Book Description
"Bob's message is a must for all parents and coaches. He challenges adults to understand their effect on youngsters, and that kids' needs have to be met first." Bob Trupin, Westport, CT This is not just another book touting improved sportsmanship and better coaching to remedy the violence in youth sports today. Just Let the Kids Play is the first book to identify the youth sports systems as the cause of the problem, and offers practical ways to rebuild them so they better serve the physical and emotional needs of children. First-round NBA draft pick, part-time NBA scout and youth coach Bob Bigelow joins journalists Tom Moroney and Linda Hall to put youth sports under harsh review. They explain the controversial belief that elite traveling teams at young ages should be abolished and replaced with equal playing time, team parity and shortened seasons, among others. Focusing on soccer, basketball, baseball and hockey, they highlight ten programs nationwide where these principles are working, and offer ways to integrate them into existing programs without sacrificing a child's chances for success. Soccer moms and hockey dads will discover that it really is possible to sleep in on Saturdays without sacrificing their child's future!
Customer Reviews:
Yes, Let them play!.......2006-07-28
Kids need to play and books like this that emphasize this concept are, in my opinion, much needed. Kids also need protection from those who would take advantage of them, whcih is why I also recommend: "Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Your Nonprofit Corporation" by Ms. Cellaneous, The Unknown Attorney.
Nail it to the youth sports church door! (more please).......2005-12-16
I've recommended this to everyone I know in the youth sports world, although few are receptive to it, believing that "just let the kids play" is an archaic or maybe even extinct idea. After reading the book, I contacted the author and have exchanged phone calls and e-mail messages with him. I wish he'd write a followup so we could get this debate in the open more. If enough parents and administrators got thinking about it, maybe we could rescue youth sports from its present insanity. Even if you don't agree with Bob Bigelow's proposed solutions, please read this book and consider how we can do what's best for the kids. I have friends who are youth sports organization administrators and traveling team coaches and they want what's best for the kids, I just wish they'd stop and think about if there are other ways. This book would give them that perspective.
Must read for Sports Parents.......2005-08-15
This book has a message for anyone raising kids involved in organized sports - the leagues have changed since you were a kid. Many leagues wash out kids at young ages through unrealistic expectations, focus on winning at all costs, brutal schedules and cuts of kids who want to play. If you worry about the cost of competitive sports to your kid, this is a good book to read. The adults in your childrens' leagues need to have childrens' best interests at heart. Author Bob Bigelow, former NBA player and author states he probably would have been cut if he started as a kid today in a competitive basketball league. Whether you agree or disagree with the authors' points, you will probably find some ideas to ponder in this book.
Right on The Mark!!!!!!.......2005-02-06
I read this book quite a while ago and found myself nodding in agreement throughout the book. Finally someone who "gets it" THANK YOU!!...My younger son has been on travel teams (elite teams) since the age of 7..He is now almost 14..I have sat through hundreds of game,driven countless miles in an SUV to games that were as far away as 2 1/2 hours.. watched my son receive 40 thorphies,..seen practices where I was sure they must be training college players not 8 year olds.. seen coaches kicked out of a game by referees for bad behavior, seen parents behave in ways that I could never imagine...and I see children that are becoming "entitled" through youth sports...This book is right on the money...I feel sad for our youth...and I hope that this book begins to have people qeustion
youth sports and begin to offer some balance in youth sports...We have lost a lot when we lost -->pick up games, sandlot games..etc-children coming together to play sports that was not adult driven...
"Propaganda Junk" response........2004-06-07
To the "Propaganda Junk" author: You are exactly the type of parent/coach this book was written for. If you don't "get it" then you are a part of the problem.
I have been a recreational and club soccer team coach for 12 years. I have a son playing for a college team on full scholarship. I have a 10 year old who is develping into quite a player as well. By all measures, both my boys are great players. They learned about the game from me under the same types of good attitude and common-sense philosophies discussed in this book.
Sure, kids should be exposed to competition at early ages. The earlier, the better, in my opinion! But they should be exposed to the KID version of competition (fun) as opposed ot the adult version ("win at any cost"). Why some people don't get this is just mind boggling.
