Rusty always felt second-best. He wasn't a winner on the track team or in the eyes of his parents. But when his best friend gets cancer, Rusty is given a challenge he just has to meet.

In Whats My Name, Fool? sports writer Dave Zirin shows how sports express the worst - and at times the most creative, exciting, and political - features of our society. Zirins sharp and insightful commentary on the personalities, politics, and history of American sports is unlike any sports writing being done today. Zirin explores how NBA brawls highlight tensions beyond the arena, how the bold stances taken by sports unions can chart a path for the entire labor movement, and the unexplored political stirrings of a new generation of athletes who are no longer content to just ''play one game at a time.'' Whats My Name, Fool? draws on original interviews with former heavyweight champ George Foreman, Olympic athlete John Carlos, NBA player and anti-death penalty activist Etan Thomas, antiwar womens college hoopster Toni Smith, Olympic Project for Human Rights leader Lee Evans and many others. It also unearths a history of athletes ranging from Jackie Robinson to Muhammad Ali to Billie Jean King, who charted a new course through their athletic ability and their outspoken views.

Runners feel a connection to one another, a bond formed with mutual respect. And yet, running is deeply personal, reminding us of our earliest days, when we could find simple joy in fresh air, and excitement in the rhythm of our movement. But running isn't just child's play. It can be a weapon against our deepest fears, giving us a means to fight our apprehension and doubt. We battle negative voices, and we overcome them.In the process, we learn a lot about ourselves, realizing we're capable of more than we thought we were.In the Distance is a book about running, but it's also a book about living. If you run, you'll find yourself in the stories. You'll associate with the fear and the struggle, and you'll acknowledge the important lessons that are learned while running and racing. But this book isn't just for runners. Every reader will become immersed in the heartwarming stories. You'll feel a connection to the child, the competitor, the fighter, the learner, the seeker, the father, and the philosopher, all of whom appear within the same person, traversing through life one mile at a time.

Have you ever had a dream? How did you make that dream come true? Dave McGillivray is a world-renowned athlete, entrepreneur, captivating motivational speaker, and philanthropist. He’s also the director of the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest and maybe most famous annual race! But he wasn’t always so accomplished. In Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination, his nonfiction picture book for readers ages 6 to 10, Dave shares his unique, true story about reaching deep and showing extreme determination in the face of doubt, disappointment, and loss. In Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination, Dave is a small kid who wants more than anything to be a professional athlete. But there’s one problem. You have to be tall to play basketball. You have to be big to play football. And Dave? He’s little, but his dreams are BIG. He turns to running, because you don’t have to be big to be a marathon runner! But you do need to train. And Dave doesn’t do much training before he crosses his first starting line of the Boston Marathon. Which is probably why he doesn’t quite cross the finish line on his first attempt at the famous race. But his Grandpa believes in him, and that’s enough to make Dave train hard for the next Boston Marathon. But will his Grandpa be there to see him succeed? Kids and grownups alike will be inspired by Dave’s story of passion, determination, and grit. Nomad Press’s first foray into the genre of nonfiction picture books, Dream Big delivers on all the promise you’d expect from a vibrant, real-life character paired with an award-winning fine artist. Together, Dave McGillivray and Ron Himler create a story that is heartwarming, inspiring, and beautifully presented.

The classic account of an unforgettable endurance test, now updated with a new introduction The 1989 Ironman World Championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. In a spectacular duel that became known as the Iron War, the world's two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through Ironman's 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record--and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart. In Iron War, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald writes a riveting epic about how Allen and Scott drove themselves and each other through the most awe-inspiring race in sports history. Iron War goes beyond the pulse-pounding race story to offer a fascinating exploration of the lives of the world's two toughest men and their unquenchable desire to succeed. Weaving an examination of mental resolve into a gripping tale of athletic adventure, Iron War is a soaring narrative of two champions and the paths that led to their stunning final showdown.

Psychologist Michael Santorini is on the lam, framed for a crime he didn't commit. Desperate and resolute inhis pursuit of vindication, he discovers the inescapable: freedom will come only if he can blaze a death-defying trail through an uncharted frontier of psychology. Winner, BAIPA Award for Best Suspence Novel.

Running away from an intolerable home situation, a 15-year-old boy finds that he has nowhere to go and no one to turn to.

Under the threat of blackmail, a young, rich musician attends one of his concert afterparties and is coerced into telling the story of a tragic summer of his youth that started with drugs, sex, and good music-- but ended in betrayal, hatred and suicide.

The Programme Plot Synopsis Introducing the Novel Cancer: Victories, not Victims Venn Diagram: Character Figures of Speech Fact Finding Tying Up Loose Ends Picture It Running for Dave Quiz After-Reading Activities Teacher Assessment Checklist

When Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story was first published in 1979, the publisher hoped that it would sell 15,000 copies. It would end up selling a miraculous 150,000 copies-becoming the first rock 'n' roll best seller ever. It was a landmark book, virtually creating the genre of the rock book & going on to be translated into five foreign languages. Born to Run, reprinted now with a new introduction, combines a biography, a fan's notes, a photo book, an analysis of the biz, & an annotated discography cum touring chronology to make the most encyclopedic exploration into Bruce Springsteen's life & the rock 'n' roll world available. Dave Marsh is perhaps the best-known rock critic in the country. He is the founding editor of Creem & has been a contributing editor of Rolling Stone since 1975. His syndicated record reviews have appeared in more than 200 newspapers, & his articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Nation, & TV Guide. He is also the author of The Rolling Stone Record Guide, co-author of The Book of Rock Lists, & contributor to The Illustrated History of Rock & Roll.