Book Description

What does a play-by-play announcer do when he loses his voice during a basketball telecast? If you are Dick Enberg, suffering from a cold with a voice reduced to croaks and whispers as you try to call your fourth game in two days, you turn to your broadcast partner, the eccentric Al McGuire, during a commercial and ask him to take over. You have never missed a game, but your voice is nearly gone, and you fear the squawking sound that is left must be driving viewers crazy. You get no sympathy from McGuire, however. He shakes his head at your plea. "Dicksie," he says, "if you’re goin', I'm goin'." So you have no choice. You finish the game. In 50 years of broadcasting, it is the only time that Enberg has come close to missing even one minute of a broadcast.

A tireless worker whose boyish enthusiasm for sports has never diminished, he is the most versatile sportscaster in America. He has called everything from baseball to tennis in a career that has taken him not only all over the country, but also all over the world. Since he first walked into a radio station to apply for the job of janitor (and wound up on the air), Enberg has called football games in weather so frigid that his coffee froze before he could drink it, been challenged to a fight by an irate baseball player, led the Notre Dame band in a rendition of "The 1812 Overture," and been threatened with ejection at Wimbledon because he was shouting too loudly into his microphone.

Those stories and hundreds more are told in Dick Enberg, Oh My!, with wit and candor, as Enberg not only relives some of sport's greatest moments, but takes readers into the booth and behind the camera. "Sportscasting is a kid's dream come true," he says, "which is one of the reasons that I keep doing it. I can't let my dream go. I'm still in love with what I do."

Dick Enberg, Oh My! also includes an in-depth interview with Dick Enberg that will take readers Beyond the Book. This very candid, personal interview will give fans even more insight into Dick's life. Highlights from the DVD include hilarious stories about some of the biggest names in the history of sports. This is a true must-see. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

If you read the column, buy the compilation
I only recently picked up on David Feherty and his writing. Being on the far side of the Pacific from where he plies his trade sets me back as to the happenings off the green in the golf world by, well, years. I found this one book helpful not only with catching up on golf in general, but also in getting aquainted with Mr. Feherty and his pen.

Most I think will go after this book because they want to see "the lighter side of golf". As anyone who has read this book or regularly looks at the column itself can tell you, this is off-color humor that is best taken in small amounts over a vast period of time. Not that there are any boring segments (some are less interesting than others, but none outright boring), but rather the parade of gradeschool humor that is presented in just about every other chapter can be wearing.

What will likely keep a reader coming back (perhaps once a week at most) is that he is a fairly good writer. Containing selections from his column over the past five years and more does carry the trap of repition in phrases and cliche, but this isn't tiring in the least. He is very capable of retelling stories better than most in the sports world. His "letters" do tend to wear on one's patience at times, however.

If you are a David Feherty fan, you will want to have this to glance through to get you through a gloomy day.

Good, old-fashioned clubhouse humor
To many people, golf is a tradition-rich sport, governed by stuffy, upper-class men with little or no sense of humor. For people who play golf, there is another side of the game: the funny, raunchy, and sometimes obscene area where most weekend duffers spend their golfing lives and many professionals spend much of their off-camera time. David Feherty is a member of the latter group, and has collected a group of his Golf Digest articles to make this book.

Feherty is a former professional golfer who now works as a commentator for CBS Sports, and has spent various portions of his career in various locales, both mainstream and remote. His tales of life on the Safari Tour and on the European Tour are priceless stories of anonymous toil in golf backwaters told as only Feherty can tell them. He skewers many in his stories, from the golf establishment to frequent partner Gary McCord, mercilessly, while reserving the most embarassing stories for himself. This self-deprecating humor is certainly endearing and makes for some of the best reading in the book.

Also included are great articles which display the emotional side of golf from an insider's perspective, from the patriotic fervor of Davis Cup competitors to the grief felt by the whole tour at the loss of Payne Stewart.

As some reviewers have mentioned, the humor in this book tends to focus on bodily functions. If gas jokes offend you, then this is not the book for you. If they don't, then get ready for some great golf writing and absolute hilarity, Feherty-style.

Broad Ranged
Sure, 'Somewhere in Ireland' contains a good deal of potty humor- I'm amazed at how many times Feherty has soiled himself on a course. But this book is hillarious while also being inspiring. It contains some practical (but not technical) tips, and is full of life lessons. I've laughed out loud plenty of times while reading this book, and have come close to tears at some of the sentiment. If you don't enjoy this book, you have no sense of humor and no soul.

Just not funny
This book has only one theme, bodily functions, and it repeats the theme over and again. It is painful to read.

Loved it
This is one of the nuttiest, funniest books I've read in some time. Feherty takes a boring game and makes it seem interesting. What a character! For more laughs I also recommend WHO'S YOUR CADDY, STUPID WHITE MEN and NO ONE'S EVEN BLEEDING. ... Read more

Book Description

Ben Hogan’s former ball shagger recounts firsthand stories of the golf legend—and reveals, for the first time, Hogan’s Swing Secret, a source of mystery to golfers for more than fifty years.

Ben Hogan’s pro-golf record is legendary. A four-time PGA Player of the Year, he celebrated sixty-three tournament wins and became known as a man of few words and fewer close friends. Most of what we know about Hogan has been based on myth and speculation. Until now.

In the 1960’s, though Hogan’s competitive career was over, he kept the practice habits that had made him famous and remade modern competitive golf. He hired fifteen-year-old Jody Vasquez to help. Each day, after driving to a remote part of the course at theShady Oaks Country Club, Hogan would spend hours hitting balls, and Vasquez would retrieve them. There, and over the course of their twenty-year friendship, Hogan taughtJody the mechanics of his famous swing and shared his thoughts on playing, practicing, and course management—unknowingly revealing much about his character, values, and beliefs, and the events that shaped them.

In Afternoons with Mr. Hogan, Jody Vasquez shares dozens of stories aboutHogan, from the way he practiced, selected his clubs, and interacted with other star players to his little-known humor and generosity. Combining the gentle insight of TomKite’s A Fairway to Heaven (which recalls Kite’s golf education under HarveyPenick) with the sage perspective of Penick’s own Little Red Book, Vasquez’s tribute is funny, poignant, and full of advice for golfers of all levels.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not much to this book
Not much here that hasn't already been written about Hogan. The so-called "Secret" is nothing more than a rehash of old swing tips that the author (a scratch golfer) apparently never thought was significant enough to incorporate in his own swing, but now after 37 years, believes is "book material". In my opinion, there isn't much to this book and it wasn't very interesting. I watched Hogan hit shag balls and that was a lot more interesting than reading this book.

