Sports Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

The Final Race: The Incredible World War II Story of the Olympian Who Inspired Chariots of Fire

"On July 19, 1924, Eric Liddell was on top of the world. He was the most famous Briton at the time, having just won the gold in the Olympic 400-meter race. The story of that race―and the one he didn’t run―was told in the popular movie classic Chariots of Fire. But what most of us don’t know is what became of Eric Liddell in the years after the credits rolled. As the storm clouds of World War II rolled in, Eric Liddell had already made decisions in his life that gave him the resilience to stand tall while others fell into despair. His strength of character led him to choose an uncertain future in China during World War II to continue helping the Chinese. He lived purposefully, even as his world crumbled and he experienced the horror and deprivations of a Japanese internment camp. Eric’s story is a story of hope in the face of uncertainty, resilience in the face of unspeakable odds, and an inspiring vision of what life means, even when the final hour comes."

Eric T. Eichinger (Author), Lloyd James (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Push: A Climber's Journey of Endurance, Risk and Going Beyond Limits to Climb the Dawn Wall

"Penguin Audio presents The Push by Tommy Caldwell, read by Johnathan McClain. A dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite's El Capitan. On January 14, 2015, Tommy Caldwell, along with his partner, Kevin Jorgeson, summited what is widely regarded as the hardest climb in history Yosemite's nearly vertical 3,000-foot Dawn Wall, after nineteen days on the route. Caldwell's odds-defying feat was the culmination of an entire lifetime of pushing himself to his limits as an athlete. This engrossing memoir chronicles the journey of a boy with a fanatical mountain-guide father who was determined to instill toughness in his son to a teen whose obsessive nature drove him to the top of the sport-climbing circuit. Caldwell s affinity for adventure then led him to the vertigo-inducing and little understood world of big wall free climbing. But his evolution as a climber was not without challenges; in his early twenties, he was held hostage by militants in a harrowing ordeal in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Soon after, he lost his left index finger in an accident. Later his wife, and main climbing partner, left him. Caldwell emerged from these hardships with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. He set his sights on free climbing El Capitan s biggest, steepest, blankest face the Dawn Wall. This epic assault took more than seven years, during which time Caldwell redefined the sport, found love again, and became a father. The Push is an arresting story of focus, drive, motivation, endurance, and transformation, a book that will appeal to anyone"

Tommy Caldwell (Author), Johnathan McClain (Narrator)

Audiobook

Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory

"NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • "Deena Kastor is one of the greatest bodies in distance running, but this book captures what is so groundbreaking about her mind."-Alexi Pappas, Olympian, writer, and filmmaker "Inspiring, fascinating, and insightful. Practical for anyone trying to overcome the biggest impediments to climbing that next hill of growth."-Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential Deena Kastor was a star youth runner with tremendous promise, yet her career almost ended after college, when her competitive method-run as hard as possible, for fear of losing-brought her to the brink of burnout. On the verge of quitting, she took a chance on legendary coach Joe Vigil, who had started the first professional distance-running team in the US. At his Colorado training center, she encountered the notion that shaping her mind to be more encouraging, kind, and resilient could make her faster than she'd ever imagined possible. Building a mind so strong would take years of effort and discipline, but it would propel Kastor to the pinnacle of running-to American records in every distance from the 5K to the marathon-and to the accomplishment of earning America's first Olympic medal in the marathon in twenty years. Let Your Mind Run is a fascinating, intimate look inside the mind of an elite athlete, a remarkable story of achievement, and an insightful primer on how the small steps of cultivating possibility can give anyone a competitive edge."

Deena Kastor, Michelle Hamilton (Author), Deena Kastor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life

"AN INSPIRING MEMOIR FOR ANYONE WHO'S BEEN KNOCKED DOWN AND CAME UP SWINGING As a young girl growing up in Newberg, Oregon, Paige Sletten was all energy and full of potential. A natural athlete, Paige excelled at dancing, made the cheerleading squad earlier than most, and even had aspirations of becoming a Disney child star. With a tight-knit family, Paige's life was on track for greatness. Then, one fateful fall night in high school, everything changed when Paige faced a life-threatening sexual assault. It was in the gym where she 'pounded the life out of those ashen memories,' becoming stronger with every punch, kick, and lunge. In this beautiful tale of survival, she writes: I inhale the power. I exhale the bullshit. One strike at a time. Fighting became Paige's safe haven; something to live for, and Rise is the inspiring story of how she ultimately transformed into a bone-breaking, head-smashing fighter known as Paige VanZant. It is the deeply moving story of a warrior who transformed her pain into power and has become one of the toughest women in the world; an inspiring journey of someone who was knocked down in the most devastating way and came up swinging."

Paige Vanzant (Author), Chloe Cannon, Paige Vanzant (Narrator)

Audiobook

Things That Make White People Uncomfortable

"Super Bowl Champion and two-time Pro Bowler Michael Bennett is an outspoken proponent for social justice and a man without a censor. One of the most scathingly humorous athletes on the planet, he is also a fearless activist, grassroots philanthropist, and organizer. Bennett, a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks, has gained international recognition for his public support for the Black Lives Matter Movement and women's rights. Bennett donates all his endorsement money and half of the proceeds from his jersey sales to fund health and education projects for poor underserved youth and minority communities, and has recently expanded his reach globally to provide STEM programming in Africa. Dave Zirin has been called the 'finest, most important writer on sports and politics in America,' by Dr. Cornel West, Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at the Harvard Divinity School. He is sports editor for The Nation and author of several titles for Haymarket Books, including his critically acclaimed book The John Carlos Story, written with 1968 Olympian John Carlos."

Dave Zirin, Michael Bennett (Author), JD Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

All-American Murder

"THE NEW YORK TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER on the murder behind the Netflix documentary Killer Inside He had it all. A $40 million NFL contract. Fame. Adoration – until he was convicted of murder, and jailed for life without parole. A true story told by the master of crime fiction, All-American Murder is the tale of Aaron Hernandez, once the NFL's youngest player, a star for the New England Patriots and a Super Bowl veteran. His every move played out in the headlines, and yet he led a secret life – one that ended in a maximum-security prison. What drove him to go so wrong, so fast? This explosive account of the rise and fall of a life cut short in the dark shadow of fame, culminating in Hernandez's own untimely death behind bars, is built on original, in-depth reporting. Was Hernandez a victim himself, suffering violence-inducing brain damage from the sport that meant everything to him – or was he just a heartless killer? ‘The man behind the hugely popular Alex Cross series has interviewed those closest to Hernandez to get the full, winding story on the NFL star turned murderer.’ The Sun ‘Patterson unravels Hernandez’s complicated and troubling story.’ CBS News 'This disturbing true-crime thriller is another fast and captivating Patterson read.' USA Today"

James Patterson (Author), Peter Coleman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Second Wind: A Sunfish Sailor, an Island, and the Voyage That Brought a Family Together

"A charming memoir of midlife by the bestselling author of Mayflower and In the Hurricane's Eye, recounting his attempt to recapture a national sailing championship he'd won at twenty-two. "There had been something elemental and all consuming about a Sunfish. Nothing could compare to the exhilaration of a close race in a real blow-the wind howling and spray flying as my Sunfish and I punched through the waves to the finish." In the spring of 1992, Nat Philbrick was in his late thirties, living with his family on Nantucket, feeling stranded and longing for that thrill of victory he once felt after winning a national sailing championship in his youth. Was it a midlife crisis? It was certainly a watershed for the journalist-turned-stay-at-home dad, who impulsively decided to throw his hat into the ring, or water, again. With the bemused approval of his wife and children, Philbrick used the off-season on the island as his solitary training ground, sailing his tiny Sunfish to its remotest corners, experiencing the haunting beauty of its tidal creeks, inlets, and wave-battered sandbars. On ponds, bays, rivers, and finally at the championship on a lake in the heartland of America, he sailed through storms and memories, racing for the prize, but finding something unexpected about himself instead."

Nathaniel Philbrick (Author), Nathaniel Philbrick (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Battle

"Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Battle by Paul O'Connell, read by John Cormack. There has never been a rugby player quite like Paul O'Connell. His name is synonymous with passion, heart and determination. But he is also the thinking man's rugby player, a legendary student of the game. As the heartbeat of Munster, British and Irish Lions captain in 2009, and captain of the first Ireland team to retain the Six Nations championship, O'Connell became the most beloved and respected of the golden generation of Irish rugby players - and was widely regarded as one of the very best players in the world. There was nothing inevitable - or even likely - about any of this, and in an autobiography as intense and thoughtful as its author, O'Connell explores the forces and struggles that turned him into the player and leader that he became. The Battle is a book for everyone who wants to understand the roots of achievement and the inner world of an elite sportsman. It will take its place alongside the very finest sports books of recent years."

Paul O'connell (Author), John Cormack (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Wrestling Life 2: More Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable

"When most people think of the celebrated greatness that is Coach Dan Gable, they think of an almost mythic intensity toward wrestling. Gable breathes and bleeds the sport, and faithfully applies lessons learned from both on and off the mat. Expanding upon Gable's first collection of stories, A Wrestling Life 2 goes a little deeper into the mindset and life events that have shaped the man, the wrestler, and the coach. Through stories funny, heartfelt, intense, and always engaging, Gable shares more about the life he has led and what can be learned from those experiences. He goes on to detail what have come to be known as the Gable Trained principles that he follows to keep his life full of 'wins,' the revelations about how to cultivate success at the highest levels, and the reasons behind these steps for living well. A Wrestling Life spent two months on the New York Times sports bestseller list, and has become an instant classic of sports memoirs. A Wrestling Life 2 is sure to add to Gable's ever-growing legacy and entertain and inspire wrestling fans everywhere."

Dan Gable (Author), Joe Barrett (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ninety Percent Mental: An All-Star Player Turned Mental Skills Coach Reveals the Hidden Game of Base

"Former Major League pitcher and mental skills coach for two of baseball's legendary franchises (the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants) Bob Tewksbury takes fans inside the psychology of baseball. In Ninety Percent Mental, Bob Tewksbury shows readers a side of the game only he can provide, given his singular background as both a longtime MLB pitcher and a mental skills coach for two of the sport's most fabled franchises, the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. Fans watching the game on television or even at the stadium don't have access to the mind games a pitcher must play in order to get through an at-bat, an inning, a game. Tewksbury explores the fascinating psychology behind baseball, such as how players use techniques of imagery, self-awareness, and strategic thinking to maximize performance, and how a pitcher's strategy changes throughout a game. He also offers an in-depth look into some of baseball's most monumental moments and intimate anecdotes from a 'who's who' of the game, including legendary players who Tewksbury played with and against (such as Mark McGwire, Craig Biggio, and Greg Maddux), game-changing managers and executives (Joe Torre, Bruce Bochy, Brian Sabean), and current star players (Jon Lester, Anthony Rizzo, Andrew Miller, Rich Hill). With Tewksbury's esoteric knowledge as a thinking-fan's player and his expertise as a 'baseball whisperer', this entertaining book is perfect for any fan who wants to see the game in a way he or she has never seen it before. Ninety Percent Mental will deliver an unprecedented look at the mound games and mind games of Major League Baseball."

Bob Tewksbury, Scott Miller (Author), Bob Tewksbury (Narrator)

Audiobook

Life's Too Short to Go So F*cking Slow: Lessons from an Epic Friendship That Went the Distance

"Susan and Carlos were unlikely friends. She was a young, overweight college professor and a bit of a trainwreck—juggling a divorce, a pack-a-day habit, and hiding empty boxes of wine under her bed. He was her boss, an Ironman triathlete, with life figured out. She was a whiner, he was a hard-ass. He had his shit together, she most assuredly did not. Trash-talking workouts, breakdowns, a devastating diagnosis—this heartwarming story of training buddies reveals a deep and abiding friendship that traversed life, sport, and everything in between. Their journey reveals the inspiring power of sports and friendship to change lives forever. Amusing and poignant, Life's Too Short To Go So F*cking Slow is about running and triathlon, growth and heartbreak, and an epic friendship that went the distance."

Susan Lacke (Author), Amy McFadden (Narrator)

Audiobook

Classic Krakauer: 'Mark Foo's Last Ride,' 'After the Fall,' and Other Essays from the Vault

"Spanning an extraordinary range of subjects and locations, these ten gripping essays show why Jon Krakauer is considered a standard-bearer of modern journalism. His pieces take us from a horrifying avalanche on Mount Everest to a volcano poised to obliterate a big chunk of Seattle; from a wilderness teen-therapy program run by apparent sadists to an otherworldly cave in New Mexico, studied by NASA to better understand Mars; from the notebook of one Fred Beckey, who catalogued the greatest unclimbed mountaineering routes on the planet, to the last days of legendary surfer Mark Foo. Bringing together work originally published in such magazines as The New Yorker, Outside, and Smithsonian-all rigorously researched, vividly written, and marked by an unerring instinct for storytelling and scoop-Classic Krakauer powerfully demonstrates the author's ambivalent love affair with unruly landscapes and his relentless search for truth."

Jon Krakauer (Author), Scott Brick (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sports Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir