Sport Books
Ebury Publishing Head On Ian Botham The Autobiography
Book SynopsisVoted the greatest English cricketer of the 20th century by the fans, Sir Ian Botham is the English game''s one true living legend and his story both on and off the pitch reads like a Boy''s Own rollercoaster ride.Born with a natural genius for cricket, Botham began breaking records with bat and ball from a young age and soon became the man English cricket expected most from. After a troubled period as England''s captain, Botham rose once again to become a national hero with his display in the Miracle Ashes of 1981. But, with his confrontational nature and wild streak, he began regularly making the wrong kind of headlines. With accusations of drink and drugs, affairs and ball-tampering, he became hounded by the tabloid pack, never sure whether they wanted him to triumph or implode. Now a Knight and just as famous for his tireless charity work, Beefy gives us the definitive story of his never-dull life and times in his own no-nonsense words.Trade ReviewHe was, and remains, a working-class hero ... the game's nearest answer to George Best * The Times *In an age of empty memoirs, Ian Botham reminds us how big an inspiration a sporting hero can be * Observer *You want to learn about a living legend of the game than I can highly recommend Head On * Cricket Web *
£14.39
Ebury Publishing Rush
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 *
£13.49
Ebury Publishing Boy Racer
Book SynopsisBoy Racer steps behind the scenes of the Tour de France. It unmasks the exotic, contradictory, hysterical and brutal world of professional cycling from the compellingly candid viewpoint of someone right in the thick of it.Written off as ''fat'' and ''useless'' in his youth, Mark Cavendish is now one of cycling''s brightest stars and one of Britain''s greatest ever cyclists. Some have called him cocky, but to anyone who doesn''t like his style, Mark will simply shrug his shoulders and reply, ''I know I''m good. There''s no point lying about it.''Peers say that they have never seen anyone with Cavendish''s hunger for success and while this fearlessness - both in the saddle and on the record - has at times led to controversy, it has also earned him the respect of ever more fans.In Boy Racer we follow him through the mayhem of the Tour de France in a page-turning journey of pure exhilaration.Trade ReviewBritain's best ever Tour de France cyclist * ProCycling Magazine *The hottest sprinter in the world * Daily Telegraph *Boy Racer...catch[es] the inner conflict between the impetuousness that makes Cavendish such a daunting competitor and the introspection that makes him such an interesting person * Guardian *Refreshingly frank and entertaining * Scotland on Sunday *Highly personal and revelatory and gives you a unique insight to one of Britain's most successful and respected sportsmen * Telegraph *
£12.34
Ebury Publishing At Speed
Book SynopsisBorn and raised on the Isle of Man, Mark Cavendish became a world track champion as a teenager in 2005, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist a year later and in 2008 regained his world title in partnership with Bradley Wiggins. He switched his focus to the more glamourous world of road cycling, andis widely regarded as the most exciting and charismatic rider to grace the sport in years. As well as achieving record-breaking performances in the Tour de France, he became the road race World Champion in 2011.Trade ReviewCav is and will always be one of cycling’s biggest characters and At Speed captures him perfectly -- Chris BoardmanBrilliant * Telegraph *Fantastic... a real insight... funny, self-lacerating, brutal * Cycling Weekly *Ultimately the joy of At Speed is the sense that, warts and all, this is the story of a rare sportsman…who isn’t afraid to speak his mind rather than trot out the banal, PR-groomed soundbites of so many of his peers … this book speaks to both the heart and the mind of true cycling fans * Velo Voices *The greatest sprinter of all time -- Bradley Wiggins
£13.49
Ebury Publishing The 4Hour Body
Book SynopsisThis book will redefine how you approach losing weight. Based on over 15 years of research and with personal stories, amazing before and after photos, recipes and sidebars, The 4-Hour Body, from international bestselling author Tim Ferriss, will give unbelievable results and change the way you look forever.''Mr. Ferriss makes difficult things seem very easy'' -- NY Times''The Superman of Silicon Valley'' - Wired''This book has changed my life'' -- ***** Reader review''An uncommon genius'' -- ***** Reader review''This book is awesome'' -- ***** Reader review''Educational and mind blowing'' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************Whatever your physical goal, The 4-Hour Body eclipses every other health manual by sharing the best kept secrets in the latest science and research to provide new strategies for redesigning tTrade ReviewMr. Ferriss makes difficult things seem very easy. * NY Times *Ferris is set to redefine the health genre. * Bookseller *The Superman of Silicon Valley * Wired *
£17.99
Ebury Publishing Fox Guide to Modern Carp Fishing
Book SynopsisThis comprehensive guide to the very latest techniques for fishing for carp is written by fishing gurus Andy Little, Ian 'Chilly' Chillcott, Ken Townley and a team of experts from Fox International, the best regarded manufacturer of fishing tackle in Europe.
£27.20
Ebury Publishing The Big Fight
Book Synopsis''To be legendary you got to have heart... Ray''s heart was bigger than all the rest'' Muhammad AliSUGAR RAY LEONARD was one of the greatest boxers ever. An artist and a showman he was always willing to take the difficult fight: his gruelling encounters with Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler have become legendary.Ray''s autobiography takes you into the ring - with the mind games, brutality and euphroia. But, outside of the ring, Ray''s biggest opponent was himself. From early domestic violence and sexual abuse to a blur of fame, sex, greed, drink and drug addiction at the height of his career that cost him so much, The Big Fight is a remarkable portrait of the rise, fall and final redeption of a true fighter in every sense.Trade ReviewGripping and revealing… the raw truth -- Donald McRae * Guardian *[An] uninhibited memoir… Sugar Ray’s bittersweet ascent to greatness * Daily Telegraph *A fascinating, illuminating, engaging story of what it takes to be successful at the highest levels. Simultaneously, The Big Fight is a most instructive study of competitive strategy * New York Journal of Books *
£15.29
Ebury Publishing Domestique
Book SynopsisCharly Wegelius was one of Britain's most distinguished and respected professional cyclists. He grew up in York, and went on to race for some of cycling's best teams, including Mapei, the world's most successful ever team. In his 11-year career he competed in a remarkable 14 Grand Tours (including three Tours de France). Charly now works as a directear sportif for the Garmin-Sharp team.Co-writer Tom Southam is a former professional racing cyclist. He raced alongside Charly Wegelius for three years in the Italian professional peleton, and twice rode the professional Roac Race Championships as a teamate of Wegelius. He now works as a writer and contributes to major cycling publications in the UK and internationally.Trade ReviewIf justice is alive and well in the world, this will be the sports book of the year 2013... a book that is well nigh impossible to put back on the shelf at the end of each chapter. * The Washing Machine Post.net *Interesting and revealing... the most accurate description of what being a highly-regarded domestique in the modern peloton is really like' * Cycling Weekly *One of the hardest working domestiques in the sport * Cycling Weekly *Couldn't put it down…the best insight into the peloton since Paul Kimmage’s Rough Ride -- William FotheringhamA must read. Absolutely outstanding -- Paul Kimmage
