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Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought)
By Kathleen Krull, Kathryn Hewitt. 1997
Babe Ruth was the greatest slugger ever—and off the field snacked on pickled eels and chocolate ice cream. Johnny Weissmuller…
swam to Olympic fame—and on land practiced the Tarzan yell. “Krull hits another home run.”—American BooksellerEdward IV
By Charles Ross. 1974
In his own time Edward IV was seen as an able and successful king who rescued England from the miseries…
of civil war and provided the country with firm, judicious, and popular government. The prejudices of later historians diminished this high reputation, until recent research confirmed Edward as a ruler of substantial achievement, whose methods and policies formed the foundation of early Tudor government. This classic study by Charles Ross places the reign firmly in the context of late medieval power politics, analyzing the methods by which a usurper sought to retain his throne and reassert the power of a monarchy seriously weakened by the feeble rule of Henry VI. Edward's relations with the politically active classes—the merchants, gentry, and nobility—form a major theme, and against this background Ross provides an evaluation of the many innovations in government on which the king's achievement rests.Stillness and Speed: My Story
By Dennis Bergkamp. 2013
In Stillness and Speed, one of football's most enigmatic stars finally opens up about his life and career, revealing the…
things that motivate and inspire him. Viewed by many as one of the most influential figures in Premier League history, and scorer of the goal that Arsenal fans voted the best in the club's history, Dennis Bergkamp is a true giant of the game. As a youngster, Bergkamp learned from the Dutch master Johan Cruyff. By the time the pupil was ready to graduate from Ajax and move abroad, he was ready to spread the word, but in Italy he found few willing listeners. It was only when he moved to Arsenal and linked up with Arsene Wenger that he met someone else who shared his vision for football's possibilities. Bergkamp became central to everything the club did: now he had become the teacher, their creative genius, and the one who inspired some of the wayward old guard to new heights, helping them to seven major trophies. Few footballers' books make you think anew, but in Stillness and Speed Bergkamp presents a new vision for the game and how it might be played. He was a player like no other; his story is told like no other. It is a book that will inspire football fans everywhere, whatever their allegiance.Game Face: A Lifetime of Hard-Earned Lessons On and Off the Basketball Court
By Jerome Preisler, Bernard King. 2017
A memoir by the NBA Hall of Fame player, active from 1977-1993 and widely regarded as one of the all-time…
great New York Knicks. NBA Hall of Famer Bernard King is one of the most dynamic scorers in basketball history. King was notoriously private as a player, and rarely spoke to the press-not about his career and never about his personal life. And even beyond his prolific scoring, King will forever be remembered for the gruesome knee injury he suffered in 1985. Doctors who told him he'd never play again were shocked when he not only became the first player to return to the NBA from a torn ACL, but returned at an All Star level. In Game Face, King finally opens up about his life on and off the court. In his book, King's basketball I.Q. is on full display as he breaks down defenses using his own unique system for taking shots from predetermined spots on the floor. King talks about matching up against some of the all-time NBA greats, from Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley to Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and many others. He also tackles issues of race and family off the court, as well as breaking a personal cycle of negativity and self-destructiveness with the help of his family. Engaging, shocking, revelatory, yet always positive and upbeat, Bernard King's memoir appeals to multiple generations of basketball fans.The Hardest Test
By Scott Quinnell. 2008
Scott Quinnell's book is called The Hardest Test. It is the story of how he became a successful rugby player,…
in spite of having to fight against learning difficulties at school. When he retired in 2005 he continued his battle with dyslexia in order to change both his and his children's lives for ever. Rugby player Scott Quinnell played for the Llanelli Scarlets and played for his country, Wales, fifty-two times. He was also a British lion. He reached the very top of his sport before he retired in 2005. He is now one of the most recognisable faces in world rugby.Last in the Tin Bath
By David Lloyd. 2015
With his infectious enthusiasm for the game, David 'Bumble' Lloyd is one of the most popular cricket commentators around, blending…
immense knowledge and experience with an eye for the quirky detail and an unending fund of brilliant stories. This new autobiography recalls his childhood in Accrington, Lancashire, when, after a long day playing cricket in the street, he would get his chance to wash himself in his family's tin bath - but only after his parents and uncle had taken their turn first. From there he moved on to make his debut for Lancashire while still in his teens, eventually earning an England call-up, when he had to face the pace of Lillee and Thomson - with painful and eye-watering consequences. After retiring as a player, he became an umpire and then England coach during the 1990s, before eventually turning to commentary with Sky Sports. Packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of Lancashire cricket, and behind-the-scenes insight into life with England and on the Sky commentary team, Bumble's book is a joy to read from start to finish.So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Boys in the Boat tells you what you…
need to know--before or after you read Daniel James Brown's book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This short summary and analysis of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter summariesDetailed timeline of key eventsProfiles of the main charactersImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown: No one expected a ragtag crew team from the University of Washington to rise to the top of their sport--much less go to the Olympics in Germany. It was the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression and the dawn of the Nazi party's ascendance to power, and the school had never been able to beat the Ivy League teams, but coach Al Ulbrickson had big ambitions--he just needed the right athletes. Over the next few years, the boys of the UW rowing team endured grueling days of training and countless setbacks. In the end, it was their collective dedication that brought them to compete in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin--and beat the team rowing for Adolf Hitler. A New York Times bestseller and the inspiration for the PBS documentary The Boys of '36, Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat is a celebration of the human spirit and a compelling biography of a unique rowing team that brought home Olympic gold. The summary and analysis in this ebook are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.The announcer of this century's most-watched, historic, Chicago Cubs-winning World Series reveals why he is one lucky bastard.Sports fans see…
Joe Buck everywhere: broadcasting one of the biggest games in the NFL every week, calling the World Series every year, announcing the Super Bowl every three years. They know his father, Jack Buck, is a broadcasting legend and that he was beloved in his adopted hometown of St. Louis.Yet they have no idea who Joe really is. Or how he got here. They don't know how he almost blew his career. They haven't read his funniest and most embarrassing stories or heard about his interactions with the biggest sports stars of this era. They don't know how hard he can laugh at himself--or that he thinks some of his critics have a point. And they don't know what it was really like to grow up in his father's shadow. Joe and Jack were best friends, but it wasn't that simple. Jack, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for almost fifty years, helped Joe get his broadcasting start at eighteen. But Joe had to prove himself, first as a minor league radio announcer and then on local TV, national TV with ESPN, and then finally on FOX. He now has a successful, Emmy-winning career, but only after a lot of dues-paying, learning, and pretty damn entertaining mistakes that are recounted in this book.In Lucky Bastard, Joe takes the reader into the broadcast booth and into his childhood home. Hilarious and occasionally heartbreaking, this is a book that any sports fan will love.From the Hardcover edition.Absolutely Foxed
By Graeme Fowler. 2016
With riotous stories of life on England tours, partying with Ian Botham and Elton John, combined with a moving account…
of his battle with mental-health issues, Graeme Fowler's Absolutely Foxed is a cricket memoir unlike any other. Seen by many as a maverick, happy-go-lucky figure, Fowler became a hugely influential coach, and is one of the most original thinkers about the game. He's battled and won against the best spinners in India, and the fastest bowlers from the West Indies - he's even found himself at the centre of a tabloid storm. In this book, he looks back over his 40 years in the professional game, spending 16 years on the county circuit with Lancashire and Durham, and three years as an England international - a period that was cut short by a life-threatening injury. He followed that with a spell working on Test Match Special, before running the Durham Centre of Excellence for 18 years. Alastair Campbell provides an Afterword in which he commends Fowler's support for others suffering from mental-health problems; Fowler's own experiences should provide help and inspiration for those dealing with similar problems. In his Foreword, lifelong friend Sir Ian Botham describes Fowler as 'one of the gutsiest I ever encountered', but also points out how he 'made a dressing room tick'. Those elements of courage, knowledge and humour are all present in Absolutely Foxed - a truly unmissable read.Open Heart, Open Mind
