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Beanball
by Gene FehlerIt's the last inning of a high school baseball game between arch-rivals Oak Grove and Compton. Center fielder Luke "Wizard" Wallace steps up to the plate--and is hit by a beanball, a wild pitch that shatters his skull, destroys the vision in his left eye, and changes his life forever. In this riveting novel, the events surrounding this pivotal moment are recounted through free-verse monologues by 28 different voices, including those of Luke and his Oak Grove teammates; the pitcher, Kyle Dawkins, and other Compton players; the two coaches; Luke's family members and teachers; and Sarah Edgerton, a new classmate who seems more affected by Luke's injury than his girlfriend is. With its unusual format, gripping subject matter, and economy of language, Beanball is a thought-provoking, fast-paced read.
Bear Memories: The Chicago-Green Bay Rivalry (Images of Sports)
by Beth Gorr"Halas would provide food according to how we had fared against the Packers. If we won, it was steaks for everybody. But if we lost, we were lucky to be served hamburgers."--Harlan Hill, 1950s"I didn't have any particular grievance with any of the Packer players, I just wanted to beat them all."--Hall of Famer Doug Atkins, 1960s"Doug Buffone took me aside to tell me about Green Bay games . . . to set me straight about the importance of the rivalry. It definitely was not a game to be taken for granted."--Brian Baschnagel, 1970s"Each year at the start of the season, fans we'd meet would just have the one request--please beat Green Bay."--Jim Flanigan, 1990s
Bearing Light: Flame Relays and the Struggle for the Olympic Movement (Sport In The Global Society - Contemporary Perspectives Ser.)
by John J. MacAloonThe Flame Relay and the Olympic Movement is the first book-length scholarly study in English of the contemporary Olympic flame relay. Reporting for the first time on years of intensive ethnographic research and organizational intervention, MacAloon literally follows the Olympic flame through twenty years of intercultural encounter, conflict, and negotiation. Focusing on the frequently harmonious, sometimes perilous encounters among Greek flame relay officials, cultural agents, and discourses, foreign Olympic Games organizing committees, and such transnational actors as the IOC and its corporate sponsors since 1984, a context is created for understanding the significance for the Olympic movement and for globalization studies of the 2004 Athens flame relay, the first to travel the entire world. Through intensive interviews and co-participations with leading Greek and American actors and the contributions of young Greek researchers who worked backstage on the relay, Bearing Light demonstrates how culturally parochial the managerial regime of "world’s best practices" often turns out to be and yet how inescapable it has become for those who wish to communicate across cultural and political boundaries. This dilemma, the contributors argue, constitutes the practical form in which the struggle to preserve a sense of "Olympism" and "the Olympic Movement" against the demands and prerogatives of today’s Olympic sports industry is being chiefly fought out.This book was previously published as a special issue of Sport in Society
Bearing the Cross: My Inspiring Journey from Poverty to the NFL and Sports Television
by Irv Cross Clifton Brown Gil BrandtBorn into poverty in Hammond, Indiana, not much was expected from Irvin Acie Cross. But with much hard work and dedication, he put together one of the most incredible life stories imaginable.After being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1961 out of Northwestern University, Cross went on to have a nine-year career in the NFL, appearing in two Pro Bowls. After retiring, he joined the Eagles as a coach, and did so until 1971 when a rare opportunity came along.With his player career over and without any experience, Cross hired by CBS sports as an analyst and commentator, becoming the first African American to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television. He then joined NFL Today in 1975 with Brent Musburger, former Miss America Phyllis George, and sports bookie Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, and the show would go on to win thirteen Emmy Awards that first year. Throughout his life, Irv Cross has shown off his signature smile. With his strong spiritual belief, he has accomplished more than most people could ever dream of. His hard work and dedication have led him on a storied journey, and in 2009 we was awarded the Pete Rozelle Radio and TV Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bearing the Cross is Irv at his finest. From childhood to retirement, he shares an incredible life; the friends he’s made, the people he’s helped, and the lives he’s changed. With the help from longtime journalist Clifton Brown, Bearing the Cross will not only give you an inside look into this incredible man, but teach you the life lessons that have warmed his life.
