Book Description

The fans in their seats are barely able to contain themselves. The buzz of the crowd rises higher and higher until that first Superstar walks onto the stage and into the ring. It doesn't matter where you are in the arena-ringside or high above the floor you know that it's going to be an exciting night. There are signs everywhere, the people in their seats chant for their favorite wrestler. You get caught up in the wave of excitement filling the place. Maybe tonight a title changes hands. This is the WWE anything can happen.

You begin to wonder just what is it like to be a WWE Superstar. What do you have to do everyday to make it? What is it like to spend your life with countless numbers of people cheering or even booing you? You look into the ring and wonder. What if you could go behind the stage? What if you could travel with one of the wrestlers? What would it be like to visit a Superstar in their home? Unscripted is an unvarnished, all access look inside the lives of World Wrestling Entertainment's Superstars. From life on the road traveling more than two hundred days a year, to performing in front of hundreds of thousands, the WWE's Superstar's share their incredible story in their own words offering readers an unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes.

The Undertaker tells you why he didn't become a professional basketball player. Goldberg tells you why he joined the WWE. The Rock reveals how his own father tried to sabotage his career. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon speak openly and frankly about their relationship. Chris Jericho describes how he keeps it all in perspective. Sean Michaels talks about his revitalized career and how important his family and his faith are. Kurt Angle explains how you can wrestle with a broken neck.

Unscripted lifts the curtain on the backstage areas of the shows, the homes and the everyday lives and ordinary events of these extraordinary people. It is a lavishly illustrated tribute to the men and women who climb over the rope day-after-day for the roar of the crowd. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Unscripted Is The Best Wrestling Book Ever!
Unscripted is the best wrestling book ever! Duh! Anyone who would object to that is just stupid! Unscripted gives endless facts about each wrestler, and what their expectations were in the beginning of their wrestling careers, as well as, if they wanted to become some other profession in their earlier years. For example, The Undertaker was going to become a professional basketball player, but he decided to go down the path in professional wrestling, and signed a contract with WWE. Also, Unscripted gives facts about the wrestler's personal life, such as their whereabouts, their love life, kind of, and their previous or past accomplishments. There are numerous pages on wrestlers from both RAW and Smackdown!, talking about their lives, their wrestling careers, their personal lives, and their current achievements. Also, Matt Hardy and Lita used to date, but broke it off when Lita found out Matt Hardy was cheating on her. Unscripted is, by far, without a doubt, undeniably, of course, and seriously the best wrestling book about each wrestler ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =]

glimpses of the lives of the wrestlers
"Unscripted" is a coffee table style book from World Wrestling Entertainment. It focuses on the WWE Superstars and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Superstars and their lives. The book is broken up into three sections, each with the focus on a different aspect of the Superstars' life. In each section, a Superstar gets a two page spread that has photography and something written by the Superstar about his or her life (or career).

I wouldn't say that "Unscripted" is in depth, by any means, but it does gives us descriptions of the lives of the wrestlers that we would not ordinarily have. For example, Chris Jericho writes about how he does not have an ego about what he does because when he gets home his wife still makes him take out the garbage. The Undertaker wrote about how he had almost played professional basketball and how he decided to turn to the ring. Kurt Angle wrote about wrestling in the Olympics with a broken neck and why he did it. Each wrestler gives a little glimpse into their lives, what they do, and why. We really just get a glimpse of the wrestling world through the eyes of the wrestlers. As a fan of the WWE product, I found this to be interesting (if less in depth than, say, Mick Foley's autobiography). This is a coffee table book, however, so there are many pictures and not too much text. This is one you can pick up, look at a two page spread, and then put down again to peruse at your leisure.

AWESOME BOOK
I whole big book of color pictures and readings about each wrestler. This book was very well done and it shows you the personal lives of the wrestlers. Lets you take a peek inside of what is happening behind the scenes. The pictures lets see different things and with the pictures it lets you write a story yourself. I would love to see more books like this.

The best book ever!
This is the best book ever.
It talks about the superstars personal life, and there wrestling life. If you like wrestling at all you will love this book its worth every cent.

Reviews in English Language Only please
In response to the review posted on November 12, 2003:
Usually in writing a review, a firm grasp of the English language can provide you with an excellent jump-start. This may seem hard to swallow, but the majority of Americans do not understand ghetto trash-talk, and your use of it only furthers the case that we are truly getting dumber by the minute. The book was highly entertaining and revealing; it's a must for any TRUE WWE fan ... Read more

Amazon.com

The most engrossing sports stories have a way of sneaking up on you. They explore issues much broader than competition, who won, and who lost; they are sports stories because they take place on the fields of play, but the light they shed illuminates much more than the athletic arena. On one level, The Great Black Jockeys is certainly about sports--indeed, racing was America's first national sport. But it's also about much more than that. It's an absorbing history, at times tragic, at times inspiring, of a nation in transition and the complex interrelationship between sports, society, attitudes, and race.

The overriding tragedy here is that this particular story essentially ends just after the turn of the 20th century. Before that, black riders dominated the game. In slave days, race riding could be a route to freedom. It was certainly a route to fame and a share of fortune. Whether a match race for bragging rights in the field, or a leg of the prestigious Triple Crown, black riders had at least a fair shake. Isaac Murphy, whose winning percentages have never been matched, won a trio of Kentucky Derbies. Jimmy Winkfield won back-to-back Runs for the Roses in 1901 and 1902. Yet, no black rider has piloted a winner in a major American stakes race since 1909. What happened?

By introducing us to a forgotten chapter in sports history and a host of deserving athletic legends sadly overlooked by time, Hotaling explores what did happen, and why a sport that witnessed blacks and whites competing as equals for so long at the highest levels suddenly locked the starting gate. The story Hotaling tells is as fascinating as it is painful, a story of opportunity unsaddled by prejudice and fear, and never significantly remounted again. "This is not black history," he makes clear. "It is not white history. It is American history." And like so much of American history, it's more complex than black and white. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Compelling history of the roots of the modern American athle
Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

Telling Another Untold Story
I read this book because it combined Black History and horse racing. Two of my favorite subjects. The book is well organized, full of information.

The author seamlessly intertwines American History, African American History, and the history of horse racing in America. So the book keeps your interest. He also balances historical facts, with the colorful characters\stories surrounding horseracing, while elevating Black jockies to their noble place in the "sport of kings".

This book is worth the price. A great read!!

Explores a long negleted area of African-American history.
This book explores a negleted aspect of the African-American experience in the United States. I had always assumed the African-American heros of sport were a twentieth century phenomenon. It was an eye opener to learn that there successful African-American jockeys and trainers as early as colonial time.

I would recommend this well written book to anyone with an interest in American history

A must-read for the true Horse Player
Mr. Hotaling's latest horse-racing book is a must read for anyone who considers himself a true afficianado of the sport. It tells a story which far too many people, even serious horse players, know little about. Horse racing is unique among sports in America because it is has virtually no black presence. There are few black owners, trainers, and breeders, and very few of the most visible players in racing, the jockeys. This was not always the case. In fact, black jockeys once dominated America's oldest sport. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was black, as was the Derby's first repeat winner and its first three-time winner. The jockey with the highest winning percentage in history was black. Hotaling gives the history of these pioneers, and in doing so gives a history of the sport. He also deals with the glaring question: why have black jockeys largely dissappeared from the sport? It is well-written and insightful, a book invaluable to those who value the history of horse racing. ... Read more

Book Description

Fishermen survive as relics, the last hunter-gatherers among us. Their boats, crammed with ropes and nets, carry the mystique of a nearly forgotten world ruled by the elements.

Now an accomplished writer, Molyneaux as a young man journeyed to Maine with no experience and a dream of working on a boat. This is the story of his apprenticeship with Bernard Raynes, one of Maine's last independent commercial fishermen. In the early 1980s, these two men shared some of the fishing industry's best years, as well as gripping adventures on the stormy North Atlantic. Now their world has changed. The author discusses the factors-personal and political, environmental and economic-that led to the decline of New England fishing. Thanks to a strong work ethic and an iron will, Raynes resolutely hangs on to a vanishing way of life, while consolidation pushes that way of life out of reach for today's young fishermen.

For over three centuries, Raynes's ancestors invested their futures in the lives of fish. They learned to think like fish and developed unparalleled ability as fishermen. Today's fishermen will not have to match Raynes's supreme skill. Technology has edged Raynes out, and his fishing legacy will die with him. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (10)

Veeck As in Wreck
A wonderful slice of baseball history as seen from the consumate maverick of baseball. Veeck takes you on a journey from his beginnings listenning to John McGraw and his dad William Veeck Sr. shoot the breeze about baseball up until his purchase of the White Sox for the second time in 1975. Along the way you are introduced to those you may have never knew (Gene Bearden and Harry Grabiner), those you always knew (Eddie Gaedel, Satchel Paige and Lou Boudreau) and those you though you knew (Ford Frick, Del Webb and Charles Comiskey). The chapters about Veeck's ownership of the St. Louis Browns and baseball's fight about its disposition are alone worth the price of the book. I'd give the book five stars because it is well written and entertaining, but I suspect some of his stories are embellished in his favor. But you have to expect that in any autobiography. So many of today's ideas have Veeck written all over them, most notably interleague play and exploding scoreboards. One final note: keep a baseball encyclodedia next to you when you read this one. It comes in handy when the obscure names come flying, and if you feel "ole Willie" is telling a tall one.

A Baseball Classic
This book is considered a classic because of the great inside information and the "smack 'em in the face" comments from Bill Veeck, the one-time owner of the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns and the two-time owner of the Chicago White Sox. Veeck pulles no punches in discussing his views on the powers in baseball, including his favorite punching bag, the New York Yankees. Veeck is also very entertaining in describing his relationships with some great characters of the game. I really enjoyed this book.

Excellent storyteller
I literally could not put this book down from start to finish. Whether you like baseball, dislike the Yankees, or just enjoy rooting for the one guy who could have saved baseball from the financial and legal disasters of the past 50 years, this book will be one of the best you have ever read.

They do not make sports bios Like THIS anymore.....
The two things you need to know before you buy "Veeck -- As In Wreck" -- and you will buy this book, you must, if you've ever bought any professional sports bio before -- are the names Veeck and Linn.

Bill Veeck you know from reputation -- the wacky promoter who invented everything from Ladies' Day to Disco Demolition Night. The man owned several baseball franchises (including the Chicago White Sox twice, for some reason), and was known as a both a promotional genius and a shrewd financier.

As for Ed Linn... well, Linn was also the ghostwriter for another fantastic, edgy, opinionated baseball book, Leo Durocher's "Nice Guys Finish Last". Not surprisingly, "Veeck" reads a lot like the Durocher tome (and it came first, too!). On every page here you'll find a funny anecdote, a scary bit of prescience, and a unique look at an otherwise-beloved icon. With Veeck's memory and Linn's acid pen, this book is quite hard to put down. Or to pick up, for that matter.

Sports bios tend to hold back these days, let's face it. They're not as long and not as insightful as the Linn books. And the gift of time has helped ripen these pages. When Veeck talks about baseball's financial need to institute interleague play -- writing from 1961 -- you know this man saw around a few decades' worth of corners. When he takes the Yankees to task for failing to capitalize on Roger Maris's pursuit of the Babe Ruth home run record, and notes that it was a once-in-a-lifetime event, he's right -- so baseball got it right in '98, when McGwire came to town, and when the record fell yet again in '01, hardly anyone noticed.

In the meantime you'll laugh at the sad fates of Bobo Holloman and Frank Saucier, the latter being the only ballplayer ever to be removed from a game for a midget. You'll be intrigued by Veeck's take on Larry Doby, and by his bitter retorts at Del Webb, then-owner of the hated behemoth Yankees. And you'll marvel at just how little has really changed in baseball since Veeck was retired. Owners plotting franchise shifts in shady back-room deals (Montreal, Florida. Florida, Boston). Owners doing everything to baseball except what really benefits the sport (It's a tie in Milwaukee!). Veeck lamenting not the high price of talent but rather the high price of mediocrity (how much is Colorado paying for Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton?)...

Just about the only highlight not covered is the sight of White Sox outfielder Chet Lemon wearing shorts. One of the few Bill Veeck innovations that did not catch on, and aren't we all better off...

He was a fun guy!
I read this book when I was thirteen, and read it again twenty years later. I enjoyed it both times. Spend a few hours with a man who loved baseball and is honest about being a little less than honest. ... Read more

Book Description

“I had to stand there and watch while the rest of my life was determined by the shaky adhesion of a few millimetres of fractured ice and the dubious friction of a tiny point of metal in a hairline crack in a rock wall…”

Marking the climax of his climbing career, Joe Simpson confronts his fears and mountaineering history in an assault on the North Face of the Eiger. Since his epic battle for survival in the Andes, recounted in Touching the Void, Joe Simpson has experienced a life filled with adventure but marred by death. He has endured the painful attrition of climbing friends in accidents which call into question the perilously exhilarating activity to which he has devoted his whole life.Probability is inexorably closing in. The tragic loss of a close friend forces a momentous decision. It is time to turn his back on the mountains that he has loved. Never more alive than when most at risk, he has come to see a last climb on the mile-high North Face of the Eiger as the cathartic finale to his climbing career.

