Top 15 in Sports
Week of June 29, 2026
by Richard Cohen
“Like swordplay itself, By the Sword is elegant, accurate, romantic, and full of brio—the definitive study, hugely readable, of man’s most deadly art.”—Simon Winchester With a new Preface by the author Napoleon fenced. So did Shakespeare, Karl Marx, Grace Kelly, and President Truman, who as a schoolboy would practice fencing with Bess—his future wife— when the two of them returned home from school. Lincoln was a canny dueler. Ignatius Loyola challenged a man to a duel for denying Christ’s divinity (and won). Less successful, but no less enthusiastic, was Mussolini, who would tell his wife he was “off to get spaghetti,” their code to avoid alarming the children. By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting—a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword. Praise for By the Sword “Touché! While scrupulous and informed about its subject, Richard Cohen’s book is about more than swordplay. It reads at times like an alternative social history of the West.”—Sebastian Faulks “In writing By the Sword, [Cohen] has shown that he is as skilled with the pen as he is with the sword.”—The New York Times “Irresistible . . . extraordinary . . . vivid and hugely enjoyable.”—The Economist “A virtual encyclopedia on the subject of sword fighting.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Literate, learned, and, be
by Michael Lewis
"One of the best baseball—and management—books out.... Deserves a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame."—Forbes Moneyball is a quest for the secret of success in baseball. Following the low-budget Oakland Athletics, their larger-than-life general manger, Billy Beane, and the strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts, Michael Lewis has written not only "the single most influential baseball book ever" (Rob Neyer, Slate) but also what "may be the best book ever written on business" (Weekly Standard). I wrote this book because I fell in love with a story. The story concerned a small group of undervalued professional baseball players and executives, many of whom had been rejected as unfit for the big leagues, who had turned themselves into one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. But the idea for the book came well before I had good reason to write it—before I had a story to fall in love with. It began, really, with an innocent question: how did one of the poorest teams in baseball, the Oakland Athletics, win so many games? With these words Michael Lewis launches us into the funniest, smartest, and most contrarian book since, well, since Liar's Poker. Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the front offices of major league teams, and the dugouts, perhaps even in the minds of the players themselves. Lewis mines al
by Andrew Zimbalist
"The season's best book so far gets right to the heart of the game's survival at the organizational level." —The Boston Globe "A compelling examination of the national pastime as seen through the prism of the commissioner's office." —The Wall Street Journal "A thoughtful and objective analysis of baseball's labor and economic policy evolution. Interesting, relevant, and a good read." — Randy Levine, President of the New York Yankees and former chief labor negotiator for MLB "A tour de force. It's an incredibly interesting read that ends with a vision for the sport that is squarely on target and a clarion call to our industry." — John Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and member of the MLB Executive Committee "Those who are determined to have Selig's head on a stick will be disappointed; rational baseball fans will rejoice in this tough but fair view of a decent man in a thankless job." — John Thorn, coauthor of Total Baseball "This thoroughly researched book by one of the foremost authorities on sports business is an oral history of the game through the Office of the Commissioner. Zimbalist provides a fascinating look at the game's history and those who have helped shape it." —mlb.com, April 3, 2006 "The best baseball book I've read in forty years." —Mike Murphy, 670 The Score, Chicago
by Mary Wollstonecraft
Texte à corriger : "Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark" by Mary Wollstonecraft is a travel narrative that captures the author's observations and reflections during her journey through Scandinavia in the late 18th century. Wollstonecraft's letters provide a vivid account of the landscapes, cultures, and social conditions she encountered. She begins her journey with a challenging sea voyage, eventually reaching the Swedish coast. Her narrative is rich with descriptions of the natural beauty of the region, from the rugged coastlines to the serene lakes and forests. Wollstonecraft also delves into the social customs and daily lives of the people she meets, offering insights into the hospitality, manners, and economic conditions of the time. She contrasts the simplicity and sincerity of rural life with the more refined but often superficial manners of urban society. Throughout her letters, Wollstonecraft reflects on broader themes such as the development of civilization, the role of women, and the nature of happiness. Her writing is characterized by a blend of personal introspection and social critique, revealing her deep connection with the world around her. The narrative not only serves as a travelogue but also as a platform for Wollstonecraft to explore her philosophical ideas and advocate for social reform.
by Carolyn Finney
Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors
by Scott Rosner
The book covers professional, Olympic and collegiate sports and each chapter has a fully developed introduction to explaine the relevance of the articles to be presented.
by Robert A. Slade
Robert A. Slade, after collecting old fishing tackle since 1958 and contributing articles on old fishing lures for a collector magazine for several years started researching and writing books in the 1990's. He published the HISTORY & COLLECTIBLE FISHING TACKLE OF WISCONSIN in 1999 which sold 4,500 copies. Bob realized that even though there have been many books published on the subject of old fishing lures that few books covered any detailed history on the old lure makers. His latest book writing project was nine years in the making and covers over 100 years of lure making history starting in 1875 and covers over 2,500 lures makers throughout all of North America. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OLD FISHING LURES MADE IN NORTH AMERICA is the first publication with extensive history and patent information on old lure makers and the first to include extensive coverage on Canadian lure makers. The author traveled to 11 states and 3 Candian Providences visting collectors homes, newspaper archives, museums and other sources and has taken over 10,000 pictures in preparing the historical stories for these books. The set of books arranges for the individual and company lures makers to appear in alphabetical order. People purchasing these books can buy any one single book, a whole set, or even a book a month if they desire as the books will be printed and shipped on demand. Each book has over 400 pages of text, pictures and collector values with each book containing a table of contents and index
by Eileen McDonagh
Athletic contests help define what we mean in America by "success." By keeping women from "playing with the boys" on the false assumption that they are inherently inferior, society relegates them to second-class citizens. In this forcefully argued book, Eileen McDonagh and Laura Pappano show in vivid detail how women have been unfairly excluded from participating in sports on an equal footing with men. Using dozens of powerful examples--girls and women breaking through in football, ice hockey, wrestling, and baseball, to name just a few--the authors show that sex differences are not sufficient to warrant exclusion in most sports, that success entails more than brute strength, and that sex segregation in sports does not simply reflect sex differences, but actively constructs and reinforces stereotypes about sex differences. For instance, women's bodies give them a physiological advantage in endurance sports, yet many Olympic events have shorter races for women than men, thereby camouflaging rather than revealing women's strengths.
by Mike Marqusee
When Muhammad Ali died, many mourned the life of the greatest sportsman the world had ever seen. In Redemption Song, Mike Marqusee argues that Ali was not just a boxer but a remarkable political figure in a decade of tumultuous change. Playful, popular, always confrontational, Ali refashioned the role of a political activist and was central, alongside figures such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, to the black liberation and the anti-war movements. Marqusee shows that sport and politics were always intertwined, and this is the reason why Ali remained an international beacon of hope, long after he had left the ring.
by Joe Favorito
Effective communications are essential for all sport organizations. In this fully revised and updated third edition of his ground-breaking guide to communications in sports, Joe Favorito introduces the skills, knowledge and techniques needed to become a successful communicator. Favorito outlines the history of sports communications, explores the most important professional themes, topics and issues, and highlights exciting opportunities for future development. With a strong emphasis on professional practice and the day-to-day realities of working in sports and entertainment, the book covers all the core functional areas such as: · Digital and social media strategy · Crisis management · Creative writing · The value of audio storytelling · The role of communications in business. This new edition includes more international cases and data, interviews, best practices, and expanded coverage of social media, gaming, eSports and technological developments in communications; discussion of key contemporary issues such as multicultural media relations and ‘athletes as brands’; and an emphasis on the importance of strategic planning. No other book offers such a valuable insider’s view of the sports communications industry or the importance of PR and media relations in building successful sports organizations. Sports Publicity: A Practical Approach is essential reading for all students working in sport business, marketing or communications, and any PR practitioner looking to improve thei
by John Jenkins
This is a key reference guide for the exploration of leisure and outdoor recreation. It reflects the multidisciplinary nature of these fields and contextualizes the leading research and knowledge on key concepts, theories and practices. Edited by leading authorities in the field, this volume includes a comprehensive index, and up-to-date suggestions for further reading. It is an essential resource for teaching, an invaluable companion to independent study, and a solid starting point for wider subject exploration.
by Leslie A. Heaphy
Presents a history of the Negro Leagues, from their inception to the integration of black players into Major League Baseball to the eventual demise of the league.
by Jack London
Set adrift after a collision with another vessel, ferry passenger Humphrey van Weyden is picked up by the seal-hunting schooner the Ghost. His relief at being rescued slowly turns into concern once he meets her captain, the brutally terrifying Wolf Larsen. The crew of the Ghost live in terror of their fearsome commander, and van Weyden is not made any safer because Larsen is attracted to his new passenger's comparable intelligence. Van Weyden's time aboard the Ghost turns him from a gentle, domesticated man into an altogether tougher soul as he is caught between Larsen and his crew during the rescue of other castaways, an attempted mutiny, a cataclysmic storm and the appearance of Wolf's equally terrible brother, Death Larsen. Wolf Larsen is one of the greatest characters in early 20th century American fiction. Like Captain Ahab before him, he is a man who has spent too long at sea. We might assume he has become inhuman, but the novel gradually but subtly reveals that it was the nature of life at the mercy of the angry oceans that turned him into the sea wolf. This special edition includes an exclusive Foreword by adventurer Bear Grylls, which takes a fascinating look at the character of Wolf Larsen from the perspective of someone who has also stared nature in its unforgiving face.
