Farewell Black Caviar

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Andrew Cattanach

The fairytale ended last week as a teary Peter Moody and owners of Black Caviar announced they would be retiring the national icon, with her amazing unbeaten stretch stopping at 25.

I was lucky enough to be at Randwick for her last run, although the 28,000 spectators there didn’t know at the time. Premier Barry O’Farrell had earlier in the week clamboured for headlines with his misjudged quote, “The only thing better than a Black Caviar victory will be if Sydney is known as the place where Black Caviar was beaten by a horse with Jim Cassidy on its back.”

But for a nation where state lines are most divisive in the sporting arena, where the tall poppy syndrome is a celebrated part of our national culture, nobody at Randwick that day wanted to see her lose.

Sure the GFC isn’t The Great Depression, nor the War Against Terror the Great War, but Black Caviar came at just the right time like the preeminent people’s champion Phar Lap. And during these times, everyday people start to believe in fairytales. It’s in our nature.

Black Caviar wasn’t considered much of a horse, from not much of a lineage. She was casually bred, broken, and put up for auction. And as the huge mare circled the pens at auction, she only turned one head. Young, ambitious trainer Peter Moody. He convinced a conglomerate of prospective owners to invest $210,000 to secure the horse with one of them, Pam Hawkes, asking one major question.

“Is she fast?”

“She’s lightening,” Moody replied.

And the rest is history.

And last Saturday in Randwick in her last race, she blew the field away, and the crowd cheered like never before.

We don’t hold the Ashes, we don’t hold the Rugby Union World Cup, or the Rugby League World Cup, or the Football World Cup.

But we had the fastest horse in the world, perhaps the fastest ever. And I’ll never forget the roar of the crowd as that great champion galloped down the straight for one last time.
_________________________

Andrew Cattanach is a regular contributor to The Booktopia Blog. You can see other posts from him here, and follow his ramblings on twitter here.

Click here to buy Black Caviar from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Filed under: Australian Author, Book Recommendations, Non Fiction, Sport | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: On Warne (Review by Andrew Cattanach)

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Andrew Cattanach

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST CONTAINS GRATUITOUS MAN LOVE.

Imagine two men. One capable of changing history with drift and turn from the rough, the other capable of making it riveting to those who think drift and turn from the rough was illegal in Tasmania until 1997. Imagine they meet, one as artist, the other his subject. Imagine no longer.

I will say from the outset that I think Gideon Haigh is the cat’s pyjamas. His writing has enthralled me for many years and a better wordsmith equipped with knowledge of the Duckworth-Lewis system there is not. His catalogue of writing on subjects other than cricket (I’m looking at you The Office) is worthy of hearty literary servitude, however his musings on the mystical art of bat and ball are simply peerless. He is at the front, speeding away. Daylight is a distant second.

The same can be said of the Sultan of Spin, Shane Warne. Once a full-time cricketer/part-time celebrity and now a full-time celebrity/part-time cricketer. Once he had a case of VB on his arm where Liz Hurley now resides, and for all the battering headlines and inescapable SMS-capades he seems to be doing better than ever. I feel I’m not alone in asking, precisely in the name of the lord, how?

I’ll warn those who do cartwheels when reading of mudslinging there is little of it in the folds of this book. This book is far, far better than that. For all of Haigh’s occasional excursions into Warne’s personal life, one that cast such a shadow over his achievements and eventual captaincy aspirations; rumours are treated as rumours and facts respected as fact. Haigh is clearly not here to make friends though via his measured, thoughtful insight he is unlikely to make any enemies either.

On Warne is a relentless page turner, a lamentable rarity in today’s sporting catalogue about to fill Santa-faced stockings throughout the country. Split into sections exploring the beginnings of Warne’s career, his rise to national honours, his turbulent personal life, the relationships with team mates and the press. On Warne never has a dull moment much like the man. Lest we forget Shane Warne has been both the highest paid cricketer of his generation and also a prime-time talk show host, albeit one whose weaknesses were widely-documented.

Cricket brings out your deepest secrets and lays them on the pitch. How you play the game is an intimate expression of who you are. Should you wander past a suburban cricket ground and see a figure, cap on, charging the bowler, swinging wildly at the ball, throwing caution to the wind you can bet he won’t come off and dive into a copy of War and Peace. Similarly a bowler who takes near hours to meticulously set his field, mechanically sprint up and deliver a spell of slow-medium bowling that could hit a five cent piece at will is unlikely to be up on drunk and disorderly charges anytime soon. So where does the line between Shane Warne, the womanising drunkard begin and Shane Warne, one of the most intelligent bowlers and most astute captains of our time end? Where does it begin to blur, or are they somehow one in the same?