£15.29
Ebury Publishing A Man Walks On To a Pitch
Book SynopsisWhen a man walks on to a pitch there's always a chance something magic can happen, that's what keeps us coming back'In A Man Walks On To a Pitch, Harry shares a lifetime's experience of obsessing over football, during which he has seen it all first hand the good, the bad and the unbelievable. Harry started in an age where players were ordinary blokes who might live on the same street as you and earn a similar wage. Now he manages in an era of player power, multi-million pound wages and teams assembled from around the globe.As he shares stories of some of the legends and journeymen he played, coached, argued and drank with, Harry picks a team for each decade from the 1950s to the present. He gets to the heart of what was right and wrong with each era and explores the changes in the game from lifestyle to tactics. He weaves his choices together with unforgettable tales from the training pitches, boot rooms and card schools.There are tales of the Trade ReviewThe book all football fans will want to read * Daily Mail *Informative, entertaining and full of insights * The Sunday Times *
£12.34
Ebury Publishing Hillsborough Voices
Book SynopsisKevin Sampson is the author of eight novels as well as Extra Time, his account of a season in the life of a Liverpool FC fanatic. He has contributed to football anthologies, including Here We Go Gathering Cups in May and Redmen, which he also edited.Kevin is a regular contributor to the Guardian, Observer and Liverpool FC TV, the club's dedicated TV channel. He lives on Merseyside where he is a member of the Liverpool Producers Association, and a long-term supporter of the Writing on the Wall festival and CALM, the mental health charity. You can find him at @ksampsonwriter on Twitter.Trade ReviewA harrowing but sensitively handled account of the disaster and a powerful tribute * Sunday Telegraph *A testament to the courage, compassion, dignity and sheer persistence of the bereaved families, survivors and campaigners...at times unbearably moving * When Saturday Comes *Sampson stands back, using his craft to construct a narrative that gives the individual stories space and respect, whilst simultaneously enabling the bigger picture to emerge * London School of Economics *A powerful, important book - heartbreaking and rage-inducing. It is vital that these voices are heard -- Brian ReadeSuperb -- Adrian Tempany
£14.24
Ebury Publishing Fearless Golf
Book SynopsisAs Jack Nicklaus once observed, fear is the golfer's greatest enemy. It can turn you from a brilliant shot-maker on the practice range into an incompetent hack on the course. Most golfers understand this, but do not have the tools to overcome it. That's where pioneering sports psychologist Dr Gio Valiante comes in. Having studied the sources of an athlete's fear and its physiological and neurological impact on performance, he has developed a groundbreaking programme for conquering it.Emphasising the need to replace a fixation-on-results with a commitment to mastery of one's body and one''s mind, Valiante's approach will help golfers reach their true potential. Through concrete confidence and mastery drills, he presents specific ways to break free of fear's grasp and perform at your best even under the most extreme pressure. Fearless Golf is the ultimate guide to the mental game.Trade ReviewThe results speak for themselves. If you are trying to become a better golfer, I highly recommend that you take this book to heart -- Justin Leonard, 12-time PGA Tour winner, 1997 British Open ChampionThe results speak for themselves. If you are trying to become a better golfer, I highly recommend that you take this book to heart -- Justin Leonard, 12-time PGA Tour WinnerNot only has he made me a better player, his programme has helped me to enjoy the pursuit of personal improvement -- Justin Rose, 2013 US Open Champion
£15.29
Ebury Publishing Keep Calm and Pedal On
Book SynopsisIn the never ending streams of traffic and the choking fumes of pollution this book gives the average cycle enthusiast or, indeed novice, a collection of quotes, sayings and proverbs on even more reasons why one should get on their bike.In the format of the bestselling Keep Calm and Carry On, Keep Calm and Pedal On is the perfect gift for keen bikers. It is a book that will give a cyclist comfort in the knowledge that their passion for bikes is shared with some of world''s greatest leaders, personalities and authors.After all, in the words of John F. Kennedy, ''Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.''
£9.49
Ebury Publishing Proud
Book Synopsis**WINNER British Sports Book Awards SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR****Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award**Gareth Thomas had it all. Gareth’s inspiring and moving story transcends the world of sport to tell a universal truth about feeling like an outsider, and facing up to who you really are.Trade ReviewAstonishingly powerful * The Times *Proud offers an enthralling insight into a world and a struggle to which we are rarely given access… Thomas’ story is a harrowing reminder that sportsmen are as vulnerable as the rest of us… The honesty with which Thomas presents his many dark moments makes this an absolute must-read. An eye-opening glimpse into the inner turmoil of a national hero * Sport Magazine *Inspiring and moving * Daily Telegraph *Sensational * Rugby World *Achingly honest * Guardian *
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Interesting
Book SynopsisSteve Davis was just a rookie from Plumstead, south London, learning how to play from an old book his snooker-obsessed father had given him, when an encounter with Barry Hearn changed his life forever. With his backing, Steve began touring the country in a clapped-out car as an amateur. Challenging established professionals and winning titles, supported by his loyal following the Romford Roar, it wasn't long before he progressed to the world's stage.By the eighties, Steve had helped transform a previously shady sport into a national obsession. He and a cast of legends such as Ray Reardon, Dennis Taylor and Alex Higgins, with other young guns like Jimmy White, were doing silent battle in front of huge audiences. Tens of millions of viewers would witness the nail-biting conclusions of his world championship finals; this was snooker's golden era.The man behind the boring' tag has always been the sport's smartest and sharpest man. With his cool, obsessive approach, Steve rewrote the rule book and became untouchably the best player in the world and the best paid sportsman in the country. Interesting lays it all bare: what it was like to win in those pressure-cooker situations; how to cope at the top, when everyone wants you to lose; and how you deal with the moment when a man comes along who is finally better than you. This is a memoir that closely evokes the smoke-filled atmosphere of those arenas, the intrigue behind the scenes and the personal psychology and sacrifice that is required to stay at the top of such an exacting sport.
