Other books that might interest you

• 

  Summits and Secrets - The Kurt...

  Kurt Diemberger

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  'A book grows rather like a snow crystal. One doesn't write it from start to finish but, in greater or less degree, all at the same time … that is why my book is not in chronological order; for everything is of the present, held in the moment when thought captures it.'
  Kurt Diemberger's Summits and Secrets is a mountaineering autobiography like no other. Writing anecdotally, Diemberger provides an abstract look into his life and climbing career that is both fascinating and awe-inspiring to navigate.
  Known for surviving the 1986 K2 disaster – an account described in harrowing detail in his award-winning book The Endless Knot – Diemberger provides a captivating insight into his earlier climbs in Summits and Secrets. From climbing his first peak in the Tyrol mountains of Austria, to the epoch-making first ascent of Broad Peak with Hermann Buhl in 1957, and then summiting Dhaulagiri in 1960, where he became one of only two people to have made first ascents of two mountains over 8,000 metres, Diemberger recounts his experiences with wit, honesty and an infectious enthusiasm:
  'Every climber knows the thrill … the unique inexplicable tension, which the regular shapes of the mountain world awake in him: huge pyramids, enormous rectangular slabs, piled-up triangles of rock, white circles, immense squares – the thrill of simplicity of shape and outline and the excitement of mastering them, to an unbelievable extent, by his own efforts, his own power … '
  Summits and Secrets is a must-read for those wanting an insight into the life and achievements of one of the toughest high-altitude climbers the world has ever known.

  Show book

• 

  Barefoot Zen - The Shaolin Roots...

  Nathan J. Johnson

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Most books about Kung Fu or Karate deal with techniques or history. Few examine the underlying purpose of these arts, or approach them as a tool for spiritual, rather than physical, development. Barefoot Zen is a brave new approach to the martial arts, which clearly demonstrates that the traditional movements of both Kung Fu and Karate, contained in the solo choreographed sequences of movements known as forms (or kata), grew out of the spiritual practices of the Shaolin order of Buddhist monks and nuns. Nathan Johnson explains that this mystical and non-violent teaching is a profound and beautiful expression of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and its pur-suit of wisdom, peace, and enlightenment. Contrary to popular assumption, he contends that it was never intended to be an actual means of self-defense. Barefoot Zen bridges the gap between Kung Fu and Karate, and reveals their common origin through the disclosure of vital research material on three of the world's most important Karate kata. Part I explains the spiritual disciplines that contributed to what we know as the martial arts.Part II explains the creation of the art along with practical instruction for performing kata.Part III explains the formation of many of the world's Kung Fu styles. We learn that the original "empty hand art" was used as a method of kinetic meditation between pairs and was designed as a practical tool to assist practitioners in transcending the fear and insecurity of everyday living. Barefoot Zen makes the legacy of the Shaolin way accessible to all, releasing the art from the clutches of popular images and painful concerns about self-defense. The legendary courage of the Shaolin (Chan/Zen) order was not developed by fighting with enemies, but by not fighting!The Shaolin teaching was designed to free us from fear, the only true enemy.

  Show book

• 

  If These Walls Could Talk -...

  Mike Puma, Keith Hernandez, Hank...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Mike Puma of the New York Post provides insight into the team's inner sanctum as only he canThe New York Mets are one of the most historic teams in Major League Baseball, with superstars over the years including Jacob deGrom, Mike Piazza, David Wright, and Tom Seaver. Aided by dozens of new, exclusive interviews, listeners will gain the perspective of players, coaches, and personnel from Mets history in moments of greatness as well as defeat, making for a keepsake no fan will want to miss.Few fan bases display as much rabid devotion to their team as the New York Mets', win or lose. That spirit is celebrated in this colorful collection of stories about the Lovable Losers.

  Show book

• 

  Festival Fever - The Irish at...

  Anne Holland

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  It is said the land level of Ireland rises a few feet every March because so many people have left for the National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham.
  English-Irish rivalry at this pinnacle of jump racing has always been keen but it has risen to new levels in the 21st Century, with many Irish winners across all the races, including the Gold Cup, Queen Mother Chase, Champion Hurdle and Stayers Hurdle.
  But Festival Fever, The Irish At Cheltenham is about more than the winners, it is the whole atmosphere, the mix of ex-pat and visiting Irish among the thronging crowds, the craic; what goes on behind the scenes; many surprising stories are told.
  It is also about the fascinating history – racing was banned at Cheltenham for a period during the 19th century; and the 1980s saw a dearth of Irish runners which led to enterprising attempts by the racecourse to woo them back.

  Show book

• 

  The Summer Game

  Roger Angell

  • 0
  • 1
  • 0

  This New York Times bestseller “takes you into the heart of baseball as it was in the 1960s, conveyed with humor and insight” (Tim McCarver, The Wall Street Journal). Acclaimed New Yorker writer Roger Angell’s first book on baseball, The Summer Game, originally published in 1972, is a stunning collection of his essays on the major leagues, covering a span of ten seasons. Angell brilliantly captures the nation’s most beloved sport through the 1960s, spanning both the winning teams and the “horrendous losers,” and including famed players Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Willie Mays, and more. With the panache of a seasoned sportswriter and the energy of an avid baseball fan, Angell’s sports journalism is an insightful and compelling look at the great American pastime.

  Show book

• 

  Samurai Zen

  Scott Shaw

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  In this book, Shaw draws upon his knowledge of Asian culture and years of study in the martial arts to show us how we, too, can achieve higher understanding through the tenets of Zen Buddhism. Iado - the meditative way of the sword becomes a path to enlightenment. The first step is to learn to control the physical body; once physical senses are honed, the thinking mind can be silenced and can join with the body to become a unified force. Illustrated. Index.

  Show book