In a narrative that takes the reader through extreme experiences from an avalanche in Bolivia, ice-climbing in the Alps and Colorado and paragliding in Spain - before his final confrontation with the Eiger - Simpson reveals the inner truth of climbing, exploring the power of the mind and the frailties of the body through intensely lived accounts of exhilaration and despair. The subject of his new book is the siren song of fear and his struggle to come to terms with it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good but not great.
If you haven't read Touching the Void...read it first as Joe makes several references to it. I read Touching The Void...and couldn't put it down - outstanding book, and a must read for any climber!

I bought this one hoping for the same. The book was good by all standards but Joe seemed to lose focus on what he was writing about in several places. I think it would have been better if this were divided into two books: one about the flying and one about climbing.

If you're in doubt, buy it...its worth the cover price just for the Eiger history and Joes attempt on it; and Joe is such a talented writer that he can make some mistakes and still create a great book.

A more light-hearted Joe
Having read each of Simpson's five mountaineering books, I walked away from this one with the feeling that Joe has finally reached a certain acceptance of himself, the world he is a part of and the dangers that go along with being a climber. Whereas some of his previous efforts have been dark and devoid of humor ("Storms of Silence" and "Dark Shadows Falling" for example), I found myself frequently laughing out loud at this one. Joe has mastered the art of storytelling and this may be his best effort since his classic "Touching the Void," which of course is in a class by itself.

This book starts off as somewhat of a tribute to a friend of his who gave up mountaineering because of a fundamental war-weariness to its dangers only to be killed in a paragliding accident a short time later. This leads Simpson to vow to give up serious mountain climbing himself ... but not before completing a handful of classic climbing routes (a "tick list" as he calls it). Among these is the 1938 route of the North Face of the Eiger, which is the focus of the second half of the book. There seem to be a few phrases in this one that were ripped off right out of Heinrich Harrer's "The White Spider" and Joe tacidly acknowledges some unintentional plagarism at the end of the book, explaining that he's read so many books on the North Face of the Eiger that he doesn't even know where much of his knowledge had its origin. A little lame, but I bought it. And fear not, the reader who has come to expect Simpson (the "Mr. Magoo" of the climbing world) to be in a precarious situation will not be disappointed.

Thoughtful mountaineering?
I've been reading a ton of mountaineering books lately, and this is quite possibly one of the best. Up until now, I've really liked Mark Twight's writing, mostly becuase he's really funny. But this book has really made me think about why I like to climb, and if it's really worth it. I think that Simpson's writing also does an excellent job of making you feel as though you are right there, if not belaying him, then standing at the belay watching. In the first chapter, there is a good account of his attempt(s) at Alea Jacta Est (a difficult mixed climb in France) and I could really feel the tension. Not quite the same feeling as you get when you are really running out a lead yourself, but not too far from it.

Anyways, I would heartily recommend this book to the climber and non-climber alike. It isn't so esoteric that non-climbers would feel intimidated, and it really makes one think about the whole point of climbing.

Simpson at his best, compelling and honest.
Joe Simpson's writing is compelling, lucid and interesting. As in his previous writing he is refreshingly honest in his story telling of both facts and feelings.

The book deals mostly with the 1938 route on the North face of the Eiger. The historical details alone make this book a must read for mountaineering buffs. But, more importantly Simpson explores the interplay between mountaineering experience and the objective dangers of climbing in big mountains. The balance he contrasts is between the extreme satisfaction of being in the mountains and climbing at standards that challenge, with the feelings of those involved, including concerns over route conditions internal motivation and personal performance.

In days when we are increasingly fed a diet of what I call "Dare and Scare", or "Mountaineering Rubbernecking Exploitation" books, Simpson had written a sensitive personal account that anyone who has ever had the urge for adventure will relate to. I couldn't put it down. Bravo Joe! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

The World's Greatest Fighter Teaches You: How to Master
Joe Lewis was voted The World's Greatest Fighter by his peers. Martial artists have voted him into over a dozen various Halls of Fame. In his era, Joe Lewis was the Greatest. When some of the greatest legends of the martial arts (Jhoon Rhee, Dan Inosanto, Chuck Norris, Bob Wall, Mike Stone) contribute to his long awaited piece of work and the highly respected publisher Walter Anderson writes a favorable review of the finished product, nothing else really needs to be said...Buy the book, its worth the investment.

This is like three books in one.
When it comes to legends in the martial arts, Joe Lewis is on a rare level. His first book is like three books in one.
1. Detailed analysis and breakdowns of what Joe Lewis and Bruce Lee worked on.
2. Detailed photos illustrating the techniques (they're animated on bruceleebook.com)
3. Fly on the wall stories by Chuck Norris, Danny Inosanto (he tells about when he heard Bruce had died), Mike Stone, Bob Wall, Jhoon Rhee, Joe Hyams (great Hollywood stories about Bruce) and, of course, Joe Lewis. This stories work great to break up the book and make it a fun and valuable read that will be on the must have library list for martial arts fans and fighters for many years to come.

Chuck Norris was 10 times better than Joe Lewis!
That being said, let me point out that this book is another example of someone cashing in on the legacy and greatness of Bruce. Joe Lewis was just another student of Bruce, and there are others (Jerry Poteet and Dan Inosanto being two of the most well known) who spent much more time training with Bruce than Joe Lewis did. If you want to learn about JKD then you're better off reading the Bruce Lee's Fighting Methods series. Also, in the Art of Expressing The Human Body, author John Little covers Bruce's training routine for Joe Lewis and it certainly wasn't anything extraordinary. Nothing that any pro fighter would do these days. This book is an average read if you've run out of good books on Bruce/Jeet Kune Do. Otherwise, stick to the John Little books because they're written from the notes and interviews directly from Bruce and his (long term) former students.

A Great Book on Sparring, With a Few Extras
Joe Lewis, considered by many to be the greatest karate fighter of all time, has written, with the help of some friends, a nice martial arts text about fighting with an emphasis on Bruce Lee's fighting system known as Jeet Kune Do. This book succeeds where his early work, also reviewed by me, failed. His other book was a sequential photo book with very little written information. Relying primarily on the visual approach, it did not get into the serious thoughts on fighting application.

Further, the biographical section of the latter book also was a little disappointing. This book helps redeems Joe Lewis' efforts. First, the books primary objective is established in the titled and the text gives the reader the information necessary to understand many of the most important fighting concepts. Although the information presented has been presented elsewhere, Joe succeeds in communicating the ideas to where the novice to intermediate fighter can easily understand the material and should be able, with the help of a partner, learn and develop the advice into their own martial repertoire. While there are some photographs displaying some of the concepts the material strength is in the writing and it surpasses other books that have tried to deal with some of Bruce Lee's concepts. The strongest chapters are "The Science of Movement", The Art of Distancing", "The Explosive Initial Move," and "Angular Attack."

