Have you been watching the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Perhaps seeing the spectacular athletes has you wondering about the Olympians and their lives. Here are seven great stories of Olympic participants that can help you keep the games going past the closing
ceremonies on August 11th.
Just add Water: My Swimming Life by Katie Ledecky
A candid and inspiring memoir from Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and one of the best swimmers ever to compete: Katie Ledecky.
Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss
"A captivating book by a master storyteller. David Maraniss provides new insights into Jim Thorpe, a man who was not only ‘the world’s greatest athlete,’ but a cultural icon complicated by the dynamics of race and celebrity.” -Patty Loew, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern and Center for Native American and Indigenous Research
Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci
A unique glimpse into the remarkable life, and fascinating mindset, of the woman who broke records-and boundaries-for female athletes everywhere.
Running for Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games by Lopez Lomong
Lopez Lomong chronicles his inspiring ascent from a barefoot lost boy of the Sudanese Civil War to a Nike sponsored athlete on the US Olympic Team. Every reader will find in his story the human spark to pursue dreams that might seem unthinkable, even from circumstances that might appear hopeless.
Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Launched the Modern Olympic Age by Todd Balf
Todd Balf’s nuanced cross-cultural study of vintage swim racing is powered by three titanic characters who fiercely competed at the genesis moment when the quest for aquatic speed was coalescing as an international sport.
One Life by Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup champion, reveals for the first time her life both on and off the field. Guided by her personal journey into social justice, brimming with humor, humanity, and joy, she urges all of us to ask ourselves, What will you do with your one life?
Rise: My Story by Lindsey Vonn
The first ever memoir from the most decorated female skier of all time, revealing never-before-told stories of her life in the fast lane, her struggle with depression, and the bold decisions that helped her break down barriers on and off the slopes.
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