Reviewed by Donna Parrey for Readers' Favorite

Pickleball by Beverly Keil serves as a treasury of everything you need to know about the sport before you step out onto the court. For those who have already stepped out onto the court, it also serves as a fine primer on how to improve your game. This is an easy read, presented in four parts. Part 1 begins with the basics of how the sport of Pickleball started, details on the paddle, the court layout, what to wear, scoring, and how to serve. Part 2 drops you right into the game, providing tips on the ready stance, eye on the ball, moving with your partner, and more. In Part 3, Keil addresses strategies for taking your game to the next level, such as backhand shots, positioning, reading your opponents, common habits to beware of, and teaming between left- and right-handed players. Part 4 summarizes Pickleball in helping participants to play and stay well.

As a baby boomer who hears a lot about Pickleball but has never ventured a try, I was curious to learn about the sport in a risk-free environment. Beverly Keil’s book, Pickleball, satisfied both my need to know and my voyeuristic desire to watch a match without actually being there. Her tone is friendly, conversational, entertaining, and encouraging. By Part 2, I thought I knew it all and found myself punching imaginary shots toward my screen as I read about Pickleball techniques online. After Part 3, I realized I was learning strategies that I wasn’t yet mentally ready to completely grasp nor physically ready to execute. Keil understands this and assures readers that Pickleball players are a friendly, nurturing bunch who welcome you to join their ranks.

Reviewed by Java Davis for Readers' Favorite

When Chris Fagan’s husband Marty suggested that they go to the South Pole, Chris’s first reaction was that of a mother, envisioning leaving her son behind for an extended time period. But eventually, the lure of the big adventure caught her imagination. Chris and Marty were power runners and expert climbers. They’d met while climbing Denali in Alaska. If anyone could withstand the rigors of such a trip, she felt that they could. The Expedition: Two Parents Risk Life and Family in an Extraordinary Quest to the South Pole is written by Chris Fagan. The first third of the book is the three years of preparation it took to get ready for such an extreme trip. They dragged SUV tires through trails to get the feel for dragging sleds filled with supplies. The Fagans planned to make the trip by cross-country skiing, alone, unguided, with no helpful drops of extra food or equipment, for over 550 miles. They tapped every human resource, read everything possible, tasted every dehydrated dish to learn which were edible and which tasted horrible, and learned that paper towels make better toilet paper. Chris explained the processes of managing bodily excretions with easy candor. Since the trip took longer than expected, they had to twice re-ration the food to make it last through to the last day.

I found myself completely immersed in their daily struggles against the bitter cold, raging winds, and mostly hostile terrain. During white-outs, all they could see was white, while making sure to keep eyes on one another. Back home in Seattle, their son was coping well with his string of babysitters. Since the Fagans had the ability to phone home via satellite, they kept in touch with their son, friends, family, and the schools that were dialed into the daily blog posts. Yes, the Fagans finally completed The Expedition to the South Pole. Going back home, the world had an amazing array of colors, after so much white, and friendly hugs. As satisfying as it was to complete this arduous trip, the couple was determined to plan future adventures. The most important lesson the couple wanted to impart was to their son, that life should be filled with grand adventures. This is an unqualified, non-stop 5-star book!

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Dave Johnston opens his book on becoming more skillful, deepening confidence, and overcoming the mistakes that players make when it comes to excelling in golf by stating that: “Understanding your fundamental (often unconscious) beliefs about the game is the key to unlocking your natural ability.” Stop Beating Yourself Up! How to Play Your Best Golf Despite Years of Lessons is book four in the Just Hit the Damn Ball! series, a powerful tool that offers readers a new approach to learning and practicing golf, and one that focuses on what is essential to breaking the ceiling and reaching peak potential. It focuses on the player’s belief system and their strengths.

In this book, the author underlines the importance of challenging our attitudes towards ourselves, how we feel about our previous experience of the game, and opens pathways we can travel to connect with our natural abilities. This book helps readers see what connects practicing golf and actually playing it. Dave Johnston puts a lot of personal and professional experience into his writing, making powerful points with real-life examples and true stories. The book comprises seven reflections, each chapter based on a specific reflection.

