Reviews (5)

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

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

What a story!
This is one of the most motivational books I have read.If you finish reading this book and aren't totally stoked about attacking life, you need serious help.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Liver    6. Olympics    7. Patients    8. Snowboarders    9. Sports - General    10. Transplantation    11. Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc.    12. United States    13. Winter Sports    14. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

Reviews (10)

Awesome!
It's rare these days -- I just couldn't stop reading. Auriemma's co-writer creates a style that makes Geno come across as a good guy who tries hard - a real rags to riches, Horatio Alger story.
Spoken like a true Italian!
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma has written an extremely heartfelt biography chronicling his life experiences, especially the years he has been coaching UConn's womens basketball team.This is one of those biographies you don't want to miss out on!
If you're a fan, you'll love it!
The book is filled with anecdotes about his early life (the best chapter) and his years at UConn. Trials, tribulations, success and failures with various players, their families, etc.are the central theme.If you've followed the team in recent years or long term, you will appreciate this information. Fewer points, however, for writing style and continuity of subject.As a whole and as a fan, I enjoyed it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Basketball    2. Basketball - General    3. Basketball coaches    4. Basketball for women    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography And Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. Coaching - Basketball    10. Connecticut    11. Connecticut Huskies (Basketball team)    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Sports & Recreation    14. Sports - General    15. United States    16. Sports & Recreation / Basketball   

Reviews (8)

The Mutt is cool
In the book "The Mutt" it shows the life of Rodney Mullens struggles of becoming a pro skateboarder. This book kept me very interested through the whole book. This book wasn not like other autobiographies, this one had a very interesting story to it and was very exciting to read. It was very fun for me to read because I like to skateboard as well. I was able to see how difficult it was for him to get to the point of his life where he is now.
great read
I found this book to be very interesting, and a great read. It is well worth the price, and I definitely suggest that you buy it.

Inspriational Story
The first time I saw Rodney Mullen was in 1986 at the University of Florida. I was between classes and, obviously Rodney was too. I was a skateboarder from 1976 to 1980 and had kept up with what was going on after that so, I knew who Rodney Mullen was. For about 30 minutes, I watched him do the most amazing tricks I had ever seen. He was skating by himself and I was the only one watching him.
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Subjects:  1. Skateboarding    2. Sport Riding And Racing    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Sports - General    6. Biography: sport    7. Rollerblading & in-line skating    8. Sports & Recreation / Skateboarding   

Reviews (50)

Indiana Basketball at its Finest
Coach Bob Knight is a colorful figure who ranks among the all- time greats in college basketball. Known by many people all over the nation for his outspoken personality and occasional temper tantrums, Knight has taken advantage of his skill at playing, recruiting, and coaching to reach the apex of his profession at every level through and including college.
only for knights when you can't sleep
With Coach Knight's long-time antipathy toward writers, often commenting how simple their job is compared to coaching, he left himself wide-open for criticism with his autobiography. Unfortunately, it reminds me of waking up a hibernating bear and jotting down his every yawn and gripe. A few moments of insight amid the tedium.

America, America, God shed His grace on thee
I truly believe there is only one way to judge a college basketball coach.League titles, NCAA appearances, total wins, Final Fours and National Championships are the norm in measuring success.And, of course, prowess in these areas will secure the legacy of anyone.However, the way I quantify coaching greatness is much more important than wins and losses.It's something you can't tangibly gauge.Simply stated, it's the relationships he or she cultivates with players.And the loyalty they show after they graduate.
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Subjects:  1. Basketball    2. Basketball - General    3. Basketball coaches    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Coaching    9. Knight, Bobby    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Sports - Basketball    12. Sports - General    13. United States    14. Sports & Recreation / Basketball   

Reviews (103)

