Added on 11/06/06

Unless your name is Tiger Woods, there are no easy rides on the PGA Tour--particularly your first year--and no one's ever confused fun-loving Rich Beem's game with the Tiger's. Still, Sports Illustrated's Alan Shipnuck struck gold by picking Beem and... See more

Unless your name is Tiger Woods, there are no easy rides on the PGA Tour--particularly your first year--and no one's ever confused fun-loving Rich Beem's game with the Tiger's. Still, Sports Illustrated's Alan Shipnuck struck gold by picking Beem and his rookie season as subjects to chronicle in Bud, Sweat, & Tees: A Walk on the Wild Side of the PGA Tour. To begin with, he found a colorful player with a renegade personality who actually managed to confound the odds and post victory--at the 1999 Kemper Open. But there's more. As vivid a character as Beem turns out to be, his caddie Steve Duplantis, who'd previously toted for Jim Furyk, is a true rogue who makes Beem seem a choirboy by comparison. Shipnuck provides all the necessary drama of life on the course, but the real fun of Bud, Sweat, & Tees is life beyond it, how Beem and Duplantis survive the highs and lows the game provides. At his best, Shipnuck manages to bring together their shared existence within the ropes and beyond,... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Now, golfers can learn from the instructor who has helped Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, David Frost, Nick Price, and Bob Tway. In the most revolutionary instruction book since Ben Hogan's Modern Fundamentals, golfing guru David Leadbetter discloses the... See more

Now, golfers can learn from the instructor who has helped Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, David Frost, Nick Price, and Bob Tway. In the most revolutionary instruction book since Ben Hogan's Modern Fundamentals, golfing guru David Leadbetter discloses the swing secrets that transformed the game of the Open and Masters champion Nick Faldo-and which can bring solid ball striking within the reach of any dedicated golfer. The 250 individual color illustrations bring the text to life, showing clearly how a sound golf swing can be developed in a step-by-step manner. It is just as if David were giving you a lesson in your own home. As Nick Faldo says in his foreword, "What this book will give you is the chance to find out how good you really are." See less

Added on 11/06/06

This is a step-by-step guide to essential woodworking skills, techniques, tools and tips. For the beginning woodworker or the most experienced hobbyist, this book is of incredible value to all. This book takes the reader from the principles of basic... See more

This is a step-by-step guide to essential woodworking skills, techniques, tools and tips. For the beginning woodworker or the most experienced hobbyist, this book is of incredible value to all. This book takes the reader from the principles of basic design to essential woodworking techniques to a gallery of 40 complete project plans. More than 1200 full-color photos are included in this book with tips for shop set-up and safety, how to use tools, make jigs and joints, applying finishes and wood selection. This book was a main selection of Woodworkers Book Club. See less

Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction is the ultimate reference work -- a graphic, step-by-step presentation of basic furniture-construction techniques. Expert woodworker Andy Rae brings organization, enthusiasm, and... See more

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction is the ultimate reference work -- a graphic, step-by-step presentation of basic furniture-construction techniques. Expert woodworker Andy Rae brings organization, enthusiasm, and more than 20 years' experience to this essential book. Readers will acquire a working knowledge of woodworking materials, a higher level of control over their work and tools, and an understanding of basic design principles. See less

Added on 11/06/06

The best players know that golf is a game of confidence, and most important, concentration–the ability to focus and block out distraction. The goal of achieving clear thought is also at the heart of Buddhist teachings. In his highly original and... See more

The best players know that golf is a game of confidence, and most important, concentration–the ability to focus and block out distraction. The goal of achieving clear thought is also at the heart of Buddhist teachings. In his highly original and groundbreaking book, noted PGA coach and Buddhist instructor, Dr. Joseph Parent, draws on this natural connection and teaches golfers how to clear their minds, achieve ultimate focus, and play in the moment for each shot.Zen Golf presents a simple system for building “mental game mastery.” Dr Parent’s unique PAR Approach (focusing on Preparation, Action, and Response to Results) guides golfers with specific techniques for each aspect of their games. In chapters such as “How to Get From the Practice Tee to the First Tee”, “You Produce What You Fear”, and “How to Enjoy a Bad Round of Golf”, the author shares a personal teaching regimen that has helped improve the games of professionals and amateurs alike. By combining classic insights and... See less

