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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
Longtime sports photographer Brad Mangin teams up with Buster Posey himself in this visual celebration of the star catcher's twelve seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Packed with over 150 photographs, 28: A Photographic Tribute to Buster Posey captures Buster's entire career, from the first time he stepped foot onto the field for the Giants back in 2009 all the way to his final at-bat in 2021. One of the most beloved players in Giants history, the rookie catcher helped carry the franchise to its first World Series championship in San Francisco in 2010, and from there, the rising star carried the Giants to win two more World Series in 2012 and 2014-all brilliantly documented by Mangin.With an introduction from veteran sportswriter and San Francisco radio host Brian Murphy, along with essays from Buster and his teammates, managers, and other sports luminaries-including Mike Krukow & Duane Kuiper, Bruce Bochy, Matt Cain, Brandon Crawford, Gabe Kapler, Hunter Pence, Sergio Romo, Logan Webb, and Barry Zito-28 tells the story of Buster's illustrious career from the heartfelt perspective of those who know him best.Off the field, Buster used his platform to help children, and now his legacy continues to transform lives. He and his wife, Kristen, created and nurtured BP28, a charity that has raised over $4 million since 2016 in its endeavor to improve outcomes and raise awareness of pediatric cancer. Kristen also shares that story here, and a portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit their foundation.
'Compelling from start to finish...Downie does full justice to an extraordinary life' Pete Davies, author of All Played Out. A stunning new biography of Socrates, the iconic captain of the greatest Brazil side never to win the World Cup. Socrates was always special. A hugely talented athlete who graduated in medicine yet drank and smoked to excess. The attacking midfielder stood out - and not just because of his 6'4" frame. Fans were enthralled by his inch-perfect passes, his coolness in front of goal and his back heel, the trademark move that singled him out as the most unique footballer of his generation. Off the pitch, he was just as original, with a dedication to politics and social causes that no player has ever emulated. His biggest impact came as leader of Corinthians Democracy - a movement that gave everyone from the kitman to the president an equal say in the running of the club. At a time when Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship, it was truly revolutionary. Passionate and principled, entertaining and erudite, Socrates was as contradictory as he was complex. He was a socialist who voted for a return of Brazil's monarchy, a fiercely independent individual who was the ultimate team player, and a romantic who married four times and fathered six children. Armed with Socrates' unpublished memoir and hours of newly discovered interviews, Andrew Downie has put together the most comprehensive and compelling account of this iconic figure. Based on conversations with family members, close friends and former team-mates, this is a brilliant biography of a man who always stood up for what he believed in, whatever the cost. 'Brilliantly written and researched. Amazing life.' Alex Bellos, author of Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life
Jules Lines, Britain's most accomplished free solo climber, gives a rare and candid glimpse into the mind of one of climbing's most audacious and determined legends. Tears of the Dawn is a journey unlike any other. With artistic eloquence and an unexpected humbleness, Lines recreates the triumphs, tribulations, friendships, romances and perhaps most poignantly of all, his close encounters with death, leaving the reader breathless, on edge, and, as the sunlight breaks, dreaming of mountain tops, oil rigs and a sense of adventure. This heartfelt and at times humourous, adrenaline-infused account is more than a story of adventure, it is a tale of obsession, addiction, passion, courage and the ability to push boundaries. Beautifully designed and illustrated, for dreamers and realists alike, Tears of the Dawn is an awe-inspiring and toe-tingling tale to be enjoyed by all. This second edition of the sellout original includes refreshed photography.
The side-splittingly hilarious new book from Sunday Times bestselling author, rugby icon, and stag do in human form, James Haskell. It's 2021 and James is at a crossroads. His glittering international rugby career that took him from England to New Zealand and France - including 77 caps for England - is over. What will he do now? What is his purpose in life? In Ruck Me, James sets out on a voyage of self-discovery speaking to ex-colleagues, friends and family, reflecting on his career and diving into some of his most memorable personal anecdotes to date. But what started out as a search for understanding and meaning soon turns into a - let's face it, sometimes warranted - chastisement opportunity with James directly in the firing line. Turns out he has a lot of work to do... As funny as it is outrageous, this brilliant book acts as a lesson on how (not) to retire gracefully and move forward. And ruck me - you won't want to miss it.
'The whistle blows and I set off for the one kick I know will stay with me for the rest of my life, maybe even define my life...' Michael Carrick was the heartbeat of Manchester United. For more than a decade he was the player that made them tick. Loved by his managers, lauded by his fellow professionals, worshipped by the Old Trafford faithful, yet regularly misunderstood by the wider public, Carrick was a player like no other. Intelligent, calm, thoughtful - in many ways the opposite of the archetypal English midfielder - Carrick has always been his own man and is typically forthright. In his book he reveals what it's really like to win relentlessly under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, shows us the hidden secrets of the famous Carrington training ground, invites us to experience the camaraderie and clashes inside the United dressing room, and lets us feels what it's like to walk out on the Old Trafford pitch alongside some of the biggest names in the game - from Ronaldo to Scholes to Giggs, Rooney and the rest. A deeply personal book, Between the Lines reveals for the first time Michael's battles with mental health, his struggles with the national side, as well as the redemption he has found with his family and his team. From growing up in the north-east to winning the Champions League and five Premier League titles with Manchester United, via West Ham and Tottenham, Carrick's story reveals him to be his own man: fearless, thoughtful, intelligent and honest. *All of Michael Carrick's proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Michael Carrick Foundation, dedicated to providing financial support to community services that will give underprivileged children living in the North and North East better opportunities so that they feel safe, valued and inspired.*
Meet Gary Fisher. The maverick kid bike racer who cycled straight into the Acid Test scene and lit up the Grateful Dead gigs, the relentless tinkerer who transformed an industry and sold mountain biking to the world and the visionary who's still working flat-out every day to prove that bikes are the answer to a healthier, happier future for everyone. A collaboration with cycling writer Guy Kesteven, Being Gary Fisher and the Bicycle Revolution is an autobiography of sorts. It's also a mind-blowing trip of ingenious innovation, dogged determination and boundless energy. Get caught up in Gary's crazy tales and his lifelong mission to invite everyone to the greatest dance on earth.
The improbable story of Luis Tiant--a living link to the earliest days of Fidel Castro's regime, a Boston Red Sox legend, and the most qualified 20th Century pitcher not yet enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame Luis Tiant is one of the most charismatic and accomplished players in the history of the Boston Red Sox and all of Major League Baseball--a cigar-chomping maestro who was the heart and soul of Boston's title-contending teams in the 1970s. In his white polyester uniform, with a barrel-chested physique and a Fu Manchu mustache, Tiant may not have looked like the lean, sculpted aces he usually faced off against, but nobody was a tougher competitor on the diamond, and few were as successful. There may be no more qualified 20th-century pitcher not yet enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. His big-league dreams came at a steep price--racism in the Deep South and the Boston suburbs, and nearly fifteen years separated from a family held captive in Castro's Cuba. But baseball also delivered World Series stardom and a heroic return to his island home after close to a half-century of forced exile. The man whose name--El Tiante--became a Fenway Park battle cry has never fully shared his tale in his own words, until now. In Son of Havana, Tiant puts his huge heart on his sleeve and describes his road from fields strewn with rocks and rubbish in Havana to the pristine lawns of major league ballparks. Teammates, opponents, family, and media also weigh-in--including a foreword by fellow Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski and the first in-depth interview ever with Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk on the magic behind these Boston batterymates. Readers will share Tiant's pride when appeals by a pair of U.S. senators to baseball-fanatic Castro secure freedom for Luis's parents to fly to Boston and witness the 1975 World Series glory of their child. And readers will join the big-league ballplayers for their spring 2016 exhibition game in Havana, when Tiant--a living link to the earliest, scariest days of the Castro regime--threw out the first pitch.
The most thrilling and controversial cricketer of his generation, Brian Lara is a hero to millions worldwide. A naturally attacking style and limitless scoring arc, allied to phenomenal mental and physical stamina, proved a recipe for some of the biggest and most-compelling innings in cricket history. This new biography charts the influences that shaped Lara as a child batting prodigy, through an astonishing and turbulent career and onto his post-cricket life as businessman, benefactor and national icon. Through in-depth interviews with former international players, coaches, teachers, neighbours, friends and family members, new light is shed on this brilliant but complex man; a true Caribbean hero who still has many chapters to write.
FINALIST - Autobiography / Memoirs, 2016 Best Books Award "A British karateka" offers a bone-crushing, lip-splitting, and often elegant memoir of a tough guy searching for higher meaning through the study of martial arts." Kirkus Reviews "In this memoir describing how karate turned his life around, Clarke displays passion and grit in spades." Foreword Reviews Michael Clarke was an angry, vicious kid, a street fighter. He grew up in the late sixties and early seventies in Manchester, England, in a tough neighborhood where, he writes, Prostitutes worked the pavement opposite my home, illegal bookmakers took bets in back alley cellars, and street brawls were commonplace." He left school at fifteenand began his education as a pugilist on the streets. He fought in bars andclubs, at football matches, in parks, and in bus stationsand he was good. He reveledin the victories and the admiration they brought. It was a life of knucklesand teeth, of broken bones and torn fleshand the arrests that followed. Clarkewas seventeen when a judge sentenced him to two years in Strangeways Prison, aninfamous place also known as psychopath central." In prison he resolved tochange his life and stay out of trouble, but trouble was everywhere. Hediscovered a world of violent gangs, abusive guards, and inmates engaged in anendless struggle for dominance. Strangeways was a place where a person couldget stabbed to death for taking the bigger piece of toast. In time Clarke was released,but the transition was difficult and he almost fought his way back to prison. Thenone night he entered a karate dojo and his life changed forever. He began alifetime pursuit of budo, the martial way. He sought knowledge, studied withmasters, and traveled to Okinawa, the birthplace of karate. Redemption: A Street Fighter's Path toPeace is a true account of youthwasted and life reclaimed. Michael Clarke reminds us that martial arts are notsimply about punching and kicking. They forge the spirit, temper the will, and revealour true nature.
A New York Times Bestseller The amazing true story of a man and a little dog who formed an unbreakable bond in the middle of the Gobi desert--that changed both of their lives forever. Finding Gobi is the miraculous tale of Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner who crosses paths with a stray dog while competing in a 155-mile race through the Gobi Desert in China. The lovable pup, who would later earn the name Gobi, went step for step with Dion over the Tian Shan Mountains and across massive sand dunes, keeping pace with him for 77 miles. As Dion witnessed the incredible determination and heart of this small animal, he found his own heart undergoing a change as well. Whereas in the past these races were all about winning and being the best, his goal now was to make sure he and Gobi's friendship continued well after the finish line. However, before he could take her home, Gobi went missing in the sprawling Chinese city where she was being kept. Dion, with the help of strangers and a viral outpouring of assistance on the internet, set out to track her down, and reunite with the dog that changed his life. Read this inspiring story and discover how miracles truly are possible--and find your own heart changing as well.
World champion boxer Lew Jenkins fought his whole life. As a child, he fought extreme poverty during the Great Depression; in his twenties, he fought as a professional boxer and became a world champion; and at the pinnacle of his boxing career, Jenkins fought in World War II and the Korean War. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield: The Life of War Hero Lew Jenkins details for the first time this extraordinary story. Despite his talent for boxing, Jenkins often fought and trained in drunken stupors. Although he became the world lightweight champion, he soon wasted his ring title and all his money. Jenkins eventually found purpose during World War II and the Korean War, fighting in major battles that included D-Day, Bloody Ridge, and Heartbreak Ridge. His efforts earned him one of the highest decorations for bravery, the Silver Star. Unable to find meaning in life at the peak of his boxing success, Jenkins discovered values to which he could cling during war. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield features exclusive interviews with Lew Jenkins's son and grandson, providing a personal perspective on the life of this complicated war hero. The first biography of Jenkins, this book will fascinate boxing fans and historians alike.
Ethienne reynecke se ongelooflike verhaal. In 2018 het die doodsengel drie keer aan die oudrugbyspeler Ethienne Reynecke se deur geklop. Hy het geweier om oop te maak – toe sy milt bars, toe hy ’n beroerte gehad het en toe hy in die agterkop geskiet is. Boonop, ná ’n egskeiding daardie jaar, het sy twee liefingdogters na ’n ander stad verhuis. Die noodlot het sy spraakvermoë gesteel en hom sy werk as kommentator by SuperSport gekos. Dit het hom, soos Reynecke dit stel, in ’n pampoen verander. Maar het hy geweier om bes te gee. Minder as twee jaar later, in Maart 2020, word Reynecke die Suid-Afrikaanse ligswaargewig-amateurkampioen in gemengde gevegskuns (MMA). Hierdie is die storie van hoe Ethienne Reynecke dit reggekry het om staande te bly en vas te klou aan hoop waar wanhoop ander sou meesleur.
Imagine living the life of your dreams. Well, imagine no longer! Jack
Daly's Life By Design provides concrete methods for helping readers
design and live their own best lives.
Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history and the Black power movement. Now John Carlos tells his own version of the story, in conjunction with Dave Zirin, author of the groundbreaking People's History of Sports in the United States (The New Press, 2009, available from Turnaround). Carlos' eye-opening and immensely readable autobiography finally introduces the man behind the salute.
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. From the superstar who is going to Tokyo for her fourth Olympics--the oldest player the US women's national team has ever sent. "If you are a real soccer player--then this is the book for you to read . . . Inspiring and uplifting."--GoalNation In 2015, the US Women's National Soccer Team won its first FIFA championship in sixteen years, culminating in an epic final game that electrified soccer fans around the world. It featured a gutsy, brilliant performance by team captain and midfielder Carli Lloyd, who made history that day, scoring a hat trick during the first sixteen minutes.? But there was a time when Carli almost quit the sport. In 2003 she was struggling, her soccer career at a crossroads. Then she found a trusted trainer, James Galanis, who saw in Carli a player with raw talent, skill, and a great dedication to the game. Together they set to work, training day and night, fighting, grinding it out. Despite all the naysayers, the times she was benched, the moments when her self-confidence took a nosedive, she succeeded in becoming one of the best players in the world and bound for the Summer Games in 2021 at thirty-nine.
Named one of TIME magazine's 100 Greatest Men of the Century, Bruce Lee's impact and influence has only grown since his untimely death in 1973. Part of the seven-volume Bruce Lee Library, this installment of the famed martial artistAes private notebooks allows his legions of fans to learn more about the man whose groundbreaking action films sparked a worldwide interest in the Asian martial arts. Bruce Lee Artist of Life explores the development of Lee's thoughts about Gung Fu (Kung Fu), philosophy, psychology, poetry, Jeet Kune Do, acting, and self-knowledge. Edited by John Little, a leading authority on Lee's life and work, the book includes a selection of letters that eloquently demonstrate how Lee incorporated his thought into actions and advice to others. Although Lee rose to stardom through his physical prowess and practice of jeet kune do;the system of fighting he founded;Lee was also a voracious and engaged reader who wrote extensively, synthesizing Eastern and Western thought into a unique personal philosophy of self-discovery. Martial arts practitioners and fans alike eagerly anticipate each new volume of the Library and its trove of rare letters, essays, and poems for the light it sheds on this legendary figure.Bruce Lee was known as an amazing martial artist, but he was also a profound thinker. He left behind seven volumes of writing on everything from quantum physics to philosophy. ; John Blake, CNN
The extraordinary story of a female boxer's meteoric rise to become the fighter who legitimized women in combat sports and the personal turmoil she hid from the world. Boxing legend Christy Martin was a trailblazer in the ring and continues to be an inspiration to female fighters across the globe. She is without a doubt the most important woman in the history of female combat sports. But behind the scenes Martin was in a losing battle, unable to express her true sexual identity and struggling to survive sexual and domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. In Fighting for Survival: My Journey through Boxing Fame, Abuse, Murder, and Resurrection, Christy Martin recounts her harrowing yet inspiring story. Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, Martin felt forced to keep her sexual orientation hidden to please her family and the sports world, eventually agreeing to a sham marriage with coach Jim Martin. While she rose to prominence in the world of boxing, Martin was secretly contending with substance abuse, domestic violence, and an attempted murder by her husband, who left her to die on their bedroom floor. Fighting for Survival reveals how Martin battled back to life from her near-death experience, how she overcame abuse, violence, addiction, and 40 years of living in the closet, and how she turned her pain into victory and debasement into triumph. Her story is one of hope and self-belief, an inspiration for anyone struggling to break the chain of abuse or who fears to be open about their sexual orientation. It is more than the story of a boxing champion; it is the story of a survivor.
'[An] honest and courageous book' Mike Brearley 'Engrossing...it looks back and thinks ahead, jumps between wit and woe' Lawrence Booth, Mail on Sunday Following the critical and commercial success of Absolutely Foxed, Graeme Fowler returns with a stunning new book that takes the reader inside the mental side of cricket. Few sports can be played as much in the mind as cricket. When bowlers are hurling the ball down at your head at 90 mph, or fielders are crowded round the bat waiting to snap up an edge, only the most resilient can thrive. In Mind Over Batter, former Test batsman, commentator and coach Fowler looks into all facets of the game to assess the mental aspect of cricket. What is mental strength? And how can you improve it, or why do some people suddenly lose it? Can the environment in a dressing room have any impact on both mental strength and mental health? When a game builds up to a dramatic climax - how do you train yourself to cope? Can pressure really lead to catastrophic decision-making and even lead players to bend the rules? Told with his familiar mix of brilliant insight, hilarious anecdotes and moving personal experience of his own mental demons, Fowler delivers a superb portrait of the game. Mind Over Batter will not only shed light on the top echelons of cricket, but it will also provide the reader with many useful ideas on how they can improve their own game and performance - in cricket or in other walks of life. Finally, having resisted for many years despite his own mental health issues, Fowler decides to take a closer look inside his own mind and for the first time undergoes therapy to see if he can work out what makes him tick. What he discovered surprised even him. |
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