Winter Sports Nonfiction and Athlete Memoirs That Capture Olympic Glory

The Winter Olympics may come and go, but the stories behind the medals last far longer. For Game Day Heroes and Trendsetters craving more adrenaline, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes drama, winter sports nonfiction delivers the thrill of competition in unforgettable ways. From elite athlete memoirs to deep dives into Olympic history and cold-weather endurance, these Winter Olympics book picks keep the spirit of the Games alive—long after the closing ceremony.

Rise: My Story

by Lindsey Vonn

The first ever memoir from the most decorated female skier of all time, revealing never-before-told stories of her life in the fast lane, her struggle with depression, and the bold decisions that helped her break down barriers on and off the slopes.

82 World Cup wins. 20 World Cup titles. 3 Olympic medals. 7 World Championship Medals.

A fixture in the American sports landscape for almost twenty years, Lindsey Vonn is a legend. With a career that spanned a transformation in how America recognizes and celebrates female athletes, Vonn--who retired in 2019 as the most decorated American skier of all time--was in the vanguard of that change, helping blaze a trail for other world-class female athletes and reimagining what it meant to pursue speed at all costs.

In Rise, Vonn shares her incredible journey for the first time, going behind the scenes of a badass life built around resilience and risk-taking. One of the most aggressive skiers ever, Vonn offers a fascinating glimpse into the relentless pursuit of her limits, a pursuit so focused on one-upping herself that she pushed her body past its breaking point as she achieved greatness. While this iconic grit and perseverance helped her battle a catalog of injuries, these injuries came with a cost--physical, of course, but also mental. Vonn opens up about her decades-long depression and struggles with self-confidence, discussing candidly how her mental health challenges influenced her career without defining her.

Through it all, she dissects the moments that sidelined her and how, each time, she clawed her way back using an iconoclastic approach rooted in hard work--pushing boundaries, challenging expectations, and speaking her mind, even when it got her into trouble. Featuring sixteen pages of photos, Rise is an inspirational look at her hard-fought success as well as an honest appraisal of the sacrifices she made along the way--an emotional journey of winning that understands all too well that every victory comes with a price.

Around the World in 50 Slopes: The Stories Behind the World's Most Amazing Ski Runs

by Patrick Thorne

'They're places skiers will love.' - Metro

'An intercontinental romp through a galaxy of ski trivia.' - Scotsman

'Whether you've ever skied or never been near a chairlift or the piste, there is gold in these pages. ' - Press & The Journal 

The amazing history behind the best ski trails in the world.

Veteran ski journalist Patrick Thorne has unearthed the incredible stories behind 50 unique runs from the utterly unmissable to the totally unexpected. Discover the two different Alpine ski areas who claim to be Hannibal's route through the mountains with his elephants; the debate around what is really the world's steepest slope; how smugglers have used ski runs to escape custom patrol; and why hundreds of skiers dress as witches at Belalp in Switzerland every year.

Features skiing from across Europe, North America and South America, as well as fascinating global ski destinations including China, Iran and even North Korea. Along the way we'll meet Franz Klammer, the greatest ski racer in history, as well as The Beatles, Count Dracula, St Patrick and James Bond. Complimented with practical information and trail maps, it is the perfect gift for the skier in your life.

Heroes: Women in Snowboarding

by Jérôme Tanon

"His images are a triumph of artistic photography and snowboard camaraderie that showcase all that is great about women's snowboarding - something the photographer feels has been left on the margins of the sport for too long." -- Sam Haddad, Glorious Sport

Heroes: Women in Snowboarding is the product of two years' work by photographer Jérôme Tanon, following some of the most dedicated female snowboarders around the world. It is a declaration of love, highlighting the culture, passion and dedication of female snowboarders.

Though women's snowboarding has developed radically over the last decade, few photographs celebrate the champions of the sport. Over two winter seasons, Tanon traveled the world to meet several snowboarders, hear their stories and photograph them in the streets, the parks and the back-country. The sheer passion they put into their sport was instantly obvious. Shared here are personal stories and artworks by the snowboarders themselves.

