Sports Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

"A l’Emil no li agrada l’esport però sempre diu que no amb un somriure. 'Vam haver d’insistir perquè l’Emil comencés a córrer. Però quan va començar, ja no es va aturar. No va parar d’accelerar. Vet aquí l’home que va córrer més de pressa sobre la Terra.' Aquesta és la història de l’Emil Zatopek, un home que inventarà noves formes d’entrenament per córrer cada cop més de pressa. Primer sorpren Txecoslovàquia amb els seus rècords, després sorprendrà el món. Un parell d’Olimpíades més tard se’l considera invencible. Però en la seva vida, a més d’enfrontar-se amb els rivals a la pista, haurà de lluitar també contra el règim opresor, sigui quin sigui aquest. Amb la seva escriptura plena d’ironia, Echenoz ens relata quaranta anys d’una vida excepcional i, com la de qualsevol de nosaltres, amb un destí marcat pel poder. - (Orange, França, 26 de desembre de 1947) és un dels novel·listes contemporanis amb més reconeixement internacional.Malgrat que va estudiar Sociologia i Enginyeria Civil, la seva gran passió ha estat sempre la literatura. Va publicar la seva primera novel·la, Le Méridien de Greenwich, el 1979, amb la qual va guanyar el premi Féneon.Fins ara ha publicat 14 novel·les, per les quals ha rebut els premis literaris més importants de França, com el Goncourt o el Médicis.En català en podeu trobar també les novel·les Me’n vaig (Proa, 2000), 14 (Raig Verd, 2013) i Córrer (Raig Verd, 2014)."

Jean Echenoz (Author), Joan Mora (Narrator)

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Bet On Yourself: Inside the Mind of the Ultimate Underdog

"Super Bowl Champion and three-time Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea is a husband, father, businessman and philanthropist who has played 14 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he has also distinguished himself as one of the NFLs top safeties and a role model on and off the field.Written with award-winning sportswriter Terez Paylor, Bet On Yourself is a memoir that gives readers an inside look at the methods that Bethea who did not have a single Division 1 or Division 2 scholarship offer as a high school senior used to turn himself into an NFL draft pick and eventual star."

Antoine Bethea, Terez Paylor (Author), Antoine Bethea (Narrator)

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Complications: The diagnosis was bad. The aftermath was calamitous. My new life as a medical train w

"His story begins as cliché: an aging jock with nagging lower-back pain. For the better part of a year, he ignores it, convinced he has a slipped or herniated disk. It’s only when he can no longer ride a bike, a lifelong passion, that he makes the doctor appointment. The problem isn’t a disk; it’s a tumor on his spine the size of a softball. In the summer of 2014, Todd Balf, author of the acclaimed adventure tales The Darkest Jungle and The Last River, was diagnosed with a rare spinal cancer called chordoma. Only three hundred cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, meaning that Balf was literally one in a million. During two long and risky surgeries, a team of specialists removed the tumor and buttressed his damaged spine with a scaffolding of metal rods. Having survived the surgery, itself a minor miracle, Balf was told that, with some rehab and follow-up radiation, he would soon be back to his former athletic self. He wasn’t. The surgery had resulted in a spinal-cord injury that left one of his legs partially paralyzed. Give it time, his doctors advised. The nerves might heal. Thus began Balf’s membership in a tribe. The disabled. He imagined his own disability would be temporary, a short visit to a foreign land. He spent years test-piloting remedies that might spark his spinal nerves back to life. With the same gusto and good humor that he brought to his work as a writer, he searched for the perfect treatment: anti-gravity treadmills, adaptive bikes, endless rehab and trips to the gym, and—why not?—a few long-distance cycling events. His wife and children, long accustomed to Balf’s kinetic energy and sometimes harebrained schemes, cheered him on and hoped for the best. Then came unexpected surgery to repair broken rods in Balf’s spine, followed by yet another complication: a stroke that jeopardized not only his recovery but his professional career. Balf wasn’t just one in a million. Thanks to his unresolved spine injury, topped off with a stroke, he was now an “n of 1”—a single case study. Before his long medical misadventure, Balf had always relished being one of the healthiest and fittest people around. Now he was unique for all the wrong reasons. Complications recounts Balf’s journey from cancer diagnosis to his present-day reality as a man caught between two worlds. Both moving and irrepressibly joyful, Complications is a forthright account of what it’s like to suffer a physical catastrophe and manage the uncertainty that comes with it. What’s the right balance between striving to recover and accepting limitations? Was he still just visiting the land of the disabled, or there for good? Who was Todd Balf now?"

