5 comments about Beyond the Limits: A Woman's Triumph on Everest.

1. This is an easy reading account of Stacy Allison's quest to climb Mount Everest, and in doing so, becoming the the first American woman to successfully summit.
   
   The book chronicles her introduction to mountain climbing, as well as her own personal demons. When going into some of the personal details of her life outside of mountain climbing, the book stalls, as the tawdry details are not particularly noteworthy, nor interesting to anyone except, perhaps, Stacy. While she may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, however, she sure is one of the pluckiest.
   
   When it moves on to the mountaineering aspects of her life, there are enough interesting details to delight any climbing enthusiast. The descriptions of the two Everest expeditions with which she was involved, including the one in which she reached the summit, are intriguing enough to thrill any Everest junkie.
   
   The traveling, the mountaineering elite with whom she was in contact, the sherpas, and the day to day business of being on an expedition, are all vividly described, providing an engrossing chronicle of her experiences.Written in a breezy, conversational tone, this book is sure to delight many readers.



2. There was a big misunderstanding with an order that I placed for this book and I never received it, but was given credit for it.



3. I really enjoyed this excellent book. Stacey Allison weaves an auto-biographical tale which is complelling not only because of her climbling adventures but also because it is the tale of her life, which in some aspects was a very hard one.
   The climbing part of the story is amazing, and you will feel like you're right there with her as she undergoes both defeat and victory. If you are not already in love with the mountains, prepare to be. You'll see the world through the author's eyes amd understand her desire to reach the summits of peaks both physcial and psycological.



4. A minority of mountaineering books are written by or about women (understandable, they comprising a minority of mountaineers).

   This is well worth readin, though unlikely to appeal to those not already interested practioners - armchair or otherwise - of scaling great heights in incredibly uncomfortable conditions.

   One aspect I was really interested in was Allison's no-holds barred depiction of some of the peccadilloes of those she is/was closest to. I think of Scott Fischer - the gungho boys-own daredevil with whom she had an unsuccessful attempt on Everest and with whom she worked. It provides rather an interesting insight into the character of someone who died in the infamous 1996 storms on Everest so vividly depicted in many books, most notably, Jon Krakeur's Into Thin Air.

   Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but from Allison's portrayal, it's almost a case of "No wonder!"




5. The book Beyond the Limits may actually be the only book that I have read that can act both as a wonderful plethora of information, and as a really good story with twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes. There are many things about the procedure, equipment, and training that can be involved in all the different forms of mountain climbing. Allison paints a wonderfully vivid picture of the mountain scenery, her own emotional struggles and feats, and how it may have felt on Mount Everest in the Death Zone, trapped in a blizzard with winds over 100 mph. When I finished it, I did so with a much more knowedgable view of mountain climbing, a great respect for Stacy Allison, and as a satisfied reader after he or she has just finished a great book to cuddle up to. Its more than worth it, and can only help the reader on thier own mountains, real or metaphorical, that they may have trouble climbing.

1 comments about Ellison "Tarzan" Brown: The Narragansett Indian Who Twice Won the Boston Marathon.

1. I had heard of Tarzan Brown when I was young. He seemed a mysterious character, with not much known about him. I enjoyed learning about him, what a really great runner he was in a time when 100 runners in a race was a lot. The author interviewed many of those who knew him, including his wife, and gives an idea what it must have been like to be a Narragansett Indian in those days.
   
   For anyone who loves the freedom of running (which Tarzan did), and is interested in life in New England 70 years ago, this book is a real find. You will also learn more about Johnny Kelley (the elder), Clarence DeMar, Les Pawson, Bricklayer Kennedy, etc. This was a time when money was scarce, and runners had to be amateurs- Tarzan once won a refrigerator in a race, but he had no electricity so gave it away. At one point he won 17 races in a row; at his peak he was brilliant. He won consecutive marathons over a 2-day period, taking a night train from NY to NH to get to the 2nd one. Tarzan had quite a spirit, and I thank the author for his painstaking research.

5 comments about Autobiography of a Yogi.

