Task #1: Read a book about sports.

[Bonnie G.]

Some of these have been mentioned, but for non-sports fans I recommend the excellent Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream, The Art of Fielding, Everybody's All-american, Among the Thugs, and Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football.

[Anetq]

Not into sports or YA - and will bend rules to make things fit. Any suggestions for classics, off-topic stuff that will fit?
(have read Murakamis Running book)

[Martha]

Maybe look at one of these suggestions from Flavorwire: http://flavorwire.com/422470/10-books...

I really liked The Brothers K and I'm not a sports fan either. Another I liked that included sports, but was about much more, was One Summer: America, 1927.

[Shawn]

I detest everything about sports and YA, but I recently started this novel about a young wrestler named Stephen Florida and it's grabbed me by the collar so I recommend it!Stephen Florida

[Tammy]

Julia wrote: "Anyone have any good recommendations for someone who has zero interest in sports?"

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall. I'd say it's probably just as much a book about a travel adventure and an indigenous Mexican culture, as it is about running. It's one of my all-time favorite books. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[David]

I read "The Boys of Summer," by Roger Kahn. It's almost as much about the art of sports writing in the 1940s & 50s (and it WAS an art back then) as it is about baseball in that era. It's beautifully written. Even if you're not a baseball fan, I think any serious reader would be able to appreciate it for the writing and human-interest aspect.

[Shawn]

I just started reading Beartown Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I'm not quite 100 pages into it. It's about small town hockey and its effect on a community. I've loved all of his other books that I've read and so far I'm really into this one as well. I'd say you don't need to be a fan of hockey or even know too much about the game to enjoy this book.

[Elyse]

Shawn wrote: "I just started reading Beartown Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I'm not quite 100 pages into it. It's about small town hockey and its effect on a community. I've loved all of his other..."

Enjoyed Beartown and love all of his other books!

[Karen]

I'm reading Stephen Florida!

[Betsy]

Would "When Pride Still Mattered," the biography of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss (sp?) fitnthis category? It looks like it's all about coaching American football. Thank you!

[Tim]

Betsy wrote: "Would "When Pride Still Mattered," the biography of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss (sp?) fitnthis category? It looks like it's all about coaching American football. Thank you!"

Absolutely would fit. Lombardi had an incredible impact on the NFL.

[Rebecca]

Like the rest of the world, I read The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics for this. I listened to the audiobook and thought Edward Herrmann did an excellent job. (He also read Unbroken, and I laughed when this book made a reference to Louie!) This was really uplifting, and I'm shocked it hasn't been made into a movie yet.

[Melissa]

In keeping with my feminist Read Harder project, I'm currently reading Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape. It's really good.

[Natalie]

I was considering this as well (Unsportsmanlike). Please let me know when you have finished, if you would reccomend it.

[Chinook]

I'm listening to the audio for The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and it's really good so far. Plus, I just did a rewatch of the Gilmore Girls, so it's fun that it's read by Edward Herrman.

[Tammy]

I read Forward: A Memoir, by Abby Wombach for this challenge. It held my interest, but isn't a favorite.

I also just happened to read Gold, by Chris Cleave (author of Little Bee). It might be a good book for people not that interested in sports, as it is centered around the sport of professional track cycling, but seems to me to be way more of a story about a friendship, a young girl with leukemia, and how the characters interact with each other and address both past and present challenges. I recommend it!

[Jennifer]

Football Girl

[Britany]

Finished by Fredrik Backman-- 4 Stars.

My second Backman book and looking forward to more...

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kate]

I was really dragging my feet over this one. Then I stumbled across Eat, sweat, play by Anna Kessel which is about women and sport. It's a great book for women who think they don't like sport (such as myself). An easy read but really inspiring and insightful.

[Betty]

I ended up going with "Touching my Father's Soul" for this one. Mountain climbing is definitely a sport I can handle reading about. It was fascinating to read about climbing Everest from a sherpa's point of view.

[Jolynne]

You can read my review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[[deleted user]]

For this task, I read An Olympic Dream: The Story of Samia Yusuf Omar by Reinhard Kleist

[Gloria]

Would Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk count? Fiction, satire based around a football game?

(It would be a home-run for me---100 miles from home, sports and debut novel....)

[Chinook]

I would say no. It's about them being at the beginning of a game but really nothing to do with the sport.

[Sam]

I just finished Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen and am pleasantly surprised! I was dreading this topic but I loved Born to Run. I am ready to forever abandon running shoes now!

[Wellington]

I read Unbound by Steph Jagger for this challenge. It was about the author discovering who she is through a ski trip following winter around the world. The author felt that her life was good, but needed to bump things up another notch to challenge herself. She chose to do this through following winter around the world and skiing 4,000,000 vertical miles. The trip started out simple enough with some relatively easy hiccups. Once the trip really got going she discovered that this trip was about so much more than trying to ski 4,000,000 vertical miles. This trip was actually about discovering who she is as a complete person (warrior and goddess). The writing is authentic and the pacing is great. There is equal parts humor and honesty about what transpired during this momentous journey.

[Megan]

I read Seabiscuit: An American Legend for this category. I picked up a copy at a used book sale at my local library since it had been on my "want to read" list for a long time.

[Lisa]

Sam wrote: "I just finished Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen and am pleasantly surprised! I was dreading this topic but I loved Born to ..."

Ditto!

[Julia]

Gloria asked: Would Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk count? Fiction, satire based around a football game?

(It would be a home-run for me---100 miles from home, sports and debut novel....)

Chinook said no to sports, but what about war?

[Chinook]

Yes, definitely war.

And it’s a great book.

[Gloria]

Julia wrote: "Gloria asked: Would Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk count? Fiction, satire based around a football game?

(It would be a home-run for me---100 miles from home, sports and debut nov..."

but of course! thanks!

[Abbie]

Thoughts on The Long Walk? I just finished it and would love for it to count for something...

[Melissa]

Abbie wrote: "Thoughts on The Long Walk? I just finished it and would love for it to count for something..."

Personally, I would count it. It is about a race after all. Also, that book is so emotionally draining, it should definitely count for something!

[Jenny]

I read The Boys in the Boat. It was excellent.

[Emily]

I'm reading The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis