Autobiography: sport Books

Book Synopsis''a wonderful book ... a great read'' Daily Mail''a fascinating book ... I really enjoyed it'' Piers Morgan, Good Morning Britain''a heart-warming, funny and insightful read. Perfect for a rainy day by the fire.'' FourFourTwo magazineOne of the Guardian''s ''Biggest Books of Autumn 2020''''A beautiful book about football, family, friendship and finding out who you really are.'' JACK WHITEHALL''One of the best books I''ve ever read about what it takes to become a pro.'' FRANK LAMPARDFor the Redknapp clan, football is a family concern; it''s the family business. Me, Family and the Making of a Footballer is a deeply moving, heartfelt and beautifully personal account of growing up as the second son of Harry Redknapp, and also an enchanting love letter to football.I''m Jamie Redknapp. Chances are my surname rings a bell. I want to introduce you Trade ReviewA beautiful book about football, family, friendship and finding out who you really are * Jack Whitehall *One of the best books I've ever read about what it takes to become a pro * Frank Lampard *An engaging account of [Jamie Redknapp's] childhood and how he blossomed into a professional footballer in a family steeped in the game. * The People (Love Sunday) *A great read... honest. * Daily Mail *A warm, family-orientated account. . . the tales are genuine which means that readers will feel as though they have a seat at a family get-together where reminiscences and anecdotes tumble amid much laughter. * South Wales Evening Post *Part memoir, part manual, on playing your way to the top. * PA *This wonderful book is about. . . the fun. the laughter, the hard work, the disappointments and the triumphs * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisIn a nation of rugby heroes, Jamie Roberts has become a legend.Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard man: a 6 foot 4, 17 stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction.In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward. A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive.In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.Trade ReviewDelves into his innermost emotions * Best Rugby Books 2021 *Roberts' autobiography, written with the excellent Ross Harries, is a compelling offering, packed with tales from a remarkable career including his relationship with Gatland and brushes with celebrities including Lana Del Rey and Bono in Monte Carlo * Telegraph *If Jamie Roberts achieved plenty on the pitch, few modern players have a wider-ranging story to tell off it . . . It is to the credit of the 35-year-old and his skilful "ghost" Ross Harries that Centre Stage: My Life in Rugby seamlessly weaves together all these contrasting threads * Guardian *Tells his private and professional story with candor and charm * Buzz Magazine *

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Book SynopsisBlending personal narrative with practical guidance, Cornfields to Gold Medals delivers well-traveled leadership principles for on and off the court. Coach Don Showalter’s rise to international recognition as a coach can be traced to his time at the helm of USA Basketball’s Junior National Team, where he went 62-0 and brought home 10 gold medals. Yet, for all his international success he remains grounded in the Midwestern values that shaped his character; principles have made him a passionate ambassador for the sport of basketball and one of its great teachers.Cornfields to Gold Medals is an all-American story that takes the reader on Showalter’s life journey through the sport he has coached for nearly half a century. It begins humbly, on a family farm perched atop the rolling hills of southeastern Iowa, and extends to gymnasiums in every corner of the world. Interspersed in this compelling personal narrative are 15 lessons in leadership, strategies Showalter employed throughout his 44-years coaching young athletes. Each is accompanied by key points in how to teach the lesson, and shares effective strategies for readers to implement in daily practice.Rooted in heartland principles of community, hard work, and service, this essential book offers leaders insight into guiding others and time to reflect on what is truly important.

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Book SynopsisAn entertaining and deeply personal autobiography from one of basketball's all-time great scorers To see George Gervin on the hardwood was to witness elegance, entertainment, and boundless cool. With his unmatched agility and vast repertoire of moves, Gervin floated his way to bucket after bucket, night after night across 14 years in the ABA and NBA. "The Iceman" made it look easy, and his number 44 hangs high in the San Antonio rafters as tribute to the excellence that seemed to roll right off his fingertips. In Iceman: Why I Was Born to Score, Gervin opens up for the first time about his life in basketball and beyond, including his childhood in Detroit, the rocky and unconventional path that brought him to professional basketball, and the successful legacy he built as a Spur. Gervin also reflects on family, mental health, spirituality, and his continuing bond with the San Antonio community in this candid and conversational book.

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Book Synopsis“You can if you will.” A phrase uttered to a young Jerry Kramer by his line coach at Sandpoint High School in tiny Sandpoint, Idaho, that would go on to push him to a celebrated NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and a sentiment that he would repeat to close his speech at his long awaited enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame almost seven decades later in 2018.In the spirit of Jerry Kramer’s unforgettable and bestselling collaborations with the great Dick Schaap, his first book about his life and career in over two decades, Run to Win will serve as Kramer’s definitive statement about a remarkable life and career of perseverance, teamwork, and gridiron greatness. Spanning the beginning of the legendary Vince Lombardi era through Kramer’s confoundingly long wait to receive his bust in Canton, Kramer tells his amazing story as one of the most memorable and toughest Packers in franchise history.Including insightful commentary about the eminently intriguing Lombardi, as well as fellow Hall of Fame teammates Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Willie Davis, Bart Starr, Emlen Tunnell, and many more, Run to Win is a must read for all true Packers fans from one of the legends who helped lay the foundation for one of the most identifiable and successful franchises in the history of professional sports.

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Book Synopsis''Brilliant'' Guardian''Exuberant'' Financial Times''Colourful'' The TimesIn June 1986 Diego Maradona, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, proudly hoisted the ''86 Mexico World Championship Cup in his hands.Now over thirty years on from that magical game, and after a life in sports marked by controversy, Maradona tells, for the first time, the untold stories behind that one-of-a-kind World Cup. Mexico ''86 was the pinnacle of Maradona''s career, and in this book he reveals all about every game, what happened afterwards in the locker room, the months leading up to the World Cup, when the team had to go to Mexico City a month early to avoid the overthrowing of the technical director by the Argentine president, Alfonsin, the mystery behind ''El Gran Capitán'' Passarella (''78 World Cup Champion), the strategies and tactics that revolutionised the game, training in a country that was recovering fTrade ReviewBrilliant -- Barney Ronay * Guardian *An exuberant narrator, bursting with telling details . . . enjoyable . . . Maradona's authentic voice of unreason and the best story in World Cup history carry you through -- Simon Kuper * Financial Times *Characteristically colourful -- Matt Dickinson * The Times *Open, honest contemplation * When Saturday Comes *The book's greatest strength is that it feels unmistakeably like 1986 all over again . . . I loved this book. I loved its nostalgia * Irish News *

