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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
Edmund Hillary - A Biography is the story of the New Zealand beekeeper who climbed Mount Everest. A man who against expedition orders drove his tractor to the South Pole; a man honoured around the world for his pioneering climbs yet who collapsed on more than one occasion on a mountain, and a man who gave so much to Nepal yet lost his family to its mountains. The author, Michael Gill, was a close friend of Hillary's for nearly 50 years, accompanying him on many expeditions and becoming heavily involved in Hillary's aid work building schools and hospitals in the Himalaya. During the writing of this book, Gill was granted access to a large archive of private papers and photos that were deposited in the Auckland museum after Hillary's death in 2008. Building on this unpublished material, as well as his extensive personal experience, Michael Gill profiles a man whose life was shaped by both triumph and tragedy. Gill describes the uncertainties of the first 33 years of Hillary's life, during which time he served in the New Zealand air force during the Second World War, as well as the background to the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, when Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit - a feat that brought the pair instant worldwide fame. He reveals the loving relationship Hillary had with his wife Louise, in part through their touching letters to each other. Her importance to him during their 22 years of marriage only underlines the horror of her death, along with that of their youngest daughter, Belinda, in a plane crash in 1975. Hillary eventually pulled out of his subsequent depression to continue his life's work in the Himalaya. Affectionate, but scrupulously fair, in Edmund Hillary - A Biography Michael Gill has gone further than anyone before to reveal the humanity of this remarkable man.
A three-time World Series winner and an early inductee into the Hall of Fame, lauded by Babe Ruth as the finest defensive outfielder he ever saw, and described as "perfection on the field" by the great Grantland Rice, Tris Speaker enjoys the peculiar distinction of being one of the least-known legends of baseball history. Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend is the first book to tell the full story of Speaker's turbulent life and to document in sharp detail the grit and glory of his pivotal role in baseball's dead-ball era. Playing for the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians in the early part of the twentieth century, Tris "Spoke" Speaker put up numbers that amaze us even today: his record for career doubles-792-may never be approached, let alone broken. Timothy M. Gay gives a rousing account of some of the best baseball ever played-and of some of the darkest moments that ever tainted a game and hastened the end of a career. Gay's four years of research on Speaker unearthed a document that suggests that cheating induced by gambling was far more widespread in early baseball than officials have acknowledged. Gay's book captures the bygone spirit of the big leagues' rough-and-tumble early years and restores one of baseball's true greats-and a truly larger-than-life personality-to his rightful place in the American sports pantheon.
When UK Sport removed funding for women's BMX, Bethany Shriever's dream of Olympic glory seemed shattered. Throw in the impact of a broken leg sustained in childhood, plus an untimely arm injury weeks before the final Olympic qualification event, and few would have thought the 22-year-old would be on the plane to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, let alone the podium. And with the uncertainty caused by a global pandemic, the external pressures on Beth were intense and pervasive. However, the BMX racer from Essex is made of stern stuff and, perhaps just as importantly, so are the team around her. From her deeply involved family, to her dedicated coaching team, to her friends within the BMX community, Beth's story recognises the team behind an athlete. This compelling tale of triumph over adversity reveals how the power of belief overcame the obstacles that threatened to derail Bethany's dreams of becoming the best ever female BMX racer.