There are very sound physiological and psychological reasons behind placing fun over competition at early ages. Most of the reasons have to do with the onset of puberty when that competitive spirt really comes alive in these young people. Until this happens, it's should be just for fun with the intent of keeping them involved with sports for the long term. Burning them out on a sport by age 12 is self-defeating, really sad and should be considered child abuse in my humble opinion.
This book gives some very handy suggestions on how to deal with obnoxious parents and overbearing coaches. It's also causes you to reflect on what you are taeching your own kids. No, it's not a prize winning book. It probably won't do a whole lot of good because the author is preaching to the chior. The people that most need to read it would never read such a book. But it did me some good and I'll pass it's suggestions along whenever I get a chance.
Perhaps it could have been written and organized a little better but it's still a good value and well worth reading.
Book Description
"Schoolyard rhymes are catchy and fun. They are easy to remember. In fact, they stick in the mind like bubble gum to a shoe." writes Judy Sierra in her introduction to this lively collection of traditional playground chants. Included are more than 50 verses ranging from the familiar jump rope rhyme about the mythical lady with the alligator purse to less familiar counting-out ones, from funny rhymes for ball-bouncing and hand-clapping games to "Liar, liar, pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire" and other choice insults of children. Melissa Sweet includes bright, colorful fabric swatches in her watercolor-and-pencil collages to perfectly capture the spirit of these funky, street-smart verses that children love to recite and chant.
Customer Reviews:
Good book.......2007-09-14
Nice book. Has lots of rhymes ... some I knew, some I didn't ... some had more lines than I remember... This book just has the words to the rhymes, so if you are looking for the rhythms or the hand clapping sequence (as I was) this isn't the book for you.
Back down memory lane!.......2007-05-17
What a wonderful blast from the page! I so enjoyed reacquainting myself with many of the childhood rhymes from my double dutching days. This will be a great gift for me to share with my nieces as they too will be introduced to such famous childhood rhymes. Even the illustrations made the rhymes stand out fully engaging one to try them out on the playground.
Book Description
Cool Quizzes & Hot Tips About Growing Up
Talking about life with your friends can be one of the best things about growing up! You laugh and learn and even figure out parts of life you never understood before. You find out about your friends and yourself—who you are, what you like or don't like, and how you can become the person you want to be.
Inside are clever quizzes and creative tips about moods, emotions, self-esteem, family and friends, school, and boys! Full of fun and written by a caring mom and her teenage daughter, this hip little helper will teach you and your friends how to feel great about yourselves and growing up.
Quiz topics include:
·Are you a true friend?
·Is your self-esteem sky-high or down in the dumps
·What embarrasses you most?
·Does a special guy like you?
·How much do you know about your body?
·Are you happy enough?
·And more!
Customer Reviews:
Good pre-teen book.......2007-03-08
My granddaughter took this book with her everywhere for the first few days and then she lost interest. I think it was because she is such a prolific reader, she was looking for something more challenging.
Getting to Know the Real You: 50 Fun Quizzes Just for Girls.......2006-03-10
Fantastic book for my teenage daughter. She was constantly on-line searching for quizzes and making them up to pass along to friends - so this book was a great hit with her. The quizzes are cool. I wondered if she'd think they were "lame", but she's loves the book. It's always open on the coffee table.
Fun Quiz Book.......2002-08-01
The day after I bought this book, a bunch of my friends slept over at my house, and we spent the whole night doing the quizzes. We found out so much about ourselves and each other and became even better friends. My mom kept telling us we had to go to sleep, but we couldn't put the book down. Since you can take these quizzes more than once, my friends and I are already planning another sleepover in a few months so we can see how we've changed.
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Most 31-year olds can't boast of being the instigator of a revolution. But then again, the world's leading promoter of open source software and creator of the operating system Linux does humbly call himself an accidental revolutionary--accidental being the operative word here. Just for Fun is the quirky story of how Linus Torvalds went from being a penniless, introverted code writer in Helsinki in the early 1990s to being the unwitting (and rather less than penniless) leader of a radical shift in computer programming by the end of the decade.
