Athletes have stories that often feel unreal, especially when they are transformed into incredible sports books.
One of the most beautiful things about watching sports is that it often feels like you’re watching something fictional — tales of underdogs, rags to riches stories, the narrative of good old hard work — even when these are moments that actually took place in real-time.
And it is such a pleasure when these stories come to life in entertaining forms as a way of immortalizing these moments. This is what is so unique about sports books.
Over the last few months, and in the months to come, many new sports books have been and are coming out. These are seven titles that you should definitely add to your reading list this year.
Surviving to Drive: A Year Inside Formula 1
The star of Netflix’s Drive to Survive Guenther Steiner is coming out with his own account of what it’s like to be a Team Principal in Formula 1. And if he writes with the same personality that fans of the sport have come to know and love, then this one is not to be missed.
Inside Diego: How the Best Footballer in the World Became the Greatest of All Time
If you’re still on a high from Argentina’s historic World Cup win in December last year, we totally get it. Inside Diego might scratch that football itch you have, Diego Maradona’s trainer writes a deeply personal and raw insight into the life of one of the greatest footballers of all time.
The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer
Although there are many sports books about Roger Federer, the recently released book by Christopher Clarey, The Master, grants access to the legend himself, along with insights and stories of some of his on-court rivals, such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick.
If you’ve missed watching Federer in Grand Slams since his retirement, this personal story will bring you back to all his glory days and the insider info behind his triumphs and defeats.
A Woman’s Game: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Women’s Football
This is women’s football’s year, as we count down to the biggest FIFA Women’s World Cup in history.
And if you’re preparing to witness some of the action on the field, especially with the Filipinas making their mark by bringing the Philippines to a football World Cup for the very first time, it’s worth getting to discover the history behind the tournament.
A Woman’s Game tells the honest story of the recent struggles that women’s football has faced, and what it took to finally break the barrier for true growth.
Gloves Off: Tyson Fury Autobiography
The publishers of Gloves Off describe the book by saying: “This is Fury as you’ve never seen him before.”
Written by Fury himself, this book is a detailed account of the undefeated lineal heavyweight champion of the world. But as the title suggests, the gloves are coming off, and this personal story shines a brighter light on his life as a husband, father, brother, son, and even as a mental health advocate.
My Wrexham Story
For fans of the popular Disney+ docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham, the team’s star striker Paul Mullin recently revealed that he will be releasing a book that recounts his upbringing, his journey to the Welsh football team of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, and his family life.
The book is set to come out on November 23, 2023.
Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World
Lauren Fleshman is a retired professional track and field athlete, and in her recently released book, she shares her personal story of how she became one of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time, a national champion, and a major face for Nike, all while having to break barriers in a male-dominated industry.
Not only meant for women, Good for a Girl is one of the rare sports books that offer a raw portrayal of what it’s like to be an underdog, and how one can manage to succeed even with odds stacked against you.
Which of these sports books are you cracking open?
Banner image from LeBron James on Twitter.
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