Pleasant but light
This is a pleasant little book of not much consequence. Golfer's probably won't learn anything about Hogan that they didn't already know, but they'll have a few more stories to share. Let's face it, he wasn't a bucket of laughs. The famous "secret" isn't all that secret. The cupped left wrist was revealed in Hogan's own book, and the action of the right knee isn't much of an addition. Frankly, the most interesting parts of the book are the descriptions of Hogan's clubs and practice routine. We learn here for the first time that Hogan's clubs were 4 degrees open and, hence, produced his famous power fade. Unfortunately, we're not told how he hit a hook, a shot at which he was equally adept. That would have been interesting. We also learn that he practiced from the bottom up, i.e., he hit short clubs before long clubs, and that he alternated fades and draws in succession. His command of his shotmaking is emphasized over and over, but we already knew that. So, if you're a Hogan aficionado, here's nice book to read. If you're not, there are better choices.

Answers Are In The Dirt!
This is simply a great book on one of, if not the best golfer ever. He did it with intense work, not pr or friendliness. He knew the golf swing for himself, and demonstrated that.

Here an amazing sharing of his involvement with this man, a young man who shags balls and watches, and shags and watches and interacts for the rest of their lives together.

The simpleness, yet dramaticness of this relationship is revealed in brevity in terms of words and pages, but pondering what goes on in these 160 pages is intense and profitable for golfers.

For those outside golf, Hogan must come off as insolent and insensitive. Yet, he is ultimate golfer. The Swing Secret is revealed, and it is amazing, right knee and left wrist. Am going to find out "in the dirt myself."

The stories here are priceless and will continue the great mystique and rightful place of the Hawk. Favorites include the response to the German pro watching him during Kostis GD story, "You're a golf pro. You should know the answer."

The second was the ad shoot. Hogan readies himself for filming hitting three consecutive terrible swings. Then on cue, perfect contact and swing.

People want the easy way out. To hurdle over the time and expenditure of effort and toil and yes, dirt. Hogan was not of this mold. Golfers appreciate this. You must find yourself and have confidence that you know what the shot required feels like and can repeat it.

A rare one to be reread, and rethought, and used "in the dirt." Thanks, Jody.

Nice job of describing a complex man
Not being a golfer, I read the book because I have always been fascinated by the mystique that surrounds Ben Hogan. Golfers have maintained an almost religious devotion to Hogan and the stories that feed into his legendary status in the game.

Mr. Vasquez writes with obvious reverence as Mr. Hogan clearly had a great and sustained influence on him.

However, reading it with only cursory knowledge of Mr. Hogan's life (i.e., his bus accident and long rehab), I came away feeling that Mr. Hogan is not the type of person you'd like to spend alot of time with. He is intense, intimidating, and seems to have the need to control the rules pertaining to all interactions with him. In this regard, he reminds me of other "difficult sports geniuses" like Ted Williams, Bill Russell, or Bobby Knight.

Mr. Vasquez recounts that Nick Faldo paid almost $10,000 to charter a flight to visit Ben Hogan and Hogan didn't even agree to watch Faldo hit a few balls. I was also struck by the warning given to Faldo prior to his visit, "Don't ask Mr. Hogan any questions about putting." Apparently Hogan, a notoriously pedestrian putter, would end the meeting if it deviated from his "comfort zone."

It's amazing how behavior that we wouldn't accept in ordinary acquaintances is okay if you have a precocious talent to hit a golf ball, throw a ball through a hoop, or run fast.

Anyway, that's just my humble opinion.

Local Legend - Local Author
As a resident of the Fort Worth area I have heard most of the stories about Mr. Hogan. Jody brings many of these stories to reality. Although many will read this book for 'the secret', I think most will find the first-hand stories most appealing. They are humorous, insightful and revealing. It was an enjoyable read and on my gift list for friends and business associates. ... Read more

Book Description

In the growing world of NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., is a new kind of star. His down-home modesty, rock-and-roll lifestyle, and blinding intensity on the racetrack represent the new face of this fast-paced sport. Now Dale Jr. straps you into the #8 car for a wild ride through his rookie year.

In this full-throttle story, Dale Jr. shares a tumultuous year of victory and joy, tragedy and heartbreak. At the age of twenty-five, he embarks on his first Winston Cup season. In a time filled with lofty expectations, when he tries to concentrate on winning, he is thrust into the limelight and forced to endure the crush of the media, huge crowds, endless travel, and faster and more dangerous cars than he has ever driven before. Week after week he goes bumper-to-bumper with his father and more than forty of the world's finest drivers-all the while trying to carve out his own identity and win the respect of his peers.

DRIVER #8 takes you on NASCAR's inside track. You'll see how races are won or lost and the strategies that go into every lap and every race. You'll get a compelling look at the bond necessary between a driver and his team and understand how, come race day, the spotter is often the driver's best friend. And you'll learn how that bond can be stretched when the season begins to turn sour and the weight of racing against a man who is not only your father but also your boss, your toughest competitor, and a NASCAR legend takes its toll on a young driver.

Powered by a high-octane mix of bravado, humility, and a lot of beer, Dale Jr. captures the unique pressures of making split-second, life-and-death decisions behind the wheel of a racecar...and highlights the perks-and often the drudgery-that go along with being a rising star in the world's most colorful and exciting sport. Thrilling, vivid, and authentic, DRIVER #8 is one helluva ride. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

A fabulous book
This book is one of the best I have ever read. It is definitely a must read for any NASCAR fan, especially one that is a fan of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This book is extremely captivating, and I completed it in two days. There is not a bad spot in the book, although he does tend to focus on Bud Girls...there are hilarious moments in this novel, one of them being the 2000 Winston and it's tale about a man dressed as a giant Oreo. Although it was penned by Jade Gurss, you can tell that the stories are entirely Dale Jr.'s, and his personality comes shining through. You feel closer to him somehow after the completion of this book. Dale manages to use colorful language to his advantage; it's an easy read, but definitely makes you think. The photo inserts in the middle are a great addition, as is the epilogue covering the events of 2001 and how he coped with his father's death. He is very candid about everything, and it's refreshing. Overall: it's just a great, great book and can definitely be reread numerous times.

Fresh & Honest Prospective on NASCAR
This is a wonderful read for all NASCAR fans even if you are not a Dale Jr. fan. I was glad to find that Dale Jr. divulged emotions regarding the death of Dale Sr. appropriately and respectfully while conserving the privacy that he and all NASCAR drivers fight daily to preserve. As a twentysomething NASCAR fan I naturally related to his new millenium attitude and approach to the industry, his career, and often complicated issues such as media infringement, sponsor committments and unstable fans. Additionally, this book provides the reader with fantastic play by play descriptions of the races along the NASCAR circuit of his Rookie season with driver oriented explanations of various technical issues of the cars and tracks.
Overall, I rated this book 5 stars for its easy readability and attention keeping entertainment factor. By the end of this book you'll be ready to invite this guy over for a cold Bud!

