lance-armstrong-1.html it looks at both sides, in it i was surprised to read that David Walsh has lied to the public - from the article..."It's also a fact that Walsh has said in the past that he did not pay Emma O'Reilly, when he actually did. Walsh recently admitted in an interview with Outside that he had paid O'Reilly for her story, despite assuring VeloNews in June 2004 that he had not. His explanation for telling this falsehood is that "I felt at the time if I'd said yes, she would have been absolutely screwed." - end quote. If there is one thing worse than a lair its a hypocrite.



2. There are numerous camps within the cycling community these days:
   
   A. Those who love Lance and believe everything he did not enhanced by substances
   
   B. those who are are skeptical that his accomplishments were achieved honestly, but have yet to fully accept either argument at face value
   
   C. those who passionately hate Armstrong and believe anything that his name is connected to must be tainted.
   
   I fall somewhere in the middle of group B, while Walsh has become a hero for those who belong in group C. With this being his first book about Armstrong that is available in the U.S., Walsh had the opportunity to fully present the case that Lance Armstrong doped. In that case, he failed. For many that have never read any other books on the subject of performance enhancing drugs in the sport of cycling, this book might make a convincing argument, but to those who have read numerous accounts about the subject, this is not convincing.
   
   One problem lies with the fact that Walsh obtains his information, not from straightforward sources, for the most part, but from suspiciously obtained text messages, 2nd hand sources, and taped telephone conversations. All of this, and the best that Walsh can give the reader is a couple of disgruntled employees, one ex-champion who has famously feuded with Armstrong for years, and one really angry wife of a former teammate.
   
   Perhaps the largest problem lies with Walsh himself. Over the years, Walsh worked closely with former riders such as Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche. By the time Walsh's positive biography about the former was written, Kelly was no stranger to rumors of performance enhancing drugs, and had failed drug tests.
   
   The connection Walsh has with Roche is even stranger. When Stephen Roche was publicly accused of using drugs years after he retired, Walsh quickly wrote a condemning piece in a British paper. This problem goes to the center of Walsh's predicament. It had been long rumored that Roche had used drugs during his career, and Walsh never took the time to investigate it. 15 years later, Roche is accused and Walsh condemns him before any actual evidence about the case came out.
   
   This example shows why Walsh is not pure either. First of all, Roche's name had been brought up for years in connection to his days with the Carrera cycling team. From the time of his retirement in 1993 until 2005, Walsh never accused Roche of anything. It is not like Roche wasn't worth the time or effort, as he was one of only three riders in history to win the cycling triple crown of the Giro, Tour, and World Championship in the same year. Was he not worth Walsh's effort? Secondly, Walsh was so quick to finally condemn Roche that he forgot to look at the facts of the actual accusations made in 2005, which haven't held up. So, Walsh ignores it while it is not out in the open, and then when someone makes an accusation, Walsh is quick to condemn without researching the actual accusations being made.
   
   Walsh should have taken a couple of lessons on investigative reporting from Matt Rendell, whose biography of Marco Pantani leaves no room for intepretation. Where Rendell risked quite a bit to make sure that his case was indestructable, Walsh seems to feel the need to sensationalize.



3. Great book. Real eye openner to the world of doping in the European cycling circuit. Shows the effects of not have proper testing in cycling. Especially dramatic is the conversation between Lance and Lemond. Lemond is certainly not the pushover. Even if Lance did cheat (which he may have not) can you blame him. Still, a must read. When you see the amount of dopers got away with it, it boggles the mind to see Floyd get so much slack from the American public. He is a doper, proven, goodbye and good ridence.



4. Midway through the third stage of the 1924 Tour de France, Henri Pélissier (winner of the 1923 Tour) abandoned. Journalist Albert Londres found him drinking hot chocolate at a train station restaurant. The interview Pélissier gave is still important. After explaining what the suffering racers endured he showed Londres the various pills and potions he took to both improve his performance and mitigate his misery. "We run on dynamite," he said.
   
   Over the years the types of dynamite have changed. In the 1930s chemists synthesized amphetamines and racers soon learned how they could help and harm. Tom Simpson died in 1967 from the effects of dehydration, diarrhea and amphetamine overdose.
   
   In the 1970s, the overuse of corticoids nearly killed 2-time Tour winner Bernard Thévenet. When he went public with his misdeeds, explaining that his use of steroids was the usual practice in the peloton, he received abuse from his sponsor, the public and his fellow riders.
   
