Best Sports Essays

Foreword by Malcolm Gladwell. Newly updated with fresh takes on LeBron, Kobe, the Celtics & more*. Bill Simmons, the wildly opinionated and thoroughly entertaining basketball addict known to millions as ESPN.com’s The Sports Guy, has written the definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA. His knowledge and passion for the game provide him with few peers, yet his voice represents those who stick by their teams through thick and thin. Throw in pages of nearly-insane statistical breakdowns (including a projected boxscore from the movie Teen Wolf ), and it's easy to see why fans of all levels should clear shelf space for this instant classic. The true NBA fan will dive into this hefty volume and won’t resurface for about a week, emerging from the man cave unshaven, smelling of beer and pizza, grinning, and armed with NBA history, insight, anecdotes, statistics, and a dozen new examples of Simmons’ Unintentional Comedy Scale.

Across arid, desolate expanses of scorching heat, the magnificence of the Sierra Nevada, and the dense forests of Oregon and Washington, those who dare tackle the Pacific Crest Trail find there’s no room for complacency when facing the extremes of the elements. One who can easily translate the awe-inspiring and often humbling moments of life on the trail into a powerful, honest, and light-hearted tale of desperation, perseverance, and spirit. Witness the fear as he battles a phobia of bears, snakes, spiders, and camping in the woods after dark. With the harshest winter for years looming, be by his side as he enters into a desperate race against time, facing a dangerous, physical and very real threat to become the last Englishman to complete the greatest long distance hiking trail on Earth. 'Telling the true story of a six-month PCT hike from Mexico to Canada, crossing wild desert and mountain and meeting everything from eccentric hikers to rattlesnakes along the way. Keith Foskett has hiked over 10,000 miles in recent years and holds a deep respect for the outdoor spaces of this world.

In feature stories and his Field & Stream column “A Sportsman’s Life,” as well as other publications, he has taken readers across the country and beyond to experience his triumphs and failures as a suburban dad who happens to love hunting and fishing. On a manic weeklong deer archery hunt in Ohio, he finds it necessary to practice by shooting arrows into his motel room’s phonebook (the blunt penetrates all the way to page 358, "KITCHEN CABINET—REFACING & REFINISHING"). The title of his book evokes the knee-slapping comedy of the campfire, a promise that his peculiar brand of farce frequently fulfills. “The traditional hook-and-bullet story involves an angler or a hunter, a measure of expertise, and the pursuit of fish or game. By story's end the author is usually describing landed fish or downed prey, and has rewarded readers along the way with field tips and knowledge. Bill Heavey takes a different approach, dispensing with the expertise and instead rewarding readers with madcap storytelling, laughter, commiserative cringing, but most of all a manic and contagious enthusiasm. A Professional Amateur’s Guide to the Outdoors is Heavey’s latest miscellany, gathering many of his columns from Field & Stream , and whether crashing a houseboat in Florida or salving a bout of melancholy with some worm fishing, Heavey is absurdly great company throughout." [He] inhabits a world [that] consists of animals and fish that are much better at surviving than he is at killing them; hostile, malfunctioning inanimate objects; incomprehensible written directions; doe pee that refuses to stay bottled; human folly, rain, sleet, wind, bad luck, no luck at all and, because he is now in his 60s, when your friends start dying in earnest, sorrow, pain, and loss. to a club comprised of hypercompetitive hunters and fishermen in their 30s and 40s and 50s, all of whom are very successful in life and in their chosen sports . As Hugh Glass said in The Revenant , “As long as you can pull a breath, you fight.” I trust Mr. Heavey will continue to milk it for all it’s worth.” ―David E. Petzal, “The Gun Nuts,” Field & Stream. “As a writer for Field and Stream , Bill Heavey has been able to connect with hunters, anglers and those who appreciate the great outdoors by sharing an honest perspective of his experiences. In an industry fueled by ego, Heavy’s writing style is far less serious, and focused on sharing his very own brand of comical failures with his readers.” ―Outdoor Hub, “5 Reading Picks for the Hunter/Angler/Hiker/Camper”. Outdoor writing has a dim reputation as a soapbox for braggarts who crow about hooking a monster marlin or bagging a 24-point deer. Even those who have never baited a hook, assembled a tree stand, or sat in a duck blind will quickly find themselves drawn into Heavey’s world with colorful―and occasionally dangerous―accounts of outdoor life.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred review). Readers will sense that it’s possible to fail at your mission and still have a grand time if you don’t take yourself too seriously.” ― Kirkus Reviews. He’s also one of my heroes, proof that you can make an adult living by being witty, insightful and spending an awful lot of time outdoors. “If you think of Bill Heavey as ‘just’ a humorist, you'll be selling him short, but it’s his intelligent, unforced humor that hits you first and stays with you the longest.” ―John Gierach, author of At the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman and All Fishermen Are Liars. “Bill Heavey is James Thurber in camouflage overalls, an unrelenting geyser of slapstick comedy and serrated wit. “Heavey examines an eclectic variety of topics, from hunting to fishing to relationships and even life’s more profound mysteries. Fellow outdoorspeople are the target audience, but the overall quality of the writing may draw even stay-at-homes.” ― Booklist. “Bill Heavey has become famous as America’s everyman outdoorsman, unafraid to draw attention to his many and varied failures―from sporting French lavender deodorant to scaring a UPS man half to death while bowhunting in his front yard.” ―DL-Online.

In this captivating and lavishly illustrated young adult edition of her award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller, Laura Hillenbrand tells the story of a former Olympian's courage, cunning, and fortitude following his plane crash in enemy territory. On a May afternoon in 1943, an American military plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a sinking raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Featuring more than one hundred photographs plus an exclusive interview with Zamperini, this breathtaking odyssey—also captured on film by director Angelina Jolie—is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the ability to endure against the unlikeliest of odds. Gr 9 Up—Adapted from the best-selling adult book of the same name, this riveting account tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a thief turned track star, Olympian, airman, castaway, and prisoner of war. Though this is a strong, well-written work, the adult version is accessible and engaging; students are better off sticking with the original.—Stephanie Farnlacher, Trace Crossings Elementary School, Hoover, AL “This adaptation of Hillenbrand’s adult best-seller is highly dramatic and exciting, as well as painful to read as it lays bare man’s hellish inhumanity to man.”-- Booklist , STARRED. "This captivating book emphasizes the importance of determination, the will to survive against impossible odds, and support from family and friends.

Achieve the Champion Mindset for Peak Performance with this Amazon Best-Seller. Reach New Levels of Success and Mental Toughness with this Ultimate Guide. In this concise and highly acclaimed success mental training guide, peak performance coach DC Gonzalez teaches a blend of unique mental training technologies, sports psychology essentials, and peak performance methods that are effective and motivational. Get ready to increase your self-belief, self-confidence, and mental toughness, using this powerful guide designed to help you reach new levels of success, sports performance, and personal development. This Kindle book is powerful, in it Dan explains, teaches, and helps you develop the psychological skills required for peak performance and mental toughness, while pointing out the underlying mental training strategies that will help anyone reach higher levels of achievement and performance - not by random chance, but by focused choice. The Art of Mental Training teaches the critical essentials while interwoven with stories from his fascinating background as an Aviator in the Navy, a Federal Agent, Military Cyber-Security Specialist, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and a Peak Performance Coach. Peak Performance Coach and Best-Selling Author, DC Gonzalez is among a very fortunate few that have had the unique experience of learning from the late P.C.

Written by survivalist expert Dave Canterbury, Bushcraft 101 gets you ready for your next backcountry trip with advice on making the most of your time outdoors. Dave gets you ready for your next backcountry trip with easy to digest advice and practices on how to build the most critical survival skills. Penned by survivalist expert Dave Canterbury, Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival aims to make sure you know your craft.... "With Canterbury's guidance, you'll prepare yourself for any climate and situation and you'll learn how to use the art of bushcraft to reconnect with nature." Written by famous outdoorsman Dave Canterbury, the volume covers everything from the proper knots to know to scavenging edible food in the wilderness. "Get ready for whatever nature could throw your way with this guide on bushcraft, the art of surviving in the woods with as little modern gear as possible. Dave Canterbury is the co-owner and supervising instructor at the Pathfinder School, which USA TODAY named one of the Top 12 Survival Schools in the United States. Dave is the New York Times bestselling author of Bushcraft 101 , Advanced Bushcraft , and The Bushcraft Guide to Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking in the Wild .

Whether you are racing an Indy car or simply interested in becoming a more complete driver on the street, Ultimate Speed Secrets will give you the information you need to succeed! "If you are a track-day driver or a regular racer, I guaranteed the $20 or less you pay for his book will be the most cost-effective way to lower your lap time you ever invested." “Ross Bentley’s Speed Secrets series of coaching books are a favorite around our office: they really help the driver to grasp what it takes to win. Ultimate Speed Secrets is a condensed version of all of his previous books and serves as a good refresher for those of us who haven’t read his back catalog in years. Ross Bentley is one of the best-known racing instructors who has been able to put to words what he teaches in person, down to choosing lines and adapting to different cars and trucks. Buy it, read it, practice the info and you'll be a safer, quicker and more satisfied race car driver."

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The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It encompasses the convergence of transcendent British boatmaker George Pocock; the quiet yet deadly effective UW men’s varsity coach, Al Ulbrickson; and an unlikely gaggle of young rowers who would shine as freshmen, then grow up together, a rough-and-tumble bunch, writes Brown, not very worldly, but earnest and used to hard work. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.

“The one book every disc golfer needs… If you only pick up one book on this list, make it this one… This is one of those books that will end up with highlighter and notes all over it as you read it again and again.” – Mind Body Disc Golf Reading List (MindBodyDisc.com). “It is a cool book to motivate and inspire you, speaking in terms that Disc Golfers can understand. “Zen and the Art of Disc Golf is a perfect read anytime of the year to help your disc golf game…It’s safe to say that you’ll take something away from it and in the end, you’ll take steps to being a better disc golfer with the knowledge you’ll gain.” – Zach Parcell (All Things Disc Golf). ___________________________________________________________________. For the passionate practitioner, disc golf becomes a meditation, and practicing not only has the potential to make us better players, but better people as we begin to focus on the similarities between the disc golf course and our lives.

Carney also enlists input from an Army scientist, a world-famous surfer, the founders of an obstacle course race movement, and ordinary people who have documented how they have cured autoimmune diseases, lost weight, and reversed diabetes. An ambitious blend of investigative reporting and participatory journalism, What Doesn't Kill Us explores the true connection between the mind and the body and reveals the science that allows us to push past our perceived limitations. Wheninvestigative journalist and anthropologist Carney heard about Hof'smind-boggling methods and claims that he could "hack" the human body, he knew he had to venture to Poland to expose this fraud. ― Booklist As this engaging autoethnography relates, anthropologist and investigative journalist Carney was skeptical upon encountering a photo of a nearlynaked Wim Hof sitting on a glacier in the Arctic Circle. ― Publishers Weekly On the heels of the paleo diet comes a new claim: taking on the physicalchallenges of the environment faced by our prehistoric ancestors canundo what easy calories and effortless comfort have done to ourbodies―made them fat, lazy, and weak. Expanding on his unnerving close-upaccount, the author also examines the research being done on the role of brown adipose tissue in the body and a variety of military and sportsmedicine training practices. He cites the anecdotal evidence of peoplewho have placed their faith in Hof and are convinced that his techniques have changed, if not saved, their lives―e.g., sufferers of Parkinson'sdisease, Crohn's disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. As a climax to hisaccount, Carney describes how, stripped to the waist, he accompanied Hof on a climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.In the epilogue, the author asserts that his experiences showed him that "exposure to cold helps reconfigure the cardiovascular system, combatautoimmune malfunctions, and is a pretty darned good method to simplylose weight." What Doesn't Kill Us is a fascinating book that will captivate all who read it and that will be of immense value to those in the military, those who are active insports, and those who seek an alternate means of developing greatermental and physical strength." ―Don D. Mann, New York Times bestselling author, Inside SEAL Team SIX "Damn fun and extremely well-researched, What Doesn't Kill Us is a great addition to the canon of high performance literature!" Through some great stories ― which often involve Carney trudgingthrough snow without much on ― and some serious research, he shows ushow to escape the bland, shuffling gait of our centrally-heated,fleece-jacketed, molly-coddled lives by diving head-first into theice-cold, axe-sharp, scary experiences that made our ancestors' heartsbeat faster every day.