I laughed, I cryed and I was pleasently surprised
This book was one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. I laughed and cryed and could not put it down. Dale Jr. has a nack for writting and seems to really speak from his heart. I hope he will continue to give us more to read on his exciting journey through the NASCAR spotlight. This book is a must read for any NASCAR fan.

Loved it!!
I actually bought this book as a gift for a friend. I opened it up to read the front cover, and could not put the book down!

Dale JR.'s First Season
The Book "Driver#8" is a must read for all Dale JR. fans. You really get to know how he acts and what he does. "Driver#8" tells you all about his first season. How his first season had ups and downs and wins and loses. And the tradgety that happen in 2001 at Daytona is in the Epilogue. This book uses some very strong language. Its a must read for all fans! ... Read more

Book Description

“I can tell you that some force within me rejected death at the last moment and then guided me, blind and stumbling — quite literally a dead man walking — into camp and the shaky start of my return to life....”

In 1996 Beck Weathers and a climbing team pushed toward the summit of Mount Everest. Then a storm exploded on the mountain, ripping the team to shreds, forcing brave men to scratch and crawl for their lives. Rescuers who reached Weathers saw that he was dying, and left him.

Twelve hours later, the inexplicable occurred. Weathers appeared, blinded, gloveless, caked with ice — coming down the mountain as a “dead man walking.”

In this powerful memoir, Weather describes not only his escape from hypothermia and the murderous storm that killed nine climbers; he describes another journey, a life’s journey. This is the story of a man’s route to a dangerous sport and a fateful expedition, as well as the road of recovery he has traveled since.

In Left for Dead, we are witness to survival in the face of certain death, the reclaiming of a family and a life, and the most remarkable adventure of all: what we can do when we’re offered a second chance.
... Read more

Reviews (69)

Not that bad of a book
I just finished the paperback. Actually I could not put this book down. I stretched it to 10 days and have ordered another round of Everest books (being a fellow Everest junkie like all of you.) The first Everest book I read was the superb "Into Thin Air." Since then, I have been finding all the subsequent Everest books on Amazon.

The only complaints I have about this book is the lack of high quality photos (paperback version), the only photo's being grainy blk & whites group shots of Beck Weathers and friends. The other is that there is a rather large section of the book going into deep detail on Beck's family tree. I skipped that part and went on to experiences Beck had on the other 7 summits of the world and the narrative was worth the purchase price ( I had bought "The 7 Summits" and the narrative was so bad, I could not finish that book...and what an interesting subject. Too bad that book wasn't written by a good ghost writer.)For Everest junkies, this book is very well written and gave me some insights into my own marriage. Beck has had a life-long mid-life crisis it seems and Everest finally purged the demons from his life. I hope he lives a long happy life.

"this book is boring me ****less." - a comment to my wife
To be perfectly clear, I am glad I read this book. The problem is that I'm only glad to have read about 20% of it, the rest is stuff that I frankly could care less about. Now, there are people would appreciate the soap opera Weathers describes as the relationship between he and his wife deteriorates. You can find these people in the trash-novel section of your local booksture. The folks who browse the mountaineering section of said bookstore are more interested in the 20% that I was referring to above - The actual experience on everest and its aftermath, which is presented honestly and is quite intriguing. Even gripping. It has value. It is worth the $7. It is the reason why I gave this book two stars, not one. However, the majority of this book is a chore to read.

Not much of an Everest book
I read this book and was severely disappointed in the story. I've read a lot of the accounts from the 1996 tragedy and Beck Weathers story was particularly fascinating. I truly expected someone who came back to life to really have something good to say, lessons learned, but that was not what I got out of the book. He does not seem contrite that he left his family alone most of the time for years for his climbing pursuits, comes back half dead needing them desperately. The book makes me think he'd do it over again and did not learn much from his ordeal. His wife seems extremely bitter (probably not unjustified).

High Expectations, Low Returns
The subtitle is "My Journey Home From Everest" which should actually be the title. By page 99 out of page 340, Mr. Weathers is out of the mountains trying to cope with being back in civilization after going through lleh.

I didn't read the subtitle when I was buying the book and was expecting most of the book to be about his time on Everest. Unfortunately it wasn't to be. By page 160 when he is battling with his psychological demons, a problematic family life, etc., it was time for me to put the book down and move on to other books. While he was successful with most of his battles and no doubt is inspiring, he uses his Mount Everest experience to springboard into his personal spiritual battle.

If you want to read this book, read it as a spiritual conquest by someone who happens to climb mountains.

Do not read this book as a mountaineering book.

I have listened to a speech that Mr. Weathers gave to the American Bar Association and think the world of him and what he went through on the mountain. Unfortunately I think very little of his book here. :-(

expected more
Somehow, Beck Weathers managed to write a book about the tragic climb and descent and death and coming back to life atop Everest totally boring. Enjoyed Beck and Peach's chapters on their cats more than anything. ... Read more

Book Description

On Althea Gibson, America’s first African American tennis champion:

"I am grateful to Althea Gibson for having the strength and courage to break through the racial barriers in tennis. She knocked down walls that gave us more freedom to concentrate on the game. . . . Althea’s accomplishments set the stage for my success, but she also made a difference for people of all backgrounds in all areas. Through beneficiaries like me, Serena, and many others to come, her legacy will live on."
–Venus Williams

"She just meant so much to me. I’ve always felt connected to her and thankful and grateful for what she’s done for people of color and me."
–Billie Jean King

"Althea built many bridges over her seventy-six years on this earth to ease our crossing. . . . She fought the good fight, she finished her course, she kept her faith, and she can rest–game, set, and match."
–David Dinkins
former mayor of New York City

"It was the quiet dignity with which Althea carried herself during the turbulent days of the 1950s that was truly remarkable. . . . When she began playing, less than five percent of tennis newcomers were minorities. Today, some thirty percent are minorities, two-thirds of whom are African American. This is her legacy."
–Alan Schwartz
President, U.S. Tennis Association ... Read more

Book Description

He's wrestled under many names, "Stunning" Steve Austin™, The Ringmaster, he even wrestled for a time under his own name, Steve Williams. But to fans he is and will always be Stone Cold Steve Austin™. The wrestler with the f-u attitude, the working-class guy who stood up his boss, a multimillionaire, and told him where he could put it. His quick wit and colorful use of language combined with his everyman character captured the hearts of fans worldwide and rewrote the dynamics of professional wrestling forever.

Steve grew up in a small town in Texas, one of four boys, who were fondly called by their parents the "Williams gang." Always a fan of wrestling, Steve seized the chance to study wrestling at a school in Dallas. His ability to take the bumps and hard falls required by his new profession, and his never-say-die attitude, connected him with the fans and his fellow wrestlers. His capricious firing by the WCW™, World Championship Wrestling®, lead to his being hired by World Wrestling Entertainment™.

However, it was Steve's own ability inside the ring and his quick-witted responses that led to his becoming one of the most popular WWE Superstars™ of all time. With the creation of the Stone Cold character, Steve's popularity expanded exponentially. It seemed nothing could stop the Texas Rattlesnake, except himself. In 2001 Steve's life seemed to spiral out of control and he walked away from it all. Now, with his triumphant return to the world of professional wrestling, he is finally ready to tell his story, his way.

The Stone Cold Truth is an unvarnished take on his life, his loves, and his days as a wrestler told in a way that only he could, and you know it's the truth " 'cause Stone Cold says so!" ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Here's cheers to the man that drinks beers
A top read for any Stone Cold fan! He goes through moments in his life, nothing in great detail but definatly picks out little pieces that were obviously important to him. it's pretty quick to get to him getting a start in wrestling. Probably not getting enough perspective from his parents and what they thought (they had editorial pieces during the book along with Jim "J.R." Ross). He probably doesn't say enough about his WCW days, and that might be because he truely doesn't want to remember them to much. It's enough to let us know what's happening but really, most of that and the ECW stuff is covered in the DVD (which I saw before reading the book).

What I was mostly interested in was why he left WWE which, although might be true, kinda left me thinking "is that it?" It's a fair enough excuse but I get the feeling it might have been a little sugar coated. Not much but a little.

It is a good read! And all wrestling fans will enjoy it. Others might not quite get into it but that's the audience. It's a wrestling biography. It's dominated by wrestling stuff.

Maybe Not Perfect But Still Satisfies
All Austin fans will love the Stone Cold Truth. For all his fans, they will get to know everything about Austin they did not know. Any wrestling fan in general should like the book as well, since it has more than enough information to satisfy the reader. I do have to say they really could have been more, but the bottom line is information wise it gets the job done. I thought maybe Austin should have commented more on the people who had had such a great impact on his life. Also some chapters in general are bit short such has the WCW section which, could have been longer since Austin made his debut as a well known profesionally wrester in WCW. Th book in general follows all previous wrestler bios with 300 plus pages broken down to plenty of chapters. Even though Austin did not write evry single bit of the book, the majority is Austin's words. I would have to give it 4 and a half stars, maybe not perfect but still satisfies.

Very enjoyable for the most part
What a great read. This book was very interesting, altough some parts were a liitle too brief there is certainly more than enough information on the life of on of the greatest Wrestling stars and maybe even the best superstar in the wrestling bussiness. Peronally, I really enjoyed reading the whole story invoving Owen Hart. The whole story of him breifly leaving the company was also ver interesting. Overall, thereis plenty of information for any fan to enjoy this autobiography of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

a typical WWE biography, but we get a sense of the man
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is, arguably, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time. Without question, he is one of the most successful in the World Wrestling Federation (currently World Wrestling Entertainment). He has sold more merchandise and sold out more arenas than any other WWF/E superstar with the possible exception of Hulk Hogan. He was that big. "The Stone Cold Truth" is his story, told in his own words (or at least in his own voice).

Steve Williams takes the reader on the journey of his life, through his days playing high school football in Texas, through college and into his first days as a professional wrestler. Steve tells the reader, in general terms, what he was thinking and feeling and why he made the decisions he did in his life. We follow Steve through the indy wrestling feds, through WCW, ECW and finally the WWF. What is valuable and interesting in this book, other than the easy tone the book takes, is that we get Steve's side of the story in why/how he left WCW, and the story of why he walked out of the WWF following Wrestlemania 18. We also get his side of the story and his thoughts about having his neck broken in a match against Owen Hart.

Every wrestling biography inevitably gets compared to Mick Foley's book, and in comparison, this one does not have the level of detail that Foley provided. It is a typical WWE autobiography in that there are short, fast moving chapters that give us a sense of who Steve Williams is a person, but not quite giving us the full details (without the glitz) that you might find elsewhere. Nonetheless, I did get the feeling that Steve was being honest in the details that he provided, and that this is the way that he sees things about his life and career. This may not be the best wrestling book out on the market, but it's a pretty good one and entertaining.

Jim Ross ruins this book
I was under the impression this was supposed to be Steve Austin's autobiography, but I was wrong. What it turns out to be be is part Austin's book and part some fat man with one eye crying about people he doesn't like. Ross makes many tasteless comments that should not have been printed. Most have nothing to do with Austin or his career. It just has to do with many personal vendettas of this mutant. This was unnecessary and Ross should have just wrote the preface like normal people do. He totally butchered and destroyed the book and this will turn off the reader. Its a shame because Austin was very honest bu ti ti is overshadowed by Ross's crying. ... Read more

Book Description

Ryan Newman grew up in South Bend, Indiana, and, with encouragement from his parents, has been racing since the age of four and a half. He started with quarter midgets, which he describes as "go-carts with roll cages," moved up into Midgets, and later, Sprint cars. Despite his youth, Newman has a remarkable record so far in his racing career, including over 100 quarter-midget victories. The year 2000 marked the successful debut of Newman's career with Penske Racing. That year he had six starts: five in the 2000 ARCA Bondo Mar/Hyde Series and one in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In the five ARCA starts Newman earned two wins and three poles. In 2001 Newman drove a blended "ABC" season -- ARCA Re/Max Series, Busch Grand National Series, and Winston Cup. In 26 starts he finished in the top-ten on 11 occasions. In addition, he had one ARCA win and pole, one Busch Series win and six poles, and the Winston Cup pole at the All-Star race in Charlotte. In 2002 Newman drove the newly-numbered #12 ALLTEL Penske Racing Ford Taurus full-time in the Winston Cup Series. He finished the season as the Raybestos Rookie of the Year, with 22 top-10 finishes, six poles, and one regular-season win. In addition, he won the Winston All-Star race. Newman has the brains to go along with his talent at driving race cars. He completed his degree program in vehicle structure engineering at Purdue University, where he was the recipient of the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent portrayal of JL's life and times
This is an outstanding book. It's enlightening entertaining and very enjoyable. JL's life from early childhood in Alabama to his youth in Detroit is clearly written. His amateur career is well documented as are all his professional fights. His boxing coterie and family life are also well drawn. I didn't know much about JL before reading this book, but I came away liking him very much and obviously respecting his boxing abilities. Mr. Bak has written an instructive and very enlightening book. ... Read more

Book Description

"I swing big, with everything I've got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can." -- Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth is without a doubt the most famous character ever produced by the sport of baseball. A legendary player, world-famous for his hitting prowess, he transcended the sport to enter the mainstream of American life as an authentic folk hero.

