Whether you’re in the heat of March Madness, looking forward to Opening Day, or training for your next marathon, this winning team of books is perfect for sports fans.
Nothing But Net:
Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me: A Memoir by Kenny Smith
A poignant, humorous, behind-the-scenes memoir from Kenny “The Jet” Smith—superstar basketball commentator, host of top-rated Inside the NBA, and two-time NBA champion. Smith reveals memorable inside stories of his playing and broadcasting careers, focusing on the star players, coaches, and mentors who inspired him along the way.
In this honest and deep memoir, Kenny writes chapters about each of the extraordinary people who taught him invaluable life lessons. Ultimately this is a revealing, humorous, powerful memoir, offering a candid glimpse inside the rarified world of elite sports and broadcasting, with inspiring takeaways.
Ultimately this is a revealing, humorous, powerful memoir, offering a candid glimpse inside the rarified world of elite sports and broadcasting, with inspiring takeaways.
Available May 9th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History by Dana O’Neil
The definitive, compulsively readable story of the greatest era of the most iconic league in college basketball history—the Big East.
“This book, full of long-standing rivalries, unmatched moments in the lives of coaches and players, and juicy insider gossip, is, like the game of basketball, a ton of fun.”—Philadelphia magazine
“This book captures the inside of a special time in Big East basketball. If you love the game, this book is a must read!”—Jim Calhoun, former University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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How Basketball Can Save the World: 13 Guiding Principles for Reimagining What’s Possible by David Hollander
A thought-provoking exploration of how basketball—and the values rooted in the game—can solve today’s most pressing issues, from the professor behind the popular New York University course.
“Professor Hollander makes the case for basketball as a philosophy—as a required subject like math, science, history, or literature. I’m ready to get my PhD.”—Charles Barkley, NBA All-Star, Inductee Basketball Hall of Fame
“If we are going to think and act in new ways about inclusion, gender and equity, then we need new ideas and new language. Professor Hollander shows us how basketball is that new way and that new language.”—Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President and WNBA Champion, MVP, 7-time All-Star
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Designated Hitters:
Welcome to the Circus of Baseball: A Story of the Perfect Summer, at the Perfect Ballpark, and the Perfect Time by Ryan McGee
A gloriously funny, nostalgic memoir of a popular ESPN reporter who, in the summer of 1994, was a fresh-out-of-college intern for a minor league baseball team. Madness and charm ensue as Ryan McGee spends the season steeped in sweat, fertilizer, nacho cheese sauce, and pure, unadulterated joy in North Carolina with the Asheville Tourists.
“A sweet and funny book that reminds us it’s not just the game itself that draws us. It’s also the people.”—Tom Verducci, MLB Network, Fox & Sports Illustrated, and New York Times bestselling author of The Yankee Years
Available April 4th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Banana Ball: The Unbelievably True Story of The Savannah Bananas by Jesse Cole with Don Yaeger
The Savannah Bananas have peeled back the game of baseball and made it fun again.
Fast, fun, and outrageously entertaining, Banana Ball brings fans right into the game. The Bananas throw out a first banana rather than a ball. Their first-base coach dances to “Thriller” or Britney between innings. Players run into the crowd to hand out roses. And the rules themselves are bananas: if a fan catches a foul ball it’s an out; and players might go to bat on stilts or wearing a banana costume. And their fans absolutely love it.
“To hell with designated hitters: This baseball-like game makes up the rules as it goes along. This particular circus is reimagining baseball as a game that not only purists and traditionalists can love. Anyone who can think outside the diamond will enjoy Cole’s entertaining yarn.”—Kirkus Reviews
Available May 16th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Can I Kick It?
Switching Fields: Inside the Fight to Remake Men’s Soccer in the United States by George Dohrmann
A Pulitzer Prize–winning sports journalist unravels why the United States has failed to produce elite men’s soccer players for so long—and shows why a golden era just might be coming.