Koufax Biscuit?
Jane Leavy has attempted to turn Koufax's baseball life into a Seabiscuit-like book, but the effort doesn't quite pan out.Using Koufax's perfect game from 1965 as the central part of the book, she goes back and forth between that one game and the other parts of Koufax's life.There are few details about Koufax's early years with the club, and short thrift is given to the most of his baseball achievements.Surely, she could have found some articles to quote from that were written at the time he evolved into the pitcher he became famous for being, but instead, Leavy relies too much on interviews with men whose memories of the good old days aren't crystal clear.
I think we now know everything we are supposed to know about Koufax.
Koufax remains as mysterious and elusive a public figure as ever, despite an admirable attempt by Jane Leavy.
Poor biography
The author who is Jewish spent far too much time on Koufax being Jewish.As a biography it was poor.Jews may appreciate the book, but gentiles probably won't.The book didn't take you through enough of Sandy's life or his career as it seems to emphasize 1965.I usually like to read biographies rather than auto biographies, but I've read many auto bios which are better.The author may have been hampered by the fact that Sandy is so quiet and reserved that he makes a poor subject for a biography.There's a caption under a picture about Sandy being twice divorced, but only a few sentences about his first marriage.Don't waste your money on this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1935-    2. Baseball - General    3. Baseball - History    4. Baseball players    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. Historical - U.S.    10. Judaism - General    11. Koufax, Sandy,    12. Sports - Baseball    13. Sports - General    14. Sports And Games    15. United States    16. Sports & Recreation / Baseball / General   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Football players    6. Pictorial works    7. Sports - Football    8. Sports - General    9. United States   

Reviews (6)

Do You Have Flying Dreams?
This is a fun, funny, informative book.Once you start reading you don't want to put it down.If you have ever had those dreams where you just start flying,this book will start you thinking, "I can really do that!".
A Must Read for Light Flight Fans
I read Chris's book about a year ago. When I started reading it, I could not put it down. Chris does what few authors and pilots have the courage to do: not sugar coat the details. With brutal honesty he shares the good, bad and ugly in a collection of entertaining stories. It's well written, witty, honest, informative, and humorous, giving his account of what it's like to learn and fly these amazing personal flying machines.
The definitive PPG classic
Struggling to keep up with my clients' deadlines, I still had to get in a few chapters of "Running Into the Sky" each night. What a riveting, enjoyable read!
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Subjects:  1. Air Sports    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    4. Hang gliding    5. Learning    6. Paragliding    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / Air Sports   

Reviews (99)

A Legend Comes To Life
Ric Flair was pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s & there were plenty of events that I attended because he was in the main event.
Fan-friggin'-tastic!
I couldn't put this book down.Ric Flair tells all about the ins and outs of professional wrestling (an eye-opener and a half right there), relates countless anecdotes, relives dozens of matches he's had, shares his thoughts and feelings on who his friends are, the good guys, the bad guys, the snakes, the saints and the fans!This book had a huge influence on me, not in the sense that I'm gonna run out now and be a wrestler, but his outlook and philosophy on the love of his life - wrestling - is so honest, noble and true that I couldn't help but be touched by the sincerity and wisdom of what he said.He doesn't just spout vapid cliches like "Be all you can be", but he demonstrates how he himself put everything on the line every time he stepped into a ring.He showed again and again how for his love of the sport, he would put aside his ego and everything else that was precious, just for the sake of THE SHOW.THE SHOW was inevitably what came first, and he constantly put himself on the line and put his entire trust in the hands of the people he fought with, even when he felt he knew better.
Ode To Ric Flair, Great Book, Needs To Be A Movie!
I got this book in and I order all these books but don't get around to reading them right away (I work in the Middle East, I'm alone and I read and go online for enteratinment), I'm really glad I started reading this one right away! Have you seen the movie North Dallas Forty? It may seem tame now but when it was released it raised my eye brows, A LOT! Same here with this book. I was expecting a boreing book about a jock, I realized in the introduction by Triple H that this was going to be a totally different read than I expected. The book seems to pull no punches, its laced liberally with profanity and unlike what I thought would be the target audience (kids), its definetly for adults. I'll admit I'm only at page 50 so this review may be premature but it's made me laugh literally out loud a couple of times. It really seems like a scencere effort on Ric's part to cover everything in his life, and he takes some hits upon himself so it doesn't seem like some rightous people who's other biographies I read (Leonard Nemoy aka Mr Spock for instance). This was a great buy and I hope if you are looking for a wrestling book that you read this one first, not that I have ever read one before but something tells me this is the best. Its also entertaining for a dude just to hear these exploits in general. The parties and things outside the ring are very crazy, and its nice to hear how Ric reflects on all this while maintaining a family, I can relate to a lot in this book. Its also to me, well written with interspliced with opinions from others telling their side and its packed with pics I'd guess around 50-100. Below is the reason why I got this book, and my brief personal meeting with The Nature Boy. I stand by those words and I'm now one of his biggest fans, as a Wrestler and as a Celebrity. Wooooooooo!!!!
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Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    7. Flair, Ric,    8. Sports - General    9. United States    10. Wrestlers    11. Wrestling    12. Biography & Autobiography / General    13. Biography: sport   

