Giants, Where Have You Gone? reconnects readers to San Francisco players of the past, especially those whose lives took dramatic turns. Willie McCovey, Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Tito Fuentes, Jack Clark, Juan Marichal and Frank Robinson contribute to this volume of Giants family history.

This latest edition includes a new chapter about second baseman Jeff Kent’s foray into reality television and reflections on the Giants’ 2010 and 2012 World Series championships.

By Matt Johanson and Wylie Wong. Foreword by Jon Miller.

Buy an author-signed hardcoverback book for $9.95, shipping and tax included.

Share this:

Masis offers a rare glimpse of present-day Armenia, a dynamic metropolis rich with luxury cars, outdoor markets, and medieval churches nestled alongside high-rise apartment complexes.

In Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, an ancient culture is coping with remnants of communism and now an unquenchable desire for a western lifestyle. In this setting is Arin Karyan, whose professional ambitions have metamorphosed into a willingness to pay any price to tap into the riches flowing from the United States. Unfulfilled by his cozy family life with his intelligent and strong wife, Nara, he is tempted by the irresistible Ruzanna and the dangerous Yerevan underworld. A chance shooting gives him the opportunity he’s been seeking, and when his true nature becomes at odds with a local crime boss, then not even his uncanny ability to enter the surreal can save him. When all seems lost, Arin’s salvation comes in the most unlikely of places, and so begins a mesmerizing and soul-searching journey into an alter-Armenia which is as mischievous as it is mysterious. Following his vision, Arin must ultimately stand against his greatest fear.

At its heart, Masis is a heart-warming tale of love, tragedy, humor and greed—and the decisions one makes when few choices exist.

This is the debut novel by Adam Raffi Kevorkian, now in its second printing.

Share this:

A falling climber’s rope snaps thousands of feet above the ground. A free soloing climber, alone and unroped, attempts a terrifying do-or-die move. Two backcountry skiers awake in their tent to find themselves buried by an avalanche. A daring kayak venture helps an aging legend discover greater health and happiness.

These stories and more come to life in a collection of first-person narratives from rock, snow, ice and whitewater. Thrilling yet thoughtful, the book explains the athletes’ motivations for their ambitious outings and shares valuable lessons learned from their experiences.

Featuring tales from Steve Roper, Howard Weamer and Lynn MacMichael, Dale Bard, Marty McDonnell, Errett Allen, John Bachar, Royal Robbins, Lynn Hill, Hans Florine, Steve Schneider, Scott Cosgrove, Peter Croft, Peter Mayfield, George Durkee, Noah Kaufman, Jim Zellers, Ammon McNeely, Richard Leversee and John Wason, Doug Englekirk, Tommy Caldwell and more.

By Matt Johanson with illustrations from Christopher Hampson.

Illustrations by Christopher Hampson

“We seek outdoor adventure in order to return to a more elemental existence where we face nature armed only with our strength and resourcefulness. Out there, the slightest turn of events can suddenly imperil life and limb. In Yosemite Epics, Matt Johanson has assembled stories, told first hand by some of today’s top adventurers, of harrowing tales when they dodged a bullet in Yosemite. Strap yourself in. It’s quite a ride.” – Ron Erskine, outdoor columnist

Review:

“Local author climbs to daring heights”

Buy an author-signed copy for $16.95, shipping and tax included.

Share this:

Matt will sign copies at BookSmart in Morgan Hill on Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.,
and at BookSmart at 6970 Santa Teresa Blvd. in San Jose on Dec. 8 at 5 p.m.
Hope to see you there!

“Memories come flooding back to me as I read Game of My Life: San Francisco Giants. Matt Johanson has carefully recreated the games and, more importantly, captured the memories of the players involved. Any Giants fan will cherish this walk back through time.” – Ted Robinson, broadcaster

Orlando Cepeda breaks into the majors with a home run. Willie Mays drills four homers in a single game while sick to his stomach. Brian Wilson fights for the last outs needed to clinch a long-awaited World Series championship.

From the first San Francisco Giants game at Seals Stadium in 1958 through the team’s unforgettable 2010 postseason thrills, Game of My Life: San Francisco Giants tells the stories of the players’ favorite contests.

Many of the Giants’ greatest stars are here. Dramatic moments of San Francisco’s pennant races are vividly described by Felipe Alou, Will Clark, Kenny Lofton and Jeremy Affeldt.

But also included are the players’ games of personal significance: some heartwarming, some tearful, and some that seem almost unbelievably magical.

Dave Dravecky rebounds from a life-threatening cancer to pitch and win again, only to earn his greatest victories off the field. Bob Brenly suffers a cruel humiliation before rebounding to a storybook finale.

After toiling in minor league parks across the country for eight years, Brian Dallimore smashes a grand slam in a scintillating debut start. San Francisco native Al Gallagher often hopped the Candlestick Park fence to see the Giants in his youth. “Dirty Al” becomes the hero of the day for the team of his boyhood heroes.

Robby Thompson, Jason Schmidt and Jonathan Sanchez reflect on the inseparable connection between baseball and their families.

Experience the greatest moments of fan favorites Rod Beck, Rich Aurilia, Robb Nen, J.T. Snow, Kirk “Woody” Rueter and Mike Krukow, described in their own words as only they remember them.

Rich and storied is the history of the San Francisco Giants, full of both exhilarating games and colorful personalities. Game of My Life: San Francisco Giants brings them together like never before. By Matt Johanson.

Buy an author-signed hardcover book for $19.95.

Share this:

Buffalo Wedding is the fourth and latest album by San Francisco singer/songwriter Andy Padlo. The 17-song CD takes the listener on a soulful journey of longing and patience that resonates as a retro compilation of greatest hits. Padlo gives the listener skilled lyrical prose set to an eclectic sound. Some songs have horns, others cello – the clanking of dishes are heard on one – all held together by Padlo’s talented guitar playing and lyrics.

Buffalo Wedding is Padlo’s fourth album, following Smile, Love’s Dark Satellite and Andy Padlo. He’s shared the stage over the years with Laurie Lewis, Robin and Linda Williams, Duck Baker and the Cache Valley Drifters. As as songwriter, Padlo co-wrote “Startin’ Over” with Reed Fromer, which was recorded by Gregg Allman. The musician has also written songs recorded by Debbie Davies and the Westerleys.

“Andy’s voice is a treasure,” says Jerri Snider of Victory Review. “The music is skillful, and the songs have a real depth that could easily cause them to live among your favorites.”

“Excellent songwriting and very appealing vocals,” writes RadioIndy.com. “Fans of Mark Knopfler and Jackson Browne (like us) will love his music.”

“There’s some GREAT music in there. It’s got layers and they’re all good. Not filler but not excessive,” writes Michael McCausland, lyricist for San Francisco’s 1960s band, Wildflower. “I love his voice and that’s the truth. Doesn’t sound like anybody else.”

Buffalo Wedding represents a year-long collaboration with producer Stephen Ehret, a founding member of Wildflower, with hours of contributions from fellow San Francisco musicians. The album, along with Padlo’s other CDs, can be previewed and purchased at CD Baby.

Fans can find updates regarding Padlo’s music and performances on Facebook.

Buy a copy for $10.

Share this:

Buy the book in hardcover or paperback here.

Share this:

Some of the book’s themes are loss and recovery, the changes in sexual mores from her mother’s generation to Juliet’s, the possibilities for love and passion amongst survivors of grief, and the intricacies of friendships among women-particularly between mothers and daughters. By JoEllen Collins.

Buy the book here.

Share this:

In the summer of 1988, the Islamic Republic of Iran began a systematic execution of political prisoners. Overriding earlier prison sentences handed down by its own tribunals, the regime summarily hanged thousands of inmates, many of them incarcerated at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. In great secrecy the bodies of the victims were transported to mass, unmarked graves.

For more than two decades, the Iranian government has tried to hide the existence of these gravesites, and as recently as January 2009 has attempted to destroy evidence of their whereabouts. According to Amnesty International, the cumulative death toll of this mass purging of political enemies, which continued until early 1989, ranges from 4,500 to 10,000.

Dr. Jafar Yaghoobi experienced the terrible ordeal of being a political prisoner in Iran between 1984 and 1989. Against all odds, he survived the wave of state-sponsored killings. Let Us Water the Flowers is his personal memoir of the events of that terrible time combined with testimonials of other prisoners who shared their experiences with the author. Dr. Yaghoobi describes the courage, resistance, sacrifice, camaraderie, and solidarity of prisoners who did not give up hope. Many refused to give in to the unrelenting pressures of the prison authorities, despite brutal interrogation, torture, and fear for their lives. But he also recounts the stories of other prisoners who broke down under pressure and collaborated in torturing, abusing, and controlling their fellow prisoners. To date this is the most detailed report in English of the Iranian prison system in the 1980s and the fate of the regime’s opponents.

Including an introduction that explains the events of the 1980s within the larger context of twentieth-century Iranian history, an epilogue that movingly describes the traumatic effects of imprisonment on survivors and their families, a glossary, and a list of resources for further research, Let Us Water the Flowers is must reading for Americans trying to understand the complexities of Iranian politics and the nature of the current regime, many of whose leaders were involved in the events of the 1980′s.

Share this:

A Unique Look at Big League Baseball is divided into 12 sections: 1 – History, 8 Baseball Eras; 2 – Franchises and Ballparks; 3 – Teams and Managers (including World Series); 4 – Batting, Career; 5 – Batting, Single Season; 6 – Batting, Home Runs; 7 – Batting, Streaks and Single Games; 8 – Pitching, Career; 9 – Pitching, Regular Season; 10 – Pitching, Streaks and Single Games; 11 – Fielding, by Position; 12 – Awards, All-Stars, Hall-of-Famers.

Share this: