Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption, and the Soul of Surfing

For two months every winter, when Pacific storms make landfall, Oahu's paradisical North Shore turns into a fiery hell. Its normal population of sixteen thousand more than triples and this explosion of mainlanders, Brazilians, Australians, and Europeans creates one of the most combustible milieus on earth. Waves, like gold and oil, are a limited resource and, as such, are fiercely fought over by the visiting hordes, the surf industry, other Hawaiian islanders, and North Shore residents. The otherwise sleepy North Shore becomes a lawless, violent, drug-addled, and adrenaline-soaked mecca.
It takes uniquely fearless men to paddle into thirty-foot waves breaking over a razor-sharp reef hidden beneath three feet of water. Death and maiming are regular occurrences during North Shore winters. Yet when the sun dips, the fearless become truly scared. You see, the ocean has rules. The men who haunt the land do not. And so they whisper about helter-skelter violence dished out by larger-than-life Hawaiians. They whisper about being choked, slapped, and bloodied for breaking unspoken codes of conduct. About the protection money extracted from the surf brands that want to hold their contests on the North Shore. About drug running, fights, and maybe even murders. And then they return to multimillion-dollar beachfront homes and drown their anxiety with cocaine and booze. But they know they are not safe. Because no one is ever safe here.
The surf world is far more volatile and complex than outsiders know or popular depictions would have us believe, and the North Shore during winter is its most extreme representation. It is downright dangerous but also exhilarating, and this story paints a true picture of what it feels like to be in the middle of it all. It is both a breathtaking and wildly funny tale of beauty, wickedness, and the unyielding allure of ocean waves in all their glory.

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Core Four: The Heart and Soul of the Yankees Dynasty

Tracing the careers of four instrumental players who turned around the Yankees ball club, this book shares behind-the-scenes stories from their early days together in the minors through the 2012 season, and follows them on their majestic ride to the top of the baseball world. At a time when the New York Yankees were in free fall, having failed to win a World Series in 17 years and had not played in one in 14 years--the Bronx Bombers' longest drought since before the days of Babe Ruth--along came four young players whose powerful impact returned the franchise to its former glory. They were a diverse group from different parts of the globe: Mariano Rivera, a right-handed pitcher from Panama, who was destined to become the all-time record holder in saves and baseball's greatest closer; Derek Jeter, a shortstop raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who would become the first Yankee to accumulate 3,000 hits; Jorge Posada, an infielder-turned-catcher from Puerto Rico, who would hit more home runs than any Yankees catcher except the legendary Hall of Famer Yogi Berra; and Andy Pettitte, a left-handed pitcher born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who would win more postseason games than any player in baseball history. Together they formed the "Core Four," and would go on to play as teammates for 13 seasons during which time they would help the Yankees advance to the postseason 12 times, win the American League pennant seven times, and take home five World Series trophies. This book follows these phenoms from the minor leagues to the present, detailing their significant contributions to a winning major league franchise.

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The Sons of Westwood: John Wooden, UCLA, and the Dynasty That Changed College Basketball

For more than a decade, the UCLA dynasty defined college basketball. In twelve seasons from 1964 to 1975, John Wooden's teams won ten national titles, including seven consecutive championships. The Bruins made history by breaking numerous records, but they also rose to prominence during a turbulent age of political unrest and youthful liberation. When Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton--the most famous college basketball players of their generation--spoke out against racism, poverty, and the Vietnam War, they carved out a new role for athletes, casting their actions on and off the court in a political light. The Sons of Westwood tells the story of the most significant college basketball program at a pivotal period in American cultural history. It weaves together a story of sports and politics in an era of social and cultural upheaval, a time when college students and college athletes joined the civil rights movement, demonstrated against the Vietnam War, and rejected the dominant Cold War culture. This is the story of America's culture wars played out on the basketball court by some of college basketball's most famous players and its most memorable coach.

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Chasing Perfect: The Will to Win in Basketball and Life

The inspiring story of the most famous high school basketball coach in America.
In 40 seasons as the head coach of St. Anthony High School, a private parochial school in Jersey City, New Jersey, Bob Hurley has established a standard of excellence and achievement without peer, and remarkably, he has done this at a high school with a total student body enrollment of about 230, with no gymnasium, and with an operating deficit that threatens to shut the place down each year. Hurley himself sweeps the floor before each home game. Despite the long odds against them, Hurley's teams have captured 26 state titles and four consensus national championships, all behind an astonishing career winning percentage of .905.
In "Chasing Perfect," Hurley opens up his tool box and shares some of the championship strategies he's developed to help lift his players up and out of Jersey City. The narrative centerpiece will be each of St. Anthony's seven undefeated seasons, with sketch profiles of some of the most memorable players, making some of the most memorable plays in St. Anthony history. Along the way, he'll offer empowering insights to help coaches and players to elevate their games, while empowering the rest of us to walk a more purposeful path. Part memoir, part coach's notebook and part reflection on the St. Anthony players it has been Hurley's privilege to coach, "Chasing Perfect" will stand as a compelling barometer of life in and around the hardscrabble streets of Jersey City, set against the backdrop of one of the most enduringly competitive high school basketball programs in the country.

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The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family, and Ducks Created a Dynasty

Faith. Family. Ducks--in that order.
This book gives readers an up-close and personal, behind-the-scenes look at the family in the exploding A&E(R) show--
"Duck Dynasty"(R). This Louisiana bayou family operates Duck Commander, a booming family business that has made them millions. You'll hear all about the Robertson clan from Willie and what it was like growing up in the Robertson household. You'll sample some of Willie's favorite family recipes from Phil, Kay, and even some of his own concoctions; and you'll get to know the beautiful Robertson women. You'll hear from Korie about the joys and hardships of raising a family, running a business, and wrangling the Robertson men while staying fashionable and beautiful inside and out. Discover more about the family dynamics between brothers Willie, Jase, Jep, and parents Phil and Kay. You'll even meet a fourth brother who isn't in the show.
The popularity of "Duck Dynasty" is skyrocketing, garnering a Wednesday-night top two finish in all of cable.

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Man Versus Ball: One Ordinary Guy and His Extraordinary Sports Adventures

Jon Hart is not a professional athlete. His one major sports victory is a world championship in roller basketball, which is basketball on in-line skates. More than ten years ago, he started pursuing his own bucket list and embarked on a hilarious and insightful journey into the furthest reaches of the sports world."Man versus Ball" follows Hart s adventures around the country as he undertakes new missions, often with unexpected results. He becomes a pro wrestler, learning fake moves that all but land him in the hospital after a body slam went awry. He plays an entire season for a championship semipro football team, suits up as a U.S. Open ball boy for three years, and is an amateur caddie for a Professional Golfers Association tournament. After attending mascot school, he performs in a neon gorilla suit in front of several thousand fans at a minor league hockey game. He works as a vendor at several venues around the country, hawking concessions while fending off drunken fans. He even earns a bit of glory for himself, leading his roller basketball league in rebounds for two consecutive seasons. Feeling confident, he takes part in the World Cup of roller soccer, which is soccer on in-line skates. All this prepares him for his moment of truth: a race up the 1,576 stairs of the Empire State Building.A George Plimpton style excursion into the athletic unknown, "Man versus Ball" will delight and inspire readers who have secretly yearned to cross fun items off their life s to-do list.

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Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It

HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS.
Ancient red dragons with 527 hit points, +44 to attack, and a 20d10 breath weapon, to be specific. In the world of fantasy role-playing, those numbers describe a winged serpent with immense strength and the ability to spit fire. There are few beasts more powerful--just like there are few games more important than Dungeons & Dragons.
Even if you've never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture. Released in 1974--decades before the Internet and social media--Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures, and is still revered by millions of fans around the world. Now the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.
In "Of Dice and Men," David Ewalt recounts the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game's roots on the battlefields of ancient Europe, through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides, to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game's origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D's profound impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences. An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, "Of Dice and Men" sheds light on America's most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.

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Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting in a Toxic Sports Environment

These days it seems everyone has a youth sports horror story--whether it's about a tyrant coach obsessed with his team record that only plays the best kids on the team, or a parent who publicly berates his kid for not making a goal. But should it really only be all about winning? What about having fun, learning a sport, and developing athletic skills? "Beyond Winning with Whole Child Sports" offers an alternative approach to teaching sports to kids. It deemphasizes short-term goals like winning and youth championships and discourages the introduction of adult-oriented, league-structured competition. Instead it emphasizes training techniques and coaching strategies aimed at improving core strength, balance, and creativity in aspiring athletes, using an age-appropriate four-stage timeline, based on a child's physical, psychological, and neurological development. "Beyond Winning with Whole Child Sports" provides frustrated parents with help in the form of advice and concrete solutions to common questions, and step-by-step instructions for helping young children develop athletic ability in an environment that's less structured while encouraging athletic and personal growth. It also reveals how to avoid bullying, trash talk, and elitism.

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Nailed!: The Improbable Rise and Spectacular Fall of Lenny Dykstra

"Nailed! "is a dramatic biography of Lenny Dykstra--the heroic center fielder for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in the '80s and '90s whose gritty play earned him the nickname "Nails." Dykstra's unlikely post-baseball rise in the business world is a success story that is only matched by the sordid tale of his ultimate downfall.
From famously receiving financial guru Jim Cramer's ringing endorsement as "one of the best" stock prognosticators, to hanging out with Charlie Sheen and numerous prostitutes, to holding court in his $15 million California home, Dykstra lived a highflying lifestyle. He was the toast of the business world before his litany of crimes were detected and his empire began to unravel in 2009, leading to a conviction and prison sentence in 2012 with more charges pending.
Through compelling storytelling supported by extensive research and documentation--including interviews with many of Dykstra's friends, family, and business associates--"Nailed! "Peels back the layers to reveal that the criminal charges of grand theft auto, identity theft, vandalism, lewd behavior, sexual assault, are just the tip of the iceberg. This is an engaging read of a sports and business hero gone bad.

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The Best Tree House Ever: How to Build a Backyard Tree House the Whole World Will Talk about

When his two young grandsons clamored for a hideout in the trees, what could Maurice Barkley, a sixty-something retiree, do but grab some wooden beams and a level? Now, more than ten years, seven tiny houses, and a spiral staircase later, Barkley s grandkids can truly say they have the best tree house ever. With a backyard that has become a tourist destination and the delighted cries of children playing pretend sounding in his ears, Barkley shares his pro building tips, floor plans, and how-tos in an easy-to-use guide anyone with a hankering for nature and a set of basic carpenter s tools can follow.The Best Tree House Everrecords the creation and growth of a child-sized village built high above the ground and documents the wonderful, unexpected consequences the visitors, the excitement, and the hundreds of friendships made that occurred along the way. Filled with plans and construction details of Barkley s entire tree house village, The Best Tree House Ever leads adventurers of every age to explore the magical worlds hidden amongst the foliage.

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Attacking Soccer: Mastering the Modern Game

Soccer fans around the world adore the offensive style of play based on fast passing combinations, spectacular dribbling, and the art of beautifully shot goals. The question regarding this style of game is how to coach your team to embrace fast attacking soccer. How do you shape your training to cover all the technical and tactical basics? Peter Schreiner and Norbert Elgert, renowned German coaches, give the right answers, including systematical approaches.
Each coach can easily shape his training programs with easy to use exercises, which are richly illustrated.

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The Kids Got It Right: How the Texas All-Stars Kicked Down Racial Walls

Jim Dent, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Junction Boys," pens the story of Texas high school football integration, and the three men who put together a championship teamJim Dent takes readers to the heart of the Texas gridiron with the incredible story of the state's high school football intergration. In the summer of 1964, a high school all-star team lost the most significant football game in Texas' proud history to the Pennsylvania Big 33 squad. Three months later, Coach Bobby Layne met with the governor, determined to prevent another loss. His important request: authorization to recruit black all-stars for his new squad.
It was an ambitious plan: Texas high school football, launched in 1910, was dominated by white players, even though the state was flush with great black stars, some of whom would become the most notable players in the history of the NFL. And Layne's scheme never would have worked without two very special young men --happy-go-lucky quarterback Bill Bradley, and his Big 33 roommate, Jerry "the Jet" Le Vias, a speedy receiver who was also the first black athlete to sign to a letter-of-intent with a Southwest Conference school, SMU. Bradley looked out for Le Vias--one of only three black players chosen for the team--uniting the integrated team. Together--and with Layne's indomitable will to win--the two led their team to triumphant victory in Hershey park. With this moving story, reminiscent of Remember The Titans, Jim Dent once again brings readers to cheers and tears with a truly American tale of leadership, brotherhood, and good old Friday Night Lights style football.