Reviews (8)

Dissatisfied
I didn't really like the book because there was not enough about Andre really.It was 95% about his father.I guess I was mislead by the title.

Authentic and insightful
This is a great book for Agassi fans who want an inside scoop on Andre's life.Mike is a very tough guy and tells it the way he sees it.They have been through a lot.For me, this book provides justification for the admiration I have developed for Andre over the years of watching him play and following his story.The book is a beautiful tale of determination, character, soul, and ultimately, family.It is a quick read, thoroughly enjoyable, and I appreciate Mike's efforts in making it available.

More than a good biography . . .
Being a fan of Andre Agassi, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's a bag of mixed candies - Mike's biography, real life drama of an immigrant family, story behind Andre's "rise, fall and rise" .. and more.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Sports - General    5. Tennis    6. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

Reviews (1)

Need Motivation! look Here
The book, The Essential Lombardi is half a biography, and half quotes and speeches. The book was written by Vince Lombardi Jr. Vince Lombardi is a famous football coach, who coached the Green Bay Packers and led them to the first Super bowl. This book was a very good book, and I found it especially good, because in my eyes he is the best, ever! The book is very inspirational. Vince was all about pushing his players to go farther. He is recognized by so many. As a matter of fact, my whole football team knew who he was. This book is very good; I'd recommend it to anyone in sports. I give it 4 stars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Coaching    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Football    6. Football - General    7. Football coaches    8. General    9. Leadership    10. Lombardi, Vince    11. Motivational    12. Quotations    13. Quotations, maxims, etc    14. Sports & Recreation    15. Sports - General    16. United States    17. Advice on careers & achieving success    18. American football    19. Business & Economics / Management    20. Management & management techniques    21. Sports coaching   

Reviews (15)

A True Icon in the History of Sports
Jack Johnson was no saint, and certainly Geoffrey C. Ward does not defend his vices nor forgive Johnson in his book, "Unforgivable Blackness - The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson". What Ward does do (with great research and writing) is gather details pertaining to periods in leading up to and between what generally is known as Johnson's triumphs and headlines. Furthermore, he does set the scene of a land not yet ready for Johnson's maverick ways.
Profound humanity outpoints facile race classification
Growing up in the Midwest, we knew nothing about Jack Johnson. Only Joe Louis appeared as the iconic boxing champion we kids admired. Even our parents and grandparents seemed to know nothing about Johnson. However, at this moment, my 86-year old father is reading this book. Perhaps I bought for it him to redress past oversight.
Ward's bio delivers a nice punch!
I had no knowledge of boxing history and had never heard of Jack Johnson before picking up this book. I'm not normally invested in any sport, but Ward quickly and smoothly pulled me into the fights of yesteryear. Not just the boxing matches but the trials Jack Johnson had to overcome because of his ethnicity.
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Subjects:  1. 1878-1946    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Boxers (Sports)    7. Boxing    8. Historical - General    9. Johnson, Jack,    10. People of Color    11. Sports - General    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

