Customer Reviews

The American Darts Organization Book of Darts, Revised Edition

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a novice dart player, Chris Carey's book has been invaluable. It starts out easy with a short history of the game. For instance, I was surprised to learn "...The first dartboards were cross sections of trees or the bottoms of beer barrels...The concentric circles and spider pattern of wires of the modern dartboard resemble the cracked, weathered cross sections of trees; the bottoms of beer barrels afforded the perfect bull's-eye - the'cork." It then moves to basics like - amount of force needed for an accurate shot. The bulk of the book is devoted to games - moves & strategies. I could say something like Mr. Carey has hit the cork with this book but, really, my best suggestion is, no matter what your level, if you want to know more about darts get hold of Carey's book.

A writer doesn't produce a book on the subject of darts because he wants to get rich. He writes the book because he loves the game, loves the people who play it, loves the euphoria of the "kill shot," because he wants others to experience that thrill, too, and because he wants to make a noteworthy contribution to promote his chosen sport well into the future. He loves the fire, the competition, the team, the good guys, the bad guys, the camaraderie, the wins, the defeats ... all of it. Chris Carey is this kind of writer, and his book should appeal to anyone who loves darts - period - be it soft or steel-tip, the world over.

This book, however, is not just for beginners. If you've played darts for any length of time and find yourself in a rut, Carey's book is your prescription. It will not only help you think through your issues, away from the line, but it is also a resource to provide new angles to attack problems you may not have thought about before or, perhaps, have lost sight of. For this reason, chapter eight - alone - is worth the price of admission.

This book, now in its second edition, is a much-heralded resource for darts players ... and I don't make this claim lightly. I am a darts book author and player, too, and my respect for this effort is, frankly, immense. Bar none, this is the leading book in our sport, the best seller. And, there's a reason for it. Not only does Carey's love of darts shine through, he is a respected writing talent, with the blessing of the American Darts Organization, to boot. Because of these things, and the topics he has chosen to explore, this work is a "must own" for every darter's library.

I was heartened to see Carey elected to also keep the original foreword in this revision which was written by the late, great, Tom Fleetwood (along with an informative new one from Buddy Bartoletta) because - if for no other reason - it shows his level of respect for the darting world's pioneers. And, since this work has received the blessing of a world respected steel-tip organization, I am also happy to see he has continued to discuss matters of the soft-tip variety, too, without prejudice. I emphasize this point because it makes his book truly universal in its appeal, and I applaud this ... loudly.

It looks as though each chapter has been improved, as well, but forgive that I did not go back and compare the '93 version to this one too thoroughly. The graphics that worked before were kept, but new ones were also added to help readers and players better visualize the messages Carey is conveying. It seems ridiculous, considering the volumes and volumes that have been written on darts, but I have never seen before such a well-delivered image like the new one found on page 29. That graphic, among few others, should be pasted to the underside of every eyelid that steps to the line! Had the information from this singular image been memorized by my inexperienced partners before drawing them in tournaments, it would have kept my hands from clenching together involuntarily after their successful effort at a 42, instead of the triple-16 we needed to win a match. Yeah, sure, I'm calm enough to write about it now ... lol.

Finally - while I also enjoyed Steve Brown's insight immensely - to include the pearls from Stacy Bromberg, too, is priceless for the future of women's involvement in this grand sport of ours. Bromberg is a pioneer in her own right, and an inspiration for those who will certainly follow her lead. I applaud the choice to include her thoughts in such an important, long lasting, far reaching piece of work such as this.

All told, this book is better now then when I first read it some twelve years ago. I was then, and remain - simply put - inspired by it.

This is a great book. It covers all aspects of the game - equipment, technique, and all the different games you can play - in a very well-written and readable style. It's definitely the best book on the subject that I've read and I highly recommend it, especially for players new to the game.

I am very proud of this new edition. This new edition has interviews with Stacy Bromberg and Steve Brown, two of America's best players. And their advice is tremendously helpful. The entire book is very useful--and this new edition even more so, for beginners and intermediate players alike. All the necessary information is there--choosng your darts, games, tips, practice routines, hints about concentration and focus, and what you need to know and to learn to be truly competitive. It's just out, so get yours soon. And start playing darts! Chris Carey

This is a very good handbook on the game of darts. The writer gives the history of darts in story form and gives tips for better play and practice. Most of the book gives complete rules of many popular and not so popular dart games. It also gives exacting standards for how a dartboard is set up, as the elevation of the board and distance to the throw line. I purchased this book a couple years ago and still reference it from time to time. I would suggest it to anyone that enjoys darts and it only costs a couple bucks.

This book is excellent for the novice and expert shooter alike. Mr. Carey Clearly and concisely runs down not only the basics and the intricasies of the game but it's variations as well. This book should be on every dart players shelf.

Unless you have never shot a game of darts this book is probably not for you. Carey starts off the book by describing darting history which itself is a short yet interesting story and goes on to explain the basics of darting, i.e. how you probably should stand, hold the dart, etc. nothing elaborate on that though. Then he goes on to describe the different games that can be played. Pretty simple, pretty basic. If you have played and caught the bug and are looking for some more critical insights or instruction, this is not the book that you want. If you are clueless then this is as good a place to start as any.

To Mr. A Hallej: Generally, glad you liked the book. You have made some misleading statements, however. There are not 20 pages on the history of the sport. The chapter, A Brief History of Darts, covers pages 3-8. There is a good bit on the best equipment,especially dartboards, although I purposely did not go into brand names. And many of the best manufacturers of darts are in America, as well as in the UK; your comment is off base. On techniques to improve your game, there are practice routines and a good bit of practical advice for the begining player. For more, I hope you'll buy the new, updated edition of the book that will come out in the coming months, for it will have more information on practice and improving your game for intermediate players. For now, though, please know that this is a carefully balanced book with a complete overview of the game.
Chris Carey

I confess: I am addicted to the game to the extent that I have a board in my office (I am a manager, so no one asks me why!)
And like chocolate, cigar, running and cars, I had to buy a book about it; well this was my third book about it... and indeed the only good one.
128 pages that includes 20 pages about the history of the game, 5-6 pages about how to aim and throw, and the rest is detailing the various games with it rules.
It lake two sections: A. how to improve your skills (maybe an advice like "have few more beers" would do), and B. what are the best equipments to buy (maybe the author didn't do that because best equipments are British and not Americans).
For such pre-historic lovely game of aiming to a target and hit it, you don't really need a book; however, if you are in the book culture, this one is enough, actually more than enough. For the missing sections, you just have to visit few bars and meet with bearded old drunk men and loose for them so they laugh at you and teach you what missing.

This is a book for novices and experts alike. Mr. carey thoroughly explains the intricasies of the modern game, including many of it's variations. He goes step by step through not only the strategy behind the game but the the physics of playing the game. Though it would take some hands on practice, one could read the text and then comfortably enter a pub join a game and make some some new friends. This book should be on every dart enthusiast's shelf.