Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! documents the fascinating journey of a former professional football player, Tony Kelly, including his struggle with gambling and his experiences with racism. Kelly was born in 1966 and grew up in Coventry, UK. His family, especially his twin brother Mel, remains a constant source of support for him. At the time, he saw football not only as his ticket to a better life but as his escape from the streets of Coventry that were marked by frequent cases of racist attacks and violence. Unfortunately, these would not be his last encounters with racism. Kelly went on to achieve football stardom playing for clubs such as Stoke City, Leyton Orient, Bury FC, and Swedish club, Gimonais CK, even playing at Wembley Stadium in 1992. Despite his success in football, his career was marred by a costly addiction to gambling.

Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! by Tony Kelly is a story of hope and redemption. It paints a shocking but realistic picture of the cost of gambling. Kelly explains how he gradually got into overwhelming debt and how the problem cost him his football career and his long-term relationship. He later decided to get professional help and now assists others affected by gambling through his support project, Red Card. Other important topics arise in the book including the existence of racism in football and other areas. Without his twin brother playing alongside him, Kelly felt isolated. In school, he also faced racism from other students. The book shares important lessons for aspiring and professional players. Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! is a memoir that contains impactful lessons from a former professional footballer.

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

A Ball With No Points: A Football Town...A Basketball Triumph by Stephen D. Reddy is genuinely inspiring because it really happened. We join the author in his trip down memory lane, as he recalls an epic basketball season in 1971, a year that witnessed the emergence of an unforgettable basketball team in a town obsessed with football. As a member of the Westfield High School hoops team, the author takes you into the world of hoops filled with rude awakenings as they traverse the difficult path to victory. Facing bigger and faster teams, it is a story that addresses physical, mental, and emotional maturity, the development of skills, and dealing with the curveball that life throws at you once in a while and when you least expect it. Stephen D. Reddy openly confesses how the game of basketball is inextricably woven into his being.

A Ball With No Points is a non-fiction sports story that shows its own uniqueness from the rest. While it echoes the same way, it demonstrates the triumph of an underdog basketball team. It evokes genuine inspiration and may well set the standards for future real-life sports stories. Stephen D. Reddy tells his story by not limiting it to the personalities involved but including the intense moments that surround the memories now put in writing. It’s a good thing that Reddy didn’t give in to his apprehensions about not writing his story and letting it be buried without a headstone—because it’s a story worth telling. It’s an effective sports story, as well as an effective portrait of a man whose integral role in a team becomes a genuine tale of the indefatigability of the human spirit. No matter if you have played a sport or preferred to be a spectator, this must-read story will resonate.

Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite

At 20, Alan Corcoran had to accept a reality he never seriously considered before: the mortality of his parents. His father's stroke came to him as a shock and a challenge that inspired him to do something positive and make his family proud. Thus, Alan decided to run 35 consecutive marathons to raise money for charity despite his lack of experience in running marathons and his young age. Marathon Man is Alan Corcoran's story of how he ran 35 marathons, reacted to the news of his father's stroke, and the insights he gained from these experiences. The book immerses the audience in the challenging situations Alan experienced, including the problems he encountered while working with a charity, the physical pain he endured, and the mental toughness he had to build. Thankfully, Alan walked the walk, and he informs readers just how he did it in Marathon Man: My Life, My Father's Stroke and Running 35 Marathons in 35 Days.

One of the most touching, inspiring, and memorable stories I've read this year! Marathon Man showed me an example of the grand and beautiful achievements that can arise from challenges. The book is filled with words of wisdom about some core life values, like compassion, endurance, sacrifice, and learning from personal experience and from others. Readers who plan to run a marathon, start any kind of sport, or create awareness for a cause will learn a lot from the book. Alan Corcoran does a fantastic and thorough job of narrating the intricate details of his marathon mission. With an infectious humor, a mightily detailed narrative, and an intelligent relation of insights, Alan Corcoran's memoir inspires readers to achieve their most meaningful goals while they still can.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

One More Season: The Birth of Football's Spread Offense by Lorin Fife pays tribute to how a high school football coach changed the face of a game that became America’s national pastime. Puking on the football field during a match was embarrassing enough, but that was the only thing haunting young Fife. He lived, breathed, and consumed football and loved it every inch of his being. There wasn’t much hope for him until Jack Neumeier walked into the picture. As the coach of Granada Hills High School, Jack was adamant that the 69' season would end with his players in the Los Angeles City playoffs. With one last season to prove himself, Jack came up with something magical that would change the game of football forever. The Spread Offense was a stroke of luck that gave hope to a young man and gave Jack Neumeier a place in the history books.

Fans of football will love One More Season. Author Lorin Fife makes the story personal with his memories and how Jack’s presence changed his life. Isn’t that all we need, someone who will inspire you, give you confidence and make you feel like you are worth the effort? I am not a huge fan of football, but even I have heard about Jack Neumeier and how he revolutionized the game of football. I loved the author’s enthusiasm and the way he described the field. I felt like I was on the field with him, feeling the highs and lows Fife went through and feeling his pain with every loss. By reading the narrative, you can feel how Jack inspired him. This wasn’t a fairytale, it wasn’t perfect, but Jack did the unimaginable and somehow succeeded with sheer determination and dedication. It is a great story to read, especially because I learned more about the sport that consumes a whole nation every year.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Marty Peck. Battle Creek Country Club and the Dutch Colonial home gracing the entrance at One Country Club Drive was the home, workplace, and playground of three generations of Pecks, beginning with the author’s grandfather, Andy Peck. For Marty, growing up in the house and with a whole golf course, complete with a lake, woods, and swimming beach as his playground, was paradisaic, even with the inconveniences such as the dreaded shower in the basement and the oddities of a house that never seemed to catch up with modern necessities. Marty learned so much from both his shared experiences coming of age on the course along with his two best friends and the lessons imparted by his dad and grandfather, as they passed on the secrets of how they kept an amazing course healthy, green, and alive.

I loved every minute I spent reading Marty Peck’s One Country Club Drive. There’s something in this book for everyone. Golfers will love learning the intricacies behind making the course they play on perfect and reading about the author’s experiences and acquaintanceship with notables such as Arnold Palmer. Those who enjoy coming of age memoirs will appreciate the antics and adventures Peck and his friends had as they grew up in what had to be a paradise for a kid who loved the outdoors as much as Peck did. Those who enjoy reading about society and the well-heeled will find their niche covered here as well. And the Macgyver set will love every moment spent reading about Marty and his dad’s continual tinkering and sometimes brilliant inventions. This is a marvelous read, well-written and filled with anecdotes, historical photos, and the endless affection of the author for his family and the life they shared in the historic Dutch Colonial home. One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Stand Up and Shout Out: Women's Fight for Equal Pay, Equal Rights, and Equal Opportunities in Sports by Dr. Joan Steidinger is a non-fiction book that digs deep into the history of disparity between female and male athletes competing at the same levels. Over the course of ten chapters, Steidinger addresses the uphill battle long fought against organizations and a public perception that women, including and of particular note, women of color and the LGBTQ community, are not as valuable across the board as their male counterparts. In painting a complete picture, Steidinger draws on aspects that include pay, politics, and media coverage, to coaching, double standards, and the force behind the #MeToo and Time's Up movements.

I've been waiting for Stand Up and Shout Out for decades. As a former female athlete at the Division One level, I personally witnessed first-hand the lack of resources, facility, support, and financial incentive withheld from women but lavished on men. Dr. Joan Steidinger rips apart the myth of inferiority and popularity in sports using real-world examples, legal precedent, and plain common sense as she doubles down on where we've come from, where we are now, and the road ahead to where we need to be. My favorite section of the book was the Global Challenge, where Steidinger addresses disparity by region, proving that the issues are universal and that until we are all on a level playing field, we are incomplete. It is not enough to simply improve on behaviors of systemic sexism. We must implode the system as a whole and rebuild it from the ground up. Very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Step into Your Zone: Playbook of Secrets for Peak Performance in Business, Sales, and Life by 'H' John Mejia is a dynamic self-help book packed with solid life strategies. The author uses his own experience and expertise to assist you in taking your life and your career, in sales or otherwise, to the next level. You can enter "the zone"--that space athletes inhabit when they perform even beyond their A-game. It's the zone where everything comes together perfectly and one achieves peak performance and goals. As Mejia explains, the zone can be attained by people who aren't athletes but are willing to put in the time and effort to get there. This is the perfect how-to book for those launching a new business, making a career change, starting over due to unforeseen circumstances--Covid-19?--or just anyone wanting to up their game and push themselves harder than they ever have before.

