Bringing together concepts from psychoanalysis with an attentive eye and the author's popular wisdom, Sports on the Couch explores the psychology of athletes and those around them. As a product of our culture, sport enables a break for our minds, since it allows us to disconnect from internal as well as external realities. We immerse ourselves in the world of play, managing to let out tensions and liberate a great deal of aggression in a socially acceptable way.

In 2014 games critic Cara Ellison rather flippantly pledged to the internet she’d leave home, become itinerant, and travel around the world to live with and write about some of the most interesting game developers and their cultural outlook. As your ‘cyberpunk hair-dyed Attenborough’, originally Cara put up the Embed With Games series monthly on a free blog as she travelled from couch to couch, writing about the people she met and about the way our game creators express the culture around them. The internet generously helped fund her travel costs through a subscription service, egging her on in the only way it could. This is the collected work, called Embed With Games with an exclusive introduction from Kieron Gillen, a cover from Irene Koh, and a conclusion exclusive to the eBook.

The bestselling classic is now in paperback! When Sophie's family purchases a new couch, they get something they never expected. An original adventure that's both zany and tender, He Came with The Couch is silly, sweet, and hilarious good fun! GOOD FUN: This is a simple, fun story that is a silly read for the whole family! A CLASSIC BOOK: For fans of classic picture books as well as modern tales of fun, this book has humor for everyone. A FRIEND FOR THE AGES: Every child will want a friend and protector like the one Sophie has, instilling and cementing the power of friendship and good surprises. You never know what you’ll get when you get a new couch! Perfect for: parents and grandparents, educators, librarians

Major newspapers, news programs, and magazines across the country have recently addressed the current issues of childhood obesity, the link between exercise and improved academic focus, and the importance of diet and exercise in improving the health of our children. As many schools consider cutting recess and removing physical education from their curricula, it has become increasingly important to examine the possible effects of this decision and what it might mean for children and their physical and mental well-being. In Young Athletes, Couch Potatoes, and Helicopter Parents, Jessica Skolnikoff and Robert Engvall look at the important issue of play and its changing role in today’s hyper-structured society. The authors conducted countless interviews combined with extensive research in order to gain a comprehensive theory on the current nature of play and how it has affected children’s lives. Specific topics addressed include the impact of over-involved parents upon the play of their children, how kids are chosen for sports teams and the effect of these selections on the kids, the lack of unstructured play, and the lasting impression of society’s competitive mindset on children. This book is not a criticism of parents who want to be involved in their children’s lives, but addresses the structural and cultural issues around the changing role of play and the ways in which kids’ sports are viewed in today’s society. Intended not only for childhood development studies, education, sociology, popular culture, and sports studies, this book will be of interest to parents, coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, and educators.

The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O’Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.

Three guys try to carry a couch across the country.

The Complete Guide to Sports Massage, 4th edition is a comprehensive, practical handbook. This is the must-have guide for students of sports therapy and anyone wanting a performance advantage. Featuring updated photography and the latest techniques, this is a comprehensive, practical handbook on a key branch of sports therapy, and covers the core syllabus for levels 3 and 4 Sports Massage diplomas. Sports massage is the skilled manipulation of soft tissue for: the relief and treatment of muscle soreness and pain; the maintenance of muscle balance and improved flexibility; and enhanced rehabilitation from injury. Packed with jargon-free information, this fully updated guide includes step-by-step photography and detailed text explaining the principles and techniques of massage, injury management and post-massage care, as well as practical guidance on working at a sports event.