The Perfect Mile

<p>The inspirational story of three international runners attempting to achieve what no one had managed - to break the four-minute mile barrier. It was the ultimate test of endurance, and the human drama that unfolded is told here for the first time. In sport, running the four-minute mile was the elusive Holy Grail, considered by most to be beyond the limits of human endeavour. Then in late 1952, shortly after the Helsinki Olympics, three men set out to challenge the record books: Roger Bannister, the Oxford medical student, the great British hero who epitomised the ideal of the amateur athlete; John Landy, the tireless Australian, the romantic who trained night and day in search of perfection; and the American Wes Santee, son of a Kansas ranch hand, a natural runner and the quickest of the three ('I was just born to run fast'). Three men, each of contrasting character, competing thousands of miles apart, but all with the same valedictory goal. The Perfect Mile is the stirring account of their quest for sporting martyrdom, charting their journey through triumph and failure, culminating in the moment when Bannister broke the record in a monumental run at the Iffley Road cinder track in Oxford in May 1954. It was a feat that became one of the most celebrated in the history of British sport. Far from bringing an end to the rivalry, this watershed moment turned out to be merely the prelude to a final climactic battle three months later - the ultimate head-to-head between Bannister and Landy in what was dubbed 'the mile of the century' at the Vancouver Empire Games. Bascomb provides a fascinating account of what happened and an invaluable insight into the motivations and characters of three amazing achievers.</p>

neal-bascomb

Sports & Outdoors

HarperCollins Willow

John Jacobs is one of golf's all-time great teachers, a true legend of the game who has passed on his words of wisdom to thousands of amateurs as well as to some of the world's greatest players over the last 50 years. Now, for the first time ever, the pick of his collective wisdom has been brought together in one seminal volume. When the likes of Butch Harmon and David Leadbetter heap praise on your methods and credit you with having helped shape the way they learnt their craft and how they applied those teachings, you know that you must be one of the most important and influential figures in the world of golf. Not only a great teacher, John Jacobs was also good enough to play in the Ryder Cup and beat the best in the game. Those who witnessed his memorable victory over Grand Slam winner Gary Player in the final of the South African Matchplay Championship knew they were in the presence of someone special -- a talent that was able to use all his experience as a top-level player and move seamlessly into the world of golf teaching. 50 Years of Golfing Wisdom features all the lessons and advice that made Jacobs the original, and many say still the ultimate, golfing guru. Every department of the game receives the Jacobs treatment -- from the fundamentals of grip and swing, to problem solving and curing your bad shots, to instruction on hitting every shot from the longest drive to the shortest putt, including everything in between. Simple, easy to understand, effective advice on how to maximize your potential and play your best golf -- this may just be the only golf instruction book you'll ever need.

50 Years of Golfing Wisdom

Jacobs, John

<p>This is the complete and definitive illustrated book of grand prix motor racing but, unlike previously published Formula 1 books, Speed Addicts narrates the history of the sport in the form of a human story. This is a book that delves into the psyche of motor racing, the drivers (from modern day heroes like the late Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to legends of the past such as Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham) as well as the designers and team owners that have played such an important part in the great races from different eras. Speed Addicts includes chapters on: Bloody Heroes: the post-War years and the foundation of F1 and the world drivers' championship; how Enzo Ferrari and his cars epitomised this era. From Matadors to Test pilots: how the likes of Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart revolutionised the sport and wrenched it away from the grasp of factory car producers. From black and white to colour: the advent of commercial sponsorship in the sixties and how this changed the sport's horizons for good. The Movers and Shakers: the way the sport grew up into a business thanks to the likes of Bernie Ecclestone. Written by the sport's most gifted interpreter, the book is the first to combine every facet of the incredibly complex world of grand prix motor racing: the psychological, technical, political, romance and business.</p>

Speed Addicts: Grand Prix Racing

Mark Hughes

Miscellaneous

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Books by HarperCollins Willow

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the HarperCollins Willow publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Perfect Mile

50 Years of Golfing Wisdom

Speed Addicts: Grand Prix Racing