In this remarkable and controversial book, Alexander Fiske-Harrison follows the tracks of a whole bullfighting year in Spain. He trains and takes part in the sport himself. He gives us memorable portraits of bull-fighters and bulls, of owners, trainers and fans - of a whole country. Fiske-Harrison offers a fully rounded and involving portrait of an art as performed for centuries and of the arguments that dog it today.
Alexander Fiske-Harrison spent a season studying with the matadors and breeders of famous 'fighting bulls' of Spain, France and Portugal. This developed into a personal quest to understand the bullfight at its deepest levels, and he entered into months of damaging and dangerous training with one of the greatest matadors of all.
Behind the Scenes
The Secret Olympian: The Inside Story of Olympic Excellence
By
Anonymous
Narrated by
Paul Thornley
Not rated yet
The vast majority of us can only dream of being an Olympic-level athlete - but we have no real idea of what that means. Here, for the first time, in all its shocking, funny and downright bizarre glory, is the truth of the Olympic experience
For most of us the Olympics is something we view, rather than actively participate in. But away from the medals and the media interviews, what really goes on behind the world’s biggest sporting event? From the 35kg of Olympic clothing per athlete through to the freaky physiological regime, this enlightening and entertaining listen delves into a world rarely witnessed by outsiders
Customer Favourites
We Might As Well Win
By
Johan Bruyneel,
Bill Strickland,
Lance Armstrong
Narrated by
Kirby Heybourne
4.80
(12 ratings)
Johan Bruyneel knows what it takes to win. In 1998, this calculating Belgian and former professional cyclist looked Lance Armstrong in the eye and said, "Look, if were going to ride the Tour, we might as well win." In that powerful phrase a dynasty was born.
Penguins Stopped Play: Eleven Village Cricketers Take On the World
By
Harry Thompson
Narrated by
Glen McCready
4.30
(60 ratings)
Shortlisted for the British Book Awards, Sports Book of the Year, 2007. It seemed a simple enough idea at the outset: to assemble a team of 11 men to play cricket on each of the seven continents of the globe - except that's not a simple idea at all...
Thanks, Johnners: An Affectionate Tribute to a Broadcasting Legend
By
Jonathan Agnew
Narrated by
Jonathan Agnew
4.50
(42 ratings)
Perfect for cricket fans everywhere, Thanks, Johnners is a rich blend of biography and anecdote, of antics and dramas on and off the pitch, in and out of the commentary box, filled with stories about the great names of cricket, including Fred Trueman, Geoffrey Boycott, Vivian Richards, Michael Holding, and Ian Botham.
From his days growing up in Scotland to his harrowing experiences fighting in Italy during World War Two, Bill McLaren has always been in the thick of it. Used to being caught up in the most dramatic moments rugby has ever seen, McLaren relives the highlights of his illustrious career, and talks of the game today and his regrets that rugby went professional.
The Secret Olympian: The Inside Story of Olympic Excellence
Written by:
Anonymous
Narrated by:
Paul Thornley
Not rated yet
The vast majority of us can only dream of being an Olympic-level athlete - but we have no real idea of what that means. Here, for the first time, in all its shocking, funny and downright bizarre glory, is the truth of the Olympic experience
Born to Run:: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Written by:
Christopher McDougall
Narrated by:
Fred Sanders
4.8
(4 ratings)
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets - and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Fibber in the Heat: Following England in India - A Blagger's Tale
Written by:
Miles Jupp
Narrated by:
Miles Jupp
Not rated yet
Fanatical about cricket since he was a boy, Miles Jupp would do anything to see his heroes play. But perhaps deciding to bluff his way into the press corps during England's Test series in India wasn't his best idea. By claiming to be the cricket correspondent for BBC Scotland and getting a job with the (Welsh) Western Mail, Miles lands the press pass that will surely be the ticket to his dreams. Soon, he finds himself in cricket heaven - drinking with David Gower and Beefy, and sharing bar room banter with Nasser Hussain.