Reviews (24)

As good or better than an A.A. meeting
I Really enjoyed reading In Control, Years ago I read Thomas's other book Out of Control and while I enjoyed it also.This one is different -- his first one told how he got sober, but this new one tells HOW TO STAY SOBER!!!While he tells us how to stay sober he also entertains the heck out of the reader.It is a book I am going to find myself rereading every couple years or so, and there are not very many books that are like that for me.

Inspirational
This book really made me re-think about my sobriety.Thomas Henderson helped me understand better about the 12-steps.About being able to better my life while dealing with my addictions.I really recommend this book for anybody who is going through a recovery process or knows somebody who is,to help them understand what that person is going through in their head.

Every thinking adult should read this book.
I just spent the weekend reading this book and couldn't put it down.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Football - General    3. Personal Memoirs    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Sports - Football    7. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    8. Biography & Autobiography/Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (2)

Comfortable Conversation with Golfing Great
Nelson truly is a golfing gem, one that gets somewhat lost in all the current player hype.But this is likely due to media hype, not the players; they are humble around the like of Lord Byron, and most if not all big names play the King's, the Bear's and the Nelson's tournaments.
Worth your time
This is simply a straightforward account of Nelson's life by The Man himself.It's primary focus is his poor-as-dirt childhood and rise to stardom on the PGA Tour, culminating in The Streak of eleven straight wins in 1945 (he retired the next year).His television work is also covered, as is the death of his wife of 50 years and subsequent remarriage, but the primary focus is on his rise to stardom and retirement to ranching.It turns out that he doesn't have hemophilia as I'd always heard, nor did he retire because his "nervous stomach" couldn't take the stress of competition.The big virtue of the book is that it's written in a homey style that makes you feel as though Nelson is right there speaking to you in his Texas twang.It was written with assistance from his second wife, and it reads as though she must have been transcribing tapes.There is very little discussion of swing theory and no tips to help your game, but it's fascinating if you have an interest in what it took to make a living in professional golf in the 1930s and 1940s.It should be required reading for today's pampered pros who make more for one fifth-place finish than Nelson made in his entire career as one of the all-time greats.He comes across as an extremely decent, religious man that you would've liked to have known. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1912-    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Essays    5. Golf    6. Golf - General    7. Nelson, Byron,    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Sports - General    11. United States    12. Nelson, Byron   

Reviews (24)

Good Biography, Unusual Person
This interesting biography covers a most unusual person.Moe Berg (1902-1972) was a talented linguist, ballplayer, and U.S. espionage agent for the OSS (forerunner of the CIA) before and during World War II and briefly for the CIA after the war.Author Nicholas Dawidoff describes Berg's mysterious life, including New Jersey boyhood, studies at Princeton and Columbia, and years as a second-string catcher for the Dodgers, White Sox, Indians, Senators and Red Sox.Even as a player Berg was better know for his linguistic skills and stealth than for his baseball exploits.Then readers learn of Berg's years as a spy, which probably began when Berg toured Japan with other big leaguers in 1934.The author describes Berg's secret wartime activities, including his 1944-45 mission to ascertain the status of Nazi nuclear research. We also read of his later years, when except for brief CIA assignments, Berg chose to freeload off relatives and friends rather than employ his superb linguistic and legal talents (he had a law degree). AOverall, Berg was an enigmatic man, and this biography, written two decades after his passing, fails to uncover much about him - perhaps Berg would have wanted it that way.Still, this is an interesting and nicely researched biography.