OK, perhaps "story" in the traditional sense of the term is stretching it a bit. This whole book is more like a series of e-mails, an exercise in textual communication for someone more used to code language than conversation: choppy sentences packed into short paragraphs, and sometimes just one-liners. The pace is fast, but the quippy tone can get somewhat tiring, though it definitely suits the portrayal of a computer-dominated life. And like an e-mail conversation, the tense often changes, the topics jump back and forth, and the narrators occasionally change, mostly alternating between the Linux man himself and Red Herring executive editor David Diamond, who convinced the difficult-to-pin-down Torvalds to write his story (or at least allow Diamond to poke, prod, and pull it out of him, all the while giving his own impressions and interpretations). But Torvald's tale contains enough informative and entertaining tidbits--on growing up in dark, strangely silent but communication-gadget-obsessed Finland (which boasts more cell phones per capita than anywhere else), on what makes passionate code writers tick, on making the transition from unknown computer geek to world-famous computer geek, on the convergence of technology and ideology, on his work for Transmeta and involvement (or lack thereof) with all the players worth mentioning in Silicon Valley - to keep more than just computer programmers engrossed in his story. For the latter, of course, Just for Fun will be required reading.
If you pick up this book as a geek's guide to the meaning of life (which, believe it or not, Torvalds does ramble on about at the beginning and the end), then you're in for a bit of a shallow take on the whole thing. But if you're interested in the idea of technological development as a global team sport, and how a nerdy Finnish transplant to California got the whole game going in the first place, check out Linus's story... just for fun, of course. --S. Ketchum
Book Description
"I was a nerd. Geek. From fairly early on. I didn't duct-tape my glasses together, but I might as well have, because I had all the other traits. Good at math, good at physics, and with no social graces whatsoever. And this was before being a nerd was considered to be a good thing."
In this witty and engrossing narrative, Linus Torvalds, the brilliant mastermind behind the latest Internet revolution, in collaboration with writer David Diamond, chronicles his transformation from a pale, skinny Helsinki college kid to an international folk hero. What began as a childhood hobby soon became the astonishing phenomenon known as the LINUX operating system.
LINUX was created because Linus was curious to see if he could improve upon the operating systems already out there, such as UNIX. How could he create a system that could run all of his favorite software with fewer crashes and faster productivity? Linus posted his early versions of LINUX on the Internet and called upon the most brilliant minds in computer science to enhance his system. What happened next took the world by storm.
Linus wasn't the first to use the power of the open source movement, but the excitement he generated when he offered his system to the world was unprecedented. What made LINUX revolutionary was its journey to become the marvel it is today -- and how the system grew from the meeting of thousands of minds around the world. Suddenly, Linus's creation was available for everyone to use, for free! Anyone could improve LINUX at whim. No monopolies, no trade secrets, no whispering behind closed doors. LINUX wasn't controlled by a select few -- this remarkable creation was accessible to absolutely anyone -- and still is. The LINUX system is still constantly evolving and improving every day a decade after its inception. Linus describes the history of LINUX in graspable terms and details how the system itself works, without lapsing into mindboggling technical jargon.
Part autobiography and part business philosophy, Just for Fun brims with biographical detail about the radical spirit and creativity of Linus Torvalds. It offers a unique glimpse into the mind of an accidental revolutionary and how the altruistic creation of LINUX flourished so successfully in the open source movement.
For general readers, Torvalds spins a witty tale of his fascinating life. Here is the story of a young man who, as a still-rising star, keeps his feet on the ground through a combination of self-deprecating humor and the realization that life is simply about having a good time. Linus's narrative teems with clever anecdotes and his captivating opinions on the future of competition in the computer world. Linus even reveals his own take on the meaning of life.
For techies, this is a candid glimpse at the life of this honored, yet unintentional hero. Linus offers a compelling look at how he sees the road ahead for LINUX and the computer industry. He also divulges how LINUX began as a small spark and spread like wildfire across the world.
