If you've made your way through all the classic sporting replays on YouTube, now's the time to crack open a great book and remember the glory days through the printed word. Here are some of the best books to snuggle up with on the couch as the weather gets colder.
Steve Smith's Men - Geoff Lemon
Incredible insight into one of the biggest controversies of Australian cricket - Sandpapergate. Geoff Lemon was in the press box in South Africa as the drama unfolded and takes the reader through the events of the Test in fascinating detail. From his years covering cricket, Lemon has been able to delve into the culture of the Australian team and uncover the events that led up to this all coming to a head. A brilliant read for cricket fans or anyone who is interested in the psychology of elite sport.
Unbreakable - Jelena Dokic
This powerful autobiography from former Australian tennis star Jelena Dokic will leave you feeling shocked and in awe of her fighting spirit. From moving to Australia as a refugee, finding her feet in a new country and in the tennis world to dealing with an abusive father, the challenges she describes throughout her career were immense and her will to survive got her through all of them. This book is the first time she has told her story in full and it is well worth a read.
Breaking the Mould - Angela Pippos
A fascinating book that documents the breaking of the 'grass ceiling' by Australian sportswomen. Through personal tales from a lifetime in sport, as well as interviews with pioneering athletes and administrators, journalist Angela Pippos provides a fascinating insight into the shift in Australian sport. Breaking the Mould is a timely, entertaining and compelling reminder of why we must level the playing field permanently, so that every woman has the opportunity to become her sporting best.
Life and Death: A Cycling Memoir - Bridie O'Donnell
A book for the late bloomers and anyone who secretly holds on to hope of becoming an elite athlete later in life, Bridie O'Donnell tells of exactly how that happened for her. A medical doctor who spent her 20s pursuing sideline sporting careers in rowing and Ironman triathlon, it wasn’t until she reached her mid-30s that O’Donnell found her true calling in the ranks of professional cyclists. Life and Death will inspire both women and men who’ve given up on their sporting ambitions. It also gives a warts-and-all account of the real lives of professional cyclists.
When All is Said & Done - Neale Daniher
Neale Daniher sat down to pen a letter to the grandchildren he’ll never get to know. And then he kept on writing. In 2013, the AFL legend was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease – a cruel and incurable disease. He knew he had a choice. He could spend his remaining time on earth focussed on himself, or he could seize the opportunity to make a better future for others. When All is Said & Done is a book of stories and wisdom from a man who has always held his beliefs to the Bunsen burner of life. Neale is unflinchingly honest, sharing a timely reminder that, even though life doesn’t promise to be fair, we all have the power to choose how to make every day count.
The 50 Greatest Matches in Australian Cricket - Dan Liebke
Finishing with a lighter read - this book will have you reminiscing and giggling in equal amounts. Dan Liebke has such a talent for drawing out the comedic side of cricket, which he believes is an inherently funny sport. Relive the breathtaking ties, impossible chases, and even the devastating losses that created cricket legends as in this count down to the greatest match the Australian team has been involved in. An essential collection of cricketing tales for any fan of our national sport.