What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Another Book Thread

Re: Another Book Thread

The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey.

I've been playing pinball competitively for a little while now and have been looking for ways to improve, and had this book recommended to me on several occasions. Useful for any situation where kind of a "detached confidence" sans mental jitters is required, and pinball is exactly that.
 
Twitch Boy said:
The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey.

I've been playing pinball competitively for a little while now and have been looking for ways to improve, and had this book recommended to me on several occasions. Useful for any situation where kind of a "detached confidence" sans mental jitters is required, and pinball is exactly that.
Click to expand...

My dad read both the tennis and skiing versions of that book.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead: a rare 5-star review on Goodreads from me. He has a way of really explaining his characters so you feel like you know them. Heartbreaking and couldn't put it down.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

I'm writing something myself, trying to get the first draft done soon. I think if I get 200 pages in MS Word on 12 pt Times New Roman, that will be long enough. It's mostly my memoir, along with letters to myself (advice I give myself). I'd love to share what I have so far...
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Just read The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - both very popular right now. Enjoyed them both, pretty quick reads.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
My dad read both the tennis and skiing versions of that book.
Click to expand...

It's sometimes the simplest things that break through. I guarantee my friends have not read those books, and two quotes from them have stuck with me:

Re: softball: "Don't think about it. Just hit the ball."
Re: boot hockey, specifically playing goalie: "The net is my house. No one is breaking into my house."

Hence, you focus on those two simple tasks, and the rest will come.

I would venture that for pinball, the flippers are your defense and the "hole" is your house. And your task is just to simply hit the ball. Keep it in play. That's it. The bonuses/flippers/ramps....if you keep the ball out of your house and keep hitting the ball...the points will come.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Recent reads

Cook: The Extraordinary Sea Voyages of Captain James Cook by Nicholas Thomas This book only tells of Cook’s voyages and the planning of them it doesn’t tell the rest of his story. Very detailed of the islands he visited and his interactions with the different native cultures; Tahitian, Maori, Australian Aboriginals, Hawaians etc. There is some speculation on what happened but a lot of it is based on first hand sources of Cook and the other members of the expeditions papers.

Billy Straight (Petra Connor #1) by Jonathan Kellerman A good Kellerman spin off novel where Petra Connor who has appeared in a couple of the Delaware/Sturgis novels gets a stand alone novel. Weaves together a couple of different storylines a young runaway hiding from a killer and the police investigating the death of a Hollywood stars ex wife and try to avoid the mistakes of the OJ case. Good read.

Port Mortuary (Kay Scarpetta #18) by Patricia Cornwell I had stopped reading the Scarpetta series for a long time as I thought the quality had dropped considerably. Especially any storyline involving her niece Lucy. I picked this up at the library’s used book sale and decided to give it a read. Sadly it was disappointing. A look back at her prior military service, which to be honest I don’t remember from previous books. Though the plot, character development and just the major parts of the story were lacking.

Hunter Killer (Pike Logan #14) by Brad Taylor A good Pike Logan novel. When the Taskforce is exposed Logan leaps into action to rescue two of his men who are stranded without assistance. Teaming up with his normal allies Aaron, Shoshana and Jennifer he must once again try to stop a global threat against America.

Final Option (Oregon Files #14) by Clive Cussler, Boyd Morrison Of the Cussler spin off the Oregon series in my favorite. I think it’s dropped a little bit since Morrison took over writing from Jack DuBrul. This book pits the Oregon against a foe that they have never come across before. One that is so like them that it could cause their downfall. Good read.

Criss Cross (Alex Cross #27) by James Patterson So in this book Cross is being taunted by a serial killer called M who seems to take great delight in taunting him and his family. Unlike many of the Cross books this only has 1 plotline though there are flashbacks as M has been taunting Cross for years. Ok but parts of the plot were very similar to a Cross bookshots novel.

Tom Clancy Code of Honor (Jack Ryan Universe #28) by Marc Cameron Cameron is probably my second favorite of the ones continuing the Clancy books, behind Mark Greaney. This is a pretty good effort about the Chinese battling against the US and Jack Ryan and the Campus involved in defending America. Thought the end was rushed a bit to finish it up and keep the book under 500 pages. I feel Clancy would have probably turned this into an 800-page novel.