1. I will have to go against the flow, here. So, some people can actually perform "miracles" like talking and seeing gods, teletransporting themselves, materializing objects and even entire castles out of thin air, appearing in two places at once, bringing back people from death, fighting and taming wild tigers armed with only their kindness, levitating, predicting the future, healing wounds and fatal diseases with only their will, reading minds, etc, etc? Sorry, I don't think so.
   
   I am almost finishing the book and if it were sold as a fiction piece I would give it more credit. But since it is the author's "biography" and all the fantastic events in it described as truth... sorry again, I just can't.
   
   As a philosophycal way of life it is still very interesting, though.



2. Understand spiritualism and see the larger picture of life and existence through this autobiography, which breaks down barriers between religions.



3. This is a wonderful book. This book is valuable to me than all other books that I have read put together. This book has so much of wisdom that I cannot explain here in few words. This book is NOT about religion or is biased to any religion. Yogananda tells about the universal truth that everybody must be aware of. Please do not try to judge this book without reading, and you will know why after you read it. I am sure lot of your inner questions will be answered after you read this book. This book will definitely be an inspiration to seek the ultimate truth which can be attained by each and everyone of us.



4. Unbelievable I say not as a skeptic, but as a true rational person. This same skepticism opens up other horizons in one's thinking - is this all true? Yogi Paramahamsa, the author, renders in this charming and lucid storytelling, facts he came across in his life - like his Master being able to 'know' that they will have guests arriving in the middle of the night; another yogi predicting the author's arrival and telling him of what he did miles away and many more such incidents.
   
   All this makes one ask - is this all true or is the author lying? I would want to think, given the book's and the author's reputation, this is all true. Believing so also opens up different realms of possiblities defying all rationality. Who wouldn't want to attain a state where they can exists without eating or sleeping for days together OR having the ability to read clearly and correctly into another's mind? Knowing the power of meditation myself, I won't doubt the power of an absolute calm mind.
   
   Aside from the skepticism, I totally am enjoying reading this book. The storytelling abilities is that of a master and an erudite author. Just seeing photos of sages in the 19th century is itself inspiring. The book provides a great understanding of a young man's mind who seeks out and believes in spirituality. The power of written expression is to be truly found in this book. There is a charming nature about this book you won't regret reading it.



5. It was quite by accident that I came across this book at a local bookstore.Not knowing Paramhansa Yogananda or his background,I was just going through the first few pages of this book in a rather cursory way when I began to realize that it was truly something above the ordinary.
   
   This book describes the journey of Sri Paramhansa Yogananda as he embarked on his quest for God.It talks in great length about his Guruji (Sri Yukteswar) and about other great saints and yogis in India.He also describes how there are similarities between religions and how the right technique of meditation and Kriya Yoga can lead to God realization.
   
   Those who are interested in knowing more about India, Indian Saints and Yogis or Hinduism in general will find this book amazing but I personally feel that anyone with an open mind and a desire to know more about God will find this book to be a valuable step in the right direction.Much of what is written in this book is applicable to everyone of us regardless of religion,ethnicity or sex
   
   For those that are interested in a wonderful translation and interpretation of "The Bhagwad Gita"(The equivalent of "The Bible" or "The Quran" for Hinduism) will find the following book as another great means of understanding spiritual issues like Life,Morals ,God and Our Existence
   
   God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita
   Royal Science of God-Realization
   A Translation and Commentary
   by Paramahansa Yogananda

3 comments about 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.

1. My brother recently died and he was a huge Dale Earnhardt fan. Well, I didn't really like him but because my brother did I decided to watch the movie. I loved it. I grew up around racing with my brother and don't live but about 5 miles from the Talladega track in Alabama. I highly recommend this movie.



2. This movie was very well done and well worth buying the DVD. Dale Earnhardt was an inspiration to us all.



3. I Became a Dale Earnhardt fan in 1988, first year of the Goodwrench Sponsorship. Didn't know much about him before '88, this movie gave a great perspective on his early life and what shaped him. I was at Daytona in '01 and this American Hero is missed very much by our family!

5 comments about Ip Man - Portrait of a Kung Fu Master.

