Olympic ReadsUnpublished

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"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to enjoy something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." -- Emil Zápek For a decade after the Second World War, Emil Zápek -- "the Czech locomotive" -- redefined the...

In a candid and ultimately uplifting memoir, international swimming star Amanda Beard reveals the truth about coming of age in the Olympic spotlight, the demons she battled along the way, and the newfound happiness that has proved to be her greatest victory. In this candid and...

In Courage to Soar, the official autobiography from four-time Olympic gold-winning and record-setting American gymnast Simone Biles, Simone shares how her faith, family, passion, and perseverance has made her one of the top athletes and gymnasts in the world--and how you too can...

Now a Major Motion Picture Directed by George Clooney The #1 New York Times-bestselling story about the American Olympic rowing triumph in Nazi Germany--from the author of Facing the Mountain. For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the...

The New York Times bestselling inspirational story of impoverished children who transformed themselves into world-class swimmers. In 1937, a schoolteacher on the island of Maui challenged a group of poverty-stricken sugar plantation kids to swim upstream against the...

Elite wheelchair racer, wrestler, and America's Got Talent contestant Zion Clark joins with New York Times best-selling author James S. Hirsch for a stunning memoir--recounting childhood adversity, awe-inspiring perseverance, and self-invention. When a baby named...

The inspiring autobiography from Gabrielle Douglas--the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual All-Around champion--revealing her journey from the time she first entered a gym to her gold-medal-winning performances. In the 2012 London Olympics, US...

Discover the astonishing, inspirational, and largely unknown true story of the eighteen African American athletes who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, defying the racism of both Nazi Germany and the Jim Crow South. Set against the turbulent backdrop of a segregated...

Fencing events at the Summer Games are amazing to watch! Quicker than a race car, fencers lunge and parry their way to victory in this combat sport. Elementary readers will discover the speed and precision it takes to win gold in foil, saber, and épée events. Action photos and straightforward text...

The definitive sports and social history of the modern Olympic games--by a New York Times best-selling sportswriter. A Boston Globe Best Book of 2016 A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of 2016 For millions of people around the world, the...

The must-have guide to the Summer Olympic Games This summer, millions of Americans will tune into the Olympic Games, the largest and most popular sporting event in the world. Yet while it's easy to be fascinated by agile gymnasts, poised equestrians, and perfectly synchronized swimmers,...

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In "one of the most important athlete memoirs of its generation" (Kate Fagan, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Olympian Kara Goucher reveals her experience of living through and speaking out about one of the biggest...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: Unbroken and Unbroken: Path to Redemption. "Extraordinarily moving . . . a powerfully drawn survival epic."--The Wall Street...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK AWARD 2018 *SELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TELEGRAPH, FINANCIAL TIMES, GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL AND THE TIMES* 'Compelling, suspenseful and beautifully done' Anna Funder, author of STASILAND<...

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE SUMMER BY POPSUGAR, FROLIC, PARADE, TRAVEL & LEISURE, SHE KNOWS, and SHE READS!  NAMED A REAL SIMPLE BEST BOOK OF 2020 (SO FAR). "Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre...

A charmingly illustrated and inspiring book, Women in Sports highlights the achievements and stories of fifty notable women athletes--from well-known figures like tennis player Billie Jean King and gymnast Simone Biles, to lesser-known athletes like skateboarding pioneer Patti McGee and Toni...

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER * An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. "A story about the personal strength, immense growth,...

Choosing to Run takes readers through both the triumphs and greatest challenges of Des Linden's career, including the day that, despite freezing rain and gusting winds, she experienced her career-defining win at the 2018 Boston Marathon. She discusses her unique journey, and how she got there...

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Simone Biles! Simone Biles was raised by her grandparents and had to overcome...

A riveting new biography of America's greatest all-around athlete by the bestselling author of the classic biography When Pride Still Mattered. Jim Thorpe rose to world fame as a mythic talent who excelled at every sport. He won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon...

Butterfly is the inspiring story of how one woman saved fellow refugees from drowning--and how she went on to become an Olympic swimmer. When young Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini realized her boat's engine shut down as she was traveling from Syria to Greece with other...

They were the Beatles of basketball, the Mercury Seven in sneakers.   In Dream Team, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team that captivated the world, kindled the...

The inspiring and irresistible true story of the women who broke barriers and finish-line ribbons in pursuit of Olympic Gold When Betty Robinson assumed the starting position at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, she was participating in what was only her fourth-ever organized...

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! No girls allowed at the Olympic Games! That's the rule when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to ancient Greece. But when Annie tells jack to go...

This "hugely entertaining, riveting page-turner" (Louise Penny) follows the complicated relationship between mother and daughter as they face off in the Olympics--and into a ride they can barely control. Maggie Atwood and Becky McCabe, mother and daughter, both champion...

"When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in the way of my doing something. There is not. If I want something bad enough, I feel I'm gonna get there."Michael Phelps is one of the greatest competitors the world has ever seen. From teen sensation in Sydney to...

Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medallist and two-time Women's World Cup champion, has become a galvanizing force for social change; here, she urges all of us to take up the mantle, with actions big and small, to continue the fight for justice and equality. Using anecdotes from her own life and career,...

Most tennis fans met the Haitian-American/Japanese player Naomi Osaka for the first time as they watched her win the 2018 US Open in an unforgettably dramatic and controversial match against Serena Williams. Since then, Osaka has galvanized the tennis world not only by winning three more grand slams...

From the ESPN national correspondent and author of the New York Times bestseller Cinderella Man comes the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of a defining moment in sports and world history. In 1936, against a backdrop of swastikas flying and a storm troopers goose-stepping, an...

Updated With a New Introduction "I am grateful to Jennifer Sey for sharing such an honest account of her experiences as an elite gymnast. She has eloquently and fairly exposed a dark side to our sport that parents have long needed to be made aware of." --Dominique Moceanu, Olympic...

In this book from the best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the inspiring life of Simone Biles, the record-breaking gymnast and mental-health advocate. Growing up in foster care, Simone's gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. She first tried the sport...

Learn about the incredible life of Usain Bolt, the record-breaking athlete who's charisma and drive has won his fans across the world. Growing up in a rural town in Jamaica, Usain was a standout cricketer and sprinter from a young age. His school coach noticed his talent, and by age...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Lucid and wrenching...Forward puts [Wambach's] achievement in context with painful and beautiful candor." --NPR "Forward is the powerful story of an athlete who has inspired girls all over the world to believe in themselves."  -...

Named one of the Best Books of 2024 by The New Yorker "Michael Waters performs an Olympian act of storytelling, using the stories of these extraordinary athletes to explore in brilliant detail the struggle for understanding and equality." --Jonathan Eig, author of...

Join author Galadriel Watson as she takes us on a journey of discovery--a tour of the human body's amazing abilities, featuring masters of muscle, speed demons, brain bosses, and more! Extreme Abilities is a fun and fascinating survey of what humans are capable of, with examples from...