Product Description
Having lived aboard a sailboat for several years, Migael Scherer had never before raced over water. So when an invitation came to join a six-person crew on a race, she said yes. Three years prior, Scherer's life had almost ended in a violent, near-fatal rape; the race becomes a personal voyage of recovery. She addresses the wonders and horrors, beauty and dangers of both the natural and "civilized" world. Throughout, she keeps an account of the race and its intricacies with the knowledge of a seasoned sailor and the freshness of a novice racer. Photographs and her story illuminate Scherer's successful struggle to recapture her love of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

How do we recover from trajedy?
the author had a gift for "Painting with words."I found this to be a wonderful, touching true story of one woman's relation to the sea, her husband, and the world around her.So very different from the typical "cruising the world" stories.

About restoring a passion for experiencing life
Written by a survivor of a traumatic and life-threatening sexual assault, Migael Scherer's Back Under Sail: Recovering The Spirit Of Adventure is about restoring a passion for experiencing life after having to endure unspeakable atrocity. Blending the challenges of learning to work with a skilled racing crew with the sometimes painful recovery from physical and emotional trauma, Back Under Sail is a powerful and life-affirming personal testimony. (...) ... Read more

Product Description
Chasing Dakar is the ultimate guide for motorcycle off-road enthusiasts everywhere who are searching for the extreme adventure riding experience. Everything you need to know about adventure riding and the Dakar Rally, from choosing and equipping your motorcycle to training and riding techniques, are found in Chasing Dakar. Learn how world-renowned off-road racers train, compete, and prepare. This guide will teach you how to prepare for the adventure ride of your life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book for potential motorcycle rally riders!
This book is full of info you simply will not find anyplace else... but serves a fairly specialized audience. If you are interested in preparing for, or simply knowing what it takes, to race in an endurance road book motorcycle rally, this is it! A steal at $20.

Good Guide for Adventure and Rally Riding
This book provides a good introduction into adventure and rally riding.It covers everything from riding techniques to physical training.This book is not a comprehensive guide to riding.Rather it is a good strarting point for people interested in adventure riding or rally riding.

Good Overview of the Dakar Rally
The book has great photos of Dakar riders and the Dakar rally itself. It is written by the team doctor with help from the KTM Red Bull North American team members. I found the photos and insider information very interesting and informative. There is very good information on training, preparation and adventure riding "how to's". I found information and photos that simply are not published in any other book. Unlike the first reviewer with the 1 star, I throughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in the Dakar Rally, toughest motorized race on the planet!

Good beginner's guide for adventure riding
I found this book to be a good beginner's guide for adventure riding/racing. The book isn't the end all "how to" manual of the entire Dakar rally but gives a really good overview on many important topics, and adventure riding in general. Lots of pictures and easy to read. Unlike the previous reviewer my book was not missing any paragraphs or words.

Not up to expectations
Unfortunately this book does not reach expectations as it is very badly edited. It gets very frustrating after a while because there are many words and paragraphs missing. This makes it very difficult to get into the book. So overall, a very disappointing Christmas present! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from ATV Sport, published by Ehlert Publishing Group on December 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1678 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Western civilization: an 'old west' adventure in Nevada's high desert.(GOINGPLACES)
Author: Blake Stranz
Publication: ATV Sport (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2004
Publisher: Ehlert Publishing Group
Volume: 7Issue: 9Page: 62(6)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
When international detectives, Max and Maddy, tackle the Bursting Balloons mystery, they're onto a tough case. Someone wants to sabotage a hot-air balloon race across America and they'll stop at nothing - bursting balloons, stealing sandbags, breaking baskets and guzzling gas! ... Read more

Product Description
Chronicles how Libby Riddles and her team of dogs won the world's longest and toughest dogsled race, the Iditarod, despite dangerous conditions--hungry wolves, killer moose, and frigid temperatures. ... Read more

Product Description

These three news hounds travel all over the United States to cover unusual and exciting events. This time they are headed for the Great Piney Woods Balloon festival in eastern Texas, where they will tape a thrilling race called the Ring Grab. Little does Isaac know that Molly has arranged for them to cover it from the air, in their own balloon....

Follow this daring trio as they experience many regions and climates, reading maps to keep them on the right trail. This fun-filled geography adventure will make your spirits soar! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

WME Loves the Newshounds
The Newshounds in the Great Balloon Race was a hit with my third grade students.As an elementary school librarian, I am always looking for the opportunity to reinforce curriculum topics in the library and when I can use a good story, all the better.My students thoroughly enjoyed Isaac and his crew as they travelled to our state (Texas). The book is presented as a "geography adventure" and includes suggested questions and activities from the author to assist in curriculum reinforcement, but it is also an enjoyable and humorous story as well.The students enjoyed pouring over maps and locating the places in the story.Being a former New Yorker myself, I enjoyed the opportunity to provide some information on the Hudson Valley (home of the WDG-TV news team).My students all asked:"Where will the next "On the Trail" report be from? ... Read more

Product Description
The story of Cars comes alive in this unique format. The book tells the story of Lightning McQueen, a hotshot race car determined to win the biggest race of his career. The book is paired with a McQueen car that actually drives on the book by following a printed track. The car has an infrared light that can "see" the track, while the McQueen car can be transformed with a Mater body to provide even more hours of driving fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nice idea ... poor execution
Book overall is very nice, bright colors for the illustrations. Enjoyable story and nice big pages that are easy to turn even though this is not a boardbook. Disappointed in the actual "cars" as they are cheap plastic (1 cracked almost immediately) ... they are not actual cars at all ... they are 3/4 hollow pieces of plastic that are placed on top of a moving "car" and they are odd the way they have to be situated to work. The actual lines that the cars follow for the "tracks" ... it is a nice idea but poor execution.

I would purchase the book to read but for the extra price with the "cars" that don't really work we were a bit disappointed. This book is read from time to time but the cars have long ago seen the inside of our garbage can.

Disney Pixar Cars Drive on Adventures
I purchased this Disney book for my 18 month old grandson.He loves the sounds and picture that the book provides.It is a very interactive book. ... Read more

Product Description
Every red-blooded motorcyclist dreams of making the Big Trip--the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook is the comprehensive manual to make that idea a reality. Timbuktu to Kathmandu or Patagonia to Mongolia--it's all here. This expanded and re-designed new edition is packed with essential advice and practical know-how on the vital preparation for undertaking a long journey off the beaten track, be it in a nearby wilderness area or on the other side of the globe. So whether motorcyclists are planning their own Big Trip across Africa, Alaska, or Asia, or just enjoy reading about other people's adventures, this handbook is guaranteed to illuminate, entertain, and above all, inspire.

This book covers:
>Documentation--what travelers need and how to get it
>Choosing a destination
>Preparing a bike for long-range touring
>Off-road riding techniques
>Shipping or airfreighting a bike
>Transcontinental route outlines across Africa, Asia, and Latin Americas, plus backcountry riding in Southwest USA, Northwest Canada, and the Australian Outback.
>Navigation and Survival--what to do when things go wrong
>A dozen first hand accounts of biking adventures from the Sahara, Central Asia, East Africa, Colombia and Bolivia, the Yukon, and even Idaho!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

No motorcycle or adventure travel collection should be without!
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: Worldwide Motorcycling Route & Planning Guide provides a powerful winning survey of how to use the motorcycle for world travel, offering a revised fifth edition with the latest practical tips on motorcycles, documentation, preparing a bike for touring, and trans-continental routes across Africa, Asia, Latin America and even the Australian Outback. No motorcycle or adventure travel collection should be without!

Excellent and well editted.
Very good book on the subject and immensely enjoyable but I am only 1/3 thru it.

Best point is the terse language.Say what needs to be said on a particular subject and move on.Don't dwell or indulge yourself.Any english teacher would be very proud.

Worst point is the small form factor of the book which detracts from some of the black and white photography making the pictures hard to see for my 40 year old eyes.This format is meant to be taken with you on the adventure.But the author publisher could indulge himself in a large format book that is used only for the the planning stagess at home when space is not a problem.I think the english teachers would allow a bit more.Both would still be recommended. There is no deception.The listing correctly lists the format.

Really good book
It s really a good book. A lot of info important for your trip you can find all in one place. You can also find which bike to chose for your trip.
I liked trick and tips for better ride but I wish it was more about it.
Anyway really a good one. Thumb up!

The best place to start
If you're even as much as thinking about riding a motorcycle unsupported across vast distances, you should buy this book.It's certainly not the be-all and end-all of adventure motorcycling, but it comes as close as possible.This is a practical, straightforward, well-written book that covers the basics of traveling across formidable terrain on two wheels.

