What happens on the pitch is only half the story.

Being a footballer is not just kicking a ball about with twenty-one other people on a big grass rectangle. Sometimes being a footballer is about accidentally becoming best mates with Mickey Rourke, or understanding why spitting is considered football’s most heinous crime.

In How to be a Footballer, Peter Crouch took us into a world of bad tattoos and even worse haircuts, a world where you’re on the pitch one minute, spending too much money on a personalised number plate the next. In I, Robot, he lifts the lid even further on the beautiful game. We will learn about Gareth Bale’s magic beans, the Golden Rhombus of Saturday night entertainment, and why Crouchy’s dad walks his dog wearing an England tracksuit from 2005.

Whether you’re an armchair expert, or out in the stands every Saturday, crazy for five-a-side or haven’t put on a pair of boots since school, this is the real inside story of how to be a footballer.

In 1983, an unknown 23-year-old from Suffolk called Keith Deller took the darts world by storm, defying the odds and sporting conventions to become a most unlikely world champion. Deller was the diametric opposite of the beer-swigging, chain-smoking, paunch-bellied darts player fans were used to. He was slim, well-spoken, athletic and didn't smoke or drink. And he looked like a boy next to his flabby, middle-aged opponents. A TV audience of 10 million watched transfixed as this angelic newcomer beat world number-one Eric Bristow in the final. Almost overnight, Keith had breathed new life into a game whose traditions had been hewn in the nation's smoky pubs and clubs. Deller was a new breed of darts player whose appeal transcended this gritty working-class sport, piquing the interest of intellectuals such as Martin Amis and Stephen Fry. In 138, Keith takes the reader on an intimate journey as we relive his rapid rise from complete obscurity to lifting the game's greatest prize as one of the youngest world champions in history.

David 'Bumble' Lloyd is one of cricket's great characters - hilarious, informative and insightful, and filled with boundless enthusiasm for the game. Now, in Simply the Best, he tells the stories of the most important, influential, talented and entertaining characters he has come across in sixty years in the game. Following on from the bestselling successes of Last in the Tin Bath and Around the World in 80 Pints, in his new book Bumble looks back at the cricketers who have had the greatest impact on him throughout his career. From the gnarly veterans he first played against as a teenager in the Lancashire League, through the old pros he met on the county circuit while at Lancashire on to a revealing insight into life alongside Mike Atherton, Ian Botham, Nasser Hussain and Shane Warne in the commentary box, this book reveals Bumble at his best: telling great stories about his favourite people. Along the way, the reader not only learns who have been the funniest or most dangerous players to be around, but also gets an insight into what makes a team gel and players to perform at their very peak. It's the perfect gift for any cricket fan who loves the game and needs something to keep them amused as the autumn draws in and winter takes over.

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.

On the 11th May 1991, Leicester City beat Oxford United to avoid relegation to the third tier of English football. Off the field, the crumbling Main Stand did not meet the requirements of theTaylor Report and the Club was leaking money, something needed to change! And something did change! The appointments of Brian Little as the Team Manager, and Barrie Pierpoint as the Club's first Director of Marketing was the catalyst to one of the most remarkable transformations in English football history. Over the next nine years, Leicester City established themselves as a top Premier League side, won major honours, competed in Europe for the first time in almost thirty years and the loyal Blue Army enjoyed seven trips to Wembley. Off the field, City became market leaders for innovation; Fox Leisure, Family Night Football and the birth of Filbert Fox were some of the initiatives that Barrie and his progressive team introduced. The construction of the state-of-the-art Carling Stand and flotation on the Stock Exchange provided the Club with a much needed injection of cash. Featuring contributions from over forty people, from directors, staff, fans and journalists to corporate clients, team managers and players, including Steve Walsh, Emile Heskey, Simon Grayson, Gary Mills and Tony Cottee - this book chronicles the journey of a struggling football club to one of the best teams in England, told by those who were there and were pivotal to the Club's success. In full colour, including photographs throughout, this book will take you on a nostalgic trip through a glorious period in Leicester City's history.

