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An elegantly presented book, told with much verve, about the rise and obstacles of women tennis players.
This recommended story is one that needs to be told. It will inspire many people, especially girls and women, to overcome obstacles to their success.
PREMIUM
Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation That Saved the Soul of the NBA
Sports writing at its finest. A winner for fans or anyone interested in basketball’s complex history.
PREMIUM
Choosing To Run: A Memoir
Fans of books such as Christopher McDougall’s Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen and Haruki Murakami’s memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running will sprint through the story of this amazing athlete.
Readers do not have to be horse lovers to get swept into this captivating look at an unmatched horse and people of the 1850s.
A quick read that seamlessly blends informative content with an engaging narrative style. Will magnetize hardcore hockey fans looking to enhance their knowledge, as well as readers wanting to learn about the sport.
This work will likely enlighten even the most knowledgeable and die-hard baseball fans. An essential purchase for all libraries.
An insightful behind-the-scenes peek at the NFL and its continuing prejudices that negate the concept that the best quarterback should play, regardless of race. Rich with commentary from interviews, this expansive narrative is ideal for football lovers and readers interested in developments in U.S. race relations and the compelling stories behind some athletes’ paths and experiences.
Wild stories about sex, lots of drugs, and wrestling are all part of this book, which will primarily attract fans of ECW.
An informative and intriguing story of the life of a formidable woman. An essential read for anyone who loves learning about the women whom history threatens to forget or erase.
The easy-to-understand sequences, helpful photographs, and welcoming process to execute inverted yoga poses make this a great addition to any collection.
PREMIUM
The Zen of Climbing
An inspiring book aimed at rock climbers and other athletes that’s ideal for both spirituality and sports psychology sections. Its emphasis on the virtues of cultivating mind-body awareness will also appeal to readers interested in New Age wisdom.
Eye-opening reading for horse racing fans. Will also likely appeal to readers interested in sports history in post–Civil War America.
This audiobook is an easy score worth the ticket price and a special treat for those yearning for bygone-era baseball or 1990s nostalgia.
Much more than a book about hockey. Will appeal to hockey fans and readers interested in the relationship between sports and patriotism.
Baseball and sports lovers will likely forever revere and quote this book. It belongs in all general and many academic libraries.
PREMIUM
LeBron
James’s fans will flock to this book and will enjoy it. A necessary purchase for every public library and most academic ones.
Will likely appeal to and attract many sports fans and general readers. Highly recommended for public libraries and collections with a sports emphasis.
As a narrator, Maraniss’s delivery is serviceable but somewhat dry and uninflected. Listeners will likely be absorbed by Thorpe’s remarkable and recommended story, but some might wish for a more engaging guide.
This is an intriguing and insightful look at pro basketball’s critical historical moments and players during the 1970s. It is highly recommended for all collections and should be considered a top purchase.
Wejchert’s personal relationship with the climbers, especially Emmett, make for a compelling, page-turning story. This title is recommended for fans of adventure stories.
PREMIUM
Barkley: A Biography
As it’s been two decades since the last biography of Barkley, this new narrative is a useful update.
While Buckley’s breezy tone may not be to every reader’s liking, the inclusion of countless unusual facts means even diehard baseball fans will learn something new. An entertaining but optional purchase for most libraries.
A fascinating and thorough history of the fight for women’s rights told through the lens of sports. Will likely appeal to readers interested in sports history and gender studies.
Expect this binge-listen to be an instant hit. Share with podcast fans and listeners who appreciate bighearted stories of outdoor life.
This is a very important and easy-to-read work that will shed light on the many previously misrepresented accounts given by the owners and commissioner-controlled public communication. It has the potential to change the business world.
PREMIUM
Barkley: A Biography
This book will take its place as the definitive account of Barkley’s life so far. Essential reading for all basketball fans.
Megale provides a richly detailed account of the U.S. men’s sled hockey program and its obstacles and trials (including some self-inflicted ones); it’s sure to appeal to fans of triumphant sports stories.
This work is a unique, simple, entertaining piece of writing. It belongs on the shelves of all libraries that serve sports fans.
Specialists in sports history might lament the book’s lack of citations and sources, but Elder’s insider look at the players and FIFA officials who put the U.S. men’s soccer team on the map will likely still appeal to fans of the game.
An excellent, well-researched biography with insights, firsthand accounts, and an extensive bibliography section. Highly recommended for all interested in sports.
