Jess Recommends: Books for (almost) every sporting fan

As it's coming up to Christmas, I start to think more and more about what I can gift to friends whose interests are much more active than my own. Obviously, the answer is always books, but in the past I've found it hard to work out what the best picks are for sporty readers, which aren't just standard sports biographies. Over the course of my searching, I pulled together a list of interesting books that appeal to me as a layman and hopefully to them, whether they're an expert on the subject or a novice looking to learn more.

Football

'The Ball is Round' by David Goldblatt is definitely a tome at 992 pages, but it is also a pretty definitive global history of the game and how it has shaped and been shaped by the political and social landscape.

Focusing on a smaller scale, 'The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines' by Michael Cox is a great choice for anyone who wants to know more about the history of British football tactics. Outlining the tactical trends that have shaped the Premier League since its inception, it looks at iconic sides like Arsenal's Invincibles