Todd Balf (Author), Tristan Morris (Narrator)

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[Arabic] - غزلان وسحرة: نافذة على كرة إفريقيا

"بعد إشارة بسيطة إلى تاريخ نشأة اللعبة في القارة السمراء، بَرَع المؤلف حين قرر تقسيم القارة إلى خمسة أقاليم كبرى: شمال وجنوب وشرق وغرب ووسط، ثم شرع في رسم شخصية دقيقة لكلٍ من هذه الأقاليم. وتلك الشخصية الكروية لكل إقليم تستند إلى مجموعة من العوامل المتشابكة، فلا يمكن على سبيل المثال فصل تفوق الشمال كرويًا، عن حصول أبنائه على الاستقلال في فترات مبكرة قياسًا بدول أخرى داخل القارة، أو عن قربه الجغرافي من أوروبا وسهولة التواصل معها ملاحيًا عبر البحر المتوسط 'ما جعل من السهل انتقال الخبرة العلمية للكوادر الإدارية والفنية إلى دول الشمال الأفريقي'. لا خلاف أن 'اللاعب هو الفاعل الأول في منظومة كرة القدم أينما كانت'، واللاعب الأفريقي المعروف بـ'القوة والسرعة والمهارة' متهم أيضًا بالعشوائية والارتجال، لذلك وصفه الكاتب بـ'الغزال' فهو سريع وماهر وقوي، لكنّه 'كثيرًا ما يشرد دون أن يفكر في تبعات ذلك على فريقه'. تحدث عن السحر الذي اشتهرت به القارة السمراء. وسرد أبرز وأشهر القصص التي تتحدث عن سحرة ومشعوذين استعانت بهم المنتخبات والفرق السمراء، عن سوء الإدارة الكروية في أغلب دول القارة، ونبّه إلى أحد أبرز تجليات سوء الإدارة حين سقطت طائرة المنتخب الزامبي قبالة سواحل الجابون في أبريل/ نيسان 1993، وتشير التفاصيل إلى أن طائرة المنتخب الزامبي عانت من العديد من الأعطال قبل هذه الرحلة، وأن اللاعبين تذمروا لكنّ لم يهتم المسؤولون، ما أدى إلى مقتل 25 لاعبًا كانوا يمثلون جيلًا ذهبيًا للكرة الزامبي."

عمرو نجيب فهمي (Author), هاني رعد (Narrator)

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Fear Is a Choice: Tackling Life's Challenges with Dignity, Faith, and Determination

"From fighting for his life to pursuing a career in the NFL, ACC Player of the Year and star Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner shares how his choice to not fear the unknown made all the difference in his extraordinary journey. During his first two years at the University of Pittsburgh, running back James Conner became one of the Panthers’ biggest stars, breaking records and winning the adoration of fans. Then, in the first game of his junior year, disaster struck in the form of a torn MCL. During rehab, James’s health continued to inexplicably deteriorate until a chest X-ray and biopsy confirmed the unthinkable: a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Suddenly, it wasn’t just the dream of an NFL career that was in jeopardy; it was James’s life. Yet when he shared the news of his diagnosis publicly, James rallied family, friends, and fans, with his message of hope and courage: “Fear is a choice. I choose not to fear cancer.” In just ten words, James defined his own journey on his own terms and refused to back down from one of the most dreaded diseases known to man. Drawing strength from his faith in God and the support of his community and loved ones, James underwent treatment but continued to practice with his team despite the intense physical toll of chemotherapy. He was declared cancer-free within a year. Returning to the field in 2016, he finished his college career with a record-breaking 3,733 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns. Entering the NFL draft early, his success continued. Selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he quickly became one of the most beloved rookies in the league. In Fear is a Choice, James candidly shares his experiences during his battle with cancer and beyond, encouraging readers and illustrating the spiritual truths and personal principles that got him through his darkest days. Conner’s warm, intimate, and inspiring story offers wisdom and advice for anyone who has faced adversity or the loss their dreams—and everyone who wants to learn how to tackle life’s problems with dignity, faith, and determination."