Bear's Boys
by Eli GoldBear's Boys is a collection of inspiring stories featuring 36 men whose lives were altered by their encounter with the legendary coach while they were players and coaches at Alabama. The stories of star players such as Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Marty Lyons, Bob Baumhower, Ozzie Newsome, and Gene Stallings show how the Coach forever changed them as young men and ball players on the field and later in life after football. When Bob Baumhower was released from the Dolphins in 1986, he immediately did what Coach Bryant would have done: he made a plan. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he snapped into practical mode. First, he sold his boat and his big house. Then, he systematically began exploring business opportunities and setting goals for the next several decades of his life. When he started his first restaurant, he knew he had yet another chance to apply the principles he learned on the football field in real life. "Coach Bryant said there's a lot of blood, sweat and guts between dreams and success," Baumhower said. "That's true in the restaurant business. . . . Today, every success I have, every win that I have, in my opinion, came from the fact that Coach Bryant cared enough to talk to me and turn the light on for me Includes stories for such men as Bob Baumhower Jeremiah Castille Paul Crane Sylvester Croom John Hannah Dennis Homan Scott Hunter Lee Roy Jordan E. J. Junior Woodrow Lowe Gaylon McCollough Don McNeal Mal Moore Joe Namath Billy Neighbors Ozzie Newsome Ray Perkins Gary Rutledge Howard Schnellenberger Ken Stabler Gene Stallings Dwight Stephenson Richard Todd Pat Trammell Tommy Wilcox
Bears by the Numbers: A Complete Team History of the Chicago Bears by Uniform Number
by Lew FreedmanWhat do Al Campana, Frank Dempsey, Stan Wallace, Don Mullins, Gale Sayers, and Steve Trimble all have in common? They all wore number 40 for the Chicago Bears, even though more than four decades passed between the last time Campana last pulled on his jersey and the number was retired for Sayers in 1994 (along with 51 for Dick Butkus). Since the Chicago Bears first adopted uniform numbers in 1932, the team has handed out only 99 numbers to more than 1,000 players. That’s a lot of overlap. It also makes for a lot of good stories. Bears by the Numbers tells those stories for every Bear since ’32, from Red Grange to Pernell McPhee. This book lists the players alphabetically and by number; these biographies help trace the history of one of football’s oldest and most beloved teams in a new way.For Bears fans, anyone who ever wore the uniform is like family. Bears by the Numbers reintroduces readers to some of their long-lost ancestors, even those they think they already know.
Beartown: A Novel (Beartown Ser.)
by Fredrik BackmanThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true.People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
The Beartown Trilogy Ebook Collection: Beartown, Us Against You, The Winners (Beartown Series)
by Fredrik BackmanRediscover this &“lyrical look at how a community heals, how families recover, and how individuals grow&” (The Washington Post) with the complete Beartown trilogy in one unputdownable ebook from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman.In the &“beautifully told&” (The New York Times Book Review) Beartown—which inspired the HBO series of the same name—a small town obsessed with the local junior hockey team is rocked by a shocking act of violence. As accusations and rumors fly, the town must grapple with its identity as never before. Tensions rise when it&’s rumored that the Beartown hockey team will be disbanded in Us Against You. The entire future of the team and the town hinges on an upcoming game that could change everything forever. Finally, the series that &“deftly explores recovery and rebirth&” (Us Weekly) comes to an evocative conclusion with The Winners. In the two years since the events of Beartown, the residents must face difficult questions and determine just want they are willing to sacrifice for their home.
The Beartown Trilogy Ebook Collection: Beartown, Us Against You and The Winners
by Fredrik BackmanRediscover this “lyrical look at how a community heals, how families recover, and how individuals grow” (The Washington Post) with the complete Beartown trilogy in one unputdownable ebook from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman. In the “beautifully told” (The New York Times Book Review) Beartown—which inspired the HBO series of the same name—a small town obsessed with the local junior hockey team is rocked by a shocking act of violence. As accusations and rumors fly, the town must grapple with its identity as never before. Tensions rise when it’s rumored that the Beartown hockey team will be disbanded in Us Against You. The entire future of the team and the town hinges on an upcoming game that could change everything forever. Finally, the series that “deftly explores recovery and rebirth” (Us Weekly) comes to an evocative conclusion with The Winners. In the two years since the events of Beartown, the residents must face difficult questions and determine just want they are willing to sacrifice for their home.
