Bestselling Sport & Recreation Books
Ali's Book of Tall Tales by Ali Williams & James Griffin
Ali Williams breaks the mould as an All Black tight forward. A confirmed urbanite, Ali Williams switched his Super 14 allegiances 
from Auckland to Christchurch in 2007 after a much-publicised bust-up with Australian coach David Nucifora. In this book Williams will take a light-hearted look at rugby at the very top in New Zealand and will touch on some of the more controversial aspects of his career - including his earth-shattering dismissal from the Blues' tour of South Africa in 2007. As well, Williams will revisit the failed 2007 World Cup campaign, look at the All Blacks' rotation and reconditioning policies; the famous incident when his jaw was broken in a collision with Frenchman Sebastien Chabal and analyse differences in the Crusaders and Blues setups. He will also talk of his charity work and explain the reasons why he stayed in New Zealand after the World Cup and thus turning his back on the big bucks on offer in Europe. More
Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great by John Matheson
Richie McCaw's standing within the All Blacks team is unmatched. The captain of Graham Henry's team since 2006, McCaw has carved a niche for himself as the modern-day great within the All Blacks - the charismatic, never-say-die leader whom fans of the Men in Black have come to hold in the same light as many of the most revered captains of yesteryear. Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great charts the career of the proud Canterbury and Crusaders star who first burst into the national rugby conscience in 2001 when he helped his province to an NPC championship. Soon after, he was making his All Blacks debut in Dublin, beginning a test career that will ultimately culminate at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Author John Matheson tells the story of how the understated McCaw has reinvented himself to emerge as the talisman for his charges in the same way that Buck Shelford, Sean Fitzpatrick and Tana Umaga have done before him. Interviews with teammates, coaches and opponents will help the reader gain a renewed respect for McCaw, as the All Blacks plan their next assault on the Rugby World Cup. Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great takes the reader inside More
Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts. Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning fast return. And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favourite and a media target. Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match, and every public relationship. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals, Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with More
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
In 1996, twenty-four-year-old Lance Armstrong was ranked number one cyclist in the world. But that October the Golden Boy of American cycling was sidelined by advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain. His chance for recovery was as low as twenty per cent. Armstrong embarked on the most aggressive form of chemotherapy available and underwent surgery. Armstrong returned to competitive cycle racing in 1998, and from there he trained himself to victory in the 86th Tour de France in 1999. Although scarred, Armstrong considered his cancer a 'wake-up call', one that crystallised for him the blessings of good health, family, friends and marriage. Since 1996 he has dedicated himself to fighting cancer and supporting the cancer community, establishing an educational and fundraising foundation in his home town of Austin, Texas. More
Twist of the Wrist Vol. II : The Basics of High Performance Motorcycle Riding by
Straight facts about riding! A Twist of the Wrist, the acknowledged number one book on rider improvement for ten years straight, brought riders worldwide to a new understanding of vital riding skills. Uncovers and traces, action by action, the direct links between man and machine. More
About Twist of the Wrist Vol 1. Here's everything you need to successfully improve your riding, novice or veteran, cruiser to sportbike rider. This book contains the very foundation skills for any rider looking for more confidence when cornering a motorcycle. Notes and comments by Eddie Lawson. Foreword by Wayne Rainey. Review from Motor Cycle.com>>
Hard Road : Tough Thoughts on a Tough Game by Shane Webcke
After his bestselling memoir Warhorse, Shane Webcke turns his tough and uncompromising gaze to the game of rugby league itself. Webcke gives us the inside running on the dramatic 2006 finals series, including the controversial coaching strategy employed by the Brisbane Broncos in the lead-up to their NRL Premiership triumph. He then tackles the game of rugby league in Australia. His sometimes brutal honesty on everything from Wayne Bennett quitting the Broncos and players' drunken behaviour, to the inclusion of a disgraced Joey Johns in the Team of the Century and rugby league's rivalry with rugby union, will send shockwaves through rugby league's administrators, the media, the players and the game's fan base. More
