Sports & Recreation

"Outstandingly good … It may be the single most insightful book about climbing ever written."  Paul Sagar, Climber, writer, thinker

What do Zen masters, sixteenth-century Samurai, and the world’s elite climbers have in common?

They have perfected the of awareness, of being in the moment, of trusting the process.

Climbing is a sport of perception, and our successes and failures are matters of mind as much as body.

Written by philosopher, essayist, and lifelong climber Francis Sanzaro, The Zen of Climbing explores the fundamentals of successful climbing, delving into sports psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and Taoism. Awareness, he argues, is the alchemy of climbing, allowing us to merge mental and physical attributes in one embodied whole.

This compact volume puts the climber’s mind at the forefront of practice.

Anyone who has ever experienced a sporting event in a large stadium knows the energy that emanates from stands full of fans cheering on their teams. Although "the masses" have long held a thoroughly bad reputation in politics and culture, literary critic and avid sports fan Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht finds powerful, as yet unexplored reasons to sing the praises of crowds. Drawing on his experiences as a spectator in the stadiums of South America, Germany, and the US, Gumbrecht presents the stadium as "a ritual of intensity," thereby offering a different lens through which we might capture and even appreciate the dynamic of the masses.

In presenting this alternate view, Gumbrecht enters into conversation with thinkers who were more critical of the potential of the masses, such as Gustave Le Bon, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, José Ortega y Gasset, Elias Canetti, Siegfried Kracauer, T. W. Adorno, or Max Horkheimer. A preface explores college crowds as a uniquely specific phenomenon of American culture.

Pairing philosophical rigor with the enthusiasm of a true fan, Gumbrecht writes from the inside and suggests that being part of a crowd opens us up to an experience beyond ourselves.

LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER

Updated and Expanded Second Edition Features Six New Walking Adventures!

10,000 Steps a Day in L.A. is for urban adventurers with a passion for healthy living who are also eager to explore Los Angeles—from its most legendary locations to its more hidden, unsung, and quirky sites.

In this first-ever book to explore the 10,000-steps lifestyle in Los Angeles, author Paul Haddad takes readers on a journey through the city’s streets, beaches, mountains, rivers, reservoirs, and parks. He includes 10,000-step walks from throughout the Southland, from Simi Valley to the South Bay, and Pasadena to Pacific Palisades.

Tread the grounds of a defunct Disney attraction called Dwarfland. Trace the extinct canals of Venice Beach. Stroll the shortest Main Street in America. Discover hidden streams, secret murals, lost cities, Hollywood haunts, houses made of stone, and parks that time forgot!

The second edition of 10,000 Steps a Day in L.A. features:

• 57 walks containing 10,000 steps

• Detailed maps and directions

• Descriptions of the terrain, walking surface, and dog-friendliness of each walk

• Ideal picnic spots

• Parking suggestions

• Sidebars with colorful trivia and anecdotes

Most importantly, 10,000 Steps a Day in L.A. offers a sense of fun and discovery about Los Angeles that makes the goal of 10,000 steps easy to attain. Readers need only bring their feet—pedometers are optional!

South Asian American men are not usually depicted as ideal American men. They struggle against popular representations as either threatening terrorists or geeky, effeminate computer geniuses. To combat such stereotypes, some use sports as a means of performing a distinctly American masculinity. Desi Hoop Dreams focuses on South Asian-only basketball leagues common in most major U.S. and Canadian cities, to show that basketball, for these South Asian American players is not simply a whimsical hobby, but a means to navigate and express their identities in 21st century America.

The participation of young men in basketball is one platform among many for performing South Asian American identity. South Asian-only leagues and tournaments become spaces in which to negotiate the relationships between masculinity, race, and nation. When faced with stereotypes that portray them as effeminate, players perform sporting feats on the court to represent themselves as athletic. And though they draw on black cultural styles, they carefully set themselves off from African American players, who are deemed “too aggressive.” Accordingly, the same categories of their own marginalization—masculinity, race, class, and sexuality—are those through which South Asian American men exclude women, queer masculinities, and working-class masculinities, along with other racialized masculinities, in their effort to lay claim to cultural citizenship.

One of the first works on masculinity formation and sport participation in South Asian American communities, Desi Hoop Dreams focuses on an American popular sport to analyze the dilemma of belonging within South Asian America in particular and in the U.S. in general.

In spring 2014 Peggy Kokernot Kaplan, a former Trinity University athlete and cofounder of the women’s track team, emailed her alma mater’s athletic department asking the school to post statistics from the team’s 1975 season. It’s no surprise that they couldn’t fulfill her request, for Trinity had sparse records from the 1970s—not just for track and field but for most performances by female athletes before 1991, when the school joined a NCAA Division III conference.

What started as a humble email request nearly a decade ago has culminated in From the Sidelines to the Headlines: The Legacy of Women's Sports at Trinity University, an expansive book aimed at filling in the gaps in coverage of half a century of women’s intercollegiate sports. Former Trinity athlete Betsy Gerhardt Pasley and historian Doug Brackenridge, along with other members of the Trinity community, have collected hundreds of long-forgotten documents and conducted dozens of interviews with former students, coaches, and administrators to tell the fascinating, multifaceted story of women’s sports at this liberal arts school in San Antonio, Texas.

While the book focuses primarily on the post–Title IX years between 1972 and 1999, its scope extends to Trinity’s founding in 1869, illuminating the century-long evolution of women in competitive sports, at Trinity and elsewhere, before Title IX. The story, told alongside the cultural shifts that formed the social and athletic context for female athletes of the day, also documents the decision Trinity and other institutions of higher learning faced after Title IX: Should they adhere to a commercial model, in which a focus on athletics often overshadowed academics, or strive for a more balanced student-athlete, nonscholarship model? Trinity chose the latter and has decades of national championships and academic accolades to show for it.

Being a Phillies fan has never been easy. The team has amassed the most losses of any professional sports franchise in history, as well as the longest losing streak and the most last-place finishes in the major leagues.

The year 1980 was redemption for a miserable, century-old legacy of losing. It was also the beginning of the end for a team that could have been among the very best in baseball throughout the decade. Between 1980 and 1983 the Philadelphia Phillies captured two pennants and a world championship. Legends like Tug McGraw, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, and Pete Rose led the collection of homegrown products, veteran castoffs, and fair-haired rookies. If they had won another World Series, the team not only would have distanced themselves from a history of losing but would have established a championship dynasty. It never happened.

The 1981 season was a watershed for both the Phillies and baseball. A players' strike led to a sixty-day work stoppage. The Phils, who had been in first place before the strike, were unable to regain their winning ways after play resumed. Labor relations between an increasingly powerful Players Association and inflexible owners became more acrimonious than ever before. Player salaries skyrocketed. Old loyalties were forgotten, and the notion of a homegrown team, like the 1980 Phillies, was a thing of the past.

Almost a Dynasty details the rise and fall of the 1980 World Champion Phillies. Based on personal interviews, newspaper accounts, and the keen insight of a veteran baseball writer, the book convincingly explains why a team that had regularly made the post-season in the mid- to late 1970s, only to lose in the playoffs, was finally able to win its first world championship.

The surprising roots of the self-defense movement and the history of women’s empowerment.

At the turn of the twentieth century, women famously organized to demand greater social and political freedoms like gaining the right to vote. However, few realize that the Progressive Era also witnessed the birth of the women’s self-defense movement.

It is nearly impossible in today’s day and age to imagine a world without the concept of women’s self defense. Some women were inspired to take up boxing and jiu-jitsu for very personal reasons that ranged from protecting themselves from attacks by strangers on the street to rejecting gendered notions about feminine weakness and empowering themselves as their own protectors. Women’s training in self defense was both a reflection of and a response to the broader cultural issues of the time, including the women’s rights movement and the campaign for the vote.