The Beast: My Story
by Adebayo AkinfenwaFor fans of books by Jimmy Bullard, Paul Merson, The Sidemen and the F2 FreestylersMessi might be the most skilful, Ronaldo might have the best shot, but according to FIFA it's 16-stone Adebayo Akinfenwa who's the strongest footballer in the world. With a larger-than-life personality to match, it's no wonder 'The Beast' has become an icon, attracting millions of social media followers, launching his own clothing label, and still banging in the goals for Wycombe Wanderers. With such fame and adoration, it's easy to forget that Bayo is one of the hardest-working footballers around. His mental strength has had to be equal to his physical. Told by English clubs he was 'too big' to play football, he joined Lithuanian team FK Atlantas as a teenager where he faced widespread racial abuse. A career of grafting in the lower leagues of English and Welsh football followed, with spells at Barry Town, Torquay, Swansea, Gillingham, Northampton and AFC Wimbledon. Bayo's charisma and knack of scoring vital goals made him a fan favourite at each. His last ever kick for the Dons was a penalty at Wembley to help win the club promotion. 'I think I'm technically unemployed,' he told an interviewer after the final whistle. 'So any managers hit me up on the WhatsApp and get me a job!'Inspiring, entertaining and full of character, this is the story of how Akinfenwa became a true cult hero and the never-give-up attitude that made him the biggest footballer on the planet.
The Beast: My Story
by Adebayo AkinfenwaFor fans of books by Jimmy Bullard, Paul Merson, The Sidemen and the F2 FreestylersMessi might be the most skilful, Ronaldo might have the best shot, but according to FIFA it's 16-stone Adebayo Akinfenwa who's the strongest footballer in the world. With a larger-than-life personality to match, it's no wonder 'The Beast' has become an icon, attracting millions of social media followers, launching his own clothing label, and still banging in the goals for Wycombe Wanderers. With such fame and adoration, it's easy to forget that Bayo is one of the hardest-working footballers around. His mental strength has had to be equal to his physical. Told by English clubs he was 'too big' to play football, he joined Lithuanian team FK Atlantas as a teenager where he faced widespread racial abuse. A career of grafting in the lower leagues of English and Welsh football followed, with spells at Barry Town, Torquay, Swansea, Gillingham, Northampton and AFC Wimbledon. Bayo's charisma and knack of scoring vital goals made him a fan favourite at each. His last ever kick for the Dons was a penalty at Wembley to help win the club promotion. 'I think I'm technically unemployed,' he told an interviewer after the final whistle. 'So any managers hit me up on the WhatsApp and get me a job!'Inspiring, entertaining and full of character, this is the story of how Akinfenwa became a true cult hero and the never-give-up attitude that made him the biggest footballer on the planet.(P)2017 Headline Publishing Group Ltd.
The Beast (Counterattack)
by Patrick HuellerAlyssa Duncan is a beast on the soccer field. As the Copperheads' starting goalie, she might be the difference between a state title and total defeat—and she likes it that way. When a concussion takes Alyssa out of the lineup, her rising-star teammate Becca Miller takes over in goal. Becca turns out to be pretty good, too. And what seemed like a temporary change might not be so temporary after all. Will Alyssa heal in time for playoffs? And even if she recovers, what kind of beast will she have to be to knock Becca back to her old position?
Beating Goliath: My Story of Football and Faith
by Art Briles Don YaegerBeating Goliath is a memoir about overcoming loss and keeping faith by the innovative former head coach of the top ranked Baylor Bears college football team.Growing up in Rule, Texas, Art Briles learned at a young age the importance of hard work and faith from his parents. Soon that faith would be tested. On their way to see him play in a college football game, Briles' parents and aunt died in a car crash. This event shaped Briles into the man he is today. His father, Dennis, left him with a series of lessons. He taught his son that the world doesn't just hand you things, you have to earn them. And he taught him the influence that faith could have in his life.Briles put these lessons to work as a football coach, where he established his reputation for turning struggling teams into winners, from high school to the staff at Texas Tech to head coach at the University of Houston. Hired to coach Baylor in 2007, he was faced with a familiar task. Within three years, Briles led the Bears to their first bowl game in 15 years.Today, he instills those same lessons into his young players, helping them find a reason to excel. There are plenty of excuses for failure but Briles surrounds himself with people who are fearless when it comes to chasing success. That is one of the many lessons he imparts to his readers, with chapters that include:* God and the Teaching of Dennis Briles* Finding Your Passion* You Can Change Attitude, Not Talent* Passing in the Land of Earl Campbell* Everybody is a CaptainFilled with dramatic football stories and lessons learned, this book will inspire and entertain.