   In the 1990s EPO made doping necessary if a racer wanted to win. Riders like Marco Pantani and Bjarne Riis ran their hematocrits to a nearly lethal 60%. Any racer wishing to compete with these men and their like were forced to either stick the needle in their arms or retire. This is not just my guess. Many racers from that era (Andy Hampsten, for one) have gone public with how the sport was transformed by a drug that could dramatically improve a racer's power output.
   
   Today, with a reliable test for EPO available, racers have gone on to new strategies, including old-fashioned blood doping. The best racers can spend over $100,000 a year on both the drugs and the technical expertise to avoid detection. Since this technology is so expensive, it is generally only the lower-paid lesser riders who get caught by dope tests.
   
   That brings us to Walsh's book and the demand that he find a "smoking gun" before he levels any accusations. Smoking guns are almost impossible to find. In 1960, Tour de France doctor Pierre Dumas walked in on Gaston Nencini while he was calmly transfusing his own saved blood in his hotel room. That's not going to happen today because what Nencini was doing to win the 1960 Tour was not illegal. Yet, Nencini was doing exactly what most doping experts think modern racers are doing, performing autologous (using their own saved blood for later injection) blood doping.
   
   I urge any person concerned with the obvious problem of rampant doping in sports to read this book. Walsh isn't a sensationalist. He is a man who hates cheaters. This book is the result of his belief that Lance Armstrong, like almost all of the rest of the professional peloton, used banned performance-enhancing modalities. By necessity, he must build a circumstantial case, but that should not be a justification to reject his conclusions out of hand. I finished the book feeling that Walsh had had indeed made his case.
   
   An old, retired Italian pro with close connections to the racers of today once sat me down and explained much about doping. He concluded by saying, "Bill, they are all dirty."
   
   I would have liked Walsh to organize his information a little better. Still, that didn't keep this book from curling the hair on the back of my neck. Even those who fervently believe in Armstrong's innocence will learn much about modern professional cycling from this book.
   -Bill McGann, Author of The Story of the Tour de France



5. I got this for my husband for Christmas and he can't put it down. Loves it! He's an avid cyclist and cycling fan.

5 comments about High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places.

1. This book is organized such that each chapter is devoted to a single milestone of Breashears' life. In each case he gives a general overview of that milestone, along with a few descriptive details of particular situations. But mostly, it is an OVERVIEW of the experiences that made him the man that he is today. After my initial disappointment that the book wasn't as detailed as I had hoped it would be, I accepted it the way that it was and truly enjoyed the rest of it.



2. As a young man, David Breashears looked at a photo of Tenzing Norgay standing atop Mount Everest. He knew at once that he wanted to pursue mountain climbing. His dedication drew him to hone his skill until climbing became his life and Mt. Everest in particular, "etched itself in the landscape of his soul". I look at a photo of someone standing in -65 degree weather, punishing their bodies to the limits of what a human can endure and think, "Wow, people do the damndest things, don't they?" This book provides insight into a life filled with a passion I will never feel.
   It is not easy to live a life dedicated to mountain climbing and still earn enough money to allow you to follow your dream. David explains how he was able to succeed and live well by discovering he could become a specialist in climbing photography.
   The story of his life is compelling. He grows up with an abusive father, who almost completely disappears from the family's life when the mother divorces him. David swears to never become like his father and sets off to make his way in life driven by his need to climb. He lives rough, works at the most menial jobs, and studies his calling. He totally rejects the cruelty he saw in his father, and totally embraces his love of climbing. His is a most unusual life. As attested to in many other books, there is plenty of drama on a shear face or Himalaya climb. But not every moment of climbing is as fascinating to me as it is to those who love this sport. The proper use of various alpine tools is no doubt a life and death issue, but parts of these discussions failed to hold my interest. Still, it is a fascinating book. There is poignancy in the fact that even though David vows to not become like his father, he distances himself from his wife until the marriage simply melts into nothing. The relationships he likes best are those formed on climbing expeditions; brief, intense, soon over. He is the quintessential "guy's guy". I don't usually look to autobiographies for great writing. And while the writing in this book is competent, it is the story that keeps it compelling. This is a look at a fascinating life, a saga that allows the "rest of us" a glimpse into a life obsessed with mountains.