.The Moment By Sean Doherty
A surfer's life is spent chasing them. That magic second when all the elements align. It could be inside a crystal blue barrel wrapping around a palm-fringed Indonesian island. It could be perched in the lip of a 15-foot Pipeline widowmaker. It could be as your feet touch the sand for the first time as the new world surfing champion. It could be, simply, staring out over an empty pointbreak at dawn and realising you're the only human being within 30 miles. The Moment is where the great surfing photo and the classic surf story meet. With some of the world's best surf photographers' most pivotal and interesting work showcased, The Moment will dive into the photos and tell the story behind them. More
. Golden Boy : Kim Hughes and the Bad Old Days of Australian Cricket
Kim Hughes was one of the most majestic and daring batsmen to play for Australia in the last 40 years. Golden curled and boyishly handsome, his rise and fall as captain and player is unparalleled in our cricketing history. He played at least three innings that count as all-time classics, but it's his tearful resignation from the captaincy that is remembered. Insecure but arrogant, abrasive but charming; in Hughes' character were the seeds of his own destruction. Yet was Hughes' fall partly due to those around him, men who are themselves legends in Australia's cricketing history? Lillee, Marsh, the Chappells, all had their agendas, all were unhappy with his selection and performance as captain - evidenced by Dennis Lillee's tendency to aim bouncers relentlessly at Hughes' head during net practice. Hughes' arrival on the Test scene coincided with the most turbulent time Australian cricket has ever seen - first Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, then the rebel tours to South Africa. Both had dramatic effects on Hughes' career. As he traces the high points and the low, Chris Ryan sheds new and fascinating light on the cricket - and the cricketers - of the times. More
|
|
|
|
. The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers
When first released in 1992, the encyclopedia created a sensation and quickly became the bible of every true football fan. This edition offers more details of the game's rich past. More
50 Marathons 50 Days : The Secrets to Super Endurance
The ultrarunning legend takes on the ultimate test of endurance. Men's Fitness magazine has hailed Dean Karnazes the fittest man on the planet. Time claimed that he is no mere mortal. Wired declared him the perfect human. Now, Dean proves them right, again, by conquering what no man has undertaken before: 50 marathons in 50 days. That's 2092 kilometers. And five pairs of shoes, 18 pairs of socks, 1,374,721 heartbeats, and three lost toenails. In 50 Marathons 50 Days, Dean shares his secrets for super endurance. More
Strength Training Anatomy
Providing an intricate look at strength training from the inside out, "Strength Training Anatomy" features over 400 full-color illustrations that showcase the muscles used during each exercise. More
Also of interest? Women's Strength Training Anatomy By Frederic Delavier
What a Ride : An Aussie Pursuit of the Tour de France
For more than 20 years, award-winning sports writer Rupert Guinness has been reporting on the Tour de France. During that time, he has seen Australian cyclists evolve from curiosity into major contenders for the world's greatest bike race. From pioneers such as Phil Anderson who in 1981 became the first non-European to wear the famous Yellow Jersey, to Olympic champion and Tour de France Sprint crown contender Stuart O'Grady, "What A Ride" offers an unrivalled and fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what it really means to take part in the hardest cycling event in the world. It also reveals what life is like for any 'suiveur' - or official follower in the 4,500-strong race entourage. The moments of hardship, the heroes and the villains, and the times when everything comes together. More
Complete Krav Maga : The Ultimate Guide to Over 200 Self-Defense and Combative Techniques
Developed for the Israel military forces and battle tested in real-life combat, Krav Maga has gained an international reputation as an easy-to-learn yet highly effective art of self-defense. Clearly written and extensively illustrated, Complete Krav Maga details every aspect of the system including dozens of hand-to-hand combat moves, over 20 weapons defense techniques and a complete physical conditioning workout program. More