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The Bicycle Commuter's Handbook

As sensible as it may seem in an era when fuel prices are skyrocketing in tandem with environmental consciousness, a switch to bicycle commuting doesn't necessarily happen overnight. Certain questions arise: Do I really need that $1,500 bike? Are Lycra shorts necessary? What about traffic rules? What to do when a tire blows? In "The Bicycle Commuter's Handbook," veteran cyclist, bike commuter, professional messenger, and author Robert Hurst gives you all the answers you need for worry-free riding.

The ultimate, practical miniguide to tips, tricks, technique, and gear Compact and user-friendly For riding to work, to the grocery store, or just around town Color photos and illustrations  Check Catalog

Class a: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere

An unforgettable chronicle of a year of minor-league baseball in a small Iowa town that follows not only the travails of the players of the Clinton LumberKings but also the lives of their dedicated fans and of the town itself.
Award-winning essayist Lucas Mann delivers a powerful debut in his telling of the story of the 2010 season of the Clinton LumberKings. Along the Mississippi River, in a Depression-era stadium, young prospects from all over the world compete for a chance to move up through the baseball ranks to the major leagues. Their coaches, some of whom have spent nearly half a century in the game, watch from the dugout. In the bleachers, local fans call out from the same seats they've occupied year after year. And in the distance, smoke rises from the largest remaining factory in a town that once had more millionaires per capita than any other in America.
Mann turns his eye on the players, the coaches, the fans, the radio announcer, the town, and finally on himself, a young man raised on baseball, driven to know what still draws him to the stadium. His voice is as fresh and funny as it is poignant, illuminating both the small triumphs and the harsh realities of minor-league ball. Part sports story, part cultural exploration, part memoir, "Class A" is a moving and unique study of why we play, why we watch, and why we remember.

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American Pastimes: The Very Best of Red Smith (the Library of America)

Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith was the most widely read sportswriter of the last century and the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. From the 1940s to the 1980s, his nationally syndicated columns for the "New York Herald Tribune" and later for "The New York Times" traversed the world of sports with literary panache and wry humor. "I've always had the notion," Smith once said, "that people go to spectator sports to have fun and then they grab the paper to read about it and have fun again." Now, writer and editor (and inventor of Rotisserie League Baseball) Daniel Okrent presents the best of Smith's inimitable columns--miniature masterpieces that remain the gold standard in sportswriting.
Here are Smith's indelible profiles of sports luminaries, which show his gift for distilling a career's essence in a single column. Unforgettable accounts of historic occasions--Bobby Thompson's Shot Heard 'Round the World, Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, the first Ali-Frazier fight--are joined by more offbeat stories that display Smith's unmistakable wit, intelligence, and breadth of feeling. Here, too, are more personal glimpses into Smith's life and work, revealed in stories about his lifelong passion for fishing and in "My Press-Box Memoirs," a 1975 reminiscence for "Esquire" collected here for the first time.

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The Adrenaline Junkie's Bucket List: 100 Extreme Outdoor Adventures to Do Before You Die

Imagine kayaking the churning whitewater of Africa's wild and wet Zambezi River. Get barreled in a wave surfing Fiji's legendary Cloudbreak reef. Trek New Zealand's famed Milford Track through the lush, green fiords.
"The Adrenaline Junkie's Bucket List" is the ultimate guide for the outdoor and sports enthusiasts seeking out the world's most fantastic adventures. The book runs the gamut of water, mountain and hiking sports for all skill levels--from beginners to experts. Written by a veteran outdoor adventure expert, author and wilderness physician, it presents readers with one hundred amazing and challenging voyages all over the world. Organized by continent, the book offers fifteen to twenty-five trips of a wide variety in each section, and also covers local lore and history, hotel and restaurant recommendations, and other relevant services. Sidebars throughout contain practical advice for the adventure travel enthusiast on health, safety, and outdoor life. This is the perfect book for extreme athletes and armchair travelers looking for an adventurous read.
A heartstopping and essential guide to the best extreme outdoor adventures on every continent.

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Beyond the Vertical

Layton Kor is pre-eminent in American mountaineering. He is considered the best rock climber of his generation, and his list of first ascents of technically difficult rock climbs, both free and aid, is perhaps unmatched by any American climber. In this book Kor tells the story in his own words of these groundbreaking and suspenseful climbs.
Supplementing Kor's narrative are twenty-three accounts written by other leading climbers of the 1960s and 1970s, describing ascents they did with Kor: Royal Robbins, Fred Beckey, Pat Ament, Chris Bonington, Steve Roper, Huntley Ingalls, and many more share their perspectives.
Kor's climbs have become some of the most famous routes in the world--the "Naked Edge" in Eldorado Canyon, the "Diamond "on Longs Peak, the "Salathe Wall" on El Capitan in Yosemite, the "North Face" of the Eiger in the Alps...the list goes on. Written in a straighforward and engaging style, and accompanied by stunning, historical color photographs, "Beyond the Vertical "is a must-have for all rock climbers and armchair mountaineers alike.

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Hunting Bears: The Ultimate Guide to Hunting Black, Brown, Grizzly, and Polar Bears

For most hunters in North America, taking a bear is incidental to hunting deer. For others, however, challenging a big bruin on its own turf is the purpose of their hunt and may become an obsession. Whether it involves hunting the wary black bear in Maine over bait, chasing a clever black bear trying to avoid a pack of hounds in the Rocky Mountains, sneaking up with a bow on a huge grizzly, placing the crosshairs on a massive brown bear as it exits an ice-cold Alaskan stream, or enduring bitterly cold temperatures and inhospitable hunting conditions while hunting the hunter--the great white polar bear--bear hunting is an adventure only for those of strong heart and mind.In Hunting Bears, Etling covers all aspects of bear hunting and all species of bears to hunt--black, grizzly, brown, and polar. She omits no tactic, strategy, or bear behavior and includes interviews with many of the nation's most successful bear hunters as well. Between the covers of this book is information that most bear hunters would take a lifetime to amass.If hunting any of the bears found in North America or the world is your dream, you'll want to add Hunting Bears to your outdoor library. It will provide you hours of first-rate reading and will inspire you to bag your trophy bruin.

