top athlete biography books

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The Best Sports Memoirs, According to Sports Journalists

Whether you’re a sports fan or just a history buff, looking back at sporting events has produced some of the world’s finest journalism. But it could be argued that no outside observers’ perspective can compare to being inside the heads of those who scored that game-winning point, series-winning run, or tournament-winning goal (or coached any teams that did). Which is why, with so many of our favorite sports still on pause as their leagues figure out how to resume competition, we realized getting lost in a good sports memoir could be the next best thing to spending hours watching a game itself. But with so many sports memoirs ghostwritten or scribbled in a hurry as a valedictory rite of passage, which ones are actually up to snuff?

To find out, we asked 17 experts — including sportswriters, broadcasters, and professors — for their recommendations. While their responses included memoirs written by many athletes who are household names, we also learned about stories told by others that the spotlight may have missed, and a few written by coaches or superfans with perspectives that are just as gripping as those of athletes who actually took the field. Read on for their picks, which we’ve organized by sport. In the tradition of our other reading lists, we’ve named any books with two or more recommendations as best overall. But we’ve also included titles emphatically recommended by just one person, for those who may want to dive further into any category.

Best tennis memoirs

Best overall tennis memoir.

Three people raved about this memoir, which journalist Jonathan Eig, the author of Ali: A Life , says “may be the all-time best-written memoir by a major athlete.” All who recommended it praised the book’s “shockingly” candid nature, pointing out Agassi’s honesty is especially rare for an athlete who was one of the most popular of his generation. “Few autobiographies have dared to show athletes so naked,” writer Sam Diss, the head of content at London-based soccer magazine Mundial , says, adding that Agassi is “not writing this book to stick the boot into old foes or people who screwed him out of money.” Instead, Diss says he’s “passed over, gone clear, and reveals his trauma and grudges with equal parts pain and catharsis, in a way that doesn’t feel point-scoring, but freeing.”

More recommended tennis memoirs

According to Dr. Amira Rose Davis, a Penn State professor of history and African-American studies who also co-hosts the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down , “the long history of black women in sport” is often obscured in sportswriting. But memoirs by black female athletes, which allow them to “narrate their own careers,” can “push us all to consider whose voices we are missing when we tell sports stories.” One of those women is tennis champion Althea Gibson, who wrote two memoirs that Davis recommends. “Gibson broke the color line at Wimbledon and was the first African-American Grand Slam champion,” she tells us. The first, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody, chronicles Gibson’s journey from childhood to the majors, while the follow-up, So Much to Live For, chronicles Gibson’s transition from the game to a golf career and beyond. Davis considers both essential reading, but notes that the details of Gibson’s post-career struggles in the latter work are especially poignant, and “serve as a reminder that being the queen of the tennis court is all well is good” but, as Gibson writes, “you can’t eat a crown.”

Editor’s note: These two books are now out of print and therefore priced higher than others on this list.

Another historic player, Arthur Ashe, remains the only black male tennis player to win Wimbledon (among other major titles). Marshall Jon Fisher, author of A Terrible Splendor says Ashe’s memoir has been one of his favorites since he was 12 years old. “Ashe told his life story in the context of a diary of one year on the tennis tour — Wimbledon 1973 to Wimbledon 1974,” Fisher tells us. “If only he’d known he would finally win the hallowed tournament in ’75, he might have waited a year. But then we wouldn’t have the same searching, melancholy masterpiece.”

This 1978 memoir of playing the world tennis circuit in the late 1950s and early 1960s is a “hilarious and poignant gem,” Fisher tells us. “In those days, the tour was more collegial, as well as more attainable for a cast of colorful characters more interested in seeking life experience than in becoming multimillion-dollar ground-stroke machines.” And lucky for readers, Forbes jotted down observations while he toured that “should entertain tennis fans forever,” according to Fisher.

Best baseball memoirs

Best overall baseball memoirs.

Three people told us about pitcher Jim Bouton’s book about his career with the New York Yankees and other teams in the ’60s. According to writer Daniel Okrent (who is credited with inventing the scoring system for fantasy baseball), it is “the memoir that broke the mold, earning Bouton the enmity of his fellow players and the applause of generations of fans” for its honest details of legendary players’ drunkenness, womanizing, and prodigious drug use (including some tales that, Okrent admits, “are less hilarious today”). Mark Kram, Jr., the author most recently of Smokin’ Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier , calls it a “bawdy tell-all” and an “instant sports literary classic.” Bouton was known for his wild knuckleballs, and Eig says that he “tossed the perfect knuckleball with this.”

This memoir by the one-time owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago White Sox was recommended to us by both Kram and former Grantland editor Rafe Bartholomew . “Baseball owners were a hidebound and altogether humorless bunch until Bill Veeck crashed the party,” according to Kram, who tells us that, “with a wooden leg, Veeck lugged home from the South Pacific in World War II, sent a dwarf to the plate, gave us the exploding scoreboard, and cooked up countless other promotional stunts that imbued a gray game with jump and color.” Kram says that Veeck’s memoir is “full of colorful tales and big ideas,” adding that he was fortunate enough to spend time with Veeck on a few occasions and that he “emerges in his book just as he was in person. One can almost hear his gravelly chuckle.”

More recommended baseball memoirs

Pitcher Jim Brosnan’s memoir focuses on his time playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds in 1959. Okrent says that the memoir about Brosnan’s “unexceptional season with two unexceptional teams remains the most honest — and, I suspect, most accurate — account of the daily life of a ballplayer that we’ve ever seen.” It wasn’t meant to be a book filled with shocking revelations, according to Okrent, but is now thought of as one thanks to Brosnan’s inclusion of the Cardinals’ trainer “distributing an early form of steroids and amphetamines to the players.”

This bittersweet memoir tells the story of Pat Jordan’s promising, yet unfulfilled career as a pitcher. According to Kram, it’s a “hall-of-fame, lyrical memoir of youth ascendant and the hard luck that spares only the fortunate few.” Jordan began his career as a highly regarded schoolboy pitcher in 1950s Connecticut before, as Kram tells it, “signing with the Milwaukee Braves and spending three years toiling in bush league outposts such as McCook, Davenport, Waycross, Eau Claire and Palatka.” Then, 13 years after the Braves handed him his unconditional release, he revisited that period to write this — and later become “one of our preeminent sports journalists.”

Dirk Hayhurst succeeded where Pat Jordan did not, according to Kram, who notes he actually pitched in the big leagues (albeit briefly). Kram calls this, his second memoir, a “small gem,” noting it unfolds around and during his 2008 season with the San Diego Padres and offers a “candid account of the obstacles that he faced during his climb to the highest league, including conflicts with his eccentric grandmother, alliances and tensions with teammates, and the jitters he overcame when he finally got the call and discovered he was indeed out of his league.”

Best basketball memoirs

Best overall basketball memoirs.

Seven people recommended basketball memoirs, with two directing us to this one by NBA great and former U.S. senator from New Jersey, Bill Bradley. Both Bartholomew and Mike Tollin , an executive producer of ESPN’s The Last Dance , recommend the 240-page book that chronicles just 20 days in the life of Bradley’s time as a professional basketball player. Tollin, who told us he first learned about Bradley’s prowess by reading John McPhee’s famous 1965 profile of Bradley’s college basketball career at Princeton, says that reading the memoir “gave me an even greater appreciation for his humanity, and rare insight.”

“This classic deserves a much wider audience,” Eig tells us (Bartholomew is also a fan, as is Barack Obama, who called it the “best basketball book I’ve ever read.”) At the time he wrote it, Rick Telander was a faded football prospect who spent his time freelance writing and playing pickup basketball games in New York City. The memoir tracks his time observing and playing games at Flatbush’s Foster Park in the mid-1970s, and Telander rotates between observer, player, and team coach, reflecting throughout on the darker reality his fellow players from low-income neighborhoods would return to once the sun went down. “I remember Telander’s beautiful sentences, which feature his keen eye for detail, and his effortless blend of sociology and sport,” Eig says.

More recommended basketball memoirs

New York Times basketball and culture writer Sopan Deb recommends this 1980 memoir by legendary Boston Celtics center Bill Russell (who is regarded as the NBA’s first black superstar). “ Second Wind , in which he famously refers to Boston as a ‘flea market’ of racism, is an honest accounting by one of the most important athletes in the history of mankind,” Deb says.

Editor’s note: Due to this book’s recent popularity and the fact that it hasn’t been reissued (yet), we’re seeing it priced higher than others on this list.

Northwestern University’s director of sports journalism , J.A. Adande (who also appears on ESPN as a contributor), told us this is not only his favorite sports memoir, but that Abdul-Jabbar’s “fascinating perspectives” on race, religion, love, and America itself from the 1950s through the 1980s make it one of his favorite books ever. According to Adande, even though Abdul-Jabbar is one of the greatest players of all time, “basketball feels almost like an afterthought” in this book, or “something he pursued because he was tall and suited for it, but not something he felt as passionately about as, say, jazz.” Adande notes that Abdul-Jabbar has gone on to write dozens of books and essays on timely topics, and that “you can see the genesis of those in Giant Steps .”

Sports journalist and broadcaster Taylor Rooks told us about this memoir written by Tim Grover, a basketball trainer. But she assures he’s not just any trainer: “Tim Grover is the legendary trainer to athletes like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Dwyane Wade.” The book, according to Rooks, focuses on the mental practices Grover taught these athletes (and others) to ensure they didn’t just have good seasons, but good careers. “It’s full of anecdotes and stories that make you feel closer to the players we all grew up watching,” she says, adding that it includes a favorite quote: “The only difference between feedback and criticism is the way you hear it.”

“My sports life has been consumed by two seminal NBA dynasties: the Michael Jordan Bulls and the Kobe-Shaq-Gasol Lakers,” sports and culture writer Dave Schilling says, adding that “those teams have one thing in common: head coach Phil Jackson.” According to him, anything Jackson wrote would have been a must-read given his shepherding of some of the greatest basketball players of all time, but Eleven Rings , which Schilling describes as memoir–cum–self-help book, goes the extra mile. “It gives an insight into how Jackson motivated his teams, which included a collection of massive egos, some of whom were not prone to taking orders,” he says. “It’s sort of a classic ‘Dad Lit’ book where the author delivers meme-able motivational insights.”

Best football memoirs

Best overall football memoir.

Four folks recommended books about American football, with three specifically highlighting George Plimpton’s memoir of his weeks-long athletic career (Plimpton, of course, is best known for helping to start the Paris Review). Diss describes the book as “the perfect encapsulation of a classic conversation starter: How long could you last in a match at professional level?” Spoiler alert: The answer, Diss points out (without giving the story away), is not long. “But Plimpton’s eloquence and brio propels this dive into American football in a way that’s both very funny and dredges up a newfound respect for even the lowliest pro athlete,” he explains. Okrent is also a fan, telling us “Plimpton’s weeks in uniform in the Detroit Lions’ training camp may have been a stunt, but the book is a gem. However bad Plimpton was as an NFL quarterback, he was that good as a writer — a truly winning combination.”

Another recommended football memoir

According to Rooks, this memoir, written by “one of the more polarizing figures in sports, forces us to ask many questions, especially ‘When does a person who did bad things qualify for the public’s forgiveness?’” Finally Free , Rooks says, tackles Vick’s search for that answer as he goes through his many controversies. “It stuck with me,” she says, “because it speaks to the idea that the bad things that happen to us shape us just as much as the good.”

Best soccer memoirs

Best overall soccer memoir.

While High Fidelity author Nick Hornby spent even less time playing professional sports than George Plimpton (a.k.a. no time at all), Fever Pitch was recommended to us as the ultimate fan’s memoir by three people, two of whom say they weren’t really fans of soccer before picking it up. The book “reads like a letter from a friend,” according to Diss, who describes the plot as “a fan in conversation with himself, in a doomed romance with his club, and asking what it all means to have those men chasing after a ball and those people standing there in the freezing cold and rain watching them do so.” Schilling says Fever Pitch was his entrée into the world of obsessive soccer fandom, telling us the prose “played right into my young-adult-male belief in intellectual and emotional purity. If you are going to love something — Arsenal, the Smiths, comic books, sketch comedy — you better love it to the point that it damages your ability to function in society or hold a job.” Sports journalist Sarah Baicker adds that you “probably don’t even have to care about sports to love the book, but if you do, as I do, you’ll recognize yourself in Hornby’s fandom.”

Another recommended soccer memoir

Wambach’s autobiography came recommended to us by sports reporter and commentator Kate Fagan . According to Fagan, the former star forward of the U.S. women’s national team “isn’t here to build her brand or make you love her, she’s here to be honest about her life, about her drinking, and about the inside workings about the peaks and valleys of being a professional athlete.” For that reason, she says that “if you want to really understand the grind of an athlete — read this.”

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•   The best sports books and autobiographies

The best sports books and autobiographies

From gritty sports autobiographies by olympic athletes and a multiple ballon d’or winner to explorations of marathon running and the cultural impact of football, here is a trophy cabinet of some of the best sports books jostling for position on the shelves..

Determined, competitive and possessing an impressive capacity for mental endurance – the characteristics that make great athletes often lead them to live extraordinary lives. Sports autobiographies offer us the opportunity to get the full story behind the goals, records and medals, as well as help us understand the wider impact of the athletic world off the field.

Whether your favourite sport requires a ball, an engine or even a hoof, here is a compilation of the best sports books and autobiographies out there.

• Running & athletics
• Other sports

The best football books

By chris kamara.

One of the most well-known faces of the beautiful game, Chris ‘Kammy’ Kamara is a national treasure. Now, he’s sharing the story of his incredible life. From his days in the Royal Navy and a playing career that took him all over England to becoming one of the game’s best-loved commentators, Kammy lifts the lid on a career that he could never have dreamt of growing up in Middlesbrough. Told with unflinching honesty, but with his trademark humour and positivity, this is a must-read for any football fan.

The World's Biggest Cash Machine

By chris blackhurst.

In The World's Biggest Cash Machine , Chris Blackhurst meticulously unravels the controversial reign of the Glazers over Manchester United. Purchasing the club in 2005, they ignited global discontent, driving it into record debts and marking the fiscal transformation of football. Despite on-field declines, they flourished financially. Blackhurst probes their secretive lives and business acumen, while mapping the club’s captivating journey amidst the Premier League’s metamorphosis into a billionaires' haven.

On Days Like These

By martin o'neill.

With a career spanning over fifty years, Martin tells of his exhilarating highs and painful lows; from the joys of winning trophies, promotion and fighting for World Cups to being harangued by fans, boardroom drama, relegation scraps and being fired. Written with his trademark honesty and humour,  On Days Like These  is one of the most insightful and captivating sports autobiographies and a must-read for any fans of the beautiful game.

Cheers, Geoff!

By geoff shreeves.

Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch – including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger –  Cheers, Geoff!  is a must-read autobiography for any football fan. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour.

The Age of Football

By david goldblatt.

For many people around the world, football is so much more than just a game. In The Age of Football , sport historian David Goldblatt widens the lens to trace how the game intersects politics, economics and wider culture. With focuses as diverse as prison football in Uganda, the presidency of Recep Erdogan and the importance of the beautiful game in the Arab Spring, David demonstrates the extent to which the sport impacts society today.

My Life in Football

By kevin keegan.

Whether it’s being the only Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or twice, achieving European glory with Liverpool or managing Newcastle from the bottom of the Second Division to the brink of winning the Premier League title, Kevin Keegan – known as ‘King Kev’ – has proven his pedigree both on the pitch and the touchline.  His autobiography details the highs and lows of an illustrious career, including clashes with Sir Alex Ferguson and his return to Newcastle during the controversial Mike Ashley era.

The best rugby books

The biggar picture, by dan biggar.

After fifteen years at the top of test rugby, Dan Biggar shares his story in The Biggar Picture . Known for his brash and aggressive playing style, Dan has faced critics throughout his career but remains one of the game’s most grounded figures. In this honest and self-reflective memoir, Dan delves into his rugby journey, from the Premiership to the Lions, and the dynamics within Wales' most successful squad. He offers an intimate look at his relationships with teammates, coaches, and managers, including Warren Gatland and Alun Wyn Jones. The Biggar Picture captures the highs, lows, and personal insights of one of rugby’s most compelling personalities.

by Rassie Erasmus

Rassie Erasmus, a rugby maverick, unfolds his unconventional journey from player to coach in the pinnacle of the sport. This candid account delves into his pivotal roles in iconic Springbok teams, grappling with injuries, and pioneering coaching methods. Most crucially, Rassie talks about his greatest contribution to South African rugby: appointing its first black captain, Siya Kolisi, without much fanfare or controversy. As his bold plans for effective racial transformation of the national team achieved immediate success, they culminated in glory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. 

Too Many Reasons to Live

By rob burrow.

The inspirational memoir from rugby league legend Rob Burrow on his extraordinary career and his battle with motor neurone disease.

This is the story of a tiny kid who adored rugby league but never should have made it – and ended up in the Leeds hall of fame. It's the story of a man who resolved to turn a terrible predicament into something positive –   when he could have thrown the towel in. It's about the power of love, between Rob and his childhood sweetheart Lindsey; and of friendship, between Rob and his faithful teammates. Far more than a sports memoir,  Too Many Reasons to Live  is a story of boundless courage and infinite kindness.

‘ He is one in a million and his story is truly inspirational ’ Clare Balding on Rob Burrow

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Belonging: the autobiography, by alun wyn jones.

Belonging  is the story about how as a boy, Alun Wyn Jones left Mumbles and returned as the most capped rugby player of all time. It is the story of what it takes to become a player who is seen by many as one of the greatest Welsh players there has ever been. What it takes to go from sitting, crossed legged on the hall floor at school, watching the 1997 Lions Tour of South Africa to being named the 2021 Lions Captain.

But is it also about  perthyn  - belonging, playing for Wales, what it takes to earn the right to be there, and what it feels like to make the sacrifices along the way. 

‘ Unbelievable player. Magnificent captain. One of the game’s greatest icons. ’ James Haskell on Alun Wyn Jones

by Eddie Jones

One of the most successful sports coaches ever, Eddie Jones took three separate nations to Rugby World Cup Finals, and enjoyed a success rate with the England team of almost eighty per cent. An expert in guiding and managing high-performing teams, Jones believes that his methods can be applied to many walks of life. From fostering ambition to following your curiosity, Jones shares his methodology, much of it learned through conversations with other successful managers and leaders, including Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola. Leadership  is the ultimate guide to being your best, in rugby and in life.

The best running & athletics books

The running book, by john connell.

John Connell, award-winning author of The Cow Book, takes the reader on a marathon run of 42.2 kilometres through Ireland. Over 42 chapters and 42,000 words, John reflects on his life, Irish history and the stories of his greatest running heroes. Whether you’re a keen runner or you’d just like to read what it’s like to undertake a marathon, The Running Book is the perfect endorphin-filled sports book about the nature of happiness and how it can be found on foot.

Unbelievable - From My Childhood Dreams To Winning Olympic Gold

By jessica ennis.

Jessica Ennis-Hill has been one of the poster girls for women in sport for years. Indeed, arguably the greatest moment of the London 2012 games came when Jessica secured her heptathlon gold medal. But her rise was beset with challenges. From being bullied as a child for being small to her career-threatening injury on the eve of the 2008 Olympics, Jessica has had to show plenty of perseverance to prove her doubters wrong. This sports autobiography tells the full story behind the world’s greatest female all-rounder athlete.

The best tennis books

My life: queen of the court, by serena williams.

Serena Williams needs little introduction, having won every major title going in tennis. From growing up playing on courts covered in broken glass in Compton to reaching the top of world tennis, all while being criticised for her unorthodox playing style and dealing with the tragic shooting of her older sister, Serena has proven herself an inspiration to her multitudes of fans. In My Life , she reflects on her extraordinary journey.

The Inner Game of Tennis

By w timothy gallwey.

Recently named by Bill Gates as one of his 'all-time favourite books', and described by Billie Jean King as her 'tennis bible', this bestseller has been a must-read for tennis players of all abilities for nearly fifty years. Rather than concentrating on how to improve technique, Gallwey deals with the 'inner game' within ourselves as we try to overcome doubt and maintain clarity of mind when playing. 'It’s the best book on tennis that I have ever read,' says Gates, 'and its profound advice applies to many other parts of life.'

‘ Groundbreaking . . . It’s the best book on tennis that I have ever read, and its profound advice applies to many other parts of life. I still give it to friends today. ’ Bill Gates

The best boxing books

When fury takes over, by john fury.

Born into a family of Irish traveller heritage, Big John Fury descends from a long line of bare-knuckle fighters. So it’s no surprise that he too found himself fighting outside the ring at a young age. From his early years in Manchester, John learned to box by practising fighting within the travelling community, before graduating into the sport professionally. The ring has never been far from his sights, and John has played a crucial role in coaching and being a cornerman for his two-time British heavyweight champion son, Tyson Fury. From Netflix's  At Home With The Furys  this is the Gypsy Warrior, Big John Fury, totally unfiltered and in his own words.

Believe: Boxing, Olympics and my life outside the ring

By nicola adams.

Nicola Adams famously changed the face of sport at London 2012 when she became the first woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal for boxing. Repeating her medal haul at Rio 2016 further cemented her place in the nation’s hearts, while she has also gone on to become a champion for  LGBTQ+ rights and a contestant on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Believe documents the grit and determination that got her to gold.

The best swimming books

By yusra mardini.

While Yusra Mardini was fleeing her native Syria for the Turkish coast in 2015, the small dingy she and many other refugees were on began to sink. Yusra, her sister and two others took to the water, pushing the boat for three and a half hours in open water until they arrived safely at Lesbos. Remarkably, Yusra went on to compete as a swimmer for the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and also became a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Her autobiography is for anyone who loves true-life stories of outstanding resilience.

by Diana Nyad

In the 1970s, Diana Nyad was widely regarded as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world but one record continually eluded her: becoming the first woman to swim between Cuba and the Florida Keys. Finally, after four failed attempts and at the age of sixty-four, Diana completed the crossing. This memoir shows her unwavering belief in the face of overwhelming odds. Winner of the Cross Sports International Autobiography of the Year, this is a story of perseverance, tenacity and commitment on an epic scale.

The best books about other sports

Jan ullrich: the best there never was, by daniel friebe.

In 1997, Jan Ullrich obliterated his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France. So awesome was his display that it sent shockwaves throughout the world of cycling. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich was the future of cycling. He was also voted Germany’s most popular sportsperson of all time, and his rivalry with Lance Armstrong defined the most controversial years of the Tour de France. But just what did happen to the best who never was? This is an account of how unbearable expectation, mental and physical fragility, a complicated childhood, a morally corrupt sport and one individual – Lance Armstrong – can conspire to reroute destiny.

by Poorna Bell

Have you ever worried that you're not enough, or that, if you were stronger or more confident you would achieve more? In Stronger , award-winning journalist and competitive amateur powerlifter Poorna Bell investigates and unveils the potential that women can unlock when they realise their strength – both physical, and mental. Through examining her own experiences, as well as those of dozens of women, Bell shows how finding strength can work for you, regardless of your age, ability or background, and offers actionable ways for your to harness it in your life. 

Lights Out, Full Throttle

By damon hill.

Amassing 261 Grand Prix appearances between them, Johnny Herbert and Damon Hill have experienced all the highs, lows and injury records associated with the greatest names in motorsport. In Lights Out, Full Throttle , Johnny and Damon take the reader on a tour around the high-octane world of F1 racing, from Silverstone and safety to Monaco and money, as well as looking at the future of racing in the light of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter.

Discover our children's Racing Legends series for young F1 fans

Alone on the wall, by alex honnold.

Anyone who has seen the Oscar and BAFTA-winning documentary Free Solo will be familiar with Alex Honnold’s vertigo-inducing work. As one of the world’s best ‘free solo’ climbers, Alex tackles perilous rock faces without the use of any climbing gear. Free soloists undertake one of the deadliest sports on the planet – many have died in pursuit of their sport. Alone on the Wall is a pulse-raising account of some of Alex’s greatest climbs, told with Alex ‘No Big Deal’ Honnold’s trademark calm and collected humour in the face of mortal danger. A sports autobiography for adrenaline junkies.

Dream Horse

By janet vokes.

Janet Vokes dreamed of breeding a working-class horse to take on the wealthy high-flyers. To pursue this idea she bought a mare for £350, bred it with a pedigree stallion and encouraged her Welsh mining village to band together to raise the resulting foal, Dream Alliance. Despite being raised on an allotment, Dream went on to defy the odds at Ascot, Aintree and even Cheltenham Festival. Heart-warming reading for anyone who loves a true underhorse sports book.

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50 Great Sports Biographies

There is something about a great sports story that transcends audiences. Perhaps it’s because we are seemingly hardwired to root for an underdog, or fight to overcome the adversity in our own lives. Whatever the reason, inspiring sports stories — and inspiring sports biographies, in particular — are some of the most successfully sold books on the market. These fifty sports biographies, all of which are ranked by Amazon as the highest rated and bestselling of their kind, represent the very best that sports has to offer. From baseball to horse racing, the books on this list are a showcase of true stories that are bound to move and inspire readers of all ages, backgrounds, and athletic ability.

I Never Had It Made

Jackie robinson.

Ben Bradlee, Jr.

Undoubtedly one of the best baseball players in history, Ted Williams was the last man to hit .400 in a season. He was also insecure, a flawed husband and father, a raging hothead, and aggressive towards the press. But Bradlee’s ambitious biography accounts for both the heroics and the darker side of a man Bradlee admits in the first pages to be his hero. Bradlee spent over ten years investigating the details of Williams’s 83 years, and even includes some disturbing tidbits about Williams’s death in 2002, such as when his head was severed and cryogenically frozen after his death. Link to Amazon

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

Michael lewis.

Michael Lewis’s bestseller is a biography of the 2002 and 2003 Oakland Athletics team and management staff. With a much smaller team budget than that of other teams, manager Billy Beane used a series of numbers and statistics to build a winning team. Among his recruits were an overweight college athlete, previously ignored triple A players, a tired catcher-turned-first baseman, and a number of older athletes discarded by bigger teams. Lewis’s account of these fascinating characters is considered one of the best books ever written about baseball, and inspired the film starring Brad Pitt as Beane. Link to Amazon

Babe: The Legend Comes to Life

Robert creamer.

Sportswriter Robert Creamer’s extensive biography of Babe Ruth follows baseball’s most famous figure from his early childhood to his abrupt end. Originally published in 1974, a time when many of Ruth’s contemporaries were still living, Creamer’s book is a fascinating look into both baseball and life in the early twentieth century. The hardcore baseball fan will appreciate the stats and vivid descriptions of some of Ruth’s most important games, while the casual baseball fan will get caught up in the Bambino’s celebrity and sometimes surprising character. Link to Amazon

Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life

Richard ben cramer.

In this book, Richard Ben Cramer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, brings to life one of the twentieth century’s biggest American heroes. Joe DiMaggio was an immigrant kid who achieved the American Dream, a New York Yankee who helped to usher the team into its current dynasty, and the sometime husband of the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. Upon its initial publication, however, Cramer’s book stirred up plenty of controversy. This is perhaps because Cramer does not hesitate to include the darker moments in DiMaggio’s life: his troubled marriage to Marilyn Monroe, his self-inflicted isolation, and living up to the impossible expectations set for him by America. Link to Amazon

Pete Rose: An American Dilemma

Kostya kennedy.

More than twenty-five years after Pete Rose’s banishment from baseball for gambling, the question of whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame is still as controversial as ever. Kostya Kennedy, an editor at Sports Illustrated, examines Rose’s life, from his early childhood to the baseball career in which he hit more base hits than any other player in history. Throughout the biography, Kennedy compares Rose’s talents — and mistakes — to others who have been found worthy of Cooperstown. Link to Amazon

Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher

Rob goldman.

During his 27 years as a major league pitcher, Nolan Ryan was named an All-Star eight times, pitched seven no-hitters, and threw more than 5,700 strikeouts. Ron Goldman’s comprehensive biography follows Ryan from the start of his professional career in 1965 to his retirement in 1993. Goldman also includes anecdotes and personal recollections from various coaches, stadium workers, fans, trainers, and players in an attempt to fully discover and illustrate what makes Ryan one of history’s most beloved and respected ball players. Link to Amazon

They Called Me God: The Best Umpire Who Ever Lived

Doug harvey.

While there are hundreds of biographies written about baseball players, there are far fewer about those behind the scenes. Doug Harvey was a California farm boy and minor league umpire before hard work and dedication helped him break into the big leagues in 1962. They Called Me God is Harvey’s account of the things he saw from his spot behind the plate. Some of the book’s more memorable stories include Roberto Clemente’s three-thousandth hit, the contentious 1968 World Series, and laying down the law with legendary managers like Tommy Lasorda and Joe Torre. Link to Amazon

Mariano Rivera

When he was recruited by the New York Yankees, Mariano Rivera did not own a glove, had never flown in an airplane, could not speak English, and had never heard of Babe Ruth. Rivera’s bestselling autobiography tells the story of his evolution from the son of a poor fisherman in Panama to one of the greatest relief pitchers of all time. In addition to stories about the Yankees, the discovery of his iconic fastball, and the 2001 World Series, Rivera very honestly describes the challenges that come with being both a latino and a Christian in the world of professional baseball in the United States. Link to Amazon

The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg

Nicholas dawidoff.

Moe Berg’s baseball card is the only one of its kind on display at CIA headquarters. This is because in addition to his 15-year career as a catcher for the New York Robins and Chicago White Sox, Berg served as a spy for the OSS (the CIA’s predecessor) during World War II. Though there are not many known, definitive facts about Berg’s life, Nicholas Dawidoff follows Berg’s career from pitcher, to law professor at Columbia University, to OSS spy investigating Nazi Germany’s atomic bomb program. Link to Amazon

The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter

Ian o’connor.

In this bestselling book about one of our most beloved sports figures, author Ian O’Connor investigates Derek Jeter’s early life as a biracial kid in Michigan, to his struggles as a minor leaguer. Reflecting more than fifteen years of unique access to Jeter, O’Connor records the Yankee superstar’s journey to becoming the Prince of New York, while faithfully offering a glimpse into Jeter’s hidden struggles and complexities. Included in the book are Jeter’s tense battles with former best friend Alex Rodriguez, and the contentious final contract negotiations with the only team for which Jeter ever cared to play. Link to Amazon

Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball

R.a. dickey.

As an English Lit graduate of the University of Tennessee, pitcher R.A. Dickey was the number one draft pick by the Texas Rangers — only to be sidelined by an unlucky x-ray discovery. Nearly ten years later, Dickey had climbed his way back onto the pitcher’s mound only to give up a record six home runs in only three innings. Still Dickey persevered and became one of the premier pitchers in Major League baseball during the 2010 season. Wherever I Wind Up is Dickey’s story of redemption, beating his demons, overcoming odds, and keeping his faith in the face of adversity. Link to Amazon

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero

David maraniss.

Roberto Clemente had over 3,000 hits during his 17-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He won four batting titles, led his team to two championships, and was one of only two players to have the five-year waiting period waived before his induction into the Hall of Fame. In this acclaimed biography, bestselling author David Maraniss passionately details the life of both Clemente the Man and Clemente the Myth, beginning with Clemente’s entrance into baseball as one of the first Puerto Rican players, to his untimely death in a plane crash. Link to Amazon

Imperfect: An Improbable Life

Jim abbott, tim brown.

Pitcher Jim Abbott was an ace pitcher at the University of Michigan, won the gold medal game at the 1988 Olympics, and cracked the Major League starting rotation without ever playing in the minor leagues — all without a right hand. In his memoir, Abbott offers honest insight into the countless challenges he faced on his path to the Major Leagues, the insecurities he dealt with, and his many meaningful encounters with disabled children. Abbott also includes a pitch-by-pitch account of his famous no-hitter. Link to Amazon

Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back

Josh hamilton.

Eleven Rings

Phil jackson.

Wooden: A Coach’s Life

There is no college basketball coach more famous than John Wooden. The UCLA coach led his team to an 88-game winning streak that included ten NCAA championships in twelve seasons. Seth Davis, a journalist for Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports, conducted more than two hundred interviews with players, opponents, coaches, and even Wooden himself, to write this detailed and inspiring account of Wooden’s long and successful career. Also included in Wooden’s story are anecdotes and memories from some of Wooden’s players, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, and Walt Hazzard, among others. Link to Amazon

Michael Jordan: The Life

Roland lazenby.