Part biography, part essay, part coaching manual, part anthropological study, On Warne is so many things. For the cricket lover it is the one book that breaks barriers down between the freakish ability of Warne and the simplicity of a man who loves his craft like few others. For the cricket novice there is no finer chronicle of the moments he created and the men he embraced and spurned alike.

But most of all, for those who don’t understand why Shane Warne continues to be such a topic of discourse,  I can think of no better place to point you than Gideon Haigh’s On Warne.

Click here to buy On Warne from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Click here to read all of Andrew’s Posts. Click here to follow Andrew on twitter.

Filed under: Australian Author, Biography/Memoir, Book Recommendations, Christmas Gift Ideas, Sport, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Matthew Mitcham, Olympic Gold Medallist and author of Twists and Turns, answers Ten Terrifying Questions

Posted on November 23, 2012 by John Purcell, The Booktopia Book Guru

 The Booktopia Book Guru asks

Matthew Mitcham

Olympic Gold Medallist
and author of Twists and Turns

Ten Terrifying Questions

 ————————

1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

All in Brisbane. QEII (coopers plains), raised in Camp Hill (I had no chance to be straight!) educated at Mansfield SHS.

2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

12: rich, 18: famous. 30: rich and famous.

3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?

I thought that you only go through depression once in your life. I didn’t realise you actually have to work on mental health.

4. What were three big events – in the family circle or on the world stage or in your reading life, for example – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced you in your career path?

Reading Agassi’s biography OPEN, Greg Louganis’s biography BREAKING THE SURFACE and reading about Fergie’s struggles all helped mould what I did with the last five years of my life.

5. Considering the innumerable electronic media avenues open to you – blogs, online newspapers, TV, radio, etc – why have you chosen to write a book? Aren’t they obsolete?

There is something really satisfying about holding a book and turning the pages. But we’ve covered all our bases by releasing it in electronic format as well!

6. Please tell us about your latest book…

It’s the story of my life from birth to present, with absolutely no omissions whatsoever (after all, 24 is really young to write a book!) but it is a very warts-and-all biography, talking about everything from sports to depression, living like a caveman, coming to terms with sexuality, and all the (mis)adventures in between.

(BBGuru: here is the publisher’s blurb - People kept remarking on how they were surprised that a gold medal and fame hadn’t changed me. I always responded, ‘Why would I change? Being me is the easiest person to be.

I was lying. It wasn’t.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, he made history with an unforgettable dive, the first to ever score perfect tens from all four judges, and won gold for Australia.

Grinning with pride from front pages around the world, there was no hint of the personal demons that had led this supremely talented young dynamo to quit diving less than two years before.

Joyously out and proud, Matthew was a role model for his courage both in and out of the pool. Yet the crippling self-doubt and shadow of depression that had plagued him all his life forced him into premature retirement, at one point reduced to circus diving to earn money.

Even after Beijing and being ranked No 1 in the world, those closest to Matthew could not guess that beneath that cheeky, fun-loving exterior he was painfully aware of how easily it could unravel.

In the lead-up to the London Olympics, when injury threatened his hopes, he will have to find the strength again to balance his striving for perfectionism with the fear of his self-doubt taking hold again.

Told with the honesty and courage he is admired for, Twists and Turns is an inspiring story of a true champion, in and out of the pool. )

Click here to buy Twists and Turns from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

7. If your work could change one thing in this world – what would it be?

To de-stigmatise mental illness so that people feel more comfortable reaching out and seeking the help they need.

8. Whom do you most admire and why?

Too. Many. People. I like to see the best in people and strive to emulate those qualities that I admire in others. But mostly Stephen Fry.

9. Many people set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

To be rich and famous by 30. Is that too much to ask?

10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?

Let your personality translate through your writing. Write the book that you’d want to read.

Matthew, thank you for playing.

Click here to buy Twists and Turns from Booktopia,
Australia’s Local Bookstore

Filed under: Australian Author, Author Interview, Biography/Memoir, Book Trailer, Sport | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

BIG NEWS: Olympian Matthew Mitcham is coming to Booktopia to sign copies of Twists and Turns!

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Booktopia

Twists and Turns

People kept remarking on how they were surprised that a gold medal and fame hadn’t changed me. I always responded, ‘Why would I change? Being me is the easiest person to be.’