A Minute to Midnight (Atlee Pine #2) by David Baldacci The second Atlee Pine book from Baldacci finds her investigating the abduction of her twin sister which has haunted her for most of her life. This book takes her back to the small town in Georgia where it happened as she tries to sort out the truth. She meets many of the people from her past and finds out some information that she doesn’t want to hear while also getting involved in the case of a new killer in town. Ok read

Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart I had put this book on reserve at the library only a day or two before he passed away so I was reading it shortly after his death. Rush has always been my favorite band and this has been on my to read list for a while. It is not a typical travelogue type book that I like to read. His style can be blunt at times to say the least but much of the part where he is actually on the road I enjoy. Many of the places he writes about in Alaska and the Yukon, like Poker Creek border station, Dawson, Tok, Top of the World Highway I have been to and it was interesting to here him write about the portion of the world I love. It also offers a lot of insight into him, the lyrics he writes for the band, particularly Vapor Trails which was mainly based on this journey. There is a bit of a lull in the middle of the book where he is back in Quebec in between rides and it mainly consists of letters to friends especially his friend Brutus who is in prison in the US. A must read for Rush Fans.

With All Despatch (Richard Bolitho #10) by Alexander Kent, Douglas Reeman The 10th Bolitho book takes place just prior to the Napoleonic Wars. The terror has started following the French Revolution and England is furiously trying to bring their navy back up to fighting shape before the inevitable conflict begins. Bolitho is sent out to take charge of a trio of cutters trying to stop smugglers. Interesting interlude between the two major conflicts, American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars that Bolitho will take part in.

Devil's Claw (Joanna Brady #8) by J.A. Jance Another good effort in the Brady series which continues the development of some of the people in the series, Joanna, Butch etc. In the week leading up to her wedding she finds herself investigating a young runaway whose mother, recently released from prison was killed on the same night. Typical twists and turns of a Brady novel as she struggles to mix life and the job.

The Orc King (Transitions #1) by R.A. Salvatore This is considered the start of a new Drizzt trilogy but if you didn’t read the prior one you will be completely lost as this one pick up pretty much where the other one ended . The dwarves, humans and elves are still confronted with Obould the Orc king threatening their land. A new contender for the leader of the orcs has emerged from the depths as Drizzt and co struggle against the orcs and the right path to take. Wulfgar does go off on his own journey in this book but I am sure he will return. Ok read.
 
Last edited:
Re: Another Book Thread

The Rube said:
Re: softball: "Don't think about it. Just hit the ball."
Click to expand...

IIRC, this is basically the gist of Inner Skiing. "Don't think about the double black diamonds on the trail sign, or how steep it looks, or the minefield of moguls - just make turns."
 
Re: Another Book Thread

The Rube said:
It's sometimes the simplest things that break through. I guarantee my friends have not read those books, and two quotes from them have stuck with me:

Re: softball: "Don't think about it. Just hit the ball."
Re: boot hockey, specifically playing goalie: "The net is my house. No one is breaking into my house."

Hence, you focus on those two simple tasks, and the rest will come.

I would venture that for pinball, the flippers are your defense and the "hole" is your house. And your task is just to simply hit the ball. Keep it in play. That's it. The bonuses/flippers/ramps....if you keep the ball out of your house and keep hitting the ball...the points will come.
Click to expand...

Somewhat that - the part I'm taking to heart is about getting out of your own head.

The gist is that you actually have two selves talking to you. Self 1 is your conscious, it issues the commands. Self 2 is the subconscious, it executes them. The secret is that Self 2 is actually very capable of learning and executing on its own through practice (go stand up and turn on the light...you didn't have to command yourself to think about executing it, your body just executed a pretty complex movement without conscious input - that's Self 2 at play.) The issues arise when Self 1 doesn't trust Self 2 and tries to take command and starts judgment (you're missing that shot, you're a horrible player, the defending state champ is next in line and he's NOT going to miss that shot, you're down 50 million, if you lose this it's strike three and you're eliminated, blah blah blah.) If you can focus Self 1 elsewhere, Self 2 can just be "chair scoop, flip, bricked it left, small nudge to save that left outlane, try again, boom, done." Don't judge yourself, trust yourself and execute the task at hand right now. Many players wear headphones/earbuds while they play - perfectly legal in most cases, even the really pro-level stuff.

