Smart Squash: How to Win at Soft Ball

Rating:
Summary: Great for Beginner/Intermediate.
Review: I had been toiling in low-level/beginner squash for a year until I bought and read this book. My game saw huge gains after reading this book. Many ideas, basic shots and strategies are summed up in simple, succinct points. I can not compare this book to other squash instructional books as this is the first that I read but for me the proof is in the pudding. I credit this book with being a major factor in breaking me out of the beginner game and propelling me into the ranks of competitive squash. I was playing hack-ball beforehand and afterwards had a far better understanding of basic stroke, hitting for length and basic strategy. The 8 drills that are detailed are good, my only complaint being that they could have included a few more. Bottom line: Invaluable resource for beginners.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Beginner/Intermediate.
Review: I had been toiling in low-level/beginner squash for a year until I bought and read this book. My game saw huge gains after reading this book. Many ideas, basic shots and strategies are summed up in simple, succinct points. I can not compare this book to other squash instructional books as this is the first that I read but for me the proof is in the pudding. I credit this book with being a major factor in breaking me out of the beginner game and propelling me into the ranks of competitive squash. I was playing hack-ball beforehand and afterwards had a far better understanding of basic stroke, hitting for length and basic strategy. The 8 drills that are detailed are good, my only complaint being that they could have included a few more. Bottom line: Invaluable resource for beginners.

Rating:
Summary: Good book for hardball players learning softball.
Review: I started playing squash recreationally 4 months ago. This book gave me very important distinctions to look at the game: the shots, their placement, moving in the court and specially about strategy of play. I recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: Good book for hardball players learning softball.
Review: I think this would be a very useful book for someone who started with hardball and wanted to change over to play softball. As someone who started with softball, however, I was a little disappointed. I have also read Jahangir Kahn's "Go Play Squash" and I thought that book had much better descriptions of the technical aspects of the softball game. For me, too much of Francis' book focused on overcoming hardball habits that I don't have. But the book did contain many useful quotes from professionals about tactics and mental preparation.

Rating:
Summary: Beware the quick makeover of a hardball into a softball book
Review: This is, regrettably, a quick makeover of a good book on hardball squash into barely acceptable book on softball squash. For the beginner, it would be a confusing mixture of the two. For an observer, some of the quotes from pros are revealing as to the gaps between the softball and hardball traditions remaining in the USA. For a more complete guide to the game, get "Squash Workshop" by Ian Mackenzie ... or get "Learn Squash in a Weekend" for a brief but technically accurate guide. - Ron Beck, publisher squashtalk.com