Publisher: The Crowood Press
Embark on a remarkable journey with The Ultimate Adventure Guide, the go-to companion for exploring the exhilarating world of adventure sports and activities. Packed with breathtaking photography, this guide delves into the origins of each sport and traces its evolution into unique disciplines.
This new edition of Ultimate Surfing Adventures takes you on a thrilling ride around the world's best surfing spots – from tropical reefs, through temperate waters to ones where you will need a wetsuit. There are exciting adventures that will appeal to everyone from novice to expert. Stunning, full-page photographs put you at the heart of the action, while inspirational descriptions illustrate why each break is so unique. It's perfect for planning your next surfari, or alternatively allows you to indulge in some armchair surfing of breaks that only the most adventurous will ride. As well as classic waves around the Pacific, there is a wealth of more unusual surf spots from Antarctica to Bristol. Every continent is covered, so expect to find waves you've already ridden alongside those you never knew existed. Each entry is accompanied by useful information such as the best season to surf, hazards to consider, how to get there and what to do when you're all surfed out. Discover where you will surf next – in reality or in your imagination.Show book
Hear the voices of old-time boxing greats, including Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Jess Willard, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, James J. Corbett, Tommy Farr, Tony Galento, Tami Mauriello.Show book
There are moments in life when it comes down to your decision. Whatever you're facing, you know that no one else can bail you out. You have to make the call. Mark Richt, former head football coach at the University of Georgia and the University of Miami and long-time assistant coach at Florida State University, knows a thing or two about making the call. In this book, he shares some of those crucial moments—from his time as a player, through his years as an assistant coach and head coach—thirty-five years in all on some of the biggest stages of college football. You'll love being along for the ride with Mark as he shares his experiences both on and off the field, gives wisdom for life and leadership, and encourages you to make the most important call of all.Show book
In the early 20th century, one of the most integral members of the criminal underworld was Arnold Rothstein, the archetype of the old school mobster. He was intelligent, charming, well-spoken, grotesquely wealthy, and a sharp dresser, often pictured with a patterned bowtie and a flat-top fedora snugly fit over his receding hairline. And yet, he was nothing like the stereotypical mobster; Arnold was not a drinker or smoker, and he was not one to be tempted by illicit substances. He was a notorious high roller, with pockets holding wads of $100 bills, but to the casual eye, he was just another dapper, well-mannered gentleman who frequented the tracks and casinos after a long day at the office. Today, Rothstein is remembered for his murky association with the most notorious event in the history of American sports: the fixing of the 1919 World Series by the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox were favored 5:1 to beat the Cincinnati Reds, and for the first time since 1903, the Series would be a best-of-nine format. However, at a time when players were treated as second class, some sought a payday beyond what they made in the leagues, and the White Sox players were some of the most poorly paid in the league. The owner of the team, Charles A. Comiskey, was one of the cheapest owners in the game. Around two weeks before the World Series, Chicago first baseman Chick Gandil met with a gambler in his Boston hotel room. During that meeting, Gandil told Joseph Sullivan that for $100,000, he and other members of the White Sox were willing to take a dive and make sure that the Reds won the World Series. Gandil was able to convince the team’s top two pitchers to go along with the plan, as well as five other players. With that, the plan to throw the World Series was put in motion, and rumors began to spread around the country prior to the start of the series as gamblers wagered large sums of money on the Reds.Show book
Sent blind soon after birth David Hume stubbornly refused to live the limited life well-meaning elders and social norms expected. 'I do not wake in the morning and regret I'm blind. No, I wake and look to another win in a busy life.' To date, that encompasses years in a blind institute, two marriages, grieving for two outstanding wives, founding recruiting firms, devising marketing techniques, facing business collapse, sailing ocean races and through much of it, being the lead singer in popular bands. If you enjoy a short biography that inspires, saddens, cheers and sticks in your memory, then don't put aside Blind Without Barriers.Show book
'Back in 2012, everyone knew who Bradley Wiggins was. Everyone, that is, but me. Thirteen years after the summer that defined me, I have finally defined myself. The disguises have gone. I've made peace with myself.' A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 A GUARDIAN BEST SPORTS BOOK OF 2025 A DAILY TELEGRAPH BEST BOOK OF 2025 'IT'S NOT A LIGHT READ BUT, BLIMEY, IT IS BRILLIANT.' POLLY VERNON, THE TIMES 'DISARMINGLY HONEST AND ROGUISHLY HUMOROUS.' JONATHAN LIEW, THE GUARDIAN 'SUCH A BRAVE BOOK: SUPER OPEN, SUPER HONEST. IT'S GOING TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE.' CHRIS EVANS, VIRGIN RADIO 'SEARING AND INSIGHTFUL … HARROWING … COMPELLING …DEFINITELY WORTH READING.' DAVID WALSH, THE SUNDAY TIMES 'RAW AND GRAPHIC' DAILY TELEGRAPH Think you know Bradley Wiggins? Think again. Join Bradley Wiggins on a remarkable journey of self-discovery during which he faced his greatest ever opponent – the demons inside his head. He has cast aside his fragile shell and is the person he always wanted to be. Finally, he is happy in his own skin. He has broken the chain. Bradley Wiggins is the greatest British cyclist of his generation. A national hero on both track and road, he won five Olympic gold medals, eight world titles and the Tour de France. But his is a story mired in contradiction, controversy, and confusion. Sat on a throne after winning gold at London 2012, just ten days after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France, here was a man with the world at his feet. Sporting hero. People’s champion. Legend. Everyone knew who ‘Wiggo’ was. Everyone, that is, but him. Bradley’s own truth was one of a chaotic and disturbing upbringing characterised by abandonment and abuse. The bike had been his escape but he knew that the second he got out of the saddle he was a shadow-man with no self-belief and even less self-worth. With zero confidence in his value as a human being, attention was his worst nightmare. Bradley’s answer was to wear a mask. He became ‘Sir Wiggo’, the loveable rogue, the disguise slowly suffocating the real him, crushing the last few remnants of self-esteem. Bradley descended into a deep personal despair marked by drug addiction. It was his lowest point, and one which, he freely admits, could have resulted in his death. Bradley’s saviour has been himself. Incredibly he found the strength to embark on a remarkable journey of self-discovery during which he faced his greatest ever opponent – the demons inside his head. In so doing he reached an understanding of what and who he is. The result is this powerful memoir, The Chain. It is a journey he now wants to share. He wants others to understand they are not alone in their mental battles; that embracing honesty and openness is the key to personal happiness. Bradley Wiggins has cast aside his fragile shell. Now, as the person he always wanted to be, he has become an inspiration to us all. Forget the jerseys, the medals. Finally, Bradley Wiggins is who he is, in his own skin. He has broken the chain. In his up-coming memoir, The Chain, Sir Bradley Wiggins explores the intersection of cycling, psychology, and self-help. This non-fiction book, one of the best in its genre, offers a unique insight into the mind of a top athlete. nan HarperCollins 2025Show book