On Saturday, 26 April 2003, Aron Ralston, a 27-year-old outdoorsman and adventurer, set off for a day's hike in the Utah canyons. Eight miles from his truck, he found himself in the middle of a deep and remote canyon. Then the unthinkable happened: a boulder shifted and snared his right arm against the canyon wall. He was trapped, facing dehydration, starvation, hallucinations and hypothermia as night-time temperatures plummeted. Five and a half days later, Aron Ralston finally came to the agonising conclusion that his only hope was to amputate his own arm and get himself to safety. Miraculously, he survived. BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE is more than just an adventure story. It is a brave, honest and above all inspiring account of one man's valiant effort to survive, and is destined to take its place among adventure classics such as TOUCHING THE VOID.

Hitting the Mark is the explosive, hard-hitting, no-holds-barred autobiography of 80's and 90's football icon, Mark Hateley. Born into a football family - Mark's father Tony played for among others, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea - Mark was destined to forge a career in the game. After starting out with Coventry City, Mark spent a year at Portsmouth before earning a lucrative move to Serie A with AC Milan. A fearsome, all-action centre forward with an eye for goal, Mark immediately endeared himself to the fans of I Rosseneri when he scored the winning goal in the Milan derby against Internazionale. Still revered by the infamous Curva Sud today, Mark left Milan in 1987 and joined Monaco. He scored 14 league goals and won the Ligue 1 title in his debut season, but two serious ankle injuries ruled Mark out the game for the best part of a year. Mark reflects honestly on his rehabilitation and the impact his absence from football had on him. When he was fit to return to action, Mark moved to Rangers for a fee of GBP1,000,000. And during his time at Ibrox, he won six league titles, three Scottish League Cups and two Scottish Cups. Mark struck fear into the hearts of Scottish defences and scored over 100 goals for Rangers. He forged a prolific partnership with Ally McCoist and became the first Englishman to be voted Scotland's Player of the Year in 1994. Despite this Mark was overlooked for a place in the England squad. Capped 10 times at U21 level, Mark was the winner of the Golden Player at the 1984 U21 European Championships and announced himself at international level with a goal in the Maracana in 1984. But he only added a further one cap to his senior level total of 32 while with Rangers. In the book, Mark explains why he was overlooked so often and how it galvanised him and made him play at an even higher level for Rangers. Mark joined Queens Park Rangers in September 1995 but returned to Ibrox 18 months later to help the club clinch their ninth successive league title. After a short spell as player-manager of Hull City and an ill-fated move to Ross County, Mark moved into the media and has latterly been an ambassador for Rangers. Featuring an insight into what life was like in the inner sanctum of each of the clubs he played for, Mark talks candidly about the highs and lows of his career, his team-mates and managers and how they helped shape his time in the game. The book also analyses the Hateley family football dynasty. The foreword for the book is by Graeme Souness, and there are contributions from leading lights of world football, including, among others, Arsene Wenger, Paolo Maldini, Sir David Murray and Glenn Hoddle. Mark rarely missed the target during his career and Hitting the Mark is the same, making it a must-read for football fans.

From the former President and CEO of the United States Tennis Association-the first black woman and youngest person ever to hold the position-comes a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership skills involved in hosting the U.S. Open, the largest and most lucrative sports event in the world-lessons that can be applied across business and to any life challenge. One of professional tennis's Grand Slam Tournaments, the U.S. Open has been described as a fourteen-day Superbowl. This single tennis championship, held annually in New York City, attracts top professionals from around the globe, generates more money than any other sporting event-or any other sport over an entire season-and attracts more than 700,000 attendees and millions of television viewers. In Own the Arena, Katrina Adams offers a privileged, singular inside look at this sensational global event, while elaborating on what makes tennis the only sport of a lifetime. She opens with the women's 2018 championship match between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams that ended in boos. This was Adams's last year as president and the whole world was watching. How would she respond? How should the press be handled? What needs to be said to Osaka? Serena? What does this break from decorum mean for the Open and the sport? As Adams shares a wealth of stories from her career and personal life, as well as insights from top tennis professionals, she provides invaluable information on meeting life's tests both on the tennis court and off. Own the Arena offers fresh perspectives on having presence, being remembered, directing a conversation, and moving boldly in spaces where "you are the only one." It also covers good sportsmanship-treating others with respect and by being inclusive and open to diverse perspectives. Tennis is said to be 90 percent mental; this book shows how to take the elements of mental fortitude and use them to achieve greatness. By embracing and expressing one's inner grace and humanity, Adams shows, you can own the arena.

