Sports Biographies

This is a deeply researched biography of the new face of tennis. A man who, at a tender age has achieved more than the stars of the previous generation did at his age. At just 19 years of age, Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open and became the world's youngest number one in the game. At only 21 he had four Grand Slam titles.For Carlos Alcaraz, everything - from his charm to his star power to his tennis mojo - starts with a smile. It's a performance free of cynicism and radiating happiness.But does the smile mask a more complex character? One who grew up in humble circumstances in a small village in Murcia. A man with strong family traditions who has a tattoo of his grandfather's favourite saying - 'Cabeza Corazon y cojones (brain, heart and balls) - inked on his left wrist. Mark Hodgkinson talks to those who know him best - including his coaches, family friends, old teachers, and competitors - to provide a fascinating insight into the spartan showman of tennis and a GOAT in waiting.

Matt Jansen had it all. He was young, quick, audaciously skilful and, at the turn of the millennium, regarded as one of the most intelligent attacking talents in English football. His potential seemed boundless. After bursting onto the scene with Carlisle in 1997 and helping his hometown club win promotion, Sir Alex Ferguson had tried to lure him to Old Trafford - but foreseeing only bench spot at United, Jansen instead opted for Steve Coppell's Crystal Palace. In 1998, he moved to Blackburn, where he formed an attacking triumvirate with Andy Cole and Damien Duff, and proved himself to be a constant threat for Blackburn and a lethal finisher, scoring 16 times in the 2001/02 season and earning himself a place in Sven Goran-Eriksson's England squad. Widely tipped to be part of England's campaign at the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Eriksson instead surprised many with his conservative selection of Martin Keown over the rising star; Keown wouldn't play a single minute at the tournament and England would crash out to ten-man Brazil - but Jansen didn't see a minute of it. While England battled it out in the Far East, Jansen had taken a holiday to Rome where he was involved a serious traffic accident. He suffered a brain haemorrhage and slipped into a six-day coma. Jansen survived and, astonishingly, he was back playing for Blackburn just four months later. Physically he may have felt he was ready to return to top-flight football, but mentally he was nowhere near. Battling the spectre of the accident, he was unable to recapture the instinctive genius that had previously defined him. In an effort to reignite his career, he joined Coventry, Bolton and then Wrexham but he was never able to find his former footballing self and was finally forced to admit that his playing days were over. He has since channelled his energies into a new career as a coach - proving to be wise, erudite and compassionate in his new role, but also a continuing object of fascination for those who wonder what might have been. This is the story of a career destined for the stratosphere, cruelly snatched away by the vagaries of fate. Brilliant, bold, and at times brutal in its honesty, this powerful tale of shattered dreams and a life rebuilt is a testament to an inspiring, unconquered soul.

With a Foreword by Simone BilesThe sensational two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles's heartfelt, inspiring memoir chronicling her unlikely path to the podium--including the unprecedented challenges, the joy of winning, the crushing pain of defeat, and the love and support of her devoted family and teammates that helps her stay strong. It was a rare and stunning reversal: after the judges at the 2024 Paris Olympics determined that Jordan had rightfully scored third place for her performance--following a successful challenge by her coach--she earned the bronze medal. Later, Jordan's euphoria turned to devastation when the Court of Arbitration for Sport stripped her of that medal based on nothing but semantics. Jordan called the ruling, "One of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many."In her powerful, eye-opening memoir, Jordan digs deep, sharing the story of her life's challenges--the racism she encountered as a gifted Black girl in a predominantly white elite sport, the childhood coach who called her fat and led her to develop eating issues, the grueling practices, the injuries, the moments of nearly calling it quits. Through it all, Jordan refused to give up. Through sheer grit--and the love of her family--she kept working and winning. When Simone Biles stepped away from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a case of the "twisties," Jordan stepped in to play a key role in securing silver for Team USA. And in Paris, Jordan made history as part of the first all-Black podium in all of men's and women's gymnastics.Told with refreshing candor and Jordan's irrepressible spirit, I'm That Girl is a glimpse of life in the psychologically and physically demanding upper echelons of women's elite gymnastics. Exploring the deep bonds so often forged in pressure cookers, Jordan speaks openly about her relationships with her teammates, including her best friend and "big sister" Simone Biles, and how their support for one another has proved invaluable on and off the mat.With the highs, lows, twists, and turns characteristic of the sport, and featuring a 16-page color photo insert, I'm That Girl reveals how one extraordinary young woman keeps her balance in a uniquely dizzying life. By way of her unwavering tenacity, Jordan has changed the culture of gymnastics, fighting every day to ensure that the girls she inspires are not pre-judged for their hair, their bodies, or their skin color. Insightful and deeply moving, I'm That Girl is a testament to the power of perseverance and the transformative joy of doing what you love, told by a fierce and unique individual who has been and will always be That Girl--the ultimate hype woman who shows up and gives it her all.

The most complete and rounded picture of Matt Busby - the man and the manager - ever written, from an author widely regarded as the best Manchester United historian alive today. Contains never-before-heard interviews with Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson and other key Manchester United figures.

Inspired by the true story of Frankie Lucas, a young black boxer navigating the vibrant yet challenging world of 1970s London.

Out of the Darkness reveals a grittier side of football. Former Leicester and Sunderland winger Matt Piper retired aged 24, after 16 knee operations, and his life soon spiralled out of control. His daily existence became dependent on alcohol and Valium, culminating in an ugly rock bottom. But after the darkness came light.