James Conner, Tiffany Yecke Brooks (Author), David Sadzin (Narrator)

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A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America's First All-Black High School Rowing Team

"'Narrator Adam Lazarre-White conveys Cooper's youth and aspirations in a rich, steady voice that suggests emotional authenticity and humor.' -- AudioFile Magazine Now a documentary narrated by Common, produced by Grant Hill, Dwyane Wade, and 9th Wonder, from filmmaker Mary Mazzio The moving true story of a group of young men growing up on Chicago's West side who form the first all-Black high school rowing team in the nation, and in doing so not only transform a sport, but their lives. Growing up on Chicago’s Westside in the 90’s, Arshay Cooper knows the harder side of life. The street corners are full of gangs, the hallways of his apartment complex are haunted by drug addicts he calls “zombies” with strung out arms, clutching at him as he passes by. His mother is a recovering addict, and his three siblings all sleep in a one room apartment, a small infantry against the war zone on the street below. Arshay keeps to himself, preferring to write poetry about the girl he has a crush on, and spends his school days in the home-ec kitchen dreaming of becoming a chef. And then one day as he’s walking out of school he notices a boat in the school lunchroom, and a poster that reads “Join the Crew Team”. Having no idea what the sport of crew is, Arshay decides to take a chance. This decision to join is one that will forever change his life, and those of his fellow teammates. As Arshay and his teammates begin to come together to learn how to row--many never having been in water before--the sport takes them from the mean streets of Chicago, to the hallowed halls of the Ivy League. But Arshay and his teammates face adversity at every turn, from racism, gang violence, and a sport that has never seen anyone like them before. A Most Beautiful Thing is the inspiring true story about the most unlikely band of brothers that form a family, and forever change a sport and their lives for the better. A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books 'I was immediately captivated. Arshay's writing evoked the emotional angst of teens growing up in the inner city of Chicago..I wholeheartedly recommend Arshay's book and look forward to his future projects.' -- Ron Stallworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Black Klansman 'This is the story of rising from the ashes stronger, faster, and focused — not in spite of the circumstances of birth but because of them. Arshay’s refusal to let his life story be written for him is a testament to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit, and his eagerness to succeed, on the water and in life, is an inspiration.' — Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic"

Arshay Cooper (Author), Adam Lazarre-White (Narrator)

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Taking a Knee, Taking a Stand: African American Athletes and the Fight for Social Justice

"A history of the activism and achievement of African American athletes from Jesse Owens to Serena Williams to Colin Kaepernick, who advanced the cause of social justice through their outspokenness, commitment, and integrity. Muhammad Ali refused to fight in a war he believed was immoral. Wilma Rudolph retired from track and field to campaign for civil rights. Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to draw attention to the oppression of black bodies. Taking a Knee, Taking a Stand tells their stories and the stories of other prominent African American male and female athletes who often risked their careers to fight racial discrimination and promote social justice. From Jackie Robinson breaking the color line in major league baseball to NBA great Bill Russell sitting at the feet of Dr. Martin Luther King at the 1963 March on Washington to Althea Gibson asserting her tennis dominance at a time when many clubs would not allow African Americans to play on their courts, this moving and celebratory history shows how the tradition of black protest in sports has been consistent, necessary, and organic, and that the present crisis of misunderstanding and intolerance demands that this tradition continue as the country struggles toward fairness and equity."

Bob Schron (Author), Henry Strozier, Mirron Willis (Narrator)

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Brave Enough

"Pyeongchang, February 21, 2018. In the nerve-racking final seconds of the women's team sprint freestyle race, Jessie Diggins dug deep. Blowing past two of the best sprinters in the world, she stretched her ski boot across the finish line and lunged straight into Olympic immortality: the first ever cross-country skiing gold medal for the United States at the Winter Games. The twenty-six-year-old Diggins, a four-time World Championship medalist, was literally a world away from the small town of Afton, Minnesota, where she first strapped on skis. Yet, for all her history-making achievements, she had never strayed far from the scrappy twelve-year-old who had insisted on portaging her own canoe through the wilderness. In Brave Enough, Jessie Diggins reveals the true story of her journey from the American Midwest into sports history. With candid charm and characteristic grit, she connects the dots from her free-spirited upbringing in the woods of Minnesota to racing in the bright spotlights of the Olympics. Going far beyond stories of races and ribbons, she describes the challenges and frustrations of becoming a serious athlete. She also openly shares her harrowing struggle with bulimia, recounting both the adversity and how she healed from it in order to bring hope and understanding to others experiencing eating disorders."