By Clara Hughes. 2015
From one of Canada's most decorated Olympians comes a raw but life-affirming story of one woman's struggle with depression.In a…
world where winning meant everything, her biggest competitor was herself. In 2006, when Clara Hughes stepped onto the Olympic podium in Torino, Italy, she became the first and only athlete ever to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games. Four years later, she was proud to carry the Canadian flag at the head of the Canadian team as they participated in the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. But there's another story behind her celebrated career as an athlete, behind her signature billboard smile. While most professional athletes devote their entire lives to training, Clara spent her teenage years using drugs and drinking to escape the stifling home life her alcoholic father had created in Elmwood, Winnipeg. She was headed nowhere fast when, at sixteen, she watched transfixed in her living room as gold medal speed skater Gaétan Boucher effortlessly raced in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Dreaming of one day competing herself, Clara channeled her anger, frustration and raw ambition into the endurance sports of speed skating and cycling. By 2010, she had become a six-time Olympic medalist. But after more than a decade in the gruelling world of professional sports that stripped away her confidence and bruised her body, Clara began to realize that her physical extremes, her emotional setbacks, and her partying habits were masking a severe depression. After winning bronze in the last speed skating race of her career, she decided to retire from that sport, determined to repair herself. She has emerged as one of our most committed humanitarians, advocating for a variety of social causes both in Canada and around the world. In 2010, she became national spokesperson for Bell Canada's Let's Talk campaign in support of mental health awareness, using her Olympic standing to share the positive message of the power of forgiveness. Told with honesty and passion, Open Heart, Open Mind is Clara's personal journey through physical and mental pain to a life where love and understanding can thrive. This revelatory and inspiring story will touch the hearts of all Canadians.Bleeding Blue: Giving My All for the Game
By Wendel Clark, Jim Lang. 2016
Funny, fierce, and gritty, Bleeding Blue recounts every struggle and success of Wendel Clark's rough-and-tumble journey to becoming one of…
hockey's greatest heroes.As a young boy growing up in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Wendel Clark never dreamed of an NHL career. The pro league just seemed too far away from the young man's small-town life in the Prairies. But Wendel had a talent for hockey that was surpassed only by his love for the sport, and it wasn't long before he embarked on a path that would take him away from his hometown to a new life. Wendel honed his talents in cities across western Canada and earned a reputation as a force to be reckoned with on the ice. Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs first overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, Wendel burst onto the pro scene and immediately made an impact, all the while staying true to his roots. As he learned from the players around him, Wendel steadily matured into a respected leader. He soon assumed the mantle as the Leafs captain, and his willingness to lay it all on the line transformed him into a player who could inspire courage in his teammates and fear in his opponents in equal measure. The future seemed limitless for the young star. But just as Wendel's talents were set to peak, everything unraveled. Years of no-holds-barred, physical play were taking their toll, and soon his greatest competitor wasn't anyone on the ice, but his own body. Every movement brought agony, every shift was a challenge, and every game meant the decision to keep fighting. But as Wendel's body broke down, his resolve only grew. Determined to succeed no matter what the cost, Wendel set out on a course that would allow him to keep doing what he loved and that would turn him into one of the most beloved hockey players of all time. Emotional and uplifting, Bleeding Blue is the story of a man who refused to say no, who wore his heart on his sleeve, and who would do anything to keep going, even when everything told him to quit.The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights
By Shaun Assael. 2016
On January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston was found dead in his home--of an apparent heroin overdose. But no one close…