In this extraordinary biography, noted sportswriter Robert W. Creamer reveals the complex man behind the sports legend. From Ruth's early days in a Baltimore orphanage, to the glory days with the Yankees, to his later years, Creamer has drawn a classic portrait of an American original. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Excellent Biography
An engrossing, informative biography of baseball's greatest player. Some biographers make the mistake of rattling off facts and statistics, as if to impress you with how much research they've done. Creamer wisely focuses on the story, including descriptions of important games that make you feel like you're on the field with the Babe. Comments by Ruth's contemporaries add to the realism. "Babe" gets off to a slow start--a chapter dealing with Creamer's feelings about writing the book, and more details about Ruth's childhood than you probably want to know. But once Ruth starts playing baseball, the book grabs you and won't let go. One caveat: the discussion of Ruth's womanizing, while necessary and not extensive, makes this book inappropriate for young readers. If you like baseball and want to learn more about Babe Ruth, this is the book to get.

A Legendary story by Robert Creamer
Of the 200+ baseball books I've read, "Babe: The Legend Comes to Life" is my favorite. Creamer wrote the book while some of the old-timers were still alive, and this makes his story come to life. If you want to learn about Babe Ruth, this is the definitive book to read.

A Gritty and Detailed Portrayal
This is a comprehensive book on our favorite early 20th century player from Baltimore. 50 years after his death he remains possibly the greatest, and no doubt the most famous, player to have ever entered the major leagues.

This book can best be described as warts and all. It starts with his rough childhood in an orphanage - which was basically a reform school - and how the Babe just excelled and became a natural player and hitter. It goes on and chronicles his rowdy life on and off the field, his indulgences and his mishaps until his premature death. He was not a man of moderation or a person that was able to pace his life. He was the opposite of say the current but now retired " Iron Man" Cal Ripken also from near Baltimore but a person famous for moderation. "The Babe"would often show up with a hangover and little sleep for a game. Then he would stuff himself with hotdogs during a game and still knock the ball out of the park.

He was a fascinating person, bigger than life, and every baseball fan must buy or borrow and read this book.

Five stars.

Jack in Toronto

Superior Babe Ruth Biography
Author Robert Creamer has created one of the finest George Herman "Babe" Ruth biographies. This book incorporates a plurality of fascinatingly engrossing details about the baseball career and non-baseball activities of Babe Ruth.
This portrait describes Babe evolving from his tumultuous life in Baltimore as the delinquent son of a saloonkeeper into whom many people consider as the greatest baseball hitter and baseball player of all time.
Robert Creamer gives the reader an exceptionally in-depth description of Babe Ruth's life activities, attitudes and habits before the beginning of his major league baseball career. Creamer even mentions a few facts about Babe's minor league baseball playing roommate Rodger Pippen who roomed with Ruth during their 1914 International League season. Although not germane to the Babe's career I do wish that Creamer had given a very brief history about Rodger Pippen's history and his later-to-be significance to Baltimore. Pippen's International League statistics for that 1914 season were omitted. After Pippen's baseball career he later became a notable sports editor for the "Baltimore News-Post". Rodger Pippen was the primary individual who convinced Baltimore to create Memorial Stadium n the early 1950's. It is also believed that he may have been the first individual to create the phrase "Believe-It-Or-Not!". Rodger Pippen was a longtime friend of my great-grandfather Boston Fear's family. When Babe Ruth was dying from cancer he decided to make one last trip back to Baltimore to visit Rodger Pippen, other friends and family.
Robert Creamer presents many detailed facets about Babe Ruth's baseball career with the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and the Boston Braves. It would have been a bit more of an improvement if Creamer had explored the Babe's epic making record breaking 1927 sixty home run season in more exquisitely minute detail. The biography could also have given the reader a more behind-the-scenes explanation of the silent and talking movies the Babe played in. Also, Babe Ruth's life after his major league baseball career ( the retirement years ) and his off-season exhibition baseball performances could have gone into more depth. Perhaps some day a Ruthian baseball scholar will write a book comprising these oft-overlooked topics.
Robert Creamer's book splendidly evokes an appreciation of how highly important Babe Ruth was to revolutionizing and popularizing baseball. This biography is most definitely one of the "must-read" books about Babe Ruth. Every baseball lover should possess a copy of this book on their home bookshelf.
Babe Ruth may very well be the most famous American athlete of all time. No less an authority as baseball hall-of-famer Ted Williams called Babe Ruth "the greatest baseball hitter and baseball player of all time" and that "Babe Ruth was Bunyanesque ( like the mythological folk tale Paul Bunyan ) bigger than life".
For a small state in geographical square mile area Maryland certainly has produced an unusual statistically high proportion of Baseball Hall of Fame players ( e.g. Babe Ruth, Jimmy Foxx, John Franklin "Home Run" Baker, Judy Johnson, Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove, Al Kaline ) or potential-to-be Baseball Hall of Fame inductees ( e.g. Cal Ripken, Jr., Harold Baines, Bill "Swish" Nicholson ). However our state is very proud to state that we produced "The Sultan of Swat" , "The Bambino", "The Maharajah of Maul", etc. who is otherwise known as George Herman "Babe" Ruth! Even some of Babe Ruth's descendants today live around the Baltimore, Hagerstown and Salisbury cities of Maryland.

the Bambino lives!
This a great book for baseball fans . sportslovers of all kinds and anyone interested in American history in the 20th century. Babe Ruth the icon is made human again for all of us who missed him when he played the game. The first sports celebrity in a nation that has gone on to become obsessed with celebrity and sports heroes. Babe paved the way in an era that saw tremendous change in American life. He is portrayed here " warts and all" and emerges as a warm hearted man with a huge appetite for living who was clearly in the right place at the right time.
This is one of the finest sports biographies I've read. ... Read more

Book Description

When Melissa King, a transplanted southerner in search of connection, finds herself on the lean, mean streets of Chicago, she turns to her childhood passion for basketball. In her late twenties, King is at a crossroads in her life, and the randomness of the game as it is played on the streets suits her mood. The rules are unwritten, the teams a haphazard collection of players, and unlike anything else around her, the courts feel like home. So wherever there is a game, she gets her ball and goes. From the rough, male-dominated inner-city courts of Chicago, she travels to lazy oceanside pickup games in sunny California and dilapidated gyms in her Bible Belt home state. In a street-smart voice full of understated humor and palpable hope, King chronicles her journey, using the rhythms of the court to riff on the issues of race, class, gender, religion, sexual politics, and love. Ultimately, through the jubilant swish of the net, the brunt of an egregious foul, and the knowing glance of a stranger who says yes, you can be on my team, King discovers in those rare moments on the court the countless things she wants in life but cannot name. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I was forced to read this
and, boy, I'm glad I was.My grown son brought this to me thinking I would love it because he's played basketball all his life and I've played with him and coached when he was younger.This a great story about the way sports can effect a life.If you've ever known the pleasure of casual play (of any game, not just basketball and not just sports) you'll find this familiar, fun, and inspiring.I'm going to hit the local Y today and shoot around and try test my powers of observation against King's amazing ability and I can't wait to talk to strangers and strange people again as we work towards a common goal (across race, class, gender, and, at times, skill), an experience I've not had in years and now hope to make part of my retirement.Be forewarned there is some explicit language, but nothing shocking or gratuitous--the author is clearly a master of the language and using just the right words at just the right moment.What gifts some of us get!To have her basketball skills and writing abilitiy. . .this writer has been blessed.

