Other books that might interest you

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  Of Big Hills and Wee Men

  Peter Kemp

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  Before us in the bright spring sunshine lay the entire Clyde valley, dominated by the vast sprawling mass of Glasgow, the dear green place. There was a time no too long ago when the old heavy industries would have made this view much less clear. But today we could see the Cowal Hills and Greenock in the west to the Pentlands in the East. 'From the time he bagged his first Munro, Peter Kemp has remained an enthusiastic hillawalker and this book is a testament to his passion for Scotland's outdoors and hillwalking culture. REVIEW: Kemp's narrative is amusing and not without insight into the ludicrous nature of some of the altercations… Kemp is an engaging storyteller and has some good stories to tell… This is a great wee book. THE ANGRY CORRIE

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  A Visitor's Guide to the Ancient...

  Neil Faulkner

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  The essential handbook for the 21st-century citizen seeking a lively guided tour of the ancient Greek Olympics. Travel back to the heyday of the city-state and classical Greek civilization. Enter this distant, alien, but still familiar culture and discover what the Greeks did and didn’t do during five thrilling days in August, 388 B.C.In the Olympic Stadium there were no stands, no shade—and no women allowed. Visitors sat on a grassy bank in the searing heat of midsummer to watch naked athletes compete in footraces, the pentathlon, horse and chariot races, and three combat sports—wrestling, boxing, and pankration, everyone's favorite competition, with virtually no rules and considerable blood and pain. This colorfully illustrated volume offers a complete tour of the Olympic site exactly as athletes and spectators found it. The book evokes the sights, sounds, and smells of the crowded encampment; introduces the various attendees (from champions and charlatans to aristocrats and prostitutes); and explains the numerous exotic religious rituals. Uniquely detailed and precise, this guide offers an unparalleled opportunity to travel in time, back to the excitement of ancient Olympia.“Splendidly captures the excitement, the razzmatazz, the intensity, glamour and squalor of the ancient Olympics. Packed with anecdotes and intriguing facts, the careful scholarship behind this wonderful little book is presented with gusto.”—Philip Matyszak, author of Ancient Athens on Five Drachmas a Day“Ultimately the ancient Olympics were more of an epic frat party full of booze and sex than a prestigious sporting competition, and Faulkner paints that picture well.”—Moira E. McLaughlin, The Washington Post

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  University of Nike - How...

  Joshua Hunt

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  The dramatic expose of how the University of Oregon sold its soul to Nike, and what that means for the future of our public institutions and our society. 
  In the mid-1990s, facing severe cuts to its public funding, the University of Oregon-like so many colleges across the country-was desperate for cash. Luckily, the Oregon Ducks' 1995 Rose Bowl berth caught the attention of the school's wealthiest alumnus: Nike founder Phil Knight, who was seeking new marketing angles at the collegiate level. And so the University of Nike was born: Knight has so far donated more than half a billion dollars to the school in exchange for high-visibility branding opportunities. 
  But as journalist Joshua Hunt shows in University of Nike, Oregon has paid dearly for the veneer of financial prosperity and athletic success that has come with this brand partnering. 
  Hunt uncovers efforts to conceal university records, buried sexual assault allegations against university athletes, and cases of corporate overreach into academics and campus life. 
  Encompassing more than just sports and the academy, University of Nike is a riveting story of our times.

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  Too Many Reasons to Live

  Rob Burrow

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  The Instant #1 Sunday Times BestsellerWinner of the Sports Book Awards 2022The inspirational memoir from rugby league legend Rob Burrow on his extraordinary career and his battle with motor neurone disease.‘A pocket rocket of a player and a giant of a character . . . He is one in a million and his story is truly inspirational’ – Clare Balding‘I’m not giving in until my last breath’ – Rob BurrowRob Burrow is one of the greatest rugby league players of all time. And the most inspirational. As a boy, Rob was told he was too small to play the sport. Even when he made his debut for Leeds Rhinos, people wrote him off as a novelty. But Rob never stopped proving people wrong. During his time at Leeds, for whom he played almost 500 games, he won eight Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges. He also played for his country in two World Cups.In December 2019, Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a rare degenerative condition, and given a couple of years to live. He was only 37, not long retired and had three young children. When he went public with the devastating news, the outpouring of affection and support was extraordinary. When it became clear that Rob was going to fight it all the way, sympathy turned to awe.This is the story of a tiny kid who adored rugby league but never should have made it – and ended up in the Leeds hall of fame. It’s the story of a man who resolved to turn a terrible predicament into something positive – when he could have thrown the towel in. It’s about the power of love, between Rob and his childhood sweetheart Lindsey, and of the life-changing bond of friendship between Rob, Kevin Sinfield, and their Rhino teammates.Far more than a sports memoir, Too Many Reasons to Live is a remarkable, awe-inspiring story of boundless courage and infinite kindness.

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  The Worst Call Ever! - The Most...

  Kyle Garlett, Patrick O'Neal

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  In any sport, whenever an official takes the field, court, ice, ring, or pitch, they do so with a bright red bull's-eye on their backs. For even with their great accuracy and passion for the game, they do make errors—occasionally, great big fat ones—that change the tide of sports history.In The Worst Call Ever, keepers of truth and enlightenment, sportswriters Kyle Garlett and Patrick O'Neal, expose the most injurious mistakes and desecrations, document their lasting damage—which to some wronged parties has evolved into a condition akin to post-traumatic stress disorder—and hopefully become the soothing balm of reconciliation.Each piece details the play in question and examines the players and stakes involved, the scope of the injustice, and the path of change that was often its result. Garlett and O'Neal cover mishaps in all sports, from the four Major Leagues to golf and auto racing to even curling, in this fascinating look at the worst calls in sports history.

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  Understanding a Nautical Chart -...

  Paul Boissier

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  We all rely on charts to navigate at sea – but are we missing essential information? A mass of data is included on each chart and deciphering the many symbols and abbreviations can be complicated. The accuracy of some charted depths can be trusted entirely while others should be treated with caution.  This book will tell you where to find and how to understand this vital knowledge. This updated second edition explains how charts are compiled before guiding you through the elements that make up these vital navigational tools. Improve you understanding of charts and you will navigate with increased safety and confidence. Understanding a Nautical Chart offers superb value as, in addition to a wealth of practical advice, there is a key to all the recently updated chart symbols and abbreviations from Symbols and Abbreviations Used on Admiralty Charts (5011). It includes information on electronic charts, explains how to update a chart and how to establish the accuracy of each chart.  It is ideal for professional mariners and leisure sailors.

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