Told in detail for the first time and based on exclusive interviews, get the inside story on the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever.The battle for NASCAR dominance was never more pronounced than when Richard Petty and David Pearson met on the track. In head-to-head competition beginning in 1960, they finished one-two an astounding 63 times (Pearson won 33, Petty 30). Petty vs. Pearson is the only book to examine this storied relationship, beginning with their pre-Winston Cup careers. Along the way, author and award-winning motorsports journalist Mike Hembree leaves no stone unturned, detailing:The drivers’ respective backgrounds—Petty earning his way up through a racing dynasty led by his father Lee; Pearson honing his chops as a DIY racer on local South Carolina dirt tracks The Carolinians’ first meeting in a Cup event in 1960The memorable battles between the two drivers, including their legendary wild finish at the 1976 Daytona 500Parallel careers that coincided with seismic changes to NASCAR, including: the advent of superspeedways, the “aero wars,” the injection of corporate money, and the arrival of a new generation of star drivers in the 1980sWhile their rivalry produced amazing finishes and tense moments, Petty and Pearson remained friends throughout. Petty vs. Pearsonexamines all aspects of the relationship, from their salad days in the sport to their respective retirements in 1986 (Pearson) and 1994 (Petty) and their lives in NASCAR beyond the driver’s seat. Throughout the riveting text, Hembree draws on original interviews with both drivers (including interviews conducted with Petty in early 2024), those who were there to witness the rivalry, and NASCAR figures who came later. The result is an entertaining and essential account of a storied rivalry—and friendship—that bridged the divide between NASCAR’s rollicking early years and the entertainment behemoth it is today.Featuring a foreword by Terry Labonte, a legendary NASCAR driver in his own right, Petty vs. Pearson is a must-have for every NASCAR fan’s collection.

The Chicken Runs at Midnight is the nearly unbelievable---but completely true---story of a Major League Baseball coach whose dying daughter's unusual encouragement changed his heart and his life...and just maybe the outcome of a World Series.

The definitive story of England's greatest cricket team and their historic Ashes triumph. Winning the Ashes in England is one thing. Winning them in Australia, quite another. Since the Second World War, England have only won five Ashes series in Australia, making their 1954-55 triumph a stand-out performance. And on the pitch was one of England's greatest teams - perhaps the greatest. The names among Len Hutton's 18 players - to include Denis Compton, Brian Statham and Frank Tyson - still resonate today. The overwhelming weight of history was against them: only once had England won an away Ashes series after losing the first Test. But they delivered, winning the series 3-1, a monumental team effort spearheaded by the explosivity of fast-bowler Tyson 'Typhoon'. However, the skill was on both sides of the pitch as the players, both talented cricketers and fascinating men, brought to sport an entirely different perspective to our modern-day uber-professionals. With contemporary sources and players' memories from both sides, read the story of a historic and stirring victory, and of the personalities behind the action on the field. Discover how cricket has changed, how tours have evolved and how the relationship between England and Australia has undergone a revolution.

In 2003-04, the St. Joseph's Hawks became the most unlikely and captivating story in college basketball.

You've heard of David Beckham: the world-famous celebrity, actor, model, entrepreneur, philanthropist and charity ambassador. But what about the footballer behind the brand? Drawing on exclusive interviews with former Beckham team-mates, acclaimed author Wayne Barton explores Beckham's contribution as one of the greatest players of his generation.

What is it like to get so close to your dream that you can almost touch it, only to have it torn cruelly away? Anthony Potts knows the answer. He sacrificed everything in an all-consuming pursuit of his dream to become a professional footballer. It was a dream, like many others, seeded in childhood. He was born with some natural talent, but things did not come easy for him. Nevertheless, he persevered and the hard work paid off. He was part of the Tottenham side that won the 1990 FA Youth Cup, and he earned a place in the England youth team. Later, he was a member of Tottenham's first Premier League squad alongside Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker - but he never got to play for the first team in a competitive match. In this tell-all book, Anthony shares the inside story of his time at Spurs, including his friendship with Gazza. It is a story that rarely gets told - the story of a failed footballer. Anthony sacrificed everything in pursuit of his dream. Was it worth it? You be the judge.

Pironi: The Champion that Never Was relates the remarkable story of motor racing's forgotten man, ex-Ferrari F1 driver and offshore powerboat racer, Didier Pironi. The book charts an incredible journey which took the young Parisian to the heights of triumph and the depths of despair. Before he joined the legendary Ferrari stable, Pironi was already a Formula Renault, Le Mans and grand prix winner. By 1982, the time had surely come for the enigmatic Frenchman to become his country's first Formula 1 world champion. He was to come tantalisingly close to achieving that lifetime ambition, ahead in the world championship and in pole position for the German Grand Prix - before crashing so disastrously in practice. Over the next five years he fought a long and painful battle to return to the cockpit to reclaim the title that had eluded him that grim morning. It was not to be. Thereafter Didier turned his attention to offshore powerboating where his remarkable life would come to a shattering end in the icy waters of the English Channel.

Ned Boulting's highly anticipated follow up to How I Won the Yellow Jumper

A biography of the Yorkshire and England cricketer Brian Close, one of the game's greatest characters.