'This is Dan Martin's long-awaited autobiography, full of 'the warmth, sharp insights and vivid colour of his 14-year career' Guardian Known, thanks to his racing style and attitude, for being one of road cycling's last romantics, Dan has always shied away from revealing too much about himself and his story. Now, having retired at the end of the 2021 season aged 35 and no longer bound by the constraints of the racing circuit, Dan feels the time is right to tell his story in the same forthright and honest manner that he rode his bike. This book reflects Dan's generous and outspoken spirit, his resilience to pain, crashes, bad luck and, finally, his acceptance of destiny. Each chapter's title has a sub-title based on a typical cyclist's fear: the fear of losing a race, the fear of retiring from the sport, the fear of mountains or downhills, the fear of doping and, ultimately, the fear of death. Dan also discusses every aspect of the professional cyclist's life - food, discipline, money, dreams, friendship and betrayal. Dan is unashamed when it comes to exposing these dark feelings, his weaknesses and how he tried to deal with them, his attitude exemplifying Mark Twain's quote: "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear". Written with his long-time friend and best-selling author Pierre Carrey, this is the story of a rider who never sought to conform to modern cycling's norms and someone who, in many ways, embodies an age in cycling which has long since disappeared. This is the celebration of a true cyclist's career, which will appeal to anyone who's embraced the weekend ride whilst dreaming of the mountains. '[Chased by Pandas] is not a conventional study of wins, losses and conquering mountains but overcoming the mental challenges of a sport into which he was seemingly born' The Times 'Records the brave and tough journey of 'one of road cycling's last romantics' Irish Independent 'Chronicles the former Irish road champion's journey through the ranks of professional cycling' Cycling Weekly
'You can get a couple of years for beating the shit out of another bloke or a couple of grand. I chose to do the latter.' Decca's story is that of a bullied boy with an impossible dream. Of solvent abuse, violence, drug addiction, depression, boxing, bare-knuckle fighting but - ultimately - redemption. It begins on a council estate in Carlisle where, as the victim of cruel bullies, a young Decca anaesthetised himself from the pain and humiliation by sniffing solvents. In his mid-teens the fear fell away to be replaced by fury, as the bullies soon discovered to their cost. Memories of that frightened boy fuelled a rage that forged a fearsome street-fighter and future champion. Working on the doors attracted more trouble but further enhanced his growing reputation. At the age of nineteen, life was good until the love of his life left him. Depression set in and prevailed. For almost ten years, he fell prey to a rampant cocaine habit, which provoked his demons, making him unpredictable and dangerous to be around. Serious jail time seemed inevitable. Out of sheer desperation, his dad arranged Decca's first unlicensed boxing match. He won and became instantly hooked. Having gotten fit, hungry, and off the drugs, he was lured into the bloody arena of bare-knuckle fighting. Many brutal undefeated fights followed, as did two BKB heavyweight titles. A chance meeting with renowned boxing promoter, Ricky English led to Decca's shot at the iconic 'Guv'nor' title. The rest, as they say, is history.
Following Richie Benaud's death in April 2015, two of Australia's finest sports writers, Norman Tasker and Ian Heads, set off on a search for the real Richie: a man who graced the lives of many for more than six decades - first as an outstanding all-rounder and great captain, and then as cricket's greatest TV commentator. Tasker and Heads cast a wide net, seeking fresh material from the people who knew Richie best. The result is an intimate tribute that gets to the heart of Richie Benaud, the man. Contributors include members of Richie's family and childhood friends; cricket greats such as Sir Garfield Sobers, Ted Dexter, Neil Harvey, Alan Davidson, Steve Waugh and Shane Warne; acclaimed journalists such as John Woodcock, David Frith, Gideon Haigh and Tony Cozier; fellow commentators such as Ian Chappell, Mike Atherton, Mark Nicholas and Mark Taylor; and friends, colleagues and business associates from Australia, England, France, India and the Caribbean. The book begins with a revealing foreword by Richie's brother John, himself a former Test cricketer and prominent journalist. It ends with a moving postscript by Richie's second son Jeff.
The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court. "There are two choices in life: you make it your excuse or you make it your story." Isaiah Austin's mother shared these words of wisdom with him as a child as he came to terms with a torn retina taking away the ability to see with his right eye. Faced with adversity at a young age, Isaiah had to choose--let his disability define him or overcome the challenge and shine. Overcoming that challenge is exactly what Isaiah did as he made a name for himself on Baylor University's NCAA Division 1 basketball team. Everyone expected Isaiah to have a successful career in the NBA after college, but on June 21, 2014--just five days before the NBA draft--Austin was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue, putting him at risk of rupturing his heart if he continued to play basketball. In seconds, Austin's hopes for a career in the NBA became impossible. After hearing about Isaiah's diagnosis, NBA commissioner Adam Silver invited Austin to attend the 2014 draft as his personal guest. The League recognized Isaiah's courage, resilience, and determination in a bittersweet moment when he was made an Honorary Draft Pick. Rather than letting another challenge destroy his faith, Austin has once again strived to overcome adversity by becoming a spokesperson for The Marfan Foundation, raising awareness and understanding for the disease. He has also founded his own non-profit organization, The Isaiah Austin Foundation, to provide support and research for Marfan syndrome and those affected by it. Despite the many heartbreaking challenges he has faced, Isaiah's story is inspirational and full of hope as he encourages everyone to tower in the face of adversity and keep living out their dreams, no matter what life throws their way. The book includes a foreword from Robert Griffin III--the Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback.
