Exceeding their limits - Athletes who inspire us.
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
People play and watch sports for different reasons—the adrenaline that comes with competition, the camaraderie among teammates and groups of fans, and the escape from everyday life. But sport is more than what happens on a field, a track, or a trail. The stories of athletes—the people behind the uniforms and gear—add a compelling element to sports. Here is a list of books about people (and a couple of animals) who pushed themselves past their limits, exceeded expectations, overcame obstacles, experienced tragedy, inspired, and paved the way for others.
Check out these selections from Reference Librarian Alison.
Becoming Boston Strong: One Woman’s Race to Run and Conquer the World’s Greatest Marathon by Amy Noelle Roe
Becoming Odyssa: 10th Anniversary Edition: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Pharr Davis
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest by Anatoli Boukreev and G. Weston DeWalt
Devoted: The Story of a Father’s Love for His Son by Dick Hoyt with Don Yaeger
A Different Kind of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid from the Taliban in Plain Sight by Maria Toorpakai with Katharine Holstein
Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph by Travis Roy with E. M. Swift
Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard
Fire on the Track: Betty Robinson and the Triumph of the Early Olympic Women by Roseanne Montillo
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
The Ice Bucket Challenge: Pete Frates and the Fight against ALSÂ by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge
Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott and Tim Brown
The Making of a Miracle: The Untold Story of the Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal–Winning U.S. Olympic Hockey Team by Mike Eruzione with Neal Boudette
North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek with Jenny Jurek
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice: The Untold Story of 18 African Americans Who Defied Jim Crow and Adolf Hitler to Compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Deborah Riley Draper
One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together by Amy Bass *A former Lowell Reads book
One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season by Chris Ballard
Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman’s Quest to Make a Difference by Warren St. John
Running Home: A Memoir by Katie Arnold
Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall
Touching the Void by Joe Simpson