Customer Reviews (1)

Great Fishing book especially for the beginner.
All of the books by Vic Dunaway about fish identification are very well written and useful. ... Read more

Book Description
This comprehensive title covers individual ball handling, passing, combinationbasic passing, individual fundamentals of shooting, shooting, counter attack, two-meter playerand front court offense, and six-on-five extra player basic drills. Dozens of diagrams andillustrations make learning these drills easy for both coach and player. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A must for all coaches
Great book. It outlines excellent drills, and the reasons for doing them. I would recommend it for all coaches and/or players looking to improve their game.

Very helpful
I am a relatively new coach, and this book is making my job a lot easier. The drills are easy to understand and useful and the book is very well organized. I always consult it when planning practice. I'm ordering the defensive book right now. ... Read more

Book Description
Why do baseball fans stretch in the seventh inning? Why do hockey players wear shorts? These are the questions that try sports fans souls, sending the most ardent athletic aficionados into a tailspin. Luckily, sports lore is the domain of Answer Guy, whose column in ESPN The Magazine is the first place those fans turn to for answers.Now Answer Guys hilarious, highly anecdotal and mostly correct answers are compiled for the first time in this easy-to-tote volume that includes 65 of the best published and never-before-seen columns along with new material such as: testimony from famous and not-so-famous Answer Guy sources; an Answer Guy quiz; A Brief History of Inquiry; and questions Answer Guy thought of asking but didnt. ... Read more

Book Description

Whether your interest is in paddling in more challenging conditions, or in learning new skills and concepts that will boost your confidence for more sheltered paddling, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters will help you get the most out of your time on the water.

With stunning photography by Jock Bradley and Paul Villecourt, fun illustrations, and a gold mine of knowledge passed on by expert paddler and instructor, Alex Matthews, Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters is a must-have for all sea kayakers.

YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

• Choosing and caring for equipment
• Optimizing your strokes and paddling techniques
• Rough water safety and rescue
• Navigating through tidal currents
• Paddling in surf zones
• Dealing with wind
• And much more...

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Reference
As a dedicated sea kayaker, I found this book to be an excellent addition to my library on sea kayaking.It's beautifully illustrated with numerous high-quality photographs.I wouldn't characterize it as an instructional book but more of a celebration and introduction to kayaking in challenging "big water" conditions.There's enough information to get one's appetite engaged and probably enough to get one started in learning the techniques needed to manage those conditions.However, it shouldn't be regarded as a substitute for formal instruction and practice. ... Read more

Product Description
Greg Davenport's Books for the WildernessThe second book in the Wilderness series covers the techniques and equipment necessary for surviving in water. Photos and drawings illustrate gear and techniques. Survival skills include keeping warm, creating a campsite, purifying and de-salting water, and finding food along the coast. Learn to navigate with a map, compass, and sexton and how to use a sea anchor and improvise sails. Learn how to signal for help, especially in open water. Upcoming books in the series are Surviving the Desert and Surviving the Jungle.About the Author:Greg Davenport is the author of Surviving Cold Weather (0-8117-2635-5), Wilderness Survival (0-8117-2985-0), and Wilderness Living (0-8117-2993-1). He is a certified USAF survival instructor and owns and operates the wilderness education school Simply Survival in Stevenson, Washington. Best-selling author of survival books devotes one to water Dealing with health issues and wildlife hazards in coastal and open water environments ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best informational book out
I play water polo on the high school level and this book helped me to understand the game...Even if you don't play you can always check it out. ... Read more