Although he's the first to admit that roaring down the freeway in his shiny new BMW has its benefits, Linus never intentionally sought fame and fortune. Yet both found him when Linus Torvalds radically changed the world of technology for one selfish reason: He did it just for fun.
Customer Reviews:
Eye Opening.......2007-09-27
This is really eye opening stuff. If you are even remotely interested in Open Source Software, this will give you some insight into the mind of Linus Torvalds. On top of being informative it is a really fun read.
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
An interesting look at an archetypal geek, amd a man who isn't in it for the money, fame, or power, just wanting to have software that did want he wanted it to do. He also saw building linux as an intellectual exercise that he could learn a lot from, working from one computer, to saving up to buy another from a catalogue.
A reasonably reticent and retiring type, it was well done by the author to get this book published.
Great Read.......2007-08-12
This book was fun to read. It would make a great movie. Nerdy little kid makes good - in fact becomes the figurehead for an historically important movement worldwide.
A Great Read.......2007-07-05
A great, honest, humorous, read about the history of Linux and it's creator.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A funny book.......2007-04-19
One wouldn't expect with a title "Just for Fun" that you would find a complete autobiographical analysis of the authors mind, a treatise on open source or tome on an operating system. The book delivers exactly what Linus says he hopes for in the beginning pages, a fun time. If that's not what you're interested in, then don't read it.
A friend loaned this book to me while taking a Linux class. I wasn't too enthused, thinking it would be some arrogant "how great I am" story, being a guy writing it you know. I was pleasantly surprised.
Throughout the pages, one gets a glimpse into the life of Linus in a sometimes revealing, down to earth journey from his childhood to the present. Along the way, Linus pokes fun at his looks, his nose, his lack of social skills and his inescapable "geekiness". At times it is hilarious.
He talks about growing up in Helsinki, how he came about developing Linux, getting married, getting involved in the open source community, the rise to fame and riches and his take on the meaning of life.
David Diamond adds humor and interest to the story by recording his observations and conversations with Linus and members of his family.
Now I have a little more knowledge about open source and a remarkable "Joe" from Helsinki who created the large sticky snowball of a very cool operating system and shared it with the world.
This book is just a fun read that I enjoyed very much.
Book Description
Surf your way to fun-filled adventure and school success in cyberspace!
Want to join in the search for real-life aliens, take a virtual trip into the eye of a hurricane, and learn magic as you master mathematics? With Online Activities for Kids, the fun never stops and the learning just comes naturally. Where else can you build research skills while creating a family Web page, or learn about world geography while going on an Internet treasure hunt? Take a journey on the Underground Railroad. Turn your room into a world-class art museum. Build a dinosaur from fossils. This easy-to-use, step-by-step guide is bursting with imaginative projects like these and many more, including:
- Design your own roller coaster
- Relive a day in the life of a Civil War soldier
- Write a letter in a language you don't even speak
- Find out how much you'd weigh on Jupiter
- Write haiku poetry
- And much, much more . . .
With Online Activities for Kids, you'll have a great time exploring the Internet, and you'll amaze everyone with your fabulous projects and super cybersurfing skills.
Customer Reviews:
Online Activities For Kids.......2002-01-04
This book is so much fun! It is easy to use and offers imaginative ideas for internet projects and cybersurfing. My favorite project was to write haiku poetry and get it published on the web. You won't want to put this book down until you've tried every single project, either with your family, your classroom, or even just by yourself.
Customer Reviews:
Good Story.......2007-04-04
Tressa Jayne, news reporter determined to get a good story, and her journalistic partner Shelby Lynne are persistent at trying to interview famous hometown author, Elizabeth Courtney Howard. They hear that Mrs. Howard is home for a few days. Unfortunately, the author is reclusive and eccentric - but will she give in and give them the interview? The journalistic duo go to great and desparate lengths to get an interview.
Meanwhile, Tressa Jayne's grandmother moves in with her. There are lots of activities and adventures in the book. I really like Tressa Jayne and her cool grandmother.