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Fodor's The Official Guide to America's National Parks

Every year millions of people travel to cherished national parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite to see some of the most stunning landscapes on Earth. Produced in cooperation with the National Park Foundation, this is the official guide to all 397 sites in the national park system, including natural, historic, and cultural treasures. It's invaluable as a quick reference as well as to help plan the trip of a lifetime.
Competitive Advantage: No other book covers all of the 397 sites under National Park Service jurisdiction, making this a comprehensive reference--plus, this is the only guide officially endorsed by the National Park Foundation.
Expanded Coverage: This comprehensive new edition includes the latest information on facilities and programs as well as visiting tips and succinct advice on food and lodging inside and outside the parks.
Special Features: Organized alphabetically by state, this indispensable guide features not only parks but also seashores, trails, wild and scenic rivers, battlefields, and historic sites. Six icons for different types of parks make it easy to identify sites of interest.Each listing is packed with essential information: a brief history of the site and why it's significant; what to see and do, with facilities, programs, and tips; fees and hours; and contacts. Many sites have recommendations for food, lodging, and supplies.An index organizes sites by special interests from Civil War sites to presidential history and more. Other special sections include information on national heritage areas and national trails systems.Sales of the guide support the National Park Foundation in its effort to preserve America's greatest treasures.
Indispensable Trip Planning Tools: About Your Visit sections provide helpful tips on making the most of a trip. Each site listing contains detailed contact information as well as a section on how to get there. Twenty-two pages of easy-to-use regional maps make it easy to locate each site and see what's nearby.
This book is the official guide produced in cooperation with the National Park Foundation.

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Championship Tennis

Step onto the court confident, focused, and prepared to dictate the match and dominate your opponent.
In "Championship Tennis," world-class coach and regular Grand Slam clinician Frank Giampaolo and long-time Tennis magazine editor Jon Levey bring you expert instruction and professional insights to eliminate unforced errors, increase winning percentage, and improve your overall game.
Inside, you'll learn how to
- assess individual skills, evaluate practice sessions, and analyze performance;
- identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement;
- customize your training and conditioning to your skill set, experience, and style of play;
- increase the consistency and accuracy of your shots; and
- control your emotions and mentally prepare for every match.
You'll also find the most effective, unparalleled drills for mastering groundstrokes, serves, volleys, and specialty shots as well as invaluable advice for improving anticipatory skills and recognizing, neutralizing, and countering your competition's strengths and playing styles.
Add a copy of" Championship Tennis" to your bookshelf and turn errors into winners and three-set losses into straight-set wins. This is a must-have resource for players and instructors seeking to maximize potential as quickly as possible.

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Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game

A love letter to America's most beloved sport and an exploration of the deeper dimensions it reveals
For more than a decade, New York University President John Sexton has used baseball to illustrate the elements of a spiritual life in a wildly popular course at NYU. Using some of the great works of baseball fiction as well as the actual game's fantastic moments, its legendary characters, and its routine rituals--from the long-sought triumph of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, to the heroic achievements of players like the saintly Christy Mathewson and the sinful Ty Cobb, to the loving intimacy of a game of catch between a father and son--Sexton teaches that through the game we can touch the spiritual dimension of life.
"Baseball as a Road to God "is about the elements of our lives that lie beyond what can be captured in words alone--ineffable truths that we know by experience rather than by logic or analysis. Applying to the secular activity of baseball a form of inquiry usually reserved for the study of religion, Sexton reveals a surprising amount of common ground between the game and what we all recognize as religion: sacred places and time, faith and doubt, blessings and curses, and more.
In thought-provoking, beautifully rendered prose, this book elegantly demonstrates that baseball is more than a game, or even a national pastime: It can be a road to a deeper and more meaningful life.

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Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide to Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking

Justin Lichter, a.k.a. Trauma, divulges hundreds of valuable tips and advice based on his more than 35,000 miles of hiking across the country and beyond. "Trail Tested "is a comprehensive guide to hiking and backpacking. Whether you're a new hiker looking for expert advice, an experienced hiker looking to hone your skills, or a thru-hiker gearing up for a 6-month trip, this book is packed with priceless information to make your trip a successful and comfortable one.
Vibrant images from Trauma's treks will entice all readers of all skill levels to get out and enjoy the backcountry. You'll learn why getting the right gear and learning outdoor skills are integral to making the most out of your next backpacking trip. Some topics included in this guide are:
* Gear advice, including backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, ultralight shetlers, and clothing
* Gear maintenance and repair
* Ultralight tips for novices to gram-counters
* Low-impact camping and hiking
* Campsite selection
* Hiking with dogs
* Navigating the backcountry
* Winter camping
* First aid
* Weather forecasting
* Advanced techniques for creating routes, cross-country hiking, fording rivers, multi-sport adventures, and animal encounters

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Encounters from a Kayak: Native People, Sacred Places, and Hungry Polar Bears

What makes travel special? Perhaps the chill realization that a polar bear's eyes are fixed on you. Maybe it is the chance meeting with a man who buries sharks in a beach, only to dig them up months later, not out of morbid curiosity, but for food. Perhaps it is the undulating wing-beat of a dark shell-less gastropod in the canal of a 17th Century French sea port, or the criminal history of a rusting ship with a tree growing from its hold."Encounters in a Kayak" brings the reader along on the magical experiences that surround sea kayaking. It's about the animals, people, and special places around the globe that have grabbed the attention of renowned kayaker and writer Nigel Foster. His irrepressible curiosity drives him to tease out the unexpected stories hidden behind his subjects. These nuggets from around the world are bound together by water and a centuries-old form of sea travel: kayak. The result is a book of broad appeal for those interested in kayaking, traveling, and adventure.