3. A short, climb-heavy, autobiography about famous filmmaker/climber David Breashears, High Exposure captures the imagination with it's simple, sparse narrative style. The story follows the author from his youth as an army brat traveling from base to base with his mother, siblings, and an abusive father, to his apprenticeships on the rock faces of the American west, where he gradually earned the respect and admiration of his fellow climbers, to his eventual travel to the Himalaya, and his work there as cameraman for numerous expeditions.
   
   Breashears doesn't write with the lyrical style of a Greg Child, or the novelist/journalist style of a Kraukauer, or the heavy human-interest angle of a Jim Curran. Rather, his writing is simple, easy to digest, and paints stark pictures of a life in the mountains. In fact, the climbing descriptions are first-rate, and he discusses pitches he's ascended, their difficulty, the challenges overcome, and the lessons learned. I was struck by the attention-to-detail he reveals in his writing, and this book gives you that 'you are there' feel more than any of the other aforementioned writers - and leaves you hungering for more.
   
   Out of the probable fifty books I've read on mountaineering in the Himalayas, I would rank this as one of the finest. While reading, Breashears does a first-rate job of capturing the exhilaration, fear, sense of accomplishment and dedication that climbing one of these giant peaks brings to those who attempt it.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. What an incredible book. Once you start reading it, you won't be able to set it down. I even got yelled at by my boss for reading the book on company time. I've read it 4 times and each time is like the first time. There is alot of information to process so get ready be blown away. It's awsome. Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.



5. I've read several mountain climbing/Everest books lately and this is in the top half of that list. That having been said, as one reviewer noted, it was more interesting than gripping, and for all the ability to give a auto-biographical look at a world class climber, it didn't really capture the drama of the climb. Since reading about it is about as close as I'm ever going to get to doing it, I need something that makes me feel the cold and the wind and the struggle for air. This was more of a narrative retelling, and emotion is overly removed from the story.
   
   Everest is almost as much of a protagonist as Breashears himself, and it was indeed very interesting to read about the history, about the other expeditions, and about the call on the author that brought him to climbing as a life. It was enough, and I recommend the book without reservation, but I would say read "Into Thin Air" if you are looking for a more powerful and exciting retelling of an Everest climb.

5 comments about Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler.

1. Kid Delicious' story is moving -- at times tragic, heroic and beyond belief. He's part manic depressive, part obese food addict and part ultra-talented pool shark. His dedication to the game gave him solace from a world (New Jersey suburbs) that didn't have much sympathy for a fat, homely, smart-aleck kid with a sharp mind.
   
   Kid Delicious (Danny Basavich) comes to dominate the pool hustling circuit, and you can't help but admire how he pursues/embraces his true love in spite of his profound psychological struggles. His success is a testament to putting everything you have into something you love, and his failures make him human and sympathetic.
   
   If you like books like Playing Off the Rail or Positively Fifth Street, you'll love this one. Wertheim's research is very thorough and he writes like a true billiards fan, with a detailed understanding of the cadences of the game and the sundry characters who populate the dark, dank pool halls across our country.
   
   Danny Basevich's life has certainly been a roller-coaster ride, and Wertheim captures its energy admirably. A phenomenal read.



2. A good read for players wanting a peak into the recent past of life on the road for money players, and an interesting character study of Kid Delicious. Fun for those who follow the pool scene these days. A revealing picture for those who don't. Doesn't exactly make me want to throw a cue in the trunk and head off for glory.



3. This is the uplifting "rags to riches" story of the "Minnesota Fats" of our generation. Danny Basavich, aka "Kid Delicious," an overweight slob who, throughout his life was sent in and out of bi-polar depressive tailspins as a result of having been made into a piñata for the bullies in high school. Headed nowhere, and unsure of whom he was, Basavich decided that rather than continuing the daily abuse, to drop out of high school.
   
   With nowhere to go and nothing to do, in order to conquer his depression and remain in denial about his weight, (which had risen to 350 lbs), he began small-scale street hustling that eventually led him to hanging out at the local New Jersey pool halls. There he discovered he had a natural talent for the game of pool. After honing his skills, he teamed up with a young slim good-looking disciplined college dropout and they hit the road together in an effort as much to try to find themselves, as to test their talents, and find their fortune; and if they were lucky, eventually their places in the universe.
   
