The book is a good read for any Ryan Adams fan
580915
David Menconi is a solid writer. The book is a good read for any Ryan Adams fan. That being said, this book is written by a music journalist. There is A LOT of descriptive music nuance about; other bands, influences, technique, the music scene at the time, etc., that I personally found to be a little tedious.
3378052
I heard Rob Lowe being interviewed on, I think, NPR, and based on the interview I decided to buy the book in hardcover.  However, a magazine blurb suggested the audio book for RL's impersonations of the people in his life.  Personally, I love to sit and knit and listen to a good audiobook.  I guess I just love to have stories read to me.  I was very glad I decided to get both the hardcover (for the pictures) and the audiobook.  RL's narrative does not disappoint.  I am sure he intended to do the audiobook from the start.

I can't say I am a passionate fan of RL's acting, but in his lifetime he has undeniably rubbed elbows with some fascinating people.  The book starts off with the George magazine cover in conjunction with the debut of the West Wing.  So right off the the bat I am thinking, this guy is going to drop names like crazy, starting with JFK Jr.  RL is obviously aware that his contacts through the years are going to be a big selling point for the book.  He grew up next door to the Sheen family!  His book was released to coincide with Charlie Sheen's public implosion!

If you take this book on its surface as a guy telling his own personally edited version of his life story, then you can't complain that he doesn't spend enough time talking about Melissa Gilbert or Snow White at the Oscars or Brothers & Sisters.  RL clearly wants to portray his trajectory from a small-town kid in Ohio whose theatrical leanings made him a geek (an Outsider, if you will), to an adult family man who has managed to make a living as an actor, producer, and writer.  He takes responsibility for his own bad decisions but does not wallow in them.  He does not blame others for the scrapes he has gotten into.  He is not overly humble but not obnoxiously arrogant either.  I don't personally feel that About Last Night is one of the greatest movies ever made about relationships, I watched it again over the weekend to be sure, but I will chalk it up to a difference in taste.  Maybe it's because everyone in the movie was a Cub fan, and I prefer the White Sox.

In any event, listening to this book (or reading it, I'm sure) is an enjoyable experience.
1732913
I was not into Nascar. when Tim Richmond was driving, I did not pick up the sport till late 1989. I had read magazine articles and seen some highlights but that was all. Then the movie Days of Thunder came out and of course everyone kept saying it was based on Tim and entering Nascar. I loved the book in how it goes back to the early days of his career and the struggles with the highs and lows of getting a career in the sport. But it also covers the down side of a once very happy go lucky guy picked up an illness that no one really understood back then.
I have enjoyed the read and would certainly recommend this book to all.
7320
I have always been looking for a book on Pete Rozelle and I was happy to see this book come out. The book is a quick read and was a decent book, but as somebody who has read numerous books on the NFL, I was a little disappointed as I was expecting more. Two years ago I read Michael Maccambridge's "America's Game." That book has set the standard for books on the NFL.

In defense of the author, the biggest issue he probably faced was the fact that many of the people in the book were dead, including Rozelle. Because of this, I felt that much of the information I have already gathered from my own readings. The book just didn't have the freshness I was hoping for.

All in all, a good book if you're interested in Rozelle, especially if you haven't read many other books on the NFL.
611944
John Clark has always been a key player in the Jack Ryan universe and this book gives us his motivations and personality. Classic Clancy it delivers a good read.
1942440
I think it's right to assume that this book is heavily borrowed from Wentz's own life and experience. This book totally described the protagonist's feelings and thoughts vividly and detailedly. If you're a fan of his band like I am, you'll catch some easter eggs in some chapters, like the meaning or inspiration behind some lyrics in a few of their older songs. Overall, it's a good book and it captures the protagonist's state of mind and his journey pretty greatly. I would recommend it to my friends, especially those who love the band, or who just love kinda dark books revolving around romance in general.
4195908
It was enjoyable to read these amusing stories about athletes whose cards I used to collect, and of the authors good guys list. Its nice to read about athletes who have genuine appreciation for their success.

Some of the things you will learn are:
-the ways in which athletes try to avoid signing autographs
-tips for the autograph collector
-the behind-the-scenes of the autograph industry

The author holds very little back when discussing who has annoyed him or treated the fans unfairly. For example, he writes of Pete Rose: When you're 90 minutes late for a paid appearance, then complain because you had to leave your unfinished round of golf, you're a jerk. (pg. 35).

The author warns the reader about forgeries, but does not go into much detail about it. It is best to seek more modern resources to learn about this in particular, since there have been new card design technologies and scams in the way of fake sports memorabilia since the book was released (e.g. the advent and faking of patch cards).

One of the most important pieces of advice in the book is If you are collecting today you are wise to do it for fun and enjoyment, with less emphasis on value. Enjoy the item. The financial return in most cases will be minimal. (pg. 170). I once received the same advice from one of the staff at a sports card/collectible store five years ago, when I had decided to take up collecting for the second time.

My only complaint with the book is that the author sometimes ends up being too casual, or off-topic:
Of Juan Marichal, the author wrote He has beautiful penmanship that often looks as though it could be a fancy signature by a female. (pg. 71). Im not sure what the author was getting at with this line.
Of Deion Sanders, he wrote His conversion to Christianity appears to be real, as his conversation frequently addresses his faith. (pg. 110). If the topic were Sanders faith, then this statement would have been appropriate. However, it was just thrown in for no apparent reason.