Not a pleasant person
Moe Berg was completely unpleasant.I found myself wondering why I should care about his life.He was a mediocre ballplayer, a mediocre scholar and a mediocre spy.His talent was that he was pleasant to be around.Why write a book about him?
A REAL-LIFE JOHN LE CARRE CHARACTER
Moe Berg is truly one of the most interesting, and enigmatic, characters in sports history. What always fascinated me was how, after WWII and no longer in baseball, Berg never worked. He would stay at friends and relatives' homes throughout the country, reading multiple newspapers, and maintaining strict control of those papers. My guess, and this would make for an interesting investigative study, is that he stayed on the OSS/CIA payroll and was working for them, in some capacity: Dissecting the news, dealing with Communist espionage - or who knows, maybe he was working with foreign elemnets. Berg was something. He has to be considered a major hero. Surely the fact that he was an ex-ballplayer makes him stand out from the other heroes under "Wild Bill" Donovan, as does the fact that a Jew was sent to Nazi-controlled Finland to get German scientists. This is a terrific story. (...) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Historical - U.S.    6. Military - World War II    7. Political    8. Secret service    9. Spies    10. United States    11. World War, 1939-1945    12. Berg, Morris    13. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    14. Biography: historical    15. Europe    16. European history: Second World War    17. Political leaders & leadership   

Editorial Review

Muhammad Ali once admitted to former Read more

Reviews (49)

The Thrilla from Vanilla...
Muhammad Ali has received hagiographical treatment for the past thirty years or so. This book has a different perspective, however. Kram was there the whole time, saw everything, knew everybody, and lays out his take, to use an apt metaphor, without pulling any punches. Kram does occasionally lose himself in pretension--using the word "rodomontade" in a boxing book?--but, hey, he was an old guy, close to death, and I guess he wanted his last work to be more profound than the subject matter permitted. For everyone who thought Ali was a keen intellect, or a political visionary, or, indeed, a saint, here is your bucket of cold water. He certainly was a talented athlete--a heavyweight with the speed of a middleweight--and he may have been a symbol of pride to blacks...but that's about it.

Not a Thrilla
This book was a major disappointment.If books could be returned for a full refund because of disappointment with the contents, then I would immediately return this one.I liked the title and I am a fan of both Ali and Frazier and I was interested in reading more about their great third fight.Plenty is written about Ali, but I was interested in reading and learning more about Frazier.Well, 90% is about Ali and race.6% is about Frazier and only 4% is about the fights themselves, including the third fight that the book is based on!This book could have been a short magazine article, instead it is needlessly expanded.I only finished this book because I paid full price for it and I knew that I couldn't get my money back.

Boxing journalist turned bitter depressive
After reading this compulsively readable book (compulsively readable in the same way that eating a pint of ice cream is compulsive, reprimanding oneself afterward for submitting to the lowly instinct), I felt tremendous pity for Mark Kram.I don't think he was so much concerned with portraying the "fateful blood feud between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier" as making an art out of agony, resentments and utter dirt. I would have been more satisfied if Kram had ended each chapter with the following lines: "All is darkness.""All is darkness".
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Boxing    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    5. History    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Sports - General    8. United States - 20th Century    9. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    10. Sports   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Motor Sports    5. Sports - General    6. Biography: sport    7. Car racing    8. McLaren, Bruce    9. Transportation / Automotive / General   

Reviews (29)

a rogue read...
In all honesty, I didn't expect to enjoy this book.After all--what do I, a gal scientist, have in common with a surf legend who trumps his peers to float somewhere up there with Kwan, Woods, and Jordan?
Gets dull
This book is ok.It starts out really well, but it starts to die out after a while.The problem is that he goes on about each world championship title, and each one isn't that much different from the last.I would agree with Jacks that this book "Reads like a chronology of wins."If this book were 20 pages shorter, it might be better.

kelly slater pipe dreams

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Subjects:  1. 1972-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Personal Memoirs    7. Slater, Kelly,    8. Sports - General    9. Surfers    10. United States    11. Water Sports    12. Biography & Autobiography / Sports    13. Slater, Kelly   

Reviews (12)