What to read next: Elton John saves a football club, American football season is here, and more.
This week is the long-awaited beginning of the NFL's 2024-2025 season, and the Amazon Editors have some great sports books for you to mark the occasion. And if you're not an American football fan, no problem: we have tennis books to celebrate the US Open, and even a book for what the rest of the world calls football, too. Make sure to check out our Best Books of the Month for more reading recommendations!
If Watford Forever were a rom-com, it would be an opposites attract tale that segues into an underdog-comes-out-on-top story. In recession-hit ‘70s Britain, it seemed like every facet of society was on the skids. Take Watford Football Club: regularly bottom of Division 4, situated in rat-infested grounds that were rarely even quarter full. Turns out the biggest thing Watford FC had going for it was a fan who, as a boy, experienced the only fun he’d ever had with his dour dad watching Watford lose play on Saturday afternoons. That man was Elton John and Watford Forever recounts how his decision to buy the club of his youth and hire legendary—and radically less flamboyant—football manager Graham Taylor to turn Watford FC into a Division 1 team, was more wildly successful than either of these mismatched friends dared hope. Preston expertly captures both the quixotic obsession of true fandom and the uplifting potential of leadership and partnership in this funny, entertaining and inspirational book. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
There’s nothing like a football tailgate, but getting ready to cheer yourself hoarse is thirsty work, so planning ahead with an ample supply of food and beverages is a must. James Beard Award-winning chef John Currence may not have grown up tailgating but this New Orleans native took to it like a fish to water, and this cookbook is a testament to their delicious match. Sure, you can throw a few hot dogs on a grill and crack open a beer, or you can follow the recipes in Tailgreat and whip up a simple but very enticing Bloody Mary bar to wash down Grilled Wedge Salad Skewers and NOLA Roast Beef Po’ Boy Bites. You’ll find an incredible assortment of easy-to-eat options, including bite-sized desserts, and, of course, boozy cocktails for a crowd. Whatever team you’re rooting for (go Huskies!), I hope you’ll do it with a smile on your face, and a winning spread from Tailgreat in your belly. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Football season? There's a romance for that. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Nora—her aggressively perky personality and determination to show up every day as her authentic self made her a truly inspiring character. Nora is a sports agent working to move up in a male-dominated industry. Derek is an NFL player who’s in need of a new agent. As fate would have it, Nora is assigned as Derek’s agent, which is the opportunity she’s been waiting for…with just one catch—the two were college sweethearts, and the breakup did not go well. Derek reluctantly allows Nora to be his agent, but there are rules, so many rules, the two must follow. What starts out as a ploy to make her life miserable ends up becoming a sweet and heartwarming second-chance romance. Fans of Amazon Editors’ Pick The Bromance Book Club will love this story. —Kami Tei, Amazon Editor
The US Open is upon us, so I’m craving a book about the drama and power of tennis. Even if you’re not a fan of the sport, you’ll love the fiery energy and infectious ambition of Carrie Soto, another beloved character created by Taylor Jenkins Reid (of Malibu Rising, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Daisy Jones & the Six fame). Soto unapologetically wants to win at all costs—and it’s thrilling to watch her risk it all in her pursuit. This novel also has a big heart (her relationship with her father will make you smile), and is a real page-turner. Call this your last beach read of summer. We named it one of Best Books of the Month, but I read it in a single day. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor
When I read The Boys of Riverside, I was taken back in time to when I first saw Remember the Titans at the cinema. Thomas Fuller delivers a thought-provoking American underdog story that hits all the right beats. Though where the Titans fought through racial prejudice, these football boys face a different foe—no one believes they can win for the simple fact that they're an all-deaf team. Every chapter is a fascinating look into the lives of the players, coaches, families, and Riverside community at large, diving into such topics as drug abuse, the vilification of sign language, and even the urbanization of farmland. It all plays a part in how this team comes together on the football field. A story of defeat and victory, of haves versus have-nots, and overcoming adversity, the narrative will make you want to find out the how and why of it all, and offers a few surprises and nail-biting moments along the way. One of the best books I've read all year; ultimately, it's an inspiring story that will speak to sports fans, deaf communities, allies, and more. —Ben Grange, Amazon Editor
I’ve got a soft spot for the Chicago Bears. They were my Pop’s favorite team when I was little, and I proudly wore my Walter Payton jersey until it was in tatters. Their popularity in 1985 was so unusually intense, it wasn’t just relegated to sports fans, and this oral history transcends the genre as well. Sports can often serve as a metaphor for life, and Rich Cohen beautifully captures all the pain, disappointment, glory, and joy it entails. As well as this colorful cast of characters, and an equally colorful coach, who Super Bowl shuffled their way into our hearts (sorry/not sorry). Whether or not you know who “The Fridge” is, or wouldn’t even know a football if one hit you in the head, Monsters is a book for you. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor
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