   The story is about how these two "modern day urban Buccaneers": pals who fed off of each other's strengths and weaknesses, took to the road and tried to corner the under world of amateur U.S. and Canadian pool culture. It is full of colorful events and characters, hustles and scams, hits and misses, ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and many boring nights in a lot of Motel 6s in Minnesota and South Dakota -- all gradually leading up to the dramatic crescendo of the book, climbing the mountain to the top of the pool food chain: the nationally televised professional title held in Miami, Florida.
   
   Although along the way, Danny becomes disciplined -- losing 200 pounds and gaining self-confidence and control over his bi-polar tailspins -- his friend, Bristol, is not so lucky. He falls victim to a drug habit, but against great odds, Basavich continues on, alone, to Miami to win the title of "The World Champion of Professional Pool." He does so in a dazzling display of pool skills and finesse, beating the great Buddy Hall in the Miami finals.
   
   It is an uplifting story, but the book is mostly for insiders, for those who know, or at least can appreciate, the fine points of pool and the art of hustling, otherwise the many events in pool halls across the many hick towns of the mid-West and South can seem quite repetitious and boring, and makes the book appear to be straining for sufficient meat to carry a complete story. For sure, there is a beginning and an end to this story, but even for one familiar with the pool milieu, the middle is often uneventful to the point of seeming to drag. Three stars



4. If you want to read about a travelling pool hustler, this is an excellent read!



5. It is not every day that a story takes you by the neck and drags you through the pages like a roller coaster ride. Kid Delicious is impossible to define or dislike. The reader roots for him and his quixotic quest to overcome depression, get a life and learn every nuance of the green baize. Any one of which is a tough task.
   This world of inveterate gamblers is fascinating, quirky, dangerous and full of folk who would pick up a snake for a dollar bet rather than get a 'real' job. The author is a gifted writer, not simply a good sports writer. He obviously cares for his protagonist but does not judge or sugar coat any of his idiosyncracies, and they are legion. The story opens a curtain on a dying sub culture. The internet, Texas Hold 'em and the growth of casinos have all contribued to limiting the action a road warrior can find today. However, Kid Delicious wrung every last drop out of his foray into the world of cross country hustling.
   Read this book, if you play pool or not. The book works on so many levels that it will be enjoyed by anyone with a soul.

5 comments about Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

1. This book was easy to read and informative. There was no bragging -- just a genuine quest to understand and to share with others his struggles. It was brave to reveal so much of himself in the effort to help others. To me, this book is his greatest victory.



2. Overall, I liked this book. One has to admire Herschel for going public with his diagnosis, one poorly understood by the general public and often associated with severe pathology. That took courage, which the author seems to have in abundance. His writing shows an intelligence not commonly associated with sports, and he gives articulate expression to the various manifestations of his version of DID. A real plus of Walker's account is that he describes an "up" side to this condition, stating clearly for the layperson that it has certain adaptive and self-protecting qualities.
   
   That said, I was left with some questions. While the book seemed forthright and honest, he describes about a dozen different "alters" (formerly called multiple personalities) that he claims have arisen from his being tormented as a fat and stuttering schoolboy--while undoubtedly painful, his schoolyard abuse is hardly the type that normally spawns this fragmented condition. And as a clinical psychologist, I have treated DID patients. A more common presentation than his involves distinct changes in personality including voice, body posture, emotional expression, etc. . . . like you are really seeing different people. He says that his shifts were more subtle, nothing that could be seen externally, more like discrete changes in mental state known only to him at the time. That raises (for me, at least) the issue of whether or not this devoted and highly focused athlete is not simply given to a rather strict compartmentalization of his feelings, a medium that he would admit he is not comfortable with. Even his most personal relationships have suffered from his tendency to be so self-contained. Or perhaps DID is best explained as a "spectrum" disorder, ranging in degree of severity, as we now know autism to be. Who knows?
   
   While he talks about his repeated "thrill-seeking" with Russian roulette, Walker notable leaves out of his story the fact that he several times put a gun to his ex-wife's head. And he glosses over a bit the fact that he had an affair despite his born-again Christian beliefs. When a "tell all" book tells not quite all, you are left wondering what more has been left out.