“George Dohrmann is one of our most perceptive chroniclers of youth sports in the United States, and here he brings his keen eye to the history and present of U.S. men’s soccer development.”—Grant Wahl, CBS Sports analyst and New York Times bestselling author of Masters of Modern Soccer
“Essential reading for anyone wanting to understand why the U.S. men’s team has disappointed in the past but should have a brighter future ahead . . . This optimistic book is a pleasure to read.”—Simon Kuper, New York Times bestselling co-author of Soccernomics and author of The Barcelona Complex
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions
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The Keeper: Soccer, Me, and the Law That Changed Women’s Lives by Kelcey Ervick
A beautifully illustrated coming-of-age graphic memoir chronicling how sports shaped one young girl’s life and changed women’s history forever.
“The Keeper is a triumph! Kelcey Ervick’s rollicking visual storytelling makes this information-packed lesson in women’s sports history both hilarious and surprisingly moving. Do not be deceived by her loose, exuberant drawings—the level of writerly control at play in this beautiful book is prodigious.”—Alison Bechdel, author of the New York Times bestselling Fun Home and The Secret to Superhuman Strength
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
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On the Ice:
Down and Back: On Alcohol, Family, and a Life in Hockey by Justin Bourne
For readers of Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father and Hockey Confidential, Down and Back tells broadcaster Justin Bourne’s story of following his Hall-of-Fame father not only to the NHL, but also into rehab.
“An important, endlessly compelling read.”—James Duthie, TSN sportscaster and bestselling author of The Guy on the Left
“I learned from this book. A fascinating story about life and the challenges Justin faced and continues to face. Well worth the read!”—Brian Burke, president of hockey operations of the Pittsburgh Penguins and bestselling author of Burke’s Law
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
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Touchdown!:
The Yards Between Us: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Football by R.K. Russell
A groundbreaking memoir from professional NFL player, writer, and advocate R.K. Russell, who made history by becoming the first out active NFL player to identify as bisexual.
Told through the people and moments that have shaped him, Russell traces the highs and lows of his life in and out of football.
Through being cut, injured, and frustrating setbacks, Russell’s confidence lags as the secret of his sexuality weighs heavier and heavier. And when that frustration is combined with the devastating loss of his best friend, the darkness that follows also brings a deep understanding that perhaps it’s time to make a change. In The Yards Between Us, R.K. Russell shows us the life-changing power of embracing who you are and fighting to make space so others can do the same.
Available May 16th in Hardcover.
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Going the Distance:
Choosing to Run: A Memoir by Des Linden with Bonnie D. Ford
Featuring both the story of an historic, unforgettable win and insight into the life of an indelible champion, Choosing to Run is a truly inspirational memoir from Boston Marathon winner and Olympian Des Linden, sharing her personal story and what motivates her to keep showing up.
“There are a lot of books by runners. Many of them are good. Few of them are as human as Choosing to Run. Because Linden knows herself as a human in essence and only contingently as a runner, she writes not for other runners only but for any reader who suspects they might be human, too. It is examples like these that make us so.”—Sport Literate
“With unusual honesty and rare insight, Des Linden shares her journey, showing us that a true champion is defined not by whether she wins the race but by how she runs it. I loved every page, and the morning I finished, I laced up my sneakers and went out the door inspired to do my best!”—Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Available April 4th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run by Martinus Evans
A practical guide and a celebration of running for runners of all sizes and athletic ability, from the founder of the Slow AF Run Club.
“As the founder of The Slow AF Running Club, running has changed Martinus’ life. And reading his story will change yours.”—Dean Karnazes, New York Times bestselling author of Ultramarathon Man
“FINALLY! A book that centers the nontraditional athlete. Through powerful and humorous storytelling and thoughtful exercises, Martinus empowers would-be-runners to step outside and become runners. If you’ve ever doubted whether running was for you, welcome home. Martinus has created space for you!”—Alison Mariella Désir, author of Running While Black
Available June 6th in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
Fueled by her years as an elite runner and advocate for women in sports, Lauren Fleshman offers her inspiring personal story and a rallying cry for reform of a sports landscape that is failing young female athletes.
“Women’s sports have needed a manifesto for a very long time, and with Lauren Fleshman’s Good for a Girl we finally have one.”—Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers and David and Goliath
“Good for a Girl is simultaneously a moving memoir and a call to action in how we think about—and train—girls and women in elite sports. It’s a must-read—for anyone who loves running, for anyone who has a daughter, and for anyone who cares about creating a better future for young women.”—Emily Oster, author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, and The Family Firm
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.
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