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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
With a foreword by Eddy Merckx The world of professional cycling is fraught with fierce competition, fervent dedication and unerring ambition, and only a handful of competitors reach iconic status. Among them is Sir Bradley Wiggins - a man uniquely placed to reflect on the history of this remarkable sport and its unforgettable titans. In Icons, Wiggins takes the reader on an extraordinarily intimate journey through the sport, presenting key pieces from his never-before-seen collection of memorabilia. Over the course of his illustrious career, he amassed hundreds of items - often gifts from its greatest and most controversial figures. Each reflects an icon, a race or a moment that fundamentally influenced Wiggins on both a personal and professional level. By exploring the lives and achievements of 21 of the sport's key figures - among them Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurain and Tom Simpson - Wiggins sheds new light on what professional cycling demands of its best competitors. Icons lauds their triumphs, elucidates their demons and sheds light on the philosophy and psychology that comprise the unique mindset of a cycling champion.
The Stig gets his kit off and reveals how he came to be Top Gear's iconic racing driver and so much more - including what it's like to thrash an Aston Martin DBS, train for the Army and face the terror of Jeremy Clarkson's underwear When the Black Stig disappeared off the end of an aircraft carrier in 2003, we were introduced to The White Stig. Faster. Stranger. Harder to keep clean. And ever since, millions have wondered who is The Man in the White Suit? They're about to find out. Ben Collins caught the car the bug young, kicking his dad's boss in the balls for not giving him a company Jag. This was the attitude that eventually led him to spend seven years sharing a cabin with Jeremy Clarkson's underwear, James May's PhD thesis and Richard Hammond's hairspray. Because he is The Stig. Now he tells all about life inside the iconic white helmet. What it's like to guide a blind ex-RAF officer around the Top Gear track; pit a drug dealer's Mitsubishi Evo against a Trojan tank; set a Vauxhall Monara against Chloe the dancing Ninja; and race double-decker Routemasters against bendy buses. Not to mention all the inside stuff on how the show's amazing driving sequences are made. He also reveals how he got to be there settinga Dunsfold lap time faster than Michael Schumacher's. Breaking records with the best of the best at Daytona and Le Mans. It's an awesome story, told by an amazing man."
Accidental Olympian is the uplifting story of a judo athlete who wasn't afraid to dream big. Colin Oates trained in the wilds of Norfolk, at a village hall club run by his father. Entering the Olympics seemed an impossible dream, but Oates defied the odds to qualify for and compete at two Olympic Games. The boy born in Harold Wood, Essex, battled not only local prejudices within the judo fraternity but took on and beat many of the world's top players. Under the coaching and guidance of his father, Oates travelled the globe to fight in places he'd never heard of. Discover how Oates, supported by a judo-crazy family, smashed his way to being the British number-one under-66kg player for nearly a decade before qualifying for the Olympics. At London 2012, Oates defeated an ex-world champion and was only stopped by the eventual gold medallist. At Rio 2016, he faced the heartbreak of an early exit but was soon appointed a Great Britain elite coach. This is a genuine David and Goliath story where the underdog comes out on top.
Owen Doyle is an Irish Times columnist and former Irish rugby Test match referee. Here in his frank, revealing and often humorous memoir, The Ref's Call, he gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the high-pressured world of international rugby. From the processes involved in becoming a referee, to officiating in the Five Nations, touring Internationals and a World Cup, Doyle takes us through the most memorable matches of his career and how, following his retirement, he became instrumental in coaching the most successful generation of referees in the IRFU's history. Covering over forty years of rugby, and written in his own inimitable style, Doyle looks at the challenges facing modern rugby, particularly the issues of concussion and dementia, to give a fascinating insight into the great game, told from a unique perspective.
In Foley Is Good, Mick Foley -- former Commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation, aka Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind -- picks up right where his smash #1 New York Times bestseller Have a Nice Day! left off, giving readers an inside look at the behind-the-scenes action in the Federation. With total honesty and riotous humor, Mick Foley shines a spotlight into some of the hidden corners of the World Wrestling Federation. From the ongoing controversy surrounding "backyard wrestling" to the real story behind his now-infamous "I Quit" match with The Rock, Foley covers all the bases in this hysterically funny roller-coaster ride of a memoir.