Perhaps more importantly, the discussion surrounding women’s self-defense revealed powerful myths about the source of violence against women and opened up conversations about the less visible violence that many women faced in their own homes. Through self-defense training, women debunked patriarchal myths about inherent feminine weakness, creating a new image of women as powerful and self-reliant. Whether or not women consciously pursued self-defense for these reasons, their actions embodied feminist politics. Although their individual motivations may have varied, their collective action echoed through the twentieth century, demanding emancipation from the constrictions that prevented women from exercising their full rights as citizens and human beings. This book is a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to one of the most important women’s issues of all time.

This book will provoke good debate and offer distinct responses and solutions.

Chin Na (Qin Na) is one of the four major fighting categories in all Chinese martial styles. The four categories are:

• Kicking (Ti)
• Striking (Da)
• Wrestling (Shuai)
• Seize-Controlling (Na)

Seize-Controlling Chin Na techniques can be effectively used against an opponents grabbing attacks as well as against wrestling. Pressing and striking Chin Na can be used to seal the opponents breathing, vein/artery, or Qi circulation, which can cause severe pain, numbness, and unconsciousness. Some techniques can even be fatal.

Most of Chin Na can be learned easily and be adopted into any martial style. Chin Na has been known as the root of the Japanese arts of Jujitsu and Aikido, and practitioners can use the study of Chin Na to increase their understanding of the theory and principles of their own arts.

This book is designed to make learning easier.

If you study a barehand art, likely there are Chin Na techniques you can adapt!

You will learn over 150 Chin Na techniques

• Fundamental principles that make Chin Na work.
• Speed, power, grabbing, escaping, and countering techniques.
• Finger Chin Na.
• Wrist Chin Na.
• Elbow Chin Na.
• Shoulder, neck, and waist Chin Na.
• Leg Chin Na.
• Muscle Grabbing Chin Na.
• Cavity press Chin Na.
• Using Chin Na in a fight.
• Dealing with injuries.

The ability to control an opponent through Chin Na is one of the highest measures of martial skill. You will improve your martial skills with the many training methods, attacks, and counterattack techniques detailed in this book. Your are going to increase your fighting options!

Remember, Chin Na can be integrated with any open hand martial style.

A simple guidebook for navigating the new world of sports marketing and brand management

The modern consumer, today’s fan, is no longer passive. Over three quarters of millennials say they prefer experiences over traditional advertising. Old approaches won’t work. Yard barkers handing out free towels. A stadium plastered with billboards. Maybe a new Jumbotron. Today’s fan is looking for something more engaging, more interactive, and more immersive.

Industry pioneer, James Giglio, the founder of MVP Interactive, takes us through his fascinating decade-long journey, starting out with a vision for immersive experiences, well before anyone had ever heard of virtual reality. Over that time, he has had the opportunity to work with many leading sports teams, professional leagues, advertising agencies, and consumer brands, to completely redefine the fan experience and now he shares those lessons with us.

James also takes us through his own personal story of building a startup, from growing up as a daydreaming kid in Ocean County, New Jersey, to working with an advertising agency in New York and recognizing that three themes were emerging: the iPhone app explosion, the increased use of digital signage or so-called “street furniture,” and the emergence of “pop up events” by leading brands. He began to wonder how these three trends could be brought together. What if the immersive technology on our iPhone could be brought to the streetscape? What if those digital displays could become interactive? And what if brands could attract consumers to them rather them just hawking them promotions and free stuff? The result was MVP Interactive. But like any startup, there were bumps along the way and James’ story is a heartfelt, honest tale of making many... let’s just say, learning a lot of lessons along the way.

The timing could not be better. Post Covid, events are back and back big. During the pandemic, we all went fully remote and realized it was just way too much screentime. But we are also not going back to the way it was. Beyond the Jumbotron lies a new, hybrid world where human interaction and technology combine. James takes us through not only the why — the dramatic changes in consumer attitudes and behavior that are driving the adoption of immersive technology, but more importantly the how — how to bring these projects to life and lead to real, measurable result after case study and shows the possibilities of new technology are not only endless, but also just the beginning. lts for sports properties and brands. James and his team at MVP Interactive have completed over 200 immersive technology projects and the book is filled with case study after case study and shows the possibilities of new technology are not only endless, but also just the beginning.

Cincinnati Soul resurrects the inspiring legacies of the Cincinnati Tigers, the Cincinnati Cuban Stars, and other Black baseball teams in Cincinnati.

It sheds light on the players’ remarkable skills, what life was like as a Negro Leaguer, and the barriers they overcame, ensuring their stories are remembered and celebrated. By exploring the socioeconomic and cultural backdrop of Cincinnati during the era of the Negro Leagues, Cincinnati Soul provides a comprehensive understanding of the environment in which these teams thrived and how they were integral to the community and the broader civil rights movement.

Cincinnati Soul weaves together the personal stories of the players, coaches, and fans, offering an intimate glimpse into the lives and experiences of those involved in Cincinnati’s Black baseball teams. It highlights the contributions these teams made to modern baseball within the city and nationally, the enduring legacy of these teams, and their role in shaping the sport as we know it today.

“Sweeney's forensic research shines through an entertaining book that is a thoroughly delicious slice of Irish-Americana.”

—Irish Times 

"What makes the story of Murphy’s professional wrestling career so fascinating is the way Sweeney sets the scene for many of his matches...From the booming voice of “Whitey” Kaunfer welcoming cold patrons to the Old Mechanics Building to the sweaty, bloody, and crowded confines of the Boston Arena dressing room, Sweeney does an exceptional job... If you are considering this book for its wrestling content, you will certainly enjoy what you find."

—Slam Wrestling

Newspapers called him the “the man with the cast-iron toes,” “the best drop-kicker in wrestling,” and “one of the mat game's biggest box office attractions.” But Dr. John “Dropkick” Murphy's legacy extends far beyond the wrestling ring. Decades before the Betty Ford Center became a household name — and long before the band the Dropkick Murphys named themselves in his honor — the phrase going to Dropkick’s meant a person struggling with addiction needed help and would soon get some.

This book chronicles for the first time the unbelievable life of Dropkick Murphy, a professional wrestler who put himself through medical school during the Great Depression and then opened Bellows Farm, a one-of-a-kind institution that served as both a facility where elite athletes could train as well as a secluded place where down-on-their-luck alcoholics could go to sober up discreetly.

The celebrities who frequented Dropkick Murphy’s farm were many, and numerous professional athletes would go there to focus on their training and work out in his state-of-the-art gymnasium. As a result, Bellows Farm featured an unrivaled and revolving cast of colorful characters who brought it to life. Drawing on years of research and interviews, author Emily Sweeney goes behind the scenes to reveal the untold story of Murphy’s life, his farm, and the legendary events that unfolded there.

“The story of Ike Ibeabuchi is one of the strangest in modern boxing history and Luke G. Williams has told it with great clarity, sensitivity, and skill. President of Pandemonium is crammed with raw and revealing details as Williams draws us into the unsettling world of a man as vulnerable as he was destructive. It is a gripping read.”—Donald McRae, The Guardian

Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi had the boxing world at his feet in 1997 after vanquishing David Tua in a battle for the ages in Sacramento. The Nigerian heavyweight’s subsequent descent into a vortex of mental illness and crime and punishment was as shocking as it was tragic.

Was Ibeabuchi a vulnerable man exploited by a ruthless sport and a dysfunctional criminal justice system, or was he guilty-as-charged for his deeds and rightly punished?