I enjoyed the way the author explains how our feelings affect the way we play and how these feelings are based on our core beliefs. This book will help you change your attitude and become aware of the unconscious reality that guides your hand when you play golf. Stop Beating Yourself Up! How to Play Your Best Golf Despite Years of Lessons is written in an easy-to-read, conversational style that will appeal to a wide audience and it echoes a powerful, confident, and professional voice that readers will find motivating. While this book focuses on the art of playing golf, it has powerful lessons for personal and professional growth. A highly recommended tool for golf fans.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Kong Boys: Seven Friends from Hong Kong Take on Eleven European Cities for Their Thirtieth Birthdays by Gerald Yeung is an interesting non-fiction book for travel fans. The author introduces readers to his four childhood friends and explores their friendship over the years, a journey that has been filled with adventure and unusual fun. At twenty, Gerald and his friends take to the road as backpackers. Their destination: South America and Africa. It will take ten more years with a lot of things happening in their separate lives before they undertake another adventure. It is their thirtieth birthday and this time their destination is in Europe. The hype with the soccer tournament, the 2016 UEFA, is at a fever pitch, and it is against this backdrop that they explore eleven cities in Europe.

The boys are feisty and their adventures are fun to read. For readers with little or no idea about their cultural background, this book will tell a lot about growing up in Hong Kong and the uniqueness of the culture. The book takes readers to fun places, including clubs, bull races, restaurants, and the wilds. Gerald Yeung’s book will remind readers of the beauty of friendship and the fun of trying new things. Woven into the story are strong themes like family, relationships, failure, and hope. The exuberance of youth is ingeniously captured in this narrative and the author not only a good traveler but a writer with the unique gift of capturing the interest of readers and making them want to pack and visit their dream destination. Kong Boys is a fun story that reads like well-crafted fiction.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Texas 0ff-Road Racing: A Father-Son Journey To A Side-By-Side Championship by Mike Kowis is a fascinating book that will take readers on an adventurous ride that gives glimpses of off-road racing from the driver's seat. The adventures and every detail experienced during their off-road racing have been captured and shared. The author speaks of getting his driving license at the age of fifteen and a half and how he purchased a 1977 Ford Granada four-door sedan after selling his Big Red, a red 1984 Honda 200s three-wheeler. His first cross country race was in 2004 at round 1 of the GNCC (Grand National Cross Country) series without knowing the GNCC race was a big deal. He had fun competing in the Utility ATV class of All-Terrain Vehicle Cross Country Series (ATVCCS). The book describes the details of this sport and the time and money required to pursue it.

Mike Kowis's experiences and his detailed descriptions of the sport will take readers out there with him to feel the exhilaration and excitement of the racing adventure. The pictures shared and his detailed narration make the book enjoyable and worth reading. The writing style is simple yet breezy, and the father-son bonding is palpable. This is a perfect read for all those who enjoy off-road racing because, apart from the author's experiences, he also gives details on how to join the race, the different conditions of tracks, and the fun and the danger associated with it. Texas 0ff-Road Racing is fast-paced and, like the sport, has a good pace and movement. The book is not only about racing but also about Texas, and gives readers glimpses into the world of off-road racing in an entertaining and impressive way.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Let us rewind and go back to 1971, the year the Milwaukee Bucks won the Championship. From Coin Toss To Championship: 1971 - The Year of the Milwaukee Bucks by Rick Schabowski is an engaging book that gives details about the magical season, players' interviews, game stories, and pictures that will trigger a lot of memories and give game insights. After the 1965 baseball season, once the Braves moved back to Atlanta, Milwaukee ceased being home for any major sports franchise. The Milwaukee Bucks brought Milwaukee back into prominence by winning the 1970-71 National Basketball Association Championship. This book is good for the future generation of Bucks supporters and NBA fans who can take a trip down memory lane while reading about the game's history and the magical season.

The author speaks about the Championship in detail which enables readers to enjoy the season and the memories associated with it. The entire season, along with some wonderful pictures, is a delight for readers from all walks of life; for many, it is like bringing back memories of a wonderful season and for others, it is learning about that magical season that put Milwaukee back on the sports map. The black and white photographs shared in the book breathe life into that time and make it tangible for readers as they learn about the players and the moments on the court. The author's love for the game is evident from the details and descriptions in the book and it is a good read for all those who want to recollect the scenes from the coin toss to winning the championship.

Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers' Favorite

As the sister of an ex-soccer player, I remember my father’s frustration about the behavior of other children’s parents during matches. These adults, though armed with good intentions, embarrass their children with some of the worst performances. They scream, protest, and coach when they should not. Drawing attention to themselves and pretending their child is a prodigy are the only concerns of these bizarre but not rare people. So, I enjoyed reading Peter M. Jonas’ book Soccer is Fun without Parents, where these types are humorously analyzed. A valuable and amusing handbook, it divides soccer parents into categories and informs them of the rules and lessons they very likely ignore.

