Sports and Fitness Recent Picks

FEBRUARY 2011

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Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

Football Quiz Book / Paul Drew and Colin Jennings
"With questions on everything the dedicated football fan could possibly want to know about the beautiful game, ranging in difficulty from the challenging to the feindishly impossible, the 'Football Quiz Book' will appeal to old and young alike. With sections on all aspects of the game, from the 1960s right up to the present day, and from English non-League clubs to the winners of Euro 2008, the 'Football Quiz Book' is the perfect companion for every football fan with a thirst for sporting trivia." (Book Jacket)

Tahr : A New Zealand Hunter's Handbook / Steuart Laing
"Tahr are one of New Zealand's most desirable trophy animals. They provide spectacular hunting for both local and overseas hunters. Released in 1904 around the Mount Cook region, the original liberation spread along the Main Divide and in the 1970s numbered in the tens of thousands. Subsequent helicopter hunting dramatically reduced their numbers to several thousand. Recognising the unique status of this magnificent game herd of tahr, the "Himalayan Tahr Control Plan" was introduced to offer limited protection. Steuart Laing describes the habits of tahr, how to find them in their alpine environment, hunting methods, their introduction, spread and present status, and concludes with some hunting stories." (Global Books)

No Holding Back / Michael Holding with Edward Hawkins
"As one of the fastest bowlers the world has seen, Michael Holding went by the haunting nickname 'Whispering Death', claiming 249 Test wickets. It was a moniker earned because he advanced on the bowling crease with stealth-like malevolence. Despite having not laced his bowling boots since 1989, it remains a fitting sobriquet. As a commentator and administrator, Holding has delivered his views on cricket in the same manner that he played the game: he speaks softly with a rich Jamaican rhythm and is calculated in either criticism or compliment. No Holding Back charts his effortless transition from one of the great players to one of the great pundits. Holding graphically describes his days as a player, looking back at how he tried to deliberately hurt batsmen on the wastelands of Kingston and his first match for Jamaica when he almost collapsed from exhaustion - after only four overs! There is time, too to divulge what is was like to tour with West Indies and unmissable insights about sharing a dressing room with other legends of the game like Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv Richards and Malcolm Marshall. No Holding Back does not shirk the big issues, however and serves as an antidote to the often bland and shallow autobiographies of current players. Holding tackles why West Indies have slipped following their halcyon days, criticises Brian Lara for his off-the-field selfishness and laments the hypocrisy over the state of the game in the region. The controversy surrounding the Allen Stanford $20m spectacle, the ICC's handling of the abandoned England v Pakistan match, player power, illegal bowling actions and the threat of Twenty20 to the Test game are all subjects which Holding tackles with knowledge and class." (Global Books)

Liston & Ali : The Ugly Bear and the Boy Who Would Be King / Bob Mee
"Sport can offer catharsis in times of crisis, but not this time. Liston was a mob fighter with a criminal past, and rumours were spreading that Clay was not just a noisy, bright-eyed boy blessed with more than his share of the craziness of youth, but a believer in a shadowy cult: the Nation of Islam. Instead of a hero and a villain, boxing had served up two bad guys. Against this backdrop of political instability, of a country at war with itself, in a time when ordinary African American people were still being maimed and killed for the smallest acts of defiance, Liston and Clay sought out their own individual destinies. Liston and Ali follows the contrasting paths these two men took, from their backgrounds in Arkansas and Kentucky through to that sixteen-month period in 1964 and 1965 when the story of the world heavyweight championship centred on them and all they stood for. Using original source material, it explores a riveting chapter in sporting history with fresh insight and in rare detail." (Global Books)

A Last English Summer / Duncan Hamilton
"Combining reportage, anecdote, biography, history and personal recollection, A Last English Summer is an honest and passionate reflection on cricket's past, present and future. In 2009 the county system looked directionless and obsolete; more than ever the players blessed with central contracts seemed apart from, rather than a part of, the domestic game; the home Ashes series was for the first time only available on pay-TV; and, of course, the juggernaut of Twenty20 threatened to flatten all but the Test form of the game, suggesting it may soon eclipse even that as well. Duncan Hamilton has preserved this seminal, convulsing season, which in years to come may be seen as a turning point in the history of cricket. In the process he embarks on a journey - often a deeply personal one - through the history and spirit of the game." (Global Books)

Powered from Within : Stories about Running & Triathalon / Margreet Dietz
"Powered From Within will motivate runners and triathletes of all levels. Stories include profiles of two-time Ironman world champion Craig Alexander and his preparations for Kona 2009; three-time Paralympian and runner Gerrard Gosens; Ron Stuart who became a steeplechase world champion in his 60s after injury and polio halted his ambitions as a young athlete; Kate Rowe who became an Ironman 70.3 world champion in her 50s after taking out a $25,000 loan to fulfill her dream; and Bernie Millett who at the age of 67 runs a 3:16 marathon. Top running coaches Dave Scott-Thomas and Kevin Smith provide advice on marathon training. Age-group triathletes reveal their strategies to gain a mental advantage on race day. Female triathletes discuss their approach to the sport." (Global Books)

Golf in America / George B. Kirsch
"Written for historians and devotees alike, this volume explores the history of the sport of golf in the United States from the first informal game in 1888 to modern times. Kirsch (history, Manhattan College) moves beyond a simple chronology and explores the social underpinnings of the sport, noting how golf has spread from an upper-class pastime to a mainstream sport enjoyed by millions of Americans. Profiles of famous professionals (Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer) and amateurs (Bob Hope, Dwight Eisenhower and Bing Crosby) are also included. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)" (Syndetics summary)

The Joy of Geocaching : How to Find Health, Happiness and Creative Energy Through a Worldwide Treasure Hunt / Paul and Dana Gillin
"Ten years ago, it didn't exist. Now it's the most popular new outdoor game of the 21st century, played by millions of people in over 100 countries around the world.It's Geocaching—the GPS-powered global treasure hunt game, where players seek out hidden "geocaches" in some of the world's most spectacular locations, in urban streets, and even in your own home town.The Joy of Geocaching is your complete guide to setting off on your own exciting geocaching adventure, with plain-English instructions on getting started in the game—plus advanced secrets from the world's most expert geocachers!The Joy of Geocaching also takes you into the human side of the game, with wonderful stories about how the pursuit of hidden treasure has helped people heal frayed marriages, establish new friendships, and even save lives.Geocaching is more than just a game—it's a life-changing force that reconnects people with their planet, their families and themselves. Rediscover the joy of the outdoors with The Joy of Geocaching! Book jacket." (Syndetics summary)

Tararua Adventure Guide : Tramping, Rafting, Mountain Biking and Running in Tararua Forest Park / [written by] Jonathan Kennett ; [edited by Bronwen Wall]

Mountaineering : the Freedom of the Hills / edited by Ronald C. Eng

Greatest Moments in New Zealand Netball History / edited by Mike Bynum

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