With that said, you're definitely going to do more than just read this and take off--especially in the age of the internet (and especially if you're thinking about staying on the pavement).But look at this as your jumping-off point; and really, if you're planning on spending enough money to, say, ride a motorcycle around the world, you should start off with this relatively minuscule investment.

half of the book are strories written by other riders
and one of them left bad taste... the guy was riding in Africa with the author of the book and a buddy and had tire problem (tubes he put in were getting punctured after some miles). He was simply left out by his partners to deal with his problem and had some hard time when run out of spares .. It makes me wonder if author consider this story is good for his book what are the other ones..

there is some useful info in the book though... especially bike comparison ... Read more

Product Description
When Heather travels to Oklahoma to visit family friends, she is introduced to barrel racing. Falling in love with this quick-paced sport, Heather is thrilled when she returns home and discovers Rimfire, a fabulous Morgan barrel racer who just happens to be for sale. When her parents refuse to buy yet another horse, Heather convinces her friend Nicholas to purchase Rimfire. Everything is going well until Heather decides to take Rimfire to a competition without Nicholas's permission. What will happen to the horse as he makes that final turn around the last barrel and more importantly, has Heather jeopardized her friendship all for the sake of a ribbon? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

a must read!
rimfire by ellen feld is a fantastc book.i liked it because i now a lot about horses and i new what was going on.her words speak to me because i love horses so much.i cant belive heather took rimfire without asking nicholas for permission.i still love her though!ellen feld is my favorite author now and always!

The Trophy of Friendship!

RIMFIRE: THE BARREL RACING MORGAN HORSE

ELLEN F. FELD

Young Adult Fiction

Fall 2009 - 206 pp.


Willow Bend Publishing


ISBN: 9780970900210


Heather Richardson is initially reluctant to visit her parents' friends in the state of Oklahoma but becomes more excited when she hears they have a ranch with 20 horses. Her expectations are about to be wildly filled, as she makes a new dear friend, Katie, and discovers a whole new world of horse contests, barrel racing!!! At first glance, it seems rather easy but Heather is about to learn just how much skill is involved to train the horses to turn in different ways and directions with grace, style and speed. Add to that challenge the need to never abuse a horse in the training and to learn not to be careless in taking care of them. For these are beautiful horses whose thrill in every competition can clearly be seen in their enthusiasm in training and the actual contests! This is one summer that will fly by, for sure!

Heather is so excited about this new way of enjoying horses that she talks her friend, Nicholas's family into buying Rimfire, the horse she has come to love but can't have because her family can't afford another horse and Heather is not willing to trade one of her horses for Rimfire. One of the neat part of these Morgan Horse stories is the way friends share their passion for horse-riding and frequently ride together, riding their own horses as well as each other's horses who specialize in certain types of horse competitions.

Mistakes in the passion of enthusiasm are made by many riders, but Heather decides to barrel race a particular horse that doesn't belong to her and risks her own and Rimfire's well-being in the process. While the momentary thrill and the fear and guilt that follow are powerful feelings to prevent this from happening again, Heather has more to learn about trust, honesty, forgiveness disciplining one's self and re-earning trust.

Ellen Feld manages to teach basic skills about horses and human character without coming across like a teacher, nag, or preacher. Rimfire... like all the books in her Morgan Horse series manages to enchant all readers with a love for these beautiful horses, excitement in the challenges present in every conflict in the novels, and making the reader fall in love with horses, those who love them and the challenges they face in a very competitive field. Here's another novel that would make a terrific gift to buy for one's own reading or for some good friends and family members, young or old! Terrific, even better job in this latest novel, Ms. Feld!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal - December 7, 2009

This book is so captivating, you'll forget about everything but horse and barrel racing until you've turned the last page!
Heather Richardson was planning on spending a relaxing time with her horses over school vacation and was some disappointed when her mother told her they would be heading to Oklahoma to visit some friends.She wanted to spend some time with her horses and the only thing that brightened her day was when her mother said that the Henderson's had a daughter her age and. . .they had "more than 20 horses!"Heather was a horse lover or, if you asked some people, a horse fanatic.She was planning to spend some time at Chauncy's, the owner of Gallant Morgans, where she boarded her horses, but the chance for making a new friend and becoming acquainted with sooooo many horses was a big draw.Oklahoma, here I come!

The Hendersons turned out to be a very "horse" oriented family, just like the Richardsons.Katie and Heather were a bit shy when they were introduced, but before long they were acting as if they'd known each other all their lives.The "more than 20 horses" turned into forty-eight, but when you love horses, what's a few more?Heather joked that she figured she'd "died and gone to horse heaven."Heather's favorite horse was Blackjack and Katie's was Hot Shot, a "barrel racing horse."Heather never heard of such a thing, but she was soon trotting the gelding around the barrels in a cloverleaf pattern.She was hooked and got an adrenaline rush when she ran the "pattern at full tilt" a short while later.The "gelding bolted like a runaway horse being chased by a cougar."Horse heaven wasn't the word for it.