Book Description
Features 34 conditioning drills, 11 individual defense drills, 8 two-meter defender drills, 6 defense against the counterattack drills, 15 team defense drills, 6 5-on-6 drills and nearly 20 goalie drills. Each drill is thoroughly explained, illustrated, and many are diagrammed to make them easy to understand and apply. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Clint Willis, the anthologist de l'extrème who brought us High, takes to the brine for a wide-lens collection of tales from the high seas in Rough Water. Much of it aims for the outer reach as portrayed in Sebastian Junger's Perfect Storm. Armchair navigators will thrill to the dangers and codes of honor that intermingle in the surf, as in Robin Knox-Johnston's stiff-upper-lip telling of his solo circumglobal sail: "I was in the lead and stood a slight chance of winning, and I felt that this would be worth giving an eye for, so I carried on." And like many anthologies, this one may draw readers to the full-length versions. Tony Farrington's harrowing account of a rescue in the South Pacific stands on its own, but others, like Steven Callahan's "Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea," beg for a full telling. Not recommended for a pleasure cruise. --Tipton BlishBook Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Save Your Money
Save your money and purchase the REAL stories 'outlined' in this cheap book put together to ride the wave of The Perfect Storm.The collection of stories is nothing more than a collection of extended abstracts of the real stories.Many of the 'abstracts' are taken out of context and the reader does not get an accurate picture of what and why the nautical situation developed or how it concluded.Pass on this one.

An average anthology
This book is in a series put out by Adrenaline books and each book contains certain selections chosen by the editor. The selections are either excerpts from books, excerpts from diaries and journals, short stories, oran occasional essay. I look at how good the writing is, and how good thestories are.

There are 16 selections in this book. Half of them rangefrom good to great, and the other eight are fairly poor. The writing isokay throughout, with some being more exceptional than others, but it's thestories that differ the most in quality. Six of them, whether written wellor not, have virtually no story whatsoever or are very poor. As it turnsout, the best stories in this book are also some of the better written.This is where the book's strength shows up. The selections introduce you tostories and books you may have never read and after reading some of thegood selections, it makes you want to go read the books they were takenfrom. So I would mostly recommend this book to people who have not readmuch or any sea stories. It introduces you to a wide variety of sealiterature. But otherwise I would only lightly recommend it by saying thateveryone would find some selections that they really like.

Oustanding collection
Clint Willis has created a fascinating series of books with Epic, Climb, High, Wild, Ice, Rough Water, and The War.Each of these volumes presents the best literature about their respective subjects in a powerful cohesive manner.These books are a quick read, but intricate and spellbinding.Ihave given many of them to friends and family as gifts.

Smooth stories of rough water.
I have never known much about life at sea. I got this book because it was in the series of good collections by Clint Willis. I figured it would probably not be as good as his others, but I was pleasantly surprised. Iliked as much if not more. Stories ranging between the plights of sea-mencaught in huge storms to single individuals trapped in the solitude of anopen sea. These stories are from today as well as from the distant past. Ifyou're intrigued by the sea but don't have much knowledge of the world itcreates, take a look at this book. It's wonderfully diverse and highlyadventurous.

Humbling examples of humanity at its best and worst
These accounts by sailors captured in truly overwhelming situations form a microcosm of humanity in extremis--the reader can't help but compare his or her notions of his/her bravery, cowardice, fortitude, skill, intelligence,and sanity to those of the real-life characters in the anthology. Though the book is awash in humbling, awe-inspiring accounts of the almostmythic power of the ocean, its storms and waves and wind and rain aresecondary to the humanity of the people in its grasp. The most compellingelement of these stories is the will to survive of their characters, andthe craftiness and real bravery employed in doing so (with a couple notableand harrowing exceptions). There isn't a weak selection here. ... Read more

Book Description
WATER AEROBICS FOR FITNESS AND WELLNESS, Third Edition offers the latest information for obtaining and maintaining wellness through water aerobics. Full of illustrations and over 100 photos, the text is appropriate for water aerobic classes or activity programs in colleges and universities, health/fitness clubs, and health promotion programs in general. It provides students with guidelines, exercises, and examples to develop a water aerobic program. The text also includes unique chapters on fitness assessment, nutrition, and weight management to encourage a lifetime of fitness and wellness program. Since most theoretical information is often overlooked, the use of this text will provide an excellent resource guide to all participants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent illustrations!
I really like this book and find it very user friendly.The exercises contained are excellent! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Greate information on camping this wonderful area
Cliff does a great job of introducing the area and providing good basic information on canoe camping.He also stresses the importance of proper techniques to limit the human impact to this natural national treasure.