Hailed as the definitive biography of basketball’s most legendary player, Michael Jordan: The Life follows Jordan’s career from college to the pros, and beyond. To piece together this account of Jordan’s career from college to the pros, author Roland Lazenby interviewed coaches, friends, teammates, family members, and even Jordan himself. Though Lazenby faithfully recreates Jordan’s most spectacular moments and games, he also rightfully sheds light on Jordan’s mentality of ruthless competition and affinity with gambling. Link to Amazon

In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court

Brittney griner.

Arguably the world’s most famous female basketball player, Brittney Griner was the number one draft pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, has become known as a dunking phenom and national sensation, and was recently referred to by Sports Illustrated as “the sport’s most transformative figure.” But In My Skin is the painfully honest account of Griner’s life as both the star of the Phoenix Mercury, and the long-time target of vicious bullying. By reflecting upon her most painful experiences, Griner sends a powerful message about the importance of staying true to oneself. Link to Amazon

Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich

Mark kriegal.

As a college player at Louisiana State University, Pete Maravich scored an average of 44.2 points per game. Setting records unlikely to ever be beat, “Pistol Pete” was a basketball icon for people of all ages. In Pistol, author Mark Kriegal illuminates the much darker parts of the Maravich family, from Pete’s demanding, basketball-obsessed father to the hundreds of contradictions exhibited by Maravich himself. Kriegal’s Maravich family history doubles as a history of basketball and a narrative on American fathers and sons. Link to Amazon

Larry Bird has been called the greatest all-around player in the history of basketball, but very little is really known about the famously private superstar. In his honest and insightful memoir, Bird reveals the rarely-seen side of himself. Among the things he discusses are his famous transfer from Bobby Knight’s Indiana University, his father’s suicide, the Isaiah Thomas controversy, and the intense Celtic-Laker rivalry. Bird also includes his feelings about players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Dominique Wilkins, among others. Link to Amazon

Muhammad Ali

Thomas hauser.

In this bestselling biography, Thomas Hauser tells the incredible story of Muhammad Ali — from his childhood, to his gold medal fight at the Rome Olympics, to his epic battles against Joe Frazier, and beyond. Using the words of more than 200 of Ali’s friends, family members, opponents, world leaders, and others, Hauser composites a portrait of a religious, mercurial, generous, competitive, and extraordinary man. Hauser is an unapologetic admirer of Ali, though spins both his admiration and facts into a cohesive and faithful account of Ali’s life and career. Link to Amazon

Undisputed Truth

Mike tyson and larry sloman.

There many be no other athlete in all of sports who has defied convention the way Mike Tyson has. In addition to being one of the most ferocious boxers of all time, Tyson is a philosopher, broadway performer, film star, and felon. In Undisputed Truth, Tyson opens up about his childhood in one of the toughest, poorest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and the experiences that led to the highs and lows of his thrilling career. Link to Amazon

Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling’s Greatest Champion

William fotheringham.

Though his name may not be as universally known, Eddy Merckx is the best cyclist in the history of the sport. Over the course of his career, Merckx amassed 445 victories — nearly five times the number of victories claimed by Lance Armstrong. This British bestseller tells the incredible story of Merckx’s extreme competitive nature and fear of failure, which carried him through a terrible injury, a doping controversy, and the highest pinnacles of success before ultimately destroying him. Link to Amazon

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

Though he is now one of the highest paid athletes in the National Football League, left tackle Michael Oher was all too recently a neglected child of a crack addicted mother, who did not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or how to read or white. When a rich, white family takes him into their home and introduces him to football, Oher blossoms into a name on the wish list of every college coach in the country. Link to Amazon

When Pride Still Mattered: The Life of Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi is undoubtedly a football legend. First given the chance to coach a professional team at age forty-six, Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers to five world championships in nine seasons. Lombardi’s famous principals of leadership, discipline, and teamwork made him a living legend and a name synonymous with modern football. Also included in this bestselling biography is Lombardi’s early childhood as the son of an Italian immigrant butcher and his many years as a high school football coach. Link to Amazon

Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity

Coming Back Stronger is the personal account of a quarterback and football team that most people had all but given up on. As New Orleans began the daunting task of recovering from Hurricane Katrina, NFL quarterback Drew Brees began a seemingly impossible comeback of his own. Left without a team after a serious shoulder injury, Brees became the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Though the team was forced to play their entire 2005 season on the road, Brees achieved the impossible and turned adversity into success. His memoir aims to prove that faith and determination is enough to overcome any obstacle. Link to Amazon

Through My Eyes

Tim tebow and nathan whitaker.

From his first week of Pop Warner practice to his rookie year as quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Through My Eyes is the story of a determined Tim Tebow’s unlikely rise to the NFL. Included in this bestselling memoir are stories from his childhood in the Philippines, his unwavering faith in God’s plan, the challenges he faced as a young quarterback, his record-setting college years, and his draft in the first round of the NFL Draft. Link to Amazon

Arnold Palmer

Over the course of his career, Arnold Palmer won 92 tournaments, was the first golfer to earn more than one million dollars in winnings, and was the first four-time winner of the prestigious Masters championship. Surprisingly, the same man who became the first athlete to capitalize on endorsement opportunities remained largely private and unknown. Through interviews with Palmer, his family, friends, opponents, and business associates, bestselling author Thomas Hauser paints an intimate portrait of the golf legend. Link to Amazon

Grace, Gold, and Glory

Gabrielle douglas and michelle burford.

Olympian gymnast Gabrielle Douglas was Virginia State Champion at only eight years old, and the first U.S. gymnast in history to win both a team and individual gold medal at a single Olympic games. In her bestselling memoir, Douglas describes her early dedication to gymnastics and what it was like leaving her family in Virginia to train with a coach in Des Moines, Iowa. She chronicles her years of hard work, dedication, and faith to illustrate her powerful message that anything can be achieved through hard work. Link to Amazon

Orr: My Story

No other defensive player has changed the course of more games, received as many trophies, or set as many records as Bobby Orr did during his decade-long career. Painfully shy, the superstar always remained a mystery to fans and journalists. In his bestselling biography, Orr finally reveals what drove him to excellence and success. Included are stories about his small-town childhood, his sudden thrust into the media limelight, and the betrayal of the manager he thought of as a brother. Link to Amazon

Hailed by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top 10 Best Sports Books of All Time, The Game follows the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s through the eyes of its goalie, Ken Dryden. Dryden discusses his life and the early experiences that led up to his time with what many refer to as one of the greatest hockey teams in history. Also included are anecdotes of legendary players such as Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman. Link to Amazon

Horse Racing

Seabiscuit: an american legend, laura hillenbrand.

In 1938, a scrappy little Thoroughbred named Seabiscuit received more press coverage than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Adolph Hitler, or Benito Mussolini. Laura Hillenbrand’s meticulously researched bestseller tells the story of the crooked-legged little horse and the three men who made him a champion: Charles Howard, the millionaire who introduced America to the automobile; Tom Smith, a mysterious Mustang breaker turned trainer of racehorses; and Red Pollard, a half-crippled, partly blind jockey. Link to Amazon

The Horse That God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World’s Greatest Racehorse

Lawrence scanlan.

You don’t have to be a fan of horse racing to know the name Secretariat. The only two-year old to ever win Horse of the Year, “Big Red” graced covers of magazines like Time and Newsweek, and won the 1973 Triple Crown races in record times. In The Horse That God Built, Equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan offers a groom’s eye view to horse racing, and details the struggles and successes of the world’s greatest racehorse and his unlikely team. Link to Amazon

Ice Skating

A skating life: my story, dorothy hamill and deborah amelon.

At age 19, “America’s Sweetheart” Dorothy Hamill won Olympic Gold in ice skating. But her life was far from the picture of perfection it appeared to be. In A Skating Life, Hamill opens up about the painful depression that plagued her from the time was young, and recreates her demanding training schedule with competitions that took her away from home for weeks and months at a time. Her bestselling memoir is Hamill’s discovery of true happiness both on and off the ice. Link to Amazon

Martial Arts

A fighter’s heart: one man’s journey through the world of fighting, sam sheridan.

In 1999, Sam Sheridan was given the opportunity to focus on a long-dormant passion: fighting. Less than a year later, he was learning from a top coach in Bangkok and facing Olympic boxers, Brazilian jiu-jitsu masters, and Ultimate Fighting champions. A Fighter’s Heart chronicles Sheridan’s discoveries of what it’s like to hit and be hit. In addition to his incredible stories, Sheridan offers a behind-the-scenes look at both the violence and pageantry of fighting sports. Link to Amazon

Mountaineering

Touching the void: the true story of one man’s miraculous survival, joe simpson.

Joe Simpson had just reached the top of a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes when he fell off the vertical face of a ledge and broke his leg. Though his climbing partner, Simon Yates, attempted to lower Simpson to safety, a raging blizzard forced him to cut Simpson’s rope in order to save his own life. What followed were three terrifying days in which both men thought the other was dead. Touching the Void is Simpson’s account of harrowing journey of fear, suffering, survival, friendship, and longtime love of mountain climbing. Link to Amazon

Pelé: The Autobiography

As one of the greatest soccer players to run on a soccer pitch, Pelé has won countless league victories and three World Cup Championships while playing for his home country of Brazil. He is also an avid proponent of soccer’s universal power and influence. In his bestselling autobiography, Pelé traces his meteoric rise to fame from his poverty-stricken start in the streets of Sao Paulo to his more recent role of UN Ambassador and human rights activist. Link to Amazon

Red Men: Liverpool Football Club: The Biography

John williams.

John William’s biography of the Liverpool Football Club traces soccer’s inseparable roots with those of Liverpool, England. First founded in 1892, the Liverpool Football Club has played a large role in the social, cultural, political, and economical development of its city. Through extensive research, William narrates the entire history of the Club, and profiles the men responsible for its many successes. The result is a bestselling team portrait that seeks to understand how the features and character of a team can shape an entire city and its people. Link to Amazon

Gerrard: My Autobiography

Steven gerrard.

Steven Gerrard is a name synonymous with English football (soccer). The inspirational captain of the Liverpool Football Club, Gerrard also proved himself as a key player on the England team. In this autobiography, Gerrard recreates his childhood obsession with the sport, and chronicles his career from the early days with Liverpool through his career high moment of winning in Istanbul, and beyond. Also included is a blow-by-blow account of England’s 2006 World Cup Campaign in rival country Germany. Link to Amazon

Hope Solo: My Story

After bursting onto the national stage during the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Hope Solo became an Olympic gold medalist, was declared America’s sexiest athlete, and even competed on the hit television show Dancing With the Stars. Now an idol and role model to thousands of young soccer players, Solo writes candidly about her early life of family, loss, and reconciliation. Included are stories about growing up on a defunct nuclear testing site, her rocky relationship with her con-man father, and her unlikely rise to extreme success. Link to Amazon

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board

Bethany hamilton.

Bethany Hamilton was a thirteen-year old surfer girl living in Kauai, Hawaii when she lost her left arm to a tiger shark. But when Hamilton woke up from her surgery, the first thing she asked was when she would be able to surf again. Soul Surfer is Hamilton’s moving account of her life as a young surfer, her memories of the attack, and her amazing recovery that resulted in a top showing at the World Surfing Championships. Link to Amazon

Making Mavericks: The Memoir of a Surfing Legend

Frosty hesson.

Richard “Frosty” Hesson was one of the first surfers to conquer Mavericks — the huge waves that form off of the Northern California coast. Today, he’s known as one of the greatest wave riders to ever live. In Making Mavericks, Hesson recalls his difficult childhood, early passion for water, and the experiences that led to the development of his unique teaching philosophy. Hesson also discusses Jay Moriarty, one of his best students, who followed Hesson’s philosophy and became a surfing legend in his own right. Link to Amazon

Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi is one of the best tennis players to ever live. By age twenty-two, he had won his first of eight eventual grand slams, securing in a single victory a lifetime’s worth of wealth and celebrity. But Agassi spent most of his life unhappy and confused. Open chronicles the highs and lows of Agassi’s career, from his early childhood with his demanding father, to his rapid ascension into stardom, to his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields, and beyond. Link to Amazon

Days of Grace

Arthur ashe and arnold rampersad.

If African-American tennis star Arthur Ashe’s bestselling memoir were only about his entrance into the all-white world of tennis in the 1960s, it would be interesting enough. But most of Ashe’s Days of Grace focuses on the 1980s, during which time he contracted the AIDS virus through a post-heart surgery blood transfusion. Though Ashe was not a homosexual, his experiences living with AIDS made him a sympathetic activist for the gay community. Ashe also writes about growing up with his demanding father, battling players like John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, and his rise to success in the sport he loved. Link to Amazon

Rafael Nadal and John Carlin

Currently ranked #1 in the world, Rafael Nadal has won nine Grand Slam titles, a career “Golden Slam,” and an Olympic medal. In his best selling autobiography, Nadal takes readers through his childhood and early career to reveal what he believes to be the secret to his success: supportive parents and family, who taught him humility, candor, and the value of hard work. Nadal also provides readers with a behind-the-scenes look at his Wimbledon win in 2008, and discusses the injuries that have continuously threatened his career. Link to Amazon

Track & Running

Unbroken: a world war ii story of survival, resilience, and redemption.

Like many athletes of the 1930s, track and field star Louis Zamperini went from winning titles and medals to serving the United States in the second world war. In Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand chronicles Zamperini’s incredible life — from his delinquent childhood, to the discovery of his talent for running, to his success at the Berlin Olympics, and finally, to his harrowing years as a pilot in the war. Through Zamperini’s varied life experiences, Hillenbrand illustrates the power of the human body, mind, and spirit. Link to Amazon

Born to Run

Christopher mcdougall.

Returning from a run one day, runner Christopher McDougall asked himself why his foot was hurting. His answer led him to Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons, where the Tarahumara Indians have perfected their ability to run hundreds of miles without rest of injury. While reflecting upon his own life experiences and love of running, McDougall follows his fascination with the Tarahumara to a Harvard science lab, various North American hotspots for “ultra-runners,” and finally, back to the Copper Canyons to watch America’s best ultra-runners race against the tribe. The story of his research culminates with McDougall’s realization that we were all born to run. Link to Amazon

Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion’s Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream

Meb keflezighi.

A living example of the American Dream, Eritrean-born Meb Keflezighi represented the United States in two Olympic games and several World Championships, and was the first American in 27 years to win the New York City marathon. In Run to Overcome, Keflezighi chronicles his life of hardships. He documents his family’s escape to America from poverty and a violent war, the devastating injury in which he broke his pelvis, and the sudden death of his close friend and fellow runner. He also describes the freedom that comes with running, and his discovery of the real meaning of victory. Link to Amazon

Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics

Jeremy schaap.

Ironically, the star of the 1936 Berlin Olympics — Hitler’s propaganda-fueled entry onto the national stage — was an African-American named Jesse Owens. With four gold medal wins, Owens single-handedly demolished Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy. In Triumph, Jeremy Schaap exhausted archival research to tell the story of the talented son of Cleveland sharecroppers and the many challenges in his young life that ultimately led to triumph at the “Nazi Olympics.” Link to Amazon

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12 Game-Changing Sports Biographies and Memoirs

These winning reads smash the competition.

A great sports story gets everyone on their feet — whether you just finished your 10th marathon or you prefer to race through your TBR stack. The following sports biographies and memoirs are packed with athletic drama that every reader will enjoy, from underdog wins and buzzer-beater finishes to the off-court scandals and triumphant personal comebacks of the greatest athletes of our time.

Magic: The Life of Earvin "Magic" Johnson

By roland lazenby.

From Roland Lazenby, the renowned biographer of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Jerry West, comes Magic, the definitive sports biography of basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Johnson reached dazzling new heights over the course of his career on the court, transforming American basketball into top-tier entertainment with his exciting playing style and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to greatness during the team’s Showtime era. Yet Johnson also faced his share of scandals and controversies, including his extravagant lifestyle and shock retirement from basketball in the wake of his HIV diagnosis. Lazenby draws on hundreds of interviews with teammates, coaches, rivals, and more to capture every facet of this complex figure, offering a gripping and comprehensive account of the renowned player and his extraordinary career.

By Andre Agassi

A striking story about the double-edged sword of success, Open by Andre Agassi tracks the tennis star’s astounding triumphs, failures, and battles both on and off the court. Agassi went pro at the age of 16; by his early 20s, he was a tennis legend. Yet with worldwide success came pain, doubt, and relentless media scrutiny. Agassi opens up about it all in this candid and bestselling sports memoir, delivering a fascinating read for fans and newcomers alike. And if that isn’t enough to draw you in, note that Open is cowritten by J. R. Moehringer, one of the all-time ghostwriting greats, whose success with this narrative paved the way for his teaming up with Prince Harry on his recent smash memoir . 

Michael Jordan: The Life

Michael Jordan transcends the sports world. You know him even if you know nothing about basketball — and if you grew up in the ’90s, he was practically everywhere you looked. In Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby tracks Jordan’s career from college kid to NBA superstar and beyond. Along the way, Lazenby complicates our collective understanding of the sports icon, countering Jordan’s on-court image with the darker sides of his character, his rocky relationships, and his merciless ambition.

By Abby Wambach

In Forward, soccer luminary and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach shares her journey from being put on the boys’ soccer team at the age of seven to becoming one of the all-time greatest soccer players in the history of the sport. Wambach’s compelling account is suffused with grit and determination, and it speaks to the unique challenges women face in their quest for athletic greatness. It’s a must-read for sports fans and indeed anyone in need of inspiration. For a double dose of empowerment, check out Wolfpack , Wambach’s #1 New York Times bestseller from 2019 that encourages women to join together and unleash their inner potential.

Path Lit by Lightning

By david maraniss.

Written by David Maraniss, a two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and the biographer of such figures as Barack Obama and Roberto Clemente, Path Lit by Lightning tells the fascinating story of Jim Thorpe, a renaissance athlete whose rise and fall took on mythic proportions. Thorpe was one of the best all-around athletes the world had ever seen; he won medals in the decathlon and pentathlon in the 1912 Olympics, was an All-American football player, and played baseball for the New York Giants. Yet as a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, he also faced intense racism and discrimination that hobbled his career and ultimately led to a life of hardship. Maraniss movingly chronicles Thorpe’s life in this landmark sports biography, breaking down the myth to reveal the man at its core.

The Mamba Mentality

By kobe bryant.

Kobe Bryant’s presence on the court was legendary — and it belied a complicated and often troubled life off the court. In The Mamba Mentality, Bryant shares his outlook on life and basketball and delves into his famous “Mamba Mentality” philosophy, an approach to playing that’s built on passion, tenacity, and the singular pursuit of athletic excellence. It’s a fascinating look at the gone-too-soon powerhouse player and his thorny relationship with success, fame, and sports.

By Billie Jean King, Johnette Howard, and Maryanne Vollers

The world of sports would not be the same without Billie Jean King, a legend both in tennis and for her work breaking down barriers for women athletes. All In chronicles King’s career from her formative years through the 1973 Battle of the Sexes exhibition match against Bobby Riggs and the creation of the women’s pro tennis circuit to King’s acknowledgment of her sexual identity and coming out at the age of 51. At once a story of one person’s impact on tennis and a cultural revolution in the sports world, this winning memoir offers insight and guidance on issues from political activism and personal relationships to finding your true self.

Tiger Woods

By jeff benedict and armen keteyian.

In Tiger Woods, sportswriters Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian deliver a fully realized portrait of the eponymous golf titan. The bestselling sports biography draws on interviews with more than 250 people to chronicle Woods’s meteoric rise, scandalous fall, and triumphant return to world-class athletics. The unsparing narrative also shines a light on the damage parents can do in their single-minded quest to turn their children into star athletes, drawing connections between Woods’s unparalleled achievements on the golf course and his parents’ obsession with success. 

The Last Folk Hero

By jeff pearlman.

Bo Jackson was a one-man sports phenomenon in the 1980s and ’90s, excelling in football and baseball, and starring in one of the most successful ad campaigns in Nike history. In addition to his athletic triumphs, wild tales about Jackson leaping over parked cars and helping land a plane in distress elevated the sports star to mythical levels, like a modern-day Paul Bunyan. In The Last Folk Hero, sportswriter Jeff Pearlman tells the story of the man behind the myth. Drawing on more than 700 interviews, this fascinating sports biography is a must-read for Jackson superfans and for those eager to find out more about this larger-than-life American sports icon.

Good for a Girl

By lauren fleshman.

In the bestselling Good for a Girl, elite runner Lauren Fleshman draws on her own story and the work of psychologists and physiologists to advocate for a radical transformation of sports for young women. Competing in institutions that aren’t built for them, women athletes are held back from the beginning and plagued by sexism, eating disorders, and physical and mental injuries. Many would-be elites drop out before they can truly achieve greatness. Fleshman argues that we’re long overdue for a change. Readers will find plenty to love in Fleshman’s rousing narrative, which blends sports memoir with a manifesto and demonstrates a passion for personal success as well as creating a world in which all women athletes are allowed to thrive.

Ali: A Life

By jonathan eig.

Jonathan Eig’s bestselling and award-winning biography of Muhammed Ali turns the facts of Ali’s life and career into a harrowing story of courage, activism, and athletic excellence. The storied heavyweight boxer was not just an accomplished athlete but a natural performer, civil rights activist, and political protester. Drawing on interviews, FBI files, and archival recordings, Eig weaves a gripping tale of Ali’s boxing career, his political victories and personal triumphs, and his lasting impact on American culture.

By Jeff Benedict

We round out our list with a living legend who’s playing at the top of his game. In LeBron, Jeff Benedict chronicles LeBron James’s layered and inspirational story, from his early years of struggle as the son of a young mother to becoming the No.1 overall draft pick in the NBA straight out of high school and his transformation into the greatest basketball player of the 21 st century. Based on three years of research and more than 250 interviews, Benedict’s sweeping narrative goes well beyond James’s success on the court, exploring his relationship to fame and his dual identity as a celebrity and an activist fighting for social justice .

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Best Sports Books: Top 10 Athlete Biographies [2024 Update]

Posted by Rubin Alaie | The Best Book Lists | 2

What are the best sportsbooks in recent years? Here you will find a top 10 with the most beautiful sports biographies to be inspired by top athletes, including football players and other top athletes.

Contents of this page:

The top 10 best books about sports

Criteria for compiling these recommended books.

Our editors have carefully read as many as possible books about this subject. Then, they used the following criteria for choosing the best picks: ⠀

• The literary quality of the books.
• The amount of books sold worldwide.
• The professional reviews in newspapers.
• The expertise and experience from the author.
• The quality of the examples, knowledge and practicality
• The actuality and whether the information is useful or too old.
• Our editor’s opinions: they have read and judged the books extensively.

Full disclosure: as Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.

1.The League: How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports Empire

The way the author weaved the narrative of the establishment and endurance of the NFL through the point of view of these five men was engaging from start to finish. A must-read for any NFL fans looking to gain a unique understanding of the birth of their beloved sport.

2.Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II 

An absolute necessity read for baseball darlings, history buffs, and any individual who wants to be taken back to a period of genuine legends. This is simply a must-read for anyone out there with eyes! A unique and jaw-dropping tale that is not to be missed.

3.The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

Our pick for any Kobe Bryant fans out there. This book has become even more relevant in recent years after the passing of the basketball lessons. From start to finish, this is an inspiring read that looks at both Bryant’s extraordinary talent and the man behind it.

4.The Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Tales from the Diamond

This is the perfect Christmas present for any baseball fans out there. 30 individual and unique stories that often go untold. Interesting from start to finish and each story feels as if it has its own voice. A must-read for any die hard supporters of the sport.

5.One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season

An extremely enjoyable book about communities and humble community games. For those who love a true rags-to-riches underdog tale, this is about as good as it gets. Any baseball fans out there who do not know this story simply must read about it now!

6.The Ultimate Football Trivia Book: 600 Questions for the Super-Fan

If you’re a true football fan, then this book is a must try. Our pick for anyone looking for a stocking filler for a football fan this Christmas. This book is a great test of football knowledge with 600 questions of varying difficulty. Not only will you have fun, but you will learn too!

7.The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told: A True Tale of Three Gamblers, The Kentucky Derby, and the Mexican Cartel

The story is incredible! The author is a genius! A jaw-dropping story told in such an amazing way. You do not have to be a gambling fan at all to enjoy this story. It’s a tale that grips you from the very first word to the last.

8.The Story of Baseball: In 100 Photographs

The perfect gift for any baseball fans. There are plenty of information and trivia books out there but this book looks to compile the most important and game-changing moments in baseball in 100 photographs, from humble beginnings to finals viewed by millions.

9.Shoot Your Shot: A Sport-Inspired Guide To Living Your Best Life

For any young sport-lover growing up, no matter where they are, how wealthy they are, or what their dreams are, this is the book for them. Inspirational from the first word until the last, the author Vernon creates such a powerful guide to finding happiness in life.

10.Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars 

Recommended for every sports lover. Real life always beats fiction! This book outlines 11 famous athletes who faced huge challenges in their early years but came out the other side stronger than ever. Eye-opening, informative and inspirational!

What do you find in these top 10 biographies of elite athletes?

Stacks of football books seem to be written every year. What is a good choice from this? In this list you won’t necessarily find the very best sports books ever, but they are certainly inspiring and poignant.

Also for children it is good to read some of these books about football and other sports, for example so that they know exactly how someone became successful or so that they become familiar with the pitfalls of being famous.

Biography books football players and other athletes : o ther recommendations outside the top 10

• I am Zlatan and Ik Zlatan are indispensable to learn what goes into the way Zlatan Ibrahimovic lives, thinks and plays. He has grown into a football player who continues to surprise and never disappoint.
• I think therefore I play – Andrea Pirlo
• I f you are specifically looking for good soccer books, check out these recommendations.

Enjoy reading!

Related: also read this...

About the author.

Rubin Alaie

Hello! Thanks for reading these articles. My intention is to make happiness as simple and clear as posssible. By the way, excuse my English. I am not a native English speaker since I live in Amsterdam. Much appreciated if you use the comments to make suggestions on my grammar. See ya in another blogpost!

Tags: sport biography

Dear, taste is always personal but still strange and unfortunate that the biography of the German goalkeeper Ronald Enke: “A life too short” by Ronald Reng is not mentioned here. A truly fantastic biography that stands out from many other popular biographies. One to really read!

Thank you for adding Stein 🙂

Further Reading (Related)

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As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases. Furthermore, certain content that appears on our our website, comes from Amazon. This content provided is ‘as is’ and is subject to change.

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9 Powerful Sports Autobiographies Every Fan Should Read

“The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win.”

To millions across the globe, sportspeople are the closest things to superheroes. Their exploits on the pitch, field or stadium conjure emotions seldom few things can match, and the memories they fashion can last for a lifetime. And on the back of this, the inspiration these athletes can wield has seen their influence grow immeasurably, especially in the world of books where their stories, motivations and beliefs can be explored in incredible detail. With that in mind, check out What We Reading for the 8 most powerful sports autobiographies! 

Why We Kneel, How We Rise – Michael Holding

Michael Holding was one of the most prolific bowlers in cricket history, leading the infamous West Indian attack that dominated the sport across the 1970s and ‘80s. He has also become one of the most respected voices in the game in the years since with his work as a pundit and commentator. 

In Why We Kneel, How We Rise, Holding explores how racism dehumanises professionals, and how the Black Lives Matter movement has triggered a counter-offensive from strong figures from across the world of sport. Speaking to various figures who have experienced the effects of racism firsthand, this sports biography is one of the most insightful, powerful, and eye-opening pieces of education. 

Check out the Best Ashes Books

Lioness: My Journey To Glory – Beth Mead

England’s win at Euro 2022 was one of the defining moments in women’s football being put on an equal pedestal, with the Lionesses being spearheaded by the exploits of Beth Mead on the pitch. The 2021-22 Arsenal Player of the Year finished as top scorer and Player of the Tournament , and Lioness: My Journey to Glory is her recounting of how she and the team finally brought football home. 

As well as all the glorious days in the 2022 sun, it is also a powerful story of Mead’s rise up the football pyramid, exploring the challenges that moulded her along the way. Powerful and honest, it is one of the best sports biographies for people of all ages to feel inspired. 

Too Many Reasons To Live – Rob Burrow 

One of the most talented Rugby League players of his generation, Rob Burrow also served as one of his sport’s most inspirational figures. Told from an early age that he was too small to make it as a professional player, Burrow’s career was one of defying expectations. 

In 2019, not long after his playing career came to an end, Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a degenerative disease that doctors only gave a life expectancy of a handful of years. However, spurred on by his wife and three children, Burrow would showcase the sort of strength his in fight that made the entire sporting world stop and stare at him in awe. Too Many Reasons to Live is Burrow’s inspiring tale of love and courage in the face of so much adversity. 

Resilience – Elise Christie 

Shortlisted for Sunday Times’ best sports autobiographies in 2022, Resilience is the autobiography from triple World Champion speed skater Elise Christie. 

Refreshingly open and honest, the book details the torrents of mental anguish, abuse, and floods of misinformation that have followed Christie throughout her career. And yet it is also an inspiring tale of incredible strength and determination, documenting how Christie has been able to overcome hurdle after hurdle on her way to cementing herself as one of British athletics’ greatest modern competitors. 

Love Of The Game – Ricky Hill 

Ricky Hill was born under the shadow of Wembley Stadium, the home of English football for over a century. At the time, he was told only two for every hundred people could hope to make it as professional footballers; however, this was also a society where racism was prevalent and the hurdles Hill would have to scale in pursuit of his dream were far greater than most had to deal with. 

Despite this, Hill would go on to fashion a remarkable career in the beautiful game. He would become only the fourth Black player to play for the England men’s team and became a trailblazing reformer for BAME coaches across the country following his retirement. Love Of The Game is one of the pioneering sports autobiographies on how prejudice in football coaching took one of its first steps to being tackled on the back of the experiences courtesy of Hill. 

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play – Kobe Bryant 

Kobe Bryant was, and still remains, one of the biggest icons in the world of basketball. The only player in NBA history to have two jersey numbers retired, Bryant was a titan on and off the court during his twenty years in the sport and even managed an Academy Award for his 2017 film, Dear Basketball. 

His sudden death in 2020 shook the world of sports , with even those outside of basketball paying homage to Black Mamba in its wake. The Mamba Mentality is the autobiography from Bryant, detailing his passion for all things basketball and the core beliefs and values that shaped him as a player. Released just after his retirement, it is one of the most intimate sports autobiographies for those looking to get into the mind of one of the all-time greats. 

Hooked – Paul Merson 

Paul Merson is one of the most recognisable faces in the world of football punditry today. An accomplished attacker, Merson made over 300 appearances for Arsenal, won two league titles and played for his country 21 times. He has become a familiar voice to all football fans on the back of his appearances on Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports and is one of the game’s most beloved names. 

However, Merson has also become one of the most important figures in opening dialogues within the beautiful game on a number of candid subjects. His difficulties with mental health, gambling and addiction are given the spotlight in his autobiography, Hooked. An eye-opening and honest self-reflection, it is a strong reminder outside looks can be deceiving, Merson deserves huge credit for breaking the normal footy formula when it comes to sports autobiographies here. 

The Death Of Ayrton Senna – Richard Williams

Ayrton Senna was one of the most fearless and mercurial talents the world of motorsports has ever served up. The three-time Formula 1 World Champion became and endures as one of the sport’s most iconic figures for his relentless pursuit of perfection and fearlessness when it came to finding the limit.

His death in 1994, however, also remains one of the darkest moments not only in Formula 1, but also across sports history. In his beautiful and classic sports biography on the complexities and brilliance of the Brazilian, Richard Williams pays homage to the life and death of Ayrton Senna. Embodying the courage and spirit that any sports fan can admire, it is an essential Formula 1 book for anyone looking to learn more about the pinnacle of motorsport.

The First Half – Gabby Logan 

From Strictly Come Dancing, Match of the Day, all the way to the Olympics , Gabby Logan is one of the most recognisable presenters in British television. A staple fixture in the sporting world for over twenty-five years now, Logan stands as one of the most beloved pioneers on the small box and has continued to trailblaze a place for women with her columns, contributions and very-own podcast . 

The First Half is Gabby Logan’s first-ever book. In a sports autobiography that will have readers laughing and crying in equal measure, the presenter details the key decisions that have shaped her career, the obstacles she has had to navigate along the way, and how painful losses have continued to fuel her ambitions. 

Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).

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My Notes From Sports Autobiographies

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ THE DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Sports autobiographies are my favourite book genre. I started this page in May 2018 and you’ll find my notes from the sports autobiographies I’ve read from global superstars (players and coaches) to journeymen. I had been wanting to recap the sports books I read for a while now. Thanks to Derek Sivers and Nat Eliason for the inspiration on how to organise my notes.

Click on each title you want to read the notes of.

RIC FLAIR: TO BE THE MAN – by RIC FLAIR (7/10)

Date Finished: January 2018 BUY ON AMAZON

I was never a massive fan of Ric Flair growing up, but in hindsight, I can see why some do call him the greatest wrestler of all time. In this book, you’ll hear plenty of stories an insight into the business and Ric’s key to looking the best. The only downside for me is the book jumped around a bit too much which made it confusing at times.

Cyrille Regis: My Story – by Cyrille Regis. (7/10) Having never heard of Cyrille Regis before opening this book, I wish I got to see him play. One of the pioneers of black footballers becoming a norm in English football. Doesn’t hold back in his story, even if it’s embarrassing.

Best Seat In The House: Your Backstage Pass through My WWE Journey – by Justin Roberts (8/10) The world of WWE is full of drama on the outside, and it looks even more complicated on the inside as we learn from Justin. Lots of gems about building relationships, following your passion, and dealing with bullying.

Running for My Life: One Lost Boy’s Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games – by Lopez Lomong (10/10) If you one a dose of humility, this is a must-read. Lomong was born in Sudan, before being captured by rebel soldiers while attending church. Less than 20 years later he achieved his dream of becoming an Olympian with the U.S.A. on his chest. An inspirational autobiography with bits of humour that put it into the 10/10 category.

Getting A Grip: On My Game, My Body, My Mind… My Self – by Monica Seles (8/10) A great insight into Monica’s life as a tennis prodigy who quickly became a 16-year-old world sensation. She talks about her brief entry into the world of a celebrity, realizing she’s better off being ‘just famous’. Then the stabbing and all the after effects. She’s brutally honest and doesn’t mind shying away from emotions, though it felt repetitive at times and there were some areas that could have gone deeper. Definitely, one of the toughest and best athlete autobiographies someone has had to write.

A Life Well Played: My Stories – by Arnold Palmer (9/10) The smile of Arnold Palmer is far from fake. This book features various stories from Arnold’s life, many leave you saying “only Arnie” . In between smiles you’ll get lots of glimpses of how to live a moral life. And yes, a few golf tips along the way. This is always going to be on the list of best sports memoirs.

The Power of Negative Thinking: An Unconventional Approach to Achieving Positive Results – by Bob Knight (10/10) EVERYONE can learn a lot from this book. Don’t make assumptions about the book based on the title as there’s no weird new age mythical stuff in this book. Bob gives insights from his successful career about what he thought about when coaching in various situations which when seen in isolation can be negative, but as a whole is totally practical.

Bigger Than the Game: Restitching a Major League Life 9/10 Dirk calls himself an author and you can tell in the flow of the story, he is serious. A great candid read where Dirk goes through a tough period of his career, and for us, we get to hear him talk about it openly. This must have been tough to write, but a great story told by a quality writer who experienced what many of us can only dream of.

David Beckham: My Side 7/10 Published in 2004, there are lots of gems in this book right from his childhood through but it dragged on a bit too often at times (especially during the times he retold details from matches). Considering it was written during an interesting time in David’s career (one year into playing with Real Madrid) there is so much that happened afterward, you need to read all his books to get the full picture (I haven’t yet).

Pacman: My Story of Hope, Resilience, and Never-Say-Never Determination (7.5/10) This book could easily be one of the best books written by athletes if there was some basic editing done. That was frustrating at times, but as long as you can see past that, you’ll find this book all about focus, appreciation, and giving back. It’s to give back to his people that Manny has transcended boxing and gone into politics, he has seen the possibilities that exist beyond the Philippines and wants to give his people the opportunity to experience that. Boxing is his segway to his community though, that is something he really understands and is the reason he has fought so many times. He gives them hope!

Strongman: My Story – by Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall (8/10) A good length of a book that takes you from Eddies somewhat troubled childhood (that included being a prominent swimmer) to achieving success in business through to being one of the worlds best in strongman competitions. Not hiding behind words in this book, plenty of inspiration for you to apply to your life in and out of the sports industry.

Letters to a Young Gymnast – by Nadia Comaneci (9/10) Written to the young who write her letters, we can all learn from Nadia in this book. I loved her positive outlook on sacrifice, and while she doesn’t open up 100%, she shows a lot of vulnerability in throughout the book. The other lesson I took away is perfection, there is no such thing as perfection even though we constantly seek it.

Jonah Lomu Autobiography – by Jonah Lomu (6/10) The great man wouldn’t appear again in the black jersey after this book was published, but he went on to achieve great work post-rugby. Some nice touches on the All Blacks culture and fellow players are in the book but lacks depth in personal areas he could have opened up about (kidneys, relationships, expectations). Hated having to give this a 6 but also confirmed to be the best sports autobiographies are written at least five years after retirement from the top level.

Roberto: Kicking Every Ball – by Roberto Martinez (4/10) I don’t understand the layout of the book. The chapters jump back and forth, it would have been easier to stick to a chronological order. The last chapter was complete filler. Some gems in there, but his followup book will be 10x better.

Neymar: Conversations With My Father (7.5/10) Wowee, an interesting book despite coming so early in his career. The sections by his Dad (Neymar Sr) are brilliant as he has so much experience and his lessons are way deeper imo. But the passion you sense from Neymar Jr is also impressive. A great read on one of the biggest superstars ever (can’t wait for the sequel).

This Road I Ride: – by Juliana Buhring (7/10) 1. Growing up in a cult | 2. Losing the love of your life. Those two events are enough suffering for everyone to push themselves to extremes in life. This ike chronicles the events leading up to her decision to cycle around the world (in a world record time), with various events coming into play throughout the book from past events.

Jamie Vardy: From Nowhere, My Story – by Jamie Vardy (7/10) The title of one of the more inspirational autobiographies I’ve read so far is totally accurate. After excelling as a child, Jamie fell off the bandwagon when he was rejected by the club he loved so dearly. He hit some low points, but with a combination of family, talent, and the belief of a few individuals Jamie again the tools to not only win a Premiership but to go on and represent England after turning professional at the age of 24. The dream was always there, yet the journey was certainly rocky. One of the top sports autobiographies with a story of redemption.

Blood, Sweat, and Treason: My Story by Henry Olonga (8/10) Most well known for taking a stance against Robert Mugabe while playing for the Zimbabwean cricket team which meant he couldn’t safely return to Zimbabwe. Has some interesting insights from how mentors affected him throughout life in a professional career where he was a good cricketer but was never going to be a great.

Relentless: From Good To Great To Unstoppable – by Tim Grover (8/10) Tim was the coach of some of basketballs greatest players. His methods have been tried and tested throughout the years, and he knows what works. You’ll learn about the Zone, stress, being a leader, all about striving to be the best. Lots of quotables.

Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches by Carlo Ancelotti (9/10) I resonated with this book as a quieter person. This autobiography about a leader of various teams gives some great advice on relationships, communication, and leadership. A valuable book that you can learn from about leading teams in any industry. His early chat about the leadership arc chat was also an interesting insight.

My Story: Crossing the Line by Luis Suarez (7/10) Growing up in Uruguay, Luis had to fight his way to get from the backstreets of his homeland all the way to Barcelona. You’ll learn a lot about how much it takes to fight to reach your goals and dreams from this book in addition to learning about Luis Suarez thinks about some of the more controversial moments in his career.

Sir Curtly Ambrose: Time To Talk (5/10) If you’re not a cricket fan, you’ll struggle with this cricketers autobiography as there is a decent amount of cricket speak involved. But if you want to hear from someone who has succeeded when they others might not have because of pride, this is for you. Considering he wrote this book 15 years after retiring from international cricket, this book left a lot to be desired other.

A Different Kind Of Daughter by Maria Toorpakai (9/10) Wholly shit, this is real. Since 2001 we’ve heard a lot about the Taliban in the media, but Maria grew up surrounded by the Taliban. And they wanted her dead. She had liberal parents (they were Muslim) and the family is crazy strong, and Maria drew strength from them clearly as she was determined to not let them control her life. An amazing, vivid, powerful sports biography about the story of a professional squash player from Pakistan.

The Artist: Being Iniesta by Andre Iniesta (7.5/10) I’m not the biggest football fan, but Andre Iniesta is one of the faces I recognise. In a star-studded team like Barcelona, he was a fixture in the team, his teammates acknowledge the things he did in the middle of the field helped them win a lot of games. This family man is open and honest throughout the book and has asked for input in the book from those he has learned to trust most throughout his career.

Gunning for Greatness: My Life by Mesut Ozil (8/10) In the current world, immigration is a big issue and while Mesut grew up and has represented Germany, his Turkish blood still causes many, many issues. Even after living there for 20+ years! He talks openly about the conflict and his viewpoints, and how we should all be integrated and work together. Just like millions do on the football pitch.

Pepe: My Autobiography (8/10) Pepe, a goalkeeper, usually remembered for his bad saves than his great saves. It takes a certain personality to be a great goalkeeper, and if I was too take three quality from this book that applies to Pepe’s success they’re luck, gratitude, consistency. He knows luck plays a role in making it to the top of the football world and is forever grateful he has the chance (and is grateful for the fans and his family). But he has always worked hard to maximize his success. An inspirational autobiography from a positive human.

Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography (8/10) If you’re a fan of rugby league or familar with the sport at all, you’ll love this tell-all autobiography from one of the games best players the game has seen. From growing up with a massive family, struggles in his teenage years to get any kind of recognition, to numerous off-field incidents that could have snowballed into a disaster. Johnathan had to work hard to get where he ended his playing career, a rugby league legend. But as they say, nothing comes easy. If you’re not familiar with the sport, this rugby league autobiography might be hard to follow at times.

I Am Duran: The Autobiography (4/10) I am definitely not a Roberto Duran fan. This may be why I’ve given him such a low score, but the book in fairness is written in a conversational style which is cool…he also owns up to his mistakes, but it’s the contradictions throughout the book which frustrates me. He isn’t someone you’ll want to look up to, but you can take bits and pieces from his grit and determination when he is inside the ring (oh, except for the fight when he quit).

Heyya, Jub here.

I hope Tiki Touring Kiwi isn't making your day too miserable.

If you ever spot a man with a cat shirt and a beard, it's probably me :)

10 Best Sports Books of All Time | TheReviewGeek Recommends

Ever wonder what the greatest sports books of all time are? As an avid reader and sports fan, you’ve probably devoured your fair share of sports memoirs, biographies, and narratives over the years. But with so many options out there, it can be tough to determine which are truly the best of the best.

Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. We looked at decades of sports books to identify the 10 best sports books ever written. From vivid memoirs to cultural critiques, this list has it all. Whether you’re a fan of basketball, baseball, tennis or beyond, these books capture the passion, drama and inspiration of sports in a way that will stick with you long after the final page. These are the 10 best sports books of all time.

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger

Friday Night Lights is a modern American classic. This book by H.G. Bissinger follows the story of the 1988 Permian High School Panthers football team from Odessa, Texas.

Odessa is a town obsessed with high school football. The whole community rallies around the Panthers each week. As you read, you’ll feel the electricity in the air on game nights and understand why Friday night football is so central to the town’s identity.

Ball Four by Jim Bouton

Ball Four is Jim Bouton’s groundbreaking baseball memoir that provides an insider’s look at the 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros.

Published in 1970, the book was controversial for its time because Bouton openly discussed the less-than-professional antics of players. However, his candid stories about life in the big leagues made Ball Four an instant classic.

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn is considered a baseball classic and one of the greatest sports books ever written. Published in 1972, it chronicles the Brooklyn Dodgers team from 1952 to 1957, focusing on some of the biggest stars like Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, and Jackie Robinson.

As a kid growing up in Brooklyn, you were probably a Dodgers fan. They were your local team, the boys of summer you cheered for from the bleachers. Kahn was a beat writer who covered the Dodgers during their heyday, so he writes about the team with a sense of nostalgia, bringing you back to the postwar era when baseball was America’s pastime.

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis

Moneyball is the classic underdog story of how the Oakland A’s, a small-market baseball team with a tiny budget, turned to statistics and analytics to level the playing field against big-spending rivals like the New York Yankees. Written by Michael Lewis, Moneyball follows the A’s general manager Billy Beane as he builds a winning team in the early 2000s based not on intuition and traditional scouting methods but on hard data and statistics.

Beane realized that the A’s couldn’t compete by paying top dollar for star players. Instead, he focused on players who were undervalued in the market according to metrics like on-base percentage. He assembled a team of players who got on base a lot, even if they didn’t seem like typical all-stars. This “moneyball” approach allowed Beane to get wins on the cheap by finding hidden value where other teams weren’t looking.

The Natural by Bernard Malamud

The Natural by Bernard Malamud is a classic 1952 novel that explores themes of morality and ethics in baseball. It tells the story of Roy Hobbs, an aspiring baseball player from rural Pennsylvania with raw, natural talent.

As a teenager, Roy’s baseball skills and ambition lead him to try out for the Chicago Cubs. On his way there, he meets a woman named Iris on the train who seduces him. Her jealous ex-lover then shoots Roy, delaying his baseball dreams for over a decade.

Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella

Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella is a magical story of baseball, dreams and second chances. The story follows Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field on his farm and seeks out the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Ray is obsessed with baseball and idolizes Shoeless Joe, the famous Chicago White Sox player who was banned from baseball for allegedly helping fix the 1919 World Series. One day, Ray hears the voice while in his field saying, “If you build it, he will come.” Believing it means Shoeless Joe, Ray plows under his corn and builds a magnificent baseball field.

The Bronx Is Burning by Jonathan Mahler

The Bronx Is Burning by Jonathan Mahler chronicles one of the most tumultuous years in New York City’s history. Focusing on 1977, Mahler dives into the Son of Sam murder spree, a devastating blackout, and the New York Yankees’ World Series victory. At the center of it all is the Bronx, which had deteriorated into a symbol of urban blight.

As the Son of Sam terrorizes the city, New Yorkers grow increasingly paranoid. The killer taunts police and tabloids with cryptic letters, warning that his next victim could be anyone. The NYPD launches a massive manhunt but struggles to catch a break in the case. The city is on edge, wondering where he might strike next.

A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein

A Season on the Brink chronicles the turbulent 1985-86 basketball season of the Indiana Hoosiers and their fiery coach Bobby Knight. At the time, Knight was already controversial but still revered for leading the Hoosiers to three NCAA championships. This behind-the-scenes look at the team provides a glimpse into Knight’s intense and often combative coaching style.

As an embedded journalist with the team, Feinstein enjoyed unprecedented access to practices, locker rooms, team meetings, and games. He captures the highs and lows over the course of the season in vivid detail. The Hoosiers finished with a lackluster record of 21-8, failing to win either the Big Ten title or make the Final Four for the first time in years. The losing season highlighted Knight’s abrasive coaching methods and stubborn refusal to change.

The Golf Omnibus by P.G. Wodehouse

The Golf Omnibus is a delightful collection of golf-themed short stories, essays and musings penned by acclaimed British humorist P.G. Wodehouse. First published in 1912, this omnibus provides a glimpse into golf’s formative years in the early 20th century.

Wodehouse’s writing is a masterclass in wit and whimsy. His stories capture the trials and tribulations of the duffer, portraying familiar scenes of slices, hooks and tricky putts with tongue firmly in cheek. Any golfer will recognize the all-too-familiar struggles of Wodehouse’s characters.

Only the Ball Was White by Robert Peterson

Only the Ball Was White by Robert Peterson is a must-read sports book. Published in 1970, this pioneering work examines the role of African-American athletes in baseball’s segregated era.

As Jackie Robinson famously broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947, this book takes you back to a time when baseball, and society, were deeply segregated along racial lines. Peterson profiles many of the era’s greatest Negro League stars, like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Cool Papa Bell, who were denied a chance to showcase their talents on baseball’s biggest stage due to the color of their skin.

There we have it, our list 0f 10 best sports books. What do you think about our picks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below:

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24 Best Sports Biographies Books of All Time

Our goal : Find the best Sports Biographies books according to the internet (not just one random person's opinion).

• Type "best sports biographies books" into our search engine and study the top 5+ pages.
• Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
• Rank the results neatly for you here! 😊 (It was a lot of work. But hey! That's why we're here, right?)

(Updated 2024)

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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024

• Best Sports Biographies Books

An Autobiography

Andre Agassi

Born to Run

A hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen.

Christopher McDougall

The Blind Side

Evolution of a game.

Michael Lewis

A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Phil Knight

The Final Pitch

Barbarian Days

A surfing life.

William Finnegan

Eleven Rings

The soul of success.

Phil Jackson

Tiger Woods

Jeff Benedict

Michael Jordan

Roland Lazenby

The Boys in the Boat

Nine americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 berlin olympics.

Daniel James Brown

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Laura Hillenbrand

The Mamba Mentality

Kobe Bryant

Touching the Void

Joe Simpson

An American Legend

Rafael Nadal

Alone on the Wall

Alex Honnold

Mariano Rivera

The Captain

The journey of derek jeter.

Ian O'Connor

My Autobiography

Steven Gerrard

The Story of My Life

Coming Back Stronger

Unleashing the hidden power of adversity.

The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero

David Maraniss

• The 33 Best Sports Books Ever Written | Esquire www.esquire.com
• The best sports books and autobiographies - Pan Macmillan www.panmacmillan.com
• The 25 Best Sports Books of All Time To Read in 2021 – SPY spy.com
• 50 Great Sports Biographies - Sports Management Degree Guide www.sports-management-degrees.com
• 100 Best Sports Biography Books of All Time (Updated for 2021) www.shortform.com

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Best Books Written by Athletes

By: Author Andrew Herig

Posted on Published: August 27, 2021

There’s something about sports autobiographies that tend to draw in a wide swath of readers.  Perhaps it’s the determination, the grit, and the perseverance they convey.  Or perhaps it’s our desire to root for the underdog, the lone wolf, or the unlikely hero. 

Whatever reason, we’ve compiled a list of the best books written by athletes.  These books tell their stories through their eyes, without any filter or disguise.

When it comes to books written by athletes, we looked for a wide range of books and autobiographies to choose from. 

Everything from basketball, to baseball, to football, soccer, hockey, and even horse-racing. We also looked for books written by the top athletes in their sport, aiming to gain insight and motivation to the way they played.

Looking for more sports books? Definitely check out our reviews on the best basketball leadership books and the best golf books for beginners !

Below we are going to take a look at the best books written by athletes which can be purchased on Amazon.  Please note, the product links below include links from an Amazon Associates account.  This means that we at Ball Are Life receive a small commission on any purchases made from those links.  This is at no additional cost to you and helps to keep our site free, honest, and without bias or prejudice.

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

Written by the late, great Laker, Kobe Bryant, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play is Bryant’s tribute to the game of basketball.  We’ve previously discussed this book on our review of the best inspirational basketball books and believe it deserves another recommendation here. 

The Mamba Mentality is a deeply personal and introspective perspective on Bryant’s life, the challenges he faced, and the way he played the game.  While personal and intimate at times, Bryant also sets out to dispense useful pieces of wisdom and helps readers on a journey to fully understand what the “Mamba mentality” is and how readers can achieve it.

Beneath the Surface: My Story

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all-time, with 28 total medals, 23 of which were gold.  But his journey was not an easy one, as the reader will see in Beneath the Surface: My Story .  Extremely personal, Phelps discusses how the trauma of his parent’s divorce, his struggles with attention deficit disorder, and the challenges of being thrust into the limelight affected him.

But it is also a story of hope.  Phelps discusses his journey of being the youngest man to set a world swimming record to becoming an international superstar with his Olympic run in 2008.  A behind-the-scenes look into one of the greatest athletes of all-time, readers will gain insight into the training, both mental and physical, that went into his training.

Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds

In 2015, Nick Foles mulled over the possibility of retiring from professional football.  Having a solid, albeit semi-disappointing career, Foles believed his NFL days were over.  However, in the 14 th week of the 2017 NFL season, the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles went down with a torn ACL. 

Nick Foles came off the bench and against the odds and critics, led the team to their first Super Bowl victory.  A journey of unlikely triumph, Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds is Foles’ perspective and account of his historic run.

God and Starbucks: An NBA Superstar’s Journey Through Addiction and Recovery

More than a story of redemption, God and Starbucks: An NBA Superstar’s Journey Through Addiction and Recovery , is a true story of Vin Baker, an NBA athlete who struggled with drugs and alcohol off the court.  Although he believed himself to be a functional alcoholic, Baker eventually lost his wealth, fame, and stardom.

A journey of recovery, commitment, and perseverance, this is a tale of salvation and redemption more than one of falling from grace.  Now the manager of a Starbucks and a youth minister, Baker is happier and more secure in his life than ever before.

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

David Goggins, author of Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds , didn’t have a happy childhood.  Physical abuse, poverty, and prejudice were just some of the challenges he faced on a daily basis.  By-and-large, Goggins was not expected to achieve much. 

However, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man into a United States Armed Forces icon.  One of the only people to complete elite trainings as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, Goggins provides a path that he believes anyone can follow to push past their pain and reach their fullest potential.

Open: An Autobiography

Andre Agassi may arguably be one of the best men’s tennis players of all time.  However, his greatness did not come without its own challenges both personal and physical.  From a young age, Agassi was groomed to be the next tennis prodigy.  Although he rebelled against this decision, Agassi would emerge as a symbol of tennis’ future and become an international fan favorite.

Deeply personal, we’ll read a firsthand account of the challenges and setbacks Agassi faced in Open: An Autobiography .  From his time at a Florida tennis camp to his struggles with both winning and losing championships.  Agassi is brutally raw and honest, in a way that fans have always loved.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Simone Biles achieved international fame following her dominance at the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.  But there is so much more to Biles than her Olympic feats and awards.  In Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance , we hear a first-hand account from Biles herself on how she faced the odds, pushed through pain, and achieving greatness through faith and hope.

The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice

Colin O’Brady has completed what no other human has been able to do – cross the Antarctic alone.  In this gripping memoir, The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice , O’Brady details his trek.  Withstanding Antarctica’s frigid, sub-zero temperatures whilst pulling a sled that initially weighed 375-pounds, he persevered through what many called impossible.

Rafael Nadal, another tennis great, details his upbringing, the respect and admiration he had for his family and his undying quest for greatness in Rafa .  Born in Mallorca and coached by his uncle, Rafael takes readers behind the scenes as he struggles with injuries, personal problems, and an unyielding desire to be the best.

I’ll Show You

Not many athletes are afforded the opportunity to play in their hometown.  But for Derrick Rose, Chicago was more than just a hometown, it was his town.  From growing up in Englewood to making it to the United Center, Rose was destined to enter the NBA Hall of Fame.  But after four knee surgeries and being waived by the Utah Jazz, Rose had to dig deep to find the strength to persevere and succeed on the court.  I’ll Show You is a deeply personal, intimate conversation between Rose and the reader and is unlike any other novel written by an athlete you’ll ever read.

When it comes to thee best books written by athletes, there tends to be a pull towards stories of redemption, beating the odds, and overcoming obstacles.  Although the athlete life is often portrayed as glamorous and without fault, this is rarely the case.  Athletes, like regular people, have obstacles which they too must overcome to reach the pinnacle in their sport.  Be sure to read their stories to help give you new perspective and insight into their lives.

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13 Of The Best Sports Biographies Ever Written

Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig

Muhammad Ali needs no introduction. This book draws on more than 500 interviews with those who knew him best, including friends, family members and mentors. Thanks to some specially commissioned research, it paints a vivid picture of one of the most significant personalities of the 20th century. Readers are taken inside the ring for some of the most famous bouts in boxing history, before learning about Ali’s activism, conversion to Islam, personal life – which included several affairs and controversies – and his decline from Parkinson’s disease. 

Available here

Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton

Brian Clough made a name for himself as the outspoken non-nonsense manager of Nottingham Forest during the mid-70s. Those who knew him say he was unpredictable and volatile, relying on alcohol to deal with failure and success on and off the pitch. Duncan Hamilton was a young journalist in the middle of Clough’s empire who saw it all. In this book, he paints a vivid portrait of Clough, from Nottingham Forest's double European Cup triumph to his descent into alcoholism.

The Death of Pantani by Matt Rendell

Italian cyclist Marco Pantani is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest. His unrivalled stamina and climbing abilities led to historic wins at the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 1998 – becoming one of only seven men to win both in the same year. Just six years later, Pantani was found dead in a cheap hotel. The autopsy revealed he had cerebral edema and heart failure as a result of cocaine poisoning. It transpired that he’d been addicted to coke for 15 years. This account includes exclusive interviews with his psychoanalysts, family and friends, who paint an indelible picture of an extremely talented – and flawed – athlete. 

Proud by Gareth Thomas

In 2009, Gareth Thomas made headlines around the world when he announced he was gay. One of the few top athletes to have come out, Thomas made news again a decade later when he revealed he was HIV positive. For years, he’d been hiding who he really was, but on the pitch, he had it all – national hero, sporting icon, leader of men, and captain of Wales and the British Lions. For Thomas, rugby was an expression of cultural identity, but his secret was slowing killing him, and he was scared what would happen to his wife and family if news got out. Thomas’ inspiring and moving story has given him – and his readers – a fresh perspective on what masculinity really means. 

Open. An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. But, as talented as anyone, he quickly came to hate the game. Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day by his violent father, Agassi resented the constant pressure, even as he drove himself to become a prodigy. After winning the Wimbledon Championships in 1992, he became a fan favourite. What makes this book so captivating is Agassi’s near-photographic memory – every pivotal match is described as if it took place yesterday, while personal highlights (like his brief fling with Barbra Streisand) are colourfully recounted. 

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan

This book won the Pulitzer Prize for biography and made its way onto Obama’s summer reading list back in 2016. For many, surfing is an adrenalated hobby, but for some it’s more than that. New Yorker writer William Finnegan started surfing as a young boy in California and Hawaii. Barbarian Days takes readers on a journey through a life spent chasing waves across the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa and beyond. Describing the intense relationship between himself, the board and the water, Finnegan details his most dangerous surfs and razor-sharp survival instincts in the water. A fascinating and compelling read from a man battling a “beautiful addiction”.

Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography

His career wasn’t always plain sailing, but Sir Alex Ferguson eventually became the greatest football manager of his generation. A player back in the 60s and 70s, Ferguson went on to manage a string of Scottish teams before taking charge of Manchester United for nearly 30 years. Here, he reflects on a managerial career that included unprecedented European success for Aberdeen and many triumphant seasons with United, and reveals how he stayed sane at the peak of his profession. An entertaining, insight-filled must-read for all football fans. 

Put Me Back On My Bike by William Fotheringham

Tom Simpson was one of Britain’s most successful cyclists until his tragic death on the barren moonscape of the Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France – aged just 30 years old.  A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, and was accused of fixing races, but he still managed to inspired awe and affection. Put Me Back on My Bike revisits the places and people associated with Simpson to show how he became a sporting legend in just a few short years.

Coming Back To Me by Marcus Trescothick

England cricketer Marcus Trescothick surprised fans and teammates when he prematurely ended his international career. At 29, Trescothick was widely regarded as one of the batting greats. With more than 5,000 Test runs to his name and eternal status as a 2005 Ashes hero, he’d already achieved more than he’d set out to. On Saturday 25th February 2006, four days before leading England into the first Test against India, Trescothick walked from the field in the midst of a mental breakdown. In the dressing room, he broke down in tears, overwhelmed by a blur of anguish, uncertainty and sadness he had been keeping at bay for longer than he knew. His account of performing at the top highlights an important conversation about the unique pressures and mental struggles many athletes face.

Undisputed Truth by Mike Tyson

No doubt Mike Tyson was a phenomenal boxer. But some of his antics in and outside the ring are much more questionable. There’s the rape conviction early in his career, the biting off of Evander Holyfield’s ear, and the cocaine addiction which led to his bankruptcy in the early noughties. In his own words, Tyson’s talks openly and movingly about a troubled childhood (he was arrested 38 times before he was 13), his financial ruin, and playing up to his ‘bad boy’ persona on a world stage.

The Accident Footballer by Pat Nevin

Pat Nevin never wanted to be a professional footballer, but went on to captivate audiences around the world with his quick footwork in the wing. Growing up in Glasgow's East End, he loved playing football, but he also loved reading classic literature, nights out with his mates, and listening to indie music until the early hours. With spells at Chelsea and Everton, Nevin became a household name, but here he discusses the joys of professional football alongside its contradictions and conflicts – and what it means to be defined by your job.

Lewis Hamilton: The Biography by Frank Worrall

Sir Lewis Hamilton has redefined British racing, and what it means to be a Black athlete at the top of the game. In this new biography, Frank Worrall charts his rise to stardom, starting with Hamilton's debut season in 2007, which won him fans around the world. Hamilton’s performance on the track has led to legendary status, but his personal life has also landed him on the front pages of the tabloids time and again. Then in 2021 he received a knighthood, making his unexpected journey to the top even more unbelievable. 

The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant

American basketball great Kobe Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the LA Lakers. Then, in January 2020 he tragically died alongside his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash in California. Known as ‘Black Mamba’, he was a master of mental preparation and using a unique game plan to win time and again. Written before his untimely death, this book takes readers inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical and creative sportsmen ever.

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11 best sports autobiographies

From dealing with pressure on the pitch to overcoming demons in their personal lives, indybest finds sports stars whose memoirs pack a punch, article bookmarked.

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Whatever sports you're into, these books, all published in the last six months, make for absorbing reads.

{1} Gareth Thomas: Proud: Ebury, £20

Since becoming Britain’s first openly-gay professional rugby player in 2009, Thomas has been something of a pin-up for the LBGT community. But it was not an easy path to contentment, as he lays bare in this accomplished, moving effort.

{2} Nicole Cooke: The Breakaway: Ebury, £20

Before the likes of Laura Trott was making headlines for women’s road racing, Cooke was battling to give the sport the recognition she felt it deserved. Her grit and determination, spanning from childhood to the London Olympics, radiates from the page in this account of achieving in a male-dominated arena.

{3} I an Poulter: No Limits: Quercus, £20

The media has seized upon snappy dresser Poulter’s “rags to riches” story. But the one-time market trader who became a Ryder Cup master’s story has impact when it comes from the horse’s mouth. His revealing tale is an absorbing one for golf aficionados.

{4} Our Life on Ice: The Autobiography: Simon & Schuster, £20

From their gold medal-winning routine in 1984 to eight years judging Dancing on Ice, Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean have come as a professional pair. This shines a light on their individual personal struggles and how their – entirely unromantic – partnership has worked for four decades in the figure skating business. Fans will love it.

{5} Roy Keane: The Second Half: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, £20

To use a sporting cliché, this blisteringly honest book - written in collaboration with Booker Prize winner Roddy Doyle — is a tale of two halves. An account of the driven Premier League star’s career, then an insight into life as a manager. Keane’s self-deprecating wit, combined with a take-no-prisoners approach, make for an entertaining read.

{6} Jimmy White: Second Wind: Trinity Mirror sport media, £20

Snooker might not be your usual bag, but White’s searingly honest account of how drugs cost him ten world titles and nearly his life, is a gripping one. “The Whirlwind” airs his dirty laundry and leaves you to make up your own mind on his legacy.

{7} Luis Suarez: Crossing the Line : Headline, £20

When you’ve gone from the street football of Montevideo to the excellence of Ajax, married your childhood sweetheart, been banned for racism and biting, almost dragged Liverpool to the title, been thrown out of the World Cup, and joined Barcelona, you’ve got a story to tell. Suarez delivers his brilliantly and honestly.

{8} Carl Froch: Froch The Autobiography: Ebury, £20.87

Froch has never been scared to take on the hardest opponents in the boxing ring. Here, alongside his in-depth analysis of fights – including his much-hyped win against George Groves to– you see a softer side, loyal to friends, family and trainer Rob McCracken.

{9} KP: The Autobiography : Sphere, £20

Former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen takes a no-holds-barred approach to telling the stories - and apportioning blame - for his memorable moments, including being dropped before the failed 2013/14 Ashes series. Like him or not, KP’s book is compulsive reading.

{10} Brian O’Driscoll: The Test: Penguin, £20

With Ireland a favourite to take the Six Nations, now’s an apt time to delve into the life of the national side’s former rugby captain. The likeable O’Driscoll covers his turmoil over the suicide of his best friend, along with his own surprising on-pitch struggles. Buy

11. Geoffrey Boycott: The Corridor Of Certainty: Simon & Schuster, £20

The batsman-turned-commentator is always forthright on his beloved sport but here you get a unusually candid insight into his life away from cricket, notably a harrowing account of his recent cancer treatment. You sense the impact the illness had on his family in this engaging book that reads almost as if Boycott was sat next you telling the story. Buy

Verdict For books that transcend sport and are moving and thought-provoking memoirs, try Gareth Thomas' Proud or Nicole Cooke's The Breakaway .

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The 35 Best Sports Books Ever Written

Fill the gaps between watching sport with the greatest writing about Muhammad Ali, Brian Clough, Diego Maradona and more

We’re not the first to observe that the thing about sport is that it comes with a built-in narrative arc. There will be heroes and there will be villains. There will be triumphs and there will be disappointments. There will be winners and there will be losers (unless it’s a sport like football which, to Ted Lasso’s continuing befuddlement, allows for a “tie”). But what happens off the pitch, or outside the field, or court-side, can often be as dramatic – if not more so – than what happens on, as it takes a certain type of person to excel at sport: gifted, driven, and sometimes, yes, a little psychotic.

Documentary-makers have found a rich seam to exploit in retelling sports narratives recently, and looking at some of the more exceptional characters who’ve risen to the fore ( The Last Dance being the most high-profile example, although there has been a raft of other good ones ), but nothing can delve into the intricacies of a great athlete’s mind like a book, especially in the hands of a great writer. Here we’ve recommended some of our favourites of this century and the last, that will keep you gripped to the final whistle.

A Woman's Game: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Women's Football by Suzy Wrack (2022)

Timed to land just as the Lionesses started their tilt at winning the Euros and immortality, the Guardian's Suzy Wrack traces women's football from the mid-Great War, post-Suffragette days when huge crowds would flock to see women's teams – Dick, Kerr's Ladies drew 53,000 to Goodison Park on Boxing Day 1920 – to a backlash that saw women banned from playing on FA pitches between 1921 and 1971 on the grounds that football was "unsuitable for females". Then, the slow climb back to prominence, and a big decision to make: does women's football try to 'catch up' with the global reach of the men's game, or make the most of what makes it different and joyful? This is a thorough run through a backstory which rarely used to make the back pages.

The Game of Our Lives: The Meaning and Making of English Football by David Goldblatt (2014)

In the men's game, however, things have rarely been more weird. At the time of writing, Manchester United may still be bought out by former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Jassim, and the season has stretched into late June thanks to a mid-winter World Cup. How did we get here? Goldblatt shows how English football as we know it was liquidated and reformed as an entertainment product to beat them all in the wake of the Thatcher years, knitting it together with the ways England itself has changed in the 21st century. A lot has changed in the last decade – Chelsea cop a lot of flak, despite the ownership now looking positively quaint next to Manchester City and Newcastle United – but to understand how we got here, start with this.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan (2015)

Finnegan’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning memoir about his lifelong obsession with surfing – starting in California as kid, then Hawaii as a teen, taking him right though to New York in the present (a lesser-known surf spot, certainly) – is a searing and startling paean to the sport. Yes it can seem pointless, and yes it can be punishing, but Finnegan is able to encapsulate the feeling of freedom and euphoria like few others, while also describing his own meandering personal history, which somehow transformed him from a twentysomething stoner surf-bum into a renowned political journalist for the New Yorker, particularly for his reporting from Apartheid-era South Africa.

Blood Horses: Notes of a Sportswriter’s Son by John Jeremiah Sullivan (2004)

Like so many of the titles on this list, John Jeremiah Sullivan’s first book – printed in the UK for the first time in 2013 after the success of his brilliant 2012 essay collection, Pulphead – is a sports book but also something more. It began as a consideration of the life of his late father, Mike Sullivan, who had been a sportswriter for a Kentucky newspaper, and whose fascination with sport in general, and with horse racing in particular, his son had never quite managed to understand. In telling the story of the legendary racehorse Secretariat, one of whose Kentucky derby wins his father attended, he unpicks a sport that is both fascinating and mystifying in equal measure.

Land of Second Chances: The Impossible Rise of Rwanda’s Cycling Team by Tim Lewis (2013)

If sport can be accused of providing neat story arcs (see intro!), or clear-cut heroes and villains, Lewis’s British Sports Book Award-winning exploration of the attempt – by a group of American former professional cyclists – to set up a cycling team in Rwanda a decade after the genocide there in which 1 million people were slaughtered, is as nuanced and fascinating as they come. Lewis, a contributing editor to Esquire , spent time in Rwanda with the would-be riders, including the talented Adrien Niyonshuti, who lost six brothers in the 1994 genocide, and also the professionals who helicopter in to set up the country’s first team, but who, in the case of coach Jock Boyer, turns out to have a dark past of his own.

Football Against The Enemy by Simon Kuper (1994)

Football against the enemy.

Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper wrote this accomplished and quirky footballing travelogue when he was still only in his early 20s. And it's remarkably good; arguably the first and even best in the now-not-so-new wave of 'literary' football tomes that have followed in ever-greater numbers. Kuper travels to 22 countries to find out how football has shaped individual national politics and culture – and vice versa – meeting players, politicians and picking up anecdotes and observations along the way. We all know football as a global obsession, but these fascinating tales – from the tragic to the bizarre – show just how far its reach extends.

Touching The Void by Joe Simpson (1988)

Simpson's harrowing account of his and Simon Yates's calamitous assault, in 1985, on Siula Grande, Peru, has rightly transcended the sport of climbing and become a legendary fable for what humans are capable of doing to survive. It centres, of course, on one of the most amazing escapes ever achieved: with Simpson hopelessly hanging off one end of a rope, Yates is faced with cutting it to prevent them both being killed. Somehow, Simpson survives the fall. But alone in a crevasse with a shattered leg, his situation is hopeless. What follows is a staggering tale of will and courage that also addresses the perennial question of what drives people to climb mountains in the first place. As Churchill said: "When you're going through hell, keep going".

A Good Walk Spoiled: Days And Nights On The PGA Tour by John Feinstein (1995)

Even if you're not a golf fan – though it certainly helps if you are – this groundbreaking account of the highs and lows of the 1993/4 season on the American pro circuit is ultimately a human drama. With unprecedented access to the stars – Greg Norman, Nick Price, John Daly and Nick Faldo to name just a few – and rookies alike, it reveals the disparate personalities and personal travails behind the TV images and how these combine with the particular demands of a sport where the margins between success and failure are so thin. A gripping and always entertaining account of what can justifiably be called the cruellest sport of all, whatever your level.

Addicted by Tony Adams (1998)

Harpercollins pub ltd addicted.

Adams was still a regular for Arsenal and England when his jaw-droppingly frank autobiography was published at the start of the 1998–99 season. His drinking problem destroyed him personally yet seemed to leave his football unaffected (wearing bin bags under training kit to sweat out the booze served him well). If any stories were left out, they must have been truly hideous. Here are remembrances of picking through jeans on the bedroom floor to find the least-piss-soaked pair to wear. Expect fights, prostitutes, broken lives, redemption.

Paper Lion by George Plimpton (1966)

To millennial sportswriters who never leave the office (or sofa) to live blog sport on TV, Plimpton’s participatory journalism (“that ugly descriptive”, in his words) must seem preposterous and grand. That Plimpton himself came across ever so slightly preposterous and grand was not lost on the man himself, who pricked that public persona with a terrifically witty, inquisitive writing style that worked best applied to sport. Of his five books about taking part in pro-level match-ups in boxing, baseball, ice hockey, golf and US football, Paper Lion , on the latter, is the finest.

Pocket Money by Gordon Burn (1986)

Burn, known for his mixing of fiction with non-fiction in the New Journalism style, spent a year documenting snooker during its mid-Eighties’ boom, and produced one of the lesser-known classics of British sportswriting. Reading it now, Burn is not the Hunter S of the green baize: his write-up is as straight as Steve Davis’s cue action, yet all the better for it. Every endorsement deal, every shit hotel room from Stoke to Guangzhou, every hour on the practice table, every string pulled by the promoter Barry Hearn: Burn recorded the lot with great skill.

Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton (2007)

“A spurious intimacy evolves between you,” writes Hamilton, of the relationship between a football club reporter and the club’s manager. In his case, from the age of 18 for two decades in Nottingham, with Clough, “an extraordinary journey with a contradictory, Chinese box of a man — idiosyncratic, eccentric, wholly unpredictable.” Clough’s one-liners are magnificent, for example, on a time before blanket player representation: “the only agent back then was 007 — and he shagged women, not entire football clubs.” Hamilton’s poignant, revealing book is a wonder.

I Think Therefore I Play by Andrea Pirlo (2013)

Sh123 andrea pirlo: i think therefore i play.

I Am Zlatan is held up as the foreign footballer’s must-read memoir, but entertaining though the Swede’s book is, time spent rubbing up against his ego isn’t so enlightening. Pirlo’s, however, has the sort of insight you’d expect from the thinking man’s Greatest Player of his Generation. "You won’t believe me, but it was right in that very moment," about to take the first penalty in the 2006 World Cup Final shoot-out, "I understood what a great thing it is to be Italian. It’s a truly priceless privilege." Also learned: he adores video-game football and always plays as Barça.

Laughing in the Hills by Bill Barich (1980)

As mid-life crises go, Barich’s, aged 35, is special. Five rejected novels, mother and mother-in-law dead of cancer five weeks apart, no money, no job, wife with suspected brain tumour. Craving structure, he found it only studying the Daily Racing Form , picking horses methodically and placing small bets. He then told his wife (tumour: false alarm), he’d be moving to a motel next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Fields racetrack, “convinced there was something special about racing and I wanted to get to the heart of the matter.” There was. He did. His write-up of that time is spectacularly good.

Ball Four by Jim Bouton (1970)

On the face of it, a diary of the 1969 season by a second-string pitcher for the Seattle Pilots baseball team, the only year that team existed, does not leap to the top of the to-read pile. But the total frankness in terms of locker-room talk, player drug use and womanising, bad blood, gamesmanship and other off-topic matters means this is the most inside-a-team book you’ll ever read. It offended baseball so much, Bouton’s 1971 follow-up was called I’m Glad You Didn’t Take It Personally . David Simon, creator of The Wire , put Ball Four in his six all-time favourite books.

The Damned United by David Peace (2006)

Faber & faber the damned utd.

Brian Clough (see elsewhere on this list) spent 44 days as manager of Leeds United in 1974. Peace’s self-styled “fiction, based on a fact” unpacks this mistake via an unrelenting Clough inner monologue that brings the great man vividly to life. (The Clough family, and Leeds’ Johnny Giles disagreed, the latter winning an apology though the courts.) As a study of football partisanship, one of the game’s most important emotions, it is astonishing. Said Gordon Burn (see elsewhere on the list), “if the English novel needs a kick up the pants... consider it wholeheartedly kicked.”

Muhammad Ali by various

Taschen gmbh greatest of all time: a tribute to muhammad ali.

The Greatest has a whole shelf to himself in the sporting library (including, naturally, The Greatest Coloring Book of All Time ). Four books in particular stand out, together covering every angle you could wish for. Jonathan Eig’s Ali: a Life (2017) is the best cradle-to-grave account, as good on the flaws as the fabulous. King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero (1999) by David Remnick focuses on the Clay-becomes-Ali era of the early Sixties. The Fight (1975) is Norman Mailer’s amazing retelling of the Rumble in the Jungle, and the giant, glossy Greatest of all Time (2003; 2010 reprint) by Taschen, is the coffee table book to top them all.

Slaying the Badger: LeMond, Hinault and the Greatest Ever Tour de France by Richard Moore (2011)

The badger, or more correctly, Le Blaireau , is Bernard Hinault, the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France and one of cycling’s all-time greats. Out to get him is his American teammate Greg LeMond, who finished second to Hinault in the 1985 Tour and wants the result reversed in 1986’s race. Reliving the latter contest, Moore forces the reader to pick sides — grizzled veteran versus young upstart, old ways versus new ways, USA versus France — which only heightens the drama. Journo props to Esquire contributor Moore, too, for tracking down both men more than 25 years later for illuminating postscripts.

Open by Andre Agassi (2009)

According to The New York Times : "one of the most passionately anti-sports books ever written by a superstar athlete." Says Agassi: "I knew in the book I had to expose everything." So: the unceasing slog, from toddler to champ, that prevented him from loving tennis, or anything, until he met his second wife Steffi Graf. His failed first marriage to Brooke Shields, crystal meth: it’s all here. Props to Agassi and his quest for truth, and also his ghost, JR Moehringer, who got 250 hours of interview time with his subject instead of the typical 30.

All Played Out by Pete Davies (1990)

English football’s second-finest hour — Italia ’90 — led to its finest book. Having spent the year before the World Cup earning the trust of the England players and manager Bobby Robson, Davies was let into the camp during the tournament. He also observed, close-up, the press, fans and hooligans. An epic journey for the team and their chronicler, superbly told with sharp reportage, dry humour and real feeling. In 2010, the book was retitled One Night in Turin , to tie in with the documentary of the same name.

Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka (2011)

First, to get ahead of any Twitterstorm, we recognise the decision of cricket bible Wisden (the greatest annual sports book ever, of course) to stop using the term “chinaman” to describe a slow left-arm wrist-spin bowler. Such a player is one of cricket’s rare gems, and this novel is about a washed-up journalist trying to find a slow left-arm wrist-spinner who has faded from the spotlight. The author knows a lot about cricket, but he also knows a lot about myth, mystery, obsession, drinking and noble pursuits undertaken by the ignoble.

Mystery Spinner: the Story of Jack Iverson by Gideon Haigh (2002)

Hold your right hand out in front of you, palm facing you, fingers spread, then bend your middle finger at the knuckle. Now try bowling a cricket ball held between thumb and middle finger. Jack Iverson mastered it, and bamboozled batsmen so much that when he played for Australia, the captain, also Iverson’s club captain, would move players from other clubs around in the field so they couldn’t watch Iverson up close. This biography, by the writer many think is cricket’s current best (they’re correct), reveals, at times movingly, why Iverson didn't become an all-timer.

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby (1992)

Hornby could not have imagined that his book would be relevant to the football fan’s experience 26 years after it was first published. (That it is still in print, after several bestselling years, would also be a surprise to him.) It’s harder for fans to follow Hornby’s best piece of advice — be seen reading the papers’ back pages on the first days of a new job, to attract fellow supporters — but he absolutely nails the inexorable pull of football fandom. And he had to do it all with boring, boring Arsenal.

Aurum Press Ltd Levels of the Game (Sports Classics)

Levels of the Game by John McPhee (1969)

This writers’ favourite began life, as most of its author’s books do, as an article in The New Yorker . It is an account of the 1968 US Open semi-final between Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner, a profile of both men and their place in US society at the time. Ashe is black, Democrat, bookish, skinny; Graebner the opposite. Every sportswriter ever has played the sport-is-life-and-life-is-sport card. In this slim volume, which punches far beyond its weight, McPhee plays it best of all.

The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro by Joe McGinniss (1999)

Castel Di Sangro is a small-time football club that miraculously rose through the Italian pyramid to Serie B’s second tier for the 1996–97 season. Equally extraordinary was the presence of McGinniss, a US writer famous for a revealing Richard Nixon book and true-crime doorsteps, as the upstarts’ Boswell. He had fallen hard for soccer after the 1994 World Cup and moved to Italy to document the fairy tale. Instead: corruption, cocaine smuggling, car crashes and conspiracy to go with the calcio .

Fast Company by Jon Bradshaw (1975)

Brilliant, evocative profiles of winning gamblers including Bobby Riggs (of the 1973 'Battle of the Sexes' tennis match), pool legend Minnesota Fats and Tim Holland, backgammon’s best ever. The author, who wrote for Esquire , New York magazine and Vogue , understood these rascals because he admired and shared their qualities. In his introduction to a later edition, writer Nik Cohn remembers Bradshaw’s "conscious roguery, a Rothmans perpetually dangling from one corner of his mouth, and that lopsided shark’s grin plastering the other. He sported Turnbull & Asser silk shirts and Gucci loafers, flashed gold lighters and a Piaget watch." Touché.