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Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

84, Charing Cross Road is a charming record of bibliophilia, cultural difference, and imaginative sympathy. For 20 years, an outspoken New York writer and a rather more restrained London bookseller carried on an increasingly touching correspondence.... See more

84, Charing Cross Road is a charming record of bibliophilia, cultural difference, and imaginative sympathy. For 20 years, an outspoken New York writer and a rather more restrained London bookseller carried on an increasingly touching correspondence. In her first letter to Marks & Co., Helene Hanff encloses a wish list, but warns, "The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive." Twenty days later, on October 25, 1949, a correspondent identified only as FPD let Hanff know that works by Hazlitt and Robert Louis Stevenson would be coming under separate cover. When they arrive, Hanff is ecstatic--but unsure she'll ever conquer "bilingual arithmetic." By early December 1949, Hanff is suddenly worried that the six-pound ham she's sent off to augment British rations will arrive in a kosher office. But only when FPD turns out to have an actual name, Frank Doel, does the real fun begin. Two years later, Hanff is outraged that Marks & Co. has dared... See less

Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

This is the second-best way to expose yourself to the particular genius of Frank Zappa (music is the best, after all)--through his own words. In addition to being an idiosyncratic American composer of some degree of controversy, Zappa was an orator... See more

This is the second-best way to expose yourself to the particular genius of Frank Zappa (music is the best, after all)--through his own words. In addition to being an idiosyncratic American composer of some degree of controversy, Zappa was an orator of no small ability or scope. He was known for his ability to expound at great length (and to hilarious effect) on any number of topics. The Real Frank Zappa Book faithfully captures this side of its author, composed of essays on everything from his background and upbringing, to politics, capitalism, and raising children. Zappa takes the opportunity to dispel some of the most pervasive rumors that surrounded him right up to (and even persist after) his death in 1993 (no he didn't do drugs, or sleep with all those groupies). If you're familiar with the man, you will be able to hear his distinctive enunciations (aided by the bold-facing of certain words and Zappaisms) as you read the assorted road stories, his views on making music for a... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Chuck Leavell admits to three passions: his family, his tree conservation, and his music. A bluesman to the core who's worked with the Allman Brothers Band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Gov't Mule, the Georgia-based piano player touches the hearts... See more

Chuck Leavell admits to three passions: his family, his tree conservation, and his music. A bluesman to the core who's worked with the Allman Brothers Band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Gov't Mule, the Georgia-based piano player touches the hearts of listeners here with solo performances of mostly original material. The title song pleases with Leavell's improvisations on blues sequences, his references to the history of blues piano tied together with an impressive craftsmanship. Genre-bender "A Lotta Colada," which he originally wrote for his blues-rock-jazz group Sea Level, displays even more of his creative musical mind. Leavell's "Song for Amy" points to the sunny jazz piano of Vince Guaraldi, and his ardor for life comes across most effectively on his Crescent City-directed boogie takeoff on the gospel staple "Walk a Little Closer." --Frank-John Hadley See less

Added on 11/06/06

Neal Stephenson enjoys cult status among science fiction fans and techie types thanks to Snow Crash, which so completely redefined conventional notions of the high-tech future that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. But if his cyberpunk classic... See more

Neal Stephenson enjoys cult status among science fiction fans and techie types thanks to Snow Crash, which so completely redefined conventional notions of the high-tech future that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. But if his cyberpunk classic was big, Cryptonomicon is huge... gargantuan... massive, not just in size (a hefty 918 pages including appendices) but in scope and appeal. It's the hip, readable heir to Gravity's Rainbow and the Illuminatus trilogy. And it's only the first of a proposed series--for more information, read our interview with Stephenson. Cryptonomicon zooms all over the world, careening conspiratorially back and forth between two time periods--World War II and the present. Our 1940s heroes are the brilliant mathematician Lawrence Waterhouse, cryptanalyst extraordinaire, and gung ho, morphine-addicted marine Bobby Shaftoe. They're part of Detachment 2702, an Allied group trying to break Axis communication codes while simultaneously preventing the enemy from... See less

