Sports & Recreation Audiobooks

A Journey Through the Cycling Year Audiobook

Random House presents the audiobook edition of A Journey Through the Cycling Year by The Cycling Podcast, read by Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe, plus contributions from special guests. Embark on a journey through the cycling year with The Cycling Podcast, which has been entertaining and informing fans since 2013. Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe share their diaries from three incident-filled Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España. These take listeners behind the scenes and explore the culture and landscape as well as the racing, while the 'Lionel of Flanders', complete with beer recommendations, does the same for the Classics in Belgium. There are appearances, too, by leading journalists and podcast favourites François Thomazeau, who takes responsiblity for the French Tour de France jinx, Ciro Scognamiglio, with a heartfelt love letter to cult favourite Filippo Pozzato, Fran Reyes, who pens a farewell to El Pistolero, Alberto Contador, and Orla Chennaoui, who hits the road to cover La Course in a one-woman karaoke-booth-on-wheels. Further contributions from professional riders Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Joe Dombrowski and the voice of the Tour de France, Sebastien Piquet, make this the perfect celebration of a year in cycling.

The Cycling Podcast (Author), Alexander Capon, Ciro Scognamiglio, Daniel Friebe, Fracnois Thomazeau, Lionel Birnie, Michelene Heine, Orla Chennaoui, Richard Moore, Sebastien Piquet, Vidal Sancho (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke

Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life?On 10 November 2009 the German national goalkeeper, Robert Enke, stepped in front of a passing train. He was thirty two years old.Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years to come. But beneath the bright veneer of success lay a darker story. In A Life Too Short, award-winning writer Ronald Reng pieces together the puzzle of his lost friend's life. Reng brings into sharp relief the specific demands and fears faced by those who play top-level sport. Heartfelt, but never sentimental he tells the universal tragedy of a talented man's struggles against his own demons.

Ronald Reng (Author), John Telfer (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Life Well Played: My Stories

Read by Rich Lerner of the Golf Channel, with an introduction read by Arnold Palmer. No one has won more fans around the world and no player has had a bigger impact on the sport of golf than Arnold Palmer. In fact, Palmer is considered by many to be the most important golfer in history. As a follow-up to his 1999 autobiography, Palmer takes stock of the many experiences of his life in A Life Well Played, bringing new details and insights to some familiar stories and sharing new ones. Palmer has had tremendous success but is most notable for going about it the right way and always giving back to the fans who made it all possible. Gracious, fair, and a true gentleman, Arnold Palmer is the gold standard of how to conduct yourself. He offers advice and guidance, sharing stories of his career on the course, success in business and the great relationships that give meaning to his life. This audiobook is Palmer 's gift to the world a treasure trove of entertaining anecdotes and timeless wisdom that readers will celebrate and cherish.

Arnold Palmer (Author), Arnold Palmer, Rich Lerner (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Line Above the Sky: On Mountains and Motherhood

Brought to you by Penguin. Climbing gives you the illusion of being in control, just for a while, the tantalising sense of being able to stay one move ahead of death. Helen Mort has always been drawn to the thrill and risk of climbing: the tension between human and rockface, and the climber's powerful connection to the elemental world. But when she becomes a mother for the first time, she finds herself re-examining her relationship with both the natural world and herself, as well as the way the world views women who aren't afraid to take risks. A Line Above the Sky melds memoir and nature writing to ask why humans are drawn to danger, and how we can find freedom in pushing our limits. It is a visceral love letter to losing oneself in physicality, whether climbing a mountain or bringing a child into the world, and an unforgettable celebration of womanhood in all its forms. © Helen Mort 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Helen Mort (Author), Helen Mort (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Man Walks On To a Pitch: Stories from a Life in Football

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 assembledfrom 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.

Harry Redknapp (Author), David John (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Midlife Cyclist: My two-wheel journey to heal a broken mind and find joy

'Masses of heart... frank and funny' Melanie Sykes 'Gritty and glorious' Ruth Field, author of Run Fat B!tch Run 'A truly inspiring tale' William Pullen, author of Run for Your Life 'Thrillingly honest and hopeful' Jools Walker, author of Back in the Frame ***************************************** Includes an exclusive interview with the author. Rachel is a cyclist. But she was never meant to be. After gaining mental strength and healing through running, she thought she was free. Her depression alleviated, she came off antidepressants, winning races and collecting medals at marathons. But when an injury stopped the only thing helping to quiet the voices in her brain, Rachel found out what she is truly made of. As body dysmorphia began to grip her in earnest, she knew she had to find a different way to kick her mental health demons for the sake of her sanity. So, she went down to her cellar, heaved out her old bike, and started pedalling. Like her life depended on it. A Midlife Cyclist is a tale of two wheels, across the Yorkshire Dales, Vietnam, Costa Rica and beyond, and a rider in search of peace.

Rachel Ann Cullen (Author), Kat Rose-Martin, Rachel Ann Cullen (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Mile at a Time

This audiobook edition of A Mile at a Time includes additional insights after each chapter from author, Travis Macy, and a bonus track featuring poetry written and read by Travis Macy. In October 2018, Mark “Mace” Macy, sixty-four years old, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He had spent thirty years competing in Colorado and around the world in ultra-endurance competitions and is one of the few people who have finished all eight Eco-Challenge events. Once diagnosed, he feared losing endurance, strength, and independence. Mace's son Travis, also a professional endurance athlete, also struggled to see his father battling the disease. In 2019 they decided to participate in World's Toughest Race—a seven-day, grueling 400-mile marathon of trekking, climbing, biking, and paddling through the jungle—for one final race together. Weaving excerpts from Mace's passionate personal journals alongside a first-person narrative by Travis, A Mile at a Time tells the story of this incredible journey and what both father and son learned along the way. A powerful story about living—and thriving—with a disease that impacts nearly six million Americans, this timely and deeply moving father-son adventure sheds light on the hard truths of this disease while giving listeners hope of all that still can be achieved.

Mark 'mace' Macy, Patrick Regan, Travis Macy (Author), Christine Kiphart, Mark Owen, Pat Grimes, Qarie Marshall, Rupert Degas, Travis Macy (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Moment in Time: An American Story of Baseball, Heartbreak, and Grace

Ralph Branca is best known for throwing the pitch that resulted in Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard ‘Round the World," the historic homerun that capped an incredible comeback and won the pennant for the Giants in 1951. And so Branca was on the losing end of what many consider to be baseball's most thrilling moment, but that notoriety belies a profoundly successful life and career. A Moment in Time is the remarkable story of a man who could have been destroyed by a supreme professional embarrassment, but wasn't. Branca came up as a young phenom, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers during their heyday. He was a staple of the Dodgers' teams in the late 40's, dominating the National League. New York City itself was immersed in post-war optimism, and the three teams produced passionate rivalries. It's no stretch to say that New York baseball was the center of the sporting universe. In those days, the players were part of the fabric of the neighborhoods, of the city itself. It's a world populated by legendary characters like Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Leo Durocher, Branch Rickey, and Walter O'Malley. This is the world that Branca's memoir evokes. The infamous homerun is, of course, still deeply ingrained in that story. Seven years ago, Joshua Prager reported in the Wall Street Journal that the Giants had cheated, illegally stolen signs, and that Bobby Thomson knew a fastball was coming on that fateful pitch. Prager's story made international headlines and produced a bestselling book, but it wasn't news to Ralph Branca, who found out from a teammate in 1954. Over the years, Branca has always declined to comment on the scandal, out of respect for his friendship with Thomson. He is finally ready to tell his story, which is as entertaining and inspiring as any classic baseball tale.

David Ritz, Ralph Branca (Author), Traber Burns (Narrator)

Audiobook

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

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)

Audiobook

A Mountain to Climb: The Climate Crisis: A Summit Beyond Everest

On the 23rd of May 2019, Hakan Bulgurlu became one of the fortunate few to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. To stand on top of the world’s highest mountain is a humbling experience, to bear witness to nature at its most awe-inspiring and powerful is even more humbling. Bulgurlu’s quest to climb Everest came with a purpose: making the environment the centre of his ambition to highlight the catastrophic effect climate change is having on our planet, to lead by example and to seek out practical solutions. He wanted to use the expedition as a wake-up call to what we are doing to the natural world. In his powerful new book, Bulgurlu tells the fascinating story of this adventure of a lifetime, harrowing and exhilarating in equal measure. He delves into the roots of the environmental crisis we find ourselves in, speaking to climate activists and campaigners, biologists, scientists, filmmakers, academics, economists, entrepreneurs, global leaders and innovators. They help shed light on the issues that we face and the solutions that will help secure a better future for generations to come. In this gripping account of his journey, Bulgurlu describes the challenges he faced in reaching the summit, and the challenges we all face in protecting the planet and the future of humanity.

Hakan Bulgurlu (Author), Elliot Fitzpatrick (Narrator)

Audiobook

A New Formation: How Black Footballers Shaped the Modern Game

Brought to you by Penguin. A New Formation is an exploration of the unique role that Black British footballers have played in shaping the beautiful game both on and off the pitch, an inventive and highly original analysis of the intersections between football and wider Black British culture. A New Formation is not a book about football and racism. Jacobs and his co-contributors - including authors Musa Okwonga and Aniefiok Ekpoudom and sports broadcaster Jeanette Kwakye MBE - eschew the standard frameworks of trauma and oppression that are foisted upon Black narratives and seek to move beyond discussions of diversity, identity and representation. Featuring interviews with legendary players such as Ian Wright, Anita Asante and Andy Cole, they draw upon broader social and cultural history to examine Black footballers in contexts larger than themselves. By engaging with these subtler connections between football and Black cultural expression, A New Formation reveals the vibrancy and nuance of contemporary Black life in Britain. © Calum Jacobs 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Calum Jacobs (Author), Aniefiok ‘neef’ Ekpoudom, Calum Jacobs, Kwaku Dapaah-Danquah, Sanaa Qureshi, Thomas Theodore (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred

“George Will on baseball. Perfect.”—Los Angeles Times In A Nice Little Place on the North Side, leading columnist George Will returns to baseball with a deeply personal look at his hapless Chicago Cubs and their often beatified home, Wrigley Field, as it turns one hundred years old. Baseball, Will argues, is full of metaphors for life, religion, and happiness, and Wrigley is considered one of its sacred spaces. But what is its true, hyperbole-free history? Winding beautifully like Wrigley’s iconic ivy, Will’s meditation on “The Friendly Confines” examines both the unforgettable stories that forged the field’s legend and the larger-than-life characters—from Wrigley and Ruth to Veeck, Durocher, and Banks—who brought it glory, heartbreak, and scandal. Drawing upon his trademark knowledge and inimitable sense of humor, Will also explores his childhood connections to the team, the Cubs’ future, and what keeps long-suffering fans rooting for the home team after so many years of futility. In the end, A Nice Little Place on the North Side is more than just the history of a ballpark. It is the story of Chicago, of baseball, and of America itself.

George Will, George William Hill (Author), Mark Deakins (Narrator)

Audiobook