£15.29
Ebury Publishing Hell and High Water
Book SynopsisIn 2012 Sean Conway gave up his photography job to try to break the record for cycling around the world. His dream came to an abrupt end when he was hit by a truck and badly injured in Arkansas, USA. After two weeks of recovery he managed to get back on his bike and continue his journey. In 2013 he became the first person to swim the length of Britain. Sean has also cycled the length of Britain and in 2015 he ran it unsupported, making him the first person to complete a British triathlon'. Sean has also climbed Kilimanjaro dressed as a penguin and once dislocated his shoulder cheese-rolling in Gloucestershire. He lives in Cheltenham and is currently restoring a Second World War boat. www.seanconway.comTrade ReviewHellish ... Conway is hardcore * Evening Standard *Britain's most inspiring maniac * Shortlist *
£13.49
Ebury Publishing Cycling the Earth A Lifechanging Race Around the
Book SynopsisSean Conway was stuck in a life dead end of his own making when he heard about a round the world cycling race. He was immediately inspired but it was a huge undertaking and he'd hardly been on a bike in years. Could he really cycle all the way round the world, solo and unsupported?Six months later, after completing a punishing training schedule and packing up everything he owned into boxes, Sean was in Greenwich Park on the start line of the adventure of a lifetime. Soon he was way ahead of schedule, averaging 180 miles per day, and on course to break the round the world cycling record. But then disaster struck, and Sean was forced to confront the possibility that he may not be able to complete the race...In the course of his 16,000-mile journey, Sean travelled the famous pan-American highway across the Atacama Desert, outran tornados, relied on fellow travellers to ferry water across the Australian outback, and inadvertently joined a cycle club in Mumbai. He learntTrade ReviewConway is hardcore * Evening Standard *Britain's most inspiring maniac * Shortlist *
£14.39
Ebury Publishing Footnotes
Book SynopsisRunning is not just a sport. It reconnects us to our bodies and the places in which we live, breaking down our increasingly structured and demanding lives. This book explores human desire to run. It shows why feeling the earth beneath our feet is a necessary and healing part of our lives.Trade ReviewA wonderfully subtle and ambitious book -- P.D. Smith * Guardian *Insightful and intoxicating. Vybarr Cregan-Reid's book makes you take your shoes off and run through a world of ideas about nature. -- Lynne TrussDelightful * The Times Literary Supplement *Footnotes is a blazing achievement. -- Kate Norbury * Caught by the River *Few have done it so artfully and completely. -- Oliver Balch * Literary Review *Here is a book in which the striding energy of the prose matches its subject. -- Iain SinclairWonderfully authoritative vindication of what ought to be a self-evident truth: that running should be about being alive, not being a consumer. * Richard Askwith - author of Running Free: A Runner’s Journey Back to Nature *It’s hard to imagine a more compelling or poetic running companion than Vybarr Cregan-Reid. He inspires us not just to run, but to be truly alive while we are doing it. -- Scarlett ThomasA brilliant, broad-ranging and beautiful book. Like a great run into a wild landscape, it opens the heart and the mind, taking you off into the unknown, delighting at every turn and returning you changed for the better. -- Rob Cowen - author of Common Ground
£13.49
Ebury Publishing Froch
Book SynopsisCarl Froch was born in Nottingham in 1977. He is a four-time world champion at super middleweight and currently holds the WBA and IBF belts. His professional record is 33 wins (24 by knock-out) and 2 losses. He lives with his partner Rachael and their two children Rocco and Natalia.Niall Hickman is the boxing correspondent for the Daily Express. He previously worked with Ricky Hatton on his autobiography The Hitman.Trade ReviewThe saviour of British boxing * Daily Mail *Carl has fought, without doubt, the toughest list of world class fighters in succession. No other British fighter in history can claim such a record * David Haye *One of the finest fighters on the planet * Guardian *
£13.49
Cornerstone Final Rounds xiii
Book SynopsisFINAL ROUNDS celebrates a lifetime of golf shared by a father and son who take on a last trip together to the finest courses of England and Scotland. Their relationship is forged on the golf course, and whatever problems they have are worked out while smashing drives and lining up putts. But Jim''s father is 80 years old and just before they leave for a visit to the Scottish links where his father played during the First World War, he finds out his cancer has returned and he only has few months to live. The trip to the Scottish links takes on a new meaning, as they determine to honour their lives and love together (for each other, their families, and for the game). While playing the world-renowned courses as St Andrews and Muirfield, they encounter great golf lore and legend; but more importantly, a son learns the secrets of his father''s past and to admire his father even more than he thought possible. In the process, he takes home some very important lessons about the meaning of fami
£14.39
Cornerstone Dickinson M Death Zone
Book SynopsisIt seemed like any other season on Mount Everest. Ten expeditions from around the world were preparing for their summit push, gathered together to try for mountaineering''s ultimate prize. Twenty-four hours later, eight of those climbers were dead, victims of the most devastating storm ever to hit Everest. On the North face of the mountain, a British expedition found itself in the thick of the drama. Against all odds, film-maker Matt Dickinson and professional climber Alan Hinkes managed to battle through hurricane-force winds to reach the summit. In Death Zone, Matt Dickinson describes the extraordinary event that put the disaster on the front cover of Time and Newsweek. The desperate attempts of teams on the southern side of the mountain, fatal errors that led to the deaths of three Indian climbers on the North Ridge and the moving story of Rob Hall, the New Zealand guide who stayed with his stricken client, and paid with his life. Based on interviews with the suTrade ReviewDickinson's book reads like a thriller, pacy and exciting, [...] a real page turner * The Guardian *A gripping account of filming - and surviving - in the death zone * Mail on Sunday *Takes off like an F-16...After the first chapter I was starving for more and had trouble putting the book down * Wanderlust *
£15.49
Vintage Publishing Flame Of Adventure
Book SynopsisSimon Yates, author of Against the Wall, takes us back to his early years as a climber - the escapades and excitement of a young life lived on the edge and for the moment, when experience was all-important and dramatic achievements and failures came as naturally as the hair-raising risks themselves.A mountaineering travelogue of dazzling variety, The Flame of Adventure moves from the camaraderie of deprived Russian climbers in the little-known peaks in the Tien Shan to the awesome experience of the North Face of the Eiger, from a rumbustious motorbike ride across Australia with a psychotic lorry driver. We meet a remarkable gallery of climbers, from Doug Scott to Joe Simpson, and, when not exploring high mountains, we enter the bizarre world of rope access workers: mavericks balancing high above building sites on the London skyline.Trade ReviewSimon Yates' remarkable climbing journal, which offers the armchair alpinist a detailed account of lucky escapes, near disasters and more than a few triumphs, is one of the most readable mountaineering books currently on the market * Literary Review *
£10.44
Cornerstone The Villain
Book SynopsisDon Whillans has an iconic significance for generations of climbers. His epoch-making first ascent of Annapurna''s South Face, achieved with Dougal Haston in 1970, remains one of the most impressive climbs ever made - but behind this and all his other formidable achievements lies a tough, recalcitrant reality: the character of the man himself.Whillans carried within himself a sense of personal invincibility, forceful, direct and uncompromising. It gave him sporting superstar status - the flawed heroism of a Best, a McEnroe, an Ali. In his own circle, his image was the working-class hero on the rock-face, laconic and bellicose, ready to go to war with the elements or with any human who crossed his path on a bad day.Trade ReviewA packed and entertaining book . . . Exhaustively researched and beautifully written -- M. John Harrison * The Guardian *Wonderfully crafted . . . One of the most gifted chroniclers of mountaineering . . . Perrin records it all with a subtle sympathy, laying bare British mountaineering's most mythologized figure * The Independent *An extraordinarily rich and unsentimental vision . . . The genius of this exceptional biography is that it articulates both sides of Whillans' character . . . It is by turns funny and tragic . . . This is a fine book. It was worth the wait * Climb *Compelling, beautifully written . . . There could not have been a better writer qualified to tell it -- Ed Douglas * Climber *A kind of modern tragedy . . . Yet for all his failings, Whillans remains a legend * Observer *
£16.14
Vintage Publishing The Beckoning Silence
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 *
£13.49
Cornerstone Where The Mountain Casts Its Shadow
Book SynopsisClimbers who court danger in the world''s highest places risk far more than just their own skins. When tragedy strikes, what happens to the people who love them? Why would anyone choose to invest in a future with a high-altitude climber? What is life like in the shadow of the mountain? Such questions have long been taboo within the international world of mountaineering. Now Maria Coffey breaks this silence. She recounts climbers'' stories of near-death experiences, and gives a voice to the families and loved ones of Chris Bonington, Ed Viesturs, Anatoli Boukreev and Alex Lowe, amongst many other famous names. Her riveting narrative weaves tales of adventure with first-person accounts of the people left behind, highlighting the conflicting beauty, passion and devastation of this alluring obsession.