The extras in this book are a nice surprise in that they give one a break from the study of fighting material and allow the reader to get an understanding of Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis from the perspective of others, most of whom are great martial artist in their own right. Chapters I particularly enjoyed were by Dan Inosanto, John Korab, Gene Lebell, and Bob Wall. Even some of the contributions I did not necessarily like (Mike Stones' piece) I did think it was honest and fair to put the essay in the book.

This is a good book and achieves what it sets out to do; which is to simply explain some of the innovations and ideas pioneered by Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis.

Highly Recommended
"How to Master Bruce Lee's Fighting System" by Joe Lewis is a surprisingly substantive book that belongs in any Bruce Lee fan's book collection. Not simply a book on martial art technique, "How to Master Bruce Lee's Fighting System" contains bonus chapters written by some of the greatest martial arts contemporaries of Bruce Lee, all of whom knew Lee intimately and many whose stories about Lee have never been told. This book will definitely help Bruce Lee's fans to understand him better and aid the martial artist in perfecting his Jeet Kune Do skills. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As much a force of nature in sporting pursuits as John Grisham is on lawyers or Steven King is on the weird, the dauntingly prolific John Feinstein once again steps up to take a swing at golf. While A Good Walk Spoiled chronicles the pressures and tensions of a full season on the PGA Tour, The Majors narrows the vista, and expands the importance, to the chase for the four prestigious titles--the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA--that separate the great careers from the pretenders. That the chase occurred in 1998 turns The Majors from a compelling chronicle into a thrilling one.

A thorough reporter, Feinstein does the necessary homework both inside and beyond the ropes. He dusts off history and anecdote to provide perspective and explore how and why these four particular tournaments sprouted such regal fur around their collars. Still, perspective is just background if there's no focus to give it meaning, and he finds a bagful of it in the individual quests and the public and private dramas of, most notably, Fred Couples, Lee Janzen, Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Phil Mickelson, and David Duval. All entered the season with much to prove--to themselves and posterity, and the latter is what the Majors are so imposingly about. As Feinstein observes, "Four days a year, golfers go out to play for Forever. Those are the four Sundays at the major championships. They all know what is at stake." As the record shows, none staked a claim more improbably or excitingly than O'Meara, who put a pair of exclamation points on a long, distinguished--but significantly Major-less--career with stunning, gutsy victories at both the Masters and the British Open. Feinstein records these quests with precision and color; as usual, he aims at a target and shoots better than par. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Nice account about the toughest tasks in golf
There is no doubt that noted sportswriter and author, John Feinstein, is quite the golf fan. He currently has three separate books on the market about golf. "A Good Walk Spoiled" deals with the vast cross-section of PGA Tour players from the 'grinders' who can barely make the tour to the elite who win the major tournaments. Feinstein's most recent book, "Open" focuses on the notable 2002 U.S. Open tournament held at New York's Bethpage Black public golf course. In between these broad and narrow manifestos, Feinstein finds a middle ground in his book, "The Majors". "The Majors" follows a similar approach to "A Good Walk Spoiled", but narrative focus is narrowed to only deal with the four 'major' tournaments: The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship. Instead of focusing on all the golfers who play on the tour, Feinstein cares about those are legitimate contenders for the majors and the pressures they endure in pursuit of golf's Holy Grail.

The season in question is the 1998 PGA Tour season. This is just one year after Tiger Woods burst on to the scene with his shocking domination of the 1997 Masters. In the interim, Tiger-mania has faded as has Woods' performance. 1998 is less about Tiger and more about men who have long battled for these trophies, but had, so far, failed to attain them. It is ironic that Tiger's good friends, Mark O'Meara actually became the big winner of 1998 with his victory in The Masters and the British Open.

"The Majors" is quite an enjoyable read because of how it thrusts the reader in the high pressure world of big-time golf and major tournaments. Feinstein is a gifted sportswriter and great author. "The Majors" is just one more testament to that.

Another Top-notch Feinstein Work
If you've read "A Good Walk Spoiled," you have to follow it up with this Feinstein gem. He once again takes you inside the game like no one else can. Feinstein puts a great deal of focus on the men behind the Masters, and gives you a good idea of the pressure at the U.S. Open. You also see that most Americans who put the British Open a step below the first two majors are clearly uninformed about what major championship golf is all about. Finally, you realize that the PGA is the least important of the four majors, searching to find an identity to distinguish itself.

Some of the more interesting storylines are the close detail in which Fred Couples' season was followed, the improvement in Payne Stewart's attitude, the unbelievably rock-hard nerves of U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, and the love the Brits showed Open qualifier Larry Mize. However, the most intriguing information comes from the in depth discussion of the career of David Duval. Before I read the book, I despised Duval and thought he was nothing but an arrogant jerk. However, after reading the book, I came to respect him for his no excuses attitude.

Overall, I obviously recommend that anyone who follows the PGA tour read this masterpiece.

Inside the Ropes at the Majors in 1998
The year was 1998 and the winners were Mark O'Meara (The Masters at Augusta National and The British Open at Royal Birkdale), Lee Janzen (The U.S. Open at the Olympic Club), and Vijay Singh (The P.G.A. Championship at Sahalee Country Club). Although all four Majors are conducted under the collaborative supervision of the U.S.G.A. and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club organizations, each has its own terms and conditions for participation as well as stages of qualification to compete with those who, for various reasons, are automatically eligible. For me, one of this book's most fascinating subjects is the qualifying process to which many are called but few are eventually chosen. Perhaps only the annual process to earn a P.G.A card creates greater tension and frustration for those involved.

To the extent that space allows, Feinstein examines wannabes as well as perennial and promising contenders for each of the championships in 1998. He includes hundreds of vignettes and anecdotes about them, thus giving human significance to the names on the scoreboard. I also appreciate having historical information which creates a context for each Major, three of which have a different course location each year. Only the Masters has a permanent site.

P.G.A. golf competition is unique among professional sports in that players are essentially self-regulated, personally assume all costs of participation (travel, accommodations, caddy, etc.), and earn nothing if they fail to make the 36-hole cut. It is not uncommon for one player to prevent another from inadvertently breaking a rule as Tom Kite once did near the end of the final round when he was in contention. Later, Kite was astonished that anyone was surprised by his initiative which probably denied him victory in that tournament. (The player he assisted won it.) Feinstein skillfully captures the flavor and nuances of what can be ferocious competition but also the fact that it is (with rare exceptions) conducted with dignity, style, and grace as well as with exceptional skill.

For those who love the game of golf and especially for golfers who are eager to know what it is like to compete in the Majors, this is the book to read. It reads more like a novel than an almanac. It reveals "the joy of victory" for some and the "agony of defeat for others" while celebrating certain values which seem to have become less common each day...except on a golf course. For whatever it may be worth, over the years I have played probably 500 rounds of golf on several dozen different golf courses (both public and private) and do not remember a single "ugly" encounter with another player. Having said that, I feel obliged to point out that "golf" is "flog" spelled backwards. On numerous occasions, it really has been for me "a good walk spoiled" but my passion for the game and my respect for those who play it so well remain undiminished.