James Gordon Bennett was born in 1841, a spoilt only son who took over as publisher of the New York Herald from his millionaire father. Bennett tirelessly supported pioneering fields of technology and sport, always with speed in mind. In 1899, fascinated by the new motor cars, he instigated the International Gordon Bennett Cup. The inaugural race took place in 1900 between Paris and Lyon. Three countries entered, but this was just the beginning of a massive phenomenon that, thanks to Bennett, saw spectators grow from less than a hundred to eighty-thousand. The widespread anti-car sentiment, endless bureaucracy, speed limits, safety and design challenges were all obstacles to overcome. Each Gordon Bennett Cup Race is documented here with an account of the drivers, the cars, the courses and the thrilling highs and lows of the events. The 1903 Cup, which was held in Ireland, was crucial since for the very first time a closed-circuit course was used. It was also the first international race in the British Isles. His dedicated promotion of early motor-car racing gave a boost to the global auto-industry and was a firm basis to the international racing that is still a thrilling part of our lives over 100 years later.
He is the goal-scoring legend of the Treble Triumph, a local hero in Manchester and back home in Norway. But when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was announced in December 2018 as interim Manchester United manager, his only Premier League experience was overseeing Cardiff City's relegation. After a dismal time following Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, could he really be the one to see the club challenge again for major honours? It all started so well - a record-breaking run of victories, Solskjaer seemingly the antidote to the confusion of Moyes, the stagnation of Van Gaal, the trauma of Mourinho, and the permanent job was secured. His first full season in charge was a bumpy ride, but Solskjaer steered the club to three semi-finals and a creditable third-place finish. He has reinvigorated players like Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, given opportunities to newcomers such as Mason Greenwood, and brought in fresh talent in the shape of Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani and Harry Maguire. In this updated edition, Jackson reveals how Solskjaer inspired United back into title contention once again during 2020-21, also taking them to a European final. In The Red Apprentice, Jamie Jackson takes the reader back to Solskjaer's early days in Norway to discover the making of the man. He relives his extraordinary playing career and that goal in the Champions League final of 1999, exploring his move into coaching and seeks an answer to the vital question: can he do it? Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer draw on his experience and knowledge of the United way and bring the club its 21st league title?
LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 'Excellent and compellingly honest' Alyson Rudd, The Times In I Love This Game, the long-awaited autobiography of Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United and France star looks back on a remarkable life and career. Having played alongside some of the club's greatest legends, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, in one of United's most successful eras, Evra has now found a new role as an in-demand pundit and social media star. But, as he reveals in this frank, often shocking, but always compelling memoir, beneath the surface things were not so simple, and he had to fight all the way to get to the top. Initially, it was football that saved him from being sucked into the gang culture of his tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis in the suburbs of Paris. Then, once he achieved his dream of becoming a professional, he had to deal with racism and a notorious dispute with Luis Suarez; he also became a central figure in the infamous 'strike' by the France national team in the 2010 World Cup; and there was the moment he launched an attack against a Marseille fan while warming up. 'I Love This Game' has become Evra's catchphrase. Throughout this wonderful book, his passion for his sport shines through and there are revealing and entertaining behind-the-scenes insights about the players and managers he's worked with, from Sir Alex Ferguson to Paul Pogba, who knows him as Uncle Pat. With infectious enthusiasm and sharp observation, Evra takes the reader where few football autobiographies dare to tread.
'I WANT TO INSPIRE PEOPLE. I WANT SOMEONE TO LOOK AT ME AND SAY: "BECAUSE OF YOU I DIDN'T GIVE UP".' Goals is a very personal and deeply-moving collection of life-affirming and inspirational real-life stories from which Chelsea and Italy football legend Gianluca Vialli has drawn great strength and resolve during his battle with pancreatic cancer. The stories and the individuals involved have been selected by Vialli because they have offered him comfort and inspiration at the time of his greatest challenge, and he feels that they can do the same for many of us, whatever it might be that we are facing. The result is a beautifully-written and touching narrative which is by turns vital and poignant, spine-tingling and heart-rending. The very last story in Goals is Vialli's own, bravely and movingly chronicling his battle with this cruel illness.
In 1983, aged 36, Johan Cruyff, one of the world's most iconic football superstars, guided Ajax to a league and cup double. Out of contract, most people, including the player, expected a valedictory final season and a one-year extension. Inexplicably, Ajax let him go. They grossly underestimated the fierce genius of Johan Cruyff. He signed for bitter rivals Feyenoord, leading them to a league and cup double, silencing his critics and thrilling football fans everywhere. Fierce Genius analyses this incredible season, as he evolves from player to coach. It is a fascinating insight into his professional and private life. Imperious on the park, off it, he dealt with kidnappings and bankruptcy after being defrauded by a conman. Bollen gets inside Cruyff's mind, helping the reader understand the mentality which made him a top player and successful coach. Fierce Genius: Cruyff's Year at Feyenoord is compelling, insightful and poignant. Written with a journalistic tone, by an accomplished comedy writer, this is a warm, affectionate and informative portrait of one of world football's greats.