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Book SynopsisThe golden age of Himalayan mountaineering, from the mid-1970s to the 1980s, brought forth a generation of radical young climbers. With tiny budgets and high ambitions they pioneered fast and light, alpine-style expeditions on mountains such as Jannu, Nuptse, Everest and K2. In High Risk, Brian Hall recalls the outrageous adventures of eleven of his climbing friends who risked – and often lost – their lives to stand on some of the world’s highest peaks during a legendary period in mountaineering history.Trade Review‘An absolutely spellbinding read.’ -- Adele Pennington‘Big characters who loved life close to the edge.’ -- Ed Douglas‘A riveting insight into the legendary characters of a remarkable climbing era.’ -- Mick Fowler‘Dazzling adventures recalled with wisdom and affection.’ -- Stephen Venables'High Risk captures the spirit of an era ... Ascents not bettered and hardly equalled since.' -- Leo Houlding‘Full of humour, affection and respect, High Risk takes the reader to the heart and soul of the golden age of UK climbing.’ * Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature *'A major milestone in alpine literature.' John Porter – mountaineer, author and former Alpine Club President'Entertaining, revealing, breathtaking, heartbreaking and confessional.' Stephen Goodwin – Kekoo Naoroji Book Award for Mountain Literature'A poignant tale of friendships, lofty climbing goals, and, ultimately, tremendous loss.' Cameron M. Burns – American Alpine Journal * American Alpine Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn 1959, sixteen-year-old Ian ‘Spike’ Sykes left school and, after a short period of work at Leeds University, joined the RAF. Already a keen climber, he signed up on the promise of excitement and adventure and was posted to the remote RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team in the north of Scotland. It was the beginning of a journey which would see him involved in some of the most legendary call-outs in Scottish mountain rescue history, including the 1963 New Year tragedy on the Isle of Skye.In the Shadow of Ben Nevis tells Spike’s story from growing up in Leeds in the aftermath of the Second World War, to his time with the RAF during the cold war. After leaving the RAF, he remained an active member of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and was involved in the first lower down the north face of Ben Nevis – an epic 1,500-foot descent to rescue stricken climbers in the middle of winter.Following a two-and-a-half-year stint on Antarctica with the British Antarctic Survey, he returned to the Highlands and opened the first Nevisport shop with his close friend Ian ‘Suds’ Sutherland. Together, they brought Sunday trading to Fort William and were one of a small number of shops to revolutionise outdoor retail in the UK. Later, he was a key player in the development of the Nevis Range ski area. Over many years, and against all odds, the project became a reality and a great success.Recounted within these pages are a great many lively tales of adventures and mishaps, told with immediacy and charm. With a foreword by legendary Scottish mountaineer Hamish MacInnes, a close friend of Spike’s, In the Shadow of Ben Nevis is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Scottish mountaineering and mountain rescue.Trade ReviewThis book tells of the life and experiences of a unique character and should appeal to anyone with a spirit of adventure. – Stu Gallagher, Alpine Club One man in his time plays many parts.’ This is certainly true of Spike, and this autobiography takes us through them ‒ RAF MRT member in the primitive pre-helicopter days, outdoor instructor, FIDS ‘gash man’, entrepreneur, Lochaber MRT member, and throughout it all a climber whose experience ranges from hitch-hiking and barn-dossing as an impoverished teenager to helicopter drops into exotic locations. Not a typical climbing autobiography ‒ and all the better for it. – R T Richardson, former president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club Suffice to say, In The Shadow... is a rattling good yarn, and that’s before you even get on to Sykes’s life-saving work with the Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team and his climbing adventures in the Alps, the Yukon and elsewhere. – Roger Cox, The Scotsman This book is a good read about a man and his life of adventure in the mountains and out of them. – Nick Carter, Alpha Mountaineering It recounts many lively tales of adventure and mishap. – Eilidh Davies, Highland News His stories of epic mountain rescues before the age of helicopter assistance, good communications, organised rescue teams and enforced drink driving laws are riveting. – Dave McLeod, Blogspot Hats off to Ian Sykes for a terrific read. Very highly recommended. – Ullapool NewsTable of ContentsForeword by Hamish MacInnes; 1 Fort William Station; 2 Garforth; 3 Fulneck; 4 Kinloss Mountain Rescue; 5 The Alps; 6 A New Year on Skye, 1963; 7 Locheil; 8 Falkland Islands; 9 Deception Island; 10 Stonington; 11 That's One Small Step for Man; 12 Nevisport; 13 Callop; 14 A Mandarin Murder; 15 The Snow Goose; 16 Nevis Range; 17 Lotus Flower Tower; 18 An Autumn in Siberia; 19 Cochamo; 20 Wadi Rum; 21 The End of the Century; 22 Discovering America.