Beginning in 1960, Theodore H. White wrote several "The Making of the President" accounts. I was reminded of that as I read this book, wishing that Feinstein or another author of comparable talent would write an annual volume in (let's call it) "The Making of Majors' Champions" series. This would enable avid golfers such as I to return in time to memorable moments during past Majors competition. End-of-year DVDs featuring such moments plus commentaries among special features would also be much appreciated. Meanwhile, we have Feinstein's lively as well as informative book which recreates (to the extent a text can) stirring triumphs by O'Meara, Janzen, and Singh as well as dozens of other human subplots associated with those victories eight years ago.

A leisurly and delightful tour of the Major championships
John Feinstein reports the stories of the 1998 major golf championships through the lives of several players who were contending for one or more of them that year. The Majors are, of course, The Masters, The US Open, The Open Championship (British Open), and the PGA Championship. Saying that Mark O'Meara won The Masters and the British Open, Lee Janzen the US Open, and Vijay Singh the PGA Championship says almost nothing about the character, history, and the dynamic nature of life and competition on the PGA tour.

Mr. Feinstein helps us get to know some of these players as people. We learn some things about their health, how the got to the PGA tour, how qualifying for the various majors is done (and other tournaments, for that matter). Of course, the author reports actual competitions and how the leaders changed position and finally emerged victorious.

All of this is told in a rather meandering and leisurely style. If you want crisp, concise, and beginning to end reporting this book really isn't for you. However, if love golfing anecdotes and enjoy reading about golfing events, I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I learned about players I didn't know and learned more about some that I did know. Certainly, I learned more about these events we call the Majors and my enjoyment of them has been enhanced because I have read this book. Thanks to Mr. Feinstein for that favor.

Majors Is Minor Feinstein
Is a book a book because an author says it is? Or is it a book because it is about something?

John Feinstein seems to take the former "I write therefore it is" approach. As a result, I never quite got what "The Majors" was about. My fault? I don't think so. I not only "got" the point of Feinstein's previous golf book, "A Good Walk Spoiled," but enjoyed it. That book belongs on any sports lover's shelf, and is worth any novice's time as well.

"A Good Walk Spoiled" is about the lives and trials of the pro golfer. "The Majors," despite the title, is about much the same thing, not so much the four events that make up the biggest trophies in pro golf but the elite PGA Tour pros who compete for these titles.

Frankly, if you aren't hot for golf, you aren't going to relate to these millionaires and their quest to buck the dread acronym BPNTHWAM (best player never to have won a major) the way you will to the fringe folk and dewsweepers that made up the cast of "A Good Walk Spoiled," for whom making the cut was the difference between survival and doom.

There are some decent profiles here, like that of Mark O'Meara, who won two of the four majors in 1998, the year of Feinstein's narrative. O'Meara seems affable, but I got no sense of hunger from the guy. Brad Faxon offers some revealing insights, but since he didn't contend for any majors, he seemed a waste of time in the ultimate scheme of the book. A lot of golfers Feinstein profiles are like that. Meanwhile, players who did contend in 1998 majors are skimmed over, like PGA Championship winner Vijay Singh, British Open runner-up Brian Watts, and most crucially, Tiger Woods. Feinstein probably couldn't get the same level of access to these guys he could to those he dotes on, but that shouldn't be the reader's problem, should it?

Unlike "A Good Walk Spoiled," the writing feels tired. The humor is forced. He throws in some clunky metaphors. A caddy "studies the wind the way a political pollster studies trends." Tiger Woods' security entourage are "like the guys chasing Butch and Sundance: You could see them coming from miles away." This makes the rote approach to the subject all the more apparent, and enervating.

Feinstein seemed to be trading in on the good will he engendered on the pro circuit with "A Good Walk Spoiled." That's great, if he gives the reader something for his new access. But whereas "Good Walk" was a candid and often blunt description of what went on inside the ropes, "The Majors" seems more an exercise in puffery and back-patting, never more egregious than with Fred Couples, a decent golfer and a good guy who Feinstein blows totally out of proportion in his narrative. Couples doesn't contend except at the Masters, but Feinstein can't let go of him for more than a chapter at a time.

The biggest problem about this book is it isn't about the title subject. He doesn't give equal time to the four majors, doesn't really relate any of the day-to-day drama, and offers little insight as to the courses or the final-day fields. He reports the winners, and some key shots, but that's it. If you want majors excitement, read Herbert Warren Wind or "Massacre At Winged Foot."

"The Majors" won't interest people who don't care much about golf, and though it has some interesting insights that made it more than a one-star read for me, it's not something that knowledgeable golf readers are going to find that illuminating. ... Read more

Book Description

He's got 61 PGA Tour victories to his credit, is a highly sought-after spokesperson, has authored several books and designed a few golf courses in his day, not to mention he pilots his own plane, but to millions of fans he's not Mr. Palmer, not even Arnold. He's simply Arnie-the world-famous guy next door. His achievements on the green may have made him a celebrated athlete, but it's his approachability and down-home humility that have secured his status as one of the most admired people in and out of sports. In this, his first illustrated, autobiographical book, he shares the adventures of his extraordinary life in the same accessible, entertaining voice that's already made him such a familiar figure.