On 6th May 1954, in what is regarded as one of the key moments in the history of modern sport, Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. Fifty years on, Bannister's status, not just as a champion athlete but also as a true British hero, a gentleman and an amateur from a "golden era" in sport, retains its unblemished appeal.
Until now there has been little critical and even less close historical study of Bannister and his achievement. This book redresses the balance, and in doing so provides fresh insights into the making of this British champion.
"Roger Bannister and the Four-Minute Mile" does more than detail the history of a sports star. It is a testimonial to the legend of Roger Bannister but it also invites the reader to reconsider the very words often used to describe him - notably "hero" and "gentleman amateur." Informed by contemporary sports science, the text also questions the significance of the four-minute mile per se.
Thoroughly researched, this book gives fascinating insights into the history of track racing as well as early athletic training methods and the beginnings of sports science.
The first rigorous historical study of Bannister's sporting life and the man behind the legend reveals an ambivalent athlete - highly achievement-orientated and scientific in his approach but also in love with the freedom of running sensuously in nature, in contrast to the constraints of modern sport.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM CRICKET'S HUGELY POPULAR COMMENTATOR With his infectious enthusiasm for the game, David 'Bumble' Lloyd blends immense knowledge and experience with an eye for the quirky detail and an unending fund of brilliant stories. This definitive 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 bath - but only after his parents and uncle had taken their turn first. From being last in the tin bath, 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. After spending more than 50 years involved with the professional game, Bumble's memoir is packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of Lancashire cricket through to the glitzy modern era of T20 cricket. He provides vivid behind-the-scenes insight into life with England and on the Sky commentary team. Last in the Tin Bath is a joy to read from start to finish and was shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year.

Travel with Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins on her compelling journey from America's heartland to international sports history, navigating challenges and triumphs with rugged grit and a splash of glitter Pyeongchang, February 21, 2018. In the nerve-racking final seconds of the women's team sprint freestyle race, Jessie Diggins dug deep. Blowing past two of the best sprinters in the world, she stretched her ski boot across the finish line and lunged straight into Olympic immortality: the first ever cross-country skiing gold medal for the United States at the Winter Games. The 26-year-old Diggins, a four-time World Championship medalist, was literally a world away from the small town of Afton, Minnesota, where she first strapped on skis. Yet, for all her history-making achievements, she had never strayed far from the scrappy 12-year-old who had insisted on portaging her own canoe through the wilderness, yelling happily under the unwieldy weight on her shoulders: "Look! I'm doing it!" In Brave Enough, Jessie Diggins reveals the true story of her journey from the American Midwest into sports history. With candid charm and characteristic grit, she connects the dots from her free-spirited upbringing in the woods of Minnesota to racing in the bright spotlights of the Olympics. Going far beyond stories of races and ribbons, she describes the challenges and frustrations of becoming a serious athlete; learning how to push through and beyond physical and psychological limits; and the intense pressure of competing at the highest levels. She openly shares her harrowing struggle with bulimia, recounting both the adversity and how she healed from it in order to bring hope and understanding to others experiencing eating disorders. Between thrilling accounts of moments of triumph, Diggins shows the determination it takes to get there-the struggles and disappointments, the fun and the hard work, and the importance of listening to that small, fierce voice: I can do it. I am brave enough.