In the 1970s, a decade before bumper stickers and T-shirts bearing the phrase Eddie Would Go began popping up all over the Hawaiian islands and throughout the surfing world, Eddie Aikau was proving what it meant to be a "waterman." As a fearless and gifted surfer, he rode the biggest waves in the world; as the first and most famous Waimea Bay lifeguard on the North Shore, he saved hundreds of lives from its treacherous waters; and as a proud Hawaiian, he sacrificed his life to save the crew aboard the voyaging canoe Hokule'a.
Grand Prize Winner, Banff Mountain Book Festival 2009. When Jerry Moffatt burst onto the scene as a brash 17-year-old, rock climbing had never seen anyone like him before. Fiercely ambitious, even as a boy Moffatt was focussed on one thing: being the best in the world. This is the story of his meteoric rise to stardom, and how he overcame injury to stay at the top for over two decades. Top sport-climber, brilliant competitor and a pioneer in the new game of bouldering, Moffatt's story is that of climbing itself in the last thirty years. Yet Jerry Moffatt is more than a dedicated athlete. Travelling the world to fulfil his dreams, Revelations is a compelling and often hilarious account of the climbing community with all its glories, dangers and foibles, as well as the story of a true sporting legend.
WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2021 WINNER OF THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR THE TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'The best book about racism I've ever read' Piers Morgan Through the prism of sport and conversations with its legends, including Usain Bolt, Adam Goodes, Thierry Henry, Michael Johnson, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Makhaya Ntini, Naomi Osaka and Hope Powell, Michael Holding explains how racism dehumanises people; how it works to achieve that end; how it has been ignored by history and historians; and what it is like to be treated differently just because of the colour of your skin. Rarely can a rain delay in a cricket match have led to anything like the moment when Holding spoke out in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter protests about the racism he has suffered and has seen all around him throughout his life. But as he spoke, he sought not only to educate but to propose a way forward that inspired so many. Within minutes, he was receiving calls from famous sports stars from around the world offering to help him to spread the message further. Now, in Why We Kneel, How We Rise, Holding shares his story together with those of some of the most iconic athletes in the world. He delivers a powerful and inspiring message of hope for the future and a vision for change, and takes you through history to understand the racism of today. He adds: 'To say I was surprised at the volume of positive feedback I received from around the world after my comments on Sky Sports is an understatement. I came to realise I couldn't just stop there; I had to take it forward - hence the book, as I believe education is the way forward.'
Stunningly illustrated, Sportswomen Legends Alphabet celebrates the essential A to Z of women who have blazed the trail in their sport: from Wilma Rudolph to Florence Griffith Joyner, Nadia Comaneci to Serena Williams. There's never been a better time to celebrate women's place in sport, and encourage your little sport-loving legend to aim for gold!
***** Shortlisted for Sports Entertainment Book of the Year in the Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2021 'A manifesto to cure modern football's cornucopia of ills.' - i paper 'A brilliant book.' - Ian Wright With diving players, abusive fans, feckless agents and the dreaded VAR, football has taken a wrong turn. Now, Chris Sutton, the nation's most forthright football pundit, takes an un?ltered look at 25 aspects of the modern game that need to be changed right away - and offers practical and, at times, controversial solutions. From the standard of referees to the lunacy of the managerial merry-go-round, from shameful racist abuse to exploitative ticket prices and the shocking treatments of ex-players with dementia, How to Fix Modern Football leaves no stone unturned in. As a former top-level player, Chris knows the game inside out. Now observing from the commentator's perch, his perspective is shot through with passion, humour and occasionally a little anger. Sutton is a man on a mission, determined to get under the skin of the game he loves and to call out exactly what's going wrong.
