Books about Downhill from Amazon.com

Ever wonder how to retrieve a sunken golf cart from a snake-infested lake? Or which club in your bag is best suited for combat against a horde of rats? If these and other sporting questions are gnawing at you, The Downhill Lie, Carl Hiaasen’s hilarious confessional about returning to the fairways after a thirty-two-year absence, is definitely the book for you.

Originally drawn to the game by his father, Carl wisely quit golfing in 1973, when “Richard Nixon was hunkered down like a meth-crazed badger in the White House, Hank Aaron was one dinger shy of Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, and The Who had just released Quadrophenia.” But some ambitions refuse to die, and as the years—and memories of shanked 7-irons—faded, it dawned on Carl that there might be one thing in life he could do better in middle age than he could as a youth. So gradually he ventured back to the dreaded driving range, this time as the father of a five-year-old son—and also as a grandfather.

“What possesses a man to return in midlife to a game at which he’d never excelled in his prime, and which in fact had dealt him mostly failure, angst and exasperation? Here’s why I did it: I’m one sick bastard.”

And thus we have Carl’s foray into a world of baffling titanium technology, high-priced golf gurus, bizarre infomercial gimmicks and the mind-bending phenomenon of Tiger Woods; a maddening universe of hooks and slices where Carl ultimately—and foolishly—agrees to compete in a country-club tournament against players who can actually hit the ball. “That’s the secret of the sport’s infernal seduction,” he writes. “It surrenders just enough good shots to let you talk yourself out of quitting.”

Hiaasen’s chronicle of his shaky return to this bedeviling pastime and the ensuing demolition of his self-esteem—culminating with the savage 45-hole tournament—will have you rolling with laughter. Yet the bittersweet memories of playing with his own father and the glow he feels when watching his own young son belt the ball down the fairway will also touch your heart. Forget Tiger, Phil and Ernie. If you want to understand the true lure of golf, turn to Carl Hiaasen, who has written an extraordinary book for the ordinary hacker.

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Price: $10.34 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Andrew Schwab, lead singer of rock group Project 86, chronicles the highs and lows of life on the road as a Christian band. The spiritual, economic and personal battles highlighted are at times tragic, inspiring or just plain funny. He illuminates many of the issues surrounding bands in the Christian music industry today and pulls no punches when sharing real stories about interacting with celebrities, fans and music industry figures. It's All Downhill From Here leaves the reader with a greater understanding of the role of believers in the arts and pop culture and redefines many of the stereotypes surrounding the idea of "Christian music.".
Price: $15.06 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In this impassioned exposé, lifelong skier Hal Clifford reveals how publicly traded corporations gained control of America's most popular winter sport during the 1990s, and how they are gutting ski towns, the natural environment, and skiing itself in a largely futile search for short-term profits.
Chronicling the collision between Wall Street's demand for unceasing revenue growth and the fragile natural and social environments of small mountain communities, Clifford shows how the modern ski industry promotes its product as environmentally friendly--even invoking the words and emblems of such environmental icons as Ansel Adams and John Muir--while at the same time creating urban-style problems for mountain villages. He also uncovers the ways in which resorts are carefully engineered to separate visitors from their money, much like theme parks.
Clifford suggests an alternative to this bleak picture in the return-to-the-roots movement that is now beginning to find its voice in American ski towns from Mammoth Lakes, California, to Stowe, Vermont. He relates the stories of creative business people who are shifting control of the ski business back to the communities that host it.
Hard-hitting and carefully researched, Downhill Slide is indispensable reading for anyone who lives in, visits, or cares about what is happening to America's alpine communities..
Price: $3.75 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Contemporary Romance: Three Colorado career women are determined that old ways - even those that have failed - are safer than facing change and romance Shelly would rather fail as a single parent than let a handsome stranger work with her troubled son. Stormi will quit her job and leave town before renewing friendship with an old love. Tula will face business failure before considering an unconventional love. Will these women find the faith to look change in the eye? Can three determined men convince them determined men convince them to take the walk down the aisle to love's surprising treasures?.
Price: $0.01 [Notify me when price goes down.]

It's wintertime at Joyce Kilmer Middle School, and everyone is thrilled when school is closed because of a huge snowstorm Everyone except Jenny, that is! Addie's mom has to work, so Addie's spending the day at Jenny's house. Jenny's stuck hanging out with her former BFF while her friends all go sledding. Thinking about the upcoming school-sponsored ski trip helps get Jenny through the day, but will Addie ruin that for her, too?

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Price: $4.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

For a great beginner's weekend; a ton of easy to follow step-by-step illustrations Part of the "Learn-in-a-Weekend" series..
Price: $6.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]