Robert Mads Anderson is an elite mountaineer with a solitary goal: to conquer Everest. After nearly getting killed on his first expedition, he led a team up a new route on the Kangshung Face without oxygen or Sherpa support, climbed solo on the remote North Face, and finally guided a team to the top of the world. Incorporating a who's who of internationally recognised climbers, including Stephen Venables, Reinhold Messner and Chris Bonington, Nine Lives traces the story of Everest, from the big, nationally supported expeditions of the 1980s; through the small teams forging new routes and climbing solo; to the commercially guided expeditions of today. Set against the majestic backdrop of the world's tallest peak, Anderson's nine Everest expeditions over eighteen years define what truly drives a human being to the greatest of heights. With a foreword by Peter Hillary and 32 pages of colour photography, in Nine Lives Robert Mads Anderson offers his personal account of the world's highest mountain.

Magnus Carlsen: A Life in Pictures tells the story of the reigning World Chess Champion. Magnus Carlsen, born in 1990 in Oslo, Norway, became a Grandmaster by 13. Carlsen was crowned World Champion in 2013, when he defeated Anand and has successfully defended his title three times. He currently plays again for the title in Dubai. Carlsen is a family man, often surrounded by his father, mother and sisters. As a sports fanatic he plays and follows football and basketball. He doesnt shy away from his celebrity status, and was both a G-Star model and a Real Madrid VIPguest. But his most genuine smile breaks through when he talks chess with his youngest fans, the kids in a chess tournament. For this book, publisher New In Chess, part of the Play Magnus Group, had access to pictures of the Carlsen family archive and to all pictures of the best chess photographers.

*Change your life through fitness - feel-good, sustainable advice on nutrition, training & mental health - from the UK's N.1 Women's Fitness Trainer* Strong Body = Strong Mind. Lisa Lanceford's life was transformed through the power of fitness. The daily habit of working out and eating better led to improvements in her mood, confidence and personal relationships. Today she feels strong, loves her body and is happier at home and work. Written with Lisa's characteristic warmth, accessibility and humour, and founded in nutritional science, 7 Steps to Strong outlines her essential advice for readers in an easy-to-follow guide. Includes tips on: - Weight Training and how to build muscle (and fight stereotypes/misconceptions of femininity) - Fat Loss and the myths around losing 'weight' - Daily HIIT schedules, nutrition and mood-boosting workouts - Gym-free alternatives and home fitness - How to unlock confidence, de-stress and conquer anxiety

"Gale Sayers' book I Am Third, with Al Silverman, is a stirring, painfully honest account of his struggle to become the greatest running back in history and that agonizing moment between immortality and becoming a cripple." —The New York Times Book Review

Winner of the SABR Seymour Medal Casey Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year by Spitball Magazine Winner of SABR's Larry Ritter and Robert Peterson Awards Buck O'Neil once described him as "Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Tris Speaker rolled into one." Among experts he is regarded as the best player in Negro Leagues history. During his prime he became a legend in Cuba and one of Black America's most popular figures. Yet even among serious sports fans, Oscar Charleston is virtually unknown today. In a long career spanning from 1915 to 1954, Charleston played against, managed, befriended, and occasionally fought men such as Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Jesse Owens, Roy Campanella, and Branch Rickey. He displayed tremendous power, speed, and defensive instincts along with a fierce intelligence and commitment to his craft. While Charleston never played in the Major Leagues, he was a trailblazer who became the first Black man to work as a scout for a Major League team when Branch Rickey hired him to evaluate players for the Dodgers. Charleston's combined record as a player, manager, and scout makes him the most accomplished figure in Black baseball history. His mastery of the quintessentially American sport under the conditions of segregation revealed what was possible for Black achievement, bringing hope to millions. Oscar Charleston introduces readers to one of America's greatest and most fascinating athletes.