When Heather got back home, she was anxious to resume riding, but was a bit disgusted when she was invited to a birthday party at the Buckland Riding Academy.Now that sort of thing was for "people who don't know how to ride," and after her experience with Hot Shot this would be a bummer.To her surprise she, as a more experienced rider, got to ride Rimfire.He was actually a barrel riding horse and "was a bolt of lightening!" He was for sale and it didn't take much for her to convince Nicholas to buy him.Please, please, please!Soon they had Rimfire in training and they were going to exhibit and ride him in Redding.Nicholas had to cancel out, saying that she couldn't go alone because it had "something to do with liability."If she took him anyway no one would know any different. . ."the barrel moved and tilted and almost rolled over. . .a small trickle of blood oozed out onto her sock.""Pull up!Pull up!"The audience began to scream. . .

This book was nothing short of thrilling and each of Ellen Feld's books seems to be better than the last.This is the sixth in the Morgan Horse series that young people are raving over and their parents are most likely secretly reading when no one is looking.This book is so utterlycaptivating that you'll be so busy reading and chomping on popcorn, you'll forget about everything but the world of horses and barrel racing up until you turn that last page.Blackjack, Frosty, Rusty, Robin, Annie, Shadow, Rimfire. . .I just can't wait to see who shows up next.If you want to add a realistic award winning series to your list of horse books (and secretly read them) this is one you'll want to consider!

Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan
Heather is introduced to a new sport - Barrel racing.When Nickolas becomes unable to show Rimfire, Heather shows him and injures him.Because of this Heather learns an important lesson about friendship and what happens when you do something that you shouldn't.

Heather Reminds Me Of My Granddaughter
I don't know why I started reading Ellen Feld's books. Maybe one was just laying around and I picked it up and enjoyed what I was reading. And Heather reminds me of my granddaughter so I particularly enjoy reading about her. Fact is, RIMFIRE is the best of the books I've read. It's just a good, old fashioned read with all the appropriate elements. The one thing that's missing is the romantic relationship between Nicholas and Heather. Will that come in a future book?????????????? Only the author knows. ... Read more

Product Description
Racing History 2: Quixotic
Every WayFarer has a story.Every traveler tells a tale.
And in this life… you have to make a name for yourself.

What if you could remake yourself over from scratch? Who would you be? Where would you go? Who would you choose as friends, and who would become your enemies? What would you want most out of life, and what would you do to get it?
Diego Lee grew up on Virtuality and role-playing games. Becoming someone else is second nature to him. So when it’s necessary to do so, the man he invents is “Race Allen,” a quixotic adventurer with little regard for the law. He is a romantic science fiction cliché, the very bread and butter of space opera. His way of life is also completely unrealistic and, in the Stellar Union, utterly impossible to sustain. That’s not to say Diego can’t make a go of it: evading shuttlecops and bounty hunters alike, dodging between criminal organizations, and shooting without asking any questions at all.
For a couple years, he pulls it off with a little luck and the help of a chimeric copilot who’s at least a little more in touch with reality than he is. But they ride a slippery slope that can only end with both of them in custody. The question is: What kind of custody? While the Stellar Union Peacekeepers are closing in, two powerful men in two separate criminal organizations are growing impatient with these fractious starhoppers. Before long, they become more trouble than they’re worth. You might call it "diabolis ex machina," then, when the worst thing they can imagine (being apprehended by the law, that is) becomes the lesser of evils. And the end of this wild ride could mean the beginning of the end — of history itself. ... Read more

Product Description
Ted Mattson tells a quarter-century's worth of tales of the volunteer pilots' exploits above the trail--some funny, some somber--about what happens when a team of rambunctious dogs decides to exit the cabin of a fabric-covered airplane, about landing on sea ice in whiteout conditions, about miracle rescues and tragedies. It's the story of a sidelight to the Iditarod race that can be as exciting and as colorful as the main event. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

These guys are crazy!
This book comes highly recommended!!!

If you enjoy hearing true tales of wild heroics this book is for you.I read it page after page and laughed as the author so vividly drew me into each scene with these crazy Iditarod pilots.

Some of the stories are incredible and it really makes you want to go to Alaska to encounter some of this wild west dog sled fanaticism.

Don't miss this one...it is very enjoyable.Worthy of passing on to someone else after it's read.

The Perfect Gift
I purchased this book for my father, for Father's Day, and it turns out he has a personal connection to one of the book's subjects.I could not have been more pleased!He has been reading it voraciously and enjoying everypage.Dad's are always hard to buy for and it's great to hit the nail onthe head once in awhile.

