07-29-2009, 11:37 PM
|
#1
|
|
Scoring Winger
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Calgary
|
Sports books (fiction or non-fiction)
looking to read some great sports books, fiction or non-fiction, short or lengthy. Preferably on hockey or soccer, especially hockey, though I wouldn't mind football or baseball or cricket suggestions. Dear god, no basketball please!
Not really looking for encyclopedia-type things, more either fiction about sports or non-fiction stories about being a fan and stuff like that. Anyone read Fever Pitch? That's a good one to go by. Also works of investigative journalism like The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime.
Any suggestions?
|
|
|
|
07-29-2009, 11:43 PM
|
#2
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: back in the 403
|
I don't know about good fiction sports books, but for non-fiction, Phil Esposito's autobiography is still arguably the best one I've read. Dude doesn't leave anything out, he just tells it like it is.
EDIT: Just remembered another one I read a few years back. It's not about hockey or soccer, but its a gooder. It's called "Facing Ali", and it is full of different boxers talking about their experiences fighting Muhammad Ali. There's some pretty funny quotes by some of the guys, and also tragic ones(Joe Frazier still hasn't gotten over it). GREAT book.
Last edited by Sainters7; 07-29-2009 at 11:46 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
07-29-2009, 11:44 PM
|
#3
|
|
Not a casual user
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
|
Midnight Hockey - Bill Gaston
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Dion For This Useful Post:
|
|
|
07-29-2009, 11:59 PM
|
#4
|
|
Crash and Bang Winger
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: The 6
|
Moneyball-Michael Lewis. You didnt mention baseball, but this book is a great read, baseball fan or not.
|
|
|
|
|
The Following User Says Thank You to pria(kin)16 For This Useful Post:
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 12:02 AM
|
#5
|
|
Scoring Winger
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Calgary
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by pria(kin)16
Moneyball-Michael Lewis. You didnt mention baseball, but this book is a great read, baseball fan or not.
|
cheers, seems like a good read, but just to clarify:
Quote:
|
I wouldn't mind football or baseball or cricket suggestions.
|
The other three suggestions in the thread are great too, I'd never heard of these. Excited about the inevitable cross-Calgary hunt for them.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 12:07 AM
|
#6
|
|
In the Sin Bin
|
When the Lights Went Out - Gare Joyce on the Punch-up in Piestany
Future Greats and Heartbreaks - also Gare Joyce, when he followed some Blue Jackets scouts around
Shoeless Joe - W. P. Kinsella. The book that inspired Field of Dreams, and is so much better than the movie (which was great)
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 12:15 AM
|
#7
|
|
Franchise Player
|
The Blind Side - Michael Lewis.
Michael Lewis won me over with moneyball and I've read everything he's ever done (except that new one about being a dad....which I will one day) and The Blind Side is his best book. It's a football (american) book, but truly amazing, I couldn't put it down.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:06 AM
|
#8
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: sector 7G
|
where to start? I have better than 100 sports titles on my shelf. I've enjoyed all of them. Any of the sports titles by Dave Bidini are great. The Big Bam (Babe Ruth) and Ted Williams by Leigh Montville are terrific. Douglas Hunter hockey books are decent (Tim Horton's especially). Then of course The Game by Ken Dryden. So many more...
Last edited by habernac; 07-30-2009 at 09:58 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:15 AM
|
#9
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: not lurking
|
Best fictional novel about hockey ever: The Last Season, by Roy McGregor. I love this book. And I'm seriously pissed that I can't remember who I loaned my copy out to.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:47 AM
|
#10
|
|
NOT breaking news
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Calgary
|
If you read Moneyball you'll understand why the Blue Jays are the disaster they are now.
Here's a good baseball book:
Talks about how a third baseball league was nearly developed in the 50s to challenge the National and American Leagues.
Another good one is:
It's really funny if you know nothing about soccer 
__________________
Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:59 AM
|
#11
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: sector 7G
|
I rarely read novels, it's either sports biographies or regular bios. Real life is much more interesting to me.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 10:38 AM
|
#12
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: in your blind spot.
|
I've just started "...and Howe" Gordie Howe's authorized biography.
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 10:45 AM
|
#13
|
|
Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: saddledome
|
Next Man Up - John Feinstein - Behind the scenes with the Baltimore Ravens
Uncommon - Tony Dungy - Not about sports, but about his insights on how to achieve real significance in life
__________________
Your CalgaryPuck FFL Div A 2008, 2009 & 2010 Champion.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 11:37 AM
|
#14
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chiefs Kingdom, Yankees Universe, C of Red.
|
I have read a lot of good ones over the years. A few that I really enjoyed were.
Its a great story about Bill Barilko's entire life and disappearance.
An incredible read about the game that transformed NFL football into the most popular sport in the United States. Many NFL Legends participated in this game that included 17 future Hall of Farmer's including New York Giants assistant coaches Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 11:43 AM
|
#15
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chiefs Kingdom, Yankees Universe, C of Red.
|
I would love to read this book. I have heard some good things about it at Baseball Fever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yea..._104_Home_Runs
__________________
Last edited by burn_baby_burn; 07-30-2009 at 11:45 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 11:45 AM
|
#16
|
|
Franchise Player
|
A Good Walk Spoiled
Tales from Q-School
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 12:02 PM
|
#17
|
|
Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Crowsnest Pass
|
The Fight - Norman Mailer
A River Runs Through It - Norman Maclean
Into Thin Air - John Krakauer
Tropic Of Hockey - Dave Bindini
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 12:16 PM
|
#18
|
|
Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chiefs Kingdom, Yankees Universe, C of Red.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by troutman
A River Runs Through It - Norman Maclean
|
That is a great movie as well.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:43 PM
|
#19
|
|
First Line Centre
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Wherever the cooler is.
|
Anything by Dave Bidini or Bill Gaston is a must...I'm trying to think of some others but they are really the only ones that jump out at me. I've read lots of sports books but just keep coming back to those two authors. They're simply outstanding.
__________________
Let's get drunk and do philosophy.
If you took a burger off the grill and slapped it on your face, I'm pretty sure it would burn you. - kermitology
|
|
|
|
|
07-30-2009, 09:45 PM
|
#20
|
|
Lifetime Suspension
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Sec 216
|
I've heard the novel adaptation to the Mighty Ducks movie is pretty moving and inspirational.
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:01 AM.
|
|