Funny, Insightful New Author
I love this book!An industry friend loaned me his advance copy.I took it home and read it in one sitting.I plan on buying several copies to give to friends as beach reads for the summer and a copy for my daughter--this is not a kid's book, but King's life is an example of independence, the importance of taking risks and making hard choices, and balancing working hard with patience and fun.

King's voice is utterly appealing as well as fresh and unique.I've never read a book quite like this.Not just a memoir, almost a novel in it's narrative coherence and construction, not a self-help book yet relentlessly thoughtful, laugh out loud funny one moment and heartbreaking the next.

You'll root for King, want to be friends withher, rush through to find out what happens to her next.As another reviewer wrote, you don't need to know (or care, really) about basketball to enjoy this book.It's not chick-lit and men will enjoy it as much as women for the humor, the sports, and the lovely and brilliant author/protagonist.If you like southern literature, King's voice will fit right into the tradition for you, but the book takes place not only in the south, but in Chicago and LA as well, so city slickers will recognize their neighborhoods and neighbors and likely get a new perspective on city life.

A recent review in a newspaper compared King to Walker Percy and I hear the book will be featured in "Entertainment Weekly" magazine this summer.This book could get big, so enjoy the pleasure of reading it while it's still under the radar.Published in paperback, it's low price and great cover seem to match perfectly the plain spoken yet utterly lovely book inside.

Don't miss this one.There's not another book out there like this.A true original.

Three Pointer
After reading this book, I have no doubt King's star is rising.Don't worry, you need know nothing of basketball to appreciate this honest examination of an individual life and the complicated interactions of humans.A joyful and hillarious read, King also examines our shortcomings and most desperate needs.The work of a philosopher, comedian, and athelete, you can't go wrong with this lovely memoir. Fans of David Sedaris and Anne Lamott will be especially pleased. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Very insightful book
I have to admit, I was already a fan of Shamrock's before picking up the book. The first two-thirds of the book is biographical in nature. It depicts Shamrock in a very possitive light, without making him look completely untarnished. This part sort of bounces around, with every other chapter being a chronological account of his life, and the other chapters being about the biuldup to his second Superfight with Severn. Still, it's a fun read, and gives some interesting insights into the life of "The World's Most Dangerous Man". It was definitly oriented towards an American audience who was familiar with Shamrock's UFC fights, as his time in Japan and his early Toughman comptetitions were barely covered. The second part of the book was on the physical and mental conditioning of a Lion's Den fighter, or more specifically, Ken Shamrock. The technical side is a little weak, with only one real takedown being shown, and all the "armlocks" are variations of the "jujigatame"-style, between-the-legs arm bar. On the other hand, the stuff on the different mobility drills, as well on the mental preparation Shamrock does for a fight, is golden. Also of value are his tips on handling different types of opponents, and the chapter on nutrition. Going back to the techniques, I'd say that while they're not a complete arsenal, they could give someone with no grappling experience some very essential and workable holds. Certian details that can be applied to many moves are covered as well, like steping with your punches instead of leaning into them, or pinching your knees togeather for an armbar instead of scissoring your ankles for leverage. And to give credit where it's due, this is where I learned the "heel hook", a move that's beaten more folks than I can count. This is a good book for traditional martial artists who know nothing about grappling or submissions, or for any MMA/NHB fan. The stuff on conditioning and mental preparation are probably useful to any athelete, to some degree.

Shamrocks Life is deeper than you think. This book tells all
If you were a fan of Ken Shamrock in any of the fighting circuits then this book should proveide an extreemly good read. If you only know Ken from WWF the this will tell you how he got to be the worlds most dangerous man. I have seen reviews people have written here saying its one sided and untrue but i have to say this is so wrong. Ken Shamrock is my rolemadel and has been for many years. The book is written about him so obviously it will contain information about his great skills and his victories. But when i read the book i found that both ken and Richard spent a fair bit talking about the amazing skills and techniques used by his opponents and how he lost his few matches and why that came about. Not biased at all in my opinion. The History part of the book is both interesting and informative where as the last section about the lions den training and the moves is extreemly good. Have a go at trying a few when someone gets on your nerves!! You will love this book. I know i do!

A very enjoyable read, but a bit disjointed
I'll start off by saying I'm a big fan of Ken Shamrock, so I'd probably give 3 stars just for including him in a book. The book is split into two sections, one a biography of Ken Shamrock, the second an overview of submission fighting and training methods used at the Lions Den.

The biographical section is first. It covers Shamrocks' troubled childhood, his first Toughman bouts, and eventual entry into mixed martial arts in Japan and then the UFC. Along the way, the reader gets a good idea of the troubles and controversy which plagued the early years of the UFC.

The second section is a very general overview of the most basic submission techniques. If you're looking for a book chock full of grappling or striking techniques, try No Holds Barred by Mark Hatmaker instead. However, that's not what the book is about. There's also good material on the training philosophy and style of the Lions Den.

Inside the Lions Den does have some faults. The biographical section is not chronological, it skips around without making reference to dates. This can be very confusing. reading it, one gets the impression that Shamrock had finished fighting in the Pancrase circuit in Japan once the UFC started up. In reality, he was doing both at the same time for about 2 years. If you wren't a fan, you'd never get that from the book.

My biggest gripe is the way the author hero worships Ken Shamrock. Mind you, I'm a fan of his, but the prose in this work is God-awful. How many descriptions of Ken's "sleek, rippling muscles" do we need? He's compared to various predators dozens of times. You'd think he fights in blue-and-red tights with a big "S" and a cape. It's as if the co-author had a bit of a crush on him.

If you're a fan of MMA or the UFC, I'd say spring for this book, it's a fast and fun read.

Great information hidden in jumbled text
So far I've only read the first half of the book on the biography of Ken Shamrock. There is priceless information about his life from childhood on up. There is great stuff on his physical and mental strength as well as his philosophy on fighting and life. However, the book jumps back and forth leaving the reader somewhat jumbled up. The grammar of Richard Hannar is by no means impressive. His sometimes fantastic descriptions leave out valuable information that lead to a not so realistic view of what took place (people who witnessed the fights will know). Shamrock, however, is without a doubt one of the most successful and influential mixed martial arts fighters of this era.

Invaluable book to own
If you want to know about Shamrock's life, get this. If you want to know about his conditioning methods, get this. If you want fighting techniques, this is skimpy. There are a few grappling techniques and a few hitting techniques. While you probably won't be a champion fighter from reading it, the techniques are good for someone wanting simple self defense, though I am sure there are better books for that. The bio was a good, interesting, and quick read. The conditioning is the best part of this book and what makes it "Invaluable." ... Read more

Book Description

Each year, more than 1.5 million American families see their children off to their first year of college.It's a momentous day in the lives of high school graduates and their parents, and during this transitional time, parents' emotions include everything from anxiety to hope, guilt to pride, fear to relief.In She's Leaving Home, author Connie Jones chronicles two year in her own life, from the days when her daughter, Cary, fielded bids from more than a hundred colleges to her first year as a student at Smith College in Massachusetts.A story of spiritual journey and growth, the intimate, journal-like essays perfectly capture one mother's love and letting go of a daughter as she transforms into an adult.She's Leaving Home is a personal memoir that parents will relate to in the same way readers responded to Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions:A Journal Of My Son's First Year. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Loved it
This book should be considered required reading for any parents sending kids off to college. Funny and poignant, it articulately deals with the difficulty of reconciling the pain of loss with the pride of sending your child off into the world. The love that Ms. Jones has for her children shines through like a beacon, reassuring us that even though giving your kids up to the growing pains of burgeoning adulthood feels almost impossible, wiht patience and communication relationships can become even stronger. I highly recommend it for parents--or kids--who want to understand each other a little better.

This book helped me feel normal
After leaving my 18 year old daughter at a college 9 hours away from home this fall, I didn't anticipate how hard it would be. I was excited for her to have this experience in a great college town. I was unprepared for how I would feel like I had lost a body part, how I had to keep reminding myself that she didn't die, she's just away at college. This book verbalized many of my exact feelings about this experience. It was very helpful to me and made me feel better. The daughter in the book reminded me of my own vegetarian, jewelry wearing, intelligent, independent daughter. I recommend this book to other parents going through this life passage. ... Read more

Book Description

Payoffs (under the table cash), grade tampering , eligibility scandals, illegal recruitment tactics, lies, deception and immorality are all a continuous part of this real life story.

It shows the twisted nature of coaches, administrators, and family, hell-bent on winning while ambivalent to the academic and personal development of the student athlete.

Derek Sparks shows us what it takes to keep a dream alive, in this story of his transfer to four different high schools in four different years.He faces the challenges of loneliness, temptation, ostracism, while living in a gang-land enviroment. He also fights a desperate battle to prove his eligibility, while protecting his scholarship offers, and acheive qualifying SAT scores even after an insidious vow from his coaches: "YOU'LL NEVER PLAY ORGANIZED FOOTBALL AGAIN!"

Derek's story delivers a message to today's students seeking a future in athletics, or to the average student seeking a future in life. It tells of the wisdom and maturity a 21st century student must have to steer their way through a maze of manipulators and opportunists.

Through his mistakes and his successes, Derek conveys his testimony with a vision of a better way.END ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Lessons...hit me like a FREIGHT TRAIN!
I must admit that this story hit me like a freight trian. I would never have guessed that the adults who are supposed to educate, train, and coach our children are the same people who use them as pawns in a sick game.

I am glad that I read Lessons of the Game, I feel that it is an important read; one that needs to be told. The way some of these athletes are treated, though, is very sad.

This book is now off to my father-in-law, and then to my wife, and finally to my dad. I'm sure that everyone will have a strong opinion of this story.

Offensive Interference...
This is an absolutely must read for anyone who loves sports stories (but should be required reading for lettering high school athletes). I could not put it down! The book paints a vivid, yet disturbing picture of the exploitation of a "can't miss" superstar-high school football player, by the system. It takes you through Derek Sparks' incredible "on-the-field" successes and lets you see how many of the people he trusted, sold him out, "off-the-field." This book depicts a situation which serves as the predecessor to (what most likely will be)future exploitation by "star" athletes, next at the collegiate level and later by agents and money managers, who all want a piece of "the pie" and will do anything to get it.

Lessons of the Game: A Must Read!!
Lessons of the Game is truly an amazing book. Although a non-avid reader, I recently picked up this book and read it within two days. Derek's writing style is very easy to understand. His choice of words to describe things made me know exactly where he was coming from and what it was like at points in Derek's life. I found myself laughing out loud several times as he described scenes as well as almost shedding a tear. This book gives the reader an inside look into Derek's life and true test of character. I believe this book is for the young, old, athletes, non-athletes, or anyone who is ready for an excellent book to read! It is a must read and won't be put down until finished!!!

How true is it?
Hello,
I just finished this book and found it very interesting being as how i just finished my first season as a high school quarterback, and i have many of the same aspirations to do what he dreamed of doing. I was wondering though how much of a sugarcoat was put on derek in this book. it played out looking like everyone else were the bad guys. I wondered if one of the so called bad guys were to write a book stating his side who would you belive. But anyhow it was an exelent book and i encourage every one to give this book a try!!!

Lessons of the Game: The Untold Story of High School Footbal
I would highly recommend this book for all young athletes who aspire to compete at a higher level. It is an excellent example of how a young athlete can be convinced he is immune to the rules of the game. As a former high school athlete and coach it also serves as a warning for parents and coaches on how their own behavior can have devasting effects on a young athlete's career and life. ... Read more

Book Description

This twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Willie’s Time: Baseball’s Golden Age restores to print Charles Einstein’s vivid biography of one of baseball’s foremost legends. With a new preface from the author, this volume replays the most dramatic moments of the Say Hey Kid’s career—from the 1951 Miracle Giants to the Amazing Mets of 1973—and takes us inside the lives of Ruth, DiMaggio, Aaron, Durocher, and others along the way. Einstein offers a compelling and complete look at Mays: as a youth in racist Birmingham, a triumphant symbol of African American success, a sports hero lionized by fans, and yet all the while, still a very human figure destined to play for two decades amid baseball’s Golden Age.

First published in 1979, Willie's Time is the only ballplayer biography ever named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. ... Read more

Book Description

Mick Foley is a nice man, a family man who loves amusement parks and eating ice cream in bed. So how to explain those Japanese death matches in rings with explosives, golden thumbtacks and barbed wire instead of rope? The second-degree burn tissue? And the missing ear that was ripped off during a bout-in which he kept fighting? Here is an intimate glimpse into Mick Foley's mind, his history, his work and what some might call his pathology. Now with a bonus chapter summarizing the past 15 months-from his experience as a bestselling author through his parting thoughts before his final match. A tale of blood, sweat, tears and more blood-all in his own words-straight from the twisted genius behind Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind.