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Book SynopsisThe start of a love affair: 'I kicked off my shoes and prepared to climb in stocking feet, aware of an enormous sense of occasion as I laid hands on the rock and stepped up on the first rounded hold. It was not a hard climb but that was unimportant. I felt instinctively at home and at the finish experienced such a surge of happy elation that I knew then I was committed to climbing.' Martin Boysen's passion for crags and mountains springs from his deep love of nature and a strong sense of adventure. From his early days on rock as a Kent schoolboy after the war, he was soon among the most gifted climbers of his or any generation, famed for his silky technique.Boysen made a huge contribution to British rock climbing, especially in North Wales; he discovered Gogarth in the 1960s and climbed some of the best new routes of his era: Nexus on Dinas Mot, The Skull on Cyrn Las and the magisterial Capital Punishment on Ogwen's Suicide Wall. For more than two decades, Boysen was also one of Britain's leading mountaineers. A crucial member of Sir Chris Bonington's team that climbed the South Face of Annapurna in 1970, Boysen was also part of Bonington's second summit team on the South West face of Everest. In 1976 he made the first ascent of Trango Tower with Joe Brown.Along the way, Boysen climbed with some of the most important figures in the history of the sport, not just stars like Bonington and Brown, but those who make climbing so rich and intriguing, like Nea Morin and the brilliant but doomed Gary Hemming. He joined Hamish MacInnes hunting gold in Ecuador, doubled for Clint Eastwood on the North Face of the Eiger and worked on director Fred Zinnemann's last movie.Wry, laconic and self-deprecating, Martin Boysen's Hanging On is an insider's account of British climbing's golden age.Table of Contents1 Beginnings; 2 To Learn to Climb; 3 1959; 4 First Ventures in the Alps; 5 The Dolomites; 6 Manchester; 7 The Alpha Club; 8 Hard Climbs, Modern Times; 9 The Walker; 10 Mixed Fortunes; 11 Cerro Torre; 12 Crash; 13 Annapurna; 14 The Eiger Sanction; 15 Changabang; 16 Lost on Everest, Found on Trango; 17 Gold Rush; 18 Endgame; Epilogue - The Rock Climbing Years.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature.'As I sat cradling the man's head, with his blood and brains sticking to my hands, I heard a voice – my own voice. It was asking me something. Asking how I had ended up like this, desperate and lost among people who thought nothing of caving in a man's head and then standing back to watch him die.'Nick Bullock was a prison officer working in a maximum-security jail with some of Britain's most notorious criminals. Trapped in a world of aggression and fear, he felt frustrated and alone. Then he discovered the mountains. Making up for lost time, Bullock soon became one of Britain's best climbers, learning his trade in the mountains of Scotland and Wales, and travelling from Pakistan to Peru in his search for new routes and a new way of seeing the world – and ultimately an escape route from his life inside. Told that no one ever leaves the service – the security, the stability, the 'job for life' – Bullock focused his existence on a single goal: to walk free, with no shackles, into a mountain life.Echoes is a powerful and compelling exploration of freedom, and what it means to live life on your own terms.Trade Review'A brilliant page-turner from one of our most outstanding adventure mountaineers.' – Chris Bonington'Wild, exciting and inspirational. A book that grips you throughout with wild tales from handling Britain's most notorious criminals to tackling some of the world's most exciting unclimbed lines. I loved it.' – Mick Fowler'Utterly gripping. From his first clumsy steps to the all-in commitment of his greatest ascents Nick Bullock's early climbing career was inextricably linked to his work as a prison officer. Prison was both the force he climbed to escape and the hell that compelled him to push himself further in the mountains than others might have gone.' – Mark Twight'An unusual and powerful story that is as remarkable for its depiction of the author's life as a prison officer in one of the country's toughest jails, Gartree, as for his prodigious achievements on the mountains.' – Peter Beaumont, The Observer'When some aspects of climbing are turning into another off-the-shelf consumer lifestyle as predictable as the Gap catalogue, Echoes offers a compelling picture of what the real thing is all about.' – Stephen Venables, Climb Magazine'This book, an important book, a real book, captures a period in modern British climbing history ... the writing is captivating, intelligent, gentle, inquisitive.' – Jack Geldard, UKclimbing.com'A thought-provoking, entertaining and at times frightening book. Essential reading for anyone into having adventures.' – Dave MacLeod'Echoes is very entertaining and credit should be given for the author's vivid portrayal of prison life. The writing in the main is spare and matter of fact. A style which suits the rather dark subject matter. Prison life does not really lend itself to romantic prose!' – John Appleby, Footless CrowTable of ContentsForeword by Paul PritchardPrologue – TrustBrickWoodlands ChainsSoul MiningEchoesBellsFermentationFoundationsThe BlockGuiltFlowRoadsDreamsInnocenceGerminationLoyaltyTunnelsHonestyTracksThe WormTogetherFaithFearParoleLossFlightNorthDevotionWireWordsConfrontationCrashTimeDetritusThe SeaDetoxStarsTruthTurn Acknowledgements

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Book Synopsis'One of the greatest mountaineering survival stories never told.' – The Sunday Times Some mountains are high; some mountains are hard. Few are both. On the afternoon of 13 July 1977, having become the first climbers to reach the summit of the Ogre, Doug Scott and Chris Bonington began their long descent. In the minutes that followed, any feeling of success from their achievement would be overwhelmed by the start of a desperate fight for survival. And things would only get worse. Rising to over 7,000 metres in the centre of the Karakoram, the Ogre – Baintha Brakk – is notorious in mountaineering circles as one of the most difficult mountains to climb. First summited by Scott and Bonington in 1977 – on expedition with Paul ‘Tut’ Braithwaite, Nick Estcourt, Clive Rowland and Mo Anthoine – it waited almost twenty-four years for a second ascent, and a further eleven years for a third. The Ogre, by legendary mountaineer Doug Scott, is a two-part biography of this enigmatic peak: in the first part, Scott has painstakingly researched the geography and history of the mountain; part two is the long overdue and very personal account of his and Bonington’s first ascent and their dramatic week-long descent on which Scott suffered two broken legs and Bonington smashed ribs. Using newly discovered diaries, letters and audio tapes, it tells of the heroic and selfless roles played by Clive Rowland and Mo Anthoine. When the desperate climbers finally made it back to base camp, they were to find it abandoned – and themselves still a long way from safety. The Ogre is undoubtedly one of the greatest adventure stories of all time.Trade Review'One of the greatest mountaineering survival stories never told.' – The Sunday Times. Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionPART I1. The Mountain2. Ancient History of Exploration3. European Interest in the Region4. The East India Company5. Scottish Contribution to Empire6. The Blanks on the Map7. Early MountaineeringPART II8. The Climbers9. March to Base Camp10. Climbing the Ogre11. The Epic Descent12. The Final StretchAfterwordAcknowledgementsFurther ReadingThe Author

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Book SynopsisJohn McEnroe enjoyed tremendous success at all levels of tennis, and he owns 77 career singles titles, including 7 Grand Slams. He joined the circuit in 1978 and it took him only three years to attain the No. 1 ranking. The 1980 Wimbledon final, between McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, is considered by many tennis experts to be the best match ever, a five-set thriller which McEnroe avenged the following year for his first Wimbledon title.In doubles, McEnroe is recognised as the best player of all time. He was ranked No. 1 for a record 257 weeks and captured a total of 74 titles, including 8 Grand Slams. Still an active player, McEnroe is now an outstanding tennis commentator and broadcaster for the BBC and other national networks. This autobiography, his first, covers an awesome tennis career, marriage to movie star Tatum O''Neal and where arguably the greatest tennis player of all time goes from here.This is SERIOUS.Trade ReviewAn ace * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Frank and engrossing * DAILY TELEGRAPH *McEnroe emerges as a funny, wise and articulate raconteur, acutely aware of his faults * THE TIMES *A book as straight-talking as the tennis star himself. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisInstant New York Times Bestseller Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders is one of the greatest motivators and inspirational leaders of all time—on the field, in business, with family, and in his community. Now, he delivers the ultimate playbook of inspiring personal stories, winning strategies, and the motivation required to help us “elevate and dominate” in all aspects of our lives. A natural-born leader, Deion Sanders demands and expects the best from himself and from those around him, never settling for anything less. Whether it’s dealing with intense pressure, using the competition to his advantage, or navigating personal challenges—both physical and emotional—Sanders has conquered it all by applying the hard-earned principles he’s learned throughout his life and career. The twenty-one inspirational ways to win here are based on the motivational stories and experiences of Sander

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Book SynopsisProvides an account of Ferenc Puskas: his growing up in Soviet-occupied Hungary, travelling the world with the national side and army team Honved, and his different achievements in the game of football.