I was lying. It wasn’t.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, he made history with an unforgettable dive, the first to ever score perfect tens from all four judges, and won gold for Australia.

Grinning with pride from front pages around the world, there was no hint of the personal demons that had led this supremely talented young dynamo to quit diving less than two years before.

Joyously out and proud, Matthew was a role model for his courage both in and out of the pool. Yet the crippling self-doubt and shadow of depression that had plagued him all his life forced him into premature retirement, at one point reduced to circus diving to earn money.

Even after Beijing and being ranked No 1 in the world, those closest to Matthew could not guess that beneath that cheeky, fun-loving exterior he was painfully aware of how easily it could unravel.

In the lead-up to the London Olympics, when injury threatened his hopes, he will have to find the strength again to balance his striving for perfectionism with the fear of his self-doubt taking hold again.

Told with the honesty and courage he is admired for, Twists and Turns is an inspiring story of a true champion, in and out of the pool.

Click here reserve your signed copy by pre-ordering Twists and Turns

About the Author

At 11, champion trampoline gymnast Matthew Mitcham was discovered by the Australian Institute of Sport Diving Program. He became a national junior champion, represented Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, achieving the highest single dive in Games history and becoming the first Australian male to win a gold medal in diving since 1924.

His many awards include the 2010 World Cup, 2010 and 2011 Canadian Cup competitions, along with four silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and he is ranked No.1 in the world in 10m platform. He is also one of Australia’s most prominent ‘out and proud’ athletes.

Click here reserve your signed copy by pre-ordering Twists and Turns

Filed under: Australian Author, Biography/Memoir, Book Recommendations, Sport | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Chappelli: Life, Larrikins and Cricket (Review by Andrew Cattanach)

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Andrew Cattanach

My name is Andrew Cattanach, and my family home had a cricket book wall. Many of them, in fact.

When I was growing up I noticed my walls had a different look to them than other family homes. Sometimes there were tasteful awnings, feature walls drowned in colour, even red bricks peering through the paintwork.

But no other home had a cricket book wall.

So it was like smelling my mother’s cookies in the oven when Ian Chappell’s new book Chappelli: Life, Larrikins and Cricket was flung onto my desk by The Booktopia Book Guru. Nostalgia slapped me in the face and I was taken into a world where men wore moustaches, lapels and chips on their shoulders.

Ian Chappell has been compiling cricketing anecdotes for a few decades now, and their success lies in not only the quality of his tales but also the down to earth manner in which they are told. He rarely eases out of second gear for most of them, which translates to an accessible and thoroughly entertaining journey.

So easily these books could turn into an exercise in name-dropping but interactions with stars are given the same reverence as nameless characters littering his experiences throughout his life and sporting career. It’s also worth noting that despite his cricketing pedigree (his Uncle Vic captained Don Bradman, his brother Greg captained Australia and is largely regarded the batsman of his generation), Chappell is also increasingly recognised as a commentator on the game first, a past player second. This new dimension gives a different side to the wild, salt of the earth skipper we know from earlier books. Chappell is now a man of the world, traveling extensively throughout the UK, Europe, the Sub-Continent, and even the America’s where he was a reporter for Australian TV on the Baseball World Series in the early 90’s.

The book also expands further on World Series Cricket and Chappell’s experiences with Kerry Packer. An interesting side note that Packer rarely attempted to hide was how much he looked up to Chappell, one of the few people whose opinion he valued above his own. This brings a new side to Kerry Packer rarely explored and makes for interesting reading even if Chappell, as is his way, tries to downplay Packer’s infatuation with him.

Chappell rarely misses a beat with the rest of his stories, the obligatory priceless Doug Walters tour story appears in this edition as with the rest. One senses a more measured, open man than that which sprouted so many imitators many years ago. Chappell remains the yardstick for cricketing stories and while this book explores more territory than just the willow and leather, there’s little doubt that it could be his best book yet.

Chappelli: Life, Larrikins and Cricket is not just for fans of cricket. Nor is it for fans of the cricketer. More than anything it is the stories of a boy from Adelaide whose views on labour and life have rarely erred from the values we all try and instil in the world today. The boy’s done pretty well and why don’t you, like me, let him tell you how.

Review by Andrew Cattanach

Click here to read all of Andrew’s Posts. Click here to follow Andrew on twitter.

Click here to order Chappelli: Life, Larrikins and Cricket from Booktopia,
Australia’s No.1 Online Book Shop

Filed under: Biography/Memoir, Book Recommendations, Sport | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Swannies Guernsey and Cap Signed by Micky O Up For Grabs!

Posted on September 28, 2012 by booktopiaadministration

Swans jersey and cap signed by Micky O up for grabsIn time for AFL Grand Final Day, Booktopia has a Swans guernsey and cap both signed by Micky O to give away.

Just order Micky O: Determination. Hard Work. And a Little Bit of Magic from Booktopia before midnight Tuesday 2nd October 2012 to go into the draw.

How does that sound?

Oh, and may the best team win…

(Go Swannies!)

Click here to order Micky O from Booktopia,
Australia’s No. 1 Online Book Shop

Click here for details or to orderMicky O: Determination. Hard Work. And a Little Bit of Magic

When Michael O’Loughlin was drafted by the Sydney Swans at just 17 years of age, he was the no. 40 selection and the last player picked. Back then he could not have imagined the extraordinary future that awaited him: the numerous awards and accolades, the respect and admiration of fellow players, a huge number of personal supporters, and a record-breaking 303 games in the red and white.

This is the inspiring story of Michael’s life from the childhood lessons of hard work and self-belief imparted to him by his mother, Muriel, to the discovery of the stunning sporting ability which would take him into the elite legions of AFL.

By 2009, Michael had broken the Swans’ games record. He had kicked more goals for the club than anyone except the legendary Bob Pratt. Swans jersey and cap signed by Micky O up for grabsHe played more finals for the Swans than any other, and became one of just three Indigenous players in the history of the sport to reach 300 games.

Micky O is the extraordinary story of a kid who combined his talent with sheer determination to become one of the greatest AFL players of all time.

Click here to order Micky O from Booktopia,
Australia’s No. 1 Online Book Shop

Filed under: Australian Author, Biography/Memoir, Competitions, Sport | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Old School by Nathan Hindmarsh (Review by Andrew Cattanach)

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Andrew Cattanach

In a world where sportsmen fight, drink and tweet their way into trouble on a daily basis, Parramatta, New South Wales and Australian great Nathan Hindmarsh is a different breed. The softly spoken people’s champion is now playing his last season for his beloved Parramatta Eels. Sadly he will end his career never winning a premiership, but in Old School he has released one of the best autobiographies of the year.

Hindmarsh has always worn his heart on his sleeve while playing, a true gentleman of the game. However before the release of Old School little was known of the twenty-three time Australian representative off the field, apart from occasional shots of his wife Bonnie watching in the stands with their three boys Archie, Buster and Rowdie. As one of the millions of children born in the eighties named Andrew, I can’t tell you how cool those names are.

Hindmarsh became a regular first-grader for Parramatta in 1999, and just one year later was playing for Australia. In 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 he was voted the second rower of the year in the NRL, an achievement that may never be broken. His popularity can also be measured in being awarded the Provan-Summons medal, aka the fan’s player of the year, in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and last year, 2011. To put that into context, for nearly half of his entire career, he has been judged to be the best and most popular player in the NRL. An achievement that, in a game that celebrates its tribalism and partisanship, is absolutely remarkable.

But Old School isn’t just another autobiography about a kid done good. Hindmarsh also tells the harrowing tale of his caustic gambling addiction, a crutch that threatened to bring down his career and his personal life. Crippled by debts of over two hundred thousand dollars, four times the average wage for a professional Rugby League player, Hindmarsh suffered silently and upon the book’s release even former teammates and close friends have admitted they knew nothing of the extent of his battle. A battle that, in true Nathan Hindmarsh style, he fought with in the dark, desperate for his problems not to burden his friends and family.

For the sports nut, the curious observer, or anyone trying to find their place in the world, Old School is a wonderful story of a footballer trying to find balance in his life while seemingly living his dream. Funny, moving and uplifting, don’t miss out on the journey of a boy from country NSW who became an idol to millions.

Review by Booktopia’s Andrew Cattanach

Click here to read all of Andrew’s Posts. Click here to follow Andrew on twitter.

Click here to buy Old School from Booktopia,
Australia’s No.1 Online Book Shop

Filed under: Book Recommendations, Review, Sport | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Michael Winkler, editor of Kick it to the Shithouse: Great Sporting Quotes, answers Ten Terrifying Questions

Posted on August 5, 2012 by John Purcell, The Booktopia Book Guru

The Booktopia Book Guru asks

Michael Winkler

editor of Kick it to the Shithouse: Great Sporting Quotes

Ten Terrifying Questions

———————————–

1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

I grew up in country Victoria then moved to Melbourne aged 17. At the time that seemed quite old. It wasn’t.