3. People with DID or who have been educated about DID know the courage it took for Herschel to expose this mental disorder. I was diagnosed in 1993 and not only recieved very little support but was met with massive hostility from my family. I found the book to be inspiring and comforting, I can only pray that people will read this book with an open mind so that the public in general will show more compassion for people with mental health issues. Glad you aren't running anymore Herschel but still scoring touchdowns - so proud of you for allowing the love and compassion for your fellow human beings to inspire you to write your story. That is exactly the way I felt when I realized how much God loves me and provided me with everything it took to survive.



4. I bought this book hoping to gain insight on the recovery process for DID and to share a view of DID with my husband who is a big sports fan, but who would have a tough time wading through any kind of psych literature. It is definitely more biography than an explanation of the dissociative process (which is probably what I was most interested in). That said, Herschel's accomplishments and ability to overcome adversity are terrific. The book is an easy read, and I did finish it in just a few days. His eventual recovery is apparent--I just wanted more explanation of how it came about.



5. This isn't a book written to help others with DID, as Mr. Walker states as his reason for publication. It is a tribute to his own narcissism, which is apparently a trait of the personality or alter who decided to publish a book. He takes no resonsibility for how his DID affected those people who were the closest to him. I watched the Nightline episode which interviewed Cindy(his exwife), his therapist, and Mr. Walker. It was chilling to listen to how he had held a gun to Cindy's head on more than one occasion, threatening to blow her brains out. This isn't even mentioned in the book. Instead, Mr. Walker uses the book to tell the reader how his DID allowed him to become the great athlete that he was. It is a total waste of money. If you want to learn about DID, there are plenty of good books out there. This, most definitely, isn't one of them.

5 comments about A Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of Fighting.

1. Maybe my favorite book of the last 2 years. The only book I've given out as a gift more than once - to my martial arts teacher, and to a co-worker who appreciates MMA.
   
   Highlights for me: Sam writes well. He's simply a clear, thoughtful writer who reminds me of Hemingway. Clear, simple - but with real insight and smarts, and toughness. The story is fascinating. Makes me want to retrace his steps though the modern gravity wells of fighting - Bangkok, Brasil, Northern California, NYC, the US midwest.
   
   Read it if you enjoy the strategy dimension of MMA, and wonder what motivates these guys to test themselves in combat.



2. A Fighter's Heart by Sam Sheridan decodes the mystery of the pugilistic, roughhousing or mixing it up instinct, one I never really "got." There has been plenty said and written about the urge or instinct, but "Heart" provides a context, a ringside view in setting after setting, one fight then another, on one continent and then another, in the experiences the author (also a fighter) has in Eastern and Western styles, from the ancient, classic and traditional to the newer, Mixed Martial Arts fighting forms. If you never really understood why a person would as an amateur, a pro or for play start, join or continue a fight, then you'll be intrigued by this page turner. The reasons for the fight are more than "just meet me outside," more than we ever might have figured. On the home front, Sheridan gives us a look at the making of 2004 Olympic Gold medalist for the U.S., Andre Ward and his trainer, Virgil Hunter.



3. From the Mauy Thai training camps in Thailand, to the Jiujitsu dojos of Brazil, to Boxing and MMA gyms across the USA, Sam Sheridan goes on a mission of self discovery and lives the fighters life of training and competing in various martial arts. He makes you feel like you are right there with him in the ring, or on the mat training; but more importantly you get an insiders account of the misunderstood sub-culture of pro fighting, and a look into the heart and minds of the people that do it. A must read for any aspiring martial artist or anyone who has ever stepped into a ring, onto a mat, or has entertained the idea of doing it. If you are a fan or practitioner of MMA, boxing, or any competitive martial art this book is a must read.



4. I try really hard to motivate myself in finishing this book - I am about 3/4 into it after one month. For some reason I feel that Sam's aspirations are never quite achieved: a) to be a fighter, not just train to become one and b) write a book that is coherent. Interesting cover. I would not buy this book.



5. Sam's account of his experience's are written so well in this book i kind of felt i was there with him at times.
   I have learnt so much from reading this book gaining a deeper appreaciation of all the fighting styles including tai chi. very inspired...

5 comments about Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface.

1. Although this book leaves swim training to the coaches, this book offers the incredible journey of Michael Phelps from childhood swimming to the 2004 Olympics. As a college swimmer, it was a relief to read about his training and see similarities with my own.
   
   He offers lessons for life that are necessary for any young athlete. Phelps had help writing the book, but his words and experiences are still there. This man has been through a great deal and it is incredible to read of his sacrifice in the name of achieving greatness.
   