A disarmingly honest view of a storied career in Canadian sports broadcasting. Will likely appeal to hockey fans, particularly those who share Shannon’s feelings for Hockey Night in Canada.
A timely, often humorous account, well-written in the jargon of the pro wrestling industry. A must for wrestling fans and historians, and recommended for all libraries that serve either population.
PREMIUM
Game: An Autobiography
For basketball fans and those who bleed Duke blue, but Hill’s autobiography is also a worthy addition to any library’s sports collection as Hill, once a role model on the court, is one off it as well.
An eye-catching book that’s both easy to read and informative. Will appeal to anyone curious about pickleball and to those who already love it.
A highly recommended and important study, ideal for sports fans and those wanting another view of Black history in the United States.
PREMIUM
Sports Market Place
A convenient, thorough, and well-organized source of information about the business side of sports.
Readers, especially history and hockey fans, will be mesmerized by this account and will come away with a clearer understanding of the numerous intricate details that are involved in successful diplomacy and how they affect historical events. Highly recommended.
Maraniss’s book is the most comprehensive Thorpe biography to date (being nearly 200 well-cited pages longer than Kate Buford’s 2010 biography Native American Son). Beyond bringing Thorpe to life, Maraniss also delves heavily into issues of race and culture.
PREMIUM
Seven Games: A Human History
This melancholy yet intriguing assessment of parlor games’ role in shaping our past and AI’s future is an optional audio purchase.
This engaging account of an extremely important era in women’s sports history should be enjoyed by enthusiasts of social history and sports fans.
A long-overdue thorough treatment of a largely forgotten giant in sports history; it should be widely read.
A perfect fit for public libraries with large travel sections or lots of interest in adventure travel.
A very intriguing and exciting book about the road to an Olympic win and how crucial developing teamwork is to a winning team. Highly recommended.
Highly recommended for all readers of all ages. Steele’s work shares new insights on activism in American athletics and particularly keys in on the consequences of athletes’ protests.
Highly readable, this work should not be missed. Essential and highly recommended for all libraries.
This is a book for baseball fans, many of whom will enjoy O’Neill’s unique insights on some of the greatest hitters of all time.
A fast-paced read about one of the most famous families in auto racing; even casual fans will want to ride along.
While Drew’s story will certainly appeal to Christian readers, basketball aficionados will enjoy the story of a basketball team redeemed.
This trove of advice on improving one’s tennis game is highly recommended for beginning, intermediate, and experienced players.
An entertaining read that will appeal to hockey fans and readers interested in the intersection of sports and politics.
Highly recommended for Peloton bikers, fans of entrepreneurial success stories, and business school students and faculty.
A fantastic, well-written biography; fans of baseball and of Robinson's career (on or off the field) must read this captivating book.
Elias and Drier have exceptional insight on behind-the-scenes labor fights in the MLB; a fine depiction of capitalist avarice. A must for baseball fans.
The national spotlight will be on Krzyzewski as the basketball season winds down; all public libraries and sports collections will want to showcase O’Connor’s appealing, candid profile of college basketball’s winningest coach.
Nowitzki’s army of fans will devour this well-crafted account of a great player and a decent human being, and other hoops lovers will come away happy to have better made his acquaintance.
PREMIUM
Rise: My Story
A thoughtful and entertaining examination of a top skier’s life and career. Those who enjoy memoirs and sports biographies will want to add this title to their reading list.
Anyone who has love for the game of baseball will enjoy this remarkable book. A must-read for all baseball fans, casuals and diehards alike.
A personal account that is especially recommended for readers who want to understand the consequences of addiction and how to overcome it. McDowell’s story will find an audience beyond baseball fans.
PREMIUM
Dwyane
Fans of Wade and the NBA will be thrilled by this collection and can spend hours browsing the pictures. This coffee table–style book is especially recommended for school and public libraries where basketball is popular.
PREMIUM
Unguarded
Basketball fans might disagree with Pippen’s aggrieved tone but will want to give reading time to this story of a small-town hero and a big-time team.
With his uncanny knack for being present at many milestone NBA events throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, Oakley has a familiar name and career that’ll make this an attractive choice for sports fans and hoops aficionados. Recommended for public library collections with active sports collections.
A landmark account of Kobe Bryant’s early life, this is an essential purchase for sports collections in all public libraries. Sielski’s biography will stand as the most objective, definitive record of Bryant’s childhood and youth, and invites a sequel that will similarly cover his professional career and personal story beyond the 1996 NBA draft.
