Focusing on a remarkable Native American football team, the narrative highlights their journey and struggles, intertwining sports with cultural history. Sally Jenkins uncovers a forgotten chapter, presenting an inspirational tale that transcends the game itself, much like the themes found in Lance Armstrong's story. This book not only celebrates athletic achievement but also reflects on identity and resilience within a marginalized community.
Sally Jenkins Books







Focusing on the remarkable coaches and athletes encountered throughout her career, the author shares a heartfelt tribute that highlights the principles of excellence they exemplify. Drawing from her experiences as a sportswriter, she offers insights into the dedication and resilience that define success in sports, making it a compelling read for fans and aspiring athletes alike.
The narrative reflects on Dean Smith's nearly forty-year tenure as the University of North Carolina basketball coach, highlighting his profound influence on players and the sport. It revisits memorable games, teams, and rivalries while emphasizing the core principles of basketball as essential life lessons—passion, discipline, focus, selflessness, and responsibility. In a new final chapter, Smith shares insights from his retirement, showcasing his dual role as a coach and mentor who shaped the character of countless young men.
Funny Cide
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
They had no business being there. They were up against million-dollar horses owned by patricians, oilmen, Arab sheiks, and Hollywood producers. They were ten regular guys, and all they wanted was to win a race. Instead, they won the hearts of America. In 2003, a three-year-old with the unlikely name of Funny Cide became "the people's horse," the unheralded New York-bred gelding who-in a time of war and economic jitters-inspired a nation by knocking off the champions and their millionaire owners and sweeping to the brink of the Triple Crown. Trained by a journeyman who'd spent over 30 years looking for "the one," ridden by a jockey fighting to come back after years of injuries and hard knocks, and owned by a band of high school buddies from Sackets Harbor, N.Y., Funny Cide became a hero and media sensation. Now, Sally Jenkins, award-winning co-author of Lance Armstrong's #1 bestseller It's Not About the Bike, tells the inside story of the Funny Cide team's ups and downs against overwhelming odds, illness, and even scandal, to capture the imagination of millions. It's a new American classic for the underdog in all of us.
The State of Jones
- 432 pages
- 16 hours of reading
Covering the same ground as the major motion picture The Free State of Jones, starring Matthew McConaughey, this is the extraordinary true story of the anti-slavery Southern farmer who brought together poor whites, army deserters and runaway slaves to fight the Confederacy in deepest Mississippi. "Moving and powerful." -- The Washington Post. In 1863, after surviving the devastating Battle of Corinth, Newton Knight, a poor farmer from Mississippi, deserted the Confederate Army and began a guerrilla battle against it. A pro-Union sympathizer in the deep South who refused to fight a rich man’s war for slavery and cotton, for two years he and other residents of Jones County engaged in an insurrection that would have repercussions far beyond the scope of the Civil War. In this dramatic account of an almost forgotten chapter of American history, Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer upend the traditional myth of the Confederacy as a heroic and unified Lost Cause, revealing the fractures within the South.
If you read just one sports book this year, this is the one' Express on SundayLance Armstrong was one of the most precocious talents the world of cycling had ever seen. Within a year of turning professional in 1992 he was World Champion. In 1994 he won tw
Every Second Counts
- 246 pages
- 9 hours of reading
In 1999, Lance Armstrong made world headlines with the most stunning comeback in the history of sport after battling against life-threatening testicular cancer just eighteen months before returning to professional cycling. His first book, It's Not About the Bike, charted his journey back to life and went on to become an international bestseller.Now, in his much-anticipated follow-up, Armstrong shares more details of his extraordinary life story, including the births of his twin daughters Grace and Isabel. Never shy of controversy, Armstrong offers, with typical frankness, his thoughts on training, competing, winning and failure. He also tells of the work he did for the foundation he created following his dramatic recovery, addresses the daunting challenge of living in the aftermath of cancer and treatment, and shares further inspirational tales of survival.A fresh outlook on the spirit of survivors everywhere, Every Second Counts is an account of a man who strives every day to meet life's challenges - whether on his bike or off. Every Second Counts was first published in October 2003. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in January 2013, Lance Armstrong admitted to having taken performance enhancing drugs in all seven of the Tours de France in which he competed between 1999 and 2005. He was officially stripped of these wins by the UCI, the world governing body for cycling, in 2012.
LITTLE MUSEUM OF HOPE a unique story full of hope. Guaranteed to pull at the heartstrings
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Vanessa embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience after a painful divorce at fifty-five, following her ex-husband's unexpected affair that shattered their thirty-year marriage. As she navigates the challenges of starting anew, the story explores themes of empowerment, healing, and the pursuit of happiness in the later stages of life. Through her experiences, Vanessa learns to embrace change and redefine her identity, ultimately finding strength and hope in her new chapter.
Waiting for a Bright New Future
A heartwarming and uplifting page-turner about second chances
- 310 pages
- 11 hours of reading
A vibrant tribute band singer named Florence brings life and spontaneity to the reserved Stuart's world as her new landlord. While he grapples with the chaos of her presence, including her carefree spirit and unconventional habits, she encourages him to embrace risks and pursue his desires. As their relationship develops, Florence helps Stuart confront his past and rekindle a connection with his childhood sweetheart. This journey of self-discovery challenges Stuart to break free from his old habits and seize a second chance at life.
The Promise is a fast-paced psychological thriller told from several third person viewpoints.