£15.19
Vintage Publishing The Natural
Book SynopsisBernard Malamud, one of America's most important novelists and short-story writers, was born in Brooklyn in 1914. He took his B.A. degree at the City College of New York and his M.A. at Colombia University. From 1940 to 1949 he taught in various New York schools, and then joined the staff of Oregon State University, where he stayed until 1961. Thereafter, he taught at Bennington State College, Vermont. His remarkable, and uncharacteristic first novel, The Natural, appeared in 1952. Malamud received international acclaim with the publication of The Assistant (1957, winner of the Rosenthal Award and the Daroff Memorial Award). His other works include The Magic Barrel (1958, winner of the National Book Award), Idiots First (1963, short stories), The Fixer (1966, winner of a second National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize), Pictures of Fidelman (1969), The Tenants (1971), Rembrandt's Hat (1973, short stories), Dubin's LivesTrade ReviewA rich original of the first rank -- Saul BellowOne of the best writers in the English language... His work embeds itself into one's consciousness and refuses to be dislodged * Sunday Times *The Natural by Bernard Malamud shows the agony, destruction and pathos that come often with great sports talent -- Sid Waddell, sports commentator * Independent *This book established that we could have a serious adult baseball novel by playing with the parallels between mythical elements in the game and mythical elements in literature * Chicago Tribune *Bernard Malamud's The Natural that still leads the field [for novels about baseball]. It is one of the landmarks of a period in US fiction when Jewish novelists dominated the scene with work of the highest ambition * Metro *
£9.49
Cornerstone Learning To Breathe
Book SynopsisAndy Cave was born into a mining family and is now a cutting-edge alpinist with several formidable first ascents to his credit. He has a PhD in socio-linguistics and is an IFMGA international mountain and ski guide.Trade ReviewA tale of split lives fused into one extraordinary story of adventure, laughter, tears and joy * Joe Simpson *A brilliant book, well-written, gripping, honest and very moving * Chris Bonington *Andy Cave's compelling autobiography is, like Joe Simpson's Touching the Void, a gripping book on mountaineering that will appeal even to those who didn't know they were interested in climbing ... Fascinating * Observer *Enthralling ... Cave's elegant writing draws on the congruence between mining and climbing, the black humour, the danger, the camaraderie ... Excellent * Independent on Sunday *The story of Andy Cave's transition from Yorkshire coal miner into one of Britain's best climbers echoes the heroic tones of Don Whillans or Joe Brown ... Thoughtful and often gripping ... Cave explains what it actually feels like to climb the kind of exceptionally dangerous routes that the rest of us, climbers or not, find unimaginable. There are few other climbers with the writing skills to be able to pull this off. There are fewer still who have led such an interesting and varied life as Cave * Scotland on Sunday *
£10.44
Cornerstone Back from the Brink
Book SynopsisQuite apart from his all too public struggle with alcoholism, the story runs through the surreal highs and calamitous lows of a life lived habitually on the edge of chaos.It is not just a football story.Trade ReviewAs survivor's tales go, this is brutalist epic...McGrath's narrative has a stark honesty. -- Sean O'Hagan * The Observer Sport Monthly *Continuing the trend of brutal honesty which was popularised by Paul Gascoigne's autobiography, McGrath's book is difficult to read for anyone with an ounce of human kindness, especially those who marvelled at his ability from the Old Trafford terraces... Beautifully written. * Manchester Evening News *Laceratingly honest...remarkably unflinching * Mail on Sunday *A startling, harrowing read... far removed from the churn-em-out footballing autobiographies...This is an uncompromising tale, wonderfully told, about one of our most talented and disturbed sporting heroes. -- Hugh Farrelly * Irish Independent *Heartbreaking...poingnant -- Robert Philip * Daily Telegraph *
£10.44
Cornerstone Travels With Boogie
Book SynopsisTravels with Boogie is the story of two city slickers - one an unattractive but streetwise mongrel from Stockwell, the other the long-suffering author - and how they came to terms with England''s countryside and waterways.First they had to survive against all odds as they embarked on a heroic journey up hill and down dale, with rucksacks full of Kennomeat, along Britain''s longest coastal footpath - from Somerset to Devon, from Cornwall to Dorset. And they did it. Then, undaunted, they took on the treacherous waters of the Thames. Not exactly as Mark had planned, however: this time his companion was to be the delectable Jennifer - but she was held up at the office, and when Boogie was dropped off at the kennels the other dogs complained.Travels with Boogie is a witty and fascinating account of a mismatched couple and of the people they meet and places they visit.Trade ReviewThe humorous travel book we've been waiting for * Daily Mail *
£10.44
Cornerstone Tomaz Humar
Book SynopsisIn August, 2005, Tomaž Humar was trapped on a narrow ledge at 5900 metres on the formidable Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat. He had been attempting a new route, directly up the middle of the highest mountain face in the world - solo. After six days he was out of food, almost out of fuel and frequently buried by avalanches. Three helicopters were poised for a brief break in the weather to pluck him off the mountain. Because of the audacity of the climb, the fame of the climber, the high risk associated with the rescue, and the hourly reports posted on his base-camp website, the world was watching. Would this be the most spectacular rescue in climbing history? Or a tragic - and very public - death in the mountains?Years before, as communism was collapsing and the Balkans slid into chaos, Humar was unceremoniously conscripted into a dirty war that he despised, where he observed brutal and inhumane atrocities that disgusted him. Finally he did the unthinkable: he left and finally arrTrade ReviewThe book is cleverly constructed, using the tale of the extraordinary and prolonged rescue effort on the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat as a coat-hanger for Tomaž's life and extraordinary climbs ... well-written and perceptive * Chris Bonington *The intense and penetrating biography of one of the brightest burning flames in modern climbing... McDonald empathises with Humar's passion, being a climber herself, and the resulting book is a must read for anyone with a love of pushing the boundaries. * Adventure Travel *A brilliant book ... This extraordinarily absorbing insight into Humar's originality ultimately compels the reader to participate personally in his decisions. Besides breath-taking descriptions of what happens on the mountains, this book most importantly helps us understand the main character as Bernadette McDonald sets him free from the swirls of mist. * Kurt Diemberger *
£15.19
Cornerstone No Ordinary Joe
Book SynopsisJOE CALZAGHE, winner of three consecutive ABA titles as an amateur (a post-war record) and the dominant super middleweight in the world for the past decade, was born in 1972 in Hammersmith, London, growing up from the age of two in Newbridge, Wales. After successfully challenging Chris Eubank for the WBO title, he has remained a super middleweight world champion for more than a decade. He has two sons, Joe and Connor, and lives in Blackwood.Trade ReviewNow this is what sport's all about ... His battles personal, and in the ring, make for fine fight game reading * Daily Sport *The portrayal in this autobiography of Calzaghe as a true warrior who is now enjoying genuine popularity is justified ... candid [and] a fine read. Go on, Joe! * The Independent *A knockout read * The Wharf *A frank, honest and truly inspirational autobiography ... No Ordinary Joe is a must-read for all sports fans * North West Evening Mail *Fittingly gritty * Telegraph *