Jessie Diggins (Author), Allyson Ryan (Narrator)

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The Gift and the Curse 'the Jeff Jackson Story'

"(Author) Jeff Jackson former high school 'GATORADE' Player Of The Year and Philadelphia Phillies former #1 Draft Pick takes you on a journey deep into his life... He reveals his truth about his professional baseball career as well as his experience with the Philadelphia Phillies and shares what really happened... For the first time, he divulges his most interpersonal thoughts and feelings about his life and career in this new book titled, 'THE GIFT AND THE CURSE'... This book is packed with never seen before pictures and news articles from little league, high school, and the pros... Reader's interested in sports or have an affinity, and appreciation of athletes, preferentially for baseball in general, will swoon over 'THE GIFT AND THE CURSE', and Jackson's willingness to open up and share his truth, In hopes that others can learn from the mistakes he made as a young professional athlete, dealing with the struggle of balancing popularity, pressure, and depression that he experienced during his playing days, with the Phils."

Jeff Jackson (Author), Jeff Jackson (Narrator)

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On the Ridge Between Life and Death: A Climbing Life Reexamined

"What compels mountain climbers to take the risks that they do? Is it the thrill in the physical accomplishment, in managing to defy the odds, or both -- and why do they continue to do what they do in the face of such great danger? In On the Ridge Between Life and Death, David Roberts confronts these questions head-on as he recounts the exhilarating highs and desperate lows of his climbing career. By the time he was twenty-two, Roberts had already been involved in three fatal mountain climbing accidents and had escaped death himself by the sheerest of luck. And yet, as he acknowledges, few things have brought him more joy than climbing. In a famous essay on the subject written more than twenty years ago, Roberts judged climbing to be 'worth the risk.' He continues to climb to this day, and several of his challenging routes in Alaska have never been climbed since. But in reassessing the emotional costs to himself and to loved ones, he reaches a different conclusion, one that is sure to cause controversy not only in climbing circles, but among adventurers of all kinds. Candid and unflinching, On the Ridge Between Life and Death is a compelling examination of the risks we take in order to feel more alive."

David Roberts (Author), David De Vries (Narrator)

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24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid

"THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The legendary Willie Mays shares the inspirations and influences responsible for guiding him on and off the field in this reflective and inspirational memoir. 'Even if, like me, you thought you had pretty much read and heard all there was to read and hear about Willie Mays, this warmhearted book will inform and reward you. And besides, what true baseball fan can ever get enough of Willie Mays? Say Hey! Read on and enjoy.'—From the Foreword by Bob Costas 'It’s because of giants like Willie that someone like me could even think about running for President.” — President Barack Obama This program includes a bonus conversation between the authors Widely regarded as the greatest all-around player in baseball history because of his unparalleled hitting, defense and baserunning, the beloved Willie Mays offers people of all ages his lifetime of experience meeting challenges with positivity, integrity and triumph in 24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid. Presented in 24 chapters to correspond with his universally recognized uniform number, Willie’s memoir provides more than the story of his role in America’s pastime. This is the story of a man who values family and community, engages in charitable causes especially involving children and follows a philosophy that encourages hope, hard work and the fulfillment of dreams. “I was very lucky when I was a child. My family took care of me and made sure I was in early at night. I didn’t get in trouble. My father made sure that I didn’t do the wrong thing. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for children and their well-being, and John Shea and I got the idea that we should do something for the kids and the fathers and the mothers, and that’s why this book is being published. We want to reach out to all generations and backgrounds. Hopefully, these stories and lessons will inspire people in a positive way.”— Willie Mays A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press"

John Shea, Willie Mays (Author), Bob Costas, Julian Mcwilliams, Larry Herron (Narrator)

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Lou Gehrig: The Lost Memoir

"The lost memoir from Lou Gehrig—"a compelling rumination by a baseball icon and a tragic hero" (Sports Illustrated) and "a fitting tribute to an inspiring baseball legend" (Publishers Weekly). At the tender age of twenty-four, Lou Gehrig decided to tell the remarkable story of his life and career. He was one of the most famous athletes in the country, in the midst of a record-breaking season with the legendary 1927 World Series–winning Yankees. In an effort to grow Lou's star, pioneering sports agent Christy Walsh arranged for Lou's tale of baseball greatness to syndicate in newspapers across the country. Those columns were largely forgotten and lost to history—until now. Lou comes alive in this "must-read" (Tyler Kepner, The New York Times) memoir. It is an inspiring, heartfelt rags-to-riches tale about a poor kid from New York who became one of the most revered baseball players of all time. Fourteen years after his account, Lou would tragically die from ALS, a neuromuscular disorder now known as Lou Gherig's Disease. His poignant autobiography is followed by an insightful biographical essay by historian Alan D. Gaff. Here is Lou—Hall of Famer, All Star, MVP, an "athlete who epitomized the American dream" (Christian Science Monitor)—back at bat."

Alan D. Gaff (Author), Angelo Di Loreto, Kyle Tait (Narrator)

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Sports Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir