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Olympics

Before He Was Muhammad Ali: The Amateur Boxer Who Won Gold at the 1960 Olympics

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The boxer won the Light Heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome when he was just 18 years old. Early on in his career, Muhammad Ali went by his given name: Cassius Clay. As one of the most significant athletes of the 20th century, Ali has held his fair share of titles—notably winning heavyweight titles at the age of 22—but one of his first was that of Olympic gold medalist. During the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Ali beat out Polish boxer Zbigniew Pietrzykowski for the gold before turning professional later that year. But there’s much more to Ali than just his career as a boxer. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Ali was also an…

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VIDEO Interview with Ryan Boyle 2016 Paralympian and Author of ‘When The Lights Go Out’

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Watch our interview with 2016 Paralympic Silver Medalist and author, Ryan Boyle. Here, he talks with BookTrib about his beginnings, how he found the strength and willpower to work harder than ever, winning the silver medal at Rio, and where he’s headed to next. This is one interview that you won’t want to miss – and it’s just in time for the Winter Olympics! When the Lights Go Out: A Boy Given a Second Chance is now available for purchase. Read a preview below!   ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ryan Boyle was just nine years old when an accident robbed him of a portion of his brain. In When the Lights Go Out, Boyle uses the successes and frustrations of his…

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DATELINE 1907 – Olympian Jim Thorpe’s Weaknesses and the Invention of the Halftime Show

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Five years in the future, The Carlisle Indians’ Jim Thorpe will win gold in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics. The King of Sweden will tell Jim, “You sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.” Jim will reply, “Thanks, King!” But in the ’07 game against Bucknell, the “greatest” had his worst kickoff return. Jim brushed aside tacklers like horseflies and headed for the goal line. In the last few yards, Jim eased up, got clipped by a diving player, did a face-plant and fumbled. Luckily, a teammate scooped the ball up and scored the touchdown. Jim would go on to perform many greatests in track, football and baseball. But some of his  “greatests” are less well…

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Go Team USA: Inspiring Books to Get You in the 2016 Summer Olympics Spirit!

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Ahhh, the Olympics: the magical time of year when you’re allowed to chant “USA! USA! USA!” un-ironically with your face painted like Old Glory. But while this week marks the kick off of the 2016 Summer Olympics, this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro seem a little different, amidst controversy about the water in Rio, concerns about the Zika Virus, debates about nation-wide bans due to doping and anxiety over event security, these Games seem more than a little hectic and apprehensive. Despite the (valid) trepidations many have over the Summer Olympic Games, fundamentally, the Olympics are a time to celebrate. The world is already pretty crazy, so it’s helpful to remember that people are, in fact, capable of coming…

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Spartan Up! How Lewis Howes Discovered His Own Greatness

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After a devastating injury sidelined Lewis Howes‘ dream to play professional football and landed him on his sister’s couch, he knew there had to be another path awaiting him. With a clear vision of where he wanted to be, Howes set out to build an empire. And he accomplished it in one year’s time. Howes talks with Spartan Up’s Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race, about building a million-dollar business based on The School of Greatness, discovering a love for handball and his determination to make it to the Olympics. For more, watch the Podcast above. ABOUT SPARTAN UP! THE PODCAST: Every day, Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race and a New York Times bestselling author, inspires millions of people…

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Spartan Up! Olympian Runner Meb Keflezighi Discusses His Journey and the Importance of Goals

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Olympian Meb Keflezighi is the author of Meb For Mortals, as well as the only person to win the Boston and New York marathons and medal in the Olympics. Keflezighi sat down with Spartan Up’s Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race, to talk about how his father found a way out of war-torn Eritrea to Italy and then moved the entire family to the U.S., what led him to run marathons and how goals can motivate you to accomplish anything. For more, watch the Podcast above. ABOUT SPARTAN UP! THE PODCAST: Every day, Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race and a New York Times bestselling author, inspires millions of people all over the world to get off the…

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Foxcatcher: A heavyweight contender for Oscar gold

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When the leaves turn from green to orange, the red carpets begin to roll out in Hollywood, signaling the beginning of the show business awards season. Among the candidates grappling for Oscars this year comes Foxcatcher, the story of one of the most bizarre crimes of our generation. The movie, which coincides with Mark Schultz’s new book Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother’s Murder, John du Pont’s Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold (Dutton Adult, 2014) is set amidst the worlds of amateur wrestling and the lavishly wealthy. The film will certainly be a heavyweight contender at the Academy Awards, for director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) as well as actors Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum, and most notably Steve…

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