Added on 11/06/06

The Zenith Angle, futurist Bruce Sterling's first novel since Zeitgeist (2000), tells the story of Derek "Van" Vandeveer. As The Zenith Angle opens, Van sits peacefully at his breakfast table, enjoying life as a new homeowner and happily married... See more

The Zenith Angle, futurist Bruce Sterling's first novel since Zeitgeist (2000), tells the story of Derek "Van" Vandeveer. As The Zenith Angle opens, Van sits peacefully at his breakfast table, enjoying life as a new homeowner and happily married man, with a new son and a fortune in stock options. Then the morning news reports a jetliner has crashed in nearby Manhattan--colliding with the World Trade Center. Like many other Americans' lives, Van's will never be the same. He leaves his corporate job to work fighting terrorism for the U.S. government. He soon finds himself sequestered at a top-secret undisclosed location while his fortune vanishes, his former company sinks into a morass of lawsuits and arrests, and his wife and son move to the far side of the country. And as Van is transformed from cyber-whiz to spook, he finds himself changing in ways he would never have imagined. A novel from Bruce Sterling is always cause for celebration, and The Zenith Angle is one of the finest... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Wil Wheaton has never been one to take the conventional path to success. Despite early stardom through his childhood role in the motion picture "Stand By Me", and growing up on television as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil... See more

Wil Wheaton has never been one to take the conventional path to success. Despite early stardom through his childhood role in the motion picture "Stand By Me", and growing up on television as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil left Hollywood in pursuit of happiness, purpose, and a viable means of paying the bills. In the oddest of places, Topeka, Kansas, Wil discovered that despite his claims to fame, he was at heart Just a Geek. In this, his newest book, Wil shares his deeply personal and difficult journey to find himself. You'll understand the rigors, and joys, of Wil's rediscovering of himself, as he comes to terms with what it means to be famous, or, ironically, famous for once having been famous. Writing with honesty and disarming humanity, Wil touches on the frustrations associated with his acting career, his inability to distance himself from Ensign Crusher in the public's eyes, the launch of his incredibly successful web site, wilwheaton.net, and the joy... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Sony's cutting-edge, 50-inch KDF-50WE655 LCD projection television is loaded with great features, from integrated NTSC and ATSC (HDTV) tuners to Sony's WEGA Engine system, digital cable readiness, and the latest digital-video interface, HDMI. The... See more

Sony's cutting-edge, 50-inch KDF-50WE655 LCD projection television is loaded with great features, from integrated NTSC and ATSC (HDTV) tuners to Sony's WEGA Engine system, digital cable readiness, and the latest digital-video interface, HDMI. The 86-pound LCD projection television is also easy to position, and its relatively modest chassis--standing under 18 inches deep--won't push you out of your house. The set's liquid-crystal display frees you from having to make convergence adjustments or having to worry about image burn-in. Instead you get incredible detail (more than 3 million pixels), high contrast, and even, corner-to-corner brightness from the set's user-replaceable 100-watt UHP (ultra high pressure) lamp. The screen features a wide, 16:9 aspect ratio to match the dimension of most movies and HDTV broadcasts, and the KDF-50WE655 offers compatibility with standard-definition 480i, enhanced-definition 480p, and high-definition 720p and 1080i signals. Sony's Digital Reality... See less

Added on 11/06/06

As he seeks to unlock the secrets of such things as joy and sorrow, Antonio Damasio pursues a unifying theory in Looking for Spinoza. Why Spinoza? The philosopher, whom Damasio calls a "protobiologist," firmly linked mind and body, paving the way for... See more