2. What did you want to be when you were 12, 18 and 30? And why?

I always wanted to be a writer. It seemed a romantic idea. Even when the reality of what being a writer meant finally struck, it was still what I wanted to be. When I was young, perhaps a few years younger than 12, I was also keen on the idea of becoming a criminal.

3. What strongly held belief did you have at 18 that you do not have now?

Very nearly all of them.

4. What were three big events – in the family circle or on the world stage or in your reading life, for example – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced you in your career path?

I think character is destiny, more or less, so the first key event was being born with the mental and emotional habitus that frames who I am. The next most important moment in my life was learning to read. The third key moment was meeting my partner. The single best thing you can do to ensure a better life is find the right person to spend it with.

5. Considering the innumerable electronic media avenues open to you – blogs, online newspapers, TV, radio, etc – why have you chosen to write a book? Aren’t they obsolete?

I have written for the internet since its first florescence in Australia the late 1990s. I’ve written for newspapers and magazines, I’ve worked in commercial television and for ABC radio. I suspect that in as little as 10 or 15 years most commercial publishing will be primarily electronic and old-style dead-tree books will be the domain of small specialist production houses. Despite all this, I will go to my grave loving traditional paper books over every other medium.

6. Please tell us about your latest book…

Kick it to the S#!thouse is a collection of memorable quotes from Australian sportspeople, ranging from the obscure to the obtuse (and occasionally the borderline obscene).

(BBGuru: Blurb - Whether it’s through banter, trash talking, the perfectly timed barb, a witty observation or the crude but effective sledge or counter-sledge, Aussies make taking the piss an art form, especially in the sporting arena. Here, from the MCG to the SCG, golf courses and racing tracks, comes the best witticisms, classic insults and brutal take-downs to ever cross the lips of our favourite sportspeople. And let’s not forget the downright hilarious things that come out of the mouths of our commentators and coaches. )

Click here to buy Kick it to the Shithouse, from Booktopia,
Australia’s No.1 Online Book Shop

7. If your work could change one thing in this world – what would it be?

The grotesque inequality in economic and personal power that exists between people across the globe. I think it’s a fair bet that this book won’t have much impact on that, though.

8. Whom do you most admire and why?

Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls for his work ethic, compassion and vision. I have him in a dead-heat with Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop as the greatest Australian who has ever lived.

9. Many people set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

To write fiction half as well as David Mitchell.

10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?

There is no law that says publishers have to publish your work, or that readers have to read it. If it is what the market wants, it will find an audience. Just because you think your writing deserves to be read doesn’t mean it will be. That’s a tough thing to discover. Rejection is incredibly painful, and it doesn’t hurt any less as you get older. Still, writing is something you have chosen. No-one has a knife to your throat telling you that you have to write. If you think there is any chance that the world might not want or need your work, perhaps you should hedge your bets and do something else useful with some of your time. It is valuable insurance against the inevitable ‘I’ve just wasted two decades of my life’ blues!

Michael, thank you for playing.

Filed under: Australian Author, Author Interview, History, Humour, Sport, Writing tips | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Oh, Sh*t, It’s the Olympics… Five Books to Help You Get Your Olympics On… by Andrew Cattanach

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Andrew Cattanach

What’s going on you ask? You’re watching morning TV and the newsreader is reporting on the weather in Perth from a London bus. Uncle Toby’s ads are on every 16 seconds. The local paper is selling boxing kangaroo badges and Laurie Lawrence is doing a speaking tour. Yes Booktopians, the Olympics are nearly upon us.

A show of global unity for some, national disunity for others, the Olympics are an insight into the uncompromising dreams of over 10,000 people, each one yearning for their own chance at immortality.

Here are five of my favourite books to get you into the spirit and accompany you on your journey from qualification to Olympic Gold.

Olympic Gold

A sensational book for the enthusiast and the amateur alike, Olympic Gold is a beautifully set out book detailing Australia’s 74 individual Olympic gold medallists.

From Edwin Flack to Lydia Lassila, filled with quotes and events details along with wonderful writing giving each athlete their appropriate dues, Olympic Gold is a great place to start when examining the incredible success Australia has had in Olympic competition, much to the disbelief of so many larger, more populous nations.