Beauregard and the Beast (Dreamspun Desires #88)
by Evie DraeA Once Upon a Vegas Night TaleHis greatest prize can’t be won in the octagon. Champion MMA fighter Adam Littrell needs no distractions as he prepares for the fight that will determine whether he retires. But when he opens the door of his swanky Las Vegas home to his new personal assistant, Bo Wilkins, staying focused becomes a struggle. Aware of Adam’s surly reputation, Bo doesn't expect to like his new employer, let alone fall for him. But Bo is pleasantly surprised when a shared love of books leads them to study for their GEDs together and plan for a life after their current careers. Adam won't be able to fight forever, and Bo wants a relationship on equal footing. But just as their relationship is getting off the ground, the sister Bo raised needs his help, and he drops everything. With Adam’s final match looming and Bo in a different city, reuniting will be the real challenge.
Beauties: Hockey's Greatest Untold Stories
by James DuthieFifty-seven incredible stories from hockey’s biggest names, greatest characters and unsung heroes Essential reading for every fan, Beauties is a collection of the best stories that players tell each other. Grab a seat with TSN’s James Duthie as hockey’s finest relive highs, lows and hilarious moments on and off the ice from superstars, journeymen, coaches, referees, broadcasters, agents, and hockey moms and dads. In Beauties, you’ll find out: · How Sidney Crosby’s most unusual nickname came to be · How Steve Stamkos’s dad accidentally stole Steve Yzerman’s car · How Paul “Biznasty” Bissonette almost had the Arizona Coyotes kicked out of a Winnipeg hotel on game day · How Wayne Gretzky’s greatest one-liner may have turned around the Stanley Cup Final in 1985 · About the night that Hayley Wickenheiser went blind · Why the St. Louis Blues credit Laila Anderson, a brave young girl, for their Stanley Cup win · What Bobby Orr said the first time he saw Connor McDavid play at a rink in Toronto And more!
Beautiful Brutality: The Family Ties at the Heart of Boxing
by Adam SmithBoxing. The Sport of Kings. And for every king, there are kingmakers and princes, determined heirs and ruthless pretenders to the throne. Boxers may enter the ring alone, but behind them are their families, many of whom have spent a career in the fight game themselves. And all are caught up in this most beautiful but brutal of sports.Beautiful Brutality is the first book to examine the world of boxing from the perspective of family. With unprecedented access to the likes of the Calzaghes, Mayweathers, Hattons and Khans, Sky Sports boxing expert Adam Smith lays bare the raw emotion at the heart of the sport. How does it feel when your son is taking a pummelling? Can a father make rational judgements from the corner of the ring, in the frenzied atmosphere of a fight? And how much strength does a boxer take from his family, or the family figures that so many trainers and promoters become?Passionate, hard-hitting and with astonishing revelations about the world of boxing, Beautiful Brutality is written from the heart, by an author with a unique knowledge and experience of the fight game.
The Beautiful Game: Sixteen Girls and the Soccer Season That Changed Everything
by Jonathan LittmanOnce nobody noticed Santa Rosa's Thunder. They were a ragtag team of girls who wanted to play soccer, and no one took them seriously. Their male coach expected little from his "ladies, " and their mediocre performance convinced them he was right. Then a kind of miracle happened. Emiria Salzmann, Thunder's new coach, a top player herself, knew what it took to win--discipline, relentless drills, thigh-burning sprints, and an inspired passing game. The girls hated it, but their coach never let up. Tough and determined, she showed them what it felt like to be winners--and they loved it. As the momentum grew with a string of victories, the girls thrived on the competition, believing they had the right stuff to become champions. They were right! With spirits soaring, Thunder won its league on the last day of the season and headed for the state cup, emerging not just as powerful athletes but as strong, confident, emotionally healthy human beings--champions in the game of soccer, and in the game of life.
The Beautiful Game (Cody Trilogy #2)
by David SkuyCody and the Lions are playing great soccer, but the arrival of an international company to build a factory on a nearby lake splits the team in two: Cody and his teammates who worry the factory will pollute the lake vs. the players whose families will benefit from the opportunities the company will bring. Cody and his friends organize a marathon soccer game to bring attention to the environmental impact of the factory. The game tests Cody to the limits of his strength. But it also tests his friendship, teamwork, courage, and faith that he can deal with the emotional as well as the physical effects of surviving cancer. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
A Beautiful Game: The World's Greatest Players and How Soccer Changed Their Lives
by Tom WattWherever you are on earth, it's only a matter of time before you come across children playing soccer. Another five minutes and you will probably find yourself having a ball rolled to your feet as an invitation to join in the game. Soccer is a common language and a culture shared: a joy, a passion, an escape, and an affirmation of identity understood and celebrated by children--and their parents--in every country around the globe. For this unique collaborative project, soccer writer Tom Watt talked to the world's top players about growing up and falling in love with the game: Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Gilberto Silva; England's David James and Scotland's Craig Gordon; Italy's Fabio Cannavaro, Spain's Iker Casillas, and France's Franck RibÉry; South Africa's Benni McCarthy and Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu; USA's Landon Donovan and Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura; and the world's most famous player, David Beckham. A Beautiful Game tells their stories, in the players' own words-stories of boys who would grow up to be heroes for a new generation of young players and fans. They look back to their childhoods: to their family homes, to their schoolrooms, to the friends they grew up with, and to the places where they first played the game that has made them stars. The players' words are brought to life with over 160 full-color images that offer rare, emotive, and striking insights into childhood all over the world, and celebrate soccer's ability to touch the lives of children-and adults-wherever the beautiful game is played. Five percent of the originating publisher's revenue from sales of the book worldwide will benefit selected UNICEF sports-related projects.
Beautiful Game Theory: How Soccer Can Help Economics
by Ignacio Palacios-HuertaThe first book to use the world's most popular sport to test economic theories and document novel human behaviorA wealth of research in recent decades has seen the economic approach to human behavior extended over many areas previously considered to belong to sociology, political science, law, and other fields. Research has also shown that economics can provide insight into many aspects of sports, including soccer. Beautiful Game Theory is the first book that uses soccer to test economic theories and document novel human behavior.In this brilliant and entertaining book, Ignacio Palacios-Huerta illuminates economics through the world's most popular sport. He offers unique and often startling insights into game theory and microeconomics, covering topics such as mixed strategies, discrimination, incentives, and human preferences. He also looks at finance, experimental economics, behavioral economics, and neuroeconomics. Soccer provides rich data sets and environments that shed light on universal economic principles in interesting and useful ways.Essential reading for students, researchers, and sports enthusiasts, Beautiful Game Theory is the first book to show what soccer can do for economics.
Beautiful on the Outside: A Memoir
by Adam RipponFormer Olympic figure skater and self-professed America's Sweetheart Adam Rippon shares his underdog journey from beautiful mess to outrageous success in this hilarious, big-hearted memoir.Your mom probably told you it's what on the inside that counts. Well, then she was never a competitive figure skater. Olympic medalist Adam Rippon has been making it pretty for the judges even when, just below the surface, everything was an absolute mess. From traveling to practices on the Greyhound bus next to ex convicts to being so poor he could only afford to eat the free apples at his gym, Rippon got through the toughest times with a smile on his face, a glint in his eye, and quip ready for anyone listening. Beautiful on the Outside looks at his journey from a homeschooled kid in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a self-professed American sweetheart on the world stage and all the disasters and self-delusions it took to get him there. Yeah, it may be what's on the inside that counts, but life is so much better when it's beautiful on the outside.