A Great Book Filled With Excellent Tips on Canoe Camping!
Before setting out on our first trip to the BWCA five years ago, I bought Cliff's book.I read it cover to cover and found it packed with practical information that helped make my first trip (and all my subsequent trips)completely enjoyable.I've re-read the book every year since.I'vefollowed Cliff's tips, and he's never let me down.Yes, put thegroundcloth inside your tent, and you'll never have a wet sleeping bag. Use a tumpline when portaging .... it relieves a the stress of carrying aheavy pack.Don't hang your food in a tree, unless you want a bear to tofind it!Follow Cliff's tips.I've heard him speak on the subject ofcanoe camping several times...and he brings many years of valuableexperience.I highly recommend reading this book before taking your nextcanoe/camping trip!

Boundary Waters Canoe Camping...With Style
An excellent book for anyone who is interested in canoeing, camping or the B.W.C.A.Timely information for the first timer in the BWCA or for those that have made many trips. Well written and illustrated. A must for theBoundary Water traveler!

An Interesting Perspective
Reading the other reviews submitted about this book, one would think that it is either the best or the worst book ever written about the special requirements of canoe camping in the boundary waters.Well, it is neither. I take a 14-plus day trip to the Quetico every other summer, and havetravelled many of the most challenging and remote routes of the park.Thevalue of this book is that it offers one set of ideas as to the best way togo about one's business in the wilderness. These ideas are not definitive,and I flatly ignore many of them.That said, I have also adopted some ofthe ideas found in the book, or at least reconsidered my tried and truemethods based on some of the author's recommendations.If you're lookingfor a book to stimulate you to think about different ways of doing thingsin the woods-- this is a good choice.If you're a beginner, this isn't abad place to start, but it would be a bad place to stop.There are as manydifferent ways to go about travelling in canoe country as there are lakesin the Quetico.Almost all have something to offer.None are perfect. This book is worth reading as part of the exploration and learning process.

A fineintroduction to the Boundary Waters
The one star reviews on this page are very misleading. Cliff Jacobson does recommend useful equipment but is hardly a shill for manufacturers -- no specific brands are mentioned, but helpful ideas and a long life as apaddler and instructor are put forward in this fine introduction to theBoundary Waters. This book is an introduction, and it is highly recommendedby many outfitters in the Boundary Waters. It gives just enough informationto aid in planning a trip to the area, but the expert with plenty ofcanoeing experience will probably want to look into Jacobson's other books,which are equally well written and researched. In planning my second tripto the Boundary Waters, I found the book helpful and useful -- it has noneof the fluff intimated by some of the other reviewers on this page. I foundthe book a good, solid investment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Water Exercises OK help for Water Aerobics
This book is very simplified. It would be great for someone who has no idea what they're doing in aquatic exercises. I purchased it to gather some new ideas for the water aerobics classes i teach implementing the aqua noodles we have but rarely use. I got a few stretches, leg exercises, and fun games out of it, but since we have other equipment that is much more useful than the way they use the noodle in the book, I have probably already used all the new moves from the book that I ever will. It would be great for someone looking to do a light workout or possibly activites with children, but is not extremely helpful for those with prior aquatic exercise knowledge.

be cautious when purchasing this book
As a water fitness instructor, I did not find this book to be a very good resource. 1) Most of the exercises in the this book can be done without an aqua noodle. 2) Some of the exercises, in particular, those in which the participant hangs suspended by the shoulders, with the noodle under the armpits, are contraindicated--hanging by the shoulders from any floation device can cause joint injury. 3) In large classes, the exercises using 2 noodles and other floataion devices are not feasible. 4) the abdominal exercises shown do not use water resistance effectively---many upright exercises that encourage participants to stabilize in turbulent water are much more effective. I was hoping for some creative, innovative, and safe exercises, but there are none in this book.

Workouts with the Aqua Noodle
I really like this exercise book.It gives you an example of how to perform the exercise as well as variations of the exercise.It tells you what part of your body you are working and that is extremely helpful when teaching a class.I like that the books starts from your head to your toes and there are exercises for every part of the body.I am getting a lot of use out of this book!!!

Picture Perfect!
This illustrated book was much more helpful to me than I had anticipated. ... Read more

Book Description
Written by a team of international contributors, from Australia, Europe and the USA, the text uses international case studies and examples to illustrate and highlight discussion.

Contributors include: Paul Beedie, De Montfort University, UK; Kay Dimmock, Southern Cross University, Australia; Gary Easthope, University of Tasmania, Australia; Simon Hudson, University of Calgary, Canada; Gayle Jennings, Griffith University, Australia; Lilian Jonas, Jonas Consulting, USA; Les Killion, Central Queensland University, Australia; Gianna Moscardo, James Cook University, Australia; Harold Richins, Sierra Nevada College, USA; Chris Ryan, The University of Waikato, New Zealand.

* A unique insight into these growing areas of the tourism industry looking at their interaction, market profiles, advantages and their effects on the environment.
* International contributor team provides a wealth of perspectives and case studies
* Considers future directions and impacts (positive and negative) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a must for an oregon canoeist
i've lived in central oregon for 25 years and this book exposed me to hundreds of great canoeing lakes i did not even know existed... ... Read more

Amazon.com
There's a lot of mythology surrounding swimming and water exercises: that water work is only for senior citizens, arthritis sufferers and rehabbing professional athletes; that it's not an efficient way to build cardiovascular endurance or burn fat; that it's inferior to land-based exercise programs like running and weight training. Water Workouts not only attacks those myths, it shows how to use a swimming pool and a few pieces of equipment to improve everything: strength, endurance, flexibility, muscularity. If you don't mind getting wet, this is one of the best workout manuals you'll find. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first book on water exercise that truly makes sense.
A well-written first person summary from two authors who are authorities in water exercise, one a swimming coach and triathlete, the other a Harvard sports medicine surgeon.A concise description of what is medically and scientifically sound for water exercise, yet dispersed with real-life exercises and experiences.There are many mentions of their experiences in the water with famous athletes and details of what works for them.There is a very informative guide at the end which explains their philosophy on nutrition, aerobic exercise and flexibility.It is an inspirational reading on a topic which needs more authority.I want to read the next book they write together!It is easy and informative reading, and a must for both the serious athlete and the athlete looking for a tough workout in a forgiving environment. ... Read more

Book Description
Featuring the largest and most diverse range of sports of any comparable book-more than 200 in all-from basketball to bobsledding, karate to korfball, synchronized swimming to ski-jumping, this up-to-date and authoritative guide presents information sourced from leading experts and sports governing bodies around the world to give you the most comprehensive book on sports to ever hit the market. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Sports Lover
Saw this book in a local bookstore but found it here for half the price. Bought it for my sport-loving son for Christmas. He and I both love it. It shows the basic rules, attire and layouts for hundreds of sports...some of which I have never even heard of. Should come in handy for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.

Sports Book
Purchased for my grandson for Christmas.Granddaughter scanned it and wants one too.Both are sports enthusiasts;One is a young coach and the other a sports commentator on TV.

The Sports Book
VERY COOL LOOKING BOOK and VERY detailed about all sports.Great for all the sport lovers in your life!Highly recommended.

Sports Book
Purchased as a birthday gift for my 12-year-old nephew and he just loves it. Says it has EVERYTHING in it.
No problem with the order. Arrived on time and was exactly as depicted. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Every spot!
I think I got the first copy of this book. It's like nothing ever published by anybody, including Mr. T. An awesome amassing of information written like only Stienstra can. A must read: The story about his Old Green Canoe in the front of the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Some sports--the solitary ones, in particular--are simply more prone to mysticism and mystery than others. Golf, certainly. Long-distance running, of course. Fishing. Climbing. Each has a literature that confronts the essence of its lonely pursuit and explores the way the solitude and self-discipline these sports demand grow the spirit and fill the competitor. Lambert's graceful reflection on rowing is a lovely addition to the genre, part memoir, part narrative, part celebration of a relatively arcane endeavor, and utterly provocative. The superficial journey here is over water; the real one is internal. "Like Einstein," he writes, "we wish to know God's thoughts. We shall attempt to pry them loose with an oar. The raw elements of the sport are our teacher: the wind and the water, the boat and its oars, our own bodies and minds." Given those elements, it's no surprise that the education is a profound one. The surprise is how accessible and appealing it turns out to be. --Jeff SilvermanBook Description
In this wise and thrilling book, Criag Lambert turns rowing--personal discipline, modern Olympic sport, grand collegiate tradition--into a metaphor for a vigorous and satisfying life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

LAME!
Over the top and over writen! I couldn't read more than half of it. I'll never get those hours back!
I know I never want him in my boat, if he talks the way he writes!

not for athlete
This will be a short review. To use an example visit the sample extract that is offered on this web site. The author mentions a double head. He builds it up as something mythic and impossible. This is a joke. Six miles is nothing. Just nothing. Its a warm up for some. Sports writing is not easy but effort should be made to represent the true hardships of a sport, because if you fake it you also fake the joy that can be derived from the sport. Rowing is tough and you learn a lot about yourself from it but limiting it to oh its really cold in the morning and the hagiographies of US olympians is boring and misguided.I suggest Lambert visit a few more boat clubs.

I'm buying six copies
I generally read fiction for entertainment. And, in fact, generally loathe books anywhere in a stone's throw radius of the personal development genre.However, Mind Over Water really touched me. Lambert's insights are packaged in such a way that they both are easily absobed and entertaining.I'm buying a copy for each of my closest friends with the suggestion that they read it once per year, about 5 pages at a sitting.

Gaack! Just when I'd given up highlighting my books. . .
"Mind Over Water" falls into the category of the memoir, highly personal and considered memories and musings. It's about rowing and, as the subtitle states: "Lessons on Life from the Art of Rowing." If you don't like this kind of book, steer clear. You also won't like "Green Thoughts: A Writer in The Garden." On the other hand, if you do like this kind of book, "Green Thoughts" is also recommended.

"Mind over Water" is about rowing internalized, what it means to row and race and how these lessons can be applied to life. As such, its primary goal is not so much instruction as translation. And translations, of course, are never exact, which may account for some of the animosity of other reviewers.

So what is "Mind Over Water" really about? It's not so much about rowing as it is about what rowing means to the author. As such, you can't really fault it for not being the book you might write about rowing or for not being an instruction manual. It has humbler ambitions. Think of it as an off-water musing.

In any case, I liked it. And, yes, I had to get to get out the highlighter. Among those who like the book, everyone is going to have favorite passages, as some of these reviews attest. Here are some of mine:

"Edges form outlines. If our boundaries determine our identities, then we learn who we are by finding our limits."

"Sliding between dark and shadow, between sunlight and the obscure, is the region of discovery."

"Staying on course limits your attention to the boat and its rowers, who are, after all, the motor that takes you there. The goal does not disclose itself until it is attained."

"Mistakes shine a spotlight on our model of reality and show us its flaws. Unexpected outcomes help us refine our picture of nature."

"Tall smokestacks rise from the powerhouse and waft plumes of smoke into the sky, the epitaph of fuel burned into power."

If this kind of writing disturbs or bores you, look elsewhere. If not, you might find "Mind Over Water" as enjoyable as I did.

as much about self-discovery as about rowing
A book that aspires to describe perfection better start with a sentence that aspires to perfection.

This is how Mind Over Water begins: "In the darkness, deep in silence, the lights --- green, red, a few of white --- surge ahead, in the rhythm of breathing."

