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 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 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 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 Stefan Vucak for Readers' Favorite

On the way to his usual Wednesday golf game, Jonathan meets Dave, who is gathering material for a book about playing golf. Dave offers to observe how Jonathan plays over nine holes, and the skeptical Jonathan plans to show this chair expert how a pro plays. He bogeys the first hole, the easiest hole on the course, which doesn’t get him into a good mood for the next hole, where he makes a double bogey. Dave starts a discussion, analyzing Jonathan’s shots, choice of clubs, and his expectations with each shot. He introduces Jonathan to the idea of evaluating each shot out of ten, rather than concentrating on making par, which automatically sets the player into a life or death mental framework. Jonathan thinks the idea is crazy.

On the third par 5 hole, Dave urges Jonathan to use the 5 wood instead of the driver. Jonathan has more control with the wood and the driver shot usually goes into the rough. Jonathan believes that distance is more important, but reluctantly uses the 5 wood and still shoots a good distance. Dave tells Jonathan to use the club he is most comfortable with rather than using a club he has problems with simply to try to achieve greater distance. Concentrate on consistency. Jonathan bogeys the hole, but he hit solid shots. As they progress through the remaining six holes, Dave gradually introduces new ideas for Jonathan to consider, slowly bringing the skeptic around. At end of nine holes, Jonathan makes 42, far better than he expected, and admits that Dave’s observations and pointers really do make sense.

What can I say. Dave Johnston’s Playing Out Of Your Mind: Moving Beyond Swing Mechanics is an astonishing book that every part-time golfer should read. I know it will help me with my game – provided I stick to Dave’s tips. Instead of presenting his observations, conclusions and recommendations in a dry textbook style, by using a real event story, observing how Jonathan plays, immediately engages the reader in a way that educates and entertains. I sympathized with Jonathan, reflecting on my own golf play, nodding as I read the book, realizing I was caught in the same mental traps. Playing Out Of Your Mind: Moving Beyond Swing Mechanics is a brilliant analysis of golf play and the importance to approach every shot positively, banishing the negative demons.

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.

Reviewed by Cee-Jay Aurinko for Readers' Favorite

When it comes to the world of Mixed Martial Arts, I cannot envision anyone looking at a fighter who enters an octagon (cage) and not respecting that athlete who is about to engage with an opponent, not knowing if the match will result in a loss or a win. A world of knowledge regarding some of the most famous MMA fighters of our time awaits the reader who picks up Christopher Olech's novel The Fighter Within: Everyone Has A Fight. Christopher Olech has interviewed such MMA giants as Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk and Fedor Emelianenko. His novel aims to give readers a sense of what MMA is truly about, and also relates his own journey towards discovering the true meaning of martial arts and how it can be utilized in everyday life.

I will not go into detail about Olech's writing skill, because that is extraordinary in itself. Instead, I will delve into this novel's main subject (MMA) and what exactly Olech has done to give me a whole new perspective on the type of individual that I've always found myself intrigued about from a very young age: the fighter. Olech's own history, given to the reader before the eventual interviews, details his life before and after discovering the MMA world, making it relatively easy to envision him both as a fighter and as a human being, instead of just as a researcher relating some facts. Quite frankly, because of the wonderful insight his interviews have provided me with, I will never look at an MMA fighter the same way again. Olech makes MMA seem like it's more than sport.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners is a non-fiction sports education book written by Rodolfo Tello. The author is a Certified National Judo Coach as well as a black belt, and he’s been a practitioner for over twenty years. He introduces the history of judo, in particular, and martial arts, in general, which began in ancient Japan. Jujitsu, which is considered a forerunner of judo, was practiced by samurai. While originally martial arts were practiced for use in actual combat, in the nineteenth century, martial arts began to be introduced as a sport and for self-defense. Jigaro Kano developed judo as a martial art that would use efficiency in the application of mental and physical energy to subdue an opponent. Tello describes the fundamentals of judo, including the forms of etiquette involved in the sport, the uniform, and what to expect in a judo class. He discusses the four major types of judo techniques and how one can improve their performance in this martial art through conditioning, mental preparedness, competitions, and the practice of kata. Finally, he describes the seven steps of advancement and the challenges a judo student faces at each step. Tello provides an extensive set of appendices which include a glossary of terms, references, and a list of recommended readings.

I've long been interested in learning a martial art, so Rodolfo Tello's non-fiction work, Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners, seemed the perfect place to learn about judo, and it was. This book gives the reader an historical and philosophical perspective as well as an introduction to the physical mechanics of judo, which in retrospect seems an essential approach. Tello demystifies what goes on in a class, and I found myself more and more drawn into the idea of exploring this martial art more fully. While there are not many illustrations, Tello provides plenty of links for videos, which he explains will be a lot more useful than static photos, and they were. Rodolfo Tello's coverage of his subject is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and well-presented, and I recommend Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners most highly.

Reviewed by Eileen Johnson for Readers' Favorite

In Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf, Dave Johnston writes an instructional manual that flies in the face of "conventional golfing wisdom." Based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), this book is much easier to understand than the concepts of NLP. Basically, Johnston's instructions are based on the assumption that every golfer has untapped natural ability -- and if you stop worrying about the things you are doing wrong, you can become a better golfer. The trick is to begin with the fundamentals -- know how to stand correctly, grip the club, and then swing it. After you have those three fundamental skills, you can then begin to concentrate on those things you are doing right. Reinforcing those habits and rituals when you hit a shot perfectly will encourage you to reproduce those actions instead of the actions that happen when you focus on a bad shot.

As a really average golfer, I found Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf by Dave Johnston very appealing. I have spent many hours on the golf course berating myself for every bad shot -- only to find that one bad shot typically leads to several more! The concept of keeping a journal of "good shots" and really dissecting what you did before and during those shots makes sense and seems almost too easy. I look forward to getting through those 30 days of improvement to see if the system really works!

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Denny McLain, author of The Art of Pitching, played for the Detroit Tigers. In the introduction, Denny McLain offers some excellent advice for those who want to be Major League pitchers. “First always think about an education. In today’s game they want smart guys, guys that can comprehend and guys who want it badly. First and always think education.” The author addresses Tips and Applications: “Listen and Pay Attention.” In this section he recommends “breaking everything down, one movement at a time.” There are also photographs of the different types of pitches. In the first chapter, the author stresses control. He states that you learn control by practice and that a pitcher should always throw full strength. A pitcher must also take care of their arm and the way to do that is to warm up.

The Art of Pitching is an excellent resource for coaches, parents, athletes and young athletes. There is a vast amount of advice and knowledge in this tiny book of a mere 81 pages. The book discusses the hitter, the extra pitch, playing the game, exercise, equipment and talent. Most young men enjoy playing ball. While not all will make it to the Major Leagues, they will still benefit from The Art of Pitching. The photographs and illustrations are a great addition to this book. Author Denny McLain, two-time winner of the Cy Young Award and MVP with the Detroit Tigers, shares his experience and knowledge on how to be a better pitcher.