Did you know December is a Read a New Book Month? If you need ideas for great reads about the Olympics and Paralympics, we have plenty of suggestions at our Bookshop.org storefront. Last month, we shared some new titles that have come out in 2025. Here are few older titles that you should not miss:
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
The book that started our book club! This bestseller shares the story of the nine young men who competed for the U.S. at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in 8-man rowing. Brown takes a deep dive into the athletes’ stories intertwined with the history of the Depression and Hitler’s Nazi Olympics. Trust us; the movie is good, but the book is even better.
Speed Kings: The 1932 Winter Olympics and the Fastest Men in the World by Andy Bull
Bobsledding is wild now but back in the early days of the sport, it was downright dangerous. The American sled competing at the Winter Olympics in its first trip to Lake Placid included Jay O’Brien, the high-society playboy; Tippy Grey, a scandal-prone Hollywood has-been; Eddie Eagan, world champion heavyweight boxer and Rhodes Scholar; and the charismatic Billy Fiske, the youngest of the team. And the four aren’t even the most outrageous characters in the story! If that doesn’t convince you to pick this up, maybe our book club chat will.
The Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku by David Davis
If you see David Davis as the author of the book, you know you are in very good hands. This time, David shares the incredible life story of the father of surfing, Duke Kahanamoku. Duke also won Olympic gold medals in swimming in 1912 and 1920 but that is just the start of Kahanamoku’s adventures through Hollywood, around the world, and back to his native Hawaii.
All in Stride: A Journey in Running, Courage, and the Search for the American Dream by Johanna Garton
We got a behind-the-scenes look at this book on the podcast from author Johanna Garton herself, which makes this book even more fun to read. It tells the story of three members of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, including TKFLASTANIS Samantha Schultz and Elvin Kibet. Kibet and her husband Shadrack Kipchirchir emigrated from Kenya to pursue their American and Olympic dreams.
Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out by Gracie Gold
Figure skater Gracie Gold pulls no punches in this memoir. She was equally honest in our conversation on the podcast. Gracie shares her struggles with an eating disorder, the details of a sexual assault at the hands of a fellow skater, and the devastating impact of negative press. She also shares how she rediscovered her love of her sport despite the pain and sacrifice.
Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team by Andrew Maraniss
We discovered Andrew’s work through Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Germany. He writes for children and young adults but grown-ups will definitely enjoy both of these books. Inaugural Ballers travels across the country and the Montreal 1976 Olympics with the first American women’s Olympic basketball team. Long before the WNBA, Pat Head, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, Lusia Harris, and the rest of the team knew how to play.
Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss
We first encountered the work of 2x Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and best selling author David Maraniss through our book club when we discussed Rome 1960: The Summer Olympics That Stirred the World. (Also an excellent choice for the Olympic history lover.) His son Andrew (above-mentioned author and friend of the show) introduced us to David, so we got an advanced read of this work, an incredibly in-depth and beautifully researched biography of sports legend Jim Thorpe. Thorpe won two Olympic medals at Stockholm 1912 but found himself embroiled in a decades long controversy when the Olympic committee stripped Thorpe of his medals for violating the rules on amateurism. David was kind enough to come on the podcast and share additional details that did not make it into the final edit.
The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 100m Final by Richard Moore
More than one Olympic race has been called the dirtiest in history, but Moore makes a convincing argument for the men’s 100m in Seoul 1988. Initial gold medalist Ben Johnson was disqualified for failing a drug test. In addition, credible claims of doping have been made against Carl Lewis and several other sprinters from the same era. Nothing about this story is simple or straightforward and heroes are hard to come by.
Swimming Pretty: the Untold Story of Women in the Water by Vicki Valosik
Whether you call it synchronized swimming or artistic swimming, this sport is so much more than sparkly bathing suits and slicked back hair. How did the sport evolve and make it on to the Olympic program? Author Vicki Valosik shares the twisted history of artistic swimming and women’s access to the water. You expect to read about swimming and Hollywood legend Esther Williams in this book, but Benjamin Franklin? Yes, he plays a role in swimming history as well.
Did we miss a great title? How are you celebrating Read a New Book Month? Let us know what books about the Olympics and Paralympics are your favorites!
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