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On These Courts: A Miracle Season That Changed a City, a Once-Future Star, and a Team Forever

Former NBA star Anfernee Penny Hardaway grew up in Binghampton, one of the roughest sections of Memphis. Due in no small part to the self-discipline and strong values his grandmother instilled in him, plus his singular talent, Penny beat the incredible odds and made it to the NBA. He was such a special player that it seemed inevitable that he would win at least one championship and end up in the Hall of Fame. But dogged by injuries, Penny was never able to live up to his full basketball star potential.
After retirement Penny returned to Memphis and struggled with the question most professional athletes face when their bright-lights careers come to an end: What now? The unexpected answer came from Desmond Merriweather, one of Penny's oldest friends. Desmond had recently been diagnosed with colon cancer and needed someone to replace him as head coach of the Lester Middle School basketball team in the same dangerous neighborhood where Penny grew up. Without hesitating, Penny said, I'm all in.
"On These Courts "is the moving story of Coach Penny helping his young players navigate their way through impossible circumstances: failing grades, incarcerated fathers, gang pressures, and the crime-ridden streets of Memphis. But Penny never shied away. He selflessly provided on-the-court coaching, helped kids with homework, and became a positive role model who is committed to staying involved in their lives. But this is not just a story about Penny; the true stars are the kids on the Lester Lions team Robert Washington, Reggie Green, Kobe Freeman, and Desmond's own son Nick Merriweather who rewarded Penny with his first championship season, winning the state title by one point. A penny.
A story of hope and inspiration, struggle, and triumph, "On These Courts "reveals the importance and power of taking a stand in a community and learning what it truly means to give back.
A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Penny's FastBreak Courts, part of Penny Hardaways ongoing efforts to help at-risk youth in the Memphis community

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Stumbling Towards the Finish Line: The Best of Ironman Columnist Lee Gruenfeld

Best-selling novelist and non-fiction writer Lee Gruenfeld has been entertaining the triathlon world with hilarious essays, in-depth profiles and insightful observations for more than a decade. Now his best writings have been collected into a single volume that will let long-time fans relive their favorite pieces while introducing new readers to his unique voice. Anyone who likes sports - any sports - and great writing will love this collection of amusing, penetrating, and often totally off the wall observations.

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Heart of a Tiger: Growing Up with My Grandfather, Ty Cobb

Herschel Cobb's moving account of his relationship with his legendary grandfather reveals a side of Ty Cobb that few people ever saw, that of loving nurturer. A baseball icon and arguably the best player who ever lived, Ty Cobb's infamously cold, competitive nature allowed him to excel on the ball field but undermined his relationship with his children. Devastated by the untimely death of two of his sons, Cobb relished the opportunity to reconnect the broken family ties when young Herschel and his siblings visited him during the summers. In the pages of this book, Herschel, whose cruel, abusive father and adulterous, alcoholic mother filled his childhood with turmoil, recounts how his grandfather provided the stability, love and guidance that Herschel desperately needed. Beautifully written and insightful, this memoir describes the healing bond between Cobb and his grandchildren, and constructs a wholly different legacy for the notoriously tough Cobb as gentle and affectionate "Granddaddy".

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Smoky Joe Wood: The Biography of a Baseball Legend

Though his pitching career lasted only a few seasons, Howard Ellsworth "Smoky Joe" Wood was one of the most dominating figures in baseball history--a man many consider the best baseball player who is "not" in the Hall of Fame. About his fastball, Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson once said: "Listen, mister, no man alive can throw harder than Smoky Joe Wood."
"Smoky Joe Wood" chronicles the singular life befitting such a baseball legend. Wood got his start impersonating a female on the National Bloomer Girls team. A natural athlete, he pitched for the Boston Red Sox at eighteen, won twenty-one games and threw a no-hitter at twenty-one, and had a 34-5 record plus three wins in the 1912 World Series, for a 1.91 ERA, when he was just twenty-two. Then in 1913 Wood suffered devastating injuries to his right hand and shoulder that forced him to pitch in pain for two more years. After sitting out the 1916 season, he came back as a converted outfielder and played another five years for the Cleveland Indians before retiring to coach the Yale University baseball team. Joe's final reward for courageously enduring the eccentricities of his father, his sister's polio, the 1926-27 baseball scandal, and the loss of his beloved wife and a son was an honorary doctorate in 1985 from Yale and its president, Bart Giamatti.
With details culled from interviews and family archives, this biography, the first of this rugged player of the Deadball Era, brings to life one of the genuine characters of baseball history.

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Death Grip: A Climber's Escape from Benzo Madness

"Death Grip "chronicles a top climber's near-fatal struggle with anxiety and depression, and his nightmarish journey through the dangerous world of prescription drugs. Matt Samet lived to climb, and craved the challenge, risk, and exhilaration of conquering sheer rock faces around the United States and internationally. But Samet's depression, compounded by the extreme diet and fitness practices of climbers, led him to seek professional help. He entered the murky, inescapable world of psychiatric medicine, where he developed a dangerous addiction to prescribed medications--primarily "benzos," or benzodiazepines--that landed him in institutions and nearly killed him.
With dramatic storytelling, persuasive research data, and searing honesty, Matt Samet reveals the hidden epidemic of benzo addiction, which some have suggested can be harder to quit than heroin. Millions of adults and teenagers are prescribed these drugs, but few understand how addictive they are--and how dangerous long-term usage can be, even when prescribed by doctors.
After a difficult struggle with addiction, Samet slowly makes his way to a life in recovery through perseverance and a deep love of rock climbing. Conveying both the exhilaration of climbing in the wilderness and the utter madness of addiction, "Death Grip" is a powerful and revelatory memoir.

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The Top Ten Guide to Fly Fishing

One of the most accessible guide books on the market, this guide not only provides all the information beginning and intermediate anglers need in order to start catching trout, the information is also presented in a quick and easy, highly-browsable format of top-ten lists.Curious how to tie and use the ten best knots and rigging techniques? Ever thought about the ten most essential things to look for when selecting a new fly rod? What are the top dry flies for trout? What mistakes do most new anglers make when learning to cast?A fun conversation starter and a set of streamside tips rolled into one, this lighthearted look at a serious sport will give beginners the value of solid instruction while more seasoned fly-fishers will enjoy quibbling with the author's rankings and choices.

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Swinging '73: Baseball's Wildest Season

In 1973, new rules changed baseball, and three legendary teams thrived by playing by their own rules.
Interest and attendance were dropping, and football was ascending. Stuck in a rut, baseball was sinking. Then George Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, a second-division relic with wife-swapping pitchers, leaving the House That Ruth Built not with a slam but a simper. He vowed not to interfere--and then did just that. Across town, Tom Seaver led the Mets' stellar pitching line-up, and iconic outfielder Willie Mays was preparing to say goodbye. But for months, Yogi Berra's boys couldn't get it right. Meanwhile, across the country, maverick owner Charlie O. Finley was fighting to keep the hirsute A's underpaid.
But beyond the muttonchops and mayhem lay another world. Elvis commanded a larger audience than the Apollo landings. A Dodge Dart cost $2,800, and gas 38 cents per gallon. Vietnam had ended, the vice president resigned, Watergate had taken over, and a fiscal crisis loomed. It was one of the most exciting years in baseball history, the first with the designated hitter and the last before arbitration and free agency. The two World Series opponents went head-to-head above the baby steps of a juggernaut that soon dwarfed both league champions. It was a turbulent time for the country and the game, neither of which would ever be the same again.

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AMC's Best Day Hikes in Vermont: Four-Season Guide to 60 of the Best Trails in the Green Mountain State

With hundreds of miles of hiking trails stretching from the shores of Lake Champlain, to the peaks of the spectacular Green Mountains, to the woodlands of the state's southern region, the picturesque state of Vermont seems to have been made for hikers. This guide from the outdoor experts at the Appalachian Mountain Club features sixty of the best day hikes Vermont has to offer, for all experience levels. An at-a-glance trip planner accompanies the detailed trip descriptions, highlighting the best trail options with kids and dogs, as well as for winter snowshoeing and skiing. Whether you're looking to explore high summits like Camel's Hump or Mount Mansfield, hike along the Long Trail or the Appalachian Trail, or take a day trip to the fertile valleys, rivers, and ponds, this must-have resource is a great addition to your pack.

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Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People

"Long-distance walking is good for you and good for the earth... But most of all, walking is a joyful celebration of life and the diverse, beautiful, and curious world in which we live." --from the Introduction
Walking is simple, but it can also be profound. In an increasingly complex and frantic world, walking can simplify our lives. It encourages intimate contact with places and people, promotes health, and is one of the most sustainable forms of recreation. Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to explore the pleasures of long-distance walking in their inspiring new book, Walking Distance.
At the heart of "Walking Distance" are firsthand descriptions of thirty of the world's great long-distance hikes, spanning six continents and ranging from inn-to-inn to backpacking trips. Each entry--from Turkey's Lycian Way to Vermont's Long Trail--features personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, and useful tips, including suggestions for preparing for hikes and for additional reading. Each trail narrative is richly illustrated with color photographs and maps. The Walks
Alta Via 1 (Italy)
C&O Canal (Maryland, U.S.)
Camino de Santiago (Spain)
Cape Winelands Walk (South Africa)
Chilkoot Trail (Alaska, U.S. and B.C., Canada)
Cinque Terre (Italy)
Coast to Coast Trail (England)
Colorado Trail (Colorado, U.S.)
Cotswold Way (England)
Great Ocean Walk (Australia)
Inca Trail (Peru)
John Muir Trail (California, U.S.)
Kaibab Trail (Arizona, U.S.)
Kalalua Trail (Hawaii, U.S.)
King Ludwig's Way (Germany)
Kungsleden (Sweden)
Long Trail (Vermont, U.S.)
Lost Coast Trail (California, U.S.)
Lycian Way (Turkey)
Milford Track (New Zealand)
Ocala Trail (Florida, U.S.)
Overland Track (Australia)
Paria River Canyon (Utah and Arizona, U.S.)
South Downs Way (England)
Superior Hiking Trail (Minnesota, U.S.)
Tahoe Rim Trail (California and Nevada, U.S.)
Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland)
Walker's Haute Route (France, Switzerland)
West Coast Trail (B.C., Canada)
West Highland Way (Scotland)

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Building Your Own Climbing Wall: Illustrated Instructions and Plans for Indoor and Outdoor Walls

If you want to get a total body work out, climbing is the way to do it, and building your own climbing wall allows you to train and have fun any time you want, rather than having to drive to a climbing gym during open hours."Building Your Own Climbing Wall" provides the essential information you need to plan and construct your own indoor or outdoor climbing wall. This highly illustrated guide includes step-by-step instructions, climbing wall construction examples, equipment and tool lists, plus information on how to make your own holds, maintain your wall, create a safe environment, and set routes that target specific types of training. Also detailed are seven design ideas for walls that make maximum use of the space you have.

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Muck City: Winning and Losing in Football's Forgotten Town

In a town deep in the Florida Everglades, where high school football is the only escape, a haunted quarterback, a returning hero, and a scholar struggle against terrible odds.
The loamy black "muck" that surrounds Belle Glade, Florida once built an empire for Big Sugar and provided much of the nation's vegetables, often on the backs of roving, destitute migrants. Many of these were children who honed their skills along the field rows and started one of the most legendary football programs in America. Belle Glade's high school team, the Glades Central Raiders, has sent an extraordinary number of players to the National Football League - 27 since 1985, with five of those drafted in the first round.
The industry that gave rise to the town and its team also spawned the chronic poverty, teeming migrant ghettos, and violence that cripples futures before they can ever begin. "Muck City" tells the story of quarterback Mario Rowley, whose dream is to win a championship for his deceased parents and quiet the ghosts that haunt him; head coach Jessie Hester, the town's first NFL star, who returns home to "win kids, not championships"; and Jonteria Willliams, who must build her dream of becoming a doctor in one of the poorest high schools in the nation. For boys like Mario, being a Raider is a one-shot window for escape and a college education. Without football, Jonteria and the rest must make it on brains and fortitude alone. For the coach, good intentions must battle a town's obsession to win above all else.
Beyond the Friday night lights, this book is an engrossing portrait of a community mired in a shameful past and uncertain future, but with the fierce will to survive, win, and escape to a better life.

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Winning Spirit Basketball: Find Your Greatness Within

Winning Spirit Basketball grew out of conversations between basketball great Chris Mullin and sports psychologist Tom Mitchell about players, coaches, parents and the game of basketball. The book was written specifically for players who want to gain a competitive edge and a better understanding of the habits and behaviors that are key to an athlete's success: confidence, communication, work ethic, teamwork, practice and concentration. It is also valuable for parents and coaches who want to help players develop their mental game.Though written by a Hall of Fame player and former basketball head coach, this book is not about the Xs and Os of basketball. Readers will not learn how to run a play, shoot a free throw, or break a full court press. Rather, they will learn about the values within the game of basketball that help you become a better player on the court and a better person in life. Through basic, easy-to-understand messages and exercises, athletes of all ages will be able to put the things they learn from this book into practice immediately.