Better Than He Knew: The Graham Barlow Story recalls the cricketing life of Graham Barlow, a talented all-round sportsman and largely unsung member of the Middlesex team that dominated domestic cricket from 1976 to 1985. Emerging from schoolboy cricket, seven years passed before he established himself in 1976. Cast aside after a 300-day international career, his focus on fitness and fielding often overshadowed his pugnacious batting. After a disastrous 1982, promotion to the top of the order to open with Wilf Slack provided the stability that he longed for and triggered the most successful period of his career until injury forced retirement. A global coaching career followed with success in New Zealand as head coach of Central Districts. Better Than He Knew is a deeply personally tribute that includes Graham's memoirs and synchronistic thoughts about the ups and downs of his life and career. There's also insight from former team-mates, whose stories celebrate this likeable cricketer and a golden era of county cricket.
Swallows and Hawke is a captivating account of 80 years of compelling cricket. From South Africa's stunning first ever Test win by one wicket in 1907 to Syd Barnes and Herby Taylor locked in iconic combat in 1914, to Cliff Gladwin's scrambled last-ball victory in 1949, all the standout moments are here. On the pitch, the cricketers faced extreme heat and dust, unplayable wickets and a wily and resilient opposition. Off the pitch they inspected mining compounds, were terrified by Zulu dancers and found themselves in jail or chased by rhinos. Over 15 tours the emissaries of Empire bestrode the pavilions of power with mine-owners and politicians, from Kruger to Verwoerd. They turned a blind eye to oppression and resistance and colluded with a new national mythology of white supremacy featuring ox-wagons and Blood River. The cricketing dramas take place within the perennial African struggles over land, labour and freedom as the cricketing relationship between MCC and South Africa forges the bonds of Empire.
Pop Flies and Line Drives recounts highlights of the author's personal visits with former professional baseball players who played in the 1940s and '50s when he was growing up.
Dynamite and Davey: The Explosive Lives of The British Bulldogs is the triumphant but ultimately tragic story of Tom Billington and Davey Boy Smith. Cousins born just a couple of years apart in a small mining town near Wigan, Tom and Davey discovered the art of wrestling as schoolboys. Tom went on to become 'The Dynamite Kid', arguably the greatest and most pioneering wrestler in history, but his short temper and determination to reach the top of a sport dominated by naturally bigger men would be his undoing. The more reserved Davey became a global superstar, but followed his cousin not just into exceptionalism, but into heavy substance abuse as well. Ultimately, the extraordinarily dysfunctional world of pro wrestling would prove too much for the cousins from Golborne - one proud, one naive. Together they became the best and most influential tag team of their generation. But they could not escape their demons, and their triumphs eventually submitted to their tragedy. Dynamite and Davey is a gripping cautionary tale.
Paul Westhead was teaching high school in his native Philadelphia when he was named La Salle University's men's basketball coach in 1970. By 1980 he was a Los Angeles Lakers assistant, soon to be hired as head coach, winning an NBA title with Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie guard Magic Johnson. After compiling a 112-50 record, he was fired in November 1981. After a short stay as coach of the Chicago Bulls, Westhead reemerged in the mideighties as a coach at Loyola Marymount in California, where he designed his highly unusual signature run-and-gun offense that came to be known as "The system." The Speed Game offers a vibrant account of how Westhead helped develop a style of basketball that not only won at the highest levels but went on to influence basketball as it's played today. Known for implementing an up-tempo, quick-possession, high-octane offense, Westhead is the only coach to have won championships in both the NBA and WNBA. But his long career can be defined by one simple question he's heard from journalists, fellow coaches, his wife, and, well, himself: Why? Why did he insist on playing such a controversial style of basketball that could vary from brilliant to busted? Westhead speaks candidly here about the feathers he ruffled and about his own shortcomings as he takes readers from Philadelphia's West Catholic High, where he couldn't make varsity, to the birth of the Showtime Lakers and to the powerhouse he built nearly ten years later at Loyola, where his team set records likely never to be approached. Westhead says he always found himself telling prospective bosses, "My speed game is gonna knock your socks off!" So will his story and what it could do to bring back a popular style of play.
There are very few major personalities in the world of sports who
have so much to say about our National Pastime. And even fewer who
are as well respected as Bill White.
"[Fredston] provides armchair travelers with a vivid portrait of wilderness rowing...full of intriguing personal digressions and moments of high drama."