What I like most about this easily digestible book is that Mejia uses these skills in his own life, and explains the ups and downs he's experienced. He's been there, done that, so it isn't as if he's speaking from an academic place. He's lived successes, hard knocks, and the philosophy that he offers to you. A lot of self-help books are useful, of course, but this one has heart and inspiration. The combination comes easily to Mejia, who knows how to relay this information so that you too can experience success in the zone. I like that he encourages everyone, not just athletes, and his idea that confidence can be built; it isn't something you're necessarily born with. You can develop it and nurture it. The book's layout is appealing and easy to get through. When you reach the end, you'll feel as if you've learned something that can help you in your life and your career, whatever it is. The images are really inspiring too. Step into Your Zone: Playbook of Secrets for Peak Performance in Business, Sales, and Life by 'H' John Mejia should be on your shortlist of self-help, career-goal books of 2021.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

A Turbulent Mind: My Journey to Ironman 70.3 by Swetha Amit resonates with all aspiring triathletes to pursue their dreams. The author has shared her triathlon customized plan, based on her fitness levels, and her journey is proof to all aspiring athletes that it is never too late to start anything and age is just a number. Her story is encouraging to readers who want to become triathletes and motivates them to keep tri-ing. The author's rollercoaster journey speaks of her challenges, highs, and lows endured during the training; her grit, determination, and perseverance. Most important of all, the way she overcame her fears to emerge victoriously is inspiring and will motivate many readers to pursue their dreams of becoming a triathlete.

A Turbulent Mind is straightforward and honest and Swetha Amit is vocal about her journey as she shares the details. Adjusting to a new country, fighting her inner demons, self-belief, support from her husband, etc. this book has it all to make readers believe in themselves, stretch beyond their comfort zones, and become successful. The Ironman triathlon is one of the toughest endurance sports. I admire the author's strength, determination, and perseverance. Her success story is commendable and will inspire many readers to become confident in pursuing their dreams, transitioning to new skills, and also conquering their fears. The book is definitely a keeper for those who are looking to become triathletes and also to those who are already there to relive their journey.

Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

We All Wore Blue by Emerson Robbins is an impactful story about a team of players brought together by their love of football that sticks together and achieves great things because of their sense of brotherhood. It is also an inspiring example of what can be achieved when people put aside their differences and appreciate the value each person adds to the group. Robbins's first stint as a coach was while he was in high school. It was not until fourteen years later that he decided to take up coaching again after signing up his son, Ben, to play soccer. The family moved to Seattle where his other two sons, Tyler and Ryan, continued to play the game. Robbins began coaching Tyler’s team. From an obscure, poor-performing team, the players made their way into the Gold Division, the top division in recreational soccer.

We All Wore Blue follows the team’s story, their highs and lows, and their remarkable achievements. After reaching the Gold Division, the team now comprised of American and immigrant boys began to play club soccer. The change was also marked by a change of name from “The Mad Dogs” to “FC Shoreline International.” Through Robbins’s leadership, they navigated failure, racism, and personal struggles to win two state championships along with many tournaments and league titles. Robbins stands out in the story not only as a brilliant and strategic coach but also as a father figure and mentor to the players. He steps in, provides guidance, and supports the players including those from immigrant families. Not only was he interested in their performance but also in their personal well-being. Each player is described which allowed me to know them and root for them during each game. The team’s experiences also explore important topics such as racism, immigrant issues, and collaboration. We All Wore Blue by Emerson Robbins is not only a story about an inspiring team that defied the odds to reach extraordinary heights but also an illustration of teamwork, respect, and exceptional leadership.

Reviewed by Java Davis for Readers' Favorite

When Chris Fagan’s husband Marty suggested that they go to the South Pole, Chris’s first reaction was that of a mother, envisioning leaving her son behind for an extended time period. But eventually, the lure of the big adventure caught her imagination. Chris and Marty were power runners and expert climbers. They’d met while climbing Denali in Alaska. If anyone could withstand the rigors of such a trip, she felt that they could. The Expedition: Two Parents Risk Life and Family in an Extraordinary Quest to the South Pole is written by Chris Fagan. The first third of the book is the three years of preparation it took to get ready for such an extreme trip. They dragged SUV tires through trails to get the feel for dragging sleds filled with supplies. The Fagans planned to make the trip by cross-country skiing, alone, unguided, with no helpful drops of extra food or equipment, for over 550 miles. They tapped every human resource, read everything possible, tasted every dehydrated dish to learn which were edible and which tasted horrible, and learned that paper towels make better toilet paper. Chris explained the processes of managing bodily excretions with easy candor. Since the trip took longer than expected, they had to twice re-ration the food to make it last through to the last day.

I found myself completely immersed in their daily struggles against the bitter cold, raging winds, and mostly hostile terrain. During white-outs, all they could see was white, while making sure to keep eyes on one another. Back home in Seattle, their son was coping well with his string of babysitters. Since the Fagans had the ability to phone home via satellite, they kept in touch with their son, friends, family, and the schools that were dialed into the daily blog posts. Yes, the Fagans finally completed The Expedition to the South Pole. Going back home, the world had an amazing array of colors, after so much white, and friendly hugs. As satisfying as it was to complete this arduous trip, the couple was determined to plan future adventures. The most important lesson the couple wanted to impart was to their son, that life should be filled with grand adventures. This is an unqualified, non-stop 5-star book!