Contents:
About the Author
Introduction
1. The Sports Autograph Industry: Blame the 1980s
2. The Art of Autograph Collecting
3. Has He Always Been a Jerk Like That?
4. My Top Ten Jerks
5. My Top Ten Good Guys
6. Rating Another 100 Well-Known Sports Celebrities
7. Mickey Mantle
8. Close Encounters on the Autograph Circuit
9. The Hounds Have Tales
10. The Future
11. The Conclusion: Whats It All Mean?
Index
Be a Part of Sign This II
4916780
This is a good, relatively quick read that outlines Rep. Ryan's thoughts on monetary policy. Well written.
4563035
From what I'd read about this book, I believed it to be the final Ryanverse novel.  I just (about a minute ago) finished it, and I find myself wondering what comes next for Jack Jr. and company?  Surely there will be a sequel, which means this ISN'T the last Ryanverse novel after all.  Or, perhaps it is in the sense that Ryanverse novels deal with Jack Ryan Sr., and the follow-on stories to TotT will deal strictly with Jack Jr.
Anyway, I enjoyed the book - it was better than the last two true Ryanverse novels (The Bear and the Dragon and Red Rabbit).  Not the best Clancy's ever written, but a step in the right direction, I felt, although I'm left with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth wanting MORE... and wondering if this really this THE END?  Thus, 4 stars instead of 5.
2669086
I enjoyed reading this book, especially when J.R. talks about the book he wanted to write, especially the chapter in which J.R. includes a number of anecdotes & jokes he meant to include in the book he imagined. I enjoyed the process aspect of this book--the process through which we see Moehringer realize his insecurities and identify his alcoholism, problems with women, and the role the bar plays in his life. It's a little bit like watching someone you care about grow up.
4305800
Not a massive snooker fan but this was a good read. Lots of talk about his running obsession so I can imagine that May put off people who want to read more about snooker. Overall I enjoyed the book & would recommend it.
3674557
An interesting book but the book doesn't finish as well as Darrell Waltrip did on the racetrack.  I'm a recent NASCAR enthusiast/fan and I thought this would be a good read in getting some background and learning about the sport from someone with a great deal of experience.  On the positive side the book is an easy read and Waltrip and accomplished storyteller.  The main problem I had with the book is that we go through life with Waltrip but neither the reader nor writer seems to "learn" from that life.  The point of life experience is to learn.  Through different experiences(crashes, sponsor politicking, family)  Waltrip says he has changed but you never get the feeling that he really has.  The book excesses with self-confidence and bravado which makes sense considering Mr. Waltrips profession.  But almost to the point that he comes off as not being self-aware.  He rarely owns up to mistakes and when things do go wrong someone else is to blame.  If that?s the worst part of the book then its a minor complaint.  I only wish I could have learned more about and from Darrell Waltrip.  The book is entertaining and gives a great overview of the growth of NASCAR from dirt to Daytona all in the span of one entertaining mans lifetime.
1422444
non fans as well. This book was devoured in a few hours. I respect Dale, but am not a huge fan. I am a "Flying Ryan" girl, but this book was a journey and I felt as if I were riding on the bus with the other tourists. Going to all the speedways, leaving a wreath at each one in his memory, plus going on a journey in their lives, each coming to realization about something.

A book you will not want to miss. This is my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. I heard about it on TV, and couldn't wait to purchase it. I see lots of reviews aren't even NASCAR fans, but they still enjoyed the book. It gives lots of history about NASCAR, and makes good points that it isn't just driving in a circle for three hours.

Pick it up, you won't be sorry.
725347
Well written.  I am old enough to fully appreciate insights about sports stars referenced in the book. I have followed the teams Bob Ryan covered.  Book was well organized. An unexpected benefit of the book was the author's sharing his many experiences in a number of the Olympic Games,
.
2990673
If you are a fan of Ray Bradbury this is an enjoyable read. There are several tidbits about his life and personality that may not be anywhere else. I had seen this book before but when I got into a Facebook chat with other Bradbury fans, I heard more about this book and decided to purchase it now.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the details of the authors knowledge and personal interactions with Bradbury. Some of the things stated I knew to be true, so I do believe what is offered here about the icon of literature to be from his personal perspective and genuine.
There is a little more repetition in the book (mostly about the author himself) that could be worked on, but it was not that much of a distraction.  other than that I certainly found this an enjoyable read that made me miss the great author just a little bit more. It was interesting how many things a fan of Bradbury's might find they have in common with the great writer.  This is one book that I would put on my one great story list.
1823376
After just reading&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Breaks-of-the-Game/dp/1401309720/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Breaks of the Game</a>&nbsp;I was left with a sour taste of how Red Auerbach managed the Celtics during his tenure.  This book changed all my thoughts.  The impact that Red left on everyone around him was not forgotten, and he was a big part of many peoples lives.  The book detailed what I had originally thought his personality would reflect, which was a great storyteller that held his audience captive wherever he was.  Whether it was as the Whitehouse with Bill Clinton and Al Gore, or at his weekly Tuesday lunch at the Chinese Restaraunt, he made a lasting impression.  So many names mentioned is this book are common names to all sports fans, and it was interesting to hear how they were a part of Red's life.

I enjoyed John Feinstein's writing so much I immediately read&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Season-on-the-Brink/dp/0671688774/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Season on the Brink</a>, which I should have read many years ago, and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-March-to-Madness-A-View-from-the-Floor-in-the-Atlantic-Coast-Conference/dp/0316277126/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A March to Madness: A View from the Floor in the Atlantic Coast Conference</a>, which I am looking forward to reading soon.
4079856
This is  a contiuing story about the Jack Ryan character(s) - father and son.. However, I fell that this book really goes into great detail about armaments etc and I would have preferred a more "character centric" story. The detail about guns was a bit much.
 Still, for Clancy fans, it is worth reading!