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Book SynopsisOne of Britain''s greatest ever footballers, Bobby Lennox epitomises an era in which Celtic were the best and most successful football club in the UK. In May 1967, he and his fellow Lisbon Lions achieved footballing immortality when they lifted the European Cup - the first British side to do so. Lennox''s 300 goals for Celtic and Scotland make him the second-highest goalscorer in Celtic''s history and the highest since the Second World War. With the Scottish national side, Lennox famously scored the second goal in Scotland''s stunning 3-2 victory over England at Wembley in 1967, when the Scots became the first country to defeat the then world champions. In this definitive autobiography, Lennox recounts with his famous dry wit and openness, his part in these extraordinary achievements, revealing aspects of his career which, until now, he has never previously made public.

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Book SynopsisTHE STORY OF ONE MAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF CRICKET FOREVER.''Azeem''s first legacy - a legacy carved at great personal expense - was to expose how cricket works. His second gift may be to expose how this country works, too.'' Jonathan LiewWhen Azeem Rafiq was a young boy playing cricket near his home in Pakistan, he could never have foreseen that this sport would change his life forever. He fell in love with the game quickly and it wasn''t long before the white flannels and green grass felt like home to him. When he moved to England, he became the youngest man to captain a Yorkshire side and the first person of Asian descent to do so. His talent was undeniable, and doors were opening for him.But there was something Azeem was bottling up and it was about to explode out of him and shake the whole cricket world, and wider society, out of their slumber. It''s Not Banter, It''s Racism is the never before-told truth behind the

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Book Synopsis'Magnificent, moving, often funny and deeply researched account . . . Is this just a book for those who know football? Far from it: this is a story of glory and the impermanence of fame' Sunday Times (Book of the Week)'Like Alf Ramsey's 1966 team, this book has depth, it has riches and it's a winner - the finest piece of sports writing I have read in ages and a superb piece of contemporary history' Peter Hennessy England. 1966. The World Cup.Duncan Hamilton watched England beat West Germany as an eight-year-old boy in the company of his father and grandfather. He recalls 'Wembley, spread out in the sun; the waving flags; the delirious, joy-of-all-joys moment of the final whistle; the trophy sparkling in the late afternoon light'.But, seeing the whole game again during the misery of the first Covid lockdown, finally made him realise what Alf Ramsey and his players had no inkling of, which was what came next for them. How, for many of those boys of summer, almost everything after that shimmering moment amounted to an anti-climax or a setback. How '66 was not a beginning, a guaranteed path towards more success, but a slow decline and fall, and also a disproportionate number of disappointments. And how the triumph of '66 was dulled through constant repetition, the same images always flashed before us.Hamilton recognised, too, how many myths and misconceptions had grown around the match. He decided to revisit '66, tracing the very roots of a story - as well as the hidden figures within it - that really began during the era of post-War austerity.Answered Prayers provides, at last, a full account of English football's greatest achievement and the failures that followed it. We see the institutional inability to appreciate Ramsey and his players, who were taken for granted; the political machinations of the blazered fools who ran the Football Association; the short-sighted blunderers of the Football League.With his matchless insight and descriptive power, Hamilton tells history afresh and shows us, for the first time, the scale of what was won and what was lost.PRAISE FOR DUNCAN HAMILTON'Hamilton has a perceptively humane understanding of men for whom football was never just a game' Guardian'A marriage of prose and detail so fine and fastidious that it takes the breath away' Independent'Justifiably prize-winning' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewTerrific. As good on post-war Britain as Peter Hennessy. Informed and heart-breaking. -- Stephen FrearsAn expert observer of different forms of Englishness, he treats sportspeople as three-dimensional humans. * Financial Times *Absorbing. Like all the best football books, Answered Prayers is not just about football; it's about hope and despair, friendship and enmity, and the character it takes to handle them. * Guardian (Book of the Week) *Magnificent, moving, often funny and deeply researched account . . . Is this just a book for those who know football? Far from it: this is a story of glory and the impermanence of fame. * Sunday Times (Book of the Week) *Like Alf Ramsey's 1966 team, this book has depth, it has riches and it's a winner - the finest piece of sports writing I have read in ages and a superb piece of contemporary history. Duncan Hamilton's great gift is the blending of character, mood and moment. Even Ramsey might have showed a spasm of emotion were he here to read it. -- Peter HennessyThis may well be one of the best books ever written about football. * Choice Magazine *Brilliant...Hamilton, arguably Britain's greatest sportswriter, tells [Ramsey's] tale with his wonderful panache. He is the master of the vivid phrase... Dry humour is never far from the surface in this book's pages. * Daily Express *Hamilton has a gift for treating sportspeople as humans * Financial Times (Book of the Year) *A highly poignant, history of England's World Cup victory in 1966. * Daily Express (Book of the Year) *The finest sports book of the year by one of the country's most garlanded sports writers. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisUpdated edition featuring a brand new afterword?A terrific book. No one put their body on the line quite like Sam Warburton.?Brian O?Driscoll?It was an absolute privilege to play against Sam. An inspiring leader with an equally inspiring story to tell.?Jonny WilkinsonTrade Review ‘A terrific book. No one put their body on the line quite like Sam Warburton.’ Brian O’Driscoll ‘It was an absolute privilege to play against Sam. An inspiring leader with an equally inspiring story to tell.’ Jonny Wilkinson ‘I'm so accustomed to doing these rugby/football book serialisations and most of the time am left somewhat underwhelmed. But from start to finish I feel Warburton really delivers. Really candid, takes you inside the dressing room, behind the scenes anecdotes few know about and nicely written in chatty fashion.’ Head of Sport, WalesOnline ‘He will go down as one of the great players but an even better captain for his ability to exhort his team-mates to new heights.’ Rugby World ‘[An] impressive memoir… Warburton’s account of his career, cut short by persistent injuries at the age of 29, is full of passion and candour and takes the reader right into the dressing room.’ The Times

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Book SynopsisJonny Wilkinson''s career has crossed three decades and four World Cups. He has accumulated phenomenal achievements, world points records, an impressive list of broken body parts, and a drop goal that will be remembered for ever. But the peculiar calmness with which he played the game masked a very different reality. In JONNY, he reveals the extraordinary psychology that he had to tame in order to be able to dominate his sport. For most of his life, he was driven by a quest for perfection and an obsession to be the best player in the world; here he shows how these two facets of his competitive mind took such a hold of him that they sent him to the top of the world, then swept him up and dragged him down into a spiral of despair. Jonny''s career has spanned the far reaches: amazing highs and iconic moments, then a fight against injury that culminated in a battle with depression. Here he tells of the physical toll he knew his body was taking from rugby, even from his youth; he tells of h