The father of a soccer player himself, Jonas has collected many delightful anecdotes and instructions. The stories and types of parents are funny, and I often smiled and laughed while reading this book. The picture is realistic, and every kind of person I have met during a soccer match has a place here. However, the message is serious. The representation of soccer parents should make readers (especially adult readers) reflect. I appreciate that Jonas stressed how parents’ behavior is embarrassing for children. It seems they ignore that their offspring just want to have fun, and Jonas has done the right thing by reminding them of this. As he points out, parents are the only problem in this sport. The sooner they will learn the lesson of this book, the better it will be for their children.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

What I've Learned From Attending Over 35 Indy 500's by Jeff Cowan is a sports inspired guide to help readers kick into gear and get motivated with the tools required for roles in work, leadership, management, and everyday living. Throughout the book, Cowan uses a story based on experience, and in the context of a particular race or driver, and applies it toward business and personal growth. Each experience details a scene from an Indy 500 event and follows with a "Lessons Learned", "Personal Story", and "Points to Ponder" section with real-life utilization exercises that are sure to rev readers into action.

I really love Cowan's approach here and can see why he's been successful as a motivational speaker and trainer. The personal stories, in my opinion, were the best as they highlight his own struggles and successes in a way that makes our trials feel as normal as any other fan in the cheap seats. Of course, where the book excels is in the Indy tales themselves. Humanizing drivers in their races and delivering an underlying theme that all one might feel is impossible never is, Jeff Cowan speaks to the masses in a language we can understand.

Inspiration abounds in chapters like "Al Sr. Is A Badass", where the eldest Unser faces seemingly insurmountable odds with an untested but trustworthy car, going from a 20th starting position to qualify and, ultimately, win the final race. Cowan ties this in with, "The real lesson here is that it’s important to have the right tools to get the job done, but it is equally, if not more important, to have someone who knows what to do with the tools be in the driver’s seat." This is clearly a track that we all have the ability to be on, and I'd recommend this book to all who feel they've veered off course.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Fight to the End is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Eric Hanna. In his prologue, Hanna describes basketball as having been “amusing, humbling, ego-building, inspiring, deflating, and above all, entertainingly addictive.” In his memoir, he describes how a sport that he ended up quitting before he had even begun turned out to be “my best friend, my therapist, my joy and my heartache.” Hanna was nine years old when he first considered playing basketball. The lake-effect snow and bitter cold of an Ohio winter made walking into that heated gym on a Saturday morning and getting involved with a youth basketball program tempting -- if nothing else, it would be better than trying to play out in the cold. As he entered the gym, however, he felt completely out of place. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing out there, even his friends. Hanna quietly turned around and left the gym. Then something completely out of the ordinary happened a few days later. Marty Paes, a family friend and the dad of one of Hanna’s friends, called and asked to speak with him. Marty had seen Hanna at the gym. He thought that maybe Hanna might want to try going there with Marty and his son, John, the next Saturday. Hanna swallowed the fear and indecision and decided to go. It changed his life.

Fight to the End is well written and inspirational. I marveled at his resilience throughout his years as a player and loved seeing how his heart has always been in the game. Hanna gives the reader insights into what it’s like being on the bench even as he shows that those waiting players are in many ways even more important than the superstars who get to play for more than just a minute or two late in the game. I especially appreciated how he introduces the reader to the strategy behind the game and how it’s played. Seeing the action through his eyes has measurably enhanced my appreciation for, and understanding of, the game. Hanna’s story is well written and reads like fiction; his excitement for and love of the game blazes forth on every page. You can feel his frustration as a vertically challenged teen, his exhilaration at the growth spurt that changed everything, and his ultimate triumphs as a scholarship athlete in college. Fight to the End is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Wow! Where do I begin? First let me say that this is a good book. It is a snapshot of a time and a place and a life. To me it is fascinating. The Man Called Red by N.B. "Red" Sorensen takes place in another country (Canada). It is a different era than the one I grew up in. The environment, the weather, the climate, everything is different when compared to Alabama…and yet this life feels familiar. The people in it feel familiar and this style of jumping into life head on seems very much like something I would do. Red Sorensen is a unique individual and he writes about his life in a style that is fresh, interesting, and very easy and pleasant to read about. This is not the autobiography of someone at the center of world shattering events, but it is a very moving story about an interesting man.

From the incident where a runaway milk wagon causes the porch roof to come down on his baby carriage, to the terrible time of his wife’s illness, Red Sorensen tells the story of his life in a warm and very approachable manner. In this day and age, we are fond of saying that everyone is beautiful and that all lives are interesting. It seems to me that this devalues the life of someone like Red who has taken the road less traveled for most of his life. I highly recommend this autobiography. You don’t have to be famous to have had a powerful and meaningful life. Great writing and a great story.