Somewhere amid a colorful cast of characters including Republican politicians, crooked promoters, and demons hiding in air-conditioning units, lies the uncomfortable truth.

In President of Pandemonium, Luke G. Williams vividly recreates Ibeabuchi’s life in and out of the ring. Combining exclusive interviews with those who guided his career and observed him closely, as well as firsthand testimony from “The President” himself, this is a story of brilliance destroyed by dark forces, both real and imagined.

‘When it comes to training for climbing, you are your own experiment.’

Beastmaking by Ned Feehally is a book about training for climbing.

It is designed to provide normal people – like you and me – with the tools we need to get the most out of our climbing.

It is written by one of the world’s top climbers and a co-founder of Beastmaker.

It features sections on finger strength, fingerboarding, board training, mobility and core, and includes suggested exercises and workouts.

There are insights from some of the world’s top climbers, including Alex Honnold, Shauna Coxsey, Adam Ondra, Alex Puccio and Tomoa Narasaki.

Free from jargon, it is intended to provide enough information for us to work out what we need to train, and to help us to train it.

The Cycling Bible by renowned cycling author and journalist Chris Sidwells is a comprehensive guide to help you get the most out of cycling, whether you go road cycling, gravel riding, mountain biking or enjoy any other kind of two-wheeled fun.

Based on the author’s extensive experience and research, this book collates the knowledge you will need to specifically train for the technical, physical and mental aspects of cycling training. It includes riding positions, strength and conditioning, endurance training, the psychological side of training, tailoring nutrition to your goals and bringing it all together to create your own training plan. It also deals with choosing the right bike for you, making essential safety checks and carrying out maintenance.

Extensively illustrated, packed full of action photos, The Cycling Bible will help and motivate you to improve and develop as a cyclist and find even more joy in this fantastic sport.

Master Richard Chun takes us on a first hand account of his life story and his dedication to the art of Taekwondo. We begin in Korea just before the Korean war and learn why Taekwondo is a noble and positive recreation for children, offering them challenges and lessons that they will reflect upon for their entire lives.

We follow as he takes Taekwondo to America not knowing how he and his art will be received. We see how Taekwondo plays a major role in this Grand Master's pursuit of a life in America and we cheer him on as he overcomes the difficulties a non-english speaking immigrant discovers in the USA. From celebrity students and their families (Donald Trump, Mayor Guliani, Gregory Hines) to everyday citizens, Master Richard Chun offers us the key to living a life of contribution to humanity through Taekwondo.

• Deepen Your Understanding of Taekwondo Traditions.
• Inspiration and Advice for a Lifetime of Practice.
• For All Styles and All Levels of Experience.

A Classical Vision of the Martial Arts

Through the millennia, man has been subject to aggression and violence from other men, and has pondered ways to meet such hostility. The source of man's ceaseless conflict lies in our nature. We are just not content with the simple life. We want what we do not have and lust for what others possess.

Empires wax and wane; states cleave asunder and coalesce. Thus it has ever been. – Three Kingdoms (Chinese Novel 1400 A.D.

Ironically enough, the modern civilized world promotes many alternatives for conflict resolution in place of overt violence. As a result, physical strength, mental determination and emotional endurance have lost their urgency in today's popular society. Are we a generation self-absorbed in the absence of routine discipline and sacrifice?

While the martial arts revolve around the way of personal combat, it also demands that its adherents live in accordance with a certain warrior code of conduct and honor. The Martial Way promises a long and arduous journey. It is an invitation to the subordination of self, the endurance of sustained practice, and the cultivation of the body and mind, with no tolerance for self-indulgences of any kind.

Martial arts without compassion and honor promises only violence. Stripped of its spirituality, it threatens injury and suffering to both its victims and its practitioners. In the end, this higher ideal is what separates the warrior from the predator.

In the martial arts, kata are the prearranged and choreographed dance-like forms used to convey the intricacies of a particular style to the practitioner. In a sense they are the physical form of an oral tradition, (a form of knowledge transference that many believe extends back several thousand years), training not only the body, but the mind and spirit. Kata are the basis for which modern day karate techniques have developed and hence kata are considered the 'textbooks' of the martial arts.

Kata is often called the mother of Karate. Bunkai is a kind of analysis (meaning, 'to disassemble') - a much neglected form of study within Karate.

These self-defense applications are what give the kata their true meaning and purpose. For the old masters, those of whom may have only practiced one or two kata their entire lives, the repetitions demanded of kata never became a burden because of the meaning, the bunkai. In thousands of schools around the world today, the various kata of Karate are taught and practiced. Unfortunately, not many know, or care to teach, the bunkai, referring to them a mysterious 'secrets.' In Shihan Te: The Bunkai of Kata, these "secrets" are revealed.

• Useful for all styles of Karate.
• The key to understanding Karate...and yourself!
• Discover the rich history and deeper meaning of the Martial Arts.

In the rich history of Major League Baseball (MLB), a transformative journey is unfolding…

Women are rising to prominent positions in team management, coaching, and leadership.

An increasing number of female coaches and front office leaders are making their mark in the league, signaling a positive change in the traditionally male-dominated field. Breaking through barriers, challenging stereotypes, and reshaping the landscape of a historically male-dominated industry, these women are pioneers in a movement toward greater diversity and inclusion within the sport of baseball. 

Leveling the Playing Field captures the compelling stories, triumphs, and challenges of women ascending the ranks of MLB coaching and leadership, exploring how their contributions are not only reshaping the front offices of teams and who is on the field but also influencing the future of America’s pastime.

Authored by Al Lautenslager, Leveling the Playing Field serves as a powerful testament to the evolving role of women in a traditionally male-centric arena.  

Playful, thoughtful, and evergreen, The Game at the End of the World reaches toward the touchstones of civilization while staying rooted in a sport that has no borders or boundaries.

Soccer fans will rejoice at this all-new volume of crackling, timely essays from the author of God Is Round: Tackling the Giants, Villains, Triumphs, and Scandals of the World’s Favorite Game. Juan Villoro explores the ancient origins, god-like star players, exhilarating highlights, and diehard devotees of a sport whose significance extends well beyond scoring goals. More than a game, soccer is a form of connection. More than physicality, it values strategy, creativity, and mental fortitude. It is a sport without an ideal athlete, where the passion of crowds is crucial.

As a prolific writer and frequent attendee of World Cup games around the world, Juan Villoro draws on his own long memory and rich understanding of soccer's cultural history to inspire readers, players, and fans long after the final whistle blows. With a journalist's quick-hitting pen and a philosopher's expansive outlook, he has produced a collection for curious newcomers and lifelong football buffs alike.

Riveting and inspiring first-person stories of how “taking a knee” triggered a political awakening among athletes of all ages and levels, from the celebrated sportswriter

“With profiles of courage that leap of the page, Zirin uncovers a whole national movement of citizen-athletes fighting for racial justice.”
—Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award–winning author of Stamped from the Beginning

Hailed by Publishers Weekly in a starred review as “an enthralling look at the impact of peaceful protest by sports figures at the high school, college, and professional levels,” The Kaepernick Effect explores the story of how quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s simple act of “taking a knee” spread like wildfire throughout American society, becoming the preeminent public symbol of resistance to America’s persistent racial inequality.

In this powerful book, critically acclaimed sports journalist and author Dave Zirin chronicles “the Kaepernick effect” for the first time, through “a riveting collection of first-person stories” (The Nation) from high school athletes and coaches, college stars and high-powered athletic directors, and professional athletes across many different sports—from Megan Rapinoe to Michael Bennett. In each case, he uncovers the fascinating explanations and motivations behind what became a mass political movement in sports.

“Necessary reading for all, especially those who want to make a difference in promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion, and end police brutality” (Library Journal, starred review), The Kaepernick Effect is for anyone seeking to get involved in the new movement for racial justice in America: “Take a knee, everyone, and start a revolution” (Kirkus Reviews).

Kicking ass and taking notes—what it’s like to be a woman in the ring.

Alison Dean teaches English literature. She also punches people. Hard. But despite several amateur fights under her belt, she knows she will never be taken as seriously as a male boxer. “You punch like a girl” still isn’t a compliment — women aren’t supposed to choose to participate in violence.

Her unique perspective as a 30-something university lecturer turned amateur fighter allows Dean to articulately and with great insight delve into the ways martial arts can change a person’s — and particularly a woman’s — relationship to their body and to the world around them, and at the same time considers the ways in which women might change martial arts.

Combining historical research, anecdotal experience, and interviews with coaches and fighters, Seconds Out explores our culture’s relationship with violence, and particularly with violence practiced by women.

"An important addition to women’s martial arts scholarship, Dean provides personal insight into the radical space women occupy in sport fighting. Seconds Out is a must-read for all fighters looking for mentors in the complicated world of martial arts." —L.A. Jennings, author of Mixed Martial Arts: A History from Ancient Fighting Sports to the UFC

"Dean brings a fresh new female voice to the topic of combat sports." —Trevor Wittman, renowned MMA trainer, UFC analyst, and founder of ONX Sports

"Trained in the discipline and art of both fighting and literature, Dean combines both with style. She honors the fighters, writers, and historians who have come before her and definitively ends the idea of women fighters as a novelty. Seconds Out is a must-read for anyone who feels the call of the bell and reverence for a good fight." —Sue Jaye Johnson

HERITAGE TORONTO 2022 BOOK AWARD NOMINEE

From basketball hoops to cricket bats, the role community sports play in our cities and how crucial they are to diversity and inclusion.

“The virus exposed how we live and work. It also revealed how we play, and what we lose when we have to stop.” For every kid who makes it to the NBA, thousands more seek out the pleasure and camaraderie of pick-up basketball in their local community centre or neighbourhood park. It’s a story that plays out in sport after sport – team and individual, youth and adult, men's and women's. While the dazzle of pro athletes may command our attention, grassroots sports build the bridges that link city-dwellers together in ways that go well beyond the physical benefits. The pandemic and heightened awareness of racial exclusion reminded us of the importance of these pastimes and the public spaces where we play. In this closely reported exploration of the role of community sports in diverse cities, Toronto journalist Perry King makes an impassioned case for re-imagining neighbourhoods whose residents can be active, healthy, and connected.

"I couldn’t stop reading Perry King’s Rebound. An evocative essay about the transformative and uniting power of local sports in a city with residents from every country in the world, the book is well researched, entertaining, and informative. It spoke to my own experiences as a young athlete fitting into a new city when I first came to Toronto – and to the importance our city government must place on local recreation and sports if our city is to help all residents reach their potential. A fantastic contribution to understanding Toronto – and to the power of local recreation in any major city." —David Miller, former mayor of Toronto

The world's bestselling Grand Prix handbook is back for the new season.

This is the definitive guide to Formula 1 in 2025. A complete examination of all the teams racing this season, every driver and all the tracks featured in the packed Grand Prix calendar.

Also including a full review of the 2024 season and a breakdown of the new rules and regulations for 2025, this indispensable guidebook features a full breakdown of last season's drivers' and constructors' world championship results - as well as a fill-in chart for 2025, so each book becomes your own personalised guide to the year's action.

Written by bestselling F1 author Bruce Jones and containing dozens of breathtaking photographs and detailed circuit illustrations plus a statistics section highlighting the major records in F1 history, this is the only guide you'll need for the racing action ahead.

The world's bestselling Grand Prix handbook is back for the new season.

This is the definitive guide to Formula 1 in 2026 - a complete examination of all the teams, drivers and tracks featured in the packed Grand Prix calendar. Also including a full review of the 2025 season and a breakdown of the new rules and regulations for 2026, this indispensable guidebook features a full breakdown of last season's drivers' and constructors' world championship results - as well as a fill-in chart for 2026, so each book becomes your own personalised guide to the year's action.

Written by bestselling F1 author Bruce Jones and containing dozens of breathtaking photographs and detailed circuit illustrations plus a statistics section highlighting the major records in F1 history, this is the only guide you'll need for the racing action ahead.

A wide-ranging look at football’s powerful but controversial governing body.

Football is the world’s most popular sport and truly a global phenomenon. As a result, it attracts huge sums of money from its advertisers, sponsors and broadcasters, including FIFA, the sport’s international governing body. So, given its decidedly chequered history, the question of what FIFA is for is crucial to the game’s future.

Examining the organisation’s successes such as the explosion of interest in the women’s game, alongside its failures and continuing crises over corruption and ethics, Alan Tomlinson asks: what will it take for FIFA to truly live up to its own mission of integrity, fair play and accessibility?

The story of Willie Mays's rookie year with the Negro American League's Birmingham Black Barons, the Last Negro World Series, and the making of a baseball legend

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays is one of baseball's endearing greats, a tremendously talented and charismatic center fielder who hit 660 career homeruns, collected 3,283 hits, knocked in 1,903 runs, won 12 Gold Glove Awards and appeared in 24 All-Star games. But before Mays was the "Say Hey Kid", he was just a boy. Willie's Boys is the story of his remarkable 1948 rookie season with the Negro American League's Birmingham Black Barons, who took a risk on a raw but gifted 16-year-old and gave him the experience, confidence, and connections to escape Birmingham's segregation, navigate baseball's institutional racism, and sign with the New York Giants. Willie's Boys offers a character-rich narrative of the apprenticeship Mays had at the hands of a diverse group of savvy veterans who taught him the ways of the game and the world.

• Sheds new light on the virtually unknown beginnings of a baseball great, not available in other books
• Captures the first incredible steps of a baseball superstar in his first season with the Negro League's Birmingham Black Barons
• Introduces the veteran group of Negro League players, including Piper Davis, who gave Mays an incredible apprenticeship season
• Illuminates the Negro League's last days, drawing on in-depth research and interviews with remaining players
• Explores the heated rivalry between Mays's Black Barons and Buck O'Neil's Kansas City Monarchs , culminating in the last Negro League World Series
• Breaks new historical ground on what led the New York Giants to acquire Mays, and why he didn't sign with the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, or Boston Red Sox

Packed with stories and insights, Willie's Boys takes you inside an important part of baseball history and the development of one of the all-time greats ever to play the game.

Explores how fitness technology affects mental health, self-image, and social anxiety, revealing its paradoxical effects through insights from sports science, psychology, UX, and gender studies

Beyond the Metrics: The Psychological Impact of Fitness Technology on Self-Image and Social Anxiety offers a compelling, interdisciplinary analysis of digital fitness tools’ effects on mental well-being, identity formation, and physical self-perception. With technology’s pervasive influence on wellness, this book analyzes the meaning of existence and competition under conditions of continuous monitoring.
The authors, drawing upon their diverse expertise, offer valuable perspectives. Dr. Asegul Hulus, a specialist in user experience (UX) and human–computer interaction (HCI), provides insights into self-tracking, gendered interfaces, and platform anxieties. Professional bodybuilder and PhD candidate Esat Hulus offers insights into digital self-surveillance, the pressures of aesthetics, and the emotional toll of performance metrics; his perspective is further contextualized by Dr. Erman Doğan, a sport psychologist and academic, who analyzes motivation, body image, and psychosocial dynamics within competitive sport.
The joint analysis reveals how applications, wearable devices, and social media platforms may contribute to increased self-doubt, the development of body dysmorphia, and amplified social comparison, with a particular focus on young athletes and marginalized groups. This book also offers a vision of fitness technology that prioritizes well-being over ideals of perfection, promoting a more ethical and inclusive approach to design.
This monograph integrates empirical research and cultural critique, making it suitable for scholars, students, coaches, therapists, and designers working within the evolving fields of mental health, digital identity, and embodied performance. This book delves beyond the quantitative data to explore the qualitative aspects relevant to individuals concerned with self-tracking, the influence of social media aesthetics, or technology’s role in personal growth.