If this were a class, Butler could riff for 10 minutes on that line. For now, let's leave it at this: You're in a long, narrow boat, with a skin that's just one-sixteenth of an inch thick and oars that extend fifteen feet. It's 5:45 a.m. on an October morning in Boston. It's chilly. And you are about to begin a race that is the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest. On a Tuesday morning. Before work. Just for fun.

Okay, Craig Lambert, a veteran oarsman and a stylish writer, is a little bit crazy. Well, so are the best rowers. And so is Harry Parker, the Harvard crew coach whose exploits first got Lambert, a gifted amateur, interested in writing professionally about the sport.

You never heard of Harry Parker? He'd be thrilled. Recognition is the least thing he cares about. He's single-minded about something else: winning. And win he does. He became Harvard's crew coach in 1963, when he was just 27. For the next 6 years, Harvard did not lose a single intercollegiate race. His crews won 18 consecutive races against Yale. His winning percentage from 1963 to 1997 is .806 --- he is, very probably, the most successful coach in any sport in the whole and entire world.

Harry Parker has some voodoo wisdom that Craig Lambert has absorbed. And then there are the home truths Lambert's picked up himself along the way. Some samples:

"Speed demands that we risk our balance. Velocity comes with volatility... That which is stable is slow."

"Being part of a crew makes the individual shine; in rowing you pull harder and longer that you could ever alone because everyone else in the boat is depending on you."

"My years of rowing in eights [eight-man boats] convinced me that to succeed in this world we must be willing to do whatever is required despite what our mind says."

"Sometimes the best response to stormy weather is to unleash your own tempest. It is one way to restore equilibrium."

"Grabbing an early lead costs energy, an expense that may later haunt the front-runner... In practice, Parker would remind his rowers that when opponents jump out in front, you must make them pay the price."

"To build a winning crew, select the right athletes, place them in the proper seats, and allow for the freedom to create. In other words, hire the right people for the right jobs and manage with a long, loose leash."

If you're employed in almost any organization Butler can imagine, he'll bet that last idea is one you'd like to print out and slip under the boss's door. That's light years away from the sport of rowing --- and yet it's not New Age, hippy-dippy sloganeering. What it is, Butler submits, is writing at a level we're not used to seeing very often: prose that yokes close observation of the real world with deep wisdom about the world inside.

"We are out here in the darkness to reveal ourselves, to discover who we are," Lambert writes. "With the oars, we attempt things that we cannot do, we confront that which is beyond our capacities. Mind over water. The shells transport us into the unknown."

It almost makes you want to get out there some early morning and see how far, how fast, how smoothly you could make a boat --- or, really, your life --- go.

... Read more

Product Description
From the big-wave surfers of Tahiti and the salty hurricane chasers of New England, to the cliffs of Molokai's infamous leper colony and the Wild Coast of South Africa's Transkei Homeland, Return by Water brings light to surfers' lives around the world with amazing sense of place and deft character portraits of the famous, ordinary and irascible surfer alike. Follow surf journalist Kimball Taylor on his travels through South Africa, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Indonesia and more. The journey is as transforming and definitive as any surfer's first trip away from home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not impressed
The cover is much more engaging than the stories. They are not bad, some interesting images, but nothing to write home about. The writing skill and the introspective is what you might expect from a surfer journalist dude. All of it very little to do with surfing actually, but more of a mediocre journalists' travel diary. As a surfer and a reader, I preferred Daniel Duanes' "A Surfer's Year on the California Coast". Sorry, guys, I could be just PMS-ing but...not really.

A Terrific Read

Kimball Taylor writes with succinct clarity, beguiling empathy and a crazed, matter of fact humor that will delight most anyone who loves a story. He travels the world, knows it's oceans and understands that getting to the water and meeting the people along the way is essential to the joy of surfing.

Driving desperately through the South African outback to legendary waves - somewhere, he writes, "In a daze of passing kilometers, I begin to suspect the positioning of the potholes is not senseless, does not exist in chaos, but that each communicates in a kind of morse code. And I believe I know what they were saying. They read, dot, dot, "Get off the f*@#ing road before you die here."

