Access Top-Rated Audiobooks 2025 in Biography & Memoir, Sports

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263609 to listen full audiobooks. Title: For the Glory: Eric Liddell's Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr Author: Duncan Hamilton Narrator: Nicholas Guy Smith Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 42 minutes Release date: May 10, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 6 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 3 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: “Hamilton is a guarantee of quality.” —Financial Times “Duncan Hamilton’s compelling biography puts flesh on the legend and paints a vivid picture of not only a great athlete, but also a very special human being.” —Daily Mail The untold and inspiring story of Eric Liddell, hero of Chariots of Fire, from his Olympic medal to his missionary work in China to his last, brave years in a Japanese work camp during WWII Many people will remember Eric Liddell as the Olympic gold medalist from the Academy Award winning film Chariots of Fire. Famously, Liddell would not run on Sunday because of his strict observance of the Christian sabbath, and so he did not compete in his signature event, the 100 meters, at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was the greatest sprinter in the world at the time, and his choice not to run was ridiculed by the British Olympic committee, his fellow athletes, and most of the world press. Yet Liddell triumphed in a new event, winning the 400 meters in Paris. Liddell ran—and lived—for the glory of his God. After winning gold, he dedicated himself to missionary work. He travelled to China to work in a local school and as a missionary. He married and had children there. By the time he could see war on the horizon, Liddell put Florence, his pregnant wife, and children on a boat to Canada, while he stayed behind, his conscience compelling him to stay among the Chinese. He and thousands of other westerners were eventually interned at a Japanese work camp. Once imprisoned, Liddell did what he was born to do, practice his faith and his sport. He became the moral center of an unbearable world. He was the hardest worker in the camp, he counseled many of the other prisoners, he gave up his own meager portion of meals many days, and he organized games for the children there. He even raced again. For his ailing, malnourished body, it was all too much. Liddell died of a brain tumor just before the end of the war. His passing was mourned around the world, and his story still inspires. In the spirit of The Boys in the Boat and Unbroken, For the Glory is both a compelling narrative of athletic heroism and a gripping story of faith in the darkest circumstances.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/262832 to listen full audiobooks. Title: For the Glory: The Life of Eric Liddell Author: Duncan Hamilton Narrator: Nicholas Guy Smith Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 38 minutes Release date: May 10, 2016 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Eric Liddell was as close to a saint as any man in modern history has been. Renowned for his athletic prowess, it was also his deeply entrenched values that set him apart from the crowd. These qualities were never better illustrated than in the 1924 Paris Olympics when, having declined his place in the 100 metres owing to the fact that the race was run on a Sunday, he produced an astonishing performance to win gold in the 400 metres, and captured the hearts of the world. Liddell was immortalised in the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire, but that film barely scratched the surface of his life (as well as being economical with the facts). It was China, where he had grown up, that was Liddell's passion, and his zeal was to improve the lot of its most unfortunate people, in a time of terrible violence and danger, when the country lay under the brutal hand of the invading Japanese army. He was literally on a mission, a force for good in the world. For the Glory takes the reader from Liddell the fastest man on the planet, through Liddell the man with a higher purpose, to Liddell when he had to be stronger than all around him, detained in an internment camp under terrible conditions, when he became the moral centre of an otherwise unbearable world. Liddell would make the ultimate sacrifice, but the story of his life continues to inspire generation after generation, from all walks of life. This is the story of a true hero of our times.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263024 to listen full audiobooks. Title: 18 Holes with Bing: Golf, Life, and Lessons from Dad Author: Nathaniel Crosby, John Strege Narrator: Sean Pratt Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 14 minutes Release date: May 3, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Arts & Entertainment Publisher's Summary: In this love letter to his father, former professional golfer Nathaniel Crosby shares memories of Bing Crosby on the golf course, and the lessons he taught him about the game and about life. With a Foreword by Jack Nicklaus. “Bing Crosby was a great ambassador for our game, as well as a great man,” hails longtime friend and golf partner, Jack Nicklaus. The beloved singer and star was also an extraordinary teacher who instilled an abiding passion and mastery of the game in his youngest son, Nathaniel. Winning the US Amateur at nineteen, Nathaniel went on to compete in high-level professional tournaments for his entire life. In 18 Holes with Bing, Nathaniel introduces us to the Bing Crosby he and his family knew—not the beloved singer who played golf, but a golfer who sang to pay his country club dues. Nathaniel shares exclusive stories about this American icon golfing, working, and playing with some of the most famous people in history—royalty, titans of industry, stars of stage and screen, and champions of the green, including Bob Hope, Dwight Eisenhower, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Louis Armstrong. At the book’s heart is an intimate account of a father and a son—how a mutual love of golf formed an exceptional emotional bond. Full of anecdotes, vignettes, and recollections of Bing’s time on the course, the tournaments he created and later sponsored, and the constant encouragement he showed his son, 18 Holes with Bing honors this celebrated golfer, entertainer, and father, and illuminates his life as never before.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/262789 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Out of My League: The Classic Hilarious Account of an Amateur's Ordeal in Professional Baseball Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Robert Fass Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 4 hours 30 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: This baseball classic that Ernest Hemingway called 'beautifully observed and incredibly conceived' includes a foreword from Jane Leavy and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton archives. The first of Plimpton's remarkable forays into participatory journalism, Out of My League chronicles with wit, charm, and grace what happens when a self-professed amateur has the chance to answer every fan's question: could he strike out a major league star? Plimpton's inspired idea -- to get on the mound and pitch a few innings to the All-Stars of the American and National Leagues -- begins as a fun-filled stunt and comes to a deeply hellish, nearly humiliating end. This honest and hilarious tale features Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Whitey Ford, Ralph Houk, and other baseball greats and is 'a baseball book such as no one else ever wrote, and one of the best ever.'-New York Herald Tribune

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/262682 to listen full audiobooks. Title: One for the Record: The Inside Story of Hank Aaron's Chase for the Home Run Record Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Rick Adamson Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 4 hours 0 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The inside story of Hank Aaron's chase for the home run record, repackaged and with a foreword by Bob Costas and new material from the Plimpton Archives. In One For the Record, George Plimpton recounts Hank Aaron's thrilling race to become the new home run champion. Amidst media frenzy and death threats, Aaron sought to beat Babe Ruth's record. In 1974, he finally succeeded. A fascinating examination of the psychology of baseball players, One For the Record gives an absorbing account of the men on the mound who had to face Aaron. But the book's true genius lies in the portrait of Aaron himself, and his discussions on his philosophy on hitting and the game of baseball.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263213 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Mad Ducks and Bears: Football Revisited Author: George Plimpton Narrator: L.J. Ganser Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 0 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: George Plimpton's follow-up to Paper Lion, one of his personal favorites among his classic books -- repackaged and including a foreword from Steve Almond and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton archives. In Mad Ducks and Bears, George Plimpton's engaging companion to Paper Lion, Plimpton focuses on two of the most entertaining and roguish linemen and former teammates -- Alex Karras ('Mad Ducks') and John Gordy ('Bears'), both of whom went on to achieve brilliant post-football success. A more reflective, less madcap book than Plimpton's other work, Mad Ducks and Bears is no less truthful and searching. In this fond exploration of football's values and follies, Plimpton rejoins his two teammates to discuss their careers in this brutal but captivating game. The result is an astute exploration into the fascinating lives and motivations of the players at home, in the locker room, and on the field.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263338 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Shadow Box: An Amateur in the Ring Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Jeff Bottoms Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 0 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: George Plimpton makes his riskiest foray into participatory journalism -- stepping into the ring against a champion boxer -- in Shadow Box, repackaged and including never-before-seen content from the Plimpton archives. Stepping into the ring against light-heavyweight champion Archie Moore, George Plimpton pauses to wonder what ever induced him to become a participatory journalist. Bloodied but unbowed, he holds his own in the bout -- and lives to tell, in this timeless book on boxing and its devotees, among them Ali, Joe Frazier, Ernest Hemingway, and Norman Mailer. Shadow Box is one of Plimpton's most engaging studies of professional sport, told through the eyes of an inquisitive and astute amateur. From the gym, the locker room, ringside, and even in the harsh glare of the ring itself, Plimpton documents what it is like to be a boxer, an artist of mayhem.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263337 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Bogey Man: A Month on the PGA Tour Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Jeff Bottoms Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 30 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: George Plimpton chronicles his month spent on the PGA tour in The Bogey Man, repackaged and including a foreword by Rick Reilly and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton Archives. What happens when a weekend athlete -- of average skill at best -- joins the professional golf circuit? George Plimpton, one of the finest participatory sports journalists, spent a month of self-imposed torture on the tour to find out. Along the way, he meets amateurs, pros, caddies, officials, fans, and hangers-on. In The Bogey Man, we find golf legends, adventurers, stroke-saving theories, superstitions, and other golfing lore, and best of all, Plimpton's thoughts and experiences -- frustrating, humbling and, sometimes, thrilling -- from the first tee to the last green. This intriguing classic, which remains one of the wittiest books ever written on golf, features Arnold Palmer, Dow Finsterwald, Walter Hagan, and many other golf greats and eccentrics, all doing what they do best.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/263005 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Paper Lion: Confessions of a Last-String Quarterback Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Dan Woren Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 30 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.2 of Total 5 Ratings of Narrator: 3 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The book that made a legend -- and captures America's sport in detail that's never been matched, featuring a foreword by Nicholas Dawidoff and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton Archives. George Plimpton was perhaps best known for Paper Lion, the book that set the bar for participatory sports journalism. With his characteristic wit, Plimpton recounts his experiences in talking his way into training camp with the Detroit Lions, practicing with the team, and taking snaps behind center. His breezy style captures the pressures and tensions rookies confront, the hijinks that pervade when sixty high-strung guys live together in close quarters, and a host of football rites and rituals. One of the funniest and most insightful books ever written on football, Paper Lion is a classic look at the gridiron game and a book The Wall Street Journal calls 'a continuous feast...The best book ever about football -- or anything!'

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/262681 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Open Net: A Professional Amateur in the World of Big-Time Hockey Author: George Plimpton Narrator: Marc Vietor Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 0 minutes Release date: April 26, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: George Plimpton takes to the ice with the Boston Bruins in this memorable portrait of the rough-and-tumble world of professional hockey, repackaged and featuring a foreword from Denis Leary and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton Archives. In Open Net, George Plimpton takes to the ice as goalie for his beloved Boston Bruins. After signing a release holding the Bruins blameless if he should meet with injury or death, he survives a harrowing, seemingly eternal five minutes in an exhibition game against the always-tough Philadelphia Flyers. With reflections on such hockey greats as Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Eddie Shore, Open Net is at once a celebration of the thrills and grace of the greatest sport on ice and a probing meditation into the hopes and fears of every man.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/256945 to listen full audiobooks. Title: How Far Can You Go?: My 25-Year Quest to Walk Again Author: John Maclean Narrator: Mark Engelhardt Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 6 hours 30 minutes Release date: March 29, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: An inspirational memoir by a man who became an elite wheelchair athlete after suffering a catastrophic spinal injury and who finally walked again 25 years after his accident. After two years of intense physical therapy following his crippling accident, John Maclean set a new course for himself when his father encouraged him to embrace his new reality and asked: 'How far can you go?' Inspired, Maclean became the first paraplegic to complete the Ironman World Championship and swim the English Channel before going on to win a silver medal for rowing at the 2008 Paralympic Games--yet these achievements did not come easy or on his first try. But with fierce tenacity, determination, and the love of family and friends Maclean was able to see each dream realized. Yet he longed for one more victory: to walk on the beach with his family, holding his wife's hand. Through a radical therapy, he retrained his mind and challenged conventional thinking to walk again after 25 years in a wheelchair. HOW FAR CAN YOU GO?is his amazing story.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/254774 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Breaks of the Game Author: David Halberstam Narrator: Brian Troxell Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 17 hours 30 minutes Release date: March 1, 2016 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 4 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: A New York Times bestseller, David Halberstam's The Breaks of the Game focuses on one grim season (1979-80) in the life of the Bill Walton-led Portland Trail Blazers, a team that only three years before had been NBA champions. More than six years after his death David Halberstam remains one of this country's most respected journalists and revered authorities on American life and history in the years since WWII. A Pulitzer Prize-winner for his groundbreaking reporting on the Vietnam War, Halberstam wrote more than 20 books, almost all of them bestsellers. His work has stood the test of time and has become the standard by which all journalists measure themselves. The tactile authenticity of Halberstam's knowledge of the basketball world is unrivaled. Yet he is writing here about far more than just basketball. This is a story about a place in our society where power, money, and talent collide and sometimes corrupt, a place where both national obsessions and naked greed are exposed. It's about the influence of big media, the fans and the hype they subsist on, the clash of ethics, the terrible physical demands of modern sports (from drugs to body size), the unreal salaries, the conflicts of race and class, and the consequences of sport converted into mass entertainment and athletes transformed into superstars -- all presented in a way that puts the reader in the room and on the court, and The Breaks of the Game in a league of its own.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/252158 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Foxcatcher: A True Story of Murder, Madness and the Quest for Olympic Gold Author: Mark Schultz, David Thomas Narrator: Stephen Mendel Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 31 minutes Release date: January 28, 2016 Genres: True Crime Publisher's Summary: Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Foxcatcher by Mark Schultz, read by Stephen Mendel. On 22nd January 1996 Dave Schultz, Olympic gold medallist and wrestling's golden boy, was shot in the back by John E. du Pont at the famed Foxcatcher estate in Pennsylvania. That started a two day siege at the ranch before the du Pont family heir was finally captured. Foxcatcher is Mark Schultz's vivid portrait of the complex relationship he and his brother had with du Pont, a man whose catastrophic break from reality lead to tragedy. No one knows the inside story of what went on behind the scenes at Foxcatcher Farms - and inside John du Pont's head - better than Mark Schultz, also an Olympic gold medalist and a part of the Foxcatcher team.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/248517 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Alone on the Wall Author: Alex Honnold Narrator: Will Damron, Andrew Eiden Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 14 minutes Release date: November 9, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.24 of Total 21 Ratings of Narrator: 4.67 of Total 3 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Only a few years ago, Alex Honnold was little known beyond a small circle of hardcore climbers. Today, at the age of thirty, he is probably the most famous adventure athlete in the world. In that short time, he has proven his expertise in many styles of climbing and has shattered speed records, pioneered routes, and won awards within each discipline. More spectacularly still, he has pushed the most extreme and dangerous form of climbing far beyond the limits of what anyone thought was possible. Free soloing, Honnold’s specialty, is a type of climbing performed without a rope, a partner, or hardware―such as pitons, nuts, or cams―for aid or protection. The results of climbing this way are breathtaking, but the stakes are ultimate: if you fall, you die. In Alone on the Wall, Honnold recounts the seven most astonishing climbing achievements so far in his still-evolving career. He narrates the drama of each climb, along with reflective passages that illuminate the inner workings of his highly perceptive and discerning mind. We share in the jitters and excitements he feels waking in his van (where he lives full time) before a climb; we see him self-criticize in his climbing journal (a veritable bible for students of the sport); and we learn his secrets to managing fear. Veteran climber and award-winning author David Roberts writes part of each chapter in his own voice, and he calls on other climbers and the sport’s storied past to put Alex’s tremendous accomplishments in perspective. Whenever Honnold speaks in public, he is asked the same two questions: “Aren’t you afraid you’re going to die?” and “Why do you do this?” Alone on the Wall takes us around the world and through the highs and lows in the life of a climbing superstar to answer those fascinating questions. Honnold’s extraordinary life, and his idiosyncratic worldview, have much to teach us about risk, reward, and the ability to maintain a singular focus, even in the face of extreme danger.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/245836 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season Author: Urban Meyer, Wayne Coffey Narrator: Jason Culp Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 38 minutes Release date: October 27, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.43 of Total 60 Ratings of Narrator: 4.73 of Total 11 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The instant New York Times bestseller Remarkable lessons in leadership and team building from one of the greatest football coaches of our time. Urban Meyer has established himself as one of the elite in the annals of his sport, having lead his players to three national championships. In Above the Line, he offers readers his unparalleled insights into leadership, team building, and the keys to empowering people to achieve things they might never have thought possible. Meyer shares his groundbreaking game plan—the game plan followed every day in the Ohio State Buckeyes’ championship season—for creating a culture of success built on trust and a commitment to a common purpose. Packed with real life examples from Meyer’s storied career, Above the Line delivers wisdom and inspiration for taking control and turning setbacks into victories for a team, a family, or a Fortune 500 company.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/247545 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Guy Martin: When You Dead, You Dead Author: Guy Martin Narrator: Dean Williamson Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 1 minute Release date: October 22, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.38 of Total 13 Ratings of Narrator: 4.5 of Total 4 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: 'The maddest 12 months of my life. The journey starts with an oddball race up an American mountain and ends with me checking myself out of hospital with a broken back. Again …' As Guy Martin's grandfather Voldemars frequently reminded him,'When you dead, you dead.' So, before it's all over, Guy Martin is making the most of the time he’s got. In this past year alone, Guy has raced the Isle of Man TT and finished on the podium; bike trekked through India; competed in solo 24-hour bicycles races; flown a stunt plane; broken a go-kart speed record down a French mountain and dusted himself off after a dramatic crash at the Dunrod 150 Superbike race. And he’s done all this around his day job as a truck mechanic. But let Guy tell you about it himself: ‘This book starts in a Transit, ends in a Transit, and in between I’ve raced a few pushbikes, raced a few motorbikes and got a fair few stories to tell you.’ Spot on.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/247275 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Find a Way Author: Diana Nyad Narrator: Diana Nyad Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 12 hours 15 minutes Release date: October 20, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Hillary Clinton said that Find a Way would stay with her through the general election:  “When you’re facing big challenges in your life, you can think about Diana Nyad getting attacked by the lethal sting of box jellyfishes. And nearly anything else seems doable in comparison.”  On September 2, 2013, at the age of sixty-four, Diana Nyad emerged onto the sands of Key West after swimming 111 miles, nation to nation, Cuba to Florida, in an epic feat of both endurance and human will, in fifty-three hours. Diana carried three poignant messages on her way across this stretch of shark-infested waters, and she spoke them to the crowd in her moment of final triumph: 1.   Never, ever give up. 2.   You’re never too old to chase your dreams. 3.   It looks like a solitary sport, but  it’s a Team. Millions of people around the world cheered this maverick on, moved by her undeniable tenacity to be the first to make the historic crossing without the aid of a shark cage. At the end of her magnificent journey, after thirty-five years and four crushing failures, the public found hope in Diana’s perseverance. They were inspired by her mantra—find a way—that led her to realize a dream in her sixties that had eluded her as a young champion in peak form. In Find a Way, Diana engages us with a unique, passionate story of this heroic adventure and the extraordinary life experiences that have served to carve her unwavering spirit. Diana was a world champion in her twenties, setting the record for swimming around Manhattan Island, along with other ocean-swim achievements, all of which rendered her a star at the time. Back then, she made the first attempt at the Mount Everest of swims, the Cuba Swim, but after forty-two hours and seventy-nine miles she was blown desperately off course. Her dream unfulfilled, she didn’t swim another stroke for three decades. Why, at sixty-four, was she able to achieve what she could not at thirty? How did her dramatic failures push her to success? What inner resources did Diana draw on during her long days and nights of training, and how did the power of the human spirit trump both the limitations of the body and the forces of nature across this vast, dangerous wilderness? This is the gripping story of an athlete, of a hero, of a bold mind. This is a galvanizing meditation on facing fears, engaging in our lives full throttle, and living each day with no regrets.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/248175 to listen full audiobooks. Title: I Feel Like Going On: Life, Game, and Glory Author: Ray Lewis, Daniel Paisner Narrator: JD Jackson Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 29 minutes Release date: October 20, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.27 of Total 26 Ratings of Narrator: 4.9 of Total 10 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: In this New York Times bestselling memoir, Ray Lewis—legendary Baltimore Ravens linebacker and one of the greatest defensive players of his generation—holds nothing back on the state of football as well as his troubled childhood, his rise to athletic greatness, the storm that threatened to ruin his NFL career, and the devastating injury that nearly cost him a final moment of glory. Ray Lewis is undeniably one of the biggest names in football—not only for his seventeen years in the NFL, but also for the dramatic events that nearly brought his career to a halt in 2000. In his memoir, Lewis shares honest accounts of his difficult childhood and delves into the anguish and controversy that he found away from the game. But these heartbreaks gave him the courage to trust in God and continue his dream to play for the NFL and win the Super Bowl. From a rookie player to a football veteran, Lewis has experienced everything imaginable during his football career, and has become one of the best defensive players in the history of the NFL. I Feel Like Going On is the story of his incredible journey, and a sincere look at the most popular sport in America from one of football’s most revered players.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/251060 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Disappearing Quarterback Author: Mike Boryla Narrator: Mike Boryla Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 0 hours 58 minutes Release date: October 14, 2015 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: 'He had everything he wanted, but didn't want what he had' sums up the theme of 'The Disappearing Quarterback' by Mike Boryla, former NFL Quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Boryla relates in a humorous, yet heart wrenching way, his days as a football player on the fields of Regis High School in Denver, Colorado, Stanford University and finally the Philadelphia Eagles (1974-76), throwing two touchdown passes for the NFC in the January 1977 Pro Bowl. 'I made 60 percent of it humor, but the beginning and the end are pretty tough,' Boryla stated recently in the 'Denver Post'. Boryla also discusses some of the current hot-button NFL issues, including concussions (he suffered one at Regis and two with the Eagles) and brain injuries which preceded his exit from professional football.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/245741 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Greatest Game Ever Played: Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, and the Birth of Modern Golf Author: Mark Frost Narrator: Robertson Dean Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 17 hours 0 minutes Release date: October 13, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.91 of Total 11 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 4 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Francis Ouimet and Harry Vardon came from different worlds and different generations, but their passion for golf set them on parallel paths that would collide in the greatest match their sport had ever known. A young Massachusetts native, Francis was only three years removed from his youthful career as a lowly caddie. Harry was twice his age, the greatest British champion in history, and innovator of the modern grip and swing. Through exacting hard work, perseverance, and determination, Harry Vardon had escaped a hopeless life of poverty; the unknown Ouimet dared to dream of following in his hero’s footsteps. When the two men finally came together in their legendary battle at the 1913 US Open, its heart-stopping climax gave rise to the sport of golf as we know it today. Weaving the stories of Ouimet and Vardon as his narrative, Mark Frost creates a uniquely involving, intimate epic that is equal parts sports biography, sweeping social history, and emotional human drama. The Greatest Game Ever Played is a must-listen for millions of sports and history fans—and all who have ever dared to reach for their dreams.