£11.69
Cornerstone Thin White Line
Book SynopsisIn 1997, Andy Cave returned from the Himalayas, having climbed the stupendous north face of Changabang but losing his friend and climbing partner in the process. Traumatized by the savage ordeal, he must examine his relationship with the mountains that have defined his life so far. Will he have the courage to undertake such a challenge again? Does he want to? Thin White Line charts his struggle towards finding an answer. It is as much a journey into the mind of an extreme mountaineer as it is into the wild landscapes through which he travels. In a nail biting narrative set in Patagonia, Norway and Alaska, Cave tackles the severest challenges modern Alpinism can pose. Juxtaposed with the stark beauty of the environment are the colourful characters populating his stories, from the adventurers around him, past and present, to the pioneer aviators who get him and his kind to those impossibly remote places. He vividly recreates the joy and despair of climbing, building the book tTrade ReviewAn intriguing mix of travelogue, mountaineering history, geography and an affectionate portrait of the climbing fraternity * Financial Times *A skilful blend of dialogue and descriptive prose threading a narrative that captures the highs and lows of a mountaineer's existence and the environments he travels through... Plenty of action... Gripping * Climb *In Thin White Line, Andy Cave picks up the story after his epic on the north face of Changabang in which his partner was lost in an avalanche. He could have been forgiven for giving up climbing after the harrowing experience but he returns with a vengeance, climbing hard routes from Alaska to Patagonia * Daily Telegraph *Andy Cave's compelling autobiography is, like Joe Simpson's Touching the Void, a gripping book on mountaineering that will appeal even to those who didn't know they were interested in climbing * The Observer *
£15.19
Cornerstone Leap In
Book SynopsisAlexandra Heminsley thought she could swim. She really did. It may have been because she could run. It may have been because she wanted to swim; or perhaps because she only ever did ten minutes of breaststroke at a time. But, as she learned one day while flailing around in the sea, she really couldn't.Trade ReviewA joy to read . . . another triumph for Heminsley, a champion of sport in the truest sense, and a wonderfully compassionate voice. -- Kat Brown * Daily Telegraph *Genuine and persuasive * Guardian *This is a book that turns out to be about everything in life that cannot be calculated. Heminsley responds to life’s uncertainty by becoming decisive: “The grit was in the oyster now. It was the sea versus me…” It sets a remarkable example, and by the end it could not be more obvious: the true grit is not in the oyster but in Heminsley herself. -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *Alex Heminsley has the rare gift of being able to take a sport - running or swimming - that most of us find a bit daunting and fill the reader with enthusiasm for it. She comes to sport from the position of the ordinary person - and yet shows that it can change your life in an extraordinary way. -- Jojo MoyesMasterful * Irish Independent *
£10.44
Cornerstone Psychovertical
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE BOARDMAN TASKER PRIZE 2008Metro magazine recently wrote that Andy Kirkpatrick makes Ray Mears look like Paris Hilton. Words like boldness, adventure and risk were surely coined especially for him. As one of the world''s most accomplished mountaineers and big-wall climbers, he goes vertically where other climbers (to say nothing of the general public) fear to tread.For the first time, this cult hero of vertical rock has written a book, in which his thirteen-day ascent of Reticent Wall on El Capitan in California - the hardest big-wall climb ever soloed by a Briton - frames a challenging autobiography. From childhood on a grim inner-city housing estate in Hull, the story moves through horrific encounters and unique athletic achievements at the extremes of the earth. As he writes, ''Climbs like this make no sense ... the chances of dying on the route are high.'' Yet Andy, in his thirties with young children, has everything to live for. This is the pTrade ReviewPsychovertical is a powerful if intensely personal book, well written, sometimes brilliantly so. It charts Kirkpatrick's fractured upbringing and subsequent escape to a life of extreme climbing and close calls... He is a clear, spare writer, and a highly visual one. The descriptions of climbing are among the best I've ever read... Kirkpatrick chooses words with the same care that he chooses a wire. -- Ed Douglas * Climber *Kirkpatrick's autobiography sparkles with black humour...He writes with great eloquence on the fears of an extreme craftsman pursuing his crazy self-imposed task * Mail on Sunday *Thrilling ... Most compelling are his psychological battles, as self-belief and a dry sense of humour ultimately propel him to the top * Financial Times *Andy is one of the funniest of Britain's top climbers and represents what is best in modern British climbing: boldness, innovation, sense of humour, irreverence, commitment, and an appetite for risk. * Chris Bonington *Entertaining, funny and a bit mental * Zoo *
£10.44
Vintage Publishing The Wave
Book SynopsisA story about man confronting nature at its most ferocious.Trade ReviewAn enthralling story of... pursuit of the most mesmerizing- and terrifying- freaks of nature ever seen * Sunday Times *Arguably the best book yet written about big-wave surfing * Times Literary Supplement *Fascinating, heroic, dazzling, terrifying, amazing, mesmerizing, instructive, enlightening, superb. This is the Dragon Tattoo, Moby-Dick, Into Thin Air for our time * Globe and Mail *Examines big waves from every angle, and goes in deep with... mariners, wave scientists and extreme surfers... [A] wonderfully vivid, kinetic narrative * New York Times Book Review *Immensely powerful, beautiful, addictive and, yes, incredibly thrilling... Like a surfer who is happily hooked, the reader simply won't be able to get enough of it * San Francisco Chronicle *
£11.69
Cornerstone Wodehouse At The Wicket
Book Synopsis''The funniest writer ever to put words to paper'' HUGH LAURIE_____________________________________________From his early days Wodehouse adored cricket and references to the game run like a golden thread though his writings. He not only wrote about this glorious British pastime, but also played it well, appearing six times at Lords, where his first captain was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.Illustrated with wonderful drawings and contemporary score-sheets, Wodehouse at the Wicket is the first ever compendium of Wodehouse''s writings on cricket. Edited by cricket historian Murray Hedgcock, this delightful book also contains fascinating facts about Wodehouse''s cricketing career and how it is reflected in his work. The perfect gift for Wodehouse readers and fans of all things cricket._____________________________________''You don''t analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour'' Trade ReviewSublime comic genius -- Ben EltonP.G. Wodehouse wrote the best English comic novels of the century -- Sebastian FaulksThe funniest writer ever to put words to paper -- Hugh LaurieWitty and effortlessly fluid. His books are laugh-out-loud funny -- Arabella WeirCompulsory reading for anyone who has a pig, an aunt - or a sense of humour! -- Lindsey Davis
£9.49
Cornerstone Im Not Really Here
Book SynopsisPaul Lake was Manchester born, a City fan from birth. His footballing talent was spotted at a young age and, in 1983, he signed coveted schoolboy forms for City. Only a short time later he was handed the team captaincy.An international career soon beckoned and, after turning out for the England under-21 and B teams, he received a call-up to the England training camp for Italia ''90. Earmarked as an England captain in the making, Paul became a target for top clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool, but he always stayed loyal to his beloved club, deeming Maine Road the spiritual home at which his destiny lay.But then, in September 1990, disaster struck. Paul ruptured his cruciate ligament; sustaining the worst possible injury that a footballer can suffer. And so began his nightmare.Neglected, ignored and misunderstood by his club after a succession of failed operations, Paul''s career began to fall apart. Watching from the sidelines as similaTrade ReviewHis tale is one of incredible neglect, which makes for fascinating reading on a sporting, but mostly human level. * The Sports Diaries *Best football autobiography ever? Unquestionably * Metro *It's the best book I've read for a long time....Beautifully, powerfully written, it is particularly raw and unsparing... -- Oliver Holt * The Mirror *...an astounding football autobiography. * The Guardian *I'd be frightened to put a price on his head these days ... Paul was as good a young player as I've ever worked with. * Howard Kendall *
£10.44
Cornerstone Immortal
Book SynopsisDuncan Hamilton is the author of Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough which won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year for 2007. In 2009, he was awarded the William Hill again, for Harold Larwood, as well as winning the prestigious Wisden Book of the Year for 2009 and Biography of the Year at the 2010 British Sports Book Awards. He lives in the Yorkshire Dales.Trade ReviewIn putting together Immortal: The Approved Biography of George Best, it must be said that author Duncan Hamilton has done little to redefine the genre. Instead, he has done everything he can with it as it is, he has pushed it, refined it, stretched it, lovingly touched up every corner of it until it is almost as perfect as it can be. In short, Hamilton has essentially won biography writing. […] what makes thisbook so wonderful, [is] the way that Hamilton patiently sets the scene, apparently meandering indulgently through the back stories of incidental characters, but actually drawing the reader deep into the 1960s, imperceptibly marking out the structures of sport, society and celebrity that the shockwave of Best’s arrival obliterated. * Mirror online *[An]evocative account, though that should not come as a surprise. The former newspaperman has become one of sport’s foremost biographers and he is in excellent form here with this account of a footballer who was once his hero. * The Times *A marriage of prose and detail so fine and fastidious that it takes the breath away. * Independent *This compulsively readable book will not be the last written about Best, but it may prove to be the most illuminating. * Independent on Sunday *What Duncan Hamilton’s impressively researched, definitive new biography, published on the 50th anniversary of Best’s United debut, captures is the artistry of the little Ulsterman. * Daily Mail *
£10.44
Cornerstone Alive There Was Only One Way to Survive
Book SynopsisLOST1972. A plane has crashed in the Andes mountains. The passengers are hopelessly lost in one of the most isolated places on earth.ABANDONEDAlmost three months later, two of the survivors, emaciated and frozen, reach the authorities and lead a rescue team to the remaining fourteen passengers.ALIVEThe rescue team are shocked when they reach the crash-site. Food supplies have long gone, and the remains of the dead lie scattered among the fuselage. It is only too clear how these passengers have managed to stay alive ...Trade Review'One of the classic survival stories of all time - a story of the will to survive against impossible odds' * Daily Mail *Read's powerful account of the crash and its aftermath...what lingers are the moments of ingenuity, and the resilience of the human spirit. * Guardian *'It is inconceivable to me that this story could have been better told... a masterpiece of narrative' -- Graham GreeneRead handles the story so well * Evening Standard *An adventure story with a rare depth. * Seven *
£10.44
Cornerstone The Sure Thing
Book SynopsisNick Townsend was, for many years, a sports feature writer on the Daily Mail before joining the Independent on Sunday, initially as football correspondent and later chief sports writer. He is currently a freelance writer, predominantly for the Sunday Times. He collaborated with Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Ben Ainslie on their autobiographies. He is a long-time confidant of Barney Curley and assisted him with his acclaimed life story Giving A Little Back. He lives with his wife Louise in Oxfordshire.Trade ReviewNick Townsend tells the story with panache, helped by a close acquaintance with the Irish mastermind of the scheme, Barney Curley, a name which bookmakers have had reason to curse on several occasions… It gets properly into its stride when it focuses on the coup, which in its innovative daring calls to mind The Italian Job. * Independent on Sunday *The full story of how the legendary gambler does it is unveiled. It helps if you know your way around racing, but if you don’t this book will make you want to get clued-up fast. * Daily Sport *This is an enthralling read, extremely entertaining, and a revealing insight into one of horse racing’s most colourful, and controversial, characters * The Press *Fascinating… written with commendable skill and verve. It is a very readable book. Curley and his coups combine to make a unique story, well told. * Racing Post *This is a brilliant read. Love horse racing or not, you won’t be able to put it down once the action gets going. I just can't wait for the BBC to snap up the rights. * Wexford People *
£10.44
Vintage Publishing Haunts of the Black Masseur The Swimmer as Hero
Book SynopsisA new re-issue of the cult swimming classic, a beautiful read filled with detailed description and powerful prose.WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY AMY LIPTROTA luminously romantic history of swimming' GuardianHaunts of the Black Masseur is a dazzling introduction to the great swimming heroes, from Byron leaping into the surf at Shelley''s funeral to Hart Crane diving to his death in the Bay of Mexico. Bursting with anecdotes, Charles Sprawson leads us into a watery world populated by lithe demi-gods a world that has obsessed humans from the ancient Greeks and Romans, to Yeats, Woolf, Fitzgerald and Hockney. Original, enticing and dripping with references to literature, film, art and Olympic history, this cult swimming classic pays sparkling tribute to water and the cultural meanings we attach to it.This splendid and wholly original book is as zestful as a plunge in champagne' Iris MurdochTrade Review[Sprawson] has an ornate style of prose, apparently smooth, but rippling with wit and candour… Haunts of the Black Masseur was a delight when I read it first time round and 25 years on, it strikes me as even better -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Original and sparkling… A haunting, sensual, slippery read that will make you long for seaweed on your skin and sand between your toes. A must for swimmers -- Rebecca Wallersteiner * The Lady *A wholly original idea...a brilliant translation of a singular passion -- Alan Ross * Times Literary Supplement *A devoted and luminously romantic history of swimming * Guardian *An exhilarating plunge into some of the deepest pools inside our heads... Magnificently obsessive, this social and cultural history of swimming is the best book I read this year -- J G Ballard
£9.49
Cornerstone Touching Distance