Any adventurous surfer has been there, the rest of us wish that we had. Return By Water is a terrific book and will have to suffice until Kimball's next one.

Rad Travel Stories
I really enjoyed "Return by Water."Each story places you in beautiful, isolated beaches and towns around the world with clever, humoroustales that allows the reader to drift off and place themselves in Kimball's flip-flops.

Amazing Book!!!!
This book of short stories was great.Though I have just started surfing, I was a little skeptical when someone gave me "Return By Water" as a gift.In fact, while the stories all involved surfing in some form, they were more about life and were completely relatable to surfers as well non-surfers, such as myself.If anything, the second story in the book, "El Brazo" was one of the best stories I've ever read...it demonstrated extreme humanity and selflessness within unfortunate circumstances.I'm giving this book to some of my friends as Christmas gifts.I highly recommend it!

Great globe trotting book
I really enjoyed this book, it is filled with a lot of short stories that take place all over the world.As a surfer, many of the places are easy to recognize and the author writes in the fashion that is easy to visualize yourself there.I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone - surfer and non - surfer. ... Read more

Book Description

"Moving, intelligent and, in the best sense, literary.... Stephen Harrigan is anchored in reality; he knows that the environment he's describing is in serious jeopardy. At the same time, he has made this book sparkle with his remarkable ability to discuss the metaphysical and spiritual aspects of underwater exploration without ever sounding saccharine or murky."

—New York Times Book Review

"[Harrigan] tells us about the people who live on Grand Turk, or come there on business, and he is given to reflecting on the subtleties of the underwater experience, but his real virtue as a writer is his ability to convey, in precise, lucid, prose, the marvels of the sea bottom."

—New Yorker

"Harrigan ...captures the peacefulness of being rocked by salty currents, the massive beauty of the reefs, the exhilaration of the sport, and the mental scramble to retain fast-fading memories of sights almost unimaginable on land. Fellow divers will relish his camaraderie, while those who prefer staying topside will feel as though they've taken the plunge themselves."

—Booklist

Customer Reviews (6)

Well worth your time
Great book, but I just couldn't give it 5 stars like many others did. I reserve 5 stars for truly monumental works. In this rating system, if you rate The Lord of the Rings, Les Misrables, Great Expectations, and The Grapes of Wrath 5 stars, can you honestly count this work with them?

A Must Read for Divers
This is the best book about scuba diving I've ever read and should be read by anyone and everyone that is interested in scuba diving.It does a fabulous job of describing the great things about scuba diving without telling you what you already know.That said, it is also a great story and would probably be enjoyed by non-scuba divers.This is a great gift idea for a diving inclined loved one.

One warning... one of the reviewers recommended reading this to get your diving fix when you aren't going to be able to get underwater for a while; NOT TRUE.I found the exact opposite, this book only heightened my desire to go diving to near pathological levels!

If you've read this, I'd also recommend reading Neutral Buoyancy by Tim Ecott which is another good book about diving.It has more history and straight information than this book.

Absorbing and enthralling
Stephen Harrigan has captured the most enjoyable account of his Diving adventures. I felt myself re-living the events and relating them to my own modest enoyable times spent in the Caribbean recently. Superbly written and hard to put down. Makes airplane flights disappear.Happily discovered we are in the same City too.

I found a soul mate. . . .
I was in tears by the end of the first chapter-- I thought I was one of a FEW who feels more at home underwater than on the surface.I don't get to dive very often (family, etc.) but whenever I need to "dive", I pull out this book & I'm in Heaven.Harrigan's descriptions of not only what he sees but what feelings these visions invoke move me beyond words, as I think they would anyone who feels the ocean in their blood.

The best book on diving
When people want to know what it's like to dive, I give them this book.Harrigan has captured the essence of scuba diving.He has nearly expressed the inexpressible. ... Read more