Beware of the Dog by Brian Moore (2010)

England’s 64-cap hooker begins this second account of his life by effectively apologising for the less-than-candid nature of the first, then describing the sexual abuse he endured as a child, why he came to deal with it as an adult and what happened when he told his mum. It’s genuinely stunning. But this book is not on this list because of just one chapter. Everything that follows, including pissed-up rugby tales, personal and professional highs and lows, feels like it’s in the book for the same reasons as that prologue: honest, insightful and crucial to Moore’s life.

The Hand of God: the Life of Diego Maradona by Jimmy Burns (1996)

Burns was the right choice to decode Diego in the post- Fever Pitch wave of sportswriting. As the former FT man in Buenos Aires, he knew Argentina and its favourite son perhaps better than any other English-language writer. The beats of the player’s life are storyteller’s gold: shantytown upbringing, national team aged 17, FC Barcelona aged 22 (when he also had his first line of coke), World Cup winner aged 25, roaring into a camera at the World Cup, full of illegal stimulants, aged 33. Also: mafia, money, mayhem. Burns weaves it all together magnificently.

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis (2006)

The blind side: evolution of a game.

Lewis’s Moneyball , about disruptive baseball analysis, often appears on lists of this sort, but The Blind Side is more entertaining, with a you-couldn’t-make-it-up human-interest core that some felt was over-egged in the film version starring Sandra Bullock. Back in the book, two stories are told: how a black US high-school football prospect (crack addict mother, dad killed in prison) changes after adoption by a rich white family, and how the game itself has changed with respect to the “blind side”, a quirk of player growth and tactics.

A Life Too Short: the Tragedy of Robert Enke by Ronald Reng (2011)

Reng and Enke were planning to write a book together; Reng wrote it alone after Enke killed himself in November 2009. Three months peviously, Enke had kept goal for Germany for the last time. Three years earlier, his two-year-old daughter died after lifelong heart problems. More than once, the pressure of top-level football had come down hard. Rene uses Enke’s diaries, interviews with the keeper’s wife and family and the material the two men generated together in a masterful, moving account of depression and its devastating consequences. Once read, never forgotten.

The Death of Ayrton Senna by Richard Williams (1995)

Williams, former editor of Melody Maker and chief sportswriter of The Guardian , is both the man you want over your shoulder when playing HQ Trivia and the sort of writer who can make you listen to, or care about, someone you had no interest in before reading his take on them. Of course, Senna is beloved; even more so since the 2010 documentary biopic. Williams even-handedly dispels the myths surrounding the Brazilian’s remarkable life, his tragic death and the afterlife of his legend, yet maintains his heroic aura through concise, insightful analysis.

The Illustrated History of Football by David Squires (2016)

Squires has just completed another season of football cartoons for The Guardian , with no sign of let-up in quality, hilarity or niche Simpsons references. His first book, a history of the game with all-new work, is the funniest football tome since Viz ’s Billy the Fish Football Yearbook , published 26 years earlier. The second volume, The Illustrated History of Football: Hall of Fame , is more of the same excellence.

Full Time: the Secret Life of Tony Cascarino by Paul Kimmage (2000)

Everything you’d think the 21st-century footballer is advised to leave out of an autobiog is here: infidelity, itemised career earnings, dialogue with the internal voice of crippling self-doubt (“you pathetic fucker, Cascarino!”), mystery injections from club physios and, most candidly, the fact you were not really qualified to play for your country. “Tony Goal”, as the Republic of Ireland (perhaps) centre-forward was known in France, teamed with Irish writer Paul Kimmage, whose cycling book Rough Ride and rugby book Engage , had a shot at being on this list.

A Lot of Hard Yakka, Triumph and Torment by Simon Hughes (1997)

A lot of hard yakka.

“There’s nothing exceptional about me; never was,” claims Hughes, in what is the only duff note in a book that proves his statement incorrect. His lid-lift on the jobbing cricketer’s lot is a celebration of shortfalls, on and off the pitch. After all, what is sport if not mostly mediocrity punctuated by rare moments of glory and despair? Hughes has neither of those. He has kit sponsors rewarding improved performance with “a couple of short-sleeved casual shirts” and that time he interrupted coitus to turn over the Donna Summer tape. Very funny stuff.

My Father and Other Working-Class Football Heroes by Gary Imlach (2005)

Stewart Imlach played for Scotland at the 1958 World Cup and won the FA Cup with Nottingham Forest a year later. Now you know about as much about Stewart as did his son Gary when the old man died. Holding a cigarette card of his dad at a collectors’ fair a few months after the funeral, Gary laments, “How had I managed to let him die without properly gathering together the details of his career, his life story?” Surely doubly galling for Gary, the TV sports journalist, who had likely researched thousands of other sporting lives. This book triumphantly redresses his oversight.

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33 Sports Books to Read Now That Sports Are (Mostly) Back

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Everyone loves an underdog. That’s why we’re drawn to sports movies—there’s something special about the magic depicted in Remember The Titans , Miracle , or even something silly like The Waterboy . But good sports books, and we mean good ones, go even deeper. Whether we’re learning a lot about something we already care about, diving deep into a brand new subject, or taking in an entirely fictional world in a novel set in a universe alternate to our own, there’s always going to just be more when you’re the one painting the pictures inside your own mind.

And now with so much time—there’s still a pandemic happening, last we checked—sports fans need to find alternate ways to get their fix; just flipping to ESPN doesn’t hit the same when there’s no NBA Playoffs Game 5 to catch the end of. But that’s OK, because for every epic sports moment or figure that you can think of, there’s probably a book where you can learn more.

Want to learn more about Mike Tyson? You got it. How about Michael Jordan? Sure. Maybe you want to find a great Yogi Berra quote to text your mom to make her laugh. A solid option! All of that and more can come from picking the right book. And below, we’ve got 33 of the very best that can help to make this sports-less quarantine period that much less painful.

Pocket Books The Jordan Rules: The Inside Story of One Turbulent Season with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls

If followed the NBA in the '90s, you've heard of this one. If you watched  The Last Dance ,  you've heard of this one. But let's get into it just in case: sportswriter Sam Smith got inside with the Chicago Bulls for their first championship, in the 1990-1991 season. For the first time, people saw that Michael Jordan—MJ, His Airness, Air Jordan, whatever you prefer to call him—wasn't just a 2-dimensional basketball god, but a real person with a real personality and real issues. And it gets into teammates and coaches of the era, too. A must-read for anyone looking to fill in relatively-recent NBA history. 

Brand: Riverhead Fever Pitch

You've probably heard of this one in its form as a Jimmy Fallon-led (remember when he used to act?) 2004 romantic comedy about a guy balancing his love life with his obsessive love for the Boston Red Sox. The movie, actually, is based on a memoir of obsessive devotion to English Football Club Arsenal, written by author Nick Hornby ( High Fidelity, A Long Way Down).  Funny, interesting, and still engrossing, if you're a sports fan who just can't figure out why you continue rooting for the loser , you'll find home here. 

St. Martin's Press 24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid

While we're all missing baseball (and believe me, we  all  wish we were at a ballpark with a hot dog and a beer right about now), why not read a brand new book from the mind of one of the game's all-time greats? Willie Mays came together with co-author John Shea to tell the story of his incredible, lengthy career (he played from 1951-1973), which saw him play through the civil rights era as one of the game's earliest superstars. 

Back Bay Books What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen

Things might not always be as shiny as they seem. That's the main takeaway in this crushing book by Kate Fagan, expanded from her ESPN Magazine story about the tragic suicide of Madison Holleran. The story looks at a college athlete who by all accounts would've seemed to "have it all," but always had an unexplainable darkness bubbling under the surface. An absolutely crushing story, but one that deserves to be read. 

Back Bay Books Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN

This nonfiction story on the past and present of ESPN is long (763 pages) but it's an oral history—so you can read through it like movie dialogue. Starting with stories of the network's very beginning in 1979, and coming up to date with many names that you'll still see on TV every day, this book is gripping, and quite cinematic. So cinematic, in fact, that a major adaptation has been in discussion for a couple years now. Read the book now and get ahead of the curve. 

Workman Publishing Company The Yogi Book

This isn't so much a book you'll sit down and read for a couple hours as much as it's something you'll pick up when sitting with family and friends and get a good laugh at. As a collection of Yogi Berra's greatest quotes and his funniest anecdotes (and with less than 200 pages) , it's hard to beat  The Yogi Book. 

Scribner Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Did you ever wonder what goes into those cool sneakers you picked up for $120? If you have, great. If you haven't, maybe now is the time to start wondering.  Shoe Dog  is an interesting, never-before-told story from Phil Knight about founding a company you might have heard of called Nike. Where did 'Just Do It' come from? The answer is here. 

Triumph Books Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay

Todd Zolecki's brand-new book (it just came out on May 19) takes a deeper look at the late MLB star Roy Halladay. Halladay, who was inducted in the Hall of Fame last summer, and is yet another case of someone who had demons hiding beneath the surface;  Doc  tells the fascinating story behind Halladay's balancing act. He was a star on the field, and a beloved father and husband, while also dealing with the dark demons that come along with addiction. 

Plume Undisputed Truth

It can feel like there's a divide a lot of the time with celebrity memoirs. Sure, it's someone you want to read from and learn about, but the book isn't in their voice—it's some undisclosed ghostwriter's voice. Well,  Undisputed  Truth  almost certainly has its own ghostwriter, but it's a damn good one, because it reads  exactly  like a book that Mike Tyson would write. This book hops from one entertaining anecdote to the next, and never feels like you're getting your information from anywhere other than the man itself. 

Simon & Schuster Tiger Woods

When  The Last Dance  ended, a popular conversation emerged: Who else could possibly be as compelling as Michael Jordan? Who could possibly power their own 10-part documentary series? A common response was Tiger Woods, and as this biography by Jeff Benedict—published just before his incredible 2019 Masters win—proves, there's quite a lot to mine.  Tiger Woods  talks to more than 250 people in the golfer's orbit, and paints as clear a picture as you could possibly imagine. 

Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster The Dynasty

OK, we'll be up front with you— The Dynasty  isn't out yet. It comes out in September. But you're going to want to pre-order this book from writer Jeff Benedict—who wrote the above  Tiger Woods . Here, he has a book of the same ilk on the way about the New England Patriots, with more than 200 interviews conducted about the team's three lightening rods: Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady .  With Brady now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, we're guessing there might have been some last-minute edits—and we can't wait to read them. 

PublicAffairs The Victory Machine: The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty

If you liked  The Jordan Rules,  this book from NBA writer Ethan Sherwood Strauss might be the closest thing to a modern-day version of it. Focusing on the late-2010s Golden State Warriors dynasty years, this book takes inside looks at Warriors ownership and the emergence of the dynasty, and at Kevin Durant's entry and exit into the story. The mercurial Durant refused to be interviewed for the book—which, in a lot of ways, that makes it even juicier. 

The Cactus League: A Novel

Do you love baseball? Do you love good writing? Then  The Cactus League —the debut novel from  Paris Review  editor Emily Nemens—is for you. You know the baseball player stereotypes: the tobacco-chewing, steroid-using, meathead beefcakes.  The characters in  The Cactus League  are not this. Instead, it  looks at the inverse; the guys in spring training. Guys who don't know their future; who don't know if they're even going to make the team. It's fiction, but it's a baseball fan's dream—especially when games aren't currently being played. 

H. G. Bissinger Friday Night Lights

The book that launched the critically acclaimed film and television show, Bissinger’s chronicle of high school football in West Texas is a snapshot of the gridiron’s grip on small town America.

John McPhee A Sense of Where You Are: Bill Bradley at Princeton

The legendary New Yorker writer’s brilliant profile of Bill Bradley—the former U.S. senator and New York Knicks star.

Jim Bouton Ball Four: Twentieth Anniversary Edition

The ex-pitcher’s chronicle of his 1969 season with the New York Yankees is one of the greatest books about baseball not because it glorifies the sport, as so many baseball books do, but because it serves as an insider account of the seedier side of the game: the infighting, the womanizing, and Mickey Mantle’s heavy drinking. With its unblinking look at the side of locker room culture most of us will never see up close, it was critically lauded at the time and has become a non-fiction classic—even though it cost him friends on the diamond.

Andre Agassi Open: An Autobiography

Memoirs by former athletes are almost always dull, self-glorifying, and cliche. But tennis great Andre Agassi threw out the formula for his 2009 memoir, in which the Punisher peels back the curtain to show readers the price he paid for his success on the court—an unhappy childhood in which he was groomed for tennis greatness at an early age that gave way to a stressful adulthood which found him unfulfilled by his accomplishments.

Michael Lewis Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

You’d be hard-pressed to find a book that’s had more of an impact on the sport it’s about. Lewis’s insightful 2003 profile of Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics, which was later turned into the Brad Pitt movie of the same name, inspired front offices across the MLB and beyond to rethink their approach to assembling their teams—for better and for worse.

A. J. Liebling The Sweet Science

No list of sports books could be complete without Liebling’s collection of essays on boxing. The late author and New Yorker writer wrote about boxing the way he wrote about food, another of his favorite subjects—with insight and wit in equal parts. He was so renowned for his meditations on the sport that the Boxing Writers Association of America named a damn award after him.

Wayne Coffey The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

The former New York Daily News sportswriter’s 2005 book is perhaps the definitive account of the 1980 U.S. Men’s Hockey Team—the group of amateur Americans who took on the superb Russian squad in Lake Placid and performed a “Miracle on Ice.”

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Read These Books on the Menendez Brothers If You Want More Details After Watching “Monsters”

Written from the perspective of jury members to Los Angeles Times reporters.

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

If you’ve found yourself binge-watching the new Netflix crime series Monsters: The Menendez Brothers , you’re not alone. The show garnered 12.3 million views over its first weekend on the platform, according to reporting by The Wrap . The brothers, and subjects of the series, Erik and Lyle Menendez , quickly became notorious in 1989 for murdering their parents: José , a successful entertainment executive, and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez . The news of how the two were shot to death in their Los Angeles home led to national interest and the boys’ highly televised trial in the early 1990s.

The case intertwined with Hollywood connections, shocking secrets, and gruesome evidence. The brothers cited a history of emotional and sexual abuse as the exact reason why they killed their parents and were each sentenced to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. The national obsession has spawned no shortage of TV shows, documentaries, and books. If you want to learn more about the brothers in the wake of the renewed interest caused by the show, consider these books, now available on Amazon.

BenBella Books “The Menendez Murders: The Shocking Untold Story of the Menendez Family and the Killings that Stunned the Nation” by Robert Rand

Robert Rand is a reporter for The Miami Herald who covered both trials and the original investigation for nearly 30 years, and his book is a deep dive into the secrets of childhood abuse up until the brother’s murder conviction. It’s a number one new release in crime and criminal biographies and is available on Kindle, audiobook, or paperback.

Temple University Press “Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror” by Hazel Thornton

Hazel Thornton, who served for seven months as Juror #9 on the first Mendendez brothers’ murder trial, republished her book — Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror — in 2018. The read (available on Kindle, as a paperback and audiobook) includes Thorton’s perspective on the case, including her observations on the second trial.

Phoenix Books “The Private Diary of Lyle Menendez: In His Own Words” by Lyle Menendez

This audiobook is intriguing because it comes directly from the source: Lyle Menendez himself. The story highlights the brothers’ thought process behind the murders. It’s another first-hand account that will inspire you to dive deeper into the trials and dark life of the Menendez family.

Amazon “The Menendez Brothers’ Story” by Laura D. Everett

If you’re looking for a more updated account of the Menendez brother’s story, this paperback or Kindle book is it. Published in 2024, this story covers everything from the early lives of Lyle and Erik to the night of the murders to their current reflections and plans for reduced sentences and prison reform advocacy.

Graymalkin Media “Blood Brothers: The Inside Story of the Menendez Murders” by Ron Soble and John Johnson

From two Los Angeles Times reporters who covered the case, this book gives in-depth details on the rollercoaster that was the trial of the Menendez murders. You can shop it in Kindle or paperback format to learn more of a comprehensive overview of the family and the harrowing details that led to the brothers’ prosecution.

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