Buy Olympic Gold

The Complete Book of the Olympics : 2012 Edition

Once you’ve got a feel for the majesty of the Australian Olympic tilt throughout the years, revel in this incredible collection of stories, statistics, rules and results for every event in the London Olympics.

It also contains the top eight finishers in every Summer Olympic events since 1896. This book is just amazing. And at over 1300 pages, Booktopia’s flat rate of $6.50 postage per order (not per book, as some people think) looks pretty appetizing for a mountain of a book, hey folks?

An absolute must for London 2012.

Buy The Complete Book of the Olympics : 2012 Edition

The Secret Olympian

Let’s face it. New Idea, OK Magazine and the like run off the shelves for a reason. We love gossip. And there’s no more unknown world than the Athlete’s village.

The Secret Olympian brings in the sordid tales from the village from many of the world’s greatest athletes, anonymously of course which only illustrates the gravity of the stories within these pages. Tales of sex, drugs, boozing and, well there’s a lot of sex people. It’s like Fifty Shades of Grey but with six packs instead of whipped backs.

A great read you won’t be able to put down.

Buy The Secret Olympian

The Dirtiest Race in History

Every Olympics even the most apathetic spectator will turn their head for one event. The 100m sprint. As if harking back to more primal, tribal days, the 100m sprint is a measure of physical excellence few disciplines can match.

Think about it, what would you risk to be named the fastest human being on the planet, perhaps even in the history of the human race? Ben Johnson asked himself that question in the summer of 1988, and the world of athletics changed forever.

The Dirtiest Race in History is a fantastic read and a must for anyone who ponders where the line of ethics and morality in sport, as in life, begins and ends. A study of history and sport like few others.

Buy The Dirtiest Race in History

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

There are two certainties during an Olympics.

One, Bruce McAvaney will call at least 128 different athletes ‘special’.

Two, watching those human gazelles roar across the track will have you thinking about dusting off your Dunlop Volleys and hitting the local pavement.

Whether you’re a Murakami fan or not (I am) or whether you’re a runner or not (I try my best not to be), What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a great book about the famous writer falling in love with running and the joy it brings. Part training diary, part essay collection, part memoir, Murakami’s passion radiates from every page and his writing is as perceptive and witty as ever.

Buy What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

And there it is, five books to put you on track for Olympic glory. Enjoy, and let’s bring on London.

 

Click here to read all of Andrew’s Posts. Click here to follow Andrew on twitter.

Editor: Ahem… Andrew, you forgot one.

Gold

by Chris Cleave

I am reading this at the moment and so far it is ace.

Blurb: The extraordinary new novel from the author of international bestseller THE OTHER HAND.

Usually, this is where we’d tell you what this book is about.

But with Chris Cleave, it’s a bit different.

Because if you’ve read THE OTHER HAND or INCENDIARY, you’ll know that what his books are about is only part of the story – what really matters is how they make you feel.

GOLD is about the limits of human endurance, both physical and emotional.

It will make you cry.

GOLD is about what drives us to succeed – and what we choose to sacrifice for success.

It will make you feel glad to be alive.

GOLD is about the struggles we all face every day; the conflict between winning on others’ terms, and triumphing on your own.

It will make you count your blessings.

GOLD is a story told as only Chris Cleave could tell it. And once you begin, it will be a heart-pounding race to the finish.

In the end, if all else fails, you can just Buy Gold

Filed under: Social Commentary, Sport | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

COMING TO TV: Howzat!: Kerry Packer’s War

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Booktopia

England, Summer 1975.

The Australian cricket team, visiting for an Ashes series, fields players who will become legends of the game Ian Chappell, Rodney Marsh, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson against celebrated English power-cricketers Tony Greig, John Snow and Phil Edmonds. It is the pinnacle of the game of cricket the two oldest enemies in the game going head to head. At the beautifully green grounds the games are exciting, filled with colour, intrigue and expectation.

But soon after cricket will undergo a revolution. It will no longer be a game of tradition, run by traditionalists. There will be cricket under lights, players in colourful gear, and the way its broadcast on television will be transformed, no longer shot by a single camera, screened in black and white on the ABC and the BBC.

This thrilling book tells the story of World Series Cricket and the Australian media mogul Kerry Packer, who saw a business opportunity in the game he loved and challenged its grand traditions. A high-stakes story of money and power, elite sportsman, legal drama, it is also at its heart a tale of love of the game.

Click here to order Howzat!: Kerry Packer’s War from Booktopia,
Australia’s No. 1 Online Bookshop

Filed under: Sport | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

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