Author:Chris Boardman
Chris Boardman is the 2017 winner of the Cross Sports Cycling Book of the Year for his autobiography Triumphs and Turbulence.
‘The true inspiration was that Olympic gold won by Chris Boardman in Barcelona… I was so in awe of Chris Boardman’ Sir Bradley Wiggins
You may know him as the much-loved co-presenter of ITV’s Tour de France coverage or enjoyed his BBC Olympic coverage, but beyond the easy charm Chris Boardman is one of our greatest, most inspiring cyclists.
Boardman’s lone achievements in the 80s and 90s – Olympic track gold, the world hour record, repeatedly claiming the yellow jersey in the Tour de France – were the spark that started the modern era for British cycling. His endeavours both on and off the bike have made him the founding father of current golden generation – without him there would simply be no Hoy, Wiggins or Cavendish.
It is a story full of intrigue: from Olympic success, to the famous duels with Graeme Obree and the insanity of the Tour de France. Chris became a legend for his combination of physical ability and technical preparation, almost single-handedly taking British cycling from wool shirts and cloth caps into the era of marginal gains. Indeed, after his career on the bike ended, a new chapter began as the backroom genius behind GB cycling. As head of the R&D team known as The Secret Squirrel Club, Chris has been responsible for the technical innovations that made the difference in 2012 and developed Boardman Bikes, which has become the country's bestselling premium bike range.
A genuinely humble man who, over the last thirty years, has played a pivotal role in the success story of British cycling
—— Dr Steve PetersOne of the best writers in the English language... His work embeds itself into one's consciousness and refuses to be dislodged
—— Sunday TimesThe Natural by Bernard Malamud shows the agony, destruction and pathos that come often with great sports talent
—— Sid Waddell, sports commentator , IndependentThis book established that we could have a serious adult baseball novel by playing with the parallels between mythical elements in the game and mythical elements in literature
—— Chicago TribuneBernard Malamud's The Natural that still leads the field [for novels about baseball]. It is one of the landmarks of a period in US fiction when Jewish novelists dominated the scene with work of the highest ambition
—— MetroAn unusually fine novel... In his telling and always deliberate use of the vernacular alternated with passages evocative and almost lyrical, in his almost entirely successful relation of baseball in detail to the culture which elaborated it, Malamud has made a brilliant and unusual book
—— New York TimesWhilst undeniably a book about climbing, it manages to be more than that . . . Perhaps the most gripping moments in the book happen away from climbing altogether . . . One of the most insightful climbing books of recent times, The Push comes highly recommended.
—— Trek & MountainTotally captivating . . . beautifully constructed and passionately written
—— Climber MagazineExquisitely detailed ... The Push achieves the rarest of adventure reads: it thrills with colourful details of courage and perseverance but it enriches readers with an absolutely captivating glimpse of how a simple yet unwavering resolve can turn adversity into reward ... Caldwell is not just unflinchingly forthright in The Push, but his writing flows with the grace that defines his climbing ... While Caldwell excels at vividly illuminating his exploits - descriptions of climbs, his awe of nature, the physical challenges - his writing shines brightest as he examines his inner life ... he shows that pursuing a life pursuing adventure should inspire anyone
—— Denver PostIf you want to be inspired by a great leader, if you want to feel what it takes to do what no one thought possible, if you want to be absorbed by a heroic journey--Tommy Caldwell's story is one of the best you could ever hope to find
—— Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to GreatYou always know that Caldwell's going to make it to the top of that 3,000-foot hunk of Yosemite granite. The book's raw honesty helps it transcend the hackneyed sports-autobiography genre
—— OutsideProbably the greatest living athlete most people have never heard of
—— TelegraphOf all the new non-fiction books with Olympic connections, this is the finest and most inspiring.
—— NationalA brilliant & very important book. Vital, highly recommended. Tempted to say it's Michael Calvin’s best yet, which is some praise.
—— Oliver Kay , The TimesThe best sports book I'm likely to read this year. Highly recommend you buy it.
—— Simon Hughes , IndependentA brilliant insight into the journey young kids now make from kicking a ball around in their back garden, through the glossy facilities of academy football.
—— David Preece , Sunderland EchoHis research is, as ever, impeccable… No Hunger in Paradise is a fascinating and fitting finale to a trio of books any football lover should own.
—— Sunday SportHeartbreaking . . . an excellent piece of reportage
—— i-PaperThe award-winning writer’s new forensic, and sometimes alarming, case study into why some young prospects make the cut – and others fall away – is fascinating…
The FA would do well to read this if they want success
Brilliantly sourced and written… As a portrait of the state of the modern game, No Hunger In Paradise is vital reading. With Calvin’s previous studies, it serves as a record of what football is like today and should place him alongside Arthur Hopcraft, John Moynihan and Hunter Davies in providing the sport with its defining literature
—— When Saturday ComesOne of the great, and most important, sports books of 2017. Passionate, incisive, gripping.
—— Don McCraeCalvin is a natural storyteller who is unflinching as he goes behind the scenes and meets the people at the heart of the youth development network.
—— Irish IndependentThe book is an eye-opener into the pressures put on young players by clubs, coaches and parents; the corruption and conceit, bullying and harassment. Plus the lengths those clubs and their scouts go to, to recruit kids who have yet to reach secondary school.
—— Independent, 10 Best Football Books of the Year 2017Completes his formidable trilogy on the game with a blistering indictment of how it treats its youngest players
—— Guardian’s sport books of the yearOutstanding
—— TimesAs the book unfurls, the march along the marches turns into a eulogy to his father, part memoir, part biography, always a love story. It also contains one of the most unflinching, moving descriptions of death I have read.
—— Melanie Reid , The TimesThis beautifully written book is a haunting reflection of identity and our relationships with the people and places we love.
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailStewart provides much food for thought about how we value our past history
—— Susannah Law , Scottish Field