The Beautiful Poetry of Football Commentary
by Charlie EccleshareRoma have risen from their ruins!Manolas, the Greek God in Rome!The unthinkable unfolds before our eyes.This was not meant to happen, this could not happen . . . this is happening!Peter DruryIf football is the beautiful game, then commentators are its poets.Whether it's the brevity of Barry Davies, the boundless enthusiasm of Clive Tyldesley or the sheer eloquence of Peter Drury's monologues, the canon of football commentary is replete with memorable lines that would have some of the great classical orators nodding in appreciation. Curated by football journalist Charlie Eccleshare, The Beautiful Poetry of Football Commentary is a glorious anthology of iconic lines, set out as poems, celebrating the best commentators that have ever graced a microphone. Each poem is accompanied by 'scholarly' analysis capturing the enduring power of language on the beautiful game.So, drink it in, and immerse yourself in classic verse from Ali Brownlee, Andy Gray, Brian Moore, David Coleman, John Motson, Jon Champion, Jonathan Pearce, Kenneth Wolstenholme, Martin Tyler, and many more.
The Beautiful Poetry of Football Commentary
by Charlie EccleshareRoma have risen from their ruins!Manolas, the Greek God in Rome!The unthinkable unfolds before our eyes.This was not meant to happen, this could not happen . . . this is happening!Peter DruryIf football is the beautiful game, then commentators are its poets.Whether it's the brevity of Barry Davies, the boundless enthusiasm of Clive Tyldesley or the sheer eloquence of Peter Drury's monologues, the canon of football commentary is replete with memorable lines that would have some of the great classical orators nodding in appreciation. Curated by football journalist Charlie Eccleshare, The Beautiful Poetry of Football Commentary is a glorious anthology of iconic lines, set out as poems, celebrating the best commentators that have ever graced a microphone. Each poem is accompanied by 'scholarly' analysis capturing the enduring power of language on the beautiful game.So, drink it in, and immerse yourself in classic verse from Ali Brownlee, Andy Gray, Brian Moore, David Coleman, John Motson, Jon Champion, Jonathan Pearce, Kenneth Wolstenholme, Martin Tyler, and many more.
The Beautiful Race: The Story Of The Giro D'italia
by Colin O'BrienA celebration of the Giro d'Italia in all its kaleidoscopic glory after more than one-hundred stagings of this glorious race. Born of tumult in 1909, the Giro d'Italia helped unite a nation. Since then, it has reflected it's home country—the Giro's capricious and unpredictable nature matches the passions and extremes of Italy itself. A desperately hard race through a beautiful country, the Giro has bred characters and stories that dramatize the shifting culture and society of its home. There was Alfonsina Strada, who cropped her hair and raced against the men in 1924, or Ottavio Bottecchia, expected to challenge for the winner's "Maglia Rosa," the famed pink jersey, in 1928, until he was killed on a training ride—most likely by Mussolini's Black Shirts. And what would a book about the Giro d'Italia be without Fausto Coppi, the metropolitan playboy with amphetamines in his veins, guided by a mystic blind masseur, who seemed to glide up the peaks. But let us not forget his arch rival Gino Bartali—humble, pious and brave. It recently emerged that he smuggled papers for persecuted Jewish Italians. Then there is the Giro's most tragic hero, Marco Pantani, born to climb but fated to lose. Halted only by World Wars, the Giro has been contested for over a century, and The Beautiful Race is a richly written celebration of this legendary race.
Beautifully Grotesque Fish of the American West (Outdoor Lives)
by Mark SpitzerFisherman Mark Spitzer takes readers on an action-packed investigation of the most fierce and fearsome freshwater grotesques of the American West ever to inspire both hatred and fascination. Through the lenses of history, folklore, biology, ecology, and politics, Beautifully Grotesque Fish of the American West depicts the environmental destruction plaguing the most maligned creatures in our midst while subtly interweaving Spitzer’s experiences of personal tragedy and self-discovery. Join Spitzer as he noodles for flathead catfish in Oklahoma, snags paddlefish in Missouri, trotline- and electro-fishes American eels in Arkansas, studies razorback suckers in Arizona, bounty hunts for pikeminnows in Washington State, attends a burbot festival in Utah, stirs up Asian carp in Kansas, and breaks the state record for the largest yellow bullhead ever caught in Nebraska. By examining freakish links in a vital chain and working with specialists in the field, Spitzer portrays a planet in environmental crisis and dispels the illusion that our actions don’t result in long-term, toxic consequences. Spitzer offers models for fisheries and provides other sources of hope in this informative epic of redemption that ultimately celebrates the wild and resilient beauty and remaining possibilities of the American West.Watch a book trailer. Visit the Where in the West is Mark Spitzer? blog series for additional reading and a look at more photographs not included in the book.