Book SynopsisDouble Olympic gold-medal winner, James Cracknell. His story before and after his life-changing accident.In October 2011 James Cracknell, two-time Olympic gold-medal rower and one of the greatest endurance athletes the world has ever known, suffered a seizure at home as his young son looked on in horror. A man who had known no limits, a man who had practically achieved the impossible, was now struggling to master life''s simple challenges.A year earlier, as James undertook yet another endurance challenge in Arizona, he was knocked off his bike by the wing mirror of a petrol tanker. It had smashed into the back of his head at high speed, causing severe frontal lobe damage. The doctors weren't sure if he would recover and, if he did, whether he would ever be the same again.Touching Distance is an extraordinary, honest and powerful account as James and his wife Bev confront for the first time the lasting effects that the accident has had on their lTrade ReviewAn inspirational, powerful account from an incredible bloke with guts and determination. * Sir Bradley Wiggins *James is a modern-day Hercules. Every day brings a new challenge. * Clare Balding *A remarkable portrait of love, loyalty and determination - from both sides of a marriage. * Daily Mail *A rower's extraordinary story is movingly told. * Daily Telegraph *It is a deeply honest, compelling account. * Sun *
£13.85
Cornerstone The Nowhere Men
Book SynopsisWinner of The Times British Sports Book Award 2014. A fascinating insight into the enclosed world of football scouts in the UKA teenaged boy plays football in a suburban park. His name is Raheem Sterling. The call is made: Get down here quick. This is something special.Another boy is 8, going on 28. His name is Jack Wilshere. The referee, an Arsenal scout, spirits him away from Luton Town.A young goalkeeper struggles on loan at Cheltenham Town in League Two. His name is Jack Butland. Within months he will be playing for England.Welcome to football's hidden tribe. Scouts are everywhere yet nowhere, faceless and nameless, despite making the informed decisions worth millions. Award-winning sportswriter Michael Calvin opens up their hidden world, examining their disconnected lifestyles, petty betrayals and unconsidered professionalism of men who spend long, lonely hours on the road.Trade ReviewMichael Calvin charts the evolution of the sports’ scouts from chaotic beginnings to Moneyball-inspired analysis, and is enough to make you pay close attention when you next pass a kids’ kickabout in the park * Shortlist *‘Calvin’s book is excellent, a highly readable insight into the slog and grind of assessing talent.’ * Tottenham On My Mind *One of the ‘50 Best Sports Books Ever WrittenIn The Nowhere Men, Mike Calvin somehow manages to make the job of football scout sound like the most romantic existence imaginable. It also sounds bleak and deeply lonely. It is a fascinating insight into an often misunderstood and under-represented part of the sport, revealing the hours, dedication and struggles of men who love football and don’t know what they’d do without it. * Daily Telegraph *A magnificent book, full of extraordinary characters and beautifully told -- Rob Bagchi * Guardian *There’s a strong contender for the William Hill Sports Book Prize in Michael Calvin’s The Nowhere Men, a book revealing the hidden lives of football scouts. * The Bookseller *
£10.44
Cornerstone Common Ground
Book SynopsisAfter moving from London to a new home in Yorkshire, and about to become a father for the first time, Rob Cowen finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Disoriented, he ventures out to a nearby edge-land: a pylon-slung tangle of wood, hedge, field, meadow and river that lies unclaimed and overlooked on the outskirts of town.Trade ReviewOne of the most original books of 2015. -- Melissa Harrison * Books of the Year, The Times *Bold and beautiful. -- Robert Macfarlane * New Statesman *Cracking… Vividly and movingly described… Cowen writes very well. -- Alan Bennett * London Review of Books *Absolutely mesmerising, utterly beautiful, utterly engrossing – it takes a lot for a book to give me goosebumps but this one did. -- Joanne Harris * Simon Mayo Drivetime BBC Radio 2 *[A] multi-faceted, touched-by-genius exploration of a stretch of Harrogate wasteland. -- John Lewis-Stempel * Sunday Express, Books of the Year *Marks out Cowen as a new writer who is both entertaining and significant… Cowen’s descriptive writing is visceral and gripping… and his attention to colour is particularly striking. -- Richard Benson * Independent *Magical... Deeply original... a detailed nature study [and] a moving memoir... I became both intrigued and enchanted by this hybrid approach. -- Sara Maitland * Countryfile magazine, Book of the Month *Highly poetic... like an archaeologist, Cowen unearths histories, natural life and decayed infrastructure in a small area bordering the River Nidd... Above all, Common Ground is about the transformative power of this unnoticed piece of land, if one can only stand and stare for long enough' -- Serena Tarling * Financial Times *Highly poetic... like an archaeologist, Cowen unearths histories, natural life and decayed infrastructure in a small area bordering the River Nidd... Above all, Common Ground is about the transformative power of this unnoticed piece of land, if one can only stand and stare for long enough' -- Serena Tarling * Financial Times *Sensitive, thoughtful and poetic. Rob Cowen rakes over a scrap of land with forensic care, leading us into a whole new way of looking at the world. -- Michael Palin
£10.44
Vintage Publishing Two Wheels Good
Book Synopsis**SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023**''Full of delightful anecdotes and interviews and fascinating historical tales'' Mail on SundayA panoramic portrait of the wonderous vehicle whose passenger is also its engine.A toy, a tool, a liberator, or complete nuisance: the bicycle has been many things to many people over the decades, yet it endures as the most popular form of transport in the world. How has such a simple machine achieved so much?Combining history, travelogue and memoir, Jody Rosen reshapes our understanding of this ubiquitous vehicle from its invention in 1817 to its present-day renaissance as a ''green machine''. Readers meet unforgettable characters: women''s suffragists who steered bikes to the barricades in the 1890s, a Bhutanese king who races mountain bikes in the Himalayas, astronauts who ride a floating bicycle in zero gravity.By examining the bicycle''s past and peering into its fuTrade ReviewWhen I fell in love with riding a bike in New York City last year, what I found myself craving was a history-of the bicycle... that whoever wrote this history would find a way to make it personal and ruminative... Lo and behold: Jody Rosen has written that very book. My wish has come true and a door's been blown open. I got more than I knew I wanted * New York TImes *Two Wheels Good is full of interesting moments...and is often written with real verve... his [Rosen's] enthusiasm for what is sometimes described as mankind's "noblest invention" is infectious * Times Literary Supplement *The engaging tone of Rosen's memoir-travelogue-history is the grim cheerfulness of the urban cyclist. He gives a vivid sense of the cinematic pleasures of cycling through a city. * Spectator *A jovial historical narrative ... Rosen rightly get us to expand our narrow Western image of the bicycle to a global perspective [and] is skilled yet selective in navigating the complex and rich history of the bicycle, taking us across continents and through centuries ... a thoroughly enjoyable, and sometimes surprising read * Cycle *The bicycle has been loved and loathed... Rosen's vibrant history explores it all * BBC History Magazine *Comprehensive . . . [Two Wheels Good] often feels like a leisurely ride, full of spontaneous detours into unexpected delight. But what makes the book essential is its rigorous reporting * The Atlantic *The best thing I've ever read on a single subject... With curiosity, conscientiousness, and an exquisitely light touch, [Joden] makes a convincing case that the story of the bike is the story of modern life -- Lauren Collins, author of When in FrenchWide-ranging and inquisitive, Two Wheels Good is like an entire library of books on the bicycle -- Lucy Sante, author of Low LifeTakes us on a ride-across the centuries and around the globe, through startling history and vivid first-person reporting-offering not just a wry, rich, deeply