'A tragic age and a tragic character, both seemingly compelled to destroy themselves...a chilling reminder of how little control we have over our fates' Damon Hill 'One of the greatest motor racing stories' Nick Mason 'Timely, vivid and enthralling ... it's unputdownable' Miranda Seymour, author of The Bugatti Queen Dick Seaman was the archetypal dashing motorsport hero of the 1930s, the first Englishman to win a race for Mercedes-Benz and the last Grand Prix driver to die at the wheel before the outbreak of the Second World War. Award-winning author Richard Williams reveals the remarkable but now forgotten story of a driver whose battles against the leading figures of motor racing's golden age inspired the post-war generation of British champions. The son of wealthy parents, educated at Rugby and Cambridge, Seaman grew up in a privileged world of house parties, jazz and fast cars. But motor racing was no mere hobby: it became such an obsession that he dropped out of university to pursue his ambitions, squeezing money out of his parents to buy better cars. When he was offered a contract with the world-beating, state-sponsored Mercedes team in 1937, he signed up despite the growing political tensions between Britain and Germany. A year later, he celebrated victory in the German Grand Prix with the beautiful 18-year-old daughter of the founder of BMW. Their wedding that summer would force a split with his family, a costly rift that had not been closed six months later when he crashed in the rain while leading at Spa, dying with his divided loyalties seemingly unresolved. He was just 26 years old. A Race with Love and Death is a gripping tale of speed, romance and tragedy. Set in an era of rising tensions, where the urge to live each moment to the full never seemed more important, it is a richly evocative story that grips from first to last.
The inspirational inside story from the 2018 Tour de France and Sports Personality of the Year winner "This year G was the strongest rider, and he finally had Lady Luck on his side. An unstoppable combination" Chris Froome "I understood what Geraint's win meant: for him, for me, for the team, and for Wales, too" Dave Brailsford "Wow!" Arsene Wenger For years Geraint Thomas appeared blessed with extraordinary talent but jinxed at the greatest bike race in the world: twice an Olympic gold medallist on the track, Commonwealth champion, yet at the Tour de France a victim of crashes, bad luck and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his team-mates. In the summer of 2018, that curse was blown away in spectacular fashion - from the cobbles of the north and the iconic mountain climbs of the Alps to the brutal slopes of the Pyrenees and, finally, the Champs-Elysees in Paris. As a boy, G had run home from school on summer afternoons to watch the Tour on television. This July, across twenty-one stages and three weeks, and under constant attack from his rivals, he made the race his own. With insight from the key characters around Geraint, this is the inside story of one of the most thrilling and heart-warming tales in sport. Not only can nice guys come first - they can win the biggest prize of all.
Mainers are known to be fiercely loyal, to their culture, history, and heritage, and to their favorite hometown sports heroes. Many of these heroes have gone on to have legendary careers on the national stage from Louis Sockalexis, the first Native American to play professional baseball, to Joan Benoit Samuelson, the first woman to win gold in an Olympic marathon. There's Carlton Fisk, the great Boston Red Sox catcher; Seth Wescott, Olympic gold medal snowboarder; and Joey Gamache, junior lightweight world champion boxer. For every household name, there are countless local legends that are just as revered. Journalist Nancy Griffin presents a surprising range of athletes in this collection of short profiles and achievements. You'll find superstars in everything from baseball and hockey to golf, shooting, and bowling.
In horse racing greatness is defined by speed. Being the second fastest counts for little. You have to win. And win. And keep winning until every challenger of your generation is put to the sword. Of the twelve horses lined up on Newmarket Heath that 2011 day, one would do just that. And more. To become the greatest racehorse that has ever lived. Frankel was born on 11 February 2008, with four white socks and a blaze, from impressive equine lines on both his parents' sides. Simon Cooper revisits the whole of the horse's life, giving readers an inside tour of the calm oasis that is life a stud farm, where a foal will live with his mother for the first year of his life. Next, the atmosphere of heady possibility that marks the early days of training. Roadwork. Gallops. Trials. Turning raw potential into something more. Frankel begins to set himself apart. A detailed and fast-paced narrative breathlessly recounts the racing career of the horse who, by his retirement to stud at the age of 4, would be rated the greatest of all time. Cooper weaves the horse's tale with those of his trainer, battling cancer, the stablehands who coped with his explosive nature, the work rider who tamed him, the the jockey who rode in all fourteen of his races, and the owner who saw his potential from the very beginning. The result is a rich and multifaceted tale of modern horse racing, the lives of everyone involved, human and equine, and the unadulterated glory of winning. And winning everything.
Frank McLintock was a leading player of his generation and is acclaimed as one of Arsenal's greatest captains. After transferring from Leicester, in 1970 he led Arsenal to a famous victory in the Fairs Cup and followed this up with even greater glory a year later, winning an historic league and FA Cup double. He left Arsenal in 1973 after being controversially dropped, and enjoyed four successful years at QPR. He retired from playing in 1977, to make an ill-conceived and hasty move into management. Following this difficult period he entered the often shady world of agents, and faced perhaps his worst moment in the game, becoming involved in the infamous bung scandal over Teddy Sherringham's transfer from Forest to Spurs. His is a captivating football story spanning 45 years during which he achieved fabulous success and faced shattering lows, all told with enthusiasm, humour, honesty and intense passion.
The Joshua Files traces the story of Britain's latest heavyweight hero from the building site to the top of the boxing world and beyond. Anthony Joshua's fight with Wladimir Klitschko, in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, transformed the fighter not only into a national hero but also a global star. Having worked as a boxing journalist for almost 30 years for Boxing News, Boxing Monthly and Sky Sports, Matt Bozeat was perfectly placed to follow Joshua from a ringside seat from the very start of his professional career. Joshua turned pro soon after winning gold at the London Olympics in 2012, and has since surpassed all expectations, going on to dominate the division with a 100 per cent KO record. The Joshua Files tells exactly how he fought his way to the top, through revealing and insightful interviews with the fighter himself, as well as with the boxing experts, trainers, sparring partners and opponents who have the closest insider knowledge of Anthony's incredible rise.
WINNER OF INTERNATIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2021 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 'An intelligent and often beautifully observed book' Donald McRae, The Guardian 'A must-read about a career which never dropped out of top gear' Racing Post 'A thoroughly engaging memoir. I can't recommend this insightful autobiography enough' Horse & Hound 'A superior story: an honest and self-searching account of the glories and thrills but also the doubt and barren spells that visit even rampantly successful jockeys' The Irish Times The riveting full-career autobiography of Barry Geraghty, one of the most successful jump jockeys in the sport's history. Now retired, Geraghty takes his rightful place in the pantheon of greats that includes AP McCoy, Richard Johnson and Ruby Walsh. Barry Geraghty is an Irish horseracing legend. From his first win in 1997 he has gone on to ride almost 2000 winners, making him the fourth most successful jumps jockey of all time. With the second most wins at Cheltenham in the sport's history, he has worked with all the greats - Moscow Flyer, Kicking King, Monty's Pass. Barry finally retired in July 2020, covered in scars. He has broken all of his limbs, his shoulders, his ribs, his nose. He has survived falls too numerous to recall, and spent most of 2019 with a metal cast on his leg. And yet, he kept getting back on the horse, for twenty-three years. His autobiography is about resilience, the mental power that enables the great to keep going despite the pain, despite the odds. It explores how Barry has developed the mind tools to continue to push himself, even when all seems lost. Containing startling revelations and a searingly honest insight into the life of a top jockey, this is a must-read for all sports fans.
Liddell at One Hundred celebrates the life of Liverpool and Scotland legend Billy Liddell. Born in Fife in 1922, Billy made the move from Scotland to Liverpool at 16, but the Second World War delayed his debut. After serving in the RAF as a navigator, he returned to football and won the league with Liverpool in his first full season with the club after the war. A diehard Red, Billy spent his whole career with the club, scoring 228 times in 534 appearances between 1938 and 1961. He remains the oldest goalscorer in Liverpool's history and their fourth-highest scorer of all time. Liddell spent a decade playing for Scotland and has the honour - alongside Stanley Matthews - of being one of only two men to represent a Great Britain XI more than once. A true sportsman and consummate professional, he was never booked or sent off in his entire footballing career. Liddell at One Hundred brings you the inside story of his life from those who knew him best - friends, supporters, family members and former team-mates.
THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR The Sunday Times bestseller is 'brilliant, gripping, beautifully written, real,' says Jonathan Northcroft. So, you think you know Joey Barton. Think again. No Nonsense is a game-changing autobiography which will redefine the most fascinating figure in British football. It is the raw yet redemptive story of a man shaped by rejection and the consequences of his mistakes. He has represented England, and been a pivotal player for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Glasgow Rangers, but his career has featured recurring controversy. The low point of being sent to prison for assault in 2008 proved to be the catalyst for the re-evaluation of his life. No Nonsense reflects Barton's character - it is candid, challenging, entertaining and intelligent. He does not spare himself, in revealing the formative influences of a tough upbringing in Liverpool, and gives a survivor's insight into a game which, to use his phrase, 'eats people alive'. The book is emotionally driven, and explains how he has redirected his energies since the birth of his children. In addition to dealing with his past, he expands on his plans for the future. In this updated edition he speaks frankly about the gambling addiction that has left him facing a hefty ban. The millions who follow his commentaries on social media, and those who witnessed him on BBC's Question Time, will be given another reason to pause, and look beyond the caricature. 'Compelling' Donald McRae, Guardian 'Brilliant' Matt Lawton, Daily Mail
Award-winning writer JD Morvan and renowned photographer Abbas' stunning graphic novel masterpiece which uses iconic photos to uniquely illustrate the historical 'Rumble in the Jungle' boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. "The drawings and photos allow us to revel in the imagery and history of that unforgettable night, and the torrid pace of the storytelling, the many flashbacks allow us to see the full context of the fight" - The Ring Award-winning writer JD Morvan and renowned photographer Abbas' stunning graphic novel masterpiece which uses iconic photos to uniquely illustrate the historical 'Rumble in the Jungle' boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. On the 30 th October 1974, the most famous boxing match of the 20 th Century took place. Nicknamed the "Rumble in the Jungle", it pitted Muhammad Ali, desperate to win back his world champion belt, and George Foreman, the current holder, against each other. Foreman had just KO'd the only two boxers to have ever beaten Ali. By his own admission, Ali was terrified of facing him in the ring... Now, the photojournalist Abbas immortalises this legendary meeting, having kept his photos in his personal archives for 36 years before unveiling them to the world. In a cross between a documentary, photo report and graphic novel, this book reveals the context of the most powerful photographs taken by one of the greatest photographers of the Magnum Photos agency. Enriched by the testimony of Abbas himself, Jean-David Morvan's script is rigorously brought to life by artist Rafael Ortiz.
The image of the Derby winner with his leg in plaster was broadcast around the world. Alongside Mill Reef stood a baby-faced man who had won the Arc, the King George, the Eclipse, and now the Derby. He trained for the Queen and Queen Mother, and Lester Piggott, Willie Carson and Frankie Dettori all rode for him, but where had he come from and how had he got there? Ian Balding's story is one of heartbreaking loss and outrageous good luck. He left Cambridge without a degree but with a rugby blue, and became one of the outstanding amateur sportsmen of his generation. Balding's burgeoning talent was quickly noticed and he was soon running Peter Hastings-Bass' stables at Kingsclere. Ian had no money and no experience of running a business, but he learnt fast. In Making the Running, Ian Balding reveals the pressure of maintaining the pace and shares the highs and lows of the sport of kings.
Darryl Telles's sexuality is as important to him as his lifelong passion for his beloved Tottenham Hotspur, yet like other gay football supporters, he has had to endure decades of abuse and threats from homophobic fellow fans in a sport where homosexuality is still so reviled that there is not a single `out' gay player in the top four tiers of the Football League. This is the story of his campaign against homophobia in the football world, his work with the Gay Football Supporters Network (GFSN) and his attempts to advance the cause through media publicity and TV interviews. "Most of the crowd are white, so you stick out because of your brown face. They're singing the sort of chants that make you feel unwelcome, and not only because of your colour - they just can't stand anyone who's a poof, an arsebandit, a queer or a raving homosexual. And that's exactly what you are..." |
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