Pilot's Perspective
I like adventure books, especially those that deal with northern flying.This title clearly fell into that catagory.The autor gave us a perspective of the Iditarod race that only a pilot could.As a pilot whohas flown in Alaska I found all of his flying information to be accurate. But best of all the book was very well written.The author has polishedhis work.The chapters are all very readable and fascinating.I wouldrecommend this book to anyone whose interests run along the same lines asmine do; flying, Alaska, adventure and the Iditarod.My only complaint isa complete lack of pictures.

It is a good book on a subject not easy to record.
Ted acquaints the reader with stories that could only come from being a pilot himself.Having done some flying in the Alaskan bush, I became acquainted with the author and know of his intense love of the subject.Irecommend readers also read "The Eye of the Rainbow", TedMatson's first writing. You will have a greater respect of the Alaskanadventurer. ... Read more

Product Description
Racing History is the full story of a singular moment in history, not Earth history or human history but all of history — the story of everybody — and the how and why that make all the difference. This ambitious 5-volume series flaunts its appreciation for pop culture (music, film, comics, television, videogames, and literature of all kinds. Sometimes silly, sometimes scary, alternately tragic and triumphant, but never boring, this is epic space-punk: space opera with a cyberpunk attitude and a touch of film noir.

Volume 1 (Episodes 1-7) is METEORIC, a dark & gritty story of life at the bottom of the glorious star-spanning civilization futurists rave about. This book introduces a man who will one day change the face of the galaxy. His early years are a trial by fire, preparing him for great challenges to come. People often talk of a “meteoric rise to fame,” but meteors never rise, only fall spectacularly... And Diego Lee lives both sides of that expression.

Episode 1: "Out of the Wasteland"
Chapters: "Mean Street" ... "Tenement Blues" ... "Getting Nowhere Fast" ... "Reality in the Face" ... "Turning Point" ... "No Going Back"

Episode 2: "Closer to the Stars"
Chapters:"Luck Be a Lady" ... "Starhopper" ... "Onward and Upward" ... "Outsider" ... "Persevere" ... "MVP" ... "Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright"

Episode 3: "Catch a Fallen Star"
Chapters:"Fallen" ... "Fallout" ... "Third Wheel" ... "Death in the Night" ... "The Great Outdoors" ... "Gun-Wielding Maniac" ... "See the Universe"

Episode 4: "Wish on a Star"
Chapters: "Star City" ... "The Magic Word" ... "Get Out Alive" ... "All Work and Some Play" ... "Family Business" ... "Poetry" ... "Summer Boy"

Episode 5: "Crash and Burn"
Chapters:"Temporary Insanity" ... "Incarceration" ... "The Treehouse" ... "Light Duty" ... "Man in a Box" ... "At the Bottom"

Episode 6: "Meteorite"
Chapters:"Questioning Reality" ... "Hangover City" ... "Just Pull the Trigger" ... "Killing Time" ... "Diko Rahan" ... "Glamour Boys"

Episode 7: "Chrysalis Crater"
Chapters: "Scar Tissue" ... "Back to Life" ... "Going Through the Motions" ... "Unwelcome Memories" ... "Here Comes Trouble" ... "Resurrection" ... "Race Allen Is Born"

http://www.sub-versive.com ... Read more

Product Description
A fun-filled adventure in the spirit of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by the New York Times-bestselling author.

Take a look at Casey and Lacey Nicefolk and you'll see two regular, all-American kids. But these brother-and-sister twins have a secret. Hidden in the family barn is the most magical-and coolest-gadget unknown to man: a mystical box that can turn any small object into a life-size replica.

When the twins' parents go out of town, the two decide to put the box to use. Taking a model boat, they create a fully functioning powerboat and enter a race up the Sacramento River. But this is no ordinary boat, and this is no ordinary race. What follows is a nautical adventure where being the first to cross the finish line is not the only prize. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The twins are back!
Clive Cussler writes riveting thrillers for adults. It is with real pleasure that we find he has extended his repertoire to offer the same fine writing to the age 9-12 set.

Lacey and Casey Nicefolk are ten-year-old fraternal twins with a well-kept secret: in the family barn is a magical machine that turns toys or models or miniatures into full size, working machines! When their parents are out of town, the twins decide to use this magical machine on a model of a boat (the "Hotsy Totsy" of the title), and use the resulting speedcraft--enhanced with a little magical embellishment or two--to enter a major boat race.

They overcome many obstacles in order to get their boat into the race (for example, being children, they don't realize there's a fee they must pay to enter the Hotsy Totsy into the race; they've left home with just enough money for lunch!); they meet many colorful characters--some friendly, some evil--and foil the getaway of a band of bankrobbers. Most important, they learn that there's more to winning than being the first across the finish line.

There's no real character development here, but the rollicking story will carry the young reader along -- and make him wish he had the twins' magical machine hidden in HIS garage!

Reviewed by Claudette Smith

Real cute story
I am a fan of Clive Cussler and was surprised to see that he had written a children's book. So of course I had to read it. I was pleasantly surprised. He had all of the suspense of his adult books but at a child's level. The story line was easy to follow and very interesting. I would recommend this book to anybody with children or grandchildren. If they are able to read it themselves, I would let them. If not, I would read it to them. It could be read at one sitting but I think it would be better if done as a good night story. There isn't any monsters or real scary stuff in it. I now want to get his other children book, The Adventures of Vin Fiz. So get this book as soon as possible and enjoy a light hearted story for children that an adult can enjoy also.

This book is awesome!
The book The Hosty Tosty was a really well written book because
interesting storyline and really excellent characters I strongly recommend
this book for kids my age to read.

An Exciting Boat Race for the Pre-10 Set
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." -- 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)

Having been quite disappointed by The Adventures of Vin Fiz, but generally liking the idea of Clive Cussler writing books for youngsters, I decided to take a chance on The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy. I'm pleased to report that Mr. Cussler must have read and taken his critics' many negative comments about The Adventures of Vin Fiz to heart. As a consequence, he begins to find his sea legs in The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy.

First, Mr. Cussler wisely chooses to set most of the action on the water, involving an antique motorboat that races the modern powerboats. As you can imagine, that gives a lot of "root for the underdog" opportunities as the brother and sister, Casey and Lacey Nicefolk, take on the overconfident, smug adults. There are some surprising complications that make the story more appealing. In addition, Mr. Cussler gives Lacey something to do besides praise her brother.

Second, the story has some important moral messages involved that are pretty well delivered. Parents and grandparents will be pleased about that.

Third, the "magic" element isn't played up so much here. That's all to the good.

The book feels as if it was written pretty rapidly. I say that because a lot of the descriptions of Hotsy Totsy swooping across the water basically repeat references to rooster tails. Perhaps Mr. Cussler needs an editor to remind him to vary his ways of describing the action.

I suspect that by the third book in this series, Mr. Cussler will have gotten a lot better at writing for youngsters. I suspect that many youngsters will be glad that he persisted in learning.

written for a younger person than a 12 year old
I read Cussler all the time and felt my grand daughter would love it at 12, but atlas she said it was too simple for a teen:
Still a great author for the adults. ... Read more

Product Description
Sex. Money. Horses.

Every year, on Valentine's Day, the great Thoroughbred farms open their breeding sheds and begin their primary business. For the next one hundred and fifty days, the cries of stallions and the vigorous encouragement of their handlers echo through breeding country, from the gentle hills of Kentucky to the rich valleys of California. Stud takes us into this strange and seductive world of horse breeding. We meet the world's leading sire, Storm Cat, the Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, and a nearly unmanageable colt, Devil Begone, who has found peace and prosperity on the banks of the Rio Grande servicing desert mares like Patty O'Furniture. Cheap stud, top stud, old stud, wild stud, from the Hall of Fame horse to the harem stallion with his feral herd, Stud looks at intimate acts in idyllic settings and the billion-dollar business behind them.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Eye-opening!
If you love to read about horses, you'll love this one.It is the good, the bad and the ugly about the racehorse industry!Very informative and a very quick read.

Breaks Well and then Fades
Firstly this book was written to be entertaining. It was not written by a man who works in the breeding industry and he is not trying to teach you how to start your own farm. This book is not going to impart the secret recipe to a champion. If I recall correctly I the author is a reporter of some sort.
What the book might do is help you to pass a few hours. It's a light-hearted, easy-to-read book. I thought that the beginning was especially good, but as the book progressed it started to lose it's zing.
I would recommend checking it out of the library for a fun read, but I would not buy this book myself.

