January 4, 2018
Books I Read in 2017: "I have no life, and I must read."
Today’s blog is only partly related to table tennis – skip ahead if you have no interests in my book-reading proclivities. Below is a listing of the 58 books I read in 2017, which includes three books on table tennis, and another on coaching. It includes 21 novels by Mike Resnick; I’ve now read 43 of his books, 41 of them science fiction novels, the other two books on writing. I also read biographies of the first ten U.S. presidents (partly in preparation for a SF novel I might write), and lots of other stuff.
NON-FICTION (21)
- How to Coach Table Tennis, by David Hewitt (1990)
- History of U.S. Table Tennis: Vol. 19, 1991-92, by Tim Boggan
- History of U.S. Table Tennis: Vol. 20, 1992-93, by Tim Boggan
- Successful Coaching, by Rainer Martens
- Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, by Neil De Grasse Tyson
- How to Build a Time Machine, by Paul Davies
- The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal, by Jared Diamond
- A Concise History of China, by J.A.G. Roberts
- On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
- The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus: The Mathematics of Christmas, by Dr. Hannah Fry and Dr. Thomas Evans
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: George Washington, by Brendan January
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: John Adams, by Barbara Feinberg
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: Thomas Jefferson, by Jim Hargrove
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: James Madison, by Brendan January
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: James Monroe, by Andrew Santella
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: John Quincy Adams, by Sean McCollum
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: Andrew Jackson, by Kieran Doherty
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: Martin Van Buren, by Lesli J. Favor
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: William Henry Harrison, by Steven Otfinoski
- Encyclopedia of Presidents: John Tyler, by Dee Lillegard
FICTION not by Mike Resnick (16)
- Buying Time, by Joe Haldeman
- The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
- Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
- Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, by J.K. Rowling
- The Ice Dragon, by George R.R. Martin
- Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
- Barry’s Deal, by Lawrence Schoen
- The Genius Plague, by David Walton
- Supersymmetry, by David Walton
- All the Birds in the Sky, by Charlie Jane Anders
- Staked, by Kevin Hearne
- Zombies and Calculus, by Colin Adams
- H.G. Wells, Secret Agent, by Alex Shvartsman
- Funny Horror, edited by Alex Shvartsman
- Alternative Truths, edited by Bob Brown
FICTION by Mike Resnick (21)
- Gods of Sagittarius, by Mike Resnick and Eric Flint
- Soothsayer, by Mike Resnick
- Oracle, by Mike Resnick
- Prophet, by Mike Resnick
- Kilimanjaro, by Mike Resnick
- The Castle in Cassiopeia, by Mike Resnick
- Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick
- Resnick’s Menagerie by Mike Resnick
- Sideshow, Galactic Midway #1, by Mike Resnick
- The Three-Legged Hootch Dancer, Galactic Midway #2, by Mike Resnick
- The Wild Alien Tamer, Galactic Midway #3, by Mike Resnick
- The Best Rootin'Shootin' Gunslinger, Galactic Midway #4, by Mike Resnick
- The Buntline Special (A Weird West Tale, Volume 1) by Mike Resnick
- The Doctor and the Kid (A Weird West Tale, Volume 2) by Mike Resnick
- The Doctor and the Rough Rider (A Weird West Tale, Volume 3) by Mike Resnick
- The Doctor and the Dinosaurs (A Weird West Tale, Volume 4) by Mike Resnick
- Walpurgis III, by Mike Resnick
- The Return of Santiago, by Mike Resnick
- The Other Teddy Roosevelts, by Mike Resnick
- Sideshow, by Mike Resnick
- Masters of the Galaxy, by Mike Resnick
Wanted – the 1989 Hall of Fame Banquet Program Booklet
There have been 34 USATT Hall of Fame Induction Banquets, from 1979 to 2017, and 34 Hall of Fame Program Booklets. (Here are the Hall of Fame Profiles.) I’m putting all of them online, scanning all the old ones. But there’s a problem – I’m missing the one from the Ninth Hall of Fame Induction, in 1989, when George Brathwaite and John Read were inducted at the USA Nationals. I’ve checked with George, but he doesn’t have one, and John died years ago. So . . . do any of you have a copy? If so, please contact me or comment below!!! (I was actually at the induction, but somehow misplaced my copy of the program, and nobody I’ve checked with seems to have a copy.)
Sidespin Serve – Tips and Tactics
Here’s the article and video (8:24) by Tom Lodziak.
How Can Having Targets on a Table Can Uplift Your Game
Here’s the article by Eli Baraty.
How to Do the Reverse Pendulum Serve
Here’s the article (lots of pictures) from EmRatThich.
The Complete List of Table Tennis Resolutions for 2018
Here’s the article by Coach Jon.
2018 Projects Ovtcharov to World Number 1
Here’s the USATT article by Ray Huang.
The Best Points of Lin Gaoyuan
Here’s the video (4:22).
Smart Phone Chopping
Here’s the video (22 sec) of Rory Scott – personally, I’m rooting for Hodges!!! (No relation.)
***
Send us your own coaching news!