One of the really fun things is getting super in the zone on a ball and having no idea what your score is, then pulling back to be surprised by the huge number after you drain.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Reading "Scotty: A Hockey Life Like No Other" by Ken Dryden. Great read and Dryden, as always is a great writer.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Just finished listening to Tess Gerritsen The Bone Garden.
Paraphrased...Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes is a young medical student, exploring the mysteries of human anatomy and disease. During an epidemic of childbed fever, a doctor and nurse have been murdered, and it’s up to Holmes and his fellow medical students to track down the killers. Yes this is a murder mystery, but at heart THE BONE GARDEN is really about Holmes’s role in medical history. What he witnesses in this story directly leads to his revolutionary scientific paper “On the Contagiousness of Puerperal Fever,” which he will one day present to the Massachusetts Medical Society. ... Set in Boston and the surrounding area.
Really liked this book- lots of history in it- both medical and how Boston what toward immigrants- mostly Irish. From what I know of history it seems pretty accurate. Narrator was superb. I am really sad it is over. :(
 
Re: Another Book Thread

leswp1 said:
Just finished listening to Tess Gerritsen The Bone Garden.
Paraphrased...Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes is a young medical student, exploring the mysteries of human anatomy and disease. During an epidemic of childbed fever, a doctor and nurse have been murdered, and it’s up to Holmes and his fellow medical students to track down the killers. Yes this is a murder mystery, but at heart THE BONE GARDEN is really about Holmes’s role in medical history. What he witnesses in this story directly leads to his revolutionary scientific paper “On the Contagiousness of Puerperal Fever,” which he will one day present to the Massachusetts Medical Society. ... Set in Boston and the surrounding area.
Really liked this book- lots of history in it- both medical and how Boston what toward immigrants- mostly Irish. From what I know of history it seems pretty accurate. Narrator was superb. I am really sad it is over. :(
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting. I may try to give it a spin.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

ScoobyDoo said:
Sounds interesting. I may try to give it a spin.
Click to expand...
Someone recommended it. I wasn't convinced but needed something so I gave it a go. By the end I wanted more. I do genealogy and had relatives who were in some of the places mentioned in that time frame so had some background of the area- made it even more intriguing. I have to say I was a bit surprised at how it worked out.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Twitch Boy said:
Somewhat that - the part I'm taking to heart is about getting out of your own head.

The gist is that you actually have two selves talking to you. Self 1 is your conscious, it issues the commands. Self 2 is the subconscious, it executes them. The secret is that Self 2 is actually very capable of learning and executing on its own through practice (go stand up and turn on the light...you didn't have to command yourself to think about executing it, your body just executed a pretty complex movement without conscious input - that's Self 2 at play.) The issues arise when Self 1 doesn't trust Self 2 and tries to take command and starts judgment (you're missing that shot, you're a horrible player, the defending state champ is next in line and he's NOT going to miss that shot, you're down 50 million, if you lose this it's strike three and you're eliminated, blah blah blah.) If you can focus Self 1 elsewhere, Self 2 can just be "chair scoop, flip, bricked it left, small nudge to save that left outlane, try again, boom, done." Don't judge yourself, trust yourself and execute the task at hand right now. Many players wear headphones/earbuds while they play - perfectly legal in most cases, even the really pro-level stuff.

One of the really fun things is getting super in the zone on a ball and having no idea what your score is, then pulling back to be surprised by the huge number after you drain.
Click to expand...

I love it when you're in the zone, but you don't realize it until afterwards. You don't think, you just *do*. The last time I played goalie, I knew I was doing well, sorta. Everything was in slo-mo (or so it seemed). This was only about 3 years ago, and I had been playing for 20+, and everyone said that was the best game I ever had. Started replaying the game in my mind...they were probably right.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

The Rube said:
I love it when you're in the zone, but you don't realize it until afterwards. You don't think, you just *do*. The last time I played goalie, I knew I was doing well, sorta. Everything was in slo-mo (or so it seemed). This was only about 3 years ago, and I had been playing for 20+, and everyone said that was the best game I ever had. Started replaying the game in my mind...they were probably right.
Click to expand...

The book mentions that - in some cases you won't even feel responsible for your own success, your body just did it. That's okay. (It's actually a good thing because not judging yourself includes positive judgment as well - "I did X and it was good" is interpreted by Self 1 as "I better keep doing X or it will be bad.")
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Twitch Boy said:
The book mentions that - in some cases you won't even feel responsible for your own success, your body just did it. That's okay. (It's actually a good thing because not judging yourself includes positive judgment as well - "I did X and it was good" is interpreted by Self 1 as "I better keep doing X or it will be bad.")
Click to expand...

The best description I have read of this feeling is in Ken Dryden's The Game.
 
Re: Another Book Thread

Kepler said:
The best description I have read of this feeling is in Ken Dryden's The Game.
Click to expand...

Great book, and yes, Twitch that is the feeling. It's like a dream of sorts. You know you're doing it, but don't really realize you're doing it until you "wake up" (the game ends).

Unfortunately, after that game, I had to retire from goalie. My back couldn't handle being a Slinky anymore. I'm back to where I started, which was a defensive defenseman. Thankfully I still can do that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top