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Top Ten Sports Books
The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden
Collins Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men, Conn and Hal Iggulden's The Dangerous Book for Boys became a mammoth bestseller in the United Kingdom in 2006. Adapted, in moderation, for American customs in this edition (cricket is gone, rugby remains; conkers are out, Navajo Code Talkers in), The Dangerous Book is a guide book for dads as well as their sons, as a reminder of lore and technique that have not yet been completely lost to the digital age. Recall the adventures of Scott of the Antarctic and the Battle of the Somme, relearn how to palm a coin, tan a skin, and, most charmingly, wrap a package in brown paper and string. The book's ambitions are both modest and winningly optimistic: you get the sense that by learning how to place a splint or write in invisible ink, a boy might be prepared for anything, even girls (which warrant a small but wise chapter of their own). Inside The Dangerous Book for Boys
Questions for Conn Iggulden Conn and Hal Iggulden are two brothers who have not forgotten what it was like to be boys. Conn taught for many years before becoming one of the most admired and popular young historical novelists with his Emperor series, based on the life of Julius Caesar, and his newly embarked series on Genghis Khan, while Hal is a theater director. We asked Conn about their collaboration. Amazon.com: It's difficult to describe what a phenomenon The Dangerous Book for Boys was in the UK last year. When I would check the bestseller list on our sister site, Amazon.co.uk, there would be, along with your book, which spent much of the year at the top of the list, a half-dozen apparent knockoff books of similar boy knowledge. Clearly, you tapped into something big. What do you think it was?
You only have to push a boy on a swing to see how much enjoys the thrill of danger. It's hard-wired. Remove any opportunity to test his courage and they'll find ways to test themselves that will be seriously dangerous for everyone around them. I think of it like playing the lottery--someone has to say "Look, you won't win--and your children won't be hurt. Relax. It won't be you." I think that's the core of the book's success. It isn't just a collection of things to do. The heroic stories alone are something we haven't had for too long. It isn't about climbing Everest, but it is an attitude, a philosophy for fathers and sons. Our institutions are too wrapped up in terror over being sued--so we have to do things with them ourselves. This book isn't a bad place to start. As for knockoff books--great. They'll give my son something to read that doesn't involve him learning a dull moral lesson of some kind--just enjoying an adventure or learning skills and crafts so that he has a feeling of competence and confidence--just as we have. Amazon.com: You made some changes for the U.S. edition, and I for one am sorry that you have removed the section on conkers, if only because it's such a lovely and mysterious word. What are (or what is) conkers? Iggulden: Horse chestnuts strung on a shoelace and knocked against one another until they shatter. In the entire history of the world, no one has ever been hurt by a conker, but it's still been banned by some British schools, just in case. Another school banned paper airplanes. Honestly, it's enough to make you weep, if I did that sort of thing, which I try not to. Reading Jane Austen is still allowed, however. Amazon.com: What knowledge did you decide was important to add for American boys? I notice in both editions you have an excellent and useful section on table football, as played with coins. Is paper football strictly an American pastime? I'm not sure I could have gotten through the fourth grade without it. Iggulden: I like knowing the details of battles, so Gettysburg and the Alamo had to go in, along with the Gettysburg address, stickball, state capitals, U.S. mountains, American trees, insects, U.S. historical timelines, and a lot of others. Navajo code talkers of WWII is a great chapter. It probably helps that I am a huge fan of America. It was only while rewriting for the U.S. that I realized how many positive references there already are. You have NASA and NASA trumps almost anything. As for paper football, ever since I thought of putting the book together, people keep saying things like "You have rockets in there, yes? Everyone loves rockets!" Paper football is the first American one, but there will be many others. No book in the world is long enough to put them all in--unless we do a sequel, of course. Amazon.com: Do you think The Dangerous Book for Boys is being read by actual boys, or only by nostalgic adults? Have you seen boys getting up from their Xboxes to go outside and perform first aid or tan animal skins or build go-carts? Iggulden: I've had a lot of emails and letters from boys who loved the book--as well as fathers. I've had responses from kids as young as ten and an old man of 87, who pointed out a problem with the shadow stick that we've since changed. The thing to remember is that we may be older and more cynical every year, but boys simply aren't. If they are given the chance to make a go-cart with their dad, they jump at it. Mine did. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to know the book is being used with fathers and sons together, trying things out. Nothing is more valuable to a boy than time with his dad, learning something fun--or something difficult. That's part of the attitude too. If it's hard, you don't make it easy, you grab it by the throat and hang on for as long as it takes. The book is often bought by fathers, of course. Their sons don't know Scott of the Antarctic is a great adventure story. How could they if it isn't taught any more? Good, heroic stories don't appear much in modern school curriculums--and then we wonder why boys don't seem interested. Amazon.com: And finally, on to the important questions: Should Pluto still be a planet? And what was the best dinosaur? Iggulden: Pluto is a planet. I know there are scientists who say it isn't, but it's big enough to be round and it has a moon, for crying out loud. Of course it's a planet. Give it ten years and they'll be agreeing with me again. As for the best dinosaur, it depends what you mean by best. For sheer perfection, it probably has to be the shark and the crocodile. Modern ones are smaller but their record for sheer survival is pretty impressive. I only hope humanity can do as well. The only thing that will stop us is worrying too much. Release Date: 01 May, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $13.72 
The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan, Miriam Peskowitz, Alexis Seabrook
Collins Release Date: 30 October, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $13.72 
Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy, Nathan Whitaker, Denzel Washington
Tyndale Release Date: 10 July, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $26.99 Our Price: $16.19 
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost
Hyperion Release Date: 06 November, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
The Complete Runner's Day-by-Day Log and Calendar 2008 by Marty Jerome
Random House Release Date: 24 July, 2007 Calendar More Info... List Price: $14.95 Our Price: $14.95 
Baseball Prospectus 2008: The Essential Guide to the 2008 Baseball Season (Baseball Prospectus) by Steven Goldman, Christina Kahrl
Plume Release Date: 18 February, 2008 Paperback More Info... List Price: $21.95 Our Price: $14.93 
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, Alwyn Cosgrove
Avery Release Date: 27 December, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $25.95 Our Price: $17.13 
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
Human Kinetics Publishers Release Date: 04 November, 2005 Paperback More Info... List Price: $19.95 Our Price: $13.57 
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
Anchor Into Thin Air is a riveting first-hand account of a catastrophic expedition up Mount Everest. In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and the other leaders, by the end of summit day eight people were dead. Krakauer's book is at once the story of the ill-fated adventure and an analysis of the factors leading up to its tragic end. Written within months of the events it chronicles, Into Thin Air clearly evokes the majestic Everest landscape. As the journey up the mountain progresses, Krakauer puts it in context by recalling the triumphs and perils of other Everest trips throughout history. The author's own anguish over what happened on the mountain is palpable as he leads readers to ponder timeless questions. Release Date: 19 October, 1999 Paperback More Info... List Price: $14.95 Our Price: $10.17 
Meat Market: INSIDE THE SMASH-MOUTH WORLD OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECRUITING by Bruce Feldman
ESPN Release Date: 18 September, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 |
Iggulden: In a word, fathers. I am one myself and I think we've become aware that the whole "health and safety" overprotective culture isn't doing our sons any favors. Boys need to learn about risk. They need to fall off things occasionally, or--and this is the important bit--they'll take worse risks on their own. If we do away with challenging playgrounds and cancel school trips for fear of being sued, we don't end up with safer boys--we end up with them walking on train tracks. In the long run, it's not safe at all to keep our boys in the house with a Playstation. It's not good for their health or their safety.
