The 10 best athlete biography books everyone should read

Frankly and unvarnished athletes tell us about their careers, ups and downs, the thorny path and bright victories. And they teach us how to win not only in sport, but also in life. Today we have collected 10 best books about world sports stars. Choose, be inspired and share whose biography you wanted to read first?

“Kobe Bryant. The Mamba Mentality. The Philosophy of My Game.”

The book of five-time NBA champion, world basketball legend Kobe Bryant about the philosophy of the Mamba Mentality – the strategy that formed the basis of his success.

Inside – the peculiarities of the training process, the most difficult moments of Bryant’s career, analysis of specific opponents – from Michael Jordan to LeBron James.

“Kobe Bryant. The Mamba Mentality. The Philosophy of My Game.”

“Alexandra Trusova. The Girl Who Defeated Gravity.”

A fragile 16-year-old girl who turned the world of figure skating upside down, led Russia to unquestionable leadership and set 11 world records.

How she managed to achieve such success and what the price is, read the biography of the famous figure skater.

“Alexandra Trusova. The girl who defeated gravity”

“Michael Jordan. His Airness.”

When we think of Michael Jordan, we think of his beautiful shots and a body completely in sync with the ball – he doesn’t hit anything but the net. But for all the greatness, Jordan has a dark side.

Basketball journalist Roland Lazenby spent nearly 30 years covering Michael Jordan’s career. In this book, he explores both sides of the basketball player’s personality and reveals his entire story to us. Inside you’ll find interviews with Michael and his friends, teammates and family members, reminiscences and unique archival photos.

“Michael Jordan. His Airness.”

“Beyond Possible. How a Nepalese mountaineer conquered 14 of the world’s major peaks and became a living legend”

Nirmal Purja is a mountaineer from Nepal, a former soldier in the elite Special Forces unit of the British Royal Navy. His story is a nuclear mix of perseverance, strength and the will to succeed.

From the book you will learn how life in Nepal and training in the Special Forces made Nirmal a man who went beyond what was possible by following his dreams. Purji’s ability to control his mind and achieve goals where every next step could cut life short will help everyone find motivation and inspiration.

“Beyond Possible. How a Nepali mountaineer conquered 14 of the world’s major peaks and became a living legend”

“Kylian Mbappe. “The Golden Boy of French soccer.”

A guide to the career of the main hope of French soccer Kylian Mbappe. Despite his young age – Kylian is only 24 years old – on his account and the “Golden Boot” and the title of world champion. Journalists of France Football could not pass by such a phenomenon of French soccer – the publication gave him the Golden Boy award and dedicated this book to him.

Thanks to archival photos and interviews with the footballer himself, his colleagues and coaches, everyone can learn about Mbappe’s path to the top of soccer and see the real him.

“Kylian Mbappe. “Golden Boy” of French soccer”

“Panarin, Vasilevsky, Tarasenko, Bobrovsky. Russian roads to the hockey dream.”

Artemi Panarin, who conquered New York. Andrei Vasilevskiy, winner of the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup and the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy. Vladimir Tarasenko, who went from captaining a golden Russian youth team in Buffalo in 2011 to winning the 2019 Stanley Cup. And Sergei Bobrovsky, who was the first Russian goalie to win the Vezina Trophy, the prize for the best goalie of the season in the NHL.

In one book, sports journalist Igor Rabiner has collected the stories of two forwards and two goalies – and each of them will inspire hockey players to achieve feats. Igor talked to the athletes and learned how they grew into superstars, what obstacles they had to overcome and what it cost them.

“Panarin, Vasilevsky, Tarasenko, Bobrovsky. Russian roads to the hockey dream”

“Mikhail Yuzhny. The fulcrum. An honest book about tennis as a game and a profession”

One of the best Russian tennis players shares candid memories of himself and his family, victories and defeats, secrets of success and people who helped and inspired.

Fascinating and sincerely written book will appeal even to those who know nothing about tennis, because first of all it will help to find inspiration for new achievements and not to give up in the most difficult situations.

“Mikhail Youzhny. The fulcrum. An honest book about tennis as a game and a profession”

“Kimi Raikkonen. The last true Formula 1 driver.”

Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen is known to the world as a Formula One champion and as a calm and judicious sportsman. Kimi is also one of the most enigmatic athletes: he rarely shares personal things in interviews and almost never reveals his feelings and thoughts to anyone.

To look into his head and find out what the great racer lives and dreams about, will help the famous Finnish F1 columnist Cult Heikki. He talked to Raikkonen and told us how a little boy dreaming of a pedestal became the champion of the “Royal Race”.

“Kimi Raikkonen. The last true Formula 1 driver.”

“Letters from the Himalayas. Edited by Sergei Boyko.”

The world’s highest mountains are a place where many stories of success and suffering are centered. Reinhold Messner offers a look at legendary mountaineers and their ascents through their own eyes.

In the book he has collected his letters over 50 years and selected letters from legendary climbers like Willy Merkle, Hermann von Schlagintveit and Albert Frederick Mummery. Some letters recount moments of happiness and triumph. Others appear as farewell notes. Still others testify to courage and ambition. But each of them reveals key moments in the history of Himalayan mountaineering with touching honesty.

“Letters from the Himalayas. Edited by Sergei Boyko.”

“Conor McGregor. Life Without Rules.”

The road to success is never easy, and John Kavanagh and Conor McGregor were no exception. McGregor eventually became one of the most famous MMA players in the world, and Kavanagh was responsible for all of his training and mentoring.

In his book, Kavanagh talks about what was the journey of the Irish superstar and one of the best fighters in the world. As well as sharing his philosophy of life and fighting that allowed him to go from a battered kid to an outstanding trainer and raise a legend. A mast-read for MMA fans and those who want to follow their dreams and succeed.

“Conor McGregor. Life Without Rules.”