to Liston believed that his death was accidental. Digging deep into a life that Liston tried hard to hide, investigative journalist Shaun Assael treats the boxer's death as a cold case. The result is a page-turning whodunit that evokes a glorious and grimy era of Las Vegas. Elvis Presley was playing two shows a night at the International. Howard Hughes was running his empire from the penthouse suite of the Desert Inn. And middle America was flocking to the Strip, transforming it from an exclusive playground for the mob to a mecca for corporate dollars. But the city was also rotting from within. Heroin was pouring over the border from Mexico, and the segregated Westside was on the cusp of a race war. The cops, brutally violent, were barely holding it together. Driving through town with the top of his pink Cadillac down, Sonny Liston was the one celebrity who was unafraid to bridge the two sides of Las Vegas. Cashing in on his fading notoriety in the casinos, he was dealing drugs, working for a crime syndicate, and trying to break into Hollywood--all with a boxer's faith that he could duck any threat, slip any punch. Heroin addiction was the only knockout blow he didn't see coming. The Murder of Sonny Liston takes a fresh look at the legendary boxer, the town he called home, and one of America's most enduring mysteries.From the Hardcover edition.Box to Box: From the Premier League to British Boxing Champion
By Curtis Woodhouse. 2016
The football world is filled with stories of talented young footballers who have thrown it all away before drifting into…
obscurity. Similarly, the tale of an ageing boxer who won the title against the odds is so familiar it has become a cliche. But put the two stories together and you've got something special: wasted footballers simply don't become boxing champions - at least they didn't before Curtis Woodhouse. Woodhouse had been destined for greatness. At the age of 17 he made his debut for his local club, Sheffield United, and quickly went from earning £42 a week to £4000 a week. Suddenly he felt like a rock star, and began living like one - which didn't help his football. Initially, there wasn't a problem, and he earned four England Under-21 caps, playing alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. As his drinking increased and he began getting involved in fights, he was sold to Birmingham City at 20 and saw his wages double - but so did his problems. After a brawl, he was sentenced to 250 hours' community service, and when he finally reached the Premier League he ended up playing against Liverpool while still drunk. He'd fallen out of love with the game. After another transfer, manager Barry Fry suggested he take up boxing to provide an outlet for his anger, and a new passion was born. While still playing football, he became determined to make it as a boxer, and endured a long, hard battle to develop the skills to give him a chance, and in September 2006 he made his professional debut. With his father on his deathbed, Woodhouse made a promise: he would win a British title. On 22 February 2014, he got his chance against Darren Hamilton - 'I knew I wouldn't lose.' Packed with brilliant stories and searingly honest insight, Box to Box shows how anyone can achieve their dreams - if they work hard enough.Breaking the Surface
By Eric Marcus, Greg Louganis. 2006
This is a new edition of Greg Louganis's 1995 #1 New York Times bestselling autobiography and Literary Guild Selection. It…
is the unflinchingly honest first-person account of a man breaking free of a lifetime of silence and isolation.Born to a young Samoan father and Northern European mother, and adopted at nine months, Greg began diving at age nine, and at sixteen won a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. But despite his astonishing athletic skill, Greg struggled with late-detected dyslexia, prejudice toward his dark skin coloring and anguish over his homosexuality, which he felt compelled to hide. Being in the spotlight intensified his difficulties with relationships and substance abuse. However, Louganis went on to win double gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. His triumph at the 1988 Olympics came several months after he tested positive for HIV. This is the haunting, searingly candid story of the world's greatest diver. This new edition includes a new foreword.Hockey Strong: Stories of Sacrifice from Inside the NHL
By Todd Smith. 2016
For the casual enthusiast and hockey fanatic alike comes a collection of essays and photographs celebrating the grit and dedication…
of hockey players to withstand injury and hardship to play the sport they love.Based on the author's interviews with key figures and capturing the inside stories of superstars old and new, Hockey Strong is one of a kind: an exploration of the long, dangerous, and often arduous journey of an NHL player. Packed with intimate interviews, exclusive photographs, and iconic moments, it's a beautifully designed celebration of one of the toughest sports in the world, and the hearts of the athletes who play it. Featuring figures like Kris Draper, Shjon Podein, Craig Berube, Joey Kocur, Rick Tocchet, Chris Nilan, and even the trainer for the 1980 Winter Olympics USA team, Todd Smith provides unprecedented access to the stories behind famous hits, injuries, and fights, while also revealing the human drive and brotherhood that propels such players forward. With a particular focus on the Original Six franchises of the NHL, Smith interviews players young and old from across North America, and illustrates hockey's broad appeal to new and lifelong fans. Unique in its content and design, and appealing to all generations of fans, this is the perfect gift for both the passionate fanatic and the casual follower of hockey.A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey
By Chrissie Wellington. 2012
In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to…
the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.Wellington's first-hand, inspiring story includes all the incredible challenges she has faced--from anorexia to near--drowning to training with a controversial coach. But to Wellington, the drama of the sports also presents an opportunity to use sports to improve people's lives.A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS reveals the heart behind Wellington's success, along with the diet, training and motivational techniques that keep her going through one of the world's most grueling events.Bruce Lee: An Anthology of Bruce Lee's Correspondence with Family, Friends, and Fans 1958-1973
By Bruce Lee, John Little. 1832
Letters of the Dragon: Correspondence, 1958-1973 is a fascinating glimpse of the private Bruce Lee behind the public image-a man…
with the patience and concern to dedicate as much effort to crafting a thoughtful personal answer to the letter of a young fan as to those from his old friends and associates; an extremely active man never too busy to make time for an old family friend in need of simple companionship; a man who never wrote without careful thought, and never thought from the heard alone, but always from the head and heart together.The letters in this inspiring book track Bruce Lee's career and development from his decision, made while he was still in secondary school, to move to the US to further his education, through the many setbacks, redirected efforts, and triumphs of life that shaped his martial art and humanity, all the way to the last letter he ever composed, just hours before his sudden death.After absorbing the letters in this volume, the reader will inevitably find that the private Bruce Lee was every bit as great as the public Bruce Lee, and deeper and broader by far. Letters of the Dragon: Correspondence, 1958-1973 is conclusive evidence that a life lived well is never too short a life.This Bruce Lee Book is part of Tuttle Publishing's Bruce Lee Library which also features:Bruce Lee's Striking ThoughtsBruce Lee's The Tao of Gung FuBruce Lee Artist of LifeBruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden DragonBruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human BodyBruce Lee Jeet Kune DoBrady vs Manning: The Untold Story of the Rivalry That Transformed the NFL
By Gary Myers. 2016
New York Times Bestseller From Acclaimed sports journalist Gary Myers comes the definitive inside account of the greatest rivalry in…
NFL history Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are perhaps the two greatest quarterbacks of all time. They are living legends who have come to embody the quarterback position and shape an entire generation of the NFL. They have also been fierce rivals every step of the way, and their many epic duels have not only ranked among the best and most exciting games ever played, they have fundamentally shaped the lives of and careers of both men. But for all their shared brilliance, they are a study in contrasts. Tom is the underdog turned ultimate winner, an unheralded draft pick who went on to win a miraculous Super Bowl and become the leader of one of the NFL's greatest dynasties. He is as firmly associated with big game brilliance as anyone who has ever played. Meanwhile Peyton was born into NFL royalty and a mountain of outsized expectations, yet somehow lived up to and exceeded all the hype, claiming virtually every passing record along his path to football immortality.The contrast in greatness--between the overachieving underdog and the crown prince of football, between postseason brilliance and statistical dominance--has served as an endless source of fascination for fans and media, and over the years as the two players have faced off again and again in classic games, the argument has only intensified. But until now, there has never been a definitive treatment of the debate that tells the real story. What do Tom and Peyton actually think of each other? What do their coaches think of them? What about teammates and opposing players? What are they like behind closed doors and in the locker room, and how does that influence their careers? How did their vastly different upbringings shape them, and how has each handled the injuries, setbacks and defeats they've dealt with over their careers? In this extraordinary book, veteran NFL correspondent Gary Myers tackles this subject from every angle and with unprecedented access and insight, drawing on a huge number of never-before-heard interviews with Brady and Manning, their coaches, their families, and those who have played with them and against them. The result is a remarkable collection of the most entertaining and revealing stories ever told about Peyton and Tom, from how they developed their vastly different leadership styles, to the unlikely friendship they've built over the years, to their respective exploits as locker room pranksters. Wildly entertaining and deeply thought-provoking, Brady vs Manning is essential reading for anyone who truly wants to understand these extraordinary players.From the Hardcover edition.In the Name of the Father: Family, Football, And The Manning Dynasty
