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As for the subject matter, this book is also very different. The two best books on bowling that I'm familiar with (Par Bowling and Knowledge is the Key) take a systematic approach. This book reads more like a personal lesson on bowling by Parker Bohn III, along with other top professional bowlers. Of course it is also more up-to-date, focusing on the issues that are important to today's bowlers.

The book's coverage is broad, including equipment, strategy, and the mental game, along with fundamentals and an interesting history of the sport. The section on spare shooting is particularly useful, since it focuses on the hard-and-straight method used by most top players, as opposed to the strikeline-relative approach presented in other books.

The downside is that the discussions do not contain the kind of detail that would be necessary to learn to bowl from the text alone, making this book best suited for intermediate players. Then again, the best way to learn to bowl is from a coach, not a book. Advanced bowlers may learn a few things too, but are probably better served by specialized publications such as "Bowling this Month" magazine.

Finally, this is a must-have for left-handed bowlers. It is the first book I have seen that gives lefties equal treatment in discussions and diagrams, instead of telling southpaws to "just reverse it in their heads" (Parker is a lefty himself).

Bottom line: if you are looking for a textbook on bowling, this is not it. But, if you want to learn about the sport as it is played by the best in the world, buy this book!