Top Selling Golf Books
The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost
Hyperion Release Date: 06 November, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
Golf:: The Best Instruction Book Ever! by Editors of Golf Magazine
Time Inc Home Entertainment Release Date: 23 October, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $29.95 Our Price: $19.77 
Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan's premise in this 1957 classic is driven home in bold letters: "THE AVERAGE GOLFER IS ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF BUILDING A REPEATING SWING AND BREAKING 80." Religions are founded on less, and Hogan's detailed analyses and illustrated demonstrations of grip, stance, posture, and the two basic components of the swing make up a sacred book. Though its very simplicity seems dated, this is the tome of technique that should serve as the foundation of every golf library. Release Date: 01 January, 1990 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.00 Our Price: $16.32 
Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations by Chris Santella
Stewart, Tabori and Chang Release Date: 01 October, 2005 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
The Game Before the Game: The Perfect 30-Minute Practice by Lynn Marriott, Pia Nilsson, Ron Sirak
Gotham Release Date: 04 October, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $22.50 Our Price: $15.30 
Golf My Own Damn Way: A Real Guy's Guide to Chopping Ten Strokes Off Your Score by John Daly
Harper Release Date: 06 November, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $15.95 Our Price: $10.85 
Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible: Master the Finesse Swing and Lower Your Score (Dave Pelz Scoring Game Series) by Dave Pelz
Doubleday As the reigning rabbi on the mysteries of golf from 100 yards in, Pelz has earned the right to anoint his expansive instruction on the short game a "Bible." A scientist by training, he's analyzed the macros and dissected the micros to come up with a gospel for pros (Lee Janzen, Vijay Singh, and Anika Sorenstam, to name a few disciples) and weekend hackers alike. Pelz fills his scripture with photos, illustrations, charts, and plenty of sage advice on pitching, chipping, sandplay, putting, equipment, execution, mechanics, technique, practice, attitude, lots of questions, and plenty of answers. Much of the Short Game Bible is pretty sophisticated stuff aimed toward better players--or, at least, players who take their golf seriously. But its basics are appropriate to any skill level of the game: Accurately assess your own weaknesses, and then go about improving them systematically with the author's carefully researched and tested plan. It seems so obvious, but the truth is, most golfers either beat balls on the range in search of distance or slave over eight-foot putts on the practice green; they fail to pay enough attention to the shots in between. Pelz does the math for you here; his figures add up, so that yours can go down--the golfing equivalent of forgiving sins and absolving trespasses. --Jeff Silverman Release Date: 11 May, 1999 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $34.95 Our Price: $23.07 
The Art of the Short Game: Tour-Tested Secrets for Getting Up and Down by Stan Utley, Matthew Rudy
Gotham Release Date: 14 June, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $25.00 Our Price: $16.50 
Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game by Joseph Parent
Doubleday Release Date: 14 May, 2002 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $17.95 Our Price: $12.21 
The Impact Zone: Mastering Golf's Moment of Truth by Bobby Clampett, Andy Brumer
Thomas Dunne Books Release Date: 03 April, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 |
Coaching
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, Alwyn Cosgrove
Avery Release Date: 27 December, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $25.95 Our Price: $17.13
Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
Human Kinetics Publishers Release Date: 04 November, 2005 Paperback More Info... List Price: $19.95 Our Price: $13.57 
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Dobbins
Simon & Schuster Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn't competed as a bodybuilder since he won the Mr. Olympia title in 1980, but he remains the sport's No. 1 icon. He hosts an annual bodybuilding contest in Columbus, Ohio, and allows a column to be ghost-written under his name in a muscle magazine. Today's bodybuilders may have bigger muscles than Arnold ever did, but everyone inside and outside the iron game gives him credit for exponentially broadening the popularity of physique training. With this updated Encyclopedia (it was originally published in 1985), Schwarzenegger wraps his huge arms around the entire sport. He hits the history of bodybuilding, the champions (he's quite generous in his praise of predecessors, contemporaries, and successors alike), the training systems. Some of the information is more bodybuilding lore than science; for example, exercises are said to "expand the rib cage" or develop the "inner" or "outer" chest, all physiological impossibilities. But they're still good exercises, and the book includes every movement imaginable for every muscle group. If you love the sport of bodybuilding, you'll want this book in your library, if for no other reason than to feast your eyes on the hundreds of photos of the best physiques in the history of the sport. And, in a pinch, the 800-page encyclopedia can fill in nicely for a missing dumbbell. --Lou Schuler 
Starting Strength (2nd edition) by Mark Rippetoe, Lon Kilgore
The Aasgaard Company Release Date: 21 October, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $29.95 Our Price: $29.95 
The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer by David A. Whitsett, Forrest A. Dolgener, Tanjala Jo Kole
McGraw-Hill Release Date: 11 January, 1998 Paperback More Info... List Price: $14.95 Our Price: $10.17 
The Triathlete's Training Bible (2nd Edition) by Joe Friel
VeloPress Release Date: 09 February, 2004 Paperback More Info... List Price: $22.95 Our Price: $15.61 
Stretching: 20th Anniversary (Stretching) by Bob Anderson
Shelter Publications When Bob Anderson first published Stretching in 1980, the fitness movement was new to most Americans. The term aerobics had just been coined in 1968, and few people outside bodybuilding circles had heard of Arnold Schwarzenegger yet. Now, fitness is such old hat that it's even had a backlash or two. Lots of the original ideas have been called into question, including the preeminence of aerobic exercise. But flexibility is bigger than ever; Pilates and yoga are two of the fastest-growing fitness programs in the U.S. in the early 2000s. The type of stretching Anderson recommends--called "static," meaning you sit in one place and hold the stretch for a specified amount of time--isn't exactly trendy, but it remains the most accessible way for entry-level exercisers to improve their flexibility. (Or, perhaps more important, to keep from losing whatever flexibility they have as they get older.) Those who already have the version of the book that's been put out by Shelter Publications since 1980 won't find a whole lot that's new in this 20th-anniversary version. Some of the simple drawings by Anderson's wife, Jean, have been updated to show athletes in sport-specific outfits doing stretching routines, and there are more routines than before. The new edition includes routines for children, stretches to do in front of the TV, and some exercises to do before and after gardening. Plus, the old staples remain--stretching routines for all muscle groups, and pre- and postplay sequences for common sports (football, baseball, basketball) and a few uncommon ones (equestrian, motocross, rodeo). He's also created routines for sports that barely existed in 1980, such as snowboarding, triathloning, and inline skating. The constant in Stretching is ease of use. Anderson doesn't need a lot of complex explanations because the drawings are so easy to follow. He makes it clear that stretching should make you feel better, not worse, and that it's not a competition. Any little bit you can do is better than not doing anything. That's a timeless message, which is why his book has been such an valuable reference for the past 20 years. --Lou Schuler 
Co-Active Coaching, 2nd Edition: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and, Life by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandahl
Davies-Black Publishing Release Date: 25 February, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $39.95 Our Price: $26.37
Golf:: The Best Instruction Book Ever! by Editors of Golf Magazine
Time Inc Home Entertainment Release Date: 23 October, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $29.95 Our Price: $19.77 
New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove
Avery Release Date: 29 December, 2005 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $25.95 Our Price: $17.13 |
Hunting & Fishing
Blue Book of Gun Values by S. P. Fjestad, Steven P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications, Inc. Release Date: 09 April, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $39.95 Our Price: $31.32 
Backcast: Fatherhood, Fly-fishing, and a River Journey Through the Heart of Alaska by Lou Ureneck
St. Martin's Press Release Date: 18 September, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat?: Misadventures in Hunting, Fishing, and the Wilds of Suburbia by Bill Heavey
Atlantic Monthly Press Release Date: 10 November, 2007 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $23.00 Our Price: $15.64 
Shooter's Bible - 99th Edition by Keith Sutton
Stoeger Publishing Company Release Date: 14 June, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
Gun Digest 2008 (Gun Digest) by Ken Ramage
Krause Publications Release Date: 27 July, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $29.99 Our Price: $19.79 
The New Marine Aquarium: Step-By-Step Setup & Stocking Guide by Michael S. Paletta, Edward Kadunc, Scott W. Michael, John Goodman
TFH Publications Release Date: May, 1999 Paperback More Info... List Price: $19.95 Our Price: $13.57 
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting (Politically Incorrect Guides) by Frank Miniter
Regnery Publishing Release Date: 17 September, 2007 Paperback More Info... List Price: $19.95 Our Price: $13.57 
The ABC's Of Reloading (ABC's of Reloading) by Bill Chevalier
Krause Publications Release Date: 12 January, 2005 Paperback More Info... List Price: $21.99 Our Price: $14.95 
Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die by Chris Santella
Stewart, Tabori and Chang Release Date: 01 June, 2004 Hardcover More Info... List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $16.47 
Standard Catalog of Firearms 2008: The Collector's Price & Reference Guide (Standard Catalog of Firearms) by Dan Shideler
Krause Publications Release Date: January, 2008 Paperback More Info... List Price: $34.99 Our Price: $23.09 |
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