The Games 2024

Discover books to get you into the spirit of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (26 July to 11 August) & Paralympic Games (28 August to 8 September).

Updated July 28, 2024
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Everything harder than everyone else : why some of us push ourselves to extremes
Valentish, Jenny
Paper Book
A no-holds-barred, gonzo dive into the world of extreme behavior; from abstinence to ego, punishment to curiosity, obsession to reinvention, acclaimed journalist Jenny Valentish uncovers what drives those who push the limits of endurance. What do extreme eaters, MMA fighters,...
Finish first : winning changes everything
Hamilton, Scott
Paper Book
Go for the win! Achieve excellence and be better than you've ever been! In his years as a professional ice-skater, Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton learned to embrace the mind-set of working hard to "beat" the competition. But it seems competition has gotten a bad rap...
Games people played : a global history of sport
Vamplew, Wray
Paper Book
Now in paperback, this first global history of sports offers all spectators and participants a reason to cheer--and to think.   Games People Played is, surprisingly, the first global history of sports. The book shows how sports have been practiced,...
Godspeed : a memoir
Legler, Casey
Paper Book
Longlisted for the 2019 PEN/ESPN Literary Sports Writing Award "Raw and poetic...lean and ferocious." --The New York Times "I swim for every chance to get wasted--after every meet, every weekend, every travel trip. This is what I look forward to and...
The hard parts : a memoir of courage and triumph
Masters, Oksana
Paper Book
A 2024 Christopher Award Winner "A gut-wrenching, wildly inspiring story about overcoming the most daunting obstacles through steely tenacity, sheer will, and a great big dose of motherly love." --Jeannette Walls, #1 New York Times bestselling author of<...
Little wonder : the fabulous story of Lottie Dod, the worlds first female sports superstar
Abramsky, Sasha
Paper Book
A groundbreaking biography of the world's first female sports superstar, the pioneering and uncompromising Lottie Dod. "Eighty-five years before Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs fought the 'battle of the sexes,' a Victorian teenager showed what women could do . . ....
Mind games : determination, doubt and lucky socks : an insider's guide to the psychology of elite athletes
Vernon, Annie
Paper Book
A fascinating insight into the psychology behind elite-level sports. Mind Games discusses concepts used in sports psychology in a way that is understandable to the watching public, sports fans, and sports-haters alike. Annie Vernon draws on her own experiences as an...
The race to be myself : a memoir
Semenya, Caster
Paper Book
Olympian and World Champion Caster Semenya is finally ready to share the vivid and heartbreaking story of how the world came to know her name. Thrust into the spotlight at just eighteen years old after winning the Berlin World Championships in 2009, Semenya's win was quickly overshadowed by...
Swim fast : 100 workouts to improve your swim technique
Lucero, Blythe
Paper Book
In this book you will find 100 workouts that focus on improving general swimming efficiency. The workouts are specific to each of the competitive swimming strokes - freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly - blending swimming drills and conditioning sets that total up to 2,000 yards. Each...
Swimming Pretty : The Untold Story of Women in Water
Valosik, Vicki
Paper Book
"If you're not strong enough to swim fast, you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty,'" said a young Esther Williams to impresario Billy Rose. Since the nineteenth century, tensions between beauty and strength, aesthetics and athleticism have both impeded and propelled the careers of...

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