Identify your catch with the definitive field guide to nearly 1,200 freshwater fish of the United States and Canada.

Freshwater fishing is a perfect outdoor activity for all ages and skill levels. There’s a whole world to discover beneath the surface of North America’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you're casting for bass, spotting an unfamiliar species, or simply exploring aquatic life, the Freshwater Fish of North America Field Guide by Dave Bosanko and Dan Johnson is the ultimate guide to the fish you’ll find. When you’re not sure what you reeled in, pull this handy guide out of your tackle box and narrow your choices by family (based on visual characteristics). Then identify your prize with the intricately detailed fish illustrations. Further verify the type of fish using the “Similar Species” comparisons.

Book Features:

• Detailed information about nearly 1,200 species
• Professional illustrations—perfect for fish identification
• Helpful facts about habitat preferences, feeding behavior, and reproduction
• Expert fishing tips, including recommended baits and techniques for dozens of species
• Bonus content on fish anatomy, invasive species, and responsible angling practices

This authoritative guide blends scientific detail with practical advice, making it perfect for anglers, educators, and nature lovers. Learn how fish navigate their underwater environments and discover new techniques to improve your success on the water.

Stars, Stripes & Speed: America’s Formula 1 Story is a bold and visually striking celebration of the United States’ evolving role in the world’s most glamorous motorsport. From early flashes of promise to today’s cultural and commercial prominence, Roger Smith charts America’s unique journey in Formula 1 — a story decades in the making and still gaining speed.

Across stunning visuals, sharp commentary, and exclusive infographics, author Roger Smith explores how the U.S. transitioned from an uncertain participant to a powerful player reshaping the sport’s modern identity. From Watkins Glen and Long Beach to Miami and Las Vegas, the book traces the circuits, personalities, and pivotal moments that defined America’s stop-start relationship with F1 — and its dramatic resurgence under Liberty Media’s stewardship.

Inside, you’ll find chapters dedicated to groundbreaking drivers like Phil Hill and Mario Andretti, influential teams and sponsors, media revolutions from ESPN to Netflix, and the growing spectacle of U.S.-based races. Timelines and data-led graphics bring key milestones to life, from rising attendance and viewership to the expanding fanbase drawn in by Drive to Survive.

Whether you’re a new recruit to the grid or a lifelong motorsport devotee, Stars, Stripes & Speed is a timely and essential retrospective — not just of America’s place in Formula 1, but of its accelerating influence on what the sport has become.

Includes material adapted and updated from Formula 1 All the Races 2016–2024: Liberty Media’s Makeover.

Great coaching isn’t just about strategy—it’s about understanding people. The best teams aren’t just built on talent; they thrive on trust, communication, and emotional intelligence.

A Coach’s Guide to the Enneagram provides a game-changing framework for coaches who want to lead with impact, connect deeply with their players, and build a championship culture. By using the Enneagram, a powerful tool for understanding motivation and behavior, coaches will learn how to bring out the best in each athlete, improve team dynamics, and navigate challenges with confidence.

With practical insights, real-world coaching examples, and a deep dive into the nine unique personality types, this informative guide equips coaches to adapt their leadership approach, foster resilience, and create lasting influence both on and off the field.

Winning is important, but building strong, motivated, and inspired athletes is what truly sets great coaches apart. A Coach’s Guide to the Enneagram will help coaches step up their leadership and transform the way they coach.

Learn everything you need to know about running, with one of the world’s most popular running books, updated to include Jeff Galloway’s revolutionary method of training.

A new runner who’s looking to begin, a high school athlete who’s preparing for track & field season, an experienced marathoner aiming to get faster—whatever your situation, if you’re interested in running, this is the book for you. Olympic athlete Jeff Galloway introduces the same training principles that are used by world-class runners to help you improve!

Galloway’s Book on Running shows beginners how to get started, explains Jeff’s ideas on stress and rest, and reveals secrets for running better. This revised and updated edition includes training schedules for 5K, 10K, and increasingly popular half-marathon races, as well as recent insights into motivation, nutrition, and fat-burning. Perhaps most notably, Jeff has updated this version to include his Run Walk Run® method of training, which has helped tens of thousands of runners to train injury-free for races of varying distances, including marathons.

Book Features:

• Jeff’s unique Run Walk Run method of training
• Training principles used by elite runners that apply to runners of all levels
• Tips for getting started, secrets for running better, and insights into stress and rest
• Detailed training charts for 5K, 10K, and half-marathon races

Runners at all levels will benefit from this seasoned athlete’s wisdom. Get Galloway’s Book on Running, and get your training on the right track.

Get the everyperson’s guide to running from “America’s coach” Jeff Galloway, and experience the unforgettable lifetime accomplishment of running a marathon.

If you haven’t already begun training for a marathon, you’ve probably thought about doing so. Former Olympic athlete and record-setting distance runner Jeff Galloway is here to say, “You can do it!” Jeff has been coaching runners for more than 50 years. He is the official training consultant for the runDisney series of races. With the new edition of Marathon, he’ll guide you every step of the way. Jeff has updated his unique programs that show runners how to train for—and finish—a marathon.

Jeff’s revolutionary run walk run® method of training has enabled hundreds of thousands of people to complete marathons, and you can be among them. This innovative method opens marathon running to everyone, including those who may be out of shape, overweight, or past their athletic prime. Discover how to set up a personal training program, stay motivated, avoid injuries, burn fat, and more. You won’t have to compromise your career or family life to be successful. This new edition includes updated training schedules with recovery components, and most training weeks require only 3 x 30 minutes of running or walking. You’ll also appreciate the latest information on nutrition, mental training, eliminating injuries and exhaustion, and step-by-step instructions that give you control of your training regime.

Jeff’s motivation techniques have kept countless marathoners on the road to their goals. This book shows you how to keep the fun in your run and how to stay away from aches and pains. With such guidance, it’s possible for almost anyone to achieve the lifetime goal of finishing a marathon—while enhancing health, stamina, and life quality.

Benefit from coverage of topics like these:

• Training and inspiration
• Food and fat-burning
• Dealing with injuries and getting older

Every great angler has a story or two, but do you remember all the details? When did you catch it? Where were you fishing? How big was it . . . really? Those answers and more can be recorded forever in the Fishing Journal. Keep track of the “what,” where,” and “how many,” and create a personalized keepsake to look back upon year after year. As an added bonus, this logbook included callouts and sidebars of information: trivia, famous fishing quotes, and more. Anglers of all ages will enjoy putting this journal to use.

More stories, more action, more danger—read these shocking true accounts of illegal hunting and fishing activity, as told by a former game warden.

An out-of-state firefighter poaches 186 walleyes for his department’s fish fry. Two nights and two high-speed chases result in the capture of two pike poachers. Illegal hunters lead a conservation officer into the woods and hold him at gunpoint. If you thought Poachers Caught! was exhilarating, get ready for the sequel! Tom Chapin, a Minnesota game warden for 29 years, was cussed at, chased, shot at, and nearly run over. He has enlisted the help of his colleagues and friends to present another 31 harrowing accounts in More Poachers Caught! Read about some of the most memorable poachers who were ever busted—and some who got away.

To keep the stories as accurate as possible, Tom relied on official recordings, written reports, and photographs taken on the job. Dangerous, spontaneous, and sometimes comedic, these short stories bring readers face-to-face with the problem of poaching. They represent greed, selfishness, and hope.

The tales of true crime are action-packed, shocking, and wildly entertaining. They appeal to anyone with an interest in hunting, fishing, and law enforcement, as well as anyone who’s concerned about the protection of our natural resources. Tom’s writing serves as a tool for educating people about poaching and for promoting ethics in nature. It also yields a heightened appreciation for the wildlife officers who protect our fish and wildlife resources.

Tom says, “I always believed a game warden’s job should focus on this one concern: providing an equal playing field for all who purchase a hunting or fishing license.”

Go Fishing with Minnesota’s Famous Identification Guide!

Fishing is a perfect outdoors activity for all ages and skill levels, and the Land of 10,000 Lakes is an angler’s paradise. Reel in fish, and make identifying your catches a snap. Now in its second edition, the Fish of Minnesota Field Guide by Dave Bosanko features detailed information about 81 species of Minnesota fish. When you’re not sure what you caught, grab the handy guide and narrow your choices by family. Then identify your prize with the intricately detailed fish illustrations. Further verify the type of fish using the “Similar Species” comparisons.

Book Features:

• Detailed information about 81 species
• Professional-quality illustrations—perfect for fish identification
• Fascinating facts on spawning behavior, feeding habits, and more
• Fishing tips and inside information for easily locating fishing hotspots
• Bonus resources such as state fishing records and answers to frequently asked questions

This new edition includes updated information about everything from range to state records, as well as the inclusion of six new species. A new section on fishing tips offers pointers to help you catch more fish, and more information on invasive species can help prevent their spread. The Fish of Minnesota Field Guide is essential for every tackle box, beach bag, RV, and cabin. Plus, its convenient size makes it perfect for the dock or boat.

Go Fishing with Michigan’s Famous Identification Guide!

Fishing is a perfect outdoors activity for all ages and skill levels, and the Great Lake State is an angler’s paradise. Reel in fish, and make identifying your catches a snap. Now in its second edition, the Fish of Michigan Field Guide by Dave Bosanko features detailed information about 79 species of Michigan fish. When you’re not sure what you caught, grab the handy guide and narrow your choices by family. Then identify your prize with the intricately detailed fish illustrations. Further verify the type of fish using the “Similar Species” comparisons.

Book Features:

• Detailed information about 79 species
• Professional-quality illustrations—perfect for fish identification
• Fascinating facts on spawning behavior, feeding habits, and more
• Fishing tips and inside information for easily locating fishing hotspots
• Bonus resources such as state fishing records and answers to frequently asked questions

This new edition includes updated information about everything from range to state records, as well as the inclusion of six new species. A new section on fishing tips offers pointers to help you catch more fish, and more information on invasive species can help prevent their spread. The Fish of Michigan Field Guide is essential for every tackle box, beach bag, RV, and cabin. Plus, its convenient size makes it perfect for the dock or boat.

Read this collection of illegal hunting and fishing stories, which prove that life as a game warden is surprisingly dangerous and thrilling.

Two conservation officers attempt to chase down a motorboat in their canoe. A married couple illegally catches more than 60,000 crappies over a 12-year span. A duo of poachers run over Tom Chapin’s motorbike—and nearly kill him in the process. As a Minnesota game warden for 29 years, Tom investigated hundreds of harrowing and exhilarating cases. In Poachers Caught!, he shares 36 of his most memorable ones with you.

Throughout his career, Tom meticulously wrote daily reports and was a stickler for taking photographs to enhance his records. So the stories recounted here are as realistic and factual as possible. From the vividly detailed capture of illegal night hunters to the deconstruction of major fish poaching operations, Poachers Caught! allows you to experience each riveting encounter as if you were there.

The tales of true crime are action-packed, shocking, and wildly entertaining. They appeal to anyone with an interest in hunting, fishing, and law enforcement, as well as anyone who’s concerned about the protection of our natural resources. Tom’s writing serves as a tool for educating people about poaching and for promoting ethics in nature. It also yields a heightened appreciation for the wildlife officers who protect our fish and wildlife resources.

Tom says, “I always believed a game warden’s job should focus on this one concern: providing an equal playing field for all who purchase a hunting or fishing license.”

The original Thank God for Football! was published to great acclaim in 2006.

This new edition, with abbreviated text, contains almost 120 illustrations. It gathers together a huge number of rare images of founders, founding churches and early teams. It includes contemporary photographs of streets where players lived, pubs in which they socialized and churches where they gathered. Furthermore, it offers images reflecting the impact of Thank God for Football!: the restoration of founders' graves, the inducting of Christian founders into Halls of Fame, and features in match programmes and club magazines.

Features chapters on: Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Queen's Park Rangers, Southampton, Swindon and Town Tottenham Hotspur.

How much do you really know about the origin of your club? Would you like to read about it in fascinating detail?

Few people are aware that, of the 41 clubs that have played in the FA Premier League since its inception in the 1992-3 season, 12 can trace their origin directly to a church. However, many of these 12 famous football clubs know little about their origins or founders.

John Motson, the 'voice of football', writes in the Foreword:

'This book sets the record straight. Drawing on original materials from a variety of sources, peter Lupson has been able to bring these pioneers to life and to transport us back to the time in which they lived. Their remarkable contribution to our great national game is at last given the recognition it deserves. We have good reason to thank God for them.'

Leadership and management lessons from the sports world.

The world's elite athletes and coaches achieve high performance through inspiring leadership, mental toughness, and direction-setting strategic choices. Harvard Business Review has talked to many of these high performers throughout the years to learn how their success translates to the world of business.

If you read nothing else on management lessons from the world of sports, read these 10 articles by athletes, coaches, and leadership experts. We've combed through our archive and selected the articles that will best help you drive performance.

This book will inspire you to:

• Improve on your weaknesses, not just your strengths
• Take care of your body for sustained mental performance
• Increase your confidence and manage your energy before an important event
• Turn a struggling team around
• Understand the limits of performance metrics
• Focus on long-term goals to overcome setbacks
• Understand where the analogy of sports and business doesn't work

This collection of articles includes "Ferguson's Formula," by Anita Elberse with Sir Alex Ferguson; "Life's Work: An Interview with Greg Louganis"; "The Making of a Corporate Athlete," by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz; "The Tough Work of Turning a Team Around," by Bill Parcells; "How an Olympic Gold Medalist Learned to Perform Under Pressure: An Interview with Alex Gregory"; "Mental Preparation Secrets of Top Athletes, Entertainers, and Surgeons," an interview with Daniel McGinn by Sarah Green Carmichael; "SoulCycle's CEO on Sustaining Growth in a Faddish Industry," by Melanie Whelan; "Life's Work: An Interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar"; "Major League Innovation," by Scott D. Anthony; "Looking Past Performance in Your Star Talent," by Mark de Rond, Adrian Moorhouse, and Matt Rogan; "Life's Work: An Interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov"; "How the Best of the Best Get Better and Better," by Graham Jones; "Life's Work: An Interview with Joe Girardi"; "Why There Is an I in Team," by Mark de Rond; "Life's Work: An Interview with Andre Agassi"; and "Why Sports Are a Terrible Metaphor for Business," by Bill Taylor.

Top golfing instructor Jim McLean uses rare film footage of Ben Hogan to break down the greatest swing of all time

Golf legend Ben Hogan had the perfect golf swing, but how exactly it worked has long been a mystery—until now. Using footage from three never-before analyzed films of Hogan at his very best, Jim McLean analyzes the crucial motions of Hogan's entire golf swing and shows you how to integrate his mechanics into your own game. You'll study Hogan's blend of club head, club shaft, hands, ankles, knees, hops, shoulders, and head motion—a symphony of movements with an ideal sequential development of power. It's as close as you can get to teeing it up with Hogan yourself.

• Uses more than one hundred stills from three rare films to analyze every key detail of Hogan's perfect swing before the car accident that changed his play, something no book on Hogan has ever done
• Reveals the fifteen secrets of Hogan's swing, covering important topics such as the grip, the waggle, the left hip action, lateral motion, rotation and turning movements, head position, and more
• Draws extensively on the knowledge of Hogan's friends and competitors, many of them golfing greats themselves
• Written by one of Golf Digest's top five teachers , a pioneer in video analysis who also saw Hogan play first hand

There have been many books on Hogan's swing, but never one, including his own, that illustrates his swing at its most perfect, and never one that shows its mechanics so clearly and completely.

The Definitive Guide to Bonaire Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, now updated!

"With a mapping style and key information presented in a way that really prepares you for each dive site, this book is exactly what divers want." –Ocean Frontiers 

#1 Best Seller in Water Sports & Caribbean

The authors of the Reef Smart Guide series are back with an updated Reef Smart Guides: Bonaire featuring 32 new dive sites and 16 new maps!

A great Caribbean travel guide. The ultimate travel guide for beach and marine activities in Bonaire. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of beaches, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and other dive spots are ideal for divers, snorkelers, kitesurfers and windsurfers. Make the most of your time on Bonaire island and in the water.

Detailed descriptions and map art. With the help of Reef Smart’s unique 3D-mapping technology, learn all you need to know about the regions' top dive and snorkel sites. These maps provide useful information such as depths, currents, waves, suggested routes, potential hazards, unique structures and species information.

Don’t go diving without it. This indispensable resource helps you plan and execute dives without a hitch. Make sure to pack this guidebook with the rest of your scuba gear when you visit Bonaire island, the shore diving capital of the Caribbean.

In this updated essential guide you get:

• In-depth analysis of over 100 dive and snorkel sites from across Bonaire and how to access them
• Detailed 3D models of 36 of the island’s most popular spots such as 1000 Steps, Karpata and Salt Pier
• Species guide to help you identify and understand the marine creatures you will encounter – 95 species documented
• NEW: 32 new dives sites, including Klein Bonaire and the East Coast
• NEW: 16 new dive and snorkel site maps

Reef Smart Guides: Bonaire Revised Edition is the perfect addition to your diving collection! Also don’t miss other Reef Smart Guides for the best diving in Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach and Palm Beach; Barbados, and Grand Cayman.

In The Fight of the Century, sportswriter Michael Arkush delves behind the scenes to explore the richly textured history and the ongoing impact of one of the most important sporting events of all time, a battle not only between two undefeated champions, but between two competing views of a nation still reeling from the turbulent 1960s. 

Arkush draws from interviews with Ali’s trainer, Angelo Dundee; his doctor, Ferdie Pacheco; and more than 100 others to examine how the fight, watched by more than 300 million viewers around the world, ushered in a new era of sports marketing. From then on, every game would be turned into an “event,” powered by over-the-top hype and carefully staged pageantry.

This sweeping real-life saga features insightful portraits of both fighters. The outspoken Ali, coming back to boxing after a three-and-a-half-year ban for evading the military draft, was already one of the best-known human beings on the planet—a hero to millions, though certainly a thorn in the side of America’s power structure. Frazier, by contrast, did not feel compelled to constantly weigh in on the political issues of his time, though he did refuse to call his opponent by his adopted Islamic name, instead referring to him as Cassius Clay.

Among many telling details in this fascinating account, you’ll discover why Ali’s favorite foil, Howard Cosell, who had defended the champ passionately during his exile, did not call the fight, and how a prominent Hollywood agent and a California businessman teamed up to promote the event. You’ll also learn how a little-known Georgia legislator helped make Ali’s comeback possible.

Complete with photos of both fighters at the peak of their careers, The Fight of the Century is very likely the most dramatic, compelling, and moving sports story you will ever read.

A brilliant, kaleidoscopic exploration of soccer—and the passion, hopes, rivalries, superstitions, and global solidarity it inspires—from Juan Villoro, “Mexico's top fútbol expert” (NBC News).

On a planet where FIFA has more members than the United Nations and the World Cup is watched by more than three billion people, football is more than just a game. As revered author Juan Villoro argues in this passionate and compulsively readable tribute to the world’s favorite sport, football may be the most effective catalyst for panglobal unity at the time when we need it most. (Following global consensus, Villoro uses “football” rather than “soccer” in the book.)

What was the greatest goal of all time? Why do the Hungarians have a more philosophical sense of defeat than the Mexicans? Do the dead play football? In essays ranging from incisive and irreverent portraits of Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, Pelé, Zidane, and many more giants of the game to entertaining explorations of left-footedness and the number 10, Juan Villoro dissects the pleasure and pain of football fandom. God Is Round is a book for both fanatics and neophytes who long to feel the delirium of the faithful.

From bestselling hiking guidebook author (and dad) Stephen Hui comes a collection of fun-filled hikes field-tested by parents and kids.

The best thing about hiking with kids is appreciating nature as a whole family. But hiking with kids can be challenging when little ones get tired, cold, or hungry. This book carefully chooses trails for kids of a variety of ages and skill levels, ranging in distance from 2km/1.2 miles (great for toddlers) to 12km/7.5 miles (for older or energetic kids). All are easy to get to so kids have more time to explore stops at suspension bridges, hollow trees, ghost towns, beaches, lakes, and vistas. Each route features a clear reference map and full-colour photos, plus:

• a description of trail highlights
• detailed directions to the trailhead
• a snapshot of the best season, difficulty, length, high point, and elevation gain
• a fun fact related to the plants, animals, or history of the trail

The author will donate a portion of royalties to Take a Hike Foundation.

Keys to riding your horse in an optimal, athletic frame for any equestrian sport or activity—without a bit.

In her inspiringly illustrated new book, horsewoman Ali Kermeen, author of The Working Equitation Training Manual, shows readers how it is possible to get a horse soft and round without using a bit, side-reins, or longeing apparatuses. 

For many, riding “bitless”—without a bit in the horse’s mouth—can feel like a leap of faith because of a perceived lack of control. But, Kermeen argues, most of the time, the control a rider has over a horse (who is a thousand pounds of muscle and reaction) has more to do with training and partnership, and less to do with equipment. Kermeen is not lobbying for all horses to be ridden bitless—as she notes in her book, there are bitless bridles that are just as severe as those with bits, and plenty of horses have the mouth shape, understanding, and rider to happily carry a bit. Ultimately, however, she feels the decision as to whether a horse should be wearing a bit or going bitless should be up to the horse. In addition, Kermeen writes, Learning to ride and train horses bitless has made me a better rider with the bit.” 

To be successful at transitioning a horse from bitted riding to bitless riding, you can't just “trade out the equipment and hope for the best.” Over years of working with horses and competing them without a bit, Kermeen has developed a series of exercises that she uses for all horses, regardless of their likely sport or activity. Her method sets horses up to understand how to be soft and round. A soft horse and rider produce a picture of harmony and understanding. They work as a partnership. A horse that can carry his own body in a round frame, without being forced, is able to be athletic and is in an ideal position to be influenced by the rider. In these pages, learn:

• Important groundwork skills to set your horse up for success.
• Valuable comparisons of different kinds of bitless bridles.
• Expert recommendations for choosing and fitting a bitless bridle.
• Ridden exercises for connecting the groundwork basics under saddle, without a bit.

Kermeen explains that learning to be an effective rider without a bit has made her a better rider when she uses a bit. And her easy-to-use, approachable guide is for anyone who wishes to improve their own performance, as well as being aware of and proactive about their horse’s health, comfort, and well-being.

Not long ago, most blind and visually impaired people grew up without ever playing sports; they sat on the sidelines, and kept score during gym—protected rather than included. In the 1980s, few people had ever heard of the Paralympic Games or accessible recreation.

Today, promising blind athletes can receive residency at the US Olympic Training Center; runners compete for prize money and national championships, and most ski resorts offer adaptive programs throughout the year where blind people can ski, cycle, and kayak—often for free.

The Paralympic movement, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and ever-increasing expectation for inclusion among the disabled have inspired an explosion of accessible sports, fitness, and recreation programs that accommodate the blind.

The Encyclopedia of Sports & Recreation for People with Visual Impairments is the first consumer-focused, action-oriented guide to this new world of accessible activity, profiling the people, programs, and products that are helping move blind and visually impaired people from the sidelines into the game.

This groundbreaking guide profiles every accessible blind sport and recreation activity with entries that outline how athletes (both novice and elite) got involved in the sport and how participation has shaped their life. The book also profiles major blind sports organizations and includes chapter and resource listings on camps and accessible recreation providers.

Through this book, blind people will be inspired to embrace sports as the rest of society does—as a vital component of personal expression and human interaction that opens paths to adventure, confidence, and lifelong health and fitness.

This volume provides readers with a rich source of sports metaphors for understanding organization and management processes and how to use metaphors to become more effective leaders and managers within their organizations. Each chapter discusses how sports may be used to help improved organizational productivity and effectiveness.

These chapters each strive to present new ways of understanding organizational constructs using sports as a metaphor. It is this volume’s hope that these chapters may provide insight into the important role sports plays in understanding organizations across the world. Organizational science profits from taking new perspectives that may be found when sports is used as a lens for this study.

• Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings / Buffalo Sabres
• Rogie Vachon, Los Angeles Kings
• Gerry Cheevers, Boston Bruins
• Ed Giacomin, New York Rangers
• Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks
• Vladislav Tretiak, Soviet Red Army
• Mike Palmateer, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Grant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers
• Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
• Marc-André Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins / Vegas Golden Knights
• Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
• Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

The desire of this volume is to approach sports and the athletic sphere through Cultural Psychology. The particular focus is on the grounds and necessity of Sports Psychology and the cultural psychological additions to this area.

Sports, especially competitive sports and performing arts offer us new arenas for studying and understanding human nature. Thus, the main characters of the chapters of this book are athletes who want to excel and achieve new heights through their personal devotion to their sports. To understand athletes’ abilities to reach excellence and to enhance our understanding of the constructive inherent in psychology and thus move beyond the reconstructive idiom in mainstream psychology we propose that sport is a cultural psychological phenomenon - therefore it needs to be studied as such to understand how these competitive sports environments allow the athletes to strive for excellence.

This volume depicts the historical development of sport and how this development makes both overt and tacit knowledge available to our meaning-making processes. Complementary, this volume investigates how sport serves as a medium for personal development in the sporting context as well as in everyday life, therefore it was important to elaborate both theoretically and practically on ideas and topics of the individual chapters with the help of the notion of dialogical negotiation of meaning in sport communities.

This revised reprint of a classic title covers the history and development of the racing Corvettes, from the car’s beginnings in the 1950s with just 250 horsepower, through the Corvette GTP of the 1980s, with over 1000 horsepower, and on to 1996, when 4th generation cars give way to the 5th generation.
Included are many interviews with the drivers who raced these exciting, weighty and always fast cars, including John Greenwood, Dick Gulstrand, Jerry Grant and ‘Fast’ Phil Curring, amongst others.
The book is illustrated with many quality photographs, supplied by General Motors and well-known motoring photographers; it also contains detailed specifications of the production cars, and road test reports.

A striking collection of two hundred iconic sports photographs—from local heroes to international icons, pickup games to sold-out stadiums.

From the growth of community sports around the province to the successful hosting of large-scale sporting events, and with the impressive development of world-class athletes, British Columbia boasts a vibrant and rich history of sports over the past century. Vancouver Sun and Province photojournalists and other local photographers have had a front-row seat to the action, producing sports photographs with the power to astonish. From Indigenous canoe racers and sumo wrestlers to homegrown champions such as Nancy Greene and Steve Nash to amateur athletes and sports fans, the two hundred photographs in Magic Moments in BC Sports capture an integral part of the province’s identity, in all its diverse, cheering, and face-painted glory.

• a description of each location, including the type of swim, water depth, level of difficulty, and distance to the swim, as well as the features and amenities found there
• directions via car, public transport, bike, and/or foot
• trail maps to the harder-to-locate spots and photos of each swim to whet (ahem!) your appetite
• information on swimming safety and socially and environmentally responsible swimming
• facts about the social, cultural, and natural history of each swim area

When Fiat entered rallying in 1970, its ultimate aim was to become World Rally Champion – and the 131 Abarth of 1976-1980 provided the machinery to make that possible. Within the Fiat-Lancia empire, the 131 Abarth not only replaced the 124 Abarth Spider sports car, but was also favoured ahead of the charismatic Lancia Stratos. By 1970s standards, the 131 Abarth was the most extreme, and effective, of all homologation specials. Compared with the 131 family car on which it was originally based, it had different engine, transmission and suspension layouts, was backed by big budgets and by a team of superstar drivers, and was meant to win all round the world.
Not only did it start winning World rallies within months of being launched, but in 1977, 1978 and 1980 the 'works' team also won the World Championship for Makes, and set every standard by which Rally Giants were to be judged. The 131 Abarth was backed by a peerless team of engineers, so was there ever any doubt that successors like the Lancia Rally 037 and the Delta Integrale would eventually come from the same stable?

• 55 new day trips: celebrate nature big and small with astonishing hikes you can do in one day.
• Large geographical area: the book covers Duffey Lake and the Stein Valley in the north, Washington’s Cascade Mountains in the south, Nanaimo and the Gulf Islands in the west, and Manning Park and the Coquihalla in the east.
• Diverse destinations: including astonishing views, swimming holes, beautiful rivers and lakes, and even a 600-year-old tree.
• History and ecology: the author acknowledges the Indigenous territory each trail crosses, and points out nearby museums, wetlands, temples, and memorials.
• Giving back: A portion of the author’s royalties will go to the Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning to support trail building and maintenance.

• A photograph of every hike
• Topographic maps
• Difficulty ratings
• At-a-glance summaries of special features
• Recommendations for kids and families, and shoulder season.

• 36 new hikes, including jaunts on the South Powell Divide (northern Sunshine Coast) and Owl-Tenquille Traverse (Líl̓wat Nation territory), in Tetrahedron Park (southern Sunshine Coast) and Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park (near Victoria)
• All-new four-color photos throughout as well as 43 new topographic maps
• A foreword by Stó:lō Elder and cultural advisor Sonny McHalsie
• Tips on staying healthy and safe in the backcountry by North Shore Search and Rescue members Kayla Brolly and Douglas Pope
• Tips on taking care of nature and preserving biodiversity by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s landscape conservationist Tori Ball
• Lists of best hikes on rainy days, with dogs and for overnight trips