Books with author Bill Gutman

As fast-paced as a freefall from a roaring airplane, as thrilling as a towering jump off a ski slope, Being Extreme is a fascinating examination of the adrenaline rush of extreme sports. Here is a world where living life on the edge is the only option, where you are only as good as your last jump . . . and where one false move can take you out of the game permanently.From mountain climbing and freestyle motocross to skydiving and snowboarding and beyond, in the past decade, the world of extreme sports has exploded onto the scene, with daredevils attempting acts of athleticism that leave spectators awed . . . and fearful. Being Extreme explores the motivations and societal impulses behind these high-risk lifestyles through interviews with professional athletes and recreational enthusiasts, as well as with psychiatrists who seek to understand the motivation behind these “Big T” personalities. Authors Gutman and Frederick also explore what heart-stopping sports are around the next curve, because in a world where the “rush” is everything, everyone is always upping their game.

It’s 1848, and twelve-year-old James Gregg’s life is changing forever. James and his family are heading west to help tame the American wilderness. Fierce storms, Indians, wolves, and buffalo wait at every turn. Some travelers will live, some will die. James feels like one of the lucky ones—until the terrifying crossing at the flooded South Platte River. James’s best friend, Cady Walker, can’t swim. When she tumbles into the churning water, James dives to her rescue. But James can hardly fight the swift current and Cady’s flailing arms. Can James save them both, or will Cady and James’s journey west end before it barely has begun?

Who would have thought that an Asian American who majored in economics at Harvard would become the NBA’s most talked about star? While the story seems more like Hollywood fantasy, it has really happened.Undrafted out of college and waived in short order by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, Jeremy Lin was signed by the underachieving New York Knicks in December 2011. In his first twenty-three games, he played only fifty-five total minutes and was close to being cut again.Then, on February 4, 2012, with the Knick decimated by injury, he came off the bench against the New Jersey Nets and scored 25 points, leading the Knicks to victory. He started the following game and topped that with 28 points and eight assists. Linsanity was born!Here Lin’s full story—from the playgrounds of Palo Alto to a high school championship to the Ivy League to sleeping on his brother’s couch to stardom at Madison Square Garden. As he begins the 2012-2013 reason with a new contract totaling almost $30 million for four years, his story will entertain and inspire sports fans and non-sports fans alike.

After months on the western trail, James Gregg and Cady Walker and their families are almost at the end of their journey. Oregon is in sight! But the last stretch is the most dangerous, so women and children must take the safe route downriver on rafts, while the men and wagons thread their way over the treacherous Cascade Mountains. But Cady refuses to go downriver with the women. She steals off and joins the men, and James is glad to have his best friend along. Then, just when the end of the journey seems near, Cady and James are cornered by a mountain lion!James and Cady are terrified. They’ve come so far—will they ever see the land they’ve crossed the country for . . . the land they hope to call home?

It’s 1848, and twelve-year-old James Gregg’s life is changing forever. James and his family are heading west to help tame the American wilderness. Fierce storms, Indians, wolves, and buffalo wait at every turn. Some travelers will live, some will die. James feels like one of the lucky ones—until the terrifying crossing at the flooded South Platte River. James’s best friend, Cady Walker, can’t swim. When she tumbles into the churning water, James dives to her rescue. But James can hardly fight the swift current and Cady’s flailing arms. Can James save them both, or will Cady and James’s journey west end before it barely has begun?

Twelve-year-old James Gregg and his friend Cady Walker survived the first leg of their families’ journey west, after braving the wild rapids and encounters with Indians. But when James’s father falls ill, the wagon train leaves both families behind to fend for themselves on the plains. James and his older brother, Jeremy, must protect everyone. But the two boys have been feuding since the trip began—and they continue to fight even as their food and water supply dwindles. Then Cady spots outlaws heading toward their unguarded wagons. She acts as a lookout while James and Jeremy ready their rifles. Can the brothers unite long enough to stop their deadly enemies?

After months on the western trail, James Gregg and Cady Walker and their families are almost at the end of their journey. Oregon is in sight! But the last stretch is the most dangerous, so women and children must take the safe route downriver on rafts, while the men and wagons thread their way over the treacherous Cascade Mountains. But Cady refuses to go downriver with the women. She steals off and joins the men, and James is glad to have his best friend along. Then, just when the end of the journey seems near, Cady and James are cornered by a mountain lion!James and Cady are terrified. They’ve come so far—will they ever see the land they’ve crossed the country for . . . the land they hope to call home?

Back On The Bike Lance Armstrong is the premier cyclist in sports history. But the road to victory has not been smooth, which makes his story all the more compelling. In 1991 he was the National Amateur Cycling Champion, and a professional career seemed guaranteed. But a grim diagnosis of cancer in 1996 threatened to cut the career -- and his life -- short. With the help of family, friends, and a dedicated team of doctors, Lance began the hard work not only to beat the disease, but to get back on the bike. By the summer of 1999 Lance was not only back, he was leading the pack to his first Tour de France win. And he hasn't stopped winning since that sweet victory. Here's the story of Lance Armstrong, from his first ride, to his most recent race, and all the twists and turns in between!

What do Mark Koenig, Red Rolfe, Frank Crosetti, Sandy Alomar, Bobby Murcer, Wayne Tolleson, and Derek Jeter all have in common? They all wore number 2 for the New York Yankees, even though nearly eight decades have passed between the first time Koenig buttoned up a Yankee uniform with that number and the last time Jeter performed the same routine.The 1929 New York Yankees were the first Major League baseball team to begin regularly wearing uniform numbers. That team, led by superstars Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, was assigned its numbers based on the batting order. This is why Ruth wore 3, Gehrig 4, and so on. Soon other teams in other cities caught on, and before long every team in baseball were wearing numbers. But like many things in baseball history, it all started in the Bronx.Over 1,500 players have worn pinstripes in their careers, makes for a lot of good stories. Yankees by the Numbers tells those stories for every Yankee since ’29—from Earle Combs (the original #1) to Charlie Keller (the only Yankee to ever wear #99)—providing insightful and humorous commentary about the more memorable players, from a fan’s perspective. Each chapter also features a fascinating sidebar that reveals which players were the most obscure to wear a certain number, and also which numbers produced the most wins, home runs and stolen bases in club history. For data seekers, a “Yankees Alphabetical Roster” is a complete listing of every single Yankee since 1929, the numbers they wore, and their years of service at the House that Ruth Built.Updated through the 2014 baseball season, this second edition of Yankees by the Numbers is a book that every Yankee fan, young or old, should own and cherish.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.