This is an excellent book for beginners and hard-core fitness gurus alike. The book covers all the basics of health, fitness, and well-being. I can never get enough of Mark and Julie. The stories about their careers and the people they have worked with is fantastic. Their conversion to the power of strength training and the "how to" portions of the book can't be beat. This book is filled with great photos and the wealth of knowledge the authors have gained through out their lives. No where can you find the cardio-vascular part of fitness explained so well and made so simple. This book is a must have.

It's for real. You have two world-class athletes - not bodybuilders or celebrities or fitness models, but two of the fittest people in the world here.

What makes this book different? (1) The Allens recognize that most people have other priorities in life, such as jobs and kids, and therefore can't live in the gym for 2 or 3 hours a day. (2) They also recognize - unlike many athletes - that not everyone shares their passion for their sport. They don't expect you to open this book wanting to do an Ironman of your own as they've done, but they won't discourage you from training for one either!

The book is loaded with sound, honest advice, tips, encouragement and motivation. If you want to get fit, well, you have to work at it. They're not trying to sell you seminars or supplements or some 'magic bullet' that only slims your wallet. They're not trying to relive past glory days either - the anecdotes are purposeful: meant to instruct and/or motivate.

There's several different 18-week workouts here, depending on your goals. All of them offer a balance between cardio (ANY cardio - not just running/swimming/cycling) and weight training. During the week, most workouts are about 30 minutes to an hour, with a longer one on the weekends, and an optional one for the true weekend warrior. Plus, the Allens offer plenty of suggestions for squeezing fitness into a busy schedule for full-time employees and full-time moms.

This isn't another feel-good-because-you-showed-up 'exercise' book. This book is for people who are serious about trying to raise their level of fitness, no matter what shape they're currently in.

I also strongly recommend reading it thoroughly for some of the nuggets hidden inside. For example, 5-6 small meals, each about the size of your two palms held together. An easy visual guide to portion sizes that you always have with you! How can you lose? Or better still, how can you not?

This book is direct & simple: You need to do significant work to see significant results. The Allens are not trying to sell you supplements or seminars or quick-fixes; they just pool their considerable experience to tell it like it really is.

It's not a book you can quickly skim for 'sound bites,' nor should you. If you try, you'll miss nuggets like "5-6 meals a day, each the size of your two palms held together." Now *that* I can visualize!

Although 1.5 to 2-hour workouts may not suit everyone's lifestyle, the Allens make several practical suggestions for fitting fitness into REAL life. Unlike authors who are 'trainers to the stars', these people recognize that most of us don't have fully adjustable, personal-trainer-on-demand kinds of lifestyles with huge spans of free time between gigs.

The weight training is uncomplicated and targets all the major muscle groups. This book also offers more cardio emphasis than most in a progressive, realistic and safe program. But don't be fooled. "Safe" in this book does NOT mean "unchallenging." Not from world-class athletes like these!

This book is worth every penny - especially if you USE it.

I purchased this book about a year and a half ago. I must pick it up at least three to four times a week. The realism of Mr. Allen's skill as a model railroader is nothing short of extradinoary. The pictures of his work are amazing. This is the best Model Railroading book I have ever read, and my preference is O guage not HO.

I have an original edition of this book by Mr. Westcott and John Allen's work goes far beyond the model railroad it depicts. Mr. John Allen was one of the great masters of Photography and art. This is a book on light and color and texture as well as model railroading.
I bought a copy for a friend in England who is also a master of the arts. Highly recommended both for the text and the ideas!

Mr.Wescotts story on his friend John Allen is told very well and is a good insight on the greatest model railroad builder of all time. The pictures of the railroad in this book bear out the afore mentioned statement.A must have for anyone interested in model railroading and I'd recommend it to non railroaders who would appreciate a thing of beauty.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD ACCOUNT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 500 CLUB. EACH PLAYER IS PROFILED BRILLIANTLY. THEIR CARRERS ARE WELL TOLD AND A READER GETS AN APPRECIATION FOR EACH MEMBER. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB ON THIS BOOK. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY FAN WHO WANTS A LOT INFO ABOUT EACH MEMBER OF THE 500 CLUB.