Grundman presents readers with a portrait, the first of its kind, of Dolph Schayes - the star of the Syracuse Nationals basketball team during the 1950s and 1960s. Schayes may not have one of the most recognizable names in basketball history, but his accomplishments are staggering. He was named one of the fifty greatest players of all time by the NBA, and he held six NBA records, including one for career scoring, at his retirement. Grundman chronicles Schayes's life from his early days as the child of Jewish Romanian immigrants, through his illustrious basketball career, first at New York University, then as part of the Syracuse Nationals. In writing about Schayes's career, Grundman also reflects on many of the revolutionary changes that were happening in the professional basketball world, changes that affected not only Schayes and his contemporaries but also the essence of the sport.

Fanciful dreams of gold-medal glory led Jennifer Sey to the local gymnastics club in 1976. A natural aptitude and a willingness to endure punishing hard work took her to the elite ranks by the time she was eleven years old. Jennifer traveled the country and the world competing for the U.S. National team, but the higher she set her sights--the world championships, the 1988 Olympics--the more she began to ignore her physical and mental well-being. Jennifer suffered devastating injuries, developed an eating disorder, and lived far from family and friends, all for the sake of winning. When her parents and coaches lost sight of her best interests, Jennifer had no choice but to redefine her path into adulthood. She had to save herself.

Chalked Up delivers an unforgettable coming-of-age story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt not good enough and has finally come to accept who they were meant to be.

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2020 'Reads like a thriller, or even a spy novel...Walsh keeps you gripped' Rosamund Urwin, Sunday Times 'A turbulent but ultimately inspiring tale. The candour...is rare and gripping' Matt Dickinson, The Times It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not deserve. But the full story of the couple who blew the whistle has never been told - until now. When Russian anti-doping official Vitaly Stepanov met the young 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova, for him it was love at first sight. Within two months, they were married. But there was a problem - in fact, there were lots of problems. She admitted she was doping and that everyone else was doping, and she let him know that she came from a dark place ... It could all have brought a very swift end to a very hasty marriage, but gradually the Stepanovs began to realise that whatever you did, the system in Russia was stacked against you. In the end, the only ones they could rely upon were each other. Fully aware of the risks they were taking, they decided to turn the tables on those who had manipulated them and cheated the sporting world. The result of their investigative work sent shockwaves around the planet and led to Russia's athletes being banned from world sport, while the Stepanovs themselves had to go into hiding. The Russian Affair is a gripping true-life drama that at times reads like a spy novel and at others like an epic love story. But, at the centre of it all, is a quietly determined couple who knew that if they stood together they could shine a light on a corrupt system and bring it crashing to the ground.

WINNER OF THE WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR As a young boy of eight, Jonny Bairstow was dealt a cruel blow. His father David 'Bluey' Bairstow, the combative and very popular wicketkeeper and captain of Yorkshire, took his own life at the age of forty-six. David left behind Jonny, Jonny's sister Becky and half-brother Andy, and his wife Janet, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer at the time of his death. From these incredibly tough circumstances, Jonny and his family strived to find an even keel and come to terms with the loss of their father and husband. Jonny found his way through his dedication to sport. He was a gifted and natural athlete, with potential careers ahead of him in rugby and football, but he eventually chose cricket and came to build a career that followed in his father's footsteps, eventually reaching the pinnacle of the sport and breaking the record for most Test runs in a year by a wicketkeeper. Written with multiple-award-winning writer Duncan Hamilton, this is an incredible story of triumph over adversity and a memoir with far-reaching lessons about determination and the will to overcome.

To some, he is Mr Rotherham United. To Millers fans, he's a club legend. To everyone, simply - 'Breck'. From toddler fan to Life President, John Breckin's association with the club tops 50 years - starting as an apprentice professional at only 14. Third on the club's appearances list, no one knows The Millers better. His time with Ronnie Moore is fondly regarded as a special era in Rotherham United's modern history. In "BRECK: My Life in Football" his fund of tales and anecdotes provide intriguing insight and info into players, managers, transfers and lots more. Who was the household name throttling him and which two teammates rescued him? What he said to Elton John that got a favour from the Superstar. Sir Alex Ferguson's whispered advice. What did Chris Swailes say in the tunnel to the opposition? How he might have joined Sheffield Wednesday. Which local manager arranged a clandestine meeting in a darkened car park to try and sign him. The chairman seeking to pick the team; what was Ken Booth like and the ruse pulled on him? The player who loved a punch up, and the Millers fan who got Guy Branston sent off. Why he left three times and how he wished he'd linked up with Ronnie Moore one more time. Plus the hardest journey of his life. The abuse from his own supporters and the mental health issues that arose. Breck shows his serious side in two personal, emotional chapters sure to resonate with so many people who will identify with his pain. Typically, it's all in a great cause with profits to Rotherham Hospice, a place close to John's heart. Any Millers supporter throughout John Breckin's time will find something to enjoy and, hopefully, enlighten and amuse as well.

Paul Parker's England manager, Sir Bobby Robson, once described him as a player who "leaps like a salmon and tackles like a ferret". Paul's positional sense saw him snuff out the threat of the world's top strikers as he wrote his name into football's history books with his dazzling displays in the Italia 90 World Cup. The night England lost the semi-final to Germany on penalties saw Paul intrinsically involved in both goals, in a game which has gone down in football history. At the time he was captain and one of the most high-profile players of a buoyant QPR team. He later won a host of medals with Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson built a dynasty on the defence, marshalled by Paul. In his autobiography, Paul relives the years of struggle against racism which brought him to the top level of English football, reveals how he saved Fulham Football Club from extinction, why he left QPR and refused to sign for Arsenal and Spurs and how he struggled to cope with the debilitating injury which cost him his career. Never one to shirk an opinion, Paul reveals his thoughts on everything from bungs to racism, from the proliferation of England caps in the modern era to having a winning mentality. He also tells bundles of stories about the many personalities within the game with whom he has worked including Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Robson, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Paul Gascoigne, Bobby Gould, Trevor Francis and Malcolm MacDonald. With a foreword by Sir Alex Ferguson, "Paul Parker: Tackles Like a Ferret" will entrance fans of all three clubs, plus a much wider audience who still hark back to that night in Turin when England so nearly reached the World Cup Final.

In this unique book, one of football's greatest cult players reflects on the travails of the sport and draws upon his own experience to offer an honest assessment on one of its final remaining taboos: mental health. The most difficult position in football? Being a goalkeeper. That's what they say, right? You must be mad to stand between those posts and bat away shots and crosses all game long. Neville Southall should know. He was the goalkeeper for one of the best teams of the 1980s and became an icon of the game during his 20-year career between the sticks. But what did it take to prepare himself mentally for the difficulties of the position? How did he dig so deep on the biggest occasions and in the highest-pressured moments? What scars were left at the end of his long career - a tenure that saw the highs of winning trophies, but also the lows of losing games, making mistakes and feeling the full weight of club and country on your shoulders. And how has he used his post-playing career to campaign for a better future for the next generation? In this unique book, one of football's greatest cult players reflects on the travails of the modern game, how some of society's problems are reflected within it and draws upon his own experience to tackle one of its final remaining taboos: mental health. On fear of failure, confidence, sexuality and homophobia, suicide, social media and many other talking points - Neville doesn't hold back on the biggest subjects and gets stuck in to some of the most important topics surrounding the beautiful game.

Peek into the mind of a champion swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time (28 medals, including 23 gold) In this candid memoir, Phelps talks openly about his battle with attention deficit disorder, the trauma of his parents' divorce, and the challenges that come with being thrust into the limelight. Readers will relive all the heart-stopping glory as Phelps completes his journey from the youngest man to ever set a world swimming record in 2001, to an Olympic powerhouse in 2008, to surpassing the greatest athlete of ancient Greece, Leonidas of Rhodes, with 13 triumphs in 2016. Athletes and fans alike will be fascinated by insights into Phelps's training, mental preparation, and behind-the-scenes perspective on international athletic competitions. A chronicle of Phelps's evolution from awkward teenager to record-breaking powerhouse, Beneath the Surface is a must-read for any sports fan.