   It is written simply and easy to read. Inspirational and any athlete can relate. I love this book.



2. I think is a nice book, for the fans of Michael Phelps is really good, he shares important aspects of his life and is very interesting to see what this kid has overcome to be the best swimer in the world.



3. An excellent book with an inside look at the Olympic dream.
   Very well written and inspiring.
   t-minus until 2k8...



4. This is one of the best sports autobiographies I've read in a long time.
   Yes,it's obvious that he had help with the book,but Michael comes across
   as very mature,intelligent,and articulate.He tells his story very honestly and quite eloquently.Moreover,his love and enthusiasm for his sport,as well as his desire and efforts to raise its recognition in the
   United States,are evident.And yes,he discusses his DWI arrest on the last page.To his credit,Michael is honest and apologetic about it.An excellent book that everyone will enjoy.



5. As a swimmer, I truely enjoyed watching Michael Phelps compete and succeed at the Athens games. So I was pretty excited when I heard he had a book out. I LOVED it!! It only took me one day. It is a really inspirational account about dedication and always giving your all. It sheds a whole new light on the sport in general, FINALLY giving it the attention it deserves. I absolutle love how Michael promotes the sport. The really great thing is that it is honest- he shares his veiws and feelings. It also wasnt a big book of times and races he was involved in.
   
   I absolutly, 110% LOVED it.

5 comments about Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival.

1. One of my favorite genres of books is true-life survival tales. After deliberately searching for a new read, I found "Jungle". Jungle is the story of a young Isreali backpacker who falls in with a Swiss guy, a German guide and an American who decide to go on an adventure through the Bolivia. At one point, the group becomes separated and the story follows the Isreali as he struggles to survive in the rainy season in the Bolivian jungle.
   
   The book is very interesting - you get glimpses of life as a backpacker/tourist floating through South America, a look at rural life in Bolivia, and raw survival from the narrator. I couldn't put the book down. It is a little gruesome/graphic at points, so all readers may not be tempted, but an overall great read.
   
   Other great survival tales I have enjoyed include:
   
   1. The Long Walk (by Slavomir Rawicz) - bordering on fiction - Polish prisoner breaks out of Siberian prison camp with a team after World War II
   
   2. We Die Alone (by David Howarth) - American soldier flees across occupied Norway in World War II
   
   3. Adrift (by Steven Callahan) - Sailor survives in life raft for over 2 months.
   
   4. Skeletons on the Zahara (by Dean King) - shipwrecked crew taking as slaves by Sahara tribes
   
   5. Touching the Void (by Joe Simpson) - man crawls down a mountain alone after serious accident
   
   6. Alive (by Piers Paul Read) - soccer team survives plane crash in Andes
   
   7. Endurance (by Alfred Lansing) - south-polar expedition runs into trouble
   
   8. Into Thin Air (by Jon Krakauer) - Mt. Everest trek goes badly awry



2. This book is a must read for anyone interested in travel. It was an absolute page turner. I read this book in one week. I just could not put the book down. Normally it takes me about a month to finish a book but this was just simply an amazing read from start to finish. The writer Yossi Ghinsberg told his story in an honest and inspiring way.This is what I call a true test of survival. You feel you are in there in the jungle with him through the tough and thin and every experience is re-told in such a way that you feel you too are experiencing it. I loved this book. I have recommended this book to my best friends.



3. A well-written, engrossing tale. I had a difficult time putting it down for any length of time. Not only is the story interesting, it is told with compassion. After two quick days of part-time reading, I'm already looking for another similar book. Enjoy the book.



4. Very simplistic in structure, making for a very easy read. Picks up adventure-wise around the 5th chapter and it is hard to put down. May be difficult for the animal lover at first, because of the treatment of the dog, but keep going.



5. This book gets a 3 on quality, but a 5 on easy read. It makes great airplane reading, or other times when you don't have quiet chunks of time for deeper reading.
   
   The main character of this story is a bit of a dope, and it is hard to feel sorry for him at times. He comes off as a bit hard-hearted, and he makes some crazy mistakes and decisions (I would probably make them too, though!).
   
   Compared to some of the better true-life adventure books out there, I was not impressed. Still, the story had some educational merit. It might keep me from wandering around in the Amazon.

5 comments about Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig.

