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Karen Bell

Karen Bell

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Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

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Description

<p><b>The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon.</b><br /> <br />One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i>combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. <br /> <br />The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. <br /> <br />In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that  cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out. </p>

Story Behind The Book

Sunspots is personal. A personal journey of grieving, a personal journey of self-discovery, and a personal journey geographically. A young woman from Brooklyn, Aurora, a man from Austin, Texas, Jake, meet accidentally in NYC and it changes the trajectory of their lives. Aurora decides to grab on to what she perceives may be her only chance at the comfy married existence that has so far eluded her. It is also no hardship to leave NYC and her stalled acting career for this apparently wealthy, dynamic, handsome lover who whisks her off her feet. But after the honeymoon, reality sets in and she realizes that marriage can be isolating, and that the socio-economic differences between her and Jake can become a wedge. How can Aurora adjust to these changes? How can she regain the independent personality she had before Jake became her only focus in life? Fast forward two years, and Aurora finds herself a widow. An accident. Unexpected. And then her journey becomes one of accepting the harsh reality of encounters with Jake's ghost, the real nature of her time travel experiences, and Jake's true character. Viola Parker is her guide through these episodes not of this world. Viola, a ghost who has a connection with Aurora's past lives, leads her to find, Cliff, her true soulmate, her true love in this life erasing the pain of her mistakes with Jake Stein through the centuries. Sometimes from the ashes, sometimes from blackness awaits the brilliant light of a life of happiness.

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Reviews

<div class="productDescriptionWrapper" style="margin:0px 0px 1em;font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;line-height:normal;"><i>Sunspots is a moving, beautifully-written mystery about the devastating consequences of obsessive love</i>.--<b><i>Five Stars Awesome Indies</i></b> <div> <div> </div> <div><br /><i>It's a love story that is obsessive, secretive, gripping, grieving and trying to move on</i><b><i>.--review by Harlie's Books</i></b></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><br /><i><i>I was honestly sad when I read the last sentence. I didn't want it to come to an end. I just cannot praise this book enough. There really isn't much more I can say about it, except READ IT! READ IT NOW! I guarantee you will not be disappointed</i>.--<b><i>reviewer Jessica H. </i></b><br /><br /><i>&quot;...a well-written, fully formed romantic adventure suffused with mystery and a whiff of the paranormal.&quot;</i>--<i><b>Florida Times Union</b></i></i><br />   <div><i>Bell wrote beautifully about a woman's journey through grief and acceptance</i>.--<i><b>Lisa Lambson Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team</b></i><br /><br /><i>Nov 15 Indie book of the Day!!</i></div> </div> </div> <div> </div> <div><br /><i>If you like the work of Nicolas Sparks, you will likely enjoy &quot;Sunspots.&quot;--<b>Rabid Readers Reviews</b></i></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><br /><i>Sunspots is a heart-wrenching, beautiful story that any romance reader will fall in love with. The characters are well-developed and I especially liked the book even more for being able to question the reader's beliefs about love and the paranormal. The author's descriptions are spot on and most times as a new scene starts, you're sucked into it with ease.--<b>Five Stars--</b></i><b><i>George Edwards Quality Reads UK Book Club Member</i></b></div> <div> </div> <div><br /><i>Character interaction was a big deal in this book. Every basic instinct to primary emotion was brought to the forefront as Aurora rediscovers her past and prepares for the future. Highly recommended. ---<b>Five Stars--Erin Plante</b> </i><b><i>Quality Reads UK Book Club Member</i></b></div> <div> </div> <div><br /><b><i>Awarded the IndiePENdents' Seal of Approval</i></b></div> <div> </div> <div class="emptyClear" style="clear:left;height:0px;font-size:0px;"> </div> </div>