In baseball every pitcher dreams of winning 300 games in a career for power hitters it is the mark of 500 home runs that drives them to excel. This book, The 500 Home Run Club, takes you inside baseball's exclusive fraternity that only has 15 members.

Watch baseball history come alive as you read about the power of Harmon Killebrew of the grace of Henry Aaron. Watch baseball's magical wizardry in the story of Babe Ruth, or the trials faced by Jimmie Foxx. See how Ted Williams missed 5 years and still hit 521 home runs.

The game covers some many different eras, from early baseball with Mel Ott, to the 50's with Yankee great Mickey Mantle to the 80's with the raw power of Mike Schmidt of the Phillies. So many of the true legends of this game are here in this book.

You'll also read what other players had to say about these 15 great hitters, all of which are in Baseball's Hall of Fame. For the serious and true baseball fan in your life grab copy of this book, you won't be disappointed.

I think that this book by Bob Allen and Bill Gilbert is an excellent book to read and see the many and the few(which ever way you want to see it)great hitters who have been lost in all the Babe Ruth and the Hank Aaron Home Run Derby. This book goes into detail about the life and careers of all of the 500 home run hitters. Do you remember the name Eddie Matthews or Mel Ott because they both hit 500 home runs. And how about Harmon Killebrew, second only to Babe Ruth in American League home runs. I don't think that Willie McCovey gets the credit that he deserves for hitting as many home runs as Ted Williams. I for one am glad that these two guys wrote this book to let you know how great of hitters these guys really were.In conclusion I feel that any real baseball fan should go out and get this book to remiss about the old times of baseball.

Right now there are sixteen players who have hit over 500 home runs. Each one has a nice write-up and stories that are very enjoyable to read. Fifteen are retired or deceased and one is still playing.

I have always dreamed of meeting the 16 baseball players that have hit over 500 home runs. Now I realize that meeting Ruth, Ott, Mantle and Matthews would be impossible that's why I'm glad to have a copy of this book.

Along with those listed earlier you read about Aaron, Schmidt, Jackson, Foxx, Killebrew, Mays, Robinson, Williams, McCovey, Banks, Murray and the newest member McGwire.

The book is new and updated and the 16 players are listed alphabetically and no ranking system is used. I like this concept as it gives the reader the choice as to which they consider the best of this very special and elite group.

Each chapter is written to not only discuss the career of the player but also let others who knew them talk about the person as well. The book also includes photos of each of the players. This is for every baseball fan young and old - excellent work and well done!!

A life-long dream rarely becomes a reality. This true account of one man's determination to follow through with his dream to sail around the world was fascinating. Even a land-lubber like me could get a feel for the rigors and majesty of sailing. The author's descriptions of the people,cultures, and adventures he encountered along the way made the story much more than just a sailing book.

Crew is a great factual book containing wonderful descriptions of traveling the world on sailboats. It illustrates how circumnavigationg the globe can be affordable. Anyone who reads it will enjoy sharing the author's experiences and learn from his adventures. The pleasures and hazards of sailing make this book enjoyable reading.

GREAT GREAT BOOK FOR ANY BASEBALL FAN[!]THE LEATHER BOUND WITH THE AUTOGRAPH OF THE GREAT HANK AARON IS A TRUE STEAL AT THE RETAIL PRICE[!] EVERY AARON FAN SHOULD OWN ONE... A GREAT READ[.]

...This Would Be It! Colonel Allen's enthusiasm for the subject led him to produce what is probably the definitive work in the field of collecting cookbooks. This book sweeps up both the new and the experienced collector into the fascinating world of vintage cookbooks and their value as a source of historical information. The only drawback I found was the grouping of books in categories for the price guide section, as I found myself thumbing through many places to locate a particular cookbook. However, it contains an exhaustive listing, and once you get used to it, the layout is only a minor annoyance. Along with Dickinson's and Barile's books on the subject, it is fast becoming dog-eared from daily use!

THE MICK HAS BEEN THE HERO IN MY LIFE FOR 35 YEARS. THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNT OF HIS CAREER IN PICTURES AND NARRATION. MR. ALLEN SHOWS THE GREATNESS OF MICK AS A PLAYER AND THE HUMANESS OF HIM AS A PERSON. THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR EVERYONE WHO WORSHIPPED THE MICK. HE IS STILL A HERO AND A VERY BRAVE MAN WHO WAS AT HIS BEST NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE. HATS OFF TO THE MICK AND THIS WONDERFUL ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE AND CAREER. THANK YOU MR. ALLEN.