1. I read this book while in middle school and it inspired me. Yes even a Red Sox fan enjoyed this book. This is not a book about a Yankee or baseball but a story about an amazing person.



2. Author Jonathan Eig has written a fantastic character study of New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig, a shy, Momma's boy who always followed the rules and didn't want to let anyone down. A proud man, Gehrig always handled himself with class. He had few equals on or off the field.
   
   Eig paints a sensitive portrait of Gehrig while discussing his relationships with his mother, his wife, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and his other teammates as well as Yankees management.
   
   Never considered colorful enough to merit the press' attention, Gehrig played in the shadows of Ruth and DiMaggio.
   
   Thanks to locating letters between Gehrig and his physicians at the Mayo Clinic, Eig is able to shed light on the relationship the Yankee great had with his physicians, what the doctors told him about his disease (ALS) and how he handled it.
   
   After reading Eig's biography, you'll have a deeper understanding of Gehrig, the man, and a better appreciation of Gehrig, the baseball player.



3. Lou Gehrig has always been an interesting subject for me. I'm a so-so baseball fan, but I am a fan of individual's who appear to have the same values and morals that I hold.
   
   Jonathan Eig does a very nice job in this book of focusing on Gehrig's baseball qualities and his qualities as a man. I really enjoyed the book that gave a tremendous insight into how Gehrig acted behind closed doors.
   
   A few things that really interested me:
   
   I didn't know he was nearly that good of a baseball player. If ALS wouldn't have ended his career he might have gone down as the greatest first baseman ever. Eig did a very nice job in citing statistics and comparing those to other players in Gehrig's era and in the modern era.
   
   I also didn't know that a number of times Gehrig would play an inning or two and get credit for a game. I appreciate the fact that the writer didn't get caught up in the legend of Gehrig and pointed out the streak and how it lived basically because of the manipulation of Gehrig and Yankee manager Joe McCarthy. That definitely diminshes the accomplishment of consecutive games played in my mind... not by much because Gehrig did play with a lot of injuries and issues.... but it does diminish it. It also puts that much more of a wow factor into the consecutive games streak of Cal Ripken because I believe he had to play 5 innings to get credit for a game.
   
   That said, Eig did a really nice job in pointing out that Gehrig really was much more than just "An Iron Horse" at first base. The stats, the clutch hitting, etc. were well documented by Eig.
   
   I also liked the detail that Eig provided on ALS and Gehrig's final years. As I was reading the book, I was thinking we are sure flying through his playing career and there is a whole lot of book left here. That was because Eig wanted to take some time to describe in detail Gehrig's final years and he did a very nice job.
   
   I would suggest this book to anyone wanting to know more about Gehrig, Yankees history, or if you just want to read a great account of a man who should be well-admired for his work ethic and moral values.
   
   A great book and great subject matter.



4. I'm a Yankee hater, but I loved this book. I always found the story of Lou Gehrig to be an inspirational one. Jonathan Eig did a great job of not only telling Gehrig's story, but also making you want to root for Gehrig to survive. At times I found myself forgetting that he dies in the end, only wanting to read more about his amazing feats on the ball field. A great book that everyone should read.



5. Looking through the glass of hindsight, everyone just flat out looks better. Life is funny that way. If you were mean in reality, history may classify you as "gritty." If you were thoughtful, history may remember you as "genius." Or if you were fat, you may be labeled as "stout and strong." The story of Lou Gehrig is not necessarily an example of this. In reality I will never know. The author will probably not know either. Lou is painted as larger than life in "Luckiest Man." He was thoughtful, kind, humble, and amazing. Not only that, but he brought to the public the story of ALS and its affects. It became real and tangible to the whole world. His personal health tragedy no doubt amplifies his kinder qualities, as it would in most people's remembrance. Not to say it is undeserved, but in this book, it seems exaggerated. Gehrig is not really made into a real person. He is made into a monolithic figure. In baseball, he was one, but in his personal life, he would have hated this.
   
   I have always had a soft spot for heroes, especially heroes in baseball. No doubt Lou Gehrig is a hero in this regard. He played in the shadow of one of the largest figures in history, Babe Ruth. Not only did he thrive, but he made a name for himself that, in my opinion, out shined Ruth on the field. No one could outshine him off of it. I have no doubt that if the opposite had occurred, Ruth would never have made it in Gehrig's shadow. His accomplishments, unlike his character and personality, are in black and white. His statistics say it all. Amazing in his steadfast play, he also shone when it counted most, the World Series. Back in those days baseball meant something to everyone, and he had the privilege of playing and delivering in those times.
   
   Gehrig was a great role model, and a great player. His character and approach to the game are things I would teach my children, and plan to. These type of stories may not be completely true, but sometimes it is the legend and myth that build from simple beginnings that can shape our lives and build on our own morality.

5 comments about Veeck--As In Wreck: The Autobiography of Bill Veeck.

1. This is one of the single funniest books that I have ever read. Moreover, it is a book that you can reread again and again and still find amusing years after your initial reading. It is that good.
   
   Bill Veeck was the son of a sportswriter (William Veeck, Sr.) who later became a top executive with the Chicago Cubs and helped rebuild the organization. As a young man, Veeck, himself, worked for the Cubs and played an important role in remodeling the bleachers and adding many of the signature features to Wrigley Field. Later, he owned and operated a successful minor league team (the Milwaukee Brewers), a World Series Championship team (the Cleveland Indians), and he presided over the demise of the poorest team in baseball (the St. Louis Browns) before putting in two stints as the head owner of the Chicago White Sox (including the 1959 pennant winning club).
   
   From this unique perspective, Veeck takes the reader on a wild booze fueled ride that explores the joys, the sorrows and hypocrisies of professional baseball. During the Fifties, Veeck was essentially blackballed by his fellow American League owners and compelled to sell his stock in the struggling St. Louis club. As soon as Veeck was out of the picture, the new owner was permitted to move the team to a greener ballfield in Baltimore. The other owners resented Veeck's flair for showmanship. Today, virtually all baseball clubs imitate the promotions that Veeck pioneered.
   
   Someday, I can only hope that Bill Murray succeeds in his ambition to adapt this marvelously humorous book into a motion picture.



2. I'm biased, since Veeck -- As In Wreck was a childhood favorite, but I still say it's the best book ever written on professional baseball. It's a great take on the sport -- baseball's supposed to be FUN for the fans, and this book is a great primer on how to make it so.



3. I gave this book to my brother who is a baseball nut and he loved it. He couldn't wait to get off work so he could sit in the subway and read it all the way home.
   
   He is a historian and found it accurate and a page turner.



4. My thanks goes out to Bill Veeck for being one of the men that saved baseball on the South Side of Chicago. Even though it is not all included in his autobiography, he worked to keep the White Sox in Chicago multiple times. This is one of the reasons many people closely associate Veeck with the White Sox.
   
   On page 352, Veeck writes, "To the White Sox rooter, there is nothing casual about baseball. Wake him up in the middle of the night, ask him who he is and he will say, 'I am a carpenter and a White Sox fan.' He may or may not have inherited his trade from his father, but chances are that he inherited his rooting interest in the Sox. This kind of family solidarity can only come out of adversity and trial by fire." This is the blue collar attitude he brought to baseball ownership. He was also an entertainer and promoter the likes of which baseball will never see again.
   
   "Veeck as in Wreck" is a wildly entertaining ride. While Veeck occasionally gets bogged down in mathematics and finances, his baseball stories compensate. The midget that Veeck sent to bat in St. Louis is discussed. The wild promotions that attracted record crowds are included, though he could not possibly include them all. The book only omits his second tenure in Chicago which included the dubious Disco Demolition Night. Veeck started in the early 1900's when his father owned the Cubs. While his heart may have been with the Cubs, his best work came with the White Sox.
   
   Including his riffs with the owners who included current commissioner Bud Selig, Veeck was a fan's owner. Although long, this is a great read for baseball fans. White Sox fans should find it extra sweet.



5. I must preface this by saying that I read this book after it was reccomended to me by the sports editor of a local paper.
   
   This book, and Veeck's life, are nothing short of amazing. In these times of high ticket prices and salaries, it is fasciniating to read about how Veeck bought and sold major league franchises, sometimes with little to no capital or cash to start with.
   
   Veeck is also the pioneer of the idea of going to a baseball game and being entertained. He came up with some of the wackiest and funniest promotions and ideas ever and they are all contained in this book. On top of that, he was a genuinely funny guy, which also comes across throughout the course of the book.
   
   Every baseball fan should read this book to realize exactly how much Veeck shaped the experience of going to a baseball game like we know it today.

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