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Book SynopsisWinning takes many forms. For fans of Matthew Syed, this is a great sports book about leadership, judgement and decision-making rooted in the theory that helped Ed Smith lead England cricket to sustained success. And to help us all win more.An absolutely fascinating book' THE GAME, The Times football podHow do you spot the opportunities that others miss?How do you turn a team's performance around?How do you make good decisions amid a tidal wave of information? And how can you improve?As chief selector for the England cricket team, Ed Smith pioneered new methods for building successful teams and watched his decisions tested in real time on the pitch. During his three-year tenure, England averaged 7 wins in every 10 completed matches, better than they have performed before or since.Making Decisions reveals Smith's unique approach to finding success in a fast-changing and increasingly data-reliant world. The best decisions, Smith argues, rely on a combination of differing kinds of intellTrade Review PRAISE FOR MAKING DECISIONS ‘Sincere and often self-reflective… offers genuine searing insight, making points you feel have never been made before. A learned and engaging study of decision-making.’ New Statesmen ‘A WONDERFUL book’ Stumbling and Mumbling Economics blog ‘An excellent read… based on his years as England’s chief cricket selector, but drawing on much broader thinking on decision-making’ Simon Kuper ‘A masterful combination of analysis and personal experience of decision-making at the highest level. Full of insights, wisdom and highly entertaining’ Mervyn King ‘In this fascinating and highly readable book, Ed Smith explores how the human and the machine can work together’ Matt Ridley PRAISE FOR ED SMITH’S LUCK ‘There's hardly a sentence here that isn't clear, thought-provoking and beautifully expressed. Sport bores me rigid. Inspirational books repel me. But Smith on sport, life and luck brings fresh ways of looking at things on every page and, despite myself, I read on’Matthew Parris ‘Smith is a beguiling and skilful writer: good-humoured, anecdotal, discursive and often fascinating. You'll probably read his book in an evening but think about it for weeks, even years, afterwards’New Statesman ‘Book of the week … Elegant and absorbing … Smith is excellent at exploring nuances … The writing on sport is superb … Smith moves beyond sport with great effect’The Times ‘Funny and honest … like one of Smith's well-crafted innings in his playing career, it leaves you wanting more’Sunday Times ‘Blends personal experience, sporting insight and a broad knowledge of history with the journalist's talent for storytelling to fashion an original and thought-provoking book … not only refreshing but uplifting’Spectator An exceptional book: lucid, thought-provoking, informative and fair. Outstanding’The Times

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Book SynopsisThe inspirational memoir from Paralympian and disability advocate Anne Wafula Strike, updated for 2024Left partially paralysed below the rib cage by polio, Anne Wafula Strike was forced to flee her native Kenyan village, moving across the country with her family. After overcoming additional adversity, including the loss of her mother and ableist prejudice, Anne moved to the UK, where she discovered her talent for wheelchair racing.The first East African to compete in her sport, representing Kenya in the 2004 Paralympics before joining Paralympics GB, Anne is now a fierce advocate for the promotion of the games around the world, and a champion of disabled rights.First published in 2010, and fully updated with Anne's passionate activism including her campaign for more accessibility on public transport In My Dreams I Dance is an incredibly inspiring story about why you should never let others slow you down.

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Book SynopsisIan Rush was born in St Asaph, Wales. He joined Liverpool from Chester City in 1980 and other than his single season with Juventus (1987-88), played for the Reds until 1996, making his final bow as a player in 2000. Rush's achievements include being Liverpool's all-time greatest goalscorer, the record Welsh international goalscorer, the leading 20th-century goalscorer in the FA Cup and all-time record FA Cup Final goalscorer, the joint-highest goalscorer in the League Cup, and winning five League Championships, three FA Cups and a European Cup. Not to mention Footballer of the Year, the European Golden Boot, various PFA Player of the Year awards and an MBE for services to football. Following retirement as a player he achieved the UEFA Pro Licence and has since become one of the most respected coaches in the game, working with strikers under Gerard Houllier at Liverpool and currently as Elite Performance Director with the Welsh FA Trust.Trade ReviewHits the spot like a Rushie toe-poke in front of the Kop * Four Four Two *For fans of the Reds this book will not disappoint. Discussing the many highs and lows he encountered, there is much to appreciate * Irish Examiner *Intriguing * Glasgow Herald *

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Book SynopsisJoe Simpson is the author of several bestselling books, of which the first,Touching the Void, won both the NCR award and the Boardman Tasker Award. His later books are This Game of Ghosts - the sequel to Touching the Void - Storms of Silence, Dark Shadows Falling, The Beckoning Silence and one previous novel, The Water People.Trade ReviewGrippingly told...there is no question Simpson is a brilliant adventure writer. There are passages that had my heart racing * Observer *Eloquent, spine-chilling stuff * SUNDAY TIMES *No one conjures the thrill of altitude better than Simpson...A hugely enjoyable book...As far as mountaineering literature goes this is about as good as it gets * Sara Wheeler, Spectator *An engrossing read. Nobody evokes the physical and psychological realities of climbing better...a powerfully written book...as vivid as anything Simpson has yet produced * Sunday Telegraph *Heart-stopping stuff...This is not a book for the fainthearted and perhaps should come with a government health warning...a book that will have your fingers clutching imaginary rocks and palms sweating over every page * Scotsman *

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The cyclist Tom Simpson is a legend. The first British world champion, the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France - he brought professional cycling to a nation and inspired generations of riders. His autobiography, Cycling is My Life, was written the year before he died tragically on the barren moonscape of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour aged just twenty-nine. Forty years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial which marks the spot where he died. In an age where each Tour de France seems more blighted by scandal than the next, Simpson''s story is as relevant now as it was then. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, yet the dapper ''Major Tom'' inspired awe and affection from the British public for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. First published in 1966, Simpson''s autobiography is essential reading fo

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Book SynopsisThis updated autobiography continues Katherine's inspirational story as GB's finest ever female rower.Trade Review'Beautifully written' * Independent. *'The book is a testament to friendship' * Observer. *'As much about people as it is about the physical and mental challenges of world-class rowing' * Financial Times. *'What a brilliant book' * Verite Sport. *Table of ContentsForeword by Sir Steve Redgrave • Let's Start at the Very Beginning • The Wonder Years • Decisions, Discord and Donuts • Breakthrough at Sydney • All Change • Through the Pain • Quadrupe Quandaries • Chinese Burn • Tapping into Phoebe • The Right Fit • Golden Days • The Return to the Arena • Silver Linings.

