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When we compiled our first 10-best list of sports books,
we got so many nominations that we decided to go into literary overtime and share
10 more works that have entertained, instructed and inspired us.
The Best American Sports Writing of the Century
Edited by David Halberstam and Glenn Stout
Curl up with 50 great stories from such masters as Tom Wolfe, Jimmy Breslin, Red
Smith and Frank Deford. David Halberstam (a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian) and
Glenn Stout have compiled articles on everyone from Muhammad Ali to stock car
racer Junior Johnson.
Bike Cult
By David B. Perry
This 570-page book’s subhead is “The ultimate guide to human-powered vehicles,”
and it’s hard to argue with that. Busting with more than 500 illustrations, Bike
Cult is a bible for everything two-wheeled-from history to politics and from
sport to culture.
Can You Make a Living Doing That?
By Brad Kearns
Anybody who has dreamed of being a professional endurance athlete should read
this funny, self-effacing account by former pro triathlete Brad Kearns. It offers
a fascinating peek into a life that’s not as glamorous as you might think.
Curious George Rides a Bike
By Hans Augusto Rey
Okay, it’s not strictly a sports book, but we loved it as kids and still find it
irresistible now. George, a monkey who lives with the man with the yellow hat,
receives a bike for his birthday and tries to help a boy with his paper route—but
gets into all kinds of trouble.
The Essential Triathlete
By Steven Jonas
A fine, friendly how-to for multisport beginners. Lots of common-sense advice,
clearly presented.
Godforsaken Sea
By Derek Lundy
A gripping chronicle of the 1996–97 Vendee Globe, a 13,000-mile, single-handed
sailboat race through the perilous Southern Ocean. Derek Lundy follows the fates
of the 14 men and two women who battled the sea in this five-and-a-half-month
race.
Major Taylor: The Extraordinary Story of a Champion Bicycle Racer
By Andrew Ritchie
Few today have heard of Major Taylor, but he was the world’s greatest black
athlete at the turn of the century. Andrew Ritchie relates Taylor’s battle against
prejudice and his struggle to become a national and world champion bike racer,
with revealing glimpses of black life 100 years ago.
Making the Marathon Your Event
By Richard Benyo
Written for “those of us who are slow of step and lumbering of foot,” this
charming book shows how to run 26.2 miles and conveys the passion this classic
distance elicits. An excellent running partner.
Solo Faces
By James Salter
A quick, lyrical read about climbing in the Alps, this novel captures the feeling
of the sport. The Washington Post compared it to work by Camus.
Sports Psyching
By Umberto Tosi and Thomas Tutko
The mental side of sport is huge, yet it’s tough to find a book that’s more than
vague advice and warm, fuzzy feelings. But Thomas Tutko (a psychology professor
and co-founder of the Institute of Athletic Motivation) and Umberto Tosi show how
to perform your best by overcoming tension, fear and frustration.
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