Sporting Chance A by Titus O'Reily

$34.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes | Reading Level: 4 Non Fiction

In sport, the term 'good bloke? doesn't mean what it says. Like 'fun run?, it often actually means exactly the opposite.Titus O?Reily, the sports historian Australia neither needs nor deserves, examines why our nation?s sportspeople are so readily forgiven for doing terrible things. With ridiculous tale s from Australia?s chequered sporting history, A Sporting Chance dissects the scandals big and small, the mistakes made in covering them up and the path athletes tread back to redemption. From the Essendon supplements saga and the sandpaper-loving Australian cricket team to whatever it is Nick Kyrgios has done now, Titus reveals the archetypes at the heart of our greatest sporting scandals. There?s the corrupt cop who gave us the race that stopped a nation and the boxing champion who refused to train. There?s the cashed-up businessmen who bankrupted clubs and the commentators who can?t get their foot out of their mouth. And of course there?s the good blokes, like Wayne Carey, Matthew Johns and Shane Warne, who it seems we?ll forgive for absolutely anything. In his rambling and at times incoherent style, Titus asks the question- are Australians really that forgiving of their sporting heroes? With the rise of social media, women?s sport and the drive towards greater equality, are the good blokes of Australia?s sporting landscape an endangered species? ...Show more

Power of the Pedal: The Story of Australian Cycling by Rupert Guinness

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

In 'Power of the Pedal', read about cycling in Australia from the penny farthing to 21st-century commuters and Olympic stars. Bicycles changed our lives! They meant a new and faster way to get around and gave rise to ways of exploring, socialising and competing. In the nineteenth century cycling encoura ged 'overlanders', adventurers who explored new routes through rugged terrain; cycling clubs that gave women a new kind of freedom to mix socially with men: and novel kinds of racing. In this book, cycling journalist Rupert Guinness reveals 200 years of the bike in Australian everyday life and the world of competition. ...Show more

Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road: 25 Wonderful Walks Along the Great Ocean Road by Julie Mundy & Neil Fahey

$19.99 AUD

Category: Travel | Series: Woodslane Walking Guides

Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road & the Otways, a new book in Woodslanes hugely successful walking guides series, introduces the best walks for visitors and residents alike, ranging from leisurely beach-side strolls to the more rugged tracks deep in the bush. Detailed descriptions and maps help the reader explore the regions parks, bushland, ...... ...Show more

White Horses - Issue 22 by Aqualuna

$19.95 AUD

Category: Magazines and Journals

AFL Wit and Wisdom of the Coaches by Eamon Evans

$19.99 AUD

Category: Humour, Novelty and Gifts

Whether you are an elite athlete, ambitious professional, dedicated parent or hard-working student, all of us are at times challenged by doubts and set-backs. This collection of inspiring and oft times hilarious quotes from some of Australia's leading AFL coaches will lighten your mood and give an insig ht into the lives of people truly challenged by adversity.  Here they offer up some brilliant thoughts to keep you winning! From Mick Malthouse: 'The meek may inherit the earth - but they will never win games of football.' From Allan Jeans: 'Footballers are like sausages ... you can fry them, grill them, bake them ... they're still sausages.' John Kennedy 'Don't think...DO!' And Jack Dyer about a concussed player who isn't sure who he is: 'Tell him he is John Coleman and send him back on.'   ...Show more

The New York Times Weekend Warrior Crosswords: 50 Saturday and Sunday Puzzles by The New York Times

$15.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

What s the best part of the weekend? The crosswords! Many puzzle fans love the challenging Saturday & luxuriously long Sunday puzzles. Features: - 50 New York Times Saturday and Sunday Crosswords - Edited by crossword legend Will Shortz - Convenient spiral binding for easy solving"

Preferred Lies and Other True Golf Stories by Mike Clayton; Charles Happell

$29.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

In Preferred Lies, veteran golf journalist Charles Happell and player and course architect Mike Clayton take you inside the ropes, drawing on their decades of experience in the game - from boarding Greg Norman's yacht after his disastrous loss at the US Masters, to caddying at the Olympic Games when g olf featured for the first time in over one hundred years. They are joined by a host of contributors: Steve Williams shares the secrets of Augusta that Norman, Scott and Tiger Woods relied on when he caddied for them at the US Masters; Peter Thomson pays homage to St Andrews, the game's spiritual home and the course where he won one of his five British Opens; Scottish golf writer John Huggan chats with his old mate, one-of-a-kind commentator Peter Alliss; comedian and amateur golfer Rob Sitch, an avowed disciple of Dr Bob Rotella, discusses the psychology of golf; and more. From Ben Hogan to Karrie Webb, Magnolia Lane to the Road Hole, the evolution of the golf ball to the playing etiquette of Japan, this is a full round of golf stories from those who know the game best. ...Show more