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/247398 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life Author: Michael Strahan Narrator: Michael Strahan Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 39 minutes Release date: October 13, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.86 of Total 7 Ratings of Narrator: 4 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Winner of the 2016 Audie Award for Business/Personal Development From the beloved cohost of Good Morning America, NFL Hall of Fame member and Super Bowl champion Michael Strahan comes a motivational guide to tackle each day from the moment you get out of bed. Pulling from his own life experiences, Michael Strahan details the mix of mental discipline, positive thinking, and sense of play that lead him to a Super Bowl XLII victory as a member of the New York Giants, and later to star alongside Kelly Ripa in the hit daytime talk show Live! with Kelly and Michael. Each of these “Strahan Rules” will guide you step-by-step through developing a work ethic and mental durability that will prime you to achieve your goals and transform your life. Delivered with his signature wit and wisdom, Strahan’s Rules combine a range of advice, from values he picked up from his father who served in the military to professors who teach on the science of happiness and include: -Rule #5: Too many of us count ourselves out before we even give ourselves a chance...Do the work. Be excellent. You’ll find your place. -Rule #11: You can’t change other people, but you can change how you are around them, and sometimes, a lot of times, that’s more than enough. -Rule #12: Listen to other people, but don’t take their opinions for fact. Have your own experiences. Draw your own conclusions. Whether you are attempting to achieve your career goals, seeking to better your relationships or simply up your optimism quotient, Wake Up Happy will inspire you.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/244753 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court Author: Jalen Rose Narrator: Jalen Rose Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 32 minutes Release date: October 6, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.57 of Total 7 Ratings of Narrator: 4.75 of Total 4 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: “I want to start conversations, and even better, arguments.” – From the Introduction   One of the most outspoken and original voices in sports sounds off while revealing his incredible life story.   Jalen Rose has never been quiet.  Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the 70’s and 80’s.  Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary “Fab Five” at the University of Michigan.  Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and others throughout his 13-year NBA career.  And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.     In Got to Give the People What They Want, no topic is off limits.   Honest, unfiltered, unbiased.  Raw, refreshing, real.  This colorful collection of stories and opinions about basketball and life gives people the kind of insight and understanding they don’t get anywhere else in the sports world.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/245859 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Top of His Game: The Best Sportswriting of W. C. Heinz: A Library of America Special Publication Author: W. C. Heinz Narrator: Bill Littlefield Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 40 minutes Release date: October 6, 2015 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: A pioneer of the long-form sports story, W. C. Heinz wrote with a freshness of perception, a gift for characterization, and a finely tuned ear for dialogue. Here is a first of its kind audio edition of some of his finest work, selected and read by Bill Littlefield (NPR's 'Only a Game'), including “Brownsville Bum”—“the greatest magazine sports story I’ve ever read, bar none” (Jimmy Breslin)—and the unforgettable “Death of a Race Horse.” As a special feature this exclusive audio edition includes Bill Littlefield's 2001 interview with W. C. Heinz as well as commentary and recollections from the author's daughter, Gayl Heinz.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/244865 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Valley of the Shadow of Death: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption Author: Jeff Snipes, Alex Gerould, Kermit Alexander Narrator: Kermit Alexander Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 11 hours 8 minutes Release date: September 22, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: True Crime Publisher's Summary: In this heart-wrenching memoir, former NFL star Kermit Alexander tells the devastating true story of the horrific massacre of his family and his subsequent years of despair, followed by a spiritual renewal that showed him a way to rebuild his family and reclaim his life. On the morning of August 31, 1984, in the South Central section of Los Angeles, three armed men broke into a house, brutally murdering two women and two young boys. The victims were Ebora Alexander, Dietra Alexander, Damani Garner, and Damon Bonner—the mother, sister, and nephews of retired All-Pro cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers Kermit Alexander. In his own words, Kermit Alexander finally shares the full story of what happened to his loved ones and the aftermath of that tragic day. He recounts the hours leading up to the massacre, and how afterward he lost himself in the LA underworld, pleading, bribing, and threatening in a search for answers. He describes his journey through the “wilderness” of despair—the years of isolation living out of his car, broke, depressed, and sick. We also learn about his coming-of-age in 1950s LA, the following decade he spent in the NFL, the events leading up to that fateful August day, and finally the shocking truth behind the murders. Kermit opens up about his darkest hours, but also what it took to turn his life around, rebuild his family, and ultimately find peace. Ominous and intense, powerful and uplifting, tragic and triumphant, The Valley of the Shadow of Death is more than a rendering of one man’s adversity; it’s testament to the value of family and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming loss.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/234843 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Coming Out to Play Author: Robbie Rogers, Eric Marcus Narrator: Robbie Rogers Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 1 minute Release date: June 16, 2015 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: A history making memoir of the first openly gay professional athlete in North America, now the producer of Fellow Travelers and My Policeman “Rogers made history.” —Sports Illustrated Robbie Rogers knows better than most that keeping secrets can crush you. But for much of his life Robbie lived in paralyzing fear that sharing his big secret would cost him the love of his family and his career as a professional soccer player. So he never told anyone what was destroying his soul, both on and off the field. While the world around Robbie was changing with breathtaking speed, he knew that for a gay man playing a professional team sport it might as well be 1958. He could be a professional soccer player.  Or he could be an out gay man. He couldn’t do both.  Then at the age of twenty-five and after nearly stepping away from a brilliant career—one that included an NCAA Championship, winning the MLS Cup, and competing in the Olympics—he chose to tell the truth. But instead of facing the rejection he feared, he was embraced—by his family, by his teammates, and his fans.  In Coming Out to Play, Robbie takes readers on his incredible journey from terrified teenager to a trailblazing out and proud professional soccer player for the L.A. Galaxy, who has embraced his new identity as a role model and champion for those still struggling with the secrets that keep them from living their dreams.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/234538 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Secret of Golf: The Story of Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus Author: Joe Posnanski Narrator: George Newbern Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 44 minutes Release date: June 9, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.5 of Total 4 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: From “one of the best sportswriters in America” (The Washington Times)—the New York Times bestselling story of the friendship and rivalry between golf legends Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, whose sparring matches defined the sport for more than a decade. The first time they met, at an exhibition match in 1967, Tom Watson was a seventeen-year-old high school student and Jack Nicklaus, at twenty-seven, was already the greatest golfer in the world. Though they shared some similarities—they were both Midwestern boys who had learned how to play golf at their fathers’ country clubs—they differed in many ways. Nicklaus played a game of consummate control and precision. Watson hit the ball all over the place. Nicklaus lacked charm and theatrics, and he was thoroughly despised by most golf fans because he had displaced Arnold Palmer as king of the golf world. Watson was one of those Arnold Palmer fans. Yet over the next twenty years their seemingly divergent paths collided as they battled against each other again and again for a place at the top of the sport and drove each other to ever-soaring heights of accomplishment. Spanning from that first match through the “Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry in 1977 to Watson’s miraculous near-victory at Turnberry as he approached sixty, and informed by interviews with both players over many years, The Secret of Golf is Joe Posnanski’s intimate account of the most remarkable rivalry and (eventual) friendship in modern golf.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/234478 to listen full audiobooks. Title: First: What It Takes to Win Author: David Thomas, Rich Froning Narrator: Sean Pratt Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 6 hours 18 minutes Release date: June 2, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.46 of Total 13 Ratings of Narrator: 4 of Total 5 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Reigning CrossFit World Champion Rich Froning is 'The Fittest Man on Earth.' He's fast, he's strong, and he's incredibly disciplined. But it takes more than physical strength to compete and win at an elite level. It takes incredible mental and spiritual toughness as well. And it is the precise balance of all three that makes Rich Froning a champion. In First, listeners follow Rich as he trains for and competes in back-to-back CrossFit World Championships. Along the way, Rich shares invaluable training tips, motivational techniques, and spiritual insights that, in keeping with the CrossFit philosophy, will prepare you to respond to any real-life physical, mental, or spiritual challenge.