Sports Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

Untold Stories From F1 During the 1990's

"Grand Prix Racing during the 1990’s was among one of the best era’s of the sport. Not only did you have great F1 drivers & loud F1 engines (like the old V12’s) which not only excited fans, but, the sport was full of colourful characters and it was an era before people were afraid of watching their words. This book therefore captures some forgotten, yet fascinating short stories from that time that will make you laugh, cry or even just ponder. They include: Chapter 1 What Do The Most Successful and Worst Car of 1994 Have in Common? Chapter 2 Funny Stories From An F1 Mechanic Chapter 3 Brundle at McLaren Chapter 4 Mansell’s 1994 Comeback Chapter 5 Working Within Benetton During the 1990’s Chapter 6 Unraced Projects of the 1994 F1 Season & an insight into Pacific Grand Prix racing (written in conjunction with Jasper Heijmans) Chapter 7 Schumacher’s Ferrari Controversies Chapter 8 Schumacher’s 1994 Ligier Test Chapter 9 Herbert at Benetton Chapter 10 Lehto at Benetton Chapter 11 The Flying Dutchman After 1994 Chapter 12 How the Schumacher v Hill Feud Developed Chapter 13 Paul Tracy’s Benetton Test, September 1994 Chapter 14 Memories of Imola 1994 - by Mike Fairholme Chapter 15 Roland Ratzenberger – 25 Years On Chapter 16 Ayrton Senna – His Final Hours Chapter 17 My Opinion on What Caused Ayrton Senna’s Crash? Chapter 18 Did a Return to Simpler Cars in 1994 Contribute to the Accidents? Chapter 19 1994 – A Brief Overview of F1’s Darkest Season Since 2015 I’ve been researching all the books, internet sources and magazines (Autosport, F1 News and Motor Sport) covering 1990’s F1. Furthermore I’ve interviewed various key figures employed by Benetton, Ford Electronics and Williams. In addition, I’ve studied all the on track action from time – simply because I love reliving that era of F1. This book & its short stories listed above are the fruits of all that hard work and research. As a devoted Formula 1 fan, I thought I knew everything about the sport from the 1990’s before starting this project. But since interviewing those involved it soon became apparent how much had yet to be made public. I’ve resigned from my day job purely to write this book. That is h"

Ibrar Malik (Author), Ibrar Malik (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Year: Reawakening the legend of cycling’s hardest endurance record

"In 1939 British cyclist Tommy Godwin cycled 75,065 miles in a single year. Think about that for a second: it’s an average of over 200 miles each day. And it’s a mark that still stands after almost eighty years. In The Year, Dave Barter resurrects the legend of the year record – a challenge nearly as old as bicycles themselves – and the cyclists who pushed themselves to establish and break it. Barter uncovers the stories behind these riders who would routinely cycle over a hundred miles a day in the race to set new records. Americans such as John H. George who recorded over 200 ‘centuries’, nineteen double ‘centuries’ and three triple ‘centuries’ in the late 1800s. The British advertising executive Harry Long, whose annual tallies of over 20,000 miles in the early twentieth century led to the founding of the formal cycling year record and Cycling magazine’s Century Competition. The Englishman of French descent, Marcel Planes, whose 1911 record of 34,666 miles stood for over twenty years. Not forgetting the legends of the job-seeking Arthur Humbles, the one-armed vegetarian communist Walter Greaves, the ‘keep-fit girl’ Billie Dovey and the staggering mark set by Godwin who left a youthful Bernard Bennett trailing in his wake. Meticulous research through the annuals, archives and news stories of the bicycling world is backed up with insights from the families of these legendary cyclists, as well as Dave’s own analysis of the riders’ years in numbers. There is no more difficult challenge in cycling. The Year is the definitive story of these phenomenal cyclists."

Dave Barter (Author), Saethon Williams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Liferider: Heart, Body, Soul, and Life Beyond the Ocean

"NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Surfing icon Laird Hamilton offers inspiration to anyone who wants to elevate their ordinary, landlocked lives to do extraordinary things. "When Laird Hamilton surfs, you must watch. When he speaks, I listen. And when he writes a book, I'm damn sure gonna read it. Twice."-Eddie Vedder, Grammy Award-winning lead vocalist of Pearl Jam Millions of us increasingly seek happiness in fads and self-help books, reaching upward every day toward some enlightened state that we wish to attain. Laird Hamilton is more intent on looking inward and appreciating the brilliant creatures we already are. In Liferider, Laird uses five key pillars-Death & Fear, Heart, Body, Soul, and Everything Is Connected-to illustrate his unique worldview and life practices. This is Laird Hamilton in his own words-raw, honest, and unvarnished-on topics he has rarely explored before. Based on extensive interviews and conversations between Laird and his coauthor, Julian Borra, with additional insights from Laird's wife, pro-volleyball player Gabby Reece, Liferider takes on human resilience, relationships, business, technology, risk-taking, and the importance of respecting the natural world, all through the lens of Laird's extraordinary life both in and beyond the ocean. Praise for Liferider "Laird is a hero, if you want him to be. That's up to your perception. He challenges himself, and he challenges those around him. He shows us that the deeper we puncture into life, the more vibrant the colors get. The Laird Hamilton I know-real, faulty, moody, deeply loving, and communal-comes through on every page of Liferider."-Josh Brolin, Award-Winning Actor "Laird Hamilton is a true individualist unafraid to carve his own path. These thoughtful mediations offer a unique window - illuminating and inspiring - into one of America's great innovators."-Rory Kennedy, Documentary Filmmaker"

Julian Borra, Laird Hamilton (Author), Elijah Allan-Blitz, Gabrielle Reece, Julian Borra (Narrator)

Audiobook

26 Marathons: What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from My Marathon Career

"NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A world-class runner and four-time Olympian shares the life lessons he's learned from each of the twenty-six marathons he's run in his storied career. "An athlete whose wisdom and lessons aren't just for runners."-The Washington Post When Meb Keflezighi-the first person in history to win both the Boston and New York City marathons as well as an Olympic marathon medal-ran his final marathon in New York City on November 5, 2017, it marked the end of an extraordinary distance-running career. Meb's last marathon was also his twenty-sixth, and each of those marathons has come with its own unique challenges, rewards, and outcomes. In 26 Marathons, Meb takes readers on those legendary races, along every hill, bend, and unexpected turn of events that made each marathon an exceptional learning experience, and a fascinating story. 26 Marathons offers the wisdom Meb has gleaned about life, family, identity, and faith in addition to tips about running, training, and nutrition. He shows runners of all levels how to apply the lessons he's learned to their own running and lives. Equal parts inspiration and practical advice, 26 Marathons provides an inside look at the life and success of one of the greatest runners living today. Praise for 26 Marathons "26 Marathons is a swift read, guaranteed to be popular with student athletes plus hard-core and recreational runners, who will undoubtedly agree that Meb is an American treasure and running ambassador who never fails to inspire."-Booklist (starred review) "26 Marathons gives great insight about the ups and downs in marathon running and how to cope with them. As Meb shows, dealing with these marathon experiences help us become better in our lives."-Eliud Kipchoge, Marathon World Record Holder and 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist "Meb's 26 Marathons is like opening a treasure chest full of inspiring stories that give behind-the-scenes glimpse into the mental and physical joys and obstacles that elite-level racing can bring. His advice on training, overcoming injuries, and adversity is for everyone. It's pure gold!"-Shalane Flanagan, 2017 TCS NYC Marathon Champion"

Meb Keflezighi, Scott Douglas (Author), Holter Graham (Narrator)

Audiobook

They Said It Couldn't Be Done: The '69 Mets, New York City, and the Most Astounding Season in Baseba

""One of sports' most storied championship teams gets its proper due" (Tom Verducci) in this definitive history of the 1969 Miracle Mets from the New York Times bestselling author of The Boys of Winter. "If you want to know what it was like to live and witness a baseball miracle in tumultuous times, this book is for you."-Ron Darling, former New York Mets All-Star and bestselling author of Game 7, 1986 The story of the 1969 New York Mets' season has long since entered sports lore as one of the most remarkable of all time. But beyond the "miracle" is a compelling narrative of an unlikely collection of players and the hallowed manager who inspired them to greatness. For the fiftieth anniversary, renowned sports journalist Wayne Coffey brings to life a moment when a championship could descend on a city like magic, and when a baseball legend was authored one inning at a time. Future Hall of Fame ace Tom Seaver snagged the biggest headlines, but the enduring richness of the story lies in the core of a team comprised of untested youngsters, lightly regarded veterans, and four Southern-born African-American stalwarts who came of age in the shadow of Jackie Robinson. Most of the Mets regulars were improbable candidates for baseball stardom. The number two starting pitcher, Jerry Koosman, grew up on a Minnesota farm, never played high-school ball, and was only discovered because of a tip from a Mets' usher. Outfielder Ron Swoboda was known for long home runs and piles of strikeouts, until he turned into a glove wizard when it mattered most. All of these men were galvanized by their manager: the sainted former Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges, whose fundamental belief in the power of every man on the roster, no matter his stats, helped backup players like Al Weis and J.C. Martin become October heroes. As the Mets powered through the season to reach a World Series against the best-in-a-generation Baltimore Orioles, Hodges's steady hand guided a team that had very recently been the league laughingstock to an improbable, electrifying shot at sports immortality. "A must-read for not just for Mets fans, but all baseball fans who will appreciate what indeed was the most astounding season in baseball history."-Ken Rosenthal, two-time Sports Emmy winner for Outstanding Sports Reporter"

Wayne Coffey (Author), Gary Cohen (Narrator)

Audiobook

The World I Fell Out Of

"The Sunday Times Bestseller From the award-winning writer of The Times Magazine's 'Spinal Column': a deeply moving, darkly funny, inspirational memoir ‘It’s beautiful – full of love and light – and an exploration into not only how, but why we survive, despite everything’ Christie Watson, author of The Language of Kindness On Good Friday, 2010 Melanie Reid fell from her horse, breaking her neck and fracturing her lower back. She was 52. Paralysed from the top of her chest down, she was to spend almost a full year in hospital, determinedly working towards gaining as much movement in her limbs as possible, and learning to navigate her way through a world that had previously been invisible to her. As a journalist Melanie had always turned to words and now, on a spinal ward peopled by an extraordinary array of individuals who were similarly at sea, she decided that writing would be her life-line. The World I Fell Out Of is an account of that year, and of those that followed. It is the untold ‘back story’ behind Melanie’s award-winning ‘Spinal Column’ in The Times Magazine and a testament to ‘the art of getting on with it’. Unflinchingly honest and beautifully observed, this is a wise and inspiring memoir about risk and dilemma, heroism and love . Above all, The World I Fell Out Of is a reminder that at any moment the life we know can be turned upside down – and a plea to start appreciating what we have while we have it."

Melanie Reid (Author), Melanie Reid (Narrator)

Audiobook

After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the '69 Mets

""A great and insightful" (Keith Hernandez, New York Mets legend and broadcaster) New York Times bestselling account of an iconic team in baseball history: the 1969 New York Mets—a last-place team that turned it all around in just one season—told by '69 Mets outfielder Art Shamsky, Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, and other teammates who reminisce about that legendary season and their enduring bonds decades later. The New York Mets franchise began in 1962 and the team finished in last place nearly every year. When the 1969 season began, fans weren't expecting much from "the Lovable Losers." But as the season progressed, the Mets inched closer to first place and then eventually clinched the National League pennant. They were underdogs against the formidable Baltimore Orioles, but beat them in five games to become world champions. No one had predicted it. In fact, fans could hardly believe it happened. Suddenly they were "the Miracle Mets." Playing right field for the '69 Mets was Art Shamsky, who had stayed in touch with his former teammates over the years. He hoped to get together with star pitcher Tom Seaver (who would win the Cy Young award as the best pitcher in the league in 1969 and go on to become the first Met elected to the Hall of Fame), but Seaver was ailing and could not travel. So, Shamsky organized a visit to "Tom Terrific" in California, accompanied by the #2 pitcher, Jerry Koosman, outfielder Ron Swoboda, and shortstop Bud Harrelson. Together they recalled the highlights of that amazing season as they reminisced about what changed the Mets' fortunes in 1969. In this "enjoyable tale of a storybook season" (Kirkus Reviews), and with the help of sportswriter Erik Sherman, Shamsky has written the "revealing" (New York Newsday) After the Miracle for the 1969 Mets. "This heartfelt, nostalgic memoir will delight baseball fans of all ages and allegiances" (Publishers Weekly). It's a book that every Mets fan must own."

Art Shamsky, Erik Sherman (Author), Jonathan Todd Ross (Narrator)

Audiobook

Brothers in Arms: Koufax, Kershaw, and the Dodgers’ Extraordinary Pitching Tradition

"The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, with enduring legacies both on and off the diamond. Chief among the hallmarks of the organization is an unparalleled pitching dominance; Dodger blue and white brings to mind brilliance on the mound and the Cy Young Awards that follow. In Brothers in Arms acclaimed Dodgers writer Jon Weisman explores the organization’s rich pitching history, from Koufax and Drysdale to Valenzuela, Hershiser, and the sublime Clayton Kershaw. Weisman delves deep into this lineage of excellence, interviewing both the legends that toed the rubber and the teammates, coaches, and personalities that witnessed their genius."

Jon Weisman (Author), James Patrick Cronin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Woman Enough: How a Boy Became a Woman and Changed the World of Sport

"A powerful and inspiring story of self-realization and legal victory that upends our basic assumptions about sexual identity. In 1966, a male baby, Chris, was adopted by an upper-middle-class Toronto couple. From early childhood, Chris felt ill-at-ease as a boy and like an outsider in his conservative family. An obsession with sports--running, waterskiing and especially cycling--helped him survive what he would eventually understand to be a profound disconnect between his anatomical sexual identity and his gender identity. In his twenties, with the support of newfound friends and family and the medical community, Chris became Kristen. Chris had been a world-class cyclist, and now Kristen wanted to compete for her country and herself in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She became the first athlete in the world to submit to the International Olympic Committee's gender verification process, the Stockholm Consensus. An all-male jury determined she fit their biological criteria--but the IOC ultimately objected to her use of testosterone supplements. They, and other sports bodies, regard them as performance enhancing, when in fact all transitioned female athletes need the hormone to stay healthy and to compete. So Kristen filed a complaint against the sports bodies standing in her way with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. And she won. Woman Enough is the account of a human rights battle with global repercussions for the world of sport; it's a challenge to rethink fixed ideas about gender; and it's the extraordinary story of a boy who was rejected for who he wasn't, and who fought back until she found out who she is."

Johanna Schneller, Kristen Worley (Author), Justine Eyre (Narrator)

Audiobook

Gary Speed: Unspoken: The Family's Untold Story

"GARY SPEED’S tragic death on November 27th 2011, rocked the football world. Aged just 42, he was found hanged in the garage of his home. As a long-standing legend of the game and manager of Wales, he appeared to have everything to live for. Now, as he would have approached his 50th birthday, family and friends come together to speak honestly and emotionally about the man they knew and loved. Wife Louise opens her heart for the first time and talks in depth about her life with Gary and her own personal journey since his death. Mum Carol and dad Roger recall their beloved son. And a multitude of famous names from the game remember their friend and speak emotionally about how the tragedy has touched their own lives. Author John Richardson was a close friend of the man he knew as ‘Speedo,’ and was entrusted to write his autobiography. Gary completed two chapters of his life story before putting the project on hold because he thought he had not achieved enough in the game to merit a book. For the first time, these revealing chapters are published in the original form they were written, with insights from Richardson on the personal story that would remain so sadly untold. This is a unique celebration of one of the football heroes of our generation. It’s a tribute to a role model, leader and a much-loved husband, father and son, gone too soon."

John Richardson (Author), Andy Cresswell, Louise Williams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Let's Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks

"The definitive and revealing biography of Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks, one of America's most iconic, beloved, and misunderstood baseball players, by acclaimed journalist Ron Rapoport. Ernie Banks, the first-ballot Hall of Famer and All-Century Team shortstop, played in fourteen All-Star Games, won two MVPs, and twice led the Major Leagues in home runs and runs batted in. He outslugged Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle when they were in their prime, but while they made repeated World Series appearances in the 1950s and 60s, Banks spent his entire career with the woebegone Chicago Cubs, who didn't win a pennant in his adult lifetime. Today, Banks is remembered best for his signature phrase, 'Let's play two,' which has entered the American lexicon and exemplifies the enthusiasm that endeared him to fans everywhere. But Banks's public display of good cheer was a mask that hid a deeply conflicted, melancholy, and often quite lonely man. Despite the poverty and racism he endured as a young man, he was among the star players of baseball's early days of integration who were reluctant to speak out about Civil Rights. Being known as one of the greatest players never to reach the World Series also took its toll. At one point, Banks even saw a psychiatrist to see if that would help. It didn't. Yet Banks smiled through it all, enduring the scorn of Cubs manager Leo Durocher as an aging superstar and never uttering a single complaint. Let's Play Two is based on numerous conversations with Banks and on interviews with more than a hundred of his family members, teammates, friends, and associates as well as oral histories, court records, and thousands of other documents and sources. Together, they explain how Banks was so different from the caricature he created for the public. The book tells of Banks's early life in segregated Dallas, his years in the Negro Leagues, and his difficult life after retirement; and features compelling portraits of Buck O'Neil, Philip K. Wrigley, the Bleacher Bums, the doomed pennant race of 1969, and much more from a long-lost baseball era."

Ron Rapoport (Author), Charley Steiner (Narrator)

Audiobook

MIKE REILLY Finding My Voice: Tales From IRONMAN, the World’s Greatest Endurance Event

"IRONMAN is a sports phenomenon that has come to symbolize the very best of human striving, achievement and excellence. And race announcer Mike Reilly is known throughout the endurance sports world as the “Voice of IRONMAN.” Every year, over three hundred thousand people around the world compete in a series of long-distance triathlons that test the outer limits of their physical abilities and mental toughness. Some do it for glory, some to test themselves, some to honor lost loved ones or colleagues, some to bring healing to their troubled lives. Over the years, hundreds of IRONMAN athletes have shared their tales with Reilly. In this book, he tells some of the stories that have touched and inspired him, in the hope that they will do the same for the reader. A young woman races in a contest against cancer that threatens her life. A soldier carries a flag through the full marathon distance to keep alive the memory of fallen comrades. Two of the sport’s most decorated champions do battle in the greatest head-to-head competition ever seen in any sport. Parents put their family back together after the loss of a child. Reilly has witnessed it all, and brings it to life in a series of riveting stories that will have readers re-thinking their notions of what people are capable of when pushed to their limits. Quotes About the Book: “Every day for six months of training before Kona, as I visualized crossing the finish line, I didn’t see an image, I just heard the sound of Mike Reilly’s voice declaring, “Sean Astin, you are an IRONMAN!” Just the thought of the sound of Mike’s voice, saying those words, in that way, at that time, was the beacon that kept me going.” SEAN ASTIN, actor-producer-director “Whether it’s on race day or getting to the start line, nobody finishes an IRONMAN without a personal struggle. Mike Reilly does a masterful job of showing us why those struggles are so worth it in the end.” MIRINDA CARFRAE, three-time IRONMAN world champion “As I hit the top of the finish ramp I heard that amazing voice and those unbelievable words, ‘Hines Ward…you are an IRONMAN!’ Like the touchdown pass I caught to win the 2005 Super Bowl, hearing Mike Reilly declare me an IRONMAN was one of the greatest moments of my life.” HINES WARD, Super Bowl XL MVP “No one knows the Ironman spirit better than Mike Reilly, having witnessed firsthand countless athletes come through the finish line. This is a passionate and inspiring book that will mark the beginning of the journey for tens of thousands more.” LIONEL SANDERS, 2017 ITU world championship, four-time IRONMAN champion “The voice and passion of Mike Reilly bringing you home lifts you up and fulfills dreams for a lifetime. You'll love discovering what’s behind that passion in this book.” DAVE McGILLIVRAY, Boston Marathon Race Director/DMSE Sports"

Mike Reilly (Author), Mike Reilly (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sports Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir