Updated to include a new chapter about the influence of social media and the Internet—the 20th anniversary edition of Bowling Alone remains a seminal work of social analysis, and its examination of what happened to our sense of community remains more relevant than ever in today’s fractured America. Twenty years, ago, Robert D. Putnam made a seemingly simple observation: once we bowled in leagues, usually after work; but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolized a significant social change that became the basis of the acclaimed bestseller, Bowling Alone, which The Washington Post called “a very important book” and Putnam, “the de Tocqueville of our generation.” Bowling Alone surveyed in detail Americans’ changing behavior over the decades, showing how we had become increasingly disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and social structures, whether it’s with the PTA, church, clubs, political parties, or bowling leagues. In the revised edition of his classic work, Putnam shows how our shrinking access to the “social capital” that is the reward of communal activity and community sharing still poses a serious threat to our civic and personal health, and how these consequences have a new resonance for our divided country today. He includes critical new material on the pervasive influence of social media and the internet, which has introduced previously unthinkable opportunities for social connection—as well as unprecedented levels of alienation and isolation. At the time of its publication, Putnam’s then-groundbreaking work showed how social bonds are the most powerful predictor of life satisfaction, and how the loss of social capital is felt in critical ways, acting as a strong predictor of crime rates and other measures of neighborhood quality of life, and affecting our health in other ways. While the ways in which we connect, or become disconnected, have changed over the decades, his central argument remains as powerful and urgent as ever: mending our frayed social capital is key to preserving the very fabric of our society.

One of the world’s most highly sought-after bowling instructors provides bowlers with comprehensive coverage on the essential equipment, techniques, lane play and spare-shooting strategies, and mental training necessary for success on the lanes. With specific information for both right-handed and left-handed bowlers, this is a one-of-kind book to help you bowl better!

This book is part of the Teach, Coach, Play series, emphasizing a systematic learning approach to sports and activities. Both visual and verbal information are presented so that readers can easily understand the material and improve performance. Built-in learning aids help readers master each skill in a step-by-step manner. Using the cues, summaries, skills, drills, and illustrations will help build a solid foundation for safe and effective participation now and in the future. The basic approach in all of the Teach, Coach, Play activity titles is to help readers improve their skills and performance by building mastery from simple to increasingly complex levels. The books strive to illustrate correct techniques and demonstrate how to achieve optimal results. The basic organization in each book is as follows: Section 1 overviews history, organizations and publications, conditioning activities, safety, warm up suggestions, and equipment. Section 2 covers exercise or skills, participants, action involved, rules, facility or field, scoring, and etiquette. Section 3 focuses on skills and drills or program design. Section 4 addresses a broad range of strategies specifically designed to improve performance now and in the future. Section 5 provides a convenient glossary of terms.

See your average rise and the pins fall with the second edition of Bowling: Steps to Success. Inside you’ll find progressive, detailed instruction on all aspects of the game. You’ll learn these essential skills and strategies: • Grip • Stance • Footwork • Arm swing • Approach • Timing • Release You’ll also learn the best strategies for targeting and picking up spares as well as correcting common errors and adjusting to various lane conditions. Best of all, this updated second edition features new full-color photos and diagrams, dozens of drills, self-scoring exercises for charting progress, and professional advice for improving your performance. Part of Human Kinetics’ popular Steps to Success series—with more than 2.5 million copies sold worldwide—Bowling: Steps to Success will have you landing solid strikes and converting even the most stubborn spares in no time.

Most of us think of bowling as a "sport" in quotation marks, and bowling alleys are places with disco balls, matching shirts, and funny shoes. But in the 1960s, New York City was the center of "action bowling", a form of high-stakes gambling in which bowlers—often teenagers—faced off for thousands of dollars every night. When money like that is changing hands, you can bet the pressure is on (and the balls are rigged), and losses come with dire consequences. But for a few kids, the world of action bowling would turn out to be a ticket off the mean streets and onto the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. For Ernie Schlegel, it would be a chance to shed his hustler ways and become a bonafide champion.For the more than 100 million bowlers worldwide and for fans of timeless sports histories, Pin Action captures the underbelly of 1960s and '70s New York and tells the true story of how the most notorious action bowler of all time became a Hall of Famer. Set in the gritty, flashy, lost world of action bowling, Gianmarc Manzione tells an epic tale filled with seedy characters, uproarious eccentricities, improbable twists of fate, and a rags-to-riches narrative so crazy it has to be true.

Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame coach John Jowdy provides guidance on mastering the skills and techniques of the game, covering reading lanes, developing a rhythmic approach, fluid motion, releasing the ball, follow-through, establishing a comfort zone, choosing equipment, and other related topics.