I know I’m jumping the gun a bit. It’s not exactly Fall yet. And the temps outside certainly don’t make me want to cozy up by the fire with my pumpkin spice latte. But, have no fear – the season will change. And when Sept. 22 comes, you’ll want your books ready! So here goes – my Fall reading list!
#1 – Open, Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi’s autobiography is simply amazing. His beautiful storytelling takes the reader deep into his confused, angry, rebellious, courageous & driven heart & soul. The only thing I knew about Agassi was that he was a tennis punk with crazy hair & a penchant for screaming on court. And truthfully, I knew (and still know) next-to-nothing about the game of tennis. Yet I found myself completely captivated by this book. Read it. You’ll be so glad you did.
#2 – Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters, Joan Ryan
A most uncomfortable book – this book will potentially enrage you. Written years before the Larry Nassar abuse scandal came to light (if you haven’t seen Athlete A, I also recommend this documentary), this book details the horrors that female gymnasts & figure skaters endure at the hands of their coaches & sometimes their own families in order to win “at any cost”. A must-read to continue to push for safety & accountability in women’s sports.
#3 – Play It Again: An Amateur Against the Impossible, Alan Rusbridger
Alan Rusbridger, the editor of The Guardian, leads a life run by the 24-hr news cycle. Suffice to say he doesn’t have much time for hobbies! Despite his crazy schedule he set a goal to learn to play Chopin’s Ballade No.1 in G minor, one of the most beautiful & challenging pieces of music ever composed…in 1 year. This book is fascinating even if you’re not into piano…or music…or Chopin. It’s really about focus, distraction, discipline & desire. This book is for everyone looking to figure out how to more efficiently learn something new with minimal available time.
#4 – Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein
I’m sure you’ve all heard of Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule (which he introduced in Outliers: The Story of Success) – it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery. In our society, this concept has certainly taken hold as we increase focus on early specialization, encourage single-sport focus in kids & devalue the concept of quitting (i.e. “Winners never quit & quitters never win” Vince Lombardi). Epstein’s research, however, examines successful people in all walks of life & suggests that generalists, not specialists, are best set up for success. In a world of hyper-specificity, he makes a compelling case for the idea that broad-based thinking & diverse experience & perspective lead to increased creativity & agility necessary for solving the highly complex problems of today.
#5 – Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor
What an interesting book! As an endurance coach I found myself a bit shocked that I wasn’t more aware of the health implications linked to mouth versus nose breathing. Nestor delves into the history of breathing detailing why & how it has changed over the course of human evolution. Although some of his health claims seem outlandish & impossible, I did come away with a heightened interest in focusing on this simple act of air exchange that we completely take for granted. This book, quite truthfully, has changed the way I breathe!
To see all of my reading lists, check out:
Coach Michelle’s 2022 Spring Break Reading List – Performance High