The book is a bit drawn out. And there are elements in it I do not like. Also, I was disappointed because there was not much (or any) "Halloween Fun" in the form of pumpkins, orange cookies, etc. I would not consider this book a cozy.
But most of all, the book was good. It was very well written; the writing style was cute; and the plot was good.
Funny Mystery.......2007-01-05
Great! I really enjoyed reading the third Calamity Jayne book. Reminds me of Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich.
amusing lighthearted mystery .......2006-10-04
Grandville Gazette tyro reporter Tressa "Calamity" Jayne feels she needs to stop making the news (see CALAMITY JANE and CALAMITY JANE RIDES AGAIN) instead of reporting the news. She vows to follow insipid events to keep out of trouble and avoid psychos, lunatics, and cops.
Tressa interviews 6 foot 2 inch sarcastic homecoming queen candidate Shelby Lynne, who challenges Calamity to obtain an interview with reclusive New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Courtney Howard. The writer quietly has arrived in Iowa. Tressa accepts the gauntlet deciding to interview the author as the young journalist assumes no trouble can come of that. However, the writer goes to incredible lengths to elude the obstinate Tressa starting with staying at haunted Holloway Hall. However the intrepid reporter with the towering female student taunting her soon gets involved with the strange events at Holloway Hall.
The third Calamity Jayne tale is an amusing lighthearted mystery with a touch of the paranormal. Readers will enjoy the antics of the heroine who wants to cover fluff, but from the opening face to upper torso battle between the two sarcastic female warriors until the final showdown at Holloway Hall, calamity follows every step Tressa takes. Readers will just have fun with Kathleen Bacus' humorous romp.
Harriet Klausner
Product Description
On-the-go Instrction Because your time is valuable... All Audio All on the go! Beginning level instruction is presented in an all-audio format on 4 digitally-recorded CDs. You have the opportunity to learn on the go, taking advantage of time normally wasted. Study in your car, while exercising, doing yard work anywhere you can safely listen to a CD player. No accompanying books are needed to help you complete the lesson activities. Why can t learning be fun? It can! Linguaphone has chosen to present the allTalk series in an entertaining, soap-opera format. No dry old teacher with a monotone voice putting you to sleep, you follow the adventures of a visitor to a Spanish-speaking country as she interacts with individuals in a variety of interesting situations, learning the language and beginning to understand the culture. Actually learn the language Tired of spending money on language courses that don t work? Did you ever think the problem could be with the course and not you? With Linguaphone s unique learning sequence: Listen, Understand, Speak, you will find yourself actually using the language in no time at all! You are presented with a unit of the language, it is then broken down and explained to you, then you put it back together with greater understanding than just repeating what you may not have understood in the first place. . . . and learn it well! The all Talk methodology not only teaches well, but will have you speaking and understanding basic spoken Spanish in no time at all. Other popular all-audio courses require four times the cds, four times the money and four times the time to do what Linguaphone s allTalk Basic does with 4-one hour CDs.
Book Description
Now quilters really have something to smile about, thanks to Leisure Arts exclusive publishing partnership with quilting and lifestyle legend Debbie Mumm. In this new design collection, Debbie Mumm is sure to delight her millions of fans with creative, colorful quilting projects that can be stitched up in a jiffy. And with comprehensive cutting charts and step-by-step directions, theyre not only fun, theyre also fun to make.
Customer Reviews:
Farr from a good book.......2002-09-29
I hate it when publishers allow celebrities to write their own memoirs. (Robert B. Kaiser appears to have been no help whatsoever in penning this disaster.) The celebs never seem to realize that what we find interesting about them is what they're best-known for. In this case, Farr is best-known for M*A*S*H, yet he barely even touches on the show until two-thirds of the way through the book, then he charges ahead without giving us much insight into the show, the actors, or the creators, then rambles on about his life after M*A*S*H (without touching upon the sequel to his hit show, AfterM*A*S*H).