By Mark Ribowsky. 2018
The story of America s most sacred and carefully constructed football dynasty is revealed in this unflinching family…
portrait For generations American athletes have enjoyed the ever-escalating celebrity lavished upon them when they combine on-the-field talent with off-the field charisma but never before have we seen as transformative a sports dynasty as the Mannings a bloodline of strong arms Southern values and savvy business instincts each man compelling in his own right made whole by family But how in just fifty years did this private trio achieve football immortality A gripping and definitive account In the Name of the Father traces Archie Peyton and Eli s roots from red-clay Mississippi to the bright lights of the Super Bowl to reveal the truth of their grit and dedication their inherent ability and the drama they endured behind closed doors As New York Times Notable biographer Mark Ribowsky meticulously chronicles the road to football stardom was not paved smoothly for patriarch Archie The most celebrated and beloved athlete to emerge from tiny Drew Mississippi Archie lost his father to suicide during his heyday at Ole Miss Then despite his playing through the pain a string of surgeries prematurely ended a storied NFL career most memorably spent with the New Orleans Saints Similar savior-like expectations were passed to Archie s eldest Cooper the most gifted of his brood but the shocking discovery of a spinal condition prevented Cooper from ever playing a single snap of college ball Luckily Archie had been raising all three of his sons to love the gridiron throwing deep balls to them off the front porch and there were two more heir apparents in the wings Raised watching dusty old game films in the family den Peyton was swiftly hailed as a generational talent his record-breaking tenure at Tennessee paving a clear path to the NFL Winning Super Bowls with both the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos he was able to overcome a debilitating neck injury after barely being able to hold a football to eclipse Archie in football success It was Peyton who would first pair his football cachet with capitalism selecting commercials and appearances to show off his humor and expand the now-ubiquitous Manning brand into mainstream popular culture And finally there was quiet Eli with an arm and a career to match his big brother s but a reserved and enigmatic affect all his own The good-boy who followed his father to Ole Miss Eli entered the NFL even more carefully managed then his brother was forcing a trade when the lackluster San Diego Chargers selected him with the first pick in the draft Even with two dramatic Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants Eli s lows have been catastrophic and he has never been quite the media darling his brother is But even as their football careers wind down the power of the Manning name only grows Drawing on new interviews and research Ribowsky reveals a family of transcendent talent and intense loyalty dedicated to maintaining an all-American fa ade that has on occasion shown cracks From the family s past steeped in problematic parts of Southern identity to locker-room scandal turned lawsuit to flashes of fraternal jealousy Ribowsky leaves no stone unturned Rich in gridiron dramatics and familial intrigue In the Name of the Father is a quintessentially American saga of a multifaceted lineage that has forever changed the gameA Brief History of the Private Life of Elizabeth II
By Michael Paterson. 2011
Elizabeth II is within a few years of becoming the longest-reigning British monarch. A personally quiet, modest and dutiful person,…
she is far better-informed about the lives of her subjects than they often realize. She has known every Prime Minister since Winston Churchill and every American President since Eisenhower.Yet what of the woman behind the crown?The book seeks to take a new look at this exhaustively-documented life and show how Queen Elizabeth became the person she is. Who, and what, have been the greatest influences upon her? What are her likes and dislikes? What are her hobbies? Who are her friends? What does she feel about the demands of duty and protocol? Is she really enjoying herself when she smiles during official events? How differently does she behave when out of the public eye? Examining the places in which she grew up or has lived, the training she received and her attitudes to significant events in national life, it presents a fresh view of one of recent history's most important figures.