Athlete Biography

""You have the luck of Croesus on stilts (as my Auntie Vi would have said) if you’ve had the sort of career, ups and downs, warts and all that I have in that wondrous little corner of show business called musical theatre."" One of the most successful and distinguished artists of our time...

As a kid, Jackie Robinson loved sports. And why not? He was a natural at football, basketball, and, of course, baseball. But beyond athletic skill, it was his strength of character that secured his place in sports history. In 1947 Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the long-time color barrier in major league baseball. It was tough being first - not only did "fans" send hate mail but some of his own teammates refused to accept him.

Imagine a world where New York Times bestselling author, comedian, actor, television, and podcast host Adam Carolla is the President of the United States. Can’t do it? You don’t have to! Adam has done it for you! Podcast king Adam Carolla first shared his unique, but always funny world view...

From riveting stories of grit, hard work, and determination to tales of triumph and tragedy, the few sportsmen who have succeeded against the odds to make their mark on history have incredible stories to tell.

Born in 1888 in what would soon be Oklahoma Territory, Jim Thorpe was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation. After attending the Sac and Fox agency school and Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas, he transferred to Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. At Carlisle he led the football team to victories over some of the nation's best college teams—Army, Navy, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska. In 1912 he participated in the Olympic Games in Stockholm, winning both the decathlon and pentathlon.

You’ve almost certainly laughed at Scovell’s jokes—you just didn’t know it until now. Just the Funny Parts is a juicy and scathingly funny insider look at how pop culture gets made. For more than thirty years, writer, producer and director Nell Scovell worked behind the scenes of iconic...

“If ‘sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll’ is what you want, it’s what you’ll get in these photo-laden pages. Kramer’s style is honest, straightforward and pulls no punches.” — Publishers Weekly Cash meets The Heroin Diaries in Hit Hard: Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer’s moving and...

The painfully honest and personal story of one of baseball’s most intriguing players. In Curveball, Zito shares his story with honesty and transparency. The ups and the downs. The wins and losses. By sharing his experiences as a man who had everything except happiness, Zito offers readers a...

From award-winning ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman, and written using exclusive interviews and information comes the definitive account of the dramatic story that gripped the world: the miracle rescue of twelve boys and their soccer coach trapped in a flooded cave miles...

Imagine if you had as much energy for your family at 8 p.m. as you have at the office at 8 a.m.? Whether or not you can hit a home run or run a marathon, this program will train you to perform at the highest possible levels in both your professional and family life.

In Epic Athletes: Stephen Curry, acclaimed journalist and bestselling author Dan Wetzel tells the inspiring, electrifying story of the NBA superstar, beginning a new series of sports biographies for young listeners!

Read by the author. A laugh-out-loud funny true story of a loving relationship, a grand adventure, and a promise kept. It was only a few years after the starry-eyed young couple got married when scary news threatened to take the wind out of their sails. But Sean Dietrich's wife, Jamie...

A powerful, breathtaking memoir about a young man's descent into madness, and how running saved his life. “Voluntary or involuntary?” asked the nurse who admitted J. M. Thompson to a San Francisco psychiatric hospital in January 2005. Following years of depression, ineffective medication...

Soon to be an ABC reality series entitled Ultimate Surfer, starring 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater Eleven-time world surfing champion, actor, and American heartthrob Kelly Slater tells his inspiring story of triumph over adversity From Beach Blanket Bingo to Baywatch to Blue...

“Evocative.” — The Cut One of the most outspoken voices gracing the cover of magazines today encourages women to be their most confident selves, recognize their personal beauty, and reach for their highest dreams in this wise, warm, and inspiring memoir. Voluptuous beauty Ashley Graham...

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. In spite of being cut by two NBA teams before he signed with the Knicks, Lin always trusted that God...

An inspiring true story of an athlete overcoming obstacles and unimaginable setbacks with resilience, faith, and the power of refusing to accept limits. Meet Mallory Weggemann: a Paralympic gold-medalist, world champion swimmer, ESPY winner, and NBC Sports commentator whose extraordinary story...

Do you have a favorite sports hero? If so, have you ever wondered about what kind of zany things he or she likes to do when not competing? Have you ever wondered what the great athletes like to eat, or what they like to drink? For instance, it’s a little-known fact that baseball great Babe Ruth relished the chance to wolf-down pickled eels and chocolate ice cream! Do you ever imagine what their childhoods were like? This fascinating book answers all these questions and many more you might never have even thought to ask!

He was told he'd never walk again. She was losing hope that she'd ever feel whole again. This is their miraculous true story of defying the impossible. "In my very first impression of Chris, I was blown away by his determination to stay positive, do the work, and trust that God had a bigger...

Lionel Messi has taken the soccer world by storm. He scored the most goals in a season. He’s racked up championships. There was even a statue built in his honor. Despite the accolades, he’s still hungry for more goals, more championships, more opportunities to shine on the soccer pitch. Messi’s drive to succeed has motivated him ever since he first stepped on his local, worn-down field as a kid. Yet his success didn’t come without bumps in the road.