1. As somone who knows a little about Chineese traditions, it is amazing to me that such a book exists outside of the Cantonese language. This book could only have been authored by one who developed a close personal relationship with and is trusted Ip Ching with family stories and history. Thank-you for getting to know Master Ip Ching and for providing the insight all serious Kung Fu students desire; having a better knowledge of Ip Man and what motiviated him to learn and teach Kung Fu.



2. This is the first book I purchased off Amazon and read it in a day. While a thin book, it is an interesting read. The book talks about the life of the late, Great Grandmaster [Y]Ip Man, how he came to learn Ving Tsun Kung Fu, how he lived and what he was. While you could easily find a life story of him easily by a net search, this book shows more a philisophical response to his life and decisions he made, something that is not in other stories I've read on him.



3. This is the first book I purchased off Amazon and read it in a day. While a thin book, it is an interesting read. The book talks about the life of the late, Great Grandmaster [Y]Ip Man, how he came to learn Ving Tsun Kung Fu, how he lived and what he was. While you could easily find a life story of him easily by a net search, this book shows more a philisophical response to his life and decisions he made, something that is not in other stories I've read on him.



4. I enjoyed reading the book and learning more about Ip Man. I am a disciple of Wing Chun under Sifu Sam Chan (but not his best student) and found this book very informative giving a look into the life of the man who is considered by many the Father of Wing Chun. I strongly recommend this book if you enjoy the history behind Wing Chun as I do.



5. As the only teacher of Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee, Wing Chun Kung Fu Grandmaster Ip Man made a very significant contribution to the Martial Arts world. This is the first book written about his life. The book gives rare insight into the life, and teaching of this amazing man. Ip Man - Portrait of a Kung Fu Master is authored by Ip Man's own son, Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Ching, and one of his top disciples, Master Ron Heimberger. These two men represent the greatest living source of Ip Man's teachings. This book is a guide for those who wish to follow in the footsteps of one of Kung Fu's greatest Masters.

5 comments about Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

1. Arnold is without doubt one of the most influential human beings of the 21st century. Fantastic gives us a glimpse into the life of the man who on the face of things looks invincible. The book (and I pray it doesnt make things up) also gives readers a glimpse into arnolds kinder side. The oak has a heart.



2. my boyfriend is a huge arnold fan so he loves this book that i bought for him



3. this book is an objective and complete biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
   it tells the rise to fame and power from his childhood to his first year of governorship. After reading it, one must observe that succes in life depends not on luck, as many believe so, but on discipline, wilful ambition,drive and
   positive thinking followed by action.
   i recommend this book not only for arnold fans (it should be mandatory for them :) ) but to anyone who wants to get an insight into one of the most extraordinary success stories of our times
   Please excuse any language mistakes, i`m not a native english speaker



4. Larry Leamer's 'Fantastic' is fantastic. I couldn't put it down. It is amazing to learn that one human being, Arnold Schwarzenegger, built such an amazing life. Leamer catalogues this life in a readable, entertaining, objective way. If anyone wants to know what makes Arnold tick, this book will tell him.
   
   Marc H. Rudov
   Author
   The Man's No-Nonsense Guide to Women
   (ISBN: 978-0974501710)



5. As a big fan of Arnold I couldnt wait to buy this book.
   However as he is now a politician I feared it may be nothing but pro Arnold propangada as there is a future possibility of this man running for president. Instead I found a well written, interesting and honest account of the man who was born with nothing material but had bucketfulls of determination, ambition and confidence. The early accounts of Arnolds life are facinating and the book gives an honest account of how Arnold was far from the perfect man providing details of his gamesmanship and arrogance in bodybuilding contests and his days of womanising.
   Some people only knock this book because they despise the fact that Arnold won California. The facts are he is the greatest bodybuilder of all time, his movies while not oscar winners sold millions of cinema tickets and he did win California which was incredible. Love him or loathe him the mans a winner. My only knock against this book is that it contains too much political stuff and as I am from Spain im not very interested in American politics.

5 comments about Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King.

1. Jack revised the book and updated it. You want to get "The Life and Crimes of Don King: The Shame of Boxing in America." It's a great story so get the updated edition instead of this out-of-print item.



2. Don King took on the FBI, IRS, Mob, and judges. He thinks of him self in high quality saying "I am the american dream, America is my country, My people built this country and i know my way around." People say Don King does black on black crime when he steals all their money from loosing in boxing matches. Don King is smart clever and deceiving. He has commited two murders one being a homicide in his favor and the other being man slaughter in the first dergree. Ever since then Don King hasnt been able to stay out of trouble comitting speeding violations numerous times, stealing, and scheme of chance. He just cant stay out of the news and thats the way he likes it.
   I give the book 5 stars do to the authors great detail and the excitment in Don Kings life time. "I do truley beleive he is the American Dream"



3. Don King is a Cat that knows how to Spit out Game both in&out of the Ring.no matter who comes along nobody is gonna outlast Don King.this Book tackles all the things that the HBO movie went over.you see a Guy who would not be denied.His Famous Words Only in America fit Him to a Letter T.He is Witty,Sharp,Hustler&Always on His Game no matter what He is getting down with.



4. don't miss the movie made from the book, "Don King, Only in America", beatifully directed and edited, great dialogues, hard to believe they found an actor that can mimic Don King, an actor himself. Good to see this fictionalized movie, alog with the documentary "When We Were Kings" to compare how the scenes of really happened scenarios were recreated



5. You just can't ruin a book written about a man as inspiring as Don King. White America likes a succsessful blackman only if he succeeded its way. By this I mean the classic way through a college education and a white liberal view on greed. The conclusion one must draw from the life story of Don King (this version or any other) is that Don King is a thinker not a follower an euntreprenuer not a wage-earner and a succsessful man despite overwhelming odds.

5 comments about Stranglehold : An Intriguing Behind The Scenes Glimpse Into The Private World Of Professional Wrestling.

1. ...I really did. Larry Nelson's perspective on the AWA and the wrestlers there in the 80's, on paper, should have been a slam-dunk for an AWA fan like myself. Unfortunately, Nelson's book doesn't just miss the mark by a little bit, it's so far off the map that it reads like he wasn't there at all.
   His timeline for the events in the AWA during his time with the promotion are wrong far, far more than they are right. His recollections of matches are most often completely off-base. While he admittedly was in a drug-and-booze-filled haze through most of his tenure as the AWA's top announcer,It would only have taken a simple check of the facts available in any wrestling history-based publication to get his timelines sorted out. As a fan of that era and that wrestling promotion, the mistakes are so blatant that quite frankly it's insulting to me.
   This book could ahve been a really good, rarely told account of how the third-biggest wrestling promotionin North America in the 1980's went from Boom to Bust, from someone that was on the inside and watched it all unfold. Instead, it ends up reading much like the AWA's final few years of existence: Aimless, mistake-prone, and VERY minor league in production and content.



2. If you want a very brief inside look at what the AWA was like after Hogan and Okerland left and the ultimate demise of the AWA then this is a good book for you. The author has no real insight into the glory years of the AWA but he does cover the waning years from his fill in standpoint. The author is very sincere in his writing however there are tons of better wrestling insider books out there. If you have run out of wrestling reading material then get this if not wait awhile



3. If you're expecting a book that's half as insightful as Jerry Lawler's or Mick Foley's, look somewhere else. The author was a minor player in a second rate organization. The "behind the scenes" stories are weak and give you no new insight into the interesting people that made up the world of Professional Wrestling at the time. I've read many wrestling books and biographies and would recommend Mick Foley, Jerry Lawler and especially Pure Dynamite by Tom Billington. If someone gives you this book, give it back.



4. I didn't know what to expect when I ordered this book, and I was pleasantly surprized. Larry Nelson is completly out of the business by now and he doesn't have to protect anyone (like DDP's book for example) so he tells some pretty shocking story and mention some pretty huge names in doing so. While most books talks about WWE, this one is a refreshing change as I don't know of any other book about the AWA, who was my favorite brand in the '80's. Younger fans may like it also because some of the characters in the book are still around. Also the book came to me autographed, which was a nice touch. All of us who tough Winnipeg was a dull city change their minds after reading this book. I would recommend it to everyone, unless you're not into dirt stories or only care about WWE.



5. I finally picked up this book and my expectations were met perfectly. That's because I didn't expect much. Nelson was never a top announcer in the biz and comes across as a guy who wasn't even allowed on the "inside", because he is wrong on so many accounts and names. Some of these may be editor's mistakes, but some are just plain stupid and unexplainable, since this guy should have known everything about his company. Claiming that Jerry Lawler beat NICK BOCKWINKEL to win the AWA title was just one big mistake that almost any fan should know...(Lawler beat Curt Hennig by the way). Nelson did not mention any of the last days of the AWA (including the laughable title reign of his buddy Larry Zbyszko). A few of the stories are entertaining, but with so much totally incorrect info and an overall lack of depth, only the fan who reads EVERY and ANYTHING about wrestling should buy this book.

5 comments about Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia.

1. Mi Vida Loca is a very chilling read. Johnny Tapia has gone through more highs and lows than most people go through in five lifetimes. It certainly is a tale of perseverance as the odds were against him from the start. He never met his father, watched as his mother was taken to her death when he was 8, and grew up poor in a house of close to 20 relatives where any resistance was met with a beating. Hard way to grow up. Many of his mistakes later on were indeed his own, especially his drug dependencies. After reading this, you wonder how he was able to keep it together in the ring. But then you go back to what he says in the book repeatedly: The ring is my only peace. This isn't a history of Johnny's biggest fights as many of them are just given a glancing look. It is the story of a good man at heart who is trying to find peace while the fear of the wheels falling off is always close by. It is indeed one crazy life. Johnny is lucky to have found his wife, Teresa. How they've stayed together through the high and low times speaks volumes of the love they have for one another. Having said all of this, the book is poorly written, filled with so many grammatical and punctuation errors (and even a blatant repeat of a paragraph in the last chapter) that it wouldn't get a passing grade in a 6th grade writing class. If you can get past the writing, Mi Vida Loca is a good biography. As a longtime fan, I hope Johnny finds peace.



2. An articulate, soulful, heartbreaking and often brutal peek into the life and times of Johnny Tapia. This book transcends boxing. Tapia's lived a "life less ordinary" and the struggles and triumphs he lived through could fill two lifetimes.



3. I LOVE READING LIFE STORYS AND JOHNNY TAPIAS STORY IS RAW AND HEARTRENDERING, THE STRUGGLES HES FACED AND OVERCOME ARE TRUELY TOUCHING, I COULDNT STOP READING FROM THE MOMENT I OPENED THE BOOK. A LIVING LEGEND AND CHAMP NOT ONLY IN THE RING BUT IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE ASWELL. PEOPLE COULDNT EVEN IMAGINE THE PAIN AND TURBULENT LIFE THIS LITTLE MAN HAS FACED. A FANTASTIC READ AND ONLY ONE WORD CAN DESCRIBE HIM. LEGEND.



4. The title of this book should be "Feel Sorry For Me, No wait! I Mean Don't Feel Sorry for Me". He truly can't make up his mind. The stories have a true ring to them but the emblishment is so far fetched that I found myself throwing the BS flag over and over. Still,it makes for a quick read and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I am a female boxing fan from New Mexico and I used to live in Albuquerque so the details were fun. The "lingo" seemed authentic and if you have ever watched an interview with Tapia you will agree this book was written the same way he speaks.



5. As much as Johnny Tapia has led a crazy life, the grammar in this book is appalling. This book was obviously written firstly in Spanish & then translated over into English. It has been translated over very badly & reads in Pigeon English most of the way through. For what can be read, yes of course this book is good because Johnny Tapia has thrown caution to the wind in his approach to life ever since the terrible experience he went through at such an early age. I cannot help but wish him well though. To update you, he did have an overdose (approx. Feb / Mar 2006) which I understand now, 23rd April, he is hanging in there, Bless Him.

No comments about No Ordinary Joe: The Autobiography of the Greatest British Boxer of Our Time.