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Build the Swing of a Lifetime: The Four-Step Approach to a More Efficient Swing

The best way to shave multiple strokes off your golf game is to develop an efficient, repeatable swing that enables you to hit the ball farther and straighter with greater consistency. To achieve this ideal swing, you need a clear picture of the finished product and a simple step-by-step process for building it, testing it, and maintaining it. Now you have it.
In Build the Swing of a Lifetime, Mike Bender, one of Golf Digest's 5 Best Teachers in America, shows you how to develop the same swing that boosted the careers of 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, multiple PGA Tour winner Jonathan Byrd, and 2006 LPGA Rookie of the Year Seon Hwa Lee.
Mike Bender didn't become the 2009 PGA National Teacher of the Year by offering quick fixes and compensations for deficient swings. He did it by creating a science-based, biomechanical approach to understanding the elements of an efficient, powerful, repeatable swing and devising a simple, checkable method for practicing and perfecting that swing.
In four simple steps illustrated by 150 photographs, Mike shows you how to aim and turn properly, get your hands on the correct downswing plane, and match up your arm swing and body rotation to square the clubface more consistently. He provides clear and simple guidance on how to make sure you're practicing each step correctly. Using broken club shafts, construction cones, and other forms of feedback, you'll discover how to check your alignment and posture, and make sure that your shaft and hands are moving on-plane in good sequence with one another.
There are a million ways to hit a golf ball, but only one is the most efficient way to produce shots that are consistently long and on target, and only one will help you keep shaving that handicap down toward scratch for as long as you keep playing. That is the swing you will develop by practicing and applying what you learn in Build the Swing of a Lifetime.

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The Wild Duck Chase: Inside the Strange and Wonderful World of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest

"The Wild Duck Chase "takes readers into the peculiar world of competitive duck painting as it played out during the 2010 Federal Duck Stamp Contest-the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. Since 1934, the duck stamp, which is bought annually by hunters to certify their hunting license, has generated more than $750 million, and 98 cents of each collected dollar has been used to help purchase or lease 5.3 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the U.S.-the core of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
As Martin J. Smith chronicles in his revealing narrative, within the microcosm of the duck stamp contest are intense ideological and cultural clashes between the mostly rural hunters who buy the stamps and the mostly suburban and urban birders and conservationists who decry the hunting of waterfowl. At issue is preserving the habitat of ducks and other waterfowl for all to enjoy: If the number of hunters continues to decrease-and unless nature lovers support the duck stamp program-this landmark conservation effort faces possible extinction.
The competition also fuels dynamic tensions between competitors and judges, and among the invariably ambitious, sometimes obsessive, and often eccentric artists-including Minnesota's three fabled Hautman brothers, the "New York Yankees" of competitive duck painting. Martin Smith takes readers down an arcane and uniquely American rabbit hole into a wonderland of talent, ego, art, controversy, scandal, big money, and migratory waterfowl.

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The Perfect Game: How Villanova's Shocking 1985 Upset of Mighty Georgetown Changed the Landscape of College Hoops Forever

Critically acclaimed veteran sportswriter Frank Fitzpatrick takes readers courtside for one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history, the 1985 Villanova/Georgetown national championship showdown
A veteran Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Frank Fitzpatrick has long followed and covered Villanova basketball. In all that time, nothing compares with the Wildcats' legendary 1985 upset of Georgetown--a win so spectacular and unusually flawless that days after its conclusion, sports columnists were already calling it "The Perfect Game."
The game, particularly its second half, was so different from what observers expected--so different, in fact, from what anyone had ever seen that a shroud of myth almost immediately began to envelop it. Over the years, the game took on mythological proportions with heroes and villains, but with a darker, more complex subtext. In the midst of the sunny Reagan Administration, the game had been played out amid darker themes--race, death, and, though no one knew it at the time, drugs.
It was a night when the basketball world turned upside down. Villanova-Georgetown would be a perfect little microcosm of the 1980s. And it would be much more. Even now, a quarter-century later, the upset gives hope to sporting Davids everywhere. At the start of every NCAA Tournament, it is recalled as an exemplar of March's madness. Whenever sport's all-time upsets are ranked, it is high on those lists, along with hockey's Miracle on Ice. Now, through interviews with the players and coaches, through the work of sociologists and cultural critics, through the eyes of those who witnessed the game, Fitzpatrick brings to life the events of and surrounding that fateful night.

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Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past, One Marathon at a Time

The monikers "drunk," "addict," "abuser," and "boozehound "were Caleb Daniloff's for fifteen years. Now, the introduction that fits him best is "My name is Caleb and I am a runner."
In Running Ransom Road, Daniloff, many years sober, confronts his past by setting out, over the course of eighteen months, to run marathons in the cities where he once lived and wreaked havoc. Competing from Boston to New York, Vermont to Moscow, Daniloff explores the sobering and inspiring effects of running as he traverses the trails of his former self, lined with dark bars, ratty apartments, lost loves, and lost chances. With each race he comes to understand who he is, and by extension who he was, and he finds he is not alone. There are countless souls in sneakers running away from something, or better, running past and through whatever it is that haunts them.
In this powerful story of ruin, running, and redemption, Daniloff illuminates the connection between running and addiction and shows that the road to recovery is an arduous but conquerable one. Strapping on a pair of Nikes won't banish all your demons, but it can play an important role in maintaining a clean life. For Daniloff, sweat, strained lungs, and searing muscles are among the paving stones of empowerment, and, if he's lucky, perhaps even self-forgiveness.

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Soldiers First: Duty, Honor, Country, and Football at West Point

Bestselling author Joe Drape reveals the unique pressures and expectations that make a year of Army football so much more than just a tally of wins and losses.
The football team at the U.S. Military Academy is not like other college football teams. At other schools, athletes are catered to and coddled at every turn. At West Point, they carry the same arduous load as their fellow cadets, shouldering an Ivy League-caliber education and year-round military training. After graduation they are not going to the NFL but to danger zones halfway around the world. These young men are not just football players, they are soldiers first.
"New York Times" sportswriter Joe Drape takes us inside the world of Army football, as the Black Knights and their third-year coach, Rich Ellerson, seek to turn around a program that had recently fallen on hard times, with the goal to beat Navy and "sing last" at the Army-Navy game in December. The 2011 season would prove a true test of the players' mettle and perseverance.
Drawing on his extensive and unfettered access to the players and the coaching staff, Drape introduces us to this special group of young men and their achievements on and off the field. Anchoring the narrative and the team are five key players: quarterback Trent Steelman, the most gifted athlete; linebacker Steve Erzinger, who once questioned his place at West Point but has become a true leader; Andrew Rodriguez, the son of a general and the top scholar-athlete; Max Jenkins, the backup quarterback and the second-in-command of the Corps of Cadets; and Larry Dixon, a talented first-year running back. Together with Coach Ellerson, his staff, and West Point's officers and instructors, they and their teammates embrace the demands made on them and learn crucial lessons that will resonate throughout their lives--and ours.

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Straight Shooter: The Brad Park Story

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By the time he retired, Brad Park had surpassed the great Bobby Orr in career assists by a defenseman. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible, and later named one of the Top 100 NHL players of all time by "The Hockey News," Park will forever be remembered as one of the greatest men ever to take the ice. The first and only authorized biography of Park's life and career, "Straight Shooter: The Brad Park Story," delves deeper into his legendary success than any book has before, bringing together exclusive, candid insights from Park himself, as well as interviews with dozens of players, family members, and key figures from the hockey world.
Covering Park's early years growing up in Toronto, to his first exposure to the NHL with the New York Rangers and his stellar performance with the Boston Bruins, through the twilight of his career and retirement, the book examines every aspect of his remarkable life in unprecedented detail. Giving hockey fans a full, frank look at the career of an NHL legend--including the challenges Park faced in his personal life, including caring for his physically handicapped son--"Straight Shooter" is a fascinating look at one of the game's true greats.Offers a fascinating insight into the life of Brad Park, one of the greatest defensemen the NHL has ever seenCovers Park's life in detail, from his time with the Rangers and Bruins to his experiences with Team Canada in the 1972 Summit SeriesFeatures a Foreword from hockey legend Don Cherry
Working closely with Park himself, writer and researcher Thom Sears has created a thorough, authorized biography of one of the NHL's greatest legends and an essential read for hockey fans everywhere.

 

The Ultimate Super Bowl Book: A Complete Reference to the Stats, Stars, and Stories Behind Football's Biggest Game--And Why the Best Team Won (2ND ed.)

With a television viewership of over 100 million people and hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year on tickets, concessions, and merchandise alone, the Super Bowl is the greatest game on Earth. Offering in-depth analysis, detailed statistics, play-by-play recaps, and post-game insights for every Super Bowl ever played, "The Ultimate Super Bowl Book" is the most definitive reference to this iconic sporting event, exploring all the high and lows from more than four decades of gridiron drama, with stories and quotes from the men who made history on football's biggest stage. In addition to a comprehensive examination of each Super Bowl played since 1967, the book presents features on the greatest individual performances in Super Bowl history--from Joe Namath to Joe Montana, Tom Brady to Aaron Rodgers, Marcus Allen to Emmitt Smith, Jack Lambert to James Harrison--and the best and worst decisions by some legendary coaches, including Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Mike McCarthy, and more. Author Bob McGinn weighs in on the biggest Super Bowl shockers, the worst blunders, and the most entertaining characters. Quotes from players and coaches take you to the sidelines and into the huddle with the greatest teams in Super Bowl History, including the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and more. No sporting event can compete with the Super Bowl--and no book can compete with this one as the ultimate reference to the ultimate game.

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Nature Wars: The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks Turned Backyards Into Battlegrounds

This may be hard to believe but it is very likely that more people live in closer proximity to more wild animals, birds and trees in the eastern United States today than anywhere on the planet at any time in history. For nature lovers, this should be wonderful news -- unless, perhaps, you are one of more than 4,000 drivers who will hit a deer today, your child's soccer field is carpeted with goose droppings, coyotes are killing your pets, the neighbor's cat has turned your bird feeder into a fast-food outlet, wild turkeys have eaten your newly-planted seed corn, beavers have flooded your driveway, or bears are looting your garbage cans.
For 400 years, explorers, traders, and settlers plundered North American wildlife and forests in an escalating rampage that culminated in the late 19th century's "era of extermination." By 1900, populations of many wild animals and birds had been reduced to isolated remnants or threatened with extinction, and worry mounted that we were running out of trees. Then, in the 20th century, an incredible turnaround took place. Conservationists struggled to reverse wildlife devastation by outlawing commercial hunting, creating wildlife sanctuaries, transplanting isolated species to restored habitats and imposing regulations on hunters and trappers. Over decades, they slowly nursed many wild populations back to health.
But after the Second World War something happened that conservationists hadn't foreseen: sprawl. People moved first into suburbs on urban edges, and then kept moving out across a landscape once occupied by family farms. By 2000, a majority of Americans lived in neither cities nor country but in that vast in-between. Much of sprawl has plenty of trees and its human residents offer up more and better amenities than many wild creatures can find in the wild: plenty of food, water, hiding places, and protection from predators with guns. The result is a mix of people and wildlife that should be an animal-lover's dream-come-true but often turns into a sprawl-dweller's nightmare.
"Nature Wars" offers an eye-opening look at how our well-meaning efforts to protect animals allowed wild populations to burgeon out of control, causing damage costing billions, degrading ecosystems, and touching off disputes that divided neighborhoods, polarized communities, and wreaked havoc on local politics. What's more, award-winning journalist and reporter Jim Sterba demonstrates what happens when Americans now spend 90% of their time indoors and how our society lost touch with the natural landscape and got its ideas about nature from films and television shows where wild creatures act like humans or are portrayed as furry, cuddly animals.
A deeply researched, eloquently written, counterintuitive and often humorous look at relations between man and beast--and the deepening chasm between the two--" Nature Wars" will be the definitive book on how we created this unintended mess.
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Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, "Born to Run "is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: "Why does my foot hurt? "In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. "Born to Run" is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

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Classic Hikes of North America: 25 Breathtaking Treks in the United States and Canada

Classic Hikes of North America is a beautifully photographed and eminently practical account of the best backcountry journeys in the United States and Canada. Peter Potterfield, an experienced hiker and photographer, has analyzed and graded these spectacular wilderness experiences with both beginners and avid hikers in mind.
Included in the book is helpful information, such as: level of difficulty, trail conditions, recommended seasons, potential hazards and difficulties, resource information, and detailed maps of hiking routes. Illustrated with more than 200 color photographs and hiking directions, here is inspiration and information in a single volume. There are routes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Big Beaver Little Beaver Loop in the North Cascades National Park of Washington State, and the Slate Range in the Canadian Rockies, Alberta and British Columbia, and many more. These are journeys to dream on, and Potterfield puts them within reach of any aspiring hiker.

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