As he seeks to unlock the secrets of such things as joy and sorrow, Antonio Damasio pursues a unifying theory in Looking for Spinoza. Why Spinoza? The philosopher, whom Damasio calls a "protobiologist," firmly linked mind and body, paving the way for modern ideas of neurophysiology. Damasio examines this linkage, which ran counter to all scientific and religious thinking of Spinoza's day, and lays out the reasoning and evidence behind its truth. As he has in his previous books on the subject (Descartes' Error and The Feeling of What Happens), Damasio is careful to use clear examples from life to explain the often dry and difficult science of the brain. When he wants readers to understand, for instance, brain stem control of emotions, he offers an Oliver Sacks-style case study of a man whose stroke left him unable to keep from bursting into tears or laughter at inappropriate times. Damasio also defines his terms, which is crucial, as he means something very specific when he says... See less

Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

In June of 2002, the U.S. Open was played, for the first time in history, on a true public golf course. Bethpage State Park is owned by the state of New York, and no membership is required to play there. This is golf at its most populist, most... See more

In June of 2002, the U.S. Open was played, for the first time in history, on a true public golf course. Bethpage State Park is owned by the state of New York, and no membership is required to play there. This is golf at its most populist, most pure-and most challenging. In what Tiger Woods himself would declare 'the most difficult national championship,' Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo, and the rest would, through days of rain and roughs, learn the hard way that while Bethpage may be open to the public, even for the pros the chance of winning can be closed off to mere mortals. With unprecedented backstage access, John Feinstein finally removes the mystery shrouding golf's most famous event, unraveling how pairings are made; qualifiers; setting up the golf course; and all the complexities of bringing golf's most exclusive competition to a truly public setting. In fascinating detail, Feinstein takes readers through every step, every thorny hole, every bitter rivalry of golf's... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Wil Wheaton--blogger, geek, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's Wesley Crusher--gives us five short-but-true tales of life in the so-called Space Age in Dancing Barefoot. With a true geek's unflinching honesty, Wil examines life, love, the web, and... See more

Wil Wheaton--blogger, geek, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's Wesley Crusher--gives us five short-but-true tales of life in the so-called Space Age in Dancing Barefoot. With a true geek's unflinching honesty, Wil examines life, love, the web, and the absurdities of Hollywood in these compelling autobiographical narratives. Based on pieces first published in Wil's hugely popular blog, www.wilwheaton.net, the stories in Dancing Barefoot chronicle a teen TV star's journey to maturity and self-acceptance. Far from the usual celebrity tell-all, Dancing Barefoot is a vivid account of one man's version of that universal story, the search for self. If you've ever fallen in love, wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a Star Trek convention, or thought hard about the meaning of life, you'll find a kindred soul in the pages of Dancing Barefoot. In the process of uncovering his true geeky self, Wil Wheaton speaks to the inner geek in all of us. The stories: Houses in Motion -... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Bill Phillips. Body for Life details a 12-week program designed to get readers in shape, fast, using targeted weight training. Bill Phillips is one of bodybuilding's best-known gurus, and in this tremendously successful book he adapts traditional... See more

Bill Phillips. Body for Life details a 12-week program designed to get readers in shape, fast, using targeted weight training. Bill Phillips is one of bodybuilding's best-known gurus, and in this tremendously successful book he adapts traditional bodybuilding techniques to help ordinary people break through their fitness barriers. See less

Added on 11/06/06

Peter Cameron's sublime, beautiful novel City of Your Final Destination concerns true love and a young academic's struggle to break free from a life he's molded but doesn't want to live. Omar Razaghi, who's pursuing a Ph.D. at a Midwestern... See more

Peter Cameron's sublime, beautiful novel City of Your Final Destination concerns true love and a young academic's struggle to break free from a life he's molded but doesn't want to live. Omar Razaghi, who's pursuing a Ph.D. at a Midwestern university, fudges his application for grant money, stating he has already obtained authorization from the family of the deceased minor novelist Jules Gund. When he belatedly seeks permission to proceed, the three executors--Gund's brother, Adam; former wife Caroline; and Arden, Gund's mistress and mother of Gund's daughter, Portia--decline. Prompted by his girlfriend, Deirdre, Omar shows up unexpectedly in Uruguay, seeking to convince the family of his--and their--need for a biography of Jules Gund to exist. Cameron is an able storyteller, and his command allows the prose to flow simply and beautifully; here, most every word counts. Adam's often hilarious wit and Caroline's recalcitrance are sharply drawn, descriptions are in crisp relief, and... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Train like the pros to improve your golf game. Kelly Blackburn is a fitness consultant and personal trainer to PGA TOUR professionals, as well as the fitness contributor for pgatour.com the official website for the PGA TOUR. In Exercises for Elite... See more