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Book Synopsis''HILARIOUS AND OUTRAGEOUS'' CHRIS EVANS THE HILARIOUS FULL-THROTTLE MEMOIR FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHARACTERS IN UK MOTOR RACINGSHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2020 Two-time championship-winning and record-breaking racing driver, Jason Plato is a living, breathing example of what you shouldn''t do if you want to become a professional racing driver: DO NOT: Steal a JCB in Monaco and end up in prison there - twice Kill Bernie Ecclestone (almost) Choose fags and booze over the gym Give Prince Charles the finger on the M42 Make enemies with a 6ft 6 rival who is a black belt in everything Since joining the Williams Touring Car team in 1997 he has had more race wins than Lewis Hamilton and Stirling Moss, competed in more races than Jenson Button and set the largest number of fastest laps ever. But he''s also a rule breaker who has had more than his fair sTrade ReviewPure entertainment . . . So much fun . . . His journey from outrageous teenage hijinks to the rough-and-tumble of driver feuding tends to prompt involuntary reading noises, be they barks of laughter or gasps at his audacity * Guardian, Best Sports Books of 2019 *Hilarious and outrageous * Chris Evans *As entertaining as watching him drive, a cracking read! * Sir Chris Hoy *I read this in the hope that it would teach me everything I need to know so that one day I can become a racing driver although I think I may have left it too late... * Howard Donald, Take That *Top class chauffeur, sublime broadcaster, ultimate party honey badger. These are the qualities I know and adore about JP. He taught me how to nail a hot lap around Rockingham and I've been in a speed jive ever since. Jason can burn the candle at both ends and in the middle yet still deliver the business. * Suzi Perry, Fifth Gear *Jason Plato is one of the most gifted racing drivers of his generation! * Damon Hill *Jason is a total fruitcake! * Jody Scheckter, Former F1 World Champion *Irreverent * iNews, The best Christmas car gifts *Plato is adept at telling a story. Totally authentic. There's plenty of laughs to be had and insight on offer * Autosport *It makes for one of the great sporting life stories . . . Forget everything you thought about sports stars and any expectations of sports autobiographies. Plato is truly an unconventional sportsman, and this is truly an unconventional autobiography, but it is all the better for being so * NB Magazine *The frank autobiography of British Touring Car Championship legend * Motorsport News, Christmas Gift Guide *There's plenty of laughs to be had and insight on offer * Motorsport News *An account of a larger-than-life character whose life outside of the car is just as exhilarating as in it * NB Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIn an era when Kilkenny established itself as the dominant force in hurling, one man stood out from a remarkable group of players: Henry Shefflin. This book tells the story of the legendary hurler Henry Shefflin.Trade ReviewThere is a compelling story in a young man's rise from the rural middle class of south Kilkenny to being one of our finest sportsmen. He became much more than a hurler ... This memoir is cast in its author's likeness, honest but tactful, direct without being brusque * Irish Examiner *Shefflin...gives interesting insights into the mentality and culture which have powered the most dominant team in Irish men's sports over the last 15 years. He is also very honest about himself. -- Christy O'Connor * Evening Echo *

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Book SynopsisTHE STORY BEHIND THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF BOXING FOREVER, OBE NICOLA ADAMSAt London 2012, Nicola Adams made history when she became the first woman ever to win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing. In Rio 2016, with the nation cheering her on, she did it all over again. Years of relentless training, fundraising and determination have seen Nicola battle through injury, prejudice and defeat to become one of Britain best-loved athletes and an inspiration to all those who are chasing after a seemingly impossible dream. From a leisure centre in Leeds to the Olympic Stadium in Rio, Nicola with her famous smile has become an LGBTQ+ icon and the poster girl for women in sport. This is her story of grit, talent and the real person behind the smile.Nicola is soon to be a contestant on BBC''s Strictly Come Dancing in the show''s first same-sex pairing. ____________________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NICOLA:Trade ReviewThe British public don't just admire her, they love her * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisIn the 1960s, Denis Law was the king of Old Trafford. A goal-scoring genius, Law attacked the game (and the occasional opponent) with a dedication and enthusiasm which held his legions of loyal subjects in devoted awe. The deadly triumvirate of Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton swept opposition from its path, and led Manchester United to win the FA Cup in 1963 and the League in 1965 and 1967.Born in Aberdeen in 1940, Law played his first professional game for Huddersfield in 1956. He moved to Manchester City before being among the very first British players to play on the continent of Europe, joining Torino in 1961. It was in August 1962 that Law moved back to Manchester, this time to United, for a record transfer fee of 115,000. He immediately won the hearts of the Old Trafford crowd by scoring twice in his début game. Many more goals were to follow: 160 in 222 matches, many of them spectacular, all of them executed with Law''s trademark panache.Law was European fTrade ReviewThis intelligent book, packed with anecdotes, is a must for any football fan * Sunday Mirror *Denis was the best in the business, he could score goals from a hundredth of a chance, never mind half of one -- George BestHis book is rightly called The King ... We remember Law as the great predator [but] what players like him can offer a reader beyond the tales of muddy glory, is a glimpse into life after sport, when the crowd noise stops and they are faced with reality as we substantially lesser mortals know it * Daily Telegraph *A lovely and lively peek at football's golden age through the eyes of a man who was on the inside track suffering the high and lows. Like the man himself, definitely a winner * Glasgow Evening Times *He played for United and City, served under Busby and Shanks and tasted pleasure and pain ... He has been revisiting all these memories in his autobiography, a book rare in that genre for the author's honesty * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisPat Smullen was one of the greatest Irish jockeys ever. In a career laden with success, his position as one of the country's best ever flat jockeys was long established. And yet, despite being a nine-time champion jockey, his humility defined him.It was this strength of character that sustained him when, in March 2018, Pat was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There was never any self-pity. He just dealt with it. And more than that, he brought it centre stage: raising funds and awareness, and channelling his energies into helping others. Pat was a champion in all aspects of life, no matter what setbacks were thrown at him. Tragically, his life was cut short far too early in September 2020.Written in the months before his death, with the assistance of Donn McClean and completed by Pat's wife, Frances Crowley, Champion is the inspirational story of the jockey whose legacy lives on. From incredible highs to devastating

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Book Synopsis''A legend of the game'' - Anthony Seibold ''He''s a player that never lets his team down'' - Billy Slater Darius Boyd broke into the Brisbane Broncos NRL team in 2006 straight out of high school and was part of the premiership-winning team in his debut season. He''d go on to win another premiership with the Dragons in 2010, claiming the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match and forever stamping his name as an elite champion of the game. He has played 28 State of Origins for Queensland and taken the field in 23 Tests for Australia - never playing in a losing Australian team. In 15 seasons at the top level, Darius has won nearly every honour the sport can award and is undeniably an NRL great. But listing statistics, awards and premierships doesn''t reveal the battles that Darius Boyd has faced off the field. A teenager with a troubled background, he started his career with innate footy talent but also the emotional baggage of an unknown father, the

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Outrageous, audacious, jaw-dropping'' SUNDAY TIMES''An essential read'' DAILY MAIL''Utterly captivating'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Hugely entertaining'' GUARDIANThe fascinating life story of professional cricketer Kevin Pietersen, MBE, from his childhood in South Africa to his experiences as one of the leading lights in the world of international cricket.Kevin was dropped from the England squad in February 2014, seemingly calling time on an international career that began nearly ten years earlier. The decision puzzled many observers - although the England team had failed miserably in the Ashes tour of 2013-14, Kevin was the tourists'' leading run scorer across the series, and he remains the country''s highest run scorer of all time across all formats of the game.Kevin reveals all in his autobiography, telling the stories behind the many other highs and lows of his incredib

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Book SynopsisThe controversial story of Chris Jericho, the former undisputed Heavyweight Champion of WWE.Trade ReviewSo charming and funny is Chris Jericho's journey from body-slammingly painful naivety to worldly wrestling champ, that his memoirs will leave cynics finding time for a private read - GQAlmost certainly the best wrestling autobiography I've read, and I don't give that accolade lightly. I've read this book several times and it's not any less enjoyable ... for anyone who enjoys wrestling or Jericho this is a must-read - WRESTLING101.COMThis is the first true epic of wrestling books and should be on the shelf of every true wrestling fan ... Hilarious, empathetic, heart warming, gross, scary and down right bleeding interesting - THEWRESTLINGTRUTH.COM

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Book SynopsisPhysical Strength Can Only Take You So Far Reigning CrossFit World Champion Rich Froning is The Fittest Man on Earth. He's fast. He's strong. And he's incredibly disciplined. But it takes more than physical strength to compete and win at an elite level. It takes incredible mental and spiritual toughness as well. And it is the precise balance of all three that makes Rich Froning a champion. In First, readers come alongside Rich as he trains for and competes in back-to-back-to-back CrossFit World Championships. Along the way, Rich shares invaluable training tips, motivational techniques, and spiritual insights that, in keeping with the CrossFit philosophy, will prepare you to respond to any real-life physical, mental and spiritual challenge.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive career autobiography of Terry Venables, the most successful living England manager

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Book Synopsis'Brilliant' Paul Newman, Daily MailSHORTLISTED FOR THE BEST SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEARIn How Not to be a Cricketer, former England international and TV personality Phil Tufnell highlights the many potential pitfalls of a professional cricket career, and provides a hilarious insight into how to avoid them and what happens when, like him, you don't. I was the model cricketer – if anyone wanted to know how not to be one. My career included more ups and downs than the big dipper at Margate and more bumps than the dodgems next door. And yet somehow I climbed off the ride unblemished. I survived to walk away on my own terms. For someone who never quite fitted the mould, I was actually pretty good at not being a cricketer. In his superb new book, Phil Tufnell looks back over his life and career to provide brilliant advice and insights, often learned the hard way, from his own experienc

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Book Synopsis''Alan''s book is like his game: incisive, thoughtful, intelligent and consistently hits the target'' Gary Lineker''A brilliant, articulate, thoughtful man with a wonderful sense of humour: Smudge encapsulates all he is and knows in this fantastic book that will capture the hearts of every football fan'' Tony Adams''It was different back then, at least through Arsenal eyes. This was a young, exciting team full of hope and desire, led by a manager bristling with ambition . . .''Anfield ''89. Copenhagen ''94. Two of Arsenal''s greatest triumphs in the modern era. Both matches defined by the goal-scoring prowess of one man - Alan ''Smudger'' Smith.Smith''s rise in football was vertiginous: playing for Alvechurch in the Southern League one year, competing in the top flight twelve months later. His first three years at Leicester were characterized by a successful partnership with Gary Lineker. When Lineker left for Everton, SmitTrade ReviewAlan's book is like his game: incisive, thoughtful, intelligent and consistently hits the target * Gary Lineker *A brilliant, articulate, thoughtful man with a wonderful sense of humour: Smudge encapsulates all he is and knows in this fantastic book that will capture the hearts of every football fan * Tony Adams *Very enjoyable and typically honest account by my old mate on a fine career * Lee Dixon *

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Book SynopsisPerhaps no football manager has ever had his personal life dissected as thoroughly as Sven-Goran Eriksson. Yet the man that monopolized the British press during five tumultuous years as England manager remains an enigma. Who, precisely, is Sven?Here, in his no-holds-barred autobiography, the secretive Swede takes us on one of the wildest rides in world football. Populated by fake sheikhs, Italian lawyers, Nottingham outlaws and, of course, many of the biggest names in the game, his is a 40-year-long career that coincides with the evolution of football into a global multibillion-pound industry.Most of all, this is a surprisingly tender, sometimes heartbreaking, but never bitter account of a simple man with a most complicated story. A man who has reached a crossroads in his life, who until now has never stopped to ask himself the question: was it worth it?

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Book SynopsisTells the story of Ila Jane Borders, who despite formidable obstacles became a Little League prodigy, MVP of her all-male middle school and high school teams, the first woman awarded a college baseball scholarship, the first to win a complete men's collegiate game, and the first woman in the modern era to win a professional ball game.Trade Review"A welcome contribution to women's sports biographies."—Booklist Starred Review"An inspiring and important account, told with grace and self-awareness that will appeal to baseball and sports fans along with readers interested in LGBTQ memoirs."—Janet Davis, Library Journal“At last! The moving story of Ila Borders, as told to the gifted author and researcher Jean Ardell, will make readers wonder how much longer the baseball establishment can afford to disregard the skilled women players who should long ago have been recruited for the Minors and the Majors.”—Dorothy Seymour Mills, baseball historian and author of Drawing Card: A Baseball Novel “As a girl, Ila Borders had a dream. That dream became a desire, and that desire blossomed into a crusade: she would play baseball. Not softball. Baseball. She would throw the hard stuff past brawny male sluggers. Jean Hastings Ardell tells the story of this twilight figure coming out of the shadows to join a not always receptive mainstream. You may laugh. You may shed a tear. But surely you will applaud.”—Arnold Hano, author of A Day in the Bleachers“Ila Borders pitched her way through the special hell reserved for women who play baseball in America and has returned with enough inside baseball knowledge to please the most passionate fan. . . . [Making My Pitch is] a riveting, deeply personal story and a compelling addition to the fast-growing literature on American women in baseball.”—Jennifer Ring, author of A Game of Their Own: Voices of Contemporary Women in Baseball “This book is a walk through baseball history as Ila brings the reader with her on her journey from Little League to independent ball and beyond. Ila’s story is not a typical baseball story, and everyone needs to read this book.”—Leslie Heaphy, associate professor of history at Kent State University at Stark and coeditor of The Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball “This book is a must-read for understanding what it’s like to be a baseball first. Ila’s courage to keep going forward against all odds is both inspiring and meaningful.”—Justine Siegal, founder of Baseball For All “The best baseball books are about more than the game. In this evocative memoir, lefthander Ila Borders recounts her struggles in the male world of professional baseball.”—George Gmelch, author of Playing with Tigers: A Minor League Chronicle of the Sixties “Ila Borders is a role model. As the father of two daughters, both of whom have played, watched, and read about sports for as long as they have been able to do so, I have long awaited her memoir.”—Steve Gietschier, associate professor of history at Lindenwood UniversityTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsForewordAcknowledgmentsNote to the ReaderPrologue1. Beginnings: Little League2. Lipstick Adolescence3. College: Pitching through Adversity4. Mike Veeck and the St. Paul Saints5. Duluth-Superior Dukes: Being “Babe”6. The Dukes: Nailing a Win7. Another Team, Another Town8. Out of the Game9. LossEpilogueNotes