Graeme Swann's transformation from international outsider to England's primary match-winner and undisputed best spin bowler in the world has been remarkably rapid. Within two years of his 2008 Test debut, he had become his country's most reliable bowler, made the shortlist for the ICC's cricketer of the year award and claimed an Ashes-sealing wicket. Yet the script took many twists and turns along the way. Drafted into the squad for the full tour of South Africa in 1999-2000. Swann's meteoric received a jolt. While some liked the cut of his jib, others did not and England coach Duncan Fletcher already had a foot in the latter camp when Swann missed the bus for the first of two times on that tour. Suddenly he was judged on temperament and not talent. Although Swann candidly concedes he was nowhere near good enough for the top level at that stage in his career, his jettisoning back to county cricket for the next seven years, following a solitary one-day international, hinted at a career wasted. A clash with then Northamptonshire coach Kepler Wessels triggered his move to Nottinghamshire in 2005. A County Championship winner in his debut season, he was back in the England fold at the end of his third. Forever a flamboyant showman, he made up for lost time with two wickets in his first over against India - his habit of striking in his opening over a spell has become a party piece. You cannot keep the spotlight off him for long. Since moving into the top 10 of the world rankings for bowlers on the back of eight wickets in the Ashes-defining Oval Test of 2009, he has not dropped outside it, and has been widely tipped to be the decisive factor in the defence of the urn in Australia.
As a rookie head coach leading a franchise that, though on a steady climb upwards, had largely been dismissed by the sports media, NBA fans had low expectations for Nick Nurse and his Raptors. But what those naysayers didn't realise was that Nurse had spent the past thirty years proving himself at every level of the game, from youth programs and college ball, to the NBA G League and Britain's struggling pro circuit. While few coaches have taken such a circuitous path to pro basketball's promise land, the journey-- which began at Keumper Catholic high school in Carroll, Iowa -- forged a coach who proved to be as unshakeable as he is personable. On the road, he is now known to bring his guitar and keyboard for late-night jazz and blues sessions. In the locker room, he's steadfast and even-keeled regardless of the score. On the court, he pulls out old school, underrated plays with astounding success. A rookie in name but a veteran in attitude, Nurse is seemingly above the chaos of the game and, with two seasons on his resume, -has established himself, incredibly, as one of the NBA's most admired head coaches. Now, in this revealing new book - which will be equal parts personal memoir, leadership manifesto, and philosophical meditation - Nurse tells his own story, while also whisking readers inside the Raptors' locker room and coach's office for an intimate study of the team culture he has built and promises to sustain. As much for readers of Ray Dalio as for fans of John Wooden and Pat Summit, the result promises to become necessary for anyone looking to forge their own path to success.
For over a decade Luke Fletcher has been a firm fan favourite at Trent Bridge. This 6'6" gentle giant never gives less than 100 per cent for Nottinghamshire, but a laugh and a joke are never far from his lips. Within the space of a week in 2017 he went from the highs of winning a Lord's cup final to suffering a serious injury. As with most events in his life, the incidents provided scope for his infectious humour, much of it self-deprecating. An uncanny ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and his on-off relationship with the strength and conditioning gurus has often landed him in hot water, providing ammunition for witty comebacks. But although a clever quip is never far away, the broad-beamed paceman has earned the respect of everyone in the game. He has played against - and got the better of - virtually every opponent he has faced and has a career record to be proud of. In Tales from the Front Line, 'Fletch' serves up laughs aplenty as he takes us on an anecdotal journey through our summer game.
'TERRIFIC' - Daily Mail 'ONE OF THE UNDISPUTED GREATS' - Sun 'Why me? How could a boy from a Copenhagen tower block say I want to be a champion with Manchester United and Denmark and make it happen?' Peter Schmeichel is a giant of football, who won more Premier League titles (five) than any player in his position and captained Manchester United in the incomparable, last-gasp Treble-clinching win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final. 'I don't believe a better goalkeeper played the game,' Sir Alex Ferguson said. One: My Autobiography is Schmeichel's story. In it, he takes us inside the remarkable, winning environment of a club that transformed football during the 1990s, and on to the pitch on that crazy, breathless night in Barcelona in 1999. From Ferguson's unique gifts to Eric Cantona's unique personality, he delivers a close-up and insightful portrait of United's golden era. However, One: My Autobiography goes way beyond the pitch. Schmeichel has an incredible family story to tell, starting with his father, Antoni, a brilliant Polish jazz musician who battled demons and for years kept a momentous secret from those around him. And he explores what he has been able to pass on to his own son, Kasper - himself a Premier League-winning goalkeeper and number one in the Danish national side. Peter's life after football, seldom straightforward, is described with astonishing candour. One: My Autobiography is about football, origins, journeys and legacy. |
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