Reviews (653)

Mankind's book goes behind the WWF scene
The World Wrestling Federation originally became an international phenomenon in the early to mid-eighties. Under the guidance of WWF owner Vincent K. McMahon, Jr., people like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant became household entities, and heroes for a generation. The success of the WWF, however, can be seen in all factions of entertainment and media, and this includes the literary world.

Mick Foley is a wrestling personality who earned a reputation for doing anything it takes to give the crowd a good show. He has wrestled for over 15 years, and is most known as either Mankind or Cactus Jack, though many fans will never forget his third in-ring persona, teenage heart-throb Dude Love. It is Foley's selflessness in the ring and his complete disregard for his body that has won the respect of fans and peers alike, and in his book, Mankind: Have A Nice Day - A Tale of Blood and Sweat-Socks, Foley reflects on his 15-year career, and the rest of his life as well. What surprises many, however, is how well he is able to recollect the happenings in his life, and produce work that is both funny and touching, painful and heart-wrenching. Foley makes you laugh as much as you cringe, and cry as much as you wince.

The book begins with Foley's most painful memory, when he had his ear torn off in a match in Germany, and then goes into the beginning of his life as a Long Island native who became infatuated with wrestling on television. Wrestling was not only a hobby, it was Foley's way of bridging the gap between he and his father, and for them it became a common interest that bonded them tightly as father and son.

He then discusses his college life at SUNY Cortland, where he traveled every weekend to Pittsburgh in order to train with old-time wrestler Domenic Denucci. Foley discusses Denucci's influence on his life, as well as his keen ability to live out of his car every weekend because of his undying passion. Mick Foley wanted to be the next Superfly Jimmy Snuka, but instead of being a high-flyer he became famous for having three different personalities who never ceased to stun or entertain his fans. The culmination of his career came when he won the most coveted prize in the business, the WWF Championship, against the self-proclaimed People's Champ, The Rock.

Aside from his in-ring adventures, Foley's book delves deep into his personal life, including his love-at-first-sight relationship with his wife Colette, and the life of a wrestler behind-the-scenes. He talks candidly about many of his colleagues, from the outrageous antics of Jake-the-Snake Roberts to the failures of Ric Flair as a wrestling booker. Most importantly, however, Foley discusses the impact of the death of fellow wrestler and family man Owen Hart's on his own life, and how it made him value his wife and children more than ever before.

All in all, Have A Nice Day is a touching tale that will leave you in stitches, and make you marvel at the amount of stitches used to patch up Mick Foley's battered body. Ultimately, he shows that a professional wrestler is not just an actor who follows a script, but rather an extremely tough competitor who takes pride in entertaining millions of fans every day, and being heroes to kids worldwide. His book is a winner, for all mankind.

Foley pours his heart and soul into an incredible bio
I got this incredible book the day it was released thanks in part to the kind people at Amazon. I was so enthralled with Foleys words and thoughts that I pretty much shut out the world for the next few days until I was finished. Part of me wished I would have gone slower, so I could have savored every word. If you're a wrestling fan you absolutely have to read this book. Even if you're not a smart fan, you will walk away from "Have a Nice Day" knowing more about sports entertainment than ever before. Mick takes on a ride through his childhood and his early years on the independent circuit. He tells us of his sometimes tumoltuos tenure in WCW and of his monster success in the WWF. Mick Foley deserves every accolade given to him and more. Please read "Have a Nice Day", you will not regret it.

Have A Nice Review
The first of the WWF (now WWE) autobiographies, and still the best. Foley, unsatisfied with the way his ghost writer scripted his book initially, decided to write it himself. Certainly, Foley should be credited with trying to write alone, rather than just let his ghostwriter do the work for him, but it is a testament to Foley the man that he wants anything with his name on it to be true to himself.
Foley proves himself quite literate, despite first impression from a guy who competes in matches with barbed wire and explosives, and taking over a dozen HARD chairshots to the head at the WWF's Royal Rumble 1999 Pay-Per-View. He also comes off as having quite a good sense of hunor, not only about himself, but about the wrestling business in general.
One might also think that due to his "King of the Death Match" label that Foley might be a little arrogant, as people might think all pro wrestlers are, but Foley again proves people wrong, as he is quite humble about not only his beginnings, but also his rise to the top, becoming a WWF World Heavyweight Champion. Sure, it's not real competition, but to get the title demonstrates the company's confidence in your ability as a performer to draw crowds. Certainly everyone strives to have the confidence of their company behind them.
As Foley has stated numerous times, both in his book, and in interviews, yes, he has sustained some bodily harm in his matches. Yes, he may never be able to walk straight, or stand tall again. However, he has lived his dream. How many people can say that? As Foley himself states, the damage that has been done to him physically is a small price to pay for living out his dream.
An excellent read, wrestling fan or no.

Hard work, determination, and a bunch of "bumps"
When I first picked this book up, I thought "there is no way I'm going to read a book this long about a professional wrestler." I began reading, however, and once started I couldn't stop. This is the story of Mick Foley, better known at various stages of his career as Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind. Foley wrote the book himself, and did a spectacular job. In fact he writes much batter than most of the "ghostwriters" who pen celebrity autobiographies today. Foley has a style, in which he tells a well-crafted and compelling narrative while cracking jokes that one can't help but laugh at. This is, literally, a tale of blood, but for some reason it's a funny tale.

Behind all the glitz and glory of professional wrestling comes the sport's most unlikely hero: Mick Foley. With a less-than-stellar physique, Foley sometimes didn't have the visual appeal of other would-be wrestlers, and consequently had to work many times as hard for what he achieved. This book follows Foley during his fourteen year (I believe) career as Cactus Jack, from wrestling in small high schools to touring Africa to tangling himself in barbed-wire in Japan and earning the title "King of the Deathmatch." It also covers his stint as Dude Love in the WWE, and his most recent character, Mankind. Through it all Foley gave it his best, not being afraid to bleed even when only a few fans would see him. Foley was bruised, battered, beaten, cut open, torn up, blown up and otherwise abused during his climb to the top of the WCW, IWA, ECW, and WWE (which eventually happened in late 1998, when Foley won the world championship belt), but he gave it all for the sport he loved. Foley is an unlikely hero, but is nevertheless a good example of what hard work and determination can get you in life. After reading this book I'm compelled to agree with the masses: Foley is good.

One giant step for Mankind
Wow! This is truly an amazing book! After reading this book, I felt as if I had some sort of understanding of Mick, a seemingly peaceful man whom in his career always chose the most violent and painful path. From his misunderstood beginnings as a Long Island teen fantasizing about Jimmy Snuka, throughout his travels and travails through the outhouses of professional