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Book Synopsis'Raw. Vulnerable. Open. Truthful . . . This is a book that will open up the floor for even more honest conversations about the side of yoga we don't often see.' - Angie Tiwari @tiwariyogaHow did an ancient spiritual practice become the preserve of the privileged?Nadia Gilani has been practising yoga for twenty-five years. She has also worked as a yoga teacher. Yoga has saved her life and seen her through many highs and lows; it has been a faith, a discipline, and a friend, and she believes wholeheartedly in its radical potential. However, over her years in the wellness industry, Nadia has noticed not only yoga's rising popularity, but also how its modern incarnation no longer serves people of colour, working class people, or many other groups who originally pioneered its creation. Combining her own memories of how the practice has helped her with an account of its history and transformation in the modern west, Nadia creates a love letter to yoga and a passionate critique of the billion-dollar industry whose cost and inaccessibility has shut out many of those it should be helping. By turns poignant, funny, and shocking, The Yoga Manifesto excavates where the industry has gone wrong, and what can be done to save the practice from its own success.Trade ReviewThe first yoga book I've read that has a punk rock attitude and does what it says on the tin. Nadia is a formidable storyteller taking us through the highs and lows of her personal journey. However, the most critical aspect is her fierce analysis of the appropriation of yoga. -- Sima Kumar, co-founder and CEO of The Other Box and founder of Sima SaysRaw. Vulnerable. Open. Truthful. Exposing the darker side of the industry provides us all with the pathway to reach the lightness that yoga brings. This is a book that will open up the floor for even more honest conversations about the side of yoga we don't often see. -- Angie Tiwari @tiwariyogaThe Yoga Manifesto is about equality and creativity and revolutionary hope – and you definitely don’t need to practise yoga to know these things matter. -- Stella Duffy, author of Lullaby Beach

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to become one of the most successful coaches in the world?Eddie Jones is one of the most successful sports coaches of all time. From coaching three different nations to Rugby World Cup Finals and with a winning record with England of nearly 80%, Eddie Jones knows what it takes to lead and manage high performance teams. What can sport teach us about leadership? For the first time, Eddie Jones shows just what it takes to be a leader in a high performance and high pressure environment and how these lessons can be applied to every walk of life, from coaching the U9 rugby team to leading a multinational organization to simply doing your job better.Have a voracious ambition to improve every day As he explains the High Performance Cycle of Success at the heart of his philosophy, Eddie Jones reveals the lessons he has learnt from Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola as well as from the founder of Uniqlo and Ron Adams from the NBA. He also gives a detailed analysis of his own performance as a coach as well as how he gets the best out of the players and coaches around him and what he saw in Tom Curry that no one else saw, which makes him think that he could be the next Richie McCaw. Always start with the end in mindDrawing on stories of nearly thirty years of coaching, including the 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2019 World Rugby campaigns, the full story of England's 2021 Six Nations campaign as well as why it takes humour, humility and relentless curiosity to lead an eclectic mix of superstars from Maro Itoje to James Haskell, George Smith to Kyle Sinckler, to create teams that are relentlessly hungry to win, Leadership is the ultimate rugby book about what it takes to be the best.Written with Donald McRae, two-time winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, Leadership is the book for anyone who wants to learn how to build and lead a team to success.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSome people are born to be a certain thing.And I was a born fighter.At the age of eight, Michael Bisping began his training in martial arts. By the time he was 15, he was fighting in his first no holds barred competition. When he turned professional and joined the UFC he was sure about one thing: only a world championship title would do. A British underdog in the greatest fighting championship on earth, he spent the next decade winning some of the championship’s most sensational contests to achieve his dream, becoming the first ever British UFC world champion in 2016.From his boyhood years learning to fight in the gyms of Lancashire to his most shocking clashes in the cage, in Quitters Never Win Bisping tells the raw and unfiltered story behind his legendary career for the first time, including his greatest wins, his fiercest rivals and the harrowing injury that forced him into retirement. As audacious, entertaining and as candid as the man himself, it’s a backstage pass to one of the world’s most extreme sports and an unbridled account of what it really takes to become a champion, from sleeping in his own car to reaching the summit of the world’s fastest growing sport.

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Book Synopsis**A Daily Mail Book of the Year**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.Trade ReviewYou can dip into this book anywhere and will find delights: all football fans aged from nine to 90 will love it * Daily Mail, Books of the Year *Refreshingly self-deprecating * Robert Crampton *Where did he find time to write I, Robot? Whenever it was, the big man has hit the jackpot again, lifting the lid on the excesses and ridiculous lifestyles of the average Premier League footballer. Crouch does this as any sharp-eyed insider would: supplementing observations with very funny anecdotes that prove his point, constantly poking fun at himself. It’s a winning combination * PA Media *

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Book Synopsis''Emotional, insightful, beautifully written. A story of making saves and being saved. The best football book I have read this year.'' Henry WinterSir Alex Ferguson looked at Joe Sealey: ''You know your dad saved my career?'' Joe replied: ''And you saved his.''More than three decades before, in 1990, Ferguson''s managerial career stood at its lowest ebb. After three barren years at Old Trafford, he was facing dismissal. There was just the FA Cup final left. Manchester United were lucky to escape with a 3-3 draw at Wembley. For the replay, Ferguson took the gamble of his life, replacing his long-standing keeper, Jim Leighton, with Les Sealey, on loan from Luton. United won. Ferguson remained, winning another 24 major trophies.Les Sealey would play in another three finals for United. When he died suddenly, aged 43, Les left behind a warm, witty, and detailed autobiography in the form of a Tupperware box full of cassette tapes. His death, however, threw h

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