Not bad. Not great, but not bad.
Kevin Conley, $tud: Adventures in Breeding (Bloomsbury, 2002)

"The most expensive thirty seconds in sports," the single line on the back of the book tells us, pointedly printed over the hindquarters part of a full-jacket photograph of Storm Cat, the most expensive American sire in history. New Yorker writer Kevin Conley takes us on a tour through the wild, weird world of horse breeding (mostly Thoroughbred, but a chapter is devoted to Standardbreds as well), and we get to meet a lot of very interesting people along the way, as well as the horses themselves. For wildness and weirdness, it can't be beat, as far as horse books I've read go; for writing, it's a bit different. I rush to say I may be affected by my recent reading here. I just finished up Bill Barich's most recent treatise on the racing world, and pretty much any racing writer would be hard-pressed to fill Barich's estimable writing slippers; everything else reads like Edward D. Wood, Jr., compared to Evelyn Waugh. Still, if you're interested in what goes on behind the camera (as it were) in the racing world, you could do a lot worse than to check out Conley's book. ***

Interesting, fun read but factually flawed
"Stud, adventures in breeding" is a well-written book that focuses as much or more on the human stories within the Thoroughbred breeding industry as on the equine aspect. One of the things that makes horse racing interesting is that every horse has a great human story behind it and the author skillfully impliments this fact. While the book is a good source of general, "inside information" and entertaining stories, it is certainly not an entirely accurate reference.Factual errors are common, distressing considering that the author is an editor of the New Yorker and contributes to a number of large publications.Smallish errors are more common, for example, the listing of Secretariat's syndication value as 5 million dollars rather than the actual figure of slightly over 8 million dollars. The bigger errors are more glaring.The most obvious to me is the report of the death during foaling of a prominent Standardbred broodmare. During my tenure as a farm veterinarian at Hanover, Daisy Harbor continued to produce healthy foals - something that would have been difficult for her to do post-mortem.
All in all, I recommend this book as a light-hearted look at what happens when the top racehorse de jour retires "to the breeding shed."There is more to it than girls, grass and money.

Funny,Interesting way to introduce horse racing/breeding
I don't know much about horses,I live in a place where owning one means you have the space,money, and can accomodate them to the colder climate. Needless to say, I went into this book knowing very little about them let alone what it takes to make a champion racehorse.

However, by the time I got done reading this book I was able to inform other people on horses in general and breeding them. I enjoyed reading it, Conley makes the whole business entertaining and practical for anyone to understand. I couldn't put the book down, everyday when I was finished with what had to be done life-wise I read this book. Despite this factor there are a few things in the book that one had to either know offhand or research. This is the only reason why it didn't get five stars from me. ... Read more

Product Description

Big adventures on the high seas—from one of the greatest seafaring writers of our age

Hal Roth’s vivid, authentic tales of the sea have riveted readers around the world for forty years. Here, in one volume, are three of his classic sea stories, each one a white-knuckled, rail-down voyage into the unknown.

A hard-working San Francisco husband and wife abandon their jobs, their security, and, some would say, their sanity to sail their 35-foot sloop to Japan and back—the long way! Over the next nineteen months, they discover exotic islands, fascinating people, and a whole new way of life.

A few years later these intrepid voyagers decide to try their luck against Cape Horn, but they will need a lot more than luck to survive the vicious storms, violent seas, and perilous shores of the world’s most dangerous stretch of water.

Then nine courageous sailors accept a challenge to do what has never been done before: to race alone, in a small sailboat, around the world—nonstop. Only one will complete the race; seven will be forced to withdraw, and one will simply disappear.

“Roth writes with grace, humor, and poetic insight about the vastness and beauty of the ocean.”—Library Journal

“By all means read all of Hal Roth you can find.”—Practical Sailor

“Roth’s books about his life at sea, including Two on a Big Ocean and Two Against Cape Horn, are universally listed among the most influential sailing books ever published.”—SpinSheet

“Roth can charm you out of your armchair.”—Kirkus ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great consolidation of essentail sailing reading
Anyone interested in modern sea tales will enjoy reading these. I actually had a version of one of these (Two Against the Horn) but decided to buy it anyway so I can re-read it in perspective with the other stories. Great buy.

Inspiring!
Never will a book import the reader into the stories as Hal Roth's "Seafaring Trilogy". This read has been nothing short of mesmerizing with astute tesimonials of culture, travel, geology, biology, history and of course, sailing. Any sailor will enjoy this book and the purest sailor will surely love it's teachings. Cheers to Hal Roth for this beautiful account.

Captivating Books
Hal Roth is by far one of the best storywriters I have had the pleasure of reading. He keeps his audience captivated by discriptions and background information from each place he visits. This trilogy comes highly recommended from my point of view.

Another good one
Another great Hal Roth book. It contains 3 of his books "Two on a Big Ocean," "Two Against Cape Horn" and "The Longest Race." I really liked the first two books, but wasn't so much into the "the Longest Race" as I have read about it before. Donald Crowhurst is just not my cup of tea :-(

Anyway, this is a great book and the shipwreck part of "Two Against Cape Horn" is quite engaging -- his descriptions of the people of Chile are also great to read. I wonder how much it has changed there since he wrote the book?