The Unstoppable Golfer: Trusting Your Mind & Your Short Game to Achieve Greatness
Written by:
Dr. Bob Rotella
Not rated yet
It is no secret that more than two-thirds of the shots a golfer makes are shorts ones: putts, chips, and pitches. Long drives may garner applause, but whether a golfer wants to win the Masters or just five bucks from a friend on Saturday morning, it's the little shots that make the difference. In The Unstoppable Golfer, Dr. Bob Rotella takes the same wisdom and experience that have worked for clients like Davis Love III and David Toms to help you master this special art of short shots and avoid all the frustration out of this increasingly challenging element of the game.
Why England Lose: And Other Curious Football Phenomena Explained
Written by:
Simon Kuper,
Stefan Szymanski
Narrated by:
Colin Mace
3.9
(47 ratings)
Why do England lose? Why does Scotland suck? Why doesn't America play the sport internationally... and why do the Germans play with such an efficient but robotic style?
Using insights and analogies from economics, statistics, psychology and business to cast a new and entertaining light on how the game works, "Why England Lose" reveals the often surprisingly counterintuitive truths about soccer.
In this remarkable and controversial book, Alexander Fiske-Harrison follows the tracks of a whole bullfighting year in Spain. He trains and takes part in the sport himself. He gives us memorable portraits of bull-fighters and bulls, of owners, trainers and fans - of a whole country. Fiske-Harrison offers a fully rounded and involving portrait of an art as performed for centuries and of the arguments that dog it today.
Voted the greatest English cricketer of the 20th century by the fans, Sir Ian Botham is the English game's one true living legend, and his story, both on and off the pitch, reads like a Boy's Own rollercoaster ride. Born with a natural genius for the game, Botham began breaking records with bat and ball from a young age and soon became the man English cricket expected most from. After a troubled period as captain, Botham rose once again to become a national hero with his display in the Miracle Ashes of 1981.
The Big Miss is Hank Haney's candid and surprisingly insightful account of his tumultuous six-year journey with Tiger Woods, during which the supremely gifted golfer collected six major championships and rewrote golf history. Hank was one of the very few people allowed behind the curtain. He was with Tiger 110 days a year, spoke to him over 200 days a year, and stayed at his home up to 30 days a year, observing him in nearly every circumstance....
He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court - but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. 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.
In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Haruki Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he'd completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and now, after dozens of such races, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and on his writing.
The real story of one of the greatest explorers who ever lived by the man described by the Guinness Book of Records as 'the world's greatest living explorer'. Sir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through.
Revered in Newcastle and the North-East, Sir Bobby Robson is a man whose fame knows no boundaries and who enjoys phenomenal popularity. His hugely successful playing days with Fulham and West Brom in the 1950s and 1960s, his 20 England caps and his brilliant management career over the past 38 years mean that he has inspired generations of fans.
Linspired reveals the remarkable journey of the ultimate underdog, Jeremy Lin, superstar of the New York Knicks and the first American-born player of Chinese/Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA.
That's Why I'm Here: The Chris and Stefanie Spielman Story
By
Chris Spielman,
Bruce Hooley
Narrated by
Adam Verner
Not rated yet
Chris Spielman was a high school and Ohio State football legend and a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker, but he didn't tackle his toughest opponent until his playing career was almost over. In 1998, his wife, Stefanie, was diagnosed with breast cancer. So began an 11-year journey that brought joy and suffering to the Spielmans, as well as hope and inspiration to thousands of others. Though Stefanie passed away on November 19, 2009, this book reminds us that her spirit is still here.
