Sports Books Top Ten

Lance Amstrong with Sally Jenkins: It's Not About the Bike. My Journey Back to Life. Amstrong describes his battle with cancer and himself and his growth as a human being. I know no other superstar that would have written so beuautifully and with such grace of his mother.
Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty: Sacred Hoops. Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior. Jackson's philosophy is an impressive mixture of ambition, brilliance and zen-thinking. Small, crystallizing, touching book in which the mastercouch describes the dynasty he created with Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls all the way to the break up of that incredible team as a result of the stupidity of the management of the franchise.
David Remnick: King of the World. Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero. Brilliantly writen book of the early years of the Greatest Champion of boxing. Touching descriptions of his early opponents Liston and Patterson. Ending with a beautiful Epilogue place in the present day: "Ali's religion orders hislife and helps him cope with his illness. A leser man could be forgiven some hours of darkness, for here is a performer who was robbed of what had seemed to be his essence - his physical beauty, his speed, his wit, his voice - and yet Ali never betrays self-pity. 'I know why has happened,' Ali said. 'God's showing me that I'm just a man like everyone else. Showing you, too. You can learn from me that way."
Pelé with Robert L. Fish: My Life and the Beautiful Game. This book came out already in 1977. It holds a special place in my heart because of its warmth and humble humanity. Describing the 1962 World Cup game agaist Czech where he played injured: ""I saw three Czech players who were really and truly sportmen: Masopust, Popluhar, and Lala, the Czech lateral. They saw that I had been injured ... they must have known how desparately I wanted to remain in the game ... There are few players and very few teams that would not have taken advantage of a star player when injured ... but those three palyers put the well-being of an adversary in proper proportion. This is one of the things I shall always remember with emotion and one of the finest things that happened in my entire football career."
Michael Jordan: For the Love of the Game. My Story, edited by Mark Vancil. A magnificently illustrated book of the career of basketball's all time greatest.
Thomas Hauser: Muhammad Ali. His Life and Times. A powerful book based on extensive interviews with people that followed Ali's career and its crucial events with their own eyes. Ali on Frazier: "I don't think two big men ever fought fights like me and Joe Frazier. One fight, maybe. But three times: we were the only ones. Of all the men I fought in boxing, Sonny LIston was the scariest; George Foreman was the most powerful; Floyd Patterson wqs the most skilled as a boxer. But the roughest and touchest was Joe Frazier. He brought out the best in me, and the best fight was in Manila... And if God ever calls me to a holy war, I want Jow Frazier fighting beside me."
Pat Riley: The Winner Within. A Life Plan for Team Players. This is a well written book by a championship basketball coach.
Dennis Rodman with Tim Keown: Bad as I Wanna Be. Strangely charming book by a bad boy.
Ari Vatanen and Vesa Väisänen: Every Second Counts. This out-of-print book is a gem, by the 1981 world rally champion and Dakar-rally winner. The book is unique because of Ari's deeply spiritual, gentle and yet uncompromising outlook on life.
Mauno Saari: Juoksemisen salaisuudet. This book is in Finnish, sorry. A journalistically thrilling investigation into Lasse Viren, the four time Olympic gold medalist in 5000 m and 10.000 meters.