Jamie Farr cannot write, which is not his fault, he's a comedian, not a book writer. The publisher should have stepped in and at least had the thing PROOFREAD! Missing periods and commas throughout, typos rampant. The writing is atrocious. No pacing whatsoever. No transitions between paragraphs. And not enough M*A*S*H. The only celeb memoir worse than this one is Carroll O'Connor's I THINK I'M OUTTA HERE. It makes me cry to think that even one tree was killed to print that insult to writing.
I would have given the book one star, yet I like Farr and loved the show, so I added a star to spare his rating.
Jamie Farr Evokes Laughter, Brings Tears.......1998-08-24
Having enjoyed Jamie Farr for years in M*A*S*H ... then just a few years later at The Showboat Dinner Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida I was thrilled when I found "Just Farr Fun." I was not disappointed. Just as Mr. Farr's theatrical performance in "South Pacific" (at The Showboat) was one of the best I had ever witnessed, so was his wacky inside look at sit-com television. I cannot recommend strongly enough this fine book --- a knee-slapping, must-read, fun-filled autobiography that, at times, brings tears to the eyes.
A must read for all M*A*S*H lovers.......1998-07-28
I thought this book was wonderful insofar as it provided an enormous amount of insight into the making of television show M*A*S*H that only an actor would know. The book is written very matter-of-fact which gave me the feeling that I was having a conversation with Jamie Farr rather than reading his book. Consequently, his book was a great read.
For M*A*S*H lovers, Jamie Farr discusses many other roles that he's had in the beginning of the book. Be patient! That stuff is important in order to understand the M*A*S*H era at the end.
MAX KLINGER a.k.a JAMIE FARR.......1997-11-28
This is one of the best ways of getting the most complete behind the scenes look of the life of one of televisions funniest characters and also of televisions greatest sit-com/drama's, (M*A*S*H).This book is a must for anyone who loves the wacky comedy of Jamie Farr and the splendor of M*A*S*H. Makes a great gift!
Book Description
These age-specific books provide you with important information about how young children are growing and changing, and what you can do to lay a strong foundation for later learning. Calendar-like pages, designed to be displayed, offer developmentally appropriate activity suggestions for each season. Each book includes ideas for games, recipes, songs, poems, and more, plus practical parenting advice! Just for One's is designed to work for you all year long! The top page in each month is devoted to 12 through 18-months, while the bottom page is for use with 18 through 24-months. The activities may be completed in any sequence and repeated as often as you like. Many of the songs and make-at-home toys may be enjoyed at any age. Just turn to the appropriate month and begin! Both you and your child will find many hours of enjoyment as you use the activities in this book. Have fun!
Books:
- Knitting Lingerie Style: More Than 30 Basic and Lingerie-Inspired Designs
- Lace Style: Traditional to Innovative, 21 Inspired Designs to Knit
- Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils
- Last-Minute Fabric Gifts: 30 Hand-Sew, Machine-Sew, and No-Sew Projects (Sewing)
- Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design
- Learn-To-Knit-Afghan Book
- Machine-Stitched Cathedral Windows: Updating an Old Favorite
- Making Designer Seed Bead, Stone, and Crystal Jewelry
- Making Polymer Clay Beads: Step-by-Step Techniques for Creating Beautiful Ornamental Beads
- Making Polymer Clay Beads: Step-by-Step Techniques for Creating Beautiful Ornamental Beads
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocki
- Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet
- Black Film/White Money
- Does The Center Hold
- History: Fiction or Science
- Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a Year for the Cost of Staying Home
- Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons
- After Hours Trading Made Easy: Master the Risk and Reward of Extended-Hours Trading
- An Accounting Experience with the Apple II Microcomputer: A Service Firm
- The Spear of Lepanto
Reference
| Miscellaneous
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
101 Ways to Be a Terrific Sports Parent : Making Athletics a Positive Experience for Your Child
Why Johnny Hates Sports
The Cheers and the Tears: A Healthy Alternative to the Dark Side of Youth Sports Today
Whose Game Is It, Anyway?: A Guide to Helping Your Child Get the Most from Sports, Organized by Age and Stage
The Double-Goal Coach: Positive Coaching Tools for Honoring the Game and Developing Winners in Sports and Life (Harperresource Book)