Jog On by Bella Mackie

$27.99 AUD

Category: Health and Lifestyle

'Bella's brilliant love letter to running turns into an extraordinarily brave and frank account of her battle with anxiety. A compassionate and important book' Joe Lycett 'Brutally honest and insightful' Jimmy Anderson 'A very relatable book' Philippa Perry Divorced and struggling with deep-rooted menta l health problems, Bella Mackie ended her twenties in tears. She could barely find the strength to get off the sofa, let alone piece her life back together. Until one day she did something she had never done of her own free will - she pulled on a pair of trainers and went for a run. That first attempt didn't last very long. But to her surprise, she was back out there the next day. And the day after that. She began to set herself achievable goals - to run 5k in under 30 minutes, to walk to work every day for a week, to attempt 10 push-ups in a row. Before she knew it, her mood was lifting for the first time in years. In Jog On, Bella explains with hilarious and unfiltered honesty how she used running to battle crippling anxiety and depression, without having to sacrifice her main loves: booze, cigarettes and ice cream. With the help of a supporting cast of doctors, psychologists, sportspeople and friends, she shares a wealth of inspirational stories, research and tips that show how exercise often can be the best medicine. This funny, moving and motivational book will encourage you to say 'jog on' to your problems and get your life back on track - no matter how small those first steps may be. ...Show more

String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis by David Foster Wallace

$29.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

An instant classic of American sportswriting--the tennis essays of David Foster Wallace, "the best mind of his generation" (A. O. Scott) and "the best tennis-writer of all time" (New York Times)   Both a onetime "near-great junior tennis player" and a lifelong connoisseur of the finer points of the game, David Foster Wallace wrote about tennis with the authority of an insider, the showmanship of a literary pyrotechnician, and disarming admiration of an irrepressible fan. Including his masterful profiles of Roger Federer and Tracy Austin, String Theory gathers Wallace's five famous essays on tennis, pieces that have been hailed by sportswriters and literary critics alike as some of the greatest and most innovative magazine writing in recent memory. Whiting Award-winning journalist John Jeremiah Sullivan provides an introduction. ...Show more

Get Her Off the Pitch! How sport took over my life by Lynne Truss

$24.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

From the bestselling author of 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves', this is the hilarious new book from Lynne Truss about her strange journey through the world of sport and sports journalism. 'Years ago, Boris Becker famously said, after losing at Wimbledon, "Nobody died. I just lost a tennis match." And while some people applauded him for his healthy sense of proportion, it didn't ring remotely true. While I was writing about sport, I was caught on the horns of this dilemma for the whole bloody time. I was like the poor confused jurors in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' who sit in their jury box, writing emphatically on their little slates, both "important" and "not important" because they honestly don't have a clue.' In this magnificent book, Lynne Truss charts her often bizarre wanderings during her time as a sports journalist for the 'Sunday Times'. From covering a heavyweight world title fight at Madison Square Garden, to watching England beat Holland from an airship above Wembley (while eating chocolate cake); from her extravagant feelings about Andre Agassi, to covering sports like cricket (where, initially, she didn't have any idea what was going on), Lynne Truss manages to crystallize exactly the essence of what sport is about, and bring her characteristic wisdom and wry humour to it. The book will be a revelation to sport's foolish doubters, and a treat for the many of us who spend too much of our time watching it. Review: 'By turns hilarious, unpredictable and controversial. It's a terrific read, whether you love sport or are still wondering what all the fuss is about.' Mail on Sunday 'She can write comedy for Britain.' Sunday Times 'Truss is not only warm and witty on her personal journey from footie virgin to sports bore, she also delivers unique and piercing perspectives. What elevates it far beyond the average nostalgia trip is her trademark pith and an inventive way with simile and metaphor.' Emma John, Observer 'If you are a fan of Truss's self-depreciating moroseness you will hugely appreciate 'Get Her Off the Pitch!' ! her writing on sport was always worth reading.' Alyson Rudd, The Times 'Who will want to read this book? Just people like me who are largely indifferent to sport but enjoy literate, amusing, properly punctuated writing about anything.' Peter Lewis, Daily Mail 'An amiable amble through the press boxes of the sporting world.' Andrew Baker, Daily Telegraph 'She's very funny!like a travel writer, she negotiated a foreign country and brought to bear the outsiders clear view' Independent, Chris Maume This edition due May 2010. ...Show more

The Long Run by Catriona Menzies-Pike

$29.99 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

No one ever expected Catriona Menzies-Pike to run a marathon. She hated running, and was a hopeless athlete. When she was twenty her parents died suddenly - and for a decade she was stuck. She started running on a whim, and finally her grief started to move too. Until very recently, it was frowned upon for women to run long distances. Running was deemed unladylike - and probably dangerous. How did women's running go from being suspect to wildly popular? How does a high school klutz become a marathon runner? This fascinating book combines memoir and cultural history to explore the rich and contradictory topic of women and running. ...Show more

A Life in Golf - Peter Thompson by Peter Thomson; Steve Perkin

$26.95 AUD

Category: Sport and Pastimes

The legendary five-time British Open champion, Peter Thomson, shares the knowledge he has absorbed during a lifetime of golf in this engaging and inspirational book. Thomson s evocative prose and firm opinions shed light on his career, golfing techniques, and the world s greatest players. Experience the magic of the Old Course at St Andrews through Thomson s eyes, understand why analysing your golf swing may not get you anywhere, and discover the weaknesses of Tiger Woods and Greg Norman, and the genius of Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus. A Life in Golf is essential reading for anyone interested in the game of golf or in the life of a true champion - the man still considered Australia s greatest golfer. ...Show more