The Secret Olympian: The Inside Story of Olympic Excellence
By
Anonymous
Narrated by
Paul Thornley
Not rated yet
The vast majority of us can only dream of being an Olympic-level athlete - but we have no real idea of what that means. Here, for the first time, in all its shocking, funny and downright bizarre glory, is the truth of the Olympic experience
Fibber in the Heat: Following England in India - A Blagger's Tale
By
Miles Jupp
Narrated by
Miles Jupp
Not rated yet
Fanatical about cricket since he was a boy, Miles Jupp would do anything to see his heroes play. But perhaps deciding to bluff his way into the press corps during England's Test series in India wasn't his best idea. By claiming to be the cricket correspondent for BBC Scotland and getting a job with the (Welsh) Western Mail, Miles lands the press pass that will surely be the ticket to his dreams. Soon, he finds himself in cricket heaven - drinking with David Gower and Beefy, and sharing bar room banter with Nasser Hussain.
and how Britain has shaped sport. This recording brings together the four rugby-related episodes from the series. Apart from the English language itself, the invention of modern sport has been our major cultural legacy to the rest of the world.
Clare Balding presents the landmark BBC Radio 4 series which charts how sport has shaped the British and how Britain has shaped sport. This recording brings together the two boxing-related episodes from the series. Apart from the English language itself, the invention of modern sport has been our major cultural legacy to the rest of the world.
Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin recently became a New York Knicks phenomenon and he's the NBA's first American-born player of Taiwanese descent. The book will chronicle Lin's high school, college and early career in the NBA with particular emphasis on the media explosion surrounding his success as starting point guard with the Knicks. It will explore how Jeremy's Christian faith, family, education and cultural inheritance have contributed to his success.
Professor Simon Lee reads all 26 parts of this celebration of sport. The University of Oxford has influenced the world of sport in many ways. To celebrate and appreciate the role of sport in university life at Oxford, and the role of the University of Oxford in the history of sport, Professor Simon Lee has compiled this special Z-A guide - starting with the letter 'Z' and ending with 'A'.
The universally loved, award-winning host of Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday and Channel 4's Countdown, and author of the best-selling Jelleyman's Thrown a Wobbly, returns with a Jackanory-style, football-flavoured narrative which gathers together the funniest, weirdest, most tragic, most heartwarming, under-the-radar stories of the football season. The book is stuffed to the gunnels with behind-the-scenes revelations, opinions and personal anecdotes from Jeff, and has a strong leaning towards the absurdities of the game.
Massively Improve your Golf Game: Seven Clinically Proven Guided Visualisations Geared to Help You Play Great Golf Fast (for men)
By
Lyndall Briggs
Narrated by
Lyndall Briggs
Not rated yet
A collection of seven clinically proven guided visualisations, Massively Improve Your Golf Game delivers you the tools to play Great Golf. This particular collection is built around the Golf 101 session, with the supporting sessions delivering you freedom from fear, improved luck and confidence, the ability to create abundant wealth, and the ability to deeply relax easily. If you feel you need to improve your golf game, no matter what your level is now, this collection will get you there fast.
Massively Improve your Golf Game: Seven Clinically Proven Guided Visualisations Geared to Get You Playing Great Golf Fast (for women)
By
Lyndall Briggs
Narrated by
Lyndall Briggs
Not rated yet
A collection of seven clinically proven guided visualisations, Massively Improve Your Golf Game delivers you the tools to play Great Golf. This particular collection is built around the Golf 101 session, with the supporting sessions delivering you freedom from fear, improved luck and confidence, the ability to create abundant wealth, and the ability to deeply relax easily. If you feel you need to improve your golf game, no matter what your level is now, this collection will get you there fast.
Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift
By
Harvey Araton
Narrated by
Peter Berkrot
Not rated yet
It happens every spring. Yankees pitching great Ron Guidry arrives at the Tampa airport to pick up Hall of Fame catcher and national treasure Yogi Berra. Guidry drives him to the ballpark. They watch the young players. They talk shop. They eat dinner together and tease each other mercilessly. They trade stories about the greats they have met along the way. And the next day they do the same thing all over again. As every former ballplayer can appreciate, in that routine, every spring, there emerges a certain magic.