Even for non-skiers, this is an entertaining and eye-opening look at the history and economics of skiing and ski resorts in the United States.
This is a noteworthy study of a nearly forgotten football league; especially recommended for football fans and those interested in women’s studies.
Told with clear-eyed honesty, this story of unfaltering purpose will resonate beyond a sports-loving readership. Already optioned for a film treatment, Plaschke’s intense and inspiring account of a town’s loss and will to recover is recommended for all public library collections.
Confounding, overblown rhetoric dooms this intended salute to the most recent college football national champion.
PREMIUM
A Season in the Sun: The Inside Story of Bruce Arians, Tom Brady, and the Making of a Champion
Anderson’s animated, comprehensive history of the Buccaneers’ singularly triumphant season is recommended for sports collections in all public libraries.
This is not a standard sports biography of a rise to fame. Instead, Anthony brings honesty and humility to a reflective account that is well worth the read.
This account brings much-needed attention to the pioneers who integrated football; a must-read for any football fan interested in digging into the sport’s past.
A skilled journalist analyzes the success of the NFL’s premier team over the last two decades, in both its laudable and unsavory aspects; will be of interest to all sports fans.
PREMIUM
The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History
This all-inclusive, highly engaging history is as compelling as the Big East Conference itself during those over-the-top years and will delight basketball fans of all ages. Recommended for sports collections in public libraries and for specialty collections.
This book is engagingly written but it mostly updates a story that has been told in volumes by local journalists in recent years. Still, it will be of interest to Clemson fans.
A beautiful meditation on the author’s lifelong connections with nature and running, and the inevitable end of those relationships. Readers who enjoyed Heinrich’s other books will find, and welcome, the familiar themes of his extraordinary life.
An insightful book about the wide-reaching effects of Kaepernick’s protests. This book is highly recommended and is necessary reading for all, especially those who want to make a difference in promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion, and end police brutality.
This comprehensive portrait will thrill tennis fans and will also draw in and capture readers unfamiliar with Federer or professional tennis. An essential addition to sports and biography collections.
Though the narrative is occasionally slowed by an overabundance of detail, the depth of Fader's research and the uniqueness of Antetokounmpo's story make this a compelling read. Basketball fans will love it all, especially with Giannis becoming a star player for the Milwaukee Bucks.
PREMIUM
Breathe: A Life in Flow
Fans of Gracie’s fights, practitioners or fans of martial arts, and those interested in the evolution of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu will find excellent insight here.
An absorbing story, richly told by one of the 20th century’s pioneering sports figures and social activists. An essential memoir that will inspire and stay with readers of all ages.
Over 50 years after he first covered these games, Montville gives basketball fans a book they won’t want to put down.
A must-read for its in-depth look at the mental, economic, and political tribulations of NBA players. A good complement to Ben Golliver’s Bubbleball that will give readers a full understanding of the struggles and dynamics of the 2019–20 NBA season.
As surfing will make its Olympic debut in 2021, this book’s eye-catching cover and well-organized history make it an outstanding choice for sports and surfing aficionados. Recommended for public library sports collections, especially in areas where surfing is popular.
A wonderful read from start to finish. Fans of Sabathia, and baseball in general, will love this honest memoir.
PREMIUM
The Barcelona Complex: Lionel Messi and the Making—and Unmaking—of the World’s Greatest Soccer Club
FC Barcelona is a way of life for untold millions around the world, and Kuper covers over a century of the beloved team’s history with an insider’s view and a fan’s insights. Followers of “the Beautiful Game” will enjoy this deep dive into one of the world’s most famous and successful franchises.
Branch’s essays depict ordinary people doing extraordinary things at the fringes of the sporting world. This collection can be enjoyed by a wide range of readers and sports fans.
PREMIUM
Letters to a Young Athlete
Readers seeking a memoir about Bosh’s life may be disappointed. Although the advice here is not revolutionary, this straightforward book will find an audience with high school athletes hoping to improve their game outside of practice.
Despite a rather abrupt conclusion, this engaging biography is a must-read for basketball fans. Howard-Cooper tells the story of a player who, with luck, pluck, and smarts, has evolved into a top-tier coach and political activist.
Beyond basketball, this book is an important cultural artifact of the impacts of COVID-19 on American life, as well as the interconnection of social justice and sports. An instant classic.
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