Train like the pros to improve your golf game. Kelly Blackburn is a fitness consultant and personal trainer to PGA TOUR professionals, as well as the fitness contributor for pgatour.com the official website for the PGA TOUR. In Exercises for Elite Golf Performance, she provides her trend-setting strength and flexibility system, the "Elite Golf Performance Program." This system has helped the pros drop strokes from their scores, and it can do the same for you! Blackburn includes 138 illustrated exercises so you can easily see how each is performed and make sure you're always using proper technique. First, you'll use her "Fitness Analyzer" to pinpoint your current fitness level. Then, you'll begin one of the three levels of strength programs, so you can benefit from this program right away no matter what shape you're in now. It takes more than new equipment to turn your golf game around. Better physical conditioning is what allows the pros to hit drives farther than ever and play... See less

Added on 11/06/06

Allison Pearson's debut novel, I Don't Know How She Does It, is a rare and beautiful hybrid: a devastatingly funny novel that's also a compelling fictional world. You want to climb inside this book and inhabit it. However, you might find it pretty... See more

Allison Pearson's debut novel, I Don't Know How She Does It, is a rare and beautiful hybrid: a devastatingly funny novel that's also a compelling fictional world. You want to climb inside this book and inhabit it. However, you might find it pretty messy once you're in there. Narrator Kate Reddy is the manager of a hedge fund and mother of two small children. The book opens with an emblematic scene as Kate "distresses" a store-bought mince pie to make it appear homemade. Her days are measured in increments of minutes and even seconds; her fund stays organized but her house and family are falling apart. The book is a pearly string of great lines. Here's Kate on lack of sleep: "They're right to call it a broken night.... You crawl back to bed and you lie there trying to do the jigsaw of sleep with half the pieces missing." On baby boys: "A mother of a one-year-old son is a movie star in a world without critics." On subtle office dynamics:The women in the offices of EMF [Kate's firm] don't... See less

Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

One of golf guru Jim Flick's mantras is that golf is 90 percent mental, and the other 10 percent is mental, too. Dr. Bob Rotella, a noted sports psychologist and performance consultant, roots around the golfer's mind to expose--and analyze--the... See more

One of golf guru Jim Flick's mantras is that golf is 90 percent mental, and the other 10 percent is mental, too. Dr. Bob Rotella, a noted sports psychologist and performance consultant, roots around the golfer's mind to expose--and analyze--the doubts, the fears, and the frustrations that haunt anyone who's ever picked up a club and swung it. Through anecdote and aphorism he suggests how these mental and emotional hazards can be played through, and, regardless of skill level, how teeing off with a more positive and confident outlook will translate into better performance. See less

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Added on 11/06/06

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Added on 11/06/06

Do you swing too fast, try too hard, lose concentration, lack confidence, get angry, putt poorly under pressure, finish exhausted, or suffer for hours after a hard game? The most valuable tool a golfer can bring to the course is a strong mental... See more

Do you swing too fast, try too hard, lose concentration, lack confidence, get angry, putt poorly under pressure, finish exhausted, or suffer for hours after a hard game? The most valuable tool a golfer can bring to the course is a strong mental game. Yet many golfers and instructors take this for granted, focusing almost entirely on grip, stance, or swing technique. The 8 Traits of Champion Golfers is a unique and persuasive approach to becoming a better golfer. Leading sports psychologist Dr. Deborah Graham and Jon Stabler identify the eight crucial personality traits that separate true champions from the rest and give you easy-to-follow steps for improving your game and making it more enjoyable.Using their unique GolfPsych® program, Graham and Stabler challenge you to explore the crucial elements of your personality and measure them against the traits of such successful golfers as Lee Janzen, Dave Stockton, Michelle McGann, and Gary McCord, all of whom have worked with Dr. Graham.... See less