A Reasonably Quick Book Review

I love books. A lot. I wish I could read all of them and still feed myself enough food to stay conscious.

But I can’t, and should I seek to remain coherent and mobile – I do – I often find myself struggling with the need to produce content, and in the same breath give attention to the word-filled tomes occupying valuable desk real estate.

See what I mean?

I have friends and know of others who, after the first page, will finish a text regardless of its quality.

I lack that sort of patience My time is too valuable to waste on poorly researched, poorly argued, or quite simply, poorly written books. You would be surprised how many there are out there.

So when Jamie Hale, uber-fitness coach extraordinaire, sent me his book Knowledge and Nonsense: The Science of Nutrition and Exercise to review for my blog, I knew I was in for quite the ride.

When I first opened Knowledge and Nonsense: The Science of Nutrition and Exercise, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Jamie and I met at the JP Fitness Summit last year, an annual event I’ve consequently been invited to speak at for its 2010 iteration. What struck me most upon meeting Jamie was his earnestness in speaking about his clients and coaching practice.

It’s a rarity in the fitness industry to find a guy like Jamie who cares more about education than he does marketing. I’m amazed he hasn’t yet devolved  into jaded isolationism.

Knowledge and Nonsense is perhaps the most comprehensive treatment of diet and exercise I’ve ever laid eyes on. Jamie analyzes with great erudition nearly every diet program available on the market as of his book’s publishing date, 2007. That is a feat in-of-itself, and alone is worth the price of admission. Rather than waste time summarizing the book’s contents, which you can preview here, I’ll instead provide my thoughts and general observations.

First off, Jamie and I are friends, so I’m keenly aware of the time and effort Jamie put into this piece. He self-published the book and sells it independently through his website, thus the book carries Jamie’s heart and soul, untempered by the invisible hand of a publisher or a professional editor. It reads like a Jamie Hale brain dump (this is a good thing), every scintilla of his ken put down on paper for your consumption. The writing is terse but comprehensive and understandable even when particularly complex subjects come under discussion.

Where this book could be improved is in the area of practical application. I kept hoping for a conclusion that synthesized the core elements of Jamie’s approach into something I could take into the kitchen or gym and make use of. We’re swept into the throes of science, and without ample background in the field, beginners may feel overwhelmed. It’s unfortunate as the content teems with vivacity and exuberance, and is no doubt of benefit to readers of all inclinations, but the presentation keeps it from being as accessible as it could be.

This year, it looks as if my wishes will be answered. Jamie will be releasing the mainstream equivalent of this veritable textbook in spring, just in time for a nice pre-summer fat loss stint.

Knowledge and Nonsense is a tour de force of the fitness industry as we know it today. You will find yourself well-armed in debate proving you’ve done your homework and covered this material with ample providence. This work holds special purpose for the fitness practitioner, who should be aware of their competition and understand the theory and research supporting their methods. Nothing is worse for a client than finding their trainer or coach unable to articulate the science underpinning a given exercise or diet prescription.

So don’t be caught off guard and let Johnny sweep the leg. You can arm yourself for potential internet forum combat by purchasing Jamie’s book here, direct from his website.

Tagged as: books, education, fitness mythology, jamie hale, max condition