Rugby and Soccer World Cups: New Sports Books

Sports book covers superimposed over a stadium field

Our sports men and women share what it means to be at the top of their chosen sport in our picks of the new sports books this month — both what it takes to perform at the top of their sport (whether it be in a competitive or coaching role), or to be themselves as a top talent and find acceptance and understanding in the sporting world. Plus, pick up new skills or find a complementary sport, whether it be yoga for runners, or kiteboarding as a relatively new discipline. Have a browse!

Smithy : endless winters & the spring of ’22 / Smith, Wayne Ross
“Wayne Smith is arguably the finest rugby brain in the world – a man the players he coached dubbed ‘The Professor’. In Smithy: Endless Winters & The Spring of ’22, we’ll hear from not only Wayne, but also the women and men who took the Ferns to a World title. In this long-awaited memoir, Wayne Smith will tell his best, most entertaining, insightful, and amusing anecdotes from an amazing career in in the game. We’ll look inside the Black Ferns’ World Cup triumph, which saw Wayne go from a man entitled to free bus rides with his Gold Card, to the dancing leader of a diverse, vibrant group of players and coaches who won all Kiwis’ hearts.” (Catalogue)

The race to be myself : a memoir / Semenya, Caster
“Olympian and World Champion Caster Semenya is finally ready to share the vivid and heartbreaking story of how the world came to know her name. Thrust into the spotlight at just eighteen years old after winning the Berlin World Championships in 2009, Semenya’s win was quickly overshadowed by criticism and speculation about her body, and she became the center of a still-raging firestorm about how gender plays out in sports, our expectations of female athletes, and the right to compete as you are.” (Catalogue)

My journey to the World Cup / Kerr, Sam
“Sam Kerr is widely considered to be one of the best female footballers of all time. She is famous worldwide for her skills on the soccer pitch – but before she was the Matildas captain and the leading goal scorer for Chelsea, she was just an average Aussie kid who wanted to play AFL. This is her incredible football journey to the FIFA World Cup, from making the switch to soccer to becoming one of the best female strikers in the world. Sam gives us insights into what keeps her motivated, how she handles the pressures of life as a professional athlete and what she believes is really important in life. Inside you will find: Facts about the FIFA World Cup. Everything you want to know about the Matildas. Amazing facts about Sam – her early days, family life, teams, playing for Chelsea FC and the Matildas.” (Catalogue)

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Straight up: Recent sports books

Straight up by Ruby Tui has taken Aotearoa by storm, with people lining up outside bookshops to get their hands on a copy and The Spinoff declaring it the book of the year. Below you’ll find some other recent sports related additions to our collection, including: inspirational athlete memoirs, an exploration about the benefits of endurance sports on a person’s mindset and a list of the most epic cycling climbs around the world.

Straight up / Tui, Ruby
“After a childhood filled with neglect Ruby yearned for another path. Determined not to let her upbringing limit her, she survived abuse, drugs and tragedy to become one of the most successful women’s rugby players in the world. The explosion of women’s rugby on the global stage has matched the rise of Ruby’s stellar career, as she has grown with the game from amateur to professional. In Straight Up Ruby looks herself in the eye, understanding that she can turn pain into purpose. It’s time to be straight up.” (Catalogue)

Climb : the most epic cycling ascents in the world
“A beautifully-presented book showcasing the greatest, most epic cycling climbs in the world – including breathtaking photography, route maps and statistics. Explore 35 of the most notorious, gruelling cycling climbs the world has to offer, guided by the experts at Cyclist, the world’s biggest road cycling magazine.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

The impossible : Rodney Mullen, Ryan Sheckler, and the fantastic history of skateboarding / Louison, Cole
“Skateboarding: the background, technicality, culture, rebellion, marketing, conflict, and future of the global sport as seen through two of its most influential geniuses Since it all began half a century ago, skateboarding has come to mystify some and to mesmerize many, including its tens of millions of adherents throughout America and the world.” ( Adapted from Catalogue)

Playing the long game : a memoir / Sinclair, Christine
“For the first time in depth and in public, Olympic soccer gold-medalist Christine Sinclair, the top international goal scorer of all time and one of Canada’s greatest athletes, reflects on both her exhilarating successes and her heartbreaking failures. Playing the Long Game is a book of earned wisdom on the value of determination and team spirit, and on leadership that changed the landscape of women’s sport.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Concussion / Lipman, Michael
“Concussion has become one of the biggest issues in contact sports. Only in the past decade have the consequences of repeated head knocks become better understood, and the science is still catching up. But with the discovery of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, in the brains of deceased footballers, it is now known that the onset of a form of dementia, caused by repeated concussions, can strike people as young as their thirties and forties.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

My sporting life : memories, moments and declarations / Parkinson, Michael
“This exciting new memoir charts legendary broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson’s love of cricket, football and family throughout his life. Reflecting on his sporting life, he touches on his relationship with the late Shane Warne, who he was the first to interview in long form, and recalls his friendship with the legends of sport. A keen sportsman himself, having played for the Yorkshire seconds and a lifelong Barnsley supporter, this memoir is a love letter to sport, full of heart and humour.” (Catalogue)

Go far : how endurance sports help you win at life / McConachie, Jennifer
“Run long. Climb high. Swim deep. Go far. The struggle to succeed and the drive to excel are at the heart of what makes someone into an endurance athlete. Their mindset-that of the adventurer, of the explorer, of the never-say-never-is what allows these athletes to go beyond the limits of what’s possible time and time again… both during and outside of events. Real life comes with its own set of challenges to meet, endure and overcome. GO FAR collects exhilarating stories from the worldwide endurance sports career of athlete Jennifer Strong McConachie, giving insight into her life philosophy and the principles that empower her success in ultrarunning, mountaineering, swimming, and more. The beginning of endurance, in sport and in life, is found in desire-not just to go, but to go far”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

Top 100 Non-Fiction books from 2022

Highlights of 2022

Our list of the top 100 non-fiction books for 2022 includes the best in memoirs and biographies, poetry, local history, science and technology, health, cooking, music, art and architecture. We’ve selected an eclectic mix of acclaimed local authors, New York Times Bestsellers, Pulitzer prize winners and breakthrough newcomers, meaning there’s plenty of choice for the deep-dive readers and coffee book lovers alike (and everyone in-between).

2022 Non-fiction Highlights — Browse the full list
Browse the full list with all our picks, or browse just the topic you enjoy!

I'm glad my mom died / Jeanette McCurdyMy fourth time, we drowned / Sally HaydenAs ever, the compelling human stories encompassing grief, love, personal trauma and strengths of character shine through, with a hearty selection of memoirs and biographies to choose from, including Sally Hayden’s critically acclaimed My fourth time, we drowned. Topping our most heavily reserved new non-fiction title of 2022 was Jennette McCurdy’s hit memoir I’m glad my mom died. A little further off the beaten path, was Hua Hsu’s ‘quietly wrenching’ coming-of-age memoir Stay True, and the visual delight of Kate Beaton’s graphic memoir Ducks: two years in the oil sands.

Contributions to the local poetry scene were beautifully espoused in Khadro Mohamed’s We’re all made of lightning and in the visual expressions of the poet/painter collaboration within Bordering on Miraculous. Shining locally likewise, the great architectural designs in Making Space and HomeGround, which highlight design as a conduits to push social boundaries in Aotearoa New Zealand communities.

Regenesis / by George MonbiotCalls for climate awareness were made riveting in The Alarmist, Nomad Century and Regenesis. Our oceans were also a focal point for many this year, and explored in great depth, with Jellyfish age backwards, Secrets of the Sea and in Adrift: the curious tale of Lego lost at sea, among others.

The collapse of historic empires, stories of divided nations and political parties in turmoil were explored in a multitude of ways in the vast array of global history titles featured on our list. Included are Legacy of Violence: A history of the British Empire by Pulitzer prize winning Historian Caroline Elkins, and Fragments of a contested past: Remembrance, denial and New Zealand history by Joanna Kidman.

Wawata: Moon Dreaming / by Hinemoa ElderWe let the world’s first astronomers take us on a star gazing tour, and found daily wisdom in Hinemoa Elder’s Wawata: Moon Dreaming. Cap off 2022 by allowing yourself to become enveloped in worlds both near and far, and understand our past, present and future within the Top 100 non-fiction books of 2022 list. Pair with our Top 100 fiction books list, and you’re all set for your Summer Reading Adventure.