For 125 years the British &amp; Irish Lions have stood out as a unique emblem in world sport. They represent the best of the best from the four Home Nations, coming together every four years under a united badge to take on the rugby greats of the Southern Hemisphere. Lions tours embody a revered legacy that is steeped in tradition yet maintains a vibrant standing in the modern era. The Lions badge is a symbol of the ethics, values and the romance at the heart of Test match rugby. Every four years the rugby world's focus is drawn to a great red pilgrimage as the Lions embark on a brutal and exhilarating tour that challenges the very limits of their rugby ability and the strengths of their characters. They travel to the far reaches of the earth to confront the great powers in the world game - and the weight of history itself. Behind the Lions sees four esteemed rugby writers from each of the Home Nations delve to the heart of what it means to be a Lion, interviewing a vast array of former tourists to uncover the passion, pride and exhilaration experienced when wearing the famous red jersey. It is a tale of heart-break and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. This is the story of the British &amp; Irish Lions - in their own words.

Behind The Lions: Playing Rugby for the British & Irish Lions (Behind the Jersey Series)

History

English, Tom

Cain, Nick

JONES, STEPHEN

Europe

Arena Sport

Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force

Deering, John

Biographies & Memoirs

During careers that saw them play for teams such as Hibernian and St. Mirren in Scotland, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City in England, and Torino in Italy, brothers Joe and Gerry Baker scored more than 500 goals between them. This captivating account describes how it came to be that two of Scotland's greatest ever sportsmen never represented the Scottish national team, tracing Joe's path from Hibs to the English national team—becoming the first man to make his England debut without ever having played in the English league—and Gerry's journey from St. Mirren to the U.S. team. With unprecedented access to the Baker family archives, including contributions from Gerry Baker himself and the late Joe's son Colin, The Fabulous Baker Boys is a unique tale of Scotland's most celebrate sporting siblings and contains exclusive interviews with former players such as Denis Law, Lawrie Reilly, John Robertson, Alex Young, Pat Stanton, Bob Wilson, and George Eastham.

The Fabulous Baker Boys: The Greatest Strikers Scotland Never Had

Sports & Outdoors

Maxwell, Tom

Soccer

Based on exclusive interviews with players past and present, Behind the Thistle gives a unique insight into the drama and emotion of representing Scotland in that most rarefied of environments - Test match rugby. Drawing on first-hand interviews from a vast array of former and current players, from Russell Bruce and Frank Coutts in the 1940s, all the way through to the present day, the authors uncover the heart and soul of Scottish rugby, recounting the ecstasy of victory and the despair of defeat, drawing out innumerable humorous anecdotes and heart-warming memories. Behind the Thistle presents an inside access to the private moments in the changing and team rooms, on tour, and on the pitch itself. From the tension before kick-off to the tumultuous heat of battle and the high-jinx thereafter, this is the story of what it is like to play for Scotland, the sacrifices and joys experienced by those who have shed blood, sweat and tears in pursuit of glory in the international jersey. Absorbing, illuminating and compelling, this is a must-have for all rugby fans.

Behind the Thistle: Playing Rugby for Scotland (Behind the Jersey Series)

Barnes, David

Burns, Peter

On 21 July 2013 Chris Froome made history as the second British cyclist to win the Tour de France - in the 100th edition of the world's most famous bike race - and the first ever African-born rider to wear the coveted maillot jaune on the top step of the podium in Paris. Froome's path into the elite ranks of road racing - from mountain biking alongside wild animals on dusty roads in the nature reserves of Kenya's Great Rift Valley to the giddy heights of the Tour de France - has been unlike any other in the annals of the sport. Born in Nairobi to British parents he was educated in South Africa and studied economics at university. But he abandoned his degree to take up the offer of a professional cycling contract in Europe. A fish out of water, unused to the harsh northern hemisphere winters, with no idea of the tactics, discipline or etiquette of riding in the professional peloton, Froome encountered a shock entrance into the rough and tumble world of top level European bike racing.Incredibly, within two years - and despite his progress being severely hampered when he contracted a debilitating tropical disease - Froome had signed for the world's biggest cycling team, British cycling supremo Sir Dave Brailsford's Team Sky, finished second overall in the Vuelta a Espana, and sacrificed his own ambitions to help teammate Bradley Wiggins claim Britain's first ever Tour de France title in 2012. At the turn of 2013 Froome superseded Wiggins as Sky's team leader and went on to win four out of the five stage races he entered, including the prestigious Criterium du Dauphine, before dominating the 2013 Tour de France on a relentless pursuit of the ultimate prize in cycling. David Sharp tells the story of a unique athlete's remarkable journey that led him from riding his bike for fun in the Ngong Hills of Kenya to the very pinnacle of the sport and victory in the world's toughest race.

Va Va Froome: The Remarkable Rise of Chris Froome

Sharp, David

The Ryder Cup is coming home; the 40th staging of golf ’s showpiece event is returning to Gleneagles, Scotland. Tracing the history of the Ryder Cup back to that infamous first encounter at Gleneagles in 1921, this book intertwines the histories of the coveted prize and of the game of golf at this renowned venue. Through a series of in-depth interviews, an array of national and international celebrities reveal what the Ryder Cup and Gleneagles mean to them while examining the impact that the tournament will have on the local community and the wider Scottish society, culture, and economy. With a hole-by-hole guide to the course by Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie, this volume paints a unique portrait of Scottish golf.

Jewel in the Glen: Gleneagles, Golf and the Ryder Cup

Hodge, Ed

Golf

On 17 July 1993, Graeme Obree stunned the international world when he emerged from obscurity to smash Francesco Moser's World Hour Record. The Flying Scotsman is Graeme Obree's searing autobiography, from his tough upbringing in Ayrshire where he found escape on the roads, to his head-to-head duals with Chris Boardman and becoming a major star on the European circuit. Obree created massive controversy in the professional cycling world with his unique riding style and his pioneering construction techniques - famously using washing-machine parts to complete the building of his 'Old Faithful'. Yet all his sporting success was achieved in the shadow of manic depression and suicidal despair. His life continues to have its ups and downs as Obree brings his amazing life story up to date as he continues to astound the world with his creative genius and sporting prowess.

The Flying Scotsman

Obree, Graeme

How to be a Cyclist: An A-Z of Life on Two Wheels

No bicycle repair was ever made easier by turning your bike upside down. White shorts are for other people. A helmet perched on the back of your head is perfect if you ride your bike backwards. These and a host of other handy pointers jostle for attention within this A-to-Z guide to being a cyclist. It’s an essential manual and source of wisdom for those who would be kings of the road. Many pitfalls await the unwary middle-aged-man-in-Lycra, but fear not, for the guide is here to steer you through choppy waters. No more passing out halfway up a hill. No more ridicule in the work place. No more hurty knee. And no more sock crimes. Pearls of wisdom are scattered throughout this book. For instance, who could deny that life is too short to drink bad coffee? That a noisy bike is marginally more annoying than a whiney toddler? Or that style should ever be sacrificed for speed? Written by experts who know everything there is to know about cycling, How to Be a Cyclist is mandatory reading for all bike riders.

Humor & Entertainment

Ashley, Phil

Humor

Brazilian soccer has become synonymous with excellence that seems to resist the usual dry spells. Supporters from every part of the globe are able to recount joyful tales about Brazil’s unmatched achievements, especially the ones related to World Cup glory. But the most crucial transformation undergone by Brazilian football were a direct result of the Selecao failures. Shocking Brazil focuses on six crucial World Cup defeats that radically altered Brazilian football and which had repercussions far beyond the sport. These games hid narratives of racism, corruption, authoritarianism, corporate power, and greed. Fernando Duarte uses anecdotes, data, and observation to show Brazilian soccer in a completely different light: one that will surprise many, and spark debate and discussion. As Brazil welcomes the world as hosts of FIFA’s 2014 World Cup, 64 years after the country first received the tournament, there hasn’t been a more appropriate time to turn on the floodlights to the secret of Brazil’s success.

Shocking Brazil: Six Games That Shook the World Cup

Duarte, Fernando

Silva, Gilberto

Football (American)

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