Contributors: Estelle Pensiero, Robin Van Gyn, Mary Walsh, Crystal Legoffe, Marie-France Roy, Leanne Pelosi, Nirvana Ortanez, Desiree Melancon, Marion Haerty, Kaisa Lemley, Morgan Anderson, Sarah King, Elena Graglia, Melissa Riitano, Ylfa Runarsdottir, Elena Könz, Ivika Jürgenson, Naima Antolin, Ylfa Rúnarsdóttir, Christy Prior, Jessa Gilbert, Tina Jeler, Natasza Zurek, Anna Gasser, Hana Beaman, Jamie Anderson, Laurie Blouin, Leila Iwabuchi, Annie Boulanger, Alexis Roland, Zoë Vernon, Mia Brookes, Sina Candrian, Klaudia Medlova, Natacha Rottier, Christina "Pika" Burtner, Alicia Gilmour, Margot Rozies, Hannah Eddy, Zoi Sadowski-Synnnott.

Shaun White: Airborne

by Shaun White

The recently retired 3-time Olympic gold medalist shares his favorite action-sports photographs and family albums in this personally curated illustrated autobiography.

White chronicles his evolution from his childhood in California into becoming the world's best snowboarder and skateboarder, his travels to train and compete around the world, his appearances in fashion editorials and advertising, and his interest in music. Some of the world's best action-sports photographers capture White performing his extreme snowboarding and skating tricks around the world--from his groundbreaking aerial maneuvers such as his Double McTwist 1260 on Olympic half pipes, to his radical skating tricks such ashis Frontside 540 Sky Hook at the X Games. White exceeded the imaginable limits of snowboarding and raised the bar for other snowboarding competitors to try to keep up with him. Narrated by White with detailed commentary throughout, this book is an autobiography in images and an intimate glimpse into the life of a celebrity athlete: training, competing, on the road and in the spotlight.

Gold from Iron: A Humble Beginning, Olympic Dreams, and the Power in Getting Back Up

by Nick Baumgartner - Jeff Seidel

A daring and improbable story of Olympic gold from blue-collar origins

Every summer in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Nick Baumgartner went to work pouring concrete, taking on the harsh physical conditions of the construction trade to support his professional snowboarding dreams come winter. To limit travel time while he trained for the Olympics an hour and a half away from home, he lived out of a crusty, old construction van, parked anywhere he could find a spot. 
And in 2022, after 17 years of failure--all the crashes, injuries, and personal setbacks--he won Olympic gold at 40 years old, becoming the oldest Olympic snowboard medalist in history. 
In this candid and affable memoir, Baumgartner details his journey from a one-stoplight town to the podium in Beijing. Tales of crisscrossing the globe on the racing circuit and competing in four Olympic Games sit comfortably alongside Baumgartner's reflections as a single parent and his affectionate portrayal of Iron River, Michigan, the community that raised him. 
More than just a sports story, Gold from Iron is a tale of massive dreams, constant sacrifice, and the lessons that can be learned racing down an ice-covered course on a carbon fiber board.

Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out

by Gracie Gold

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A "piercing account" (The Wall Street Journal) of surviving as a young woman in a society that rewards appearances more than anything and demands perfection at all costs--especially if you're an Olympic figure skater.

"A riveting memoir, which details her experience with an eating disorder, depression and her high-stakes career."--People

When Gracie Gold stepped onto center stage (or ice, rather) as America's sweetheart at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, she instantly became the face of America's most beloved winter sport. Beautiful, blonde, Midwestern, and media-trained, she was suddenly being written up everywhere from The New Yorker to Teen Vogue to People and baking cookies with Taylor Swift.

But little did the public know what Gold was facing when the cameras were off, driven by the self-destructive voice inside that she calls "outofshapeworthlessloser." In 2017, she entered treatment for what was publicly announced as an eating disorder and anxiety treatment but was, in reality, suicidal ideation. While Gold's public star was rising, her private life was falling apart: Cracks within her family were widening, her bulimia was getting worse, and she became a survivor of sexual assault. The pressure of training for years with demanding coaches and growing up in a household that accepted nothing less than gold had finally taken its toll.

Now Gold reveals the exclusive and harrowing story of her struggles in and out of the pressure-packed world of elite figure skating: the battles with her family, her coaches, the powers-that-be at her federation, and her deteriorating mental health.

Outofshapeworthlessloser is not only a forceful reckoning from a world-class athlete but also an intimate memoir, told with unflinching honesty and stirring defiance.

The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph

by Oksana Masters - Cassidy Randall

A 2024 Christopher Award Winner

"A gut-wrenching, wildly inspiring story about overcoming the most daunting obstacles through steely tenacity, sheer will, and a great big dose of motherly love." --Jeannette Walls, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle

An inspirational and powerful memoir from the United States's most decorated winter Paralympic or Olympic athlete, The Hard Parts is Oksana Masters's gripping account of overcoming extraordinary Chernobyl disaster-caused physical challenges to create a life that challenges everyone to push through what is holding them back.

Oksana Masters was born in Ukraine--in the shadow of Chernobyl--seemingly with the odds stacked against her. She came into the world with one kidney, a partial stomach, six toes on each foot, webbed fingers, no right bicep, and no thumbs. Her left leg was six inches shorter than her right, and she was missing both tibias.

Relinquished to the orphanage system by birth parents daunted by the staggering cost of the required medical care, Oksana encountered numerous abuses, some horrifying. Salvation came at age seven when Gay Masters, an unmarried American professor who saw a photo of the little girl and became haunted by her eyes, waged a two-year war against stubborn adoption authorities to rescue Oksana from her circumstances.

In America, Oksana endured years of operations that included a double leg amputation. Still, how could she hope to fit in when there were so many things making her different?

As it turned out, she would do much more than fit in. Determined to prove herself and fueled by a drive to succeed that still smoldered from childhood, Oksana triumphed in not just one sport but four--winning against the world's best in elite rowing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and road cycling competitions. Now considered one of the world's top athletes, she is the recipient of seventeen Paralympic medals, the most of any US athlete of the Winter Games, Paralympic or Olympic.

Oksana's astonishing story of journeying through a series of dark tunnels is "as true a tale of grit as I've ever heard, with a message filled with triumph and beauty--that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, if we are loved" (Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit).

Curling Rocks!: Chronicles of the Roaring Game

by John Cullen

Drawing on author John Cullen's years of experience as both a stand-up comic and an elite curler, Curling Rocks! offers a lighthearted, expertly detailed look at a unique sport and its history, from the most absurd curling fashions to the most sublime matches ever played.

The sport of curling continues to expand its global reach, attracting new players and fans far beyond traditional strongholds. Yet, even in Canada--a country with a long curling history and fifteen hundred clubs of its own--the game is often dismissed as an eccentric pastime.

According to author John Cullen, this is because curling is both inherently funny and chronically underestimated as a battle of skill and strategy. And Cullen is perfectly qualified to make this double-edged claim: not only is he a stand-up comic with many years of experience at the mic, but he's had years on the ice as an elite curler.

Because most previous books on curling have been either how-to guides or standard biographies of prominent players, there has long been space for a reader-friendly overview of the "roaring game" (a nickname inspired by the sound of the forty-pound stone en route to its target). Curling Rocks! sets out to fill this gap with a lighthearted, expertly detailed account of the sport, ranging from the absurd to the sublime. Next to his observations on ill-fitting fashions and odd scandals--among them "Broomgate," when controversial new sweeping technology almost took out the curling world--Cullen offers insights on everything from the greatest matches ever played to the peculiar heartbreak that comes with losing.

In these inviting, irreverent and often deeply personal essays, Cullen finally gives the perplexing, beloved game its due.

The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies

by Devon O'Neil

"On par with Into the Wild... Fast-paced, yet thoughtful and empathetic, all the way to its devastating conclusion, this psychological thriller will haunt me whenever I step off the pavement into the woods. I couldn't stop reading it, and I can't stop thinking about it." -- Bill Gifford, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Outlive

A harrowing, never-before-told story of life and death in the Colorado mountains--thirty hours that changed lives forever and forced a reckoning about the cost of adventure.

"You wanna ski a lap?"

Fifteen-year-old Cole Walters-Schaler couldn't resist. This was why they'd come to the backcountry, after all--three fathers and four teenage children together for a bonding alpine getaway outside Salida, Colorado, in January 2017.

Within minutes, Cole and Brett Beasley, a longtime Forest Service ranger and expert outdoorsman in his mid-forties, had pushed off from their cabin, expecting to be gone for a half hour or so. But an unforgiving blizzard transformed their quick jaunt into a thirty-hour ordeal that would end in tragedy, as the community raced to find them.

The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him

by Eric Blehm

"Eric Blehm offers an insightful perspective on how Craig Kelly became the effortless icon that we all revered as well as sobering details of how his heroic journey tragically ended. The Darkest White is a must read, not just for fans of snowboarding, but for anyone looking for inspiration from an unlikely hero."--Tony Hawk

From Eric Blehm, the bestselling author of The Last Season and Fearless, comes an extraordinary new book in the vein of Into the Wild, the story of the legendary snowboarder Craig Kelly and his death in the 2003 Durrand Glacier Avalanche--a devastating and controversial tragedy that claimed the lives of seven people.

On January 20, 2003, a thunderous crack rang out and a violent tide of snow barreled down the northern Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia, Canada, burying thirteen skiers and snowboarders. Among them was Craig Kelly--"the Michael Jordan of snowboarding"--a world champion who had propelled the sport into the mainstream before walking away from competitions to rekindle his passion in the untamed alpine wilds of North America.

The Darkest White tells the story of Craig Kelly's life, an extraordinary and inspiring odyssey of a latchkey kid whose athletic prowess and innovations revolutionized winter sports, carried him around the globe, and pushed him into increasingly extreme backcountry environments. It is also a definitive, immersive account of how snowboarding grew from a minor Gen X cult hobby to Olympic centerpiece and a billion-dollar business full of feuds and rivalries. This mesmerizing tribute is a cautionary portrait of the mountains, of the allure and the glory they offer, and of the avalanches they unleash with unforgiving fury.

"The most unremittingly exciting book of nonfiction I have come across in recent years. I found myself reading late into recent nights wholly transfixed by every paragraph, every word."--Simon Winchester, New York Times Book Review

Hockey Hall of Fame True Stories 2

by Eric Zweig

"I will admit, I was a bit late in the game when I discovered my favourite teacher. It was 1992, and I was 32 when I read Hockey Night in the Dominion of Canada by Eric Zweig. The rest, as they say, is history. I haven't left his classroom. In Eric's latest gem, Hockey Hall of Fame True Stories 2, he uses his ferocious memory and impeccable research to produce a trove, whisking us between the here and now, the there and then, and like a favourite teacher, helps us to know a subject for the first time."
-- Ron MacLean

Face off for another drop into the fascinating world of hockey history with Hockey Hall of Fame True Stories 2. In this follow up to his bestseller, hockey historian and writer Eric Zweig opens the doors to the Hockey Hall of Fame, revealing a treasure trove of untold tales, bizarre incidents and captivating trivia that will leave even the most devoted puck head astounded.

Immerse yourself in the intense rivalries, epic showdowns and historic clashes that shaped the NHL's early years, providing a fresh prospect on the quest for hockey supremacy. Delve into the narratives surrounding the sport's most prestigious awards, accompanied by newspaper clippings and of-the-moment reactions. Learn about pivotal rule changes, the intriguing stories behind their inception, and even the experimental rules that didn't quite make the cut. Witness the birth of hockey broadcasting as it takes its first steps onto the radio and television airwaves. Discover the origins of the iconic 3 stars tradition, the excitement of barnstorming hockey trips and the early days of hockey cards and parades. Prepare to be shocked as you learn about the peculiar injuries and illnesses that befell some of hockey's greatest stars. From polo injuries to snow blower misadventures, these tales highlight the quirky and unpredictable side of the game.

Here are just some of the wide range of players included in this volume:

• Wayne Gretzky
• Jaromir Jagr
• Bobby Hull
• Art Ross, namesake of the trophy for the leading scorer
• Sprague Cleghorn
• Lester Patrick
• Larry Robinson
• Brian Leetch
• Joe Sakic.

Hockey Hall of Fame True Stories 2 is a must-read for fans who crave more than just scores and statistics. Eric Zweig once again invites you to uncover the true stories that have shaped the sport, ensuring that you will never look at the game of hockey the same way again.

Home and Away

by Mats Sundin - Amy Stuart

INSTANT #1 BESTSELLER

In one of the last great remaining untold stories in all of sports, the Hall of Fame Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin shares for the first time an unfiltered look at playing hockey in Sweden and across North America as part of the sport's most fabled franchises.

Growing up in Sollentuna, Sweden, on the outskirts of Stockholm, Mats Sundin skated on the lake downhill from his house, a house his father had built with his own hands, on land his mother insisted on buying for their future. In the darkness of the Scandinavian winter Sundin would chase after his older brother on that lake for countless hours. Summers spent in nature with his grandparents instilled a lifelong love for the outdoors. Playing hockey in their driveway, the three Sundin brothers imagined scenes of suiting up for Sweden's national team and scoring a game winning goal against their favoured rival, the Soviet Union. It wasn't until his late teens that he caught the eyes of scouts and coaches from the other side of the Atlantic. At the 1989 NHL draft, eighteen-year-old Sundin was as surprised as anyone when he was selected first overall by the Quebec Nordiques.

After a few years as a Nordique, Sundin was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the highly popular Leaf captain, Wendel Clark. In his early years in Toronto, he felt both at home and from away, working extra hard to gain acceptance in the world's toughest hockey market. Even once he was named captain, Sundin didn't deviate from his quiet nature but instead lead by example, never asking anyone to work harder than he did. Over thirteen seasons with the team, he would learn just how fiery the cauldron of Leafs Nation could be.

In Home and Away, Mats Sundin writes openly for the first time about what it was like for him to uproot his life in Sweden to embark on a long hockey career an ocean away. Home and Away is an elegiac, heartfelt, and honest story of a man who followed his passions, cherished his family, faced heavy scrutiny, and ultimately earned his way into both the hearts of fans and the hockey record books. His journey transcends the rink and shows what it means to be a quiet and unpretentious Swedish kid who went on to become one of the most accomplished players in the history of the game.

A Whole New Game: Economics, Politics, and the Transformation of the Business of Hockey in Canada

by Neil Longley

Hockey used to be Canada's game. What happened? A renowned sports expert details the sellout of a sport Canada once dominated to big-money U.S. corporatization and enumerates the effects, including declining amateur participation and audience size.

Hockey is still Canada's most popular spectator sport. Yet, many fans question how organized hockey serves the country of its origin as they watch the NHL expand ever deeper into an indifferent American south, taking the best young Canadian talent and leaving major Canadian markets in Québec, the Maritimes and the Prairies in the cold. Minor hockey, once the pride of smaller communities, now serves as a brutal corporate feeder system for the NHL, treating underpaid teenagers like chattel, often shipping players as young as fourteen far away from their homes and families on short notice. Neil Longley contrasts the current state of the game with the way it was before the expansion era, when hockey teams were nurtured and supported at the community level, a system still practiced in much of Europe. In one of the most perceptive and authoritative analyses yet written on modern hockey history, Professor Longley finds no magic formula for putting heart and local pride back in Canada's game, but makes a strong case for placing today's corporate system "in a more realistic, less-Disneyfied, less sanitized, context."