researched meditation on the bicycle and our relationship to it, but the headlong rush of cruising on two wheels into the unknown -- Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain and Say NothingThe stores are filled with books on little things that changed everything, but Jody Rosen's new book offers us a real little thing-the simple bicycle-that really did change everything, from the shape of our streets to the inner life of our imaginations... this is social history as it ought to be written: funny, precise, surprising, anti-dogmatic and unafraid of following a story, brakes off, to wherever the tale might want to glide -- Adam Gopnik, author of Paris to the MoonLove for two-wheeled transport runs through every sentence in the book... anyone who goes about mostly on two wheels, in defiance of the ever larger, ever more numerous powered vehicles on the road, will enjoy this entertaining ride. * Economist *[A] complex cultural history. . . . The strength of Two Wheels Good is the journalist's eye [Rosen] brings to a basic technology that has had radically disparate identities at different times and in different parts of the world * Curbed *A lively biography of a tool central to the greening of urban spaces. It's also a fascinating, sweeping everyday explainer, moving from the bike's 19th-century origins to its importance globally * Chicago Tribune *Full of delightful anecdotes and interviews, and fascinating historical tales, Two Wheels Good will expand your understanding of what a bicycle is and what it can do * Mail on Sunday *An enthralling overview of a quiet transport revolution * History Today *A terrific book... Rosen covers all the aspects of cycling you could imagine * Reader's Digest *Excellent * Cycling Weekly *
£10.44
Cornerstone Living on the Volcano
Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015*A man punches the wall in a strategic show of anger. Another complains he has become a stranger to those he loves. A third relies on my three a day: coffee, Nurofen and a bottle of wine. Yet another admits he is an oddity, who would prefer to be working in cricket. A fifth describes his professional life as a circus. These are football managers, live and uncut. Arsene Wenger likens the job to living on a volcano: any day may be your last. He speaks with the authority of being the longest serving manager in the English game, having been at Arsenal for 17 years. The average lifespan of a Football League manager is 17 months. Fifty three managers, across all four Divisions, were sacked, or resigned, in the 2012-13 season. There were fifty seven managerial changes in the 2013-14 season. What makes these men tick? They are familiar figures, who rarely offer anything more than a glimpse into their personal and prTrade ReviewThe honesty in Living on the Volcano suggests that in an era of anodyne press conferences where so many managers speak a lot while saying little, giving fans an occasional glimpse of these feelings might be no bad thing * The Guardian *an illuminating new book...vivid journey on what it is really is to be a football manager * Independent *Arguably the greatest asset of Michael Calvin’s previous, award-winning book The Nowhere Men was its human insight into a shadowy, under-appreciated world. The trials and tribulations of scouting were vividly portrayed through interviews with figures unaccustomed to the limelight... What Living on the Volcano does so brilliantly, is pick up the recurring threads. The ‘band of brothers’ mentality that emerges is built on a mutual world of uncertainty, frustration, and ‘recurrent rejection and renewal’. Each chapter is cleverly connected to the next to reflect the fluid nature of the managerial merry-go-round… As a series of individual portraits, Living on the Volcano may seem like a book to dip in and out of. However, in doing so, there’s a danger of missing the power of the overall narrative. Bookended by former Torquay manager Martin Ling’s emotional story, this is a book about people and what it takes to do their intoxicating and exhausting job. Just as with The Nowhere Men, Calvin gets to the personal core of an impersonal industry * Of Pitch and Page *Brilliant stuff * FourFourTwo Magazine *an eye-raising insight into the realities of life in the dugout * The Times *
£10.44
Random House UK Roy of the Rovers
Book SynopsisTen league titles. Eleven FA Cups. Three European Cups. 481 goals across a 38-year playing career. A surprisingly high number of kidnappings. An assassination attempt. Not one, but two narrow escapes from earthquakes. A career-ending helicopter crash.My name is Roy Race. You know me as Roy of the Rovers. This is my story. From the five terrifying kidnappings that threatened to blight his playing career to the stomach-churning murder attempt in 1980, which left Roy in a life-threatening coma; from the sickening car bomb attack that tragically killed eight of Roy''s team-mates while on a pre-season tour of Basran to the horrific helicopter crash in 1993 that resulted in the amputation of Roy''s legendary left foot: this is the shocking tell-all autobiography of one of England''s greatest ever sportsmen.Candid, emotional, optimistic, strangely repetitive, full of crushing lows and dizzying highs, and bearing an inexplicable resemblanTrade ReviewThere can be only one contender for sports book of the year: Giles Smith’s Roy of the Rovers: the Official Autobiography. The man, the myth, the legend, the suspiciously large number of kidnappings – it’s all here * Guardian *Roy Race's nickname has become a standard description of heroic triumphs against the odds... Real Roy of the Rovers stuff. * Irish Independent *This chronicle is consistently superb; hilarious, yet veering at times towards the poignant … comic gold * The Times *it’s all delivered in the rich, full style of the typical football memoir. I looked at Alex Ferguson’s for comparison and there isn’t a cigarette paper between them. It is a glorious achievement. * The Guardian *
£12.88
Cornerstone The Football Managers Guide to Football
Book SynopsisIain Macintosh was the co-author of 2012's surprise Backpage Press hit 'Football Manager Stole My Life'. A football writer by trade, he's written for newspapers, magazines and websites around the world including: Sports Illustrated, ESPNFC, The Blizzard and the Irish Examiner. This will be his eighth book.
£10.44
Vintage Publishing Dark Shadows Falling
Book SynopsisIn 1992, an Indian climber was left to die on the South Col of Mount Everest by other climbers who watched his feebly waving hand from their tent. He was filmed in his last hours for a television feature. Why did onlookers not hold the dying man''s hand and comfort him? The answer appals Joe Simpson, who was himself left for dead in a cervasse in Peru in 1985 - ''because it might compromise their summit bid''. It is an ethical question that Joe is forced to confront as he climbs a hazardous route on Pumori. Now that Everest has become the playground of the rich, where commercial operators offer guided tours to the top, camping admist the detritus and unburied corpses of previous less fortunate climbers, Joe wonders if the noble instincts that once characterised mountaineering have been irrevocably displaced - as in politics, in business, in the media and in other facets of society.Trade ReviewSimpson writes better on the darker side of mountaineering than any man alive -- Paul Johnson * The Times *His concern is that the strong ethics and selfless instincts that have characterised mountaineering in the past are being eroded by modern-day ambition, selfishness and greed -- Audrey Salkeld * Sunday Times *Simpson is an elegant stylist and as usual his prose is laced with humour * Daily Telegraph *An astonishing first chapter describes thoughts and feeling of a mountaineer slowly dying on Everest, while other climbers relax in a tent a few feet away. They know he is dying but ignore his feeble wave. Simpson is horrified that such selfishness should gradually invade the mountaineering fantasy -- Brian Masters * Mail on Sunday *
£15.19