Arnold Palmer: Memories, Stories, and Memorabilia from a Life On and Off the Course gives readers the opportunity to spend some time with Arnie and enjoy firsthand his fascinating anecdotes both personal and professional. These tales alone would be enough to entice any golf fan, but the book features not only rare photos from Arnie's private collection but also removable facsimiles of 12 collectibles from his archives: golf souvenirs, letters, and pictures, all displayed in glassine envelopes. The next best thing to a scrapbook handcrafted by the man himself, for fans of the legendary golfer it's the gift equivalent of a hole in one. AUTHOR BIO: ARNOLD PALMER is commander-in-chief of "Arnie's Army," the world's largest noncombative force. Among his 61 PGA Tour victories, Palmer won the Masters four times, the U.S. Open once, and the British Open twice. A gifted athlete, Palmer is also an accomplished entrepreneur, a skilled aviator, a prominent advertising spokesperson, a talented golf course designer, and the author of four books about the game. He resides in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A very honest book about NFL football by a former player.
"When I meet people for the first time, and they learn that I played for eight years in the NFL, their eyes glaze over with that far away look of a person dreaming about what he'll do if he wins the lottery." With these lines, Tim Green begins his autobiography. I must offer Mr. Green my heartiest congratulations because it takes a lot for this history major to buy an autobiography in hard cover. The last one I did buy was Lewis Puller Jr's moving Pulitzer Prize winning autobiography, "Fortunate Son" before it won a Pulitzer PRize. Bottom line: iit akes a lot to convince me to buy a book, written by a livng person about themselves. .. such as the book being interesting enough to have read about half of it in the bookstore. With his fourth book, Tim Green, a former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, has written an amazingly funny, refreshingly honest book about life in the "Big Time " of football. This is a book for fan (Both rab id & non), and non fan alike, irregardless of sex. It details the highs, lows, follies and foibles of football, both on and off the field, explaining such mysteries as what players really say on the field to one another after, ("Hi Ttim, how are you?... Good Brett, how about you?... Good."), racism ("Whenever a team travels anywhere, two large buses are needed to move them. It's not uncommon for one bus to be predominatly filled with blacks, and the other with whites.") what players eat (anything edible that's not moving fast enough to get away.) what it's like to play at the Meadowlands, ("football in a can"), right on down to what football players wear under their uniforms, ("The hard facts are that protective cups, as they are known, are as uncommon in the NFL as painted toenails.") Guess that's why there are no Dennis Rodman's in football. This is not howerver, a book for stuffed shirts, especially those in the NFL who are more used to the game of football being treated with the awe and admiration usually reserved for a WWII documentary of aircraft carrier warfare in the Pacific or the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII. IF your're such a stuffed shirt you certaily won't want this book since it's not a hagiography. IT is definitely not a Steve Sabol film with it's glowing commentaries and beautifully filmed sequences. Far from it, this book is real, funny, and sad in places, such as in it's description of former players having to start all over agian trying to get along on the average person's salaary after years of having had credit cards with $50,000 limits, huge bank accounts and being spoiled and fawned over. In short, it manages to transform football from the usual two dimensional cutout sport seen on weekend TV into a three dimensional sport which can live on after the TV has been turned off. Most fans probably never thought about the constant pain that it takes to play this sport, or what happens t players after the fame and money are gone. They probably don't consider what Deion Sanders is like after the cameras and kleig lights are turned off, the effect of stingers or how to shake hands with an NFL player. Bassically this is the sort of book that tells it like it is and makes fans think of thinkgs they normally woudln't they way a good book should. It's the sort of book the NFL needs and it should not cause either the NFl or FOXTV which has a long term contract to broaddcst nfl games to either blacklist or fire Time Green. While this book has been called ane xpose, I for one disagree with the characterization. The term expose is more appropirately applied to the Inspector General's report on the goings on at the now infamous "Tailhook" convention that the Navy had in Las Vegas. When this report was published it changed the way the Navy addressed a lot of things, especially it's relationshiops between the sexes and the participation of women in combat slots in air warfare. This book while no haiography will not measurably change anything. And as for Tim Green, while he may never be Ernest Hemingway, this is an exceedingly well written book. (Sorry Big Guy... to many compound sentences, forget those commas, find a war, try for Alexandre Dumas,.... even better yet... Tim Green!) This book remind us that football is a game, big time entertainment, an even bigger business and something few people rarely even thing aoubt... a really physically demanding job. And he even managed to stay away from mentioning the cheerleaders. Enough T&A!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My only problems. with the book... too short and he never addressed the issue of the "meaningless pension plan".

Surprising and eye-opening, a fine overview
I had hoped that Tim Green would've addressed some of the really dark topics of the game such as organized crime influence, throwing games, etc. But the subjects he hits on were very informative and give some good insight as to what it's like to play football in the NFL. He paints a good picture of all the ups and downs of playing and gives fair warnings to all young players fortunate to rise to the pro level. Alot of his opinions are colorful and relevant and the book is very readable with many short chapters each packed with unique information. This is a must read for anyone who loves the game.

interesting reading for NFL fans
If you follow the NFL or pro sports in general, you'll enjoy reading this book. There are no major revelations here - it does confirm some of what is speculated in terms of bending the rules with equipment, athletes pushing their bodies to the limit and then some, and players taking a range of medications to block pain and stay on the field. The best parts of the book give a glimpse of life in the NFL. Written before the HBO series on training camp, Green's book describes how tough the summer ritual can be and what it is like from week to week. He writes in a straightforward style and the chapters are arranged topically. Green wrote this nonfiction book before his series of fiction.

The biggest waste of [$$$] ever
Want to know about a players life in the NFL? I'm talking about the real lowdown, all the dirt, the stuff you don't see on TV. So do I. Unfortunately, it's not in this book. This book would be just as interesting if all the pages were blank. It doesn't really tell you anything, not to mention it reads like a junior high book report. You'll get so bored of it, you probably won't finish. I left a few chapters unread, only after I forced myself to keep reading for a month (yeah, it took that long because this book is real easy to put down). It just ... . It doesn't draw you in...ever. Maybe if this was written by Emmitt, or someone who has actually accomplished something, it would be a little better. At least you could read about some great moments and carry something away from it. This was written by a guy who was basically the waterboy. It's a dud from start to.....well, whenever you quit. Enjoy.

The Dark Side of the Game
The book "the Dark Side of the Game" was about the reality of the NFL and what athletes you see on TV have to go through every year, season, and day. It's a good book to read if you're a regular Fottball viewer, or just love the game. It goes into detail about trainning camp, physicals, and intervews. "Explains life in the NFL with out exageration" says Deion Sanders. It goes into great detail and brings you one step closer to the game, explaining strugglea with drugs, injuries, and women. There is even a chapter on how to shake a Football player's hand, saying that the way is not to show them your pwoer in grip, but to give a nice hand shake, for the hands of the NFL athletes are swollen and bruised all season. A new respect for the NFL athletes will be gained after reading this book, for the stories and conditions explained in the book are like none other. "If my boys were to not want to touch a football, i would be perfectly happy." says Green, knowing the game and the things that the players put up with, this quote is one to think about. Is the NFL really everybodys dream? Or just another dream that they'll be happy not pursuing? ... Read more

Book Description

Since Yao Ming's electrifying NBA debut with the Houston Rockets in 2002, the 7-foot-5 Chinese center has appeared in numerous TV commercials, on magazine covers, and in countless basketball-highlights reels. And yet, despite Yao's status as one of the country's most recognizable sports stars, the remarkable story of how a shy, gangly kid from Shanghai went on to become the NBA's first foreign-born and developed #1 draft pick has remained, until now, largely unknown.

With this memoir, Yao reveals himself as a thoughtful, opinionated young man whose insights extend far beyond the basketball court. He paints a compelling portrait of how his parents, both former Chinese basketball stars and fully aware of the bleak outlook for ex-players, resisted the Chinese government's interest in steering their son into the sport as a child. But the love of the game took hold of Yao as a teenager, and he began to sense both his own potential and the restraints he would face from the bureaucrats who ran the sport. As Yao's success in China grew, it became clear that his future would be with the NBA. But nothing came easily. With riveting detail, Yao recounts the white-knuckle gamesmanship required to win the approval of Chinese officials for his leap to America.

Yao: A Life in Two Worlds vividly chronicles Yao's move from Shanghai to Houston: The sudden millionaire has to learn to drive his newly acquired car; the young man who has only ever had one girlfriend tries to make sense of pro-basketball's hard-partying life off-court; the supremely dominant player in China is transformed into a NBA rookie unnerved at the prospect of facing Shaquille O'Neal. But soon enough, aided by his easygoing manner and sense of humor that has proved so appealing to fans, Yao finds his moorings and flourishes as a major NBA star with a worldwide following.

Sports writer Ric Bucherspent hundreds of hours in conversation with Yao in the U.S. and China, closely tracking the player's feelings and observations during that historic first season with the Rockets. Yao: A Life in Two Worlds is an inspiring account of how one man's faith in himself, hard work, and drive have taken him from national success story to international icon—and helped build a bridge between two countries. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BOOK DESCRIPTION FROM THE AUTHOR, ROSS BERNSTEIN
I had actually been working with Herb Brooks for nearly a year at the time of his untimely death this past Fall on writing a series of motivational/self-help books. You see, Herbie had recently turned down an offer to come back to the Big Apple and coach the New York Rangers again, opting instead to spend more time with his family and doing more motivational speaking - which is what the books were for. So, when I head the horrible news that August 11th, I decided right then and there to turn our project into a memorial. The result is the new book, "Remembering Herbie," a tribute to my friend and mentor.

Several months and nearly 100 interviews later, the book was finished, complete with both warm and fuzzy memories as well as hilarious and riveting stories from Herbie's closest friends, family members, former teammates and former players. The biography chronicles not only the accomplishments and achievements of a man who touched literally millions of lives throughout the sports world, but also a heartfelt story of an amazing person - as told through the eyes of those who knew him best.

People from all spectrums of Herbie's life were interviewed for the book, including former teammates of his from St. Paul Johnson High School, the University of Minnesota and from various U.S. Olympic & National Teams. I also spoke to former players of his from the Gophers, the 1980 & 2002 Olympic Teams, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins. While some people opened up and poured out their emotions on what Herbie meant to them, others shared heartwarming or hilarious stories. Some laughed, some cried, but they all remembered Herbie.

I found that as I wrote the book and talked to more and more people, a picture emerged of who Herb Brooks really was. The common denominators were fascinating: the way he motivated people, his relentless determination, his honesty, his passion, his integrity, the "Brooksisms" he was so famous for saying, the way he championed the underdog, the way he was always looking to make hockey better, the way he could never make up his mind, and the way he loved his family - it's all in there.

You see, Herb Brooks never forgot where he came from - always remaining loyal to his colorful working-class neighborhood roots on St. Paul's East Side. There, he was like royalty, but if you asked him, he would say that he was just another "Joe Six Pack" from Payne Avenue. That was Herbie, modest as ever. Herbie was the ultimate team player and lived by the adage that the name on the front of the sweater was always more important than the name on the back. Looking back at the now famous last second call from the 1980 Olympic 'Miracle on Ice,' which will forever be linked to his legacy, "Do you believe in miracles?... Yes!" - one can only assume that Herb probably didn't. That's right. Sure, he was a dreamer, but there were no short-cuts or divine interventions for this guy, it was all about hard work, commitment and passion. And luckily for us his obsession was hockey, and through that medium he changed the face of American history.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the newly created "Herb Brooks Foundation," which will benefit amateur hockey throughout the United States.

(To learn more about this book please visit my web-site: www.bernsteinbooks.com. Thanks! - Ross Bernstein, Author ... Read more

Book Description

Now with a new afterword, The Girls of Summer, by the award- winning New York Times sportswriter Jere Longman, takes a serious, compelling look at the women who won the 1999 World Cup and brings to life the skills and victories of the American team. Longman explores the issues this unprecedented achievement has raised: the importance of the players as role models; the significance of race and class; the sexualization of the team members; and the differences between men and women's sports. Provocative and insightful, this book reminds us that the real struggles are off the field -- and some remain to be won.

Reviews (17)

Thank you, Jere Longman for this wonderful book....
Have you ever read a book and dreaded coming to the end? You can't stop reading it, but you try and pace yourself because you don't want it to ever stop. Well, obviously, I feel this way about The Girls of Summer, by Jere Longman. I was at the 1999 Women's World Cup Final, and reading this book brought back all the memories of that day: the sweltering heat, the anxiety, and the pure joy. Longman describes every important play in wonderful slow motion, and poetic imagery. The player profiles are seamless and beautifully intertwined throughout the book. It might seem as though I am bias towards Longman's effort, but being a huge US Team supporter, wouldn't I have higher expectations than the normal, everyday reader? I wish everyone could read The Girls of Summer.

To make a long story short, The Girls of Summer is a triumphant first effort by Jere Longman. The player profiles, history, and raw emotion in these 300 plus pages is a marvel. Thank you, Mr. Longman!

Girls of the Century
Jere Longman's, The Girls of Summer, is by far one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I am a huge Womens National Team fan. I am always in search for a great book, depicting the life and success's of the entire team. He coherses through the professional and personal lives of the women that grabbed the hearts of the United States. Their success is revealed in this wonderful book.

I persoanally, could not put this book down when I purchased it. I finished it in two days, it was just so up-lifting. It's a great motivational book. You always wish you were there to experience the moments that the team lived through. From country to country, trial to trial, this team is very special. If someone would like to know the US history of womens soccer, this is a perfect buy. I could picture myself there, it was detailed and deeply moving. I really enjoyed reading on the players whom fought so hard to gain respect and recognition.

I'm sure, if we saw the final game against China in 1999, we can all say where we were, and how we reacted. For many of us, such as I, we cried for joy. That game was the turning point in womens sports. And Longman made me remember once again what it was like to watch that game, and see the 90,000+ fans going wild after Brandy Chastain scored the final PK. It is a fantastic book for any soccer fan, man or woman. It is a book to read if you feel you need to be inspired. It's worth the buy.

superb soccer
I loved this book. It told about the history of what made the team and womens soccer so good and fun. If you love soccer and history, you will love this book.

Best book I've read in a long time
This was an awesome book and the best I've read in a longtime. Everyone should read this regardless of if they play soccer or not.

great and insperational
I thought that this was a great book. I enjoyed reading it because my favorite female athletes were the subjects in this book. This book shows the stroggle that athletes go through and the publicity that is always there no matter what.

This was probably the best book that i ever read because i play soccer and i like to seee wha goes around on the proffesional level. The us womens soccer team has gone trough their ups and downs and this book went through it step by step. I felt as though i know what they were going through because it was so real.

Mia Hamm is right now the best womens soccer play in the world. She is well know in any ste and country. She has been on adds and verious things to promote the womens soccer team. Others team mates have done the same but none to the level of Mia Hamm. This book shows what she has been through and her own personal struggle to make it as a proffesional athlete.

Now that i have read this book i have even more respect for the womens national soccer team and all proffesional athletes because i am aware of what they have gone through. I have been able to read about my favorite female athletes and know about their past. I recomend this book to anyone who is a female athlete or loves the game of soccer. It's not just for girls it is great for men to learn about proffesiional athletes.

alex rothemich ... Read more

Book Description

As the climbers of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster vanished into thin air, one man had the courage to bring them down alive...

On May 10, 1996, two commercial expeditions headed by expert leaders attempted to scale the world's largest peak. But things went terribly wrong. Crowded conditions, bad judgement, and a bitter storm stopped many climbers in their tracks. Others were left for dead, or stranded on the frigid mountain. Anatoli Boukreev, head climbing guide for the Mountain Madness expedition, stepped into the heart of the storm and brought three of his clients down alive. Here is his amazing story-of an expedition fated for disaster, of the blind ambition that drives people to attempt such dangerous ventures, and of a modern-day hero, who risked his own life to save others..
... Read more

Reviews (215)

A clumsy attempt at spin control
I read The Climb first, and then Into Thin Air. Right after I finished reading The Climb I was outraged at Jon Krakauer for being unfair to Boukreev. Boukreev's ghostwriter, Weston DeWalt, made Krakauer out to be an evil man who used his writing genius to slander poor Anatoli. But then I actually read Krakauer's book and found that DeWalt's claim that Into Thin Air is a hatchet job to be wildly exaggerated. I think Krakauer treated Boukreev quite fairly. He praises Boukreev's strength and courage. Yes, he also criticizes Boukreev for certain actions, but his criticisms seem right on the money. It's not Krakauer who says Boukreev "cut and ran," he is simply quoting one of Boukreev's clients. I've been to lectures where others who were on Everest in 1996 (Breashears, Viesturs, and Beidleman) confirmed in public that Krakauer's book is accurate and his criticisms valid. They also made it clear that The Climb is dishonest about certain important points. The more I thought about it, the less honest The Climb seemed to me. Whereas Krakauer admits to his mistakes, Boukreev never admits to any mistakes, and blames everything that goes wrong on others (mostly Scott Fischer, who handily isn't around to say otherwise). And The Climb is full of contradictions: Boukreev says he's stronger without bottled oxygen, so why did he use oxygen when he went back to guide Everest in 1997? Also, his explanation for abandoning his clients on the summit and descending ahead of everybody doesn't wash with me. The Climb just smells fishy. Boukreev presents himself as the one true hero of Everest, wiithout giving enough credit to others, like Neal Beidleman and Klev Schoening. The book is way too defensive and self-promoting. I don't trust it. It's also wretchedly written and edited. It makes me wonder if the research and fact-checking were done just as carelessly. The Climb reads like an exercise in spin control or propaganda, not journalism. It has too many gratuitous digs at Krakauer, Beid!leman, Athans, and others who have dared criticize the great Boukreev. The outraged claims that Boukreev was unfairly persecuted in Krakauer's book seems like a calculated marketing ploy on the part of DeWalt and his publisher. It's as if the publisher didn't have confidence that the book would sell on it's own merits, so they decided to present Boukreev as the victim, and to pitch The Climb as an attack on Krakauer's book. DeWalt complains that Into Thin Air is inaccurate and unfair, and that The Climb is the "True Account" of the tragedy. In the end, after reading Into Thin Air, I came away thinking the opposite is the case.

Another perspective.
This book is great for what it is...the recollections of a professional mountain climber during the ascent and subsequent rescue of commercial expeditions on Everest in 1996. It's written in a matter-of-fact style that doesn't dally so much on the personal shortcomings of the participants. When the authors do bring criticism against individuals (almost always Krakauer or Pittman), it seems misplaced. The Adventure Consultants expedition is frequently referred to as "Krakauer's" even though he was only a client. And I think that only Krakauer is referred to as a "climber-client" and not merely as a "client" implying that he had some responsibility when things went bad.

Personally, I didn't think "Into Thin Air" was that critical of Boukreev. No one can question that Boukreev's actions saved the lives of 3 others that had no hope. Thankfully the book doesn't spend much time heaping accolades on Boukreev or on placing much blame. In the end, it was individual decisions that led to the tragedies...tragedies that could have been even worse.

The response from DeWalt to Krakauer is forgettable, but the transcription of the debriefing tapes gives even more views as to what went on. The quotes from Boukreev and Lopsang, while occasionally difficult to understand, provide the most insight.

Oh, that Everest
I enjoyed "The Climb." I do think that the book would be more convincing if not a direct rebuttal to "Into Thin Air." I would rather hear Boukreev's side of the story unfettered from contensting the other book. It would have made for stronger tale. In both of these books, the authors focus on every little contributing factor that led to the incident. Boukreev's Indonesian ascent in '97 had similar hangups, which leads me to belive that the biggest cause to the carnage on the mountain was the number of climbers on the mountain in one day, not the experience level, etc. That aside I enjoyed a different perspective on the '96 Everest disaster.

Egos Clash At 8000 meters
I found The Climb to be a good companion to Krakauer's Into Thin Air. While I don't believe Krakauer singled out Boukreev (he cast a pretty wide net including himself), I can understand the defensive posture taken in The Climb. After all, Boukreev didn't make his living by pointing fingers. Guiding was his livelyhood.

I think that in the final analysis, Boukreev didn't leave the summit too early; everyone but Krakauer left too late. Had he known the clients were gonna dilly-dally on their way to the summit, perhaps he would've used supplemental oxygen. Since he didn't and they did, I suspect he had little choice but to go down 'early.'

I'm glad Boukreev took the time to defend himself. I found many of the details he provides fascinating. I found him fascinating. I'm sorry that he's gone, and I'm sorry he felt it necessary to co-author this book.

UNCONVINCING
This book seems to be an attempt to defend the indefensible. Boukreev is an incredible mountaineer but an incompetent guide. He obviously had no concept of what Scott Fisher meant by being a responsible guide, and had Fisher lived, I'm sure Boukreev would never have been asked to work for him again, particularly considering the enormous sum of money he was paid to be a guide. Having neglected his duties repeatedly, and ensured he was in safe quarters while others were in danger of dying on the mountain, this book is an attempt to explain away his lack of understanding of what a guide is supposed to do when on a commercial expedition. Despite his supposed ability to operate without supplemental oxygen, he doesn't explain why he didn't co-ordinate rescue attempts with the doctor who was on Hall's team when he had been told where the people who were in trouble were located. The doctor was clearly hypoxic, but so was Boukreev; that's the only reasonable excuse which can be offered for this failure. A certain arrogance comes through in the book, which is probably his personality anyway and I'm sure why some clients just didn't trust Boukreev. The book is a well written novel and worth reading, but don't take him too seriously. ... Read more

Book Description