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/237132 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Guy Martin: My Autobiography Author: Guy Martin Narrator: Dean Williamson Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 35 minutes Release date: May 21, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.75 of Total 24 Ratings of Narrator: 4.38 of Total 8 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The Phenomenal Sunday Times No1 Bestseller ‘It was the start of the third lap of the 2010 Senior TT, the last race of the fortnight. The last chance to get a TT win for another year, and I was pushing hard. Ballagarey. The kind of corner that makes me continue road racing. A proper man’s corner. You go through the right-hander at something like 170mph, leant right over, eyes fixed as far down the road as I can see. But this time something happened. This time the front end tucked …’ Guy Martin, international road-racing legend, maverick star of the Isle of Man TT, truck mechanic and TV presenter, lives on the edge, addicted to speed, thoroughly exhilarated by danger. In this book we’ll get inside his head as he stares death in the face, and risks his life in search of the next high. We’ll discover what it feels like to survive a 170mph fireball at the TT in 2010, and come back to do it all again. He’ll sweep us up in a gritty sort of glory as he slogs it out for a place on the podium, but we’ll also see him struggle with the flipside of fame. We’ll meet his friends and foes, his family, his teammates and bosses and we’ll discover what motivates him, and where his strengths and weaknesses lie. For the first time, here is the full story in Guy’s own words. From the boy who learned to prep bikes with his dad, to the spirited team mechanic, paying his way by collecting beer glasses in pubs, to the young racer at the start of his first race and the buzz he’s been chasing ever since. This thrilling autobiography is an intense and dramatic ride.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/236264 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Fever Pitch Author: Nick Hornby Narrator: Julian Rhind-Tutt Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 40 minutes Release date: May 7, 2015 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.38 of Total 8 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby read by Julian Rhind-Tutt. As a young boy, growing up in the Home Counties and watching his parents' marriage fall apart, Nick Hornby had little sense of home. Then his dad took him to Highbury. Arsenal's football ground would become the source of many of the strongest feelings he'd ever have: joy, humiliation, heartbreak, frustration and hope. In this now-classic book, he vividly depicts his troubled relationship with his father, his time as a teacher, and his first loves (after football), all through the prism of the game, as he insightfully and brilliantly explores obsession, and the way it can shape a life.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/237540 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Racing to Win: Establish Your Game Plan for Success Author: Joe Gibbs Narrator: Joe Gibbs Format: Abridged Audiobook Length: 5 hours 36 minutes Release date: May 1, 2015 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Joe Gibbs is the only coach in history who has won prestigious championships in two world-class sports: NFL's Super Bowl and NASCAR's Winston Cup. A proven winner in motivating himself and others to succeed, the former Washington Redskins coach and current NASCAR team owner reveals the keys to success in Racing to Win. Through fascinating inside stories about stock car racing and football, Gibbs candidly admits his own mistakes and shares the life lessons he's learned. Football and racing fans, as well as anyone interested in balancing work and family responsibilities, will find Racing to Win both a page-turner and a valuable resource filled with practical truths.Victory Is Within Your Reach

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/225917 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Chase Your Shadow: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius Author: John Carlin Narrator: Gideon Emery Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 12 hours 54 minutes Release date: December 9, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: True Crime Publisher's Summary: Oscar Pistorius was eleven months old when he had both legs amputated below the knee, due to congenital fibular disease. Despite this severe disability, Pistorious grew up to be an extraordinary athlete, inspirational role model, and global symbol of resilience. In 2012 he became the first amputee runner in history to compete in the Olympics and was hailed as a hero not only in his native South Africa but around the world. Everything changed for Pistorius in the early morning hours of February 14, 2013—Valentine's Day—when he shot and killed his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, through a closed bathroom door, allegedly because he mistook her for an intruder intent on doing him harm. He was arrested and charged with premeditated murder, and overnight, the public's view of Pistorius turned on its head. Not since the O. J. Simpson case has a courtroom drama riveted global attention on one man's fate. Acclaimed journalist John Carlin's vivid firsthand account of Pistorius's seven-month murder trial, broadcast worldwide from Johannesburg, details the wrenching emotional breakdowns and merciless interrogation of the accused on and off the stand, the fraught relationship between the Pistorius and Steenkamp families, and the highly controversial verdict of culpable homicide, for which Pistorius received a five-year sentence. But Chase Your Shadow is far more than just a sensational crime story, as Carlin shows through meticulous reporting and extensive access to Pistorius and his family and friends. This courtroom confrontation between a white, privileged, twenty-seven-year-old male athlete on trial for murder and the black female judge who alone would decide his fate—held in a democratic country trying to exorcise its history of racial hatred and endemic violence against women—exposes the complex social and political realities of post-Apartheid South Africa.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/256262 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Last Cowboy: A Life of Tom Landry Author: Mark Ribowsky Narrator: Peter Berkrot Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 27 hours 54 minutes Release date: October 10, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.33 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 4 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: 'An eloquent, honest tribute to a sports genius.' -Publishers Weekly, Best 100 Books of 2013 Movie rights optioned by NFL Films As the coach during professional football's most storied era, Tom Landry transformed the gridiron from a no-holds-barred battlefield to the highly-technical chess match it is today. With his trademark fedora and stoic facade, he was a man of faith and few words, for twenty-nine years guiding 'America's Team' from laughingstock to well-oiled machine, with an unprecedented twenty consecutive winning seasons and two Super Bowl titles. Now, more than a decade after Landry's death, acclaimed biographer Mark Ribowsky takes a fresh look at this misunderstood legend, telling us as much about our country's obsession with football as about Landry himself, the likes of whom we'll never see again.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/241471 to listen full audiobooks. Title: A Man Walks On To a Pitch: Stories from a Life in Football Author: Harry Redknapp Narrator: David John Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 11 hours 3 minutes Release date: October 9, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 3.83 of Total 6 Ratings of Narrator: 4 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: ‘When a man walks on to a pitch there’s always a chance something magic can happen, that’s what keeps us coming back…’ In A Man Walks On to a Pitch, Harry shares a lifetime’s experience of obsessing over football, during which he has seen it all first hand – the good, the bad and the unbelievable. Harry started in an age where players were ordinary blokes who might live on the same street as you and earn a similar wage and now manages in an era of player power, multi-million pound wages and teams assembled from around the globe. As he shares stories of some of the legends and journeymen he played with, coached, argued with and drank with, Harry picks a team for each decade from the 1950s to the present. He gets to the heart of what was right and wrong with each era and explores the changes in the game from lifestyle to tactics. He weaves his choices together with unforgettable tales from the training pitches, boot rooms and card schools. There are tales of the untutored genius of Duncan Edwards and Tom Finney, legendary tough Scots like Bobby Collins, Dave Mackay and Billy Bremner, the world beaters of 1966, unpredictable one-off wizards from Sir Stanley Matthews to Matt Le Tissier, natural-born goalscorers from Greaves to Dalglish and the greatest foreign players to grace our game from Trautmann to Bergkamp. It is one of the best informal histories of the British game you’ll ever read.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/241469 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Bobby Moore: The Man in Full Author: Matt Dickinson Narrator: Colin Mace Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 58 minutes Release date: September 18, 2014 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: ‘Immaculate footballer. Imperial defender. Immortal hero of 1966. Master of Wembley. Captain extraordinary. Gentleman of all time.’ These are some of the words inscribed beneath the statue of England’s World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore, at Wembley stadium. Since Moore’s death, of bowel cancer at just 51, these accolades represent the accepted view of this national treasure. But what do we actually know about Bobby Moore as a person? What about the grit alongside the glory? Moore was undeniably an extraordinary captain and player. Pelé called him the greatest – and fairest – defender he ever played against. His feats for West Ham United and England are legendary and his technical mastery of the game ahead of its time. Few footballers since have come close to his winning combination of intelligence, skill, temperament and class. Yet off the pitch, Moore knew scandal, divorce and drink. What about the string of failed businesses, whispers of bad behaviour, links to the East End underworld and turbulent private life? Ignored by the football world post-retirement, this great of the game drifted into obscurity and, famously, there was no knighthood. Acclaimed football writer Matt Dickinson traces the journey of this Essex boy who became the patron saint of English football, peeling away the layers of legend and looking at Moore’s life from all sides – in triumph, in failure, in full.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/212519 to listen full audiobooks. Title: What It Takes: Fighting For My Life and My Love of the Game Author: Mark Herzlich Narrator: Mark Herzlich Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 14 minutes Release date: July 1, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: In 2011, Mark Herzlich became a starting linebacker for a New York Giants team that would win the Super Bowl—just two years after he had been told that he would never play football again. Now Herzlich tells his triumphant story for the first time. As a child, Herzlich found an inspiring and grounding force in football, eventually turning his passion into a first-team All-American spot at Boston College. But after being named the conference’s top defensive player his junior season, the budding star was sidelined by a persistent, debilitating pain in his left leg. After months of tests, Herzlich received a shocking diagnosis: He had Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. Doctors put his odds of survival as low as fifteen percent—and no one thought he would be able to run, much less play, again. Then Herzlich learned of a radical alternative treatment that would give him the best chance to regain his strength and maybe even play football again. He had a choice to make, one that would allow him the chance to return to the game he loved, but it came at the risk of his life. Herzlich relied on family, friends, faith, and deep wells of determination to help him through treatment, and his drastic plan worked. Not only could he run, but he was stronger than ever physically, and mentally ready to battle his way to a spot on an NFL roster. When he was passed over by all 32 teams in the draft, he dug deeper and continued his training, winning a spot in the Giants’ training camp, and eventually, on the team. Mark Herzlich fought a battle against cancer, against statistics, and some days against himself. Told with candor and raw emotion, this is a story for anyone who has ever fought to beat the odds, for anyone who has ever been told that what they are about to attempt is next to impossible. Herzlich’s story embodies powerful lessons about what can be achieved through persistence and belief, and he serves as living proof that overcoming the impossible is only the beginning.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/211118 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Players First: Coaching from the Inside Out Author: John Calipari, Michael Sokolove Narrator: Chuck Montgomery Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 6 hours 49 minutes Release date: April 15, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: In Players First, John Calipari relates for the first time anywhere his experiences over his first four years coaching the Kentucky Wildcats, college basketball’s most fabled program, from the doldrums to a national championship, drawing lessons about leadership, character, and the path to personal and collective victory. At its core, Calipari’s coaching philosophy centers on keeping his focus on the players—what they need to get the best out of themselves and one another. He is beloved by his players for being utterly honest with them and making promises that he always keeps, no matter what. He knows that in this age, they come to Kentucky to prepare for the NBA; every year he gets players who in a previous era would have gone directly into the pros from high school but now have to play college basketball for one year. Calipari has fought against this system, but he has to play within it, and so he does, better than anyone. The result is an extraordinary leadership challenge: every year Coach Cal gets a handful of eighteen-year-old kids who have been in a bubble for the previous four years at least, filled with hype about their own greatness, and they come to Kentucky feeling sure that they will play for their coach only for seven months before they go on to greater glory. Every year, he has to reinvent his team. After his 2012 NCAA championship, it was particularly dramatic; he lost his first six players in the first round, meaning that someone who couldn’t even start for Kentucky was a first-round draft pick. The overall record at Kentucky, and for his career, puts Calipari in the pantheon of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. Bold, funny, and truthful, like Coach Calipari himself, Players First is truly the first deep reckoning with the meaning of his experiences and the gifts of insight they offer.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/210365 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Million Dollar Arm: Sometimes to Win, You Have to Change the Game Author: J. B. Bernstein Narrator: George Newbern Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 4 hours 38 minutes Release date: April 1, 2014 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: From the farmlands of India to the fields of major league baseball, this fascinating memoir tells the story of a man who forever changed the lives of two talented young men through a pitching contest in India. The official tie-in book to Disney’s major motion picture, starring Jon Hamm. A TRUE STORY OF FINDING THE AMERICAN DREAM . . . ABROAD India is a country with more than one billion people, a fanatical national cricket obsession, and exactly zero talent scouts. There, superstar sports agent J. B. Bernstein knew that he could find the Yao Ming of baseball— someone with a strong arm and enough raw talent to pitch in the major leagues. Almost no one in India is familiar with the game, but Bernstein had heard enough coaches swear that if you gave them a guy who throws a hundred miles an hour, they could teach him how to pitch. So in 2007, Bernstein flew to Mumbai with a radar gun and a plan to find his diamond in the rough. His idea was The Million Dollar Arm, a reality television competition with a huge cash prize and a chance to become the first native of India to sign a contract with an American major-league team. The result is a humorous and inspiring story about three guys transformed: Bernstein, the consummate bachelor and shrewd businessman, and Dinesh and Rinku, the two young men from small farming villages whom he brought home to California. Million Dollar Arm is a timeless reflection on baseball and the American dream, as well as a tale of victory over incredible odds. But, above all, it’s about the limitless possibilities inside every one of us.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/208604 to listen full audiobooks. Title: His Ownself: A Semi-Memoir Author: Dan Jenkins Narrator: Henry Strozier Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 9 hours 56 minutes Release date: March 4, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The colorful, sentimental, funny, affectionate, cantankerous memoir by the most colorful, funniest, most cantankerous-- and probably the most revered-- sportswriter of the last fifty years. Dan Jenkins is accepted as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) golf writer of all time, wrote beloved bestselling novels and abused more corporate expense accounts than anyone who ever lived. It's a touching, laugh-out-loud tribute to the romanticism of old-time sportswriting-- and the glory days of sports. As Dan Jenkins says in the first few pages of his memoir: 'Sometimes, I envy my own childhood.' A lot of us can say that about Dan's entire life. He grew up in the Great Depression, but he doesn't seem ever to have been depressed. He was too busy having fun and enjoying life. In His Ownself, we now get to share in the fun. Dan takes us back to his youth in Texas and his eccentric, wealthy mother-- with whom he never lived; he lived with his grandparents while his mother flitted in and out of his life-- and his sports fan father, whom he barely knew. We see Dan's growth as a sportswriter-- from his high school paper through to his first job at the Fort Worth Press-- and we understand what it was like to be a sports fan in Texas (it basically meant understanding a lot about passion, religion, heroes, and drinking). And then it's on to the glory days of Sports Illustrated, the most entertaining and most star-studded pages in the book. Dan was one of the handful of writers who made SI what it was for so many decades-- the most important sports magazine ever. Not coincidentally, Dan was also at the center of New York night life in those days-- hanging out at Elaine's while swapping stories with politicians and movie stars and New York's best writers and best bartenders. Above all, this is a sports nostalgia fan's dream book. And, in particular, a golfer's dream book. There are two chapters on Ben Hogan, whom Dan knew well-enough to play many rounds of golf with. There are up close and very personal looks at Byron Nelson, Palmer, Nicklaus, Tiger. Dan has covered every Masters and U.S. Open and British Open for the past 40+ years. He takes us behind the scenes of those tournaments to capture the drama, the humor and the absurdity of those events. This book is Dan Jenkins remembering, spewing and mouthing off about everything under the sun-- politics, hypocrites, political correctness, the past, the present, Hollywood, money, athletes-- and, of course, writing the way very few sportswriters have ever been able to write.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/208743 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life In the Minor Leagues of Baseball Author: John Feinstein Narrator: John Feinstein Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 11 hours 35 minutes Release date: February 25, 2014 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.89 of Total 9 Ratings of Narrator: 4.5 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: From the acclaimed #1 bestselling author . . . a riveting journey through the world of minor-league baseball “No one grows up playing baseball pretending that they’re pitching or hitting in Triple-A.” —Chris Schwinden, Triple-A pitcher “If you don’t like it here, do a better job.” —Ron Johnson, Triple-A manager John Feinstein gave readers an unprecedented view of the PGA Tour in A Good Walk Spoiled. He opened the door to an NCAA basketball locker room in his explosive bestseller A Season on the Brink. Now, turning his eye to our national pastime, sports journalist John Feinstein explores the colorful and mysterious world of minor-league baseball—a gateway through which all major-league players pass in their careers . . . hoping never to return.      Baseball’s minor leagues are a paradox. For some players, the minors are a glorious launching pad toward years of fame and fortune; for others, a crash-landing pad when injury or poor play forces a big leaguer back to a life of obscure ballparks and cramped buses instead of Fenway Park and plush charter planes. Focusing exclusively on the Triple-A level, one step beneath Major League Baseball, Feinstein introduces readers to nine unique men: three pitchers, three position players, two managers, and an umpire. Through their compelling stories, Feinstein pulls back the veil on a league that is chock-full of gifted baseball players, managers, and umpires who are all one moment away from getting called up—or back—to the majors.      The stories are hard to believe: a first-round draft pick and pitching ace who rocketed to major-league success before finding himself suddenly out of the game, hatching a presumptuous plan to get one more shot at the mound; a home run–hitting former World Series hero who lived the dream, then bounced among six teams before facing the prospects of an unceremonious end to his career; a big-league All-Star who, in the span of five months, went from being completely out of baseball to becoming a star in the ALDS, then signing a $10 million contract; and a well-liked designated hitter who toiled for eighteen seasons in the minors—a record he never wanted to set—before facing his final, highly emotional chance for a call-up to the big leagues.      From Raleigh to Pawtucket, from Lehigh Valley to Indianapolis and beyond, Where Nobody Knows Your Name gives readers an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen by the fans. John Feinstein gets to the heart of the human stories in a uniquely compelling way, crafting a masterful book that stands alongside his very best works.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/201776 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Collision Low Crossers: A Year Inside the Turbulent World of NFL Football Author: Nicholas Dawidoff Narrator: David De Vries Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 17 hours 0 minutes Release date: November 19, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.4 of Total 5 Ratings of Narrator: 4.5 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: An unrivaled portrait of day-to-day life in the NFL: 'Riveting . . . an instant classic' (New York Times Book Review). By spending a year with the New York Jets, Nicholas Dawidoff entered a mysterious and private world with its own rituals and language. Equal parts Paper Lion, Moneyball, Friday Night Lights, and The Office, this absorbing, funny, and vivid narrative gets to the heart of a massive and stressful collective endeavor. Here is football in many faces: the polarizing, brilliant, and hilarious head coach; the general manager, whose job is to support (and suppress) the irrepressible coach; the defensive coaches and their in-house rivals, the offensive coaches; and of course the players. Wise safeties, brooding linebackers, high-strung cornerbacks, enthusiastic rookies, and a well-read nose tackle: they make up a strange and complex family. Dawidoff makes an emblematic NFL season come alive for fans and nonfans alike in a book about football that will forever change the way people watch and think about the sport.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/241936 to listen full audiobooks. Title: At Speed Author: Mark Cavendish Narrator: Matthew Delamere Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 37 minutes Release date: November 7, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The hottest sprinter in the world - Telegraph Mark Cavendish is the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France's green jersey, the first to wear the iconic rainbow jersey in almost 50 years and our only ever rider to capture the Giro d'Italia points title. He is the most prolific sprinter in the Tour's history, and - according to L'Equipe - the best sprinter of all time. But smashing records and racking up victories means whole new levels of fame: and this has come at a price. Living in the goldfish bowl, he has come under fire for his bombastic riding style and been portrayed as everything from an outlaw to a psychopath. Joining Sky in 2012, Cav soon found his own sprint interests to be incompatible with the team's other goals, while the expectations of a nation made his London Olympic failure hard to take. In At Speed Cav takes you through the highs and lows of it all in intimate detail. This is a take-no-prisoners account of life at the pinnacle of his sport, and learning how to survive in the fast lane, both on and off the bike.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/199153 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever Author: Reed Albergotti, Vanessa O'Connell Narrator: Santino Fontana Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 12 hours 22 minutes Release date: October 15, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 10 Ratings of Narrator: 4.75 of Total 4 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The first in-depth look at Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal, the phenomenal business success built on the back of fraud, and the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports Lance Armstrong won a record-smashing seven Tours de France after staring down cancer, and in the process became an international symbol of resilience and courage. In a sport constantly dogged by blood-doping scandals, he seemed above the fray. Then, in January 2013, the legend imploded. He admitted doping during the Tours and, in an interview with Oprah, described his “mythic, perfect story” as “one big lie.” But his admission raised more questions than it answered—because he didn’t say who had helped him dope or how he skillfully avoided getting caught. Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O’Connell broke the news at every turn. In Wheelmen they reveal the broader story of how Armstrong and his supporters used money, power, and cutting-edge science to conquer the world’s most diffcult race. Wheelmen introduces U.S. Postal Service Team owner Thom Weisel, who in a brazen power play ousted USA Cycling’s top leadership and gained control of the sport in the United States, ensuring Armstrong’s dominance. Meanwhile, sponsors fought over contracts with Armstrong as the entire sport of cycling began to benefit from the “Lance effect.” What had been a quirky, working-class hobby became the pastime of the Masters of the Universe set.Wheelmen offers a riveting look at what happens when enigmatic genius breaks loose from the strictures of morality. It reveals the competitiveness and ingenuity that sparked blood-doping as an accepted practice, and shows how the Americans methodically constructed an international operation of spies and revolutionary technology to reach the top. At last exposing the truth about Armstrong and American cycling, Wheelmen paints a living portrait of what is, without question, the greatest conspiracy in the history of sports.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/241966 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Always Managing: My Autobiography Author: Harry Redknapp Narrator: David John Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 25 minutes Release date: October 10, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.46 of Total 24 Ratings of Narrator: 4.75 of Total 8 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: The Sunday Times no.1 bestselling memoir from Harry Redknapp ‘From kicking a ball as a kid under the street lamps of Poplar and standing on Highbury's North Bank with my dad, to my first game at West Ham, I was born head over heels in love with football. It saved me, and 50 years on that hasn't changed one bit - I'd be lost without it…’ Harry is the manager who has seen it all - from a dismal 70s Portakabin at Oxford City and training pitches with trees in the middle to the unbeatable highs of the Premiership, lifting the FA Cup and taking on Real Madrid in the Champions League. With his much loved, no-nonsense delivery, Harry brings us a story filled with passion and humour that takes you right inside every drama of his career. Harry finally tells the full story of all the controversial ups and downs - the pain and heartache of his court case, the England job, his love for Bobby Moore, his adventures at Portsmouth with Milan Mandaric, the Southampton debacle, Tottenham and Daniel Levy, and not forgetting his years at West Ham or the challenges at his current club QPR. It’s the epic journey of one of the great managers and, along the way, the story of the British game itself over the last five decades. In an era now dominated by foreign coaches Harry is the last of an old-fashioned breed of English football man - one who has managed to move with the times and always come out fighting.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/200406 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Becoming Mr. October: The Revealing Story of Reggie Jackson and the World Champion New York Yankees Author: Kevin Baker, Reggie Jackson Narrator: Reggie Jackson Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 10 hours 14 minutes Release date: October 8, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 4 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: History & Culture Publisher's Summary: A soul-baring, brutally candid, and richly eventful memoir of the two years—1977 and 1978—when Reggie Jackson went from outcast to Yankee legend In the spring of 1977 Reggie Jackson should have been on top of the world. The best player of the Oakland A’s dynasty, which won three straight World Series, he was the first big-money free agent, wooed and flattered by George Steinbrenner into coming to the New York Yankees, which hadn’t won a World Series since 1962. But Reggie was about to learn, as he writes in this vivid and surprising memoir, that until his initial experience on the Yankees “I didn’t know what alone meant.”      His manager, the mercurial, alcoholic, and pugilistic Billy Martin, never wanted him on the team and let Reggie—and the rest of the team—know it. Most of his new teammates, resentful of his contract, were aloof at best and hostile at worst. Brash and outspoken, but unused to the ferocity of New York’s tabloid culture, Reggie hadn’t realized how rumor and offhand remarks can turn into screaming negative headlines—especially for a black athlete with a multimillion-dollar contract. Sickened by Martin’s anti-Semitism, his rages, and his quite public disparagement of his new star, ostracized by his teammates, and despairing of how he was stereotyped in the press, Reggie had long talks with his father about quitting. Things hit bottom when Martin plotted to humiliate him during a nationally televised game against the Red Sox. It seemed as if a glorious career had been derailed.      But then: Reggie vowed to persevere; his pride, work ethic, and talent would overcome Martin’s nearly sociopathic hatred. Gradually, he would win over the fans, then his teammates, as the Yankees surged to the pennant. And one magical autumn evening, he became “Mr. October” in a World Series performance for the ages. He thought his travails were over—until the next season when the insanity began again.      Becoming Mr. October is a revelatory self-portrait of a baseball icon at the height of his public fame and private anguish. Filled with revealing anecdotes about the notorious “Bronx Zoo” Yankees of the late 1970s and bluntly honest portrayals of his teammates and competitors, this is eye-opening baseball history as can be told only by the man who lived it.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/241981 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Sean Yates: It’s All About the Bike: My Autobiography Author: Sean Yates Narrator: Clive Mantle Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 10 hours 3 minutes Release date: September 12, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4 of Total 4 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: Before Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. Behind Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. One of only five Britons to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, Sean Yates burst onto the cycling scene as the rawest pure talent this country has ever seen. After turning professional at the age of 22, he soon became known as a die-hard domestique, putting his body on the line for his teammates. Devastatingly fast, powerful and a fearless competitor, Yates won a stage of the Tour, as well as the Vuelta a España, in 1988, and went on to don the coveted maillot jaune six years later. Having put British cycling on the map as a rider, Yates was soon in demand as a directeur sportif, using his tactical knowledge to inspire a new generation of cyclists to success. And after Team Sky came calling, Yates was the man to design the brilliant plan that saw Sky demolish the opposition in 2012, and for Bradley Wiggins to become the first cyclist from these shores to win the Tour. Straight-talking, entertaining and revelatory, It's All About the Bike is the story of a remarkable career told from the unique perspective of a man who is immersed in the history of the sport he loves.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/242011 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Immortal Author: Duncan Hamilton Narrator: John Telfer Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 15 hours 30 minutes Release date: September 12, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.4 of Total 5 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 2 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: George Best is considered the greatest footballer of our time. No other imposed himself so completely on to the romantic imagination. No other was so emblematic of the era during which he flourished. And no other will ever be as memorable as George Best. On the field Best's skills were sublime and almost other-worldly. Off it, he had a magnetic appeal. He was treated like a pop icon and a pin-up; a fashion-model and a sex-symbol. Every man envied him and every woman adored him. To mark the 50th anniversary of his debut for Manchester United, Duncan Hamilton examines Best's crowded life and premature death. But most importantly, Hamilton presents Best at his glorious peak - the precocious goals, the labyrinthine runs, the poise and balletic balance and the body swerves. This is George Best: footballing immortal.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/195133 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success Author: Hugh Delehanty, Phil Jackson Narrator: Matt Walton Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 10 hours 29 minutes Release date: May 21, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.25 of Total 67 Ratings of Narrator: 4.33 of Total 12 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. Even more important, he succeeded in never wavering from coaching his way, from a place of deep values. Jackson was tagged as the “Zen master” half in jest by sportswriters, but the nickname speaks to an important truth: this is a coach who inspired, not goaded; who led by awakening and challenging the better angels of his players’ nature, not their egos, fear, or greed. This is the story of a preacher’s kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head. In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he:    • Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s    • Managed Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the world, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title    • Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync    • Inspired Dennis Rodman and other “uncoachable” personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves    • Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team. Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship—six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the legendary stars on those teams, or think we do. What Eleven Rings shows us, however, is that when it comes to the most important lessons, we don’t know very much at all. This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/242354 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Cameron Diaz Author: Anne Hill Narrator: Carine Montbertrand Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 1 hour 0 minutes Release date: February 15, 2013 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: This biography, from the Chelsea House Galaxy of Superstars series, traces the rise to fame of one of today's most popular movie stars.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/166989 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Long Shot Author: Mike Piazza Narrator: Mike Piazza, Holter Graham Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 15 hours 48 minutes Release date: February 12, 2013 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: In this New York Times bestselling autobiography, baseball legend Mike Piazza takes readers into his exceptional and storied career—from the rumors and controversies to his proudest achievements. In this remarkably candid autobiography, superstar Mike Piazza takes readers inside his life and career to show what it takes to make it to the major leagues and to stay on top. Piazza was drafted in the sixty-second round of the 1988 MLB draft, a courtesy pick because of a family connection to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. No one expected Mike Piazza to play in the major leagues except Mike and his dad—not even the Dodgers. But with talent, determination, and a formidable work ethic, long shot Piazza learned the demanding position of catcher and not only made it to the majors, he became one of the great players in the history of the game. With resolute honesty Piazza addresses the issues that swirled about him during his career: the rumor that he was gay, the infamous bat-throwing incident with Roger Clemens, and the accusations of steroid use that plagued nearly every power hitter of his era. But above all, Long Shot is the story of a superstar who rose to the top through his talent and his deep drive to succeed.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/242217 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Manchester's Finest: How the Munich air disaster broke the heart of a great city Author: David Hall Narrator: Jonathan Keeble Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 10 hours 51 minutes Release date: February 7, 2013 Genres: Sports Publisher's Summary: On 6 February 1958, British European Airways flight 609 crashed in a blizzard on its third attempt to take off from an icy runaway in Munich. On board were the Manchester United football team as well as a number of journalists and other passengers. News of the disaster sent shockwaves around the world. For people who lived in Manchester at the time and for football fans throughout Britain it was one of those moments when everybody remembers exactly where they were and how they heard the terrible news. Manchester United, nicknamed the Busby Babes after their manager, Matt Busby, who had created the world-beating side, were the leading team of the day. Seven of their players were killed instantly in the crash. Three weeks later Duncan Edwards, one of the most promising players ever to come out of England, lost his battle for life. Two other players, Jackie Blanchflower and Johnny Berry, were so severely injured that they were never able to play again. Manchester's Finest tells of this terrible air crash, but it is also the story of the immediate aftermath of the disaster and the effect on the city of Manchester. It paints a vivid picture of Manchester at that time, from February 1958 to the end of the season in May when a patched-up team, carried along on a great wave of emotion, reached the FA Cup Final. It is about the fans, the people of Manchester and about the place of a football team in the heart of a city.