This book covers Erwin Rommel's First World War experiences, from August 1914 to November 1917. Rommel served in interesting areas: France 1914-5, Romania 1916-7 and Italy 1917. The book was written in 1937 and is less a memoir than a manual on infantry operations. There is very little human detail. Nor is there any analysis of the big picture (Rommel was only a battalion commander by 1917). German troops are made to look invincible; the French, Italians and Romanians are depicted as second-rate. Rommel was a very aggressive mountain infantry officer and won the Pour le Merit in the Caporetto offensive. The tone is subtlety braggadocio. Rommel's style was overly aggressive and similar to Caesar's in the Balkans and Egypt: bold thrusts and pursuits with handfuls of troops which sometimes got Rommel into some very tight spots. He was almost killed or captured on several occasions. Note, the tactical lessons are too narrow to draw useful conclusions from other than: dig in whenever you stop, conduct reconnaissance while the main body rests/prepares and never stop pursuing a beaten foe. Logistics was evidently not one of Rommel's strengths and would later hurt him in Africa. Excellent sketch maps for most major actions. When I visited the Caporetto area in 1996 I brought Rommel's book and was easily able to relate the sketch maps to the terrain.

Rommel's Attack is a great first person account on the activities of a junior military officer, trained on the concept of problem solving and overcoming the obstacles that he finds as he accomplishes the task that present themselves to him during combat in the Great War. In a war that has been defined as a defensive engagement, Rommel is consistently able to overcome these defenses, attack effectively, and achieve his objectives. This book is a great account on one military officers utilization of his leadership ability, coupled with the effective incorporation of those around him into an effective fighting organization. Rommel also incorporates numerous sketches of troop movements, obstacles overcome, and his battle plan intentions that add to the readers ability to learn from these writings. While many see warfare of today as much different from that of the Great War, it is important to remember that conflict still requires one group to overcome another and the thought process utilized by Rommel (and explained in this book) is still as useful today as it was then. This is a excellent book for those interested in then military, but should also be a must read for those who work with others at difficult task or objectives.

A masterful description of small unit action in WWI. Its amazing how articulate Rommel is in describing preparations for attack, use of terrain, change of plans on the spot and other details involved in executing battalion level orders. At the end of each battle sequence is an Observations section in which the lessons to be drawn are dispassionately stated.

From this book its clear that during WW1 Rommel acquired most of the military characteristics that made him one of the best commanders of WW2. His emphasis on reconnaissance, deception, and surprise as well as his trademark "feel for the terrain" (fingersptizengefuhl) were all developed at the battalion level in this earlier conflict.

Another real plus in this book are the maps (actually Rommel's hand sketches) showing terrain and lines of attack.

Anyone who is interested in Rommel's military operations should start here. As a WW2 follow-on, I'd recommend Ronald Lewin's Rommel as Military Commander...for its detailed battle accounts and excellent maps. Fraser's and Irving's books are also good, but operate at a more general level and suffer from a lack of battle area maps.

For those who love Key West, this book will confirm that affection. It will also offer insight into what it's like for those who arrive, fall in love with Key West, and decide to stay. The twenty delicious stories include one called "Leaf Woman," by Margit Bisztray, a revealing oblique peep into the interior life of a woman who typifies one of the many young people who swarm to Key West to find the only work available is low-end drone jobs. The cover with the Key West row house with the rooster perched on the railing of the porch is quintessential Key West.

I have read this book , and once again the authors from key west have brought me back to the Island that I long to call home. Especially Bruce Weiss's piece " Chicken Wars " was fabulous In my opinion Bruce is one of the best new authors of our time , and I can't wait to see what his next novel to read. Also David Kauflet piece was also excellent. Once again proving that he still has a great depth of talent to pull from. Definitely a book worth reading.

The third and latest short-story collection by a diverse and dedicated group of Key West resident-writers continues to keep a finger on the pulse of this tiny, delightfully deranged island. Their latest offering is whimsical, entertaining and right on target.