Squash Book, CD-ROM, and Movie reviews by Faraz Hussain

Squash in the Veins: Comprehensive Handbook of Squash

Very comprehensive guide to squash with tons of video clips and explainations. My only complaint is there is too much information which may turn away casual players looking for a few quick tips. The organization is good but could use some improvement. Definitely recommended for a player who is willing to spend the time to read through all of it and carefully follow all the details presented. Excellent value for the price!

Peter Nicol Interactive Training CD ROM

Excellent hi-quality video-clips with multi-views in a glass court. The book is short but very specific and well organized. It keeps things simple and has value for players of any level. If you are having trouble with a certain shot this CD would be the quickest way to understand the right way to do it.

"The Squash Workshop - A complete game guide" by Ian Mckenzie

A thorough book that takes a scientific approach to disecting the elements of each shot. Covers each type of squash shot such as drop, lob and boast with great detail. It shows pictures of pro's executing each shot in a frame-by-frame sequence. It also includes many quotes from the top players which I find very useful.

The book does get quite dry as Ian meticulously tries to breakdown the mechanics of each swing. It would be much better if the book came along with a video.

"Winning Squash" by Jahangir Khan

An excellent book on how to take your game from the C/D level to the A/B level. It is very well written and Jahangir does a great job explaining things without getting bogged down in detailed swing and footwork mechanics. Unlike other books, Jahangir takes time to explain the why instead of just the how.

It also has many useful training tips and drills that are useful for anyone looking for an organized way to structure their own training program. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but you should be able to find a used copy on Amazon.

"Squash racquets - The Khan game" by Hashim Khan

By far the most entertaining and useful book on squash I have read! It's written with a very humorous anecdotal style that makes you want to keep reading it till the end. Hashim makes you remember what he says by using insightful and funny anecdotes to explain things. Despite the book being over 35 years old it's principles of squash still apply today. The grip, swing and strategies are fundamental concepts that have not changed since Hashim's days. A few of the swing motions, especially what to do with the free hand don't seem correct with today's ligher racquets. However if you already know something about squash then this book will help reinforce the concepts you may have doubts about.

"Geoff Hunt on squash" by Geoff Hunt

A very seriously written book on the complete training program to becoming a top class player. Geoff explains things more from a technical point of view. He covers a lot of different aspects of the game which makes the book somewhat varied. He talks about everything from unusual squash courts he's played in to tips on when and why to play the drop.

"The Three-Wall Nick and Other Angles" (A squash autobiography) by Frank Satterthwaite

This book is well-written but I was disappointed to learn it's about the US hardball game, not softball game! So it really provides no practical squash tips, but chronicles the steps to success of a squash player from early childhood to adulthood. It is filled with many detailed anecdotes told from a humorous and insightful point of view.

"Winning Ugly" by Brad Gilbert

Though this book is written for tennis, I found that 90% of it applies to squash. Talks about the mental aspect of the game as well as very practical tips to improve your game. The tips aren't about how to hit the ball, but about the things most players forget such as pre-game warm-up, analyzing opponents strengths and weaknesses and controlling game momentum.

The book is also full of real-life analysis of Brad's game against Becker, Connors, and Mcenroe. It is really interesting to see what goes on in the minds of these top pros. The book also talks about controlling anger and the importance of sportsmanship.

"Khans Unlimited" by Dicky Rutnagur

This book has no tips to improve your game, but it provides some motivational accounts of the Khan's road to squash success. The book reads more like a history book , so it gets kind of dry at times. But it is filled with all the squash facts about the Khans and other Pakistani squash pros.

Squash by Lionel Bailliu ( Short Film )

Do not let the amateurish style of play of the opponents deceive you! This is a short yet remarkably engaging movie of two players physically and psychologically battling it out on the squash court. The challenges of playing squash are used to amplify the tensions the boss and his worker have for each other. All their unspoken office drama is played out in parallel with the tense squash game. My favorite part is the never-ending exchange of drop shots at a crucial moment in the game. The acting is simple and convincing. My only wish is the two players could have improved their squash skills to make their game more entertaining to watch! Otherwise I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. Here is the site where you can watch "Squash" from .

"Squash Tips, Tales, and Travels" by Roy Ollier

I got this book from Squashtalk.com . Quite an interesting read about a squash traveller's life. Though not much information in it as far as improving your game is concerned. There is a section on drills which I found helpful.

Faraz Hussain