Anyway, if you like sailing, if you like these kinds of accounts, buy this book! ... Read more

Product Description
Has Cindy given up hope?

Customer Reviews (25)

I LOVE THOROUGHBRED by Horsegal
this like many other horse books was great. it's nice hearing about cindy's life.i love reading about people in the thoroughbred series diaries.cindy and ben are a cute couple .why won't cindy get married.she's so pretty.it's sad she can't race anymore.why did she have to get hurt?????but still it's a great book.PLEASE CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE TB SERIES!!!!!!!!!THEY'RE GREAT BOOKS

Whatin the World.........................................
THIS BOOK WAS TERRIBLE. I THOUGHT CINDY LIKED MAX, NOT SOME...SOME... GUY... NAMED BEN! SECOND OF ALL, CHAMPION IS NOT A LOCO HORSE AND STUPID ENOUGH TO RUN ASHLEIGH OVER, AND SELLING HIM WAS STUPID. MIKE WAS ACTING ALL PARANOID. I HAD ENOUGH OF THESE NEW BUT COMPLETELY PATHETIC THOROUGHBRED BOOKS.
Why oh why can't Joanna Campbell start the series over again where she left off?

good but could be better
One thing- WHAT HAPPENED TO MAX?
If you've read the series you know that Max was Cindy's boyfriend.So, where did he go??????????????Ben is very annoying in my opinion and i want Max to come back.However, it was nice to finally know what happened to Champion and Ashleigh's baby, and the book had enough action and struggle to be interesting.It made me like the series again.

Good, but a bit of a surprise.
Cindy's Desert Adventure just snuck itself into the series, in my opinion.

I have to say, first, that Cindy is my least favorite character in the Thoroughbred series.She was snotty, stuck-up, and any other words that don't point to anything good.After Glory's Rival I gave up on the Cindy books.It always turned out the same: the horse won the race by an amazing margin.But when Cindy made an appearence in the later books(which are wonderful,but the first few with Wonder,Pride,and the rest are still my favorites) she slowly became a character I could stand.This is a good book, and well written, but it still didn't quite have that... flame that some other books of this series have had.

Welcome Back Cindy!
I'm glad that Cindy is back. Unlike some people. Cindy is my favorite char in the Thoroughbred books. It was kinda stupid to sell Champion because of you know what. He's a TRIPLE CROWN winner here people! Just cause he did what he did is no reason to sell him! Northen Dancer was that way but look what he turned out to be! HAHA!!!!! Not many horses win the TC eather! It's an honor to own one!!!! :P Over all, it's a 4-star book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Stripes'Story
The tiny hooves barely make a sound against the track. They are drowned out by bigger, bolder throughbred hooves. A tiny zebra comes up face to face with the leading thoroughbred. they race under the wire together. It's a photo finish, ladies and gentlemen! And the winner is...STRIPES, the oddball zebra from a little farm in Kentucky!

Channing's father wasn't thinking about winning races as he scooped up the little bundle. He lifted the zebra into his truck and drove home. channing ran out to find out what happened. And a legend was soon sucking greedily on a warm bottle of milk.

Stripes grew bigger every day. He hung out with a shetland pony and a white show jumping mare, as well as various other interesting creatures, such as Snoop Dogg, who doesn't have ,much of a role but everybody loves him anyways ;).

Stripes makes his way as an underdogg, err, underdog and gets to the top soon enough. he enters as the longshot, making his supporters rich!!!when he wins!

This heartwarming story is like a child-version of seabiscuit. Both books have a message: The shape and size will; never, ever count-it's the heart that matters most. ;)

Dare to be different..........
Racing Stripes is a heartwarming story about a zebra that is rescued by a farmer and his daughter after the circus abandons him.The zebra finds his new home at the farm and thinks he is like all the other horses. The farmer's daughter, Channing and the barnyard animals become friends with Stripes.Stripes learns that he has a heart for racing and begins a competition with neighboring race horses. The neighboring thoroughbreds do not let him forget that he comes form the wrong side of the fence.....that he's different because of his stripes. The biggest horse race of the year, the Kentucky Derby, is fast approaching and Stripes along with the help of his friends begin to train. Together they face the race of their lives.Stripes' determination to be a winner brings life back to the farm and rekindles tragic memories of the past.Now it's up to Stripes to show the world that it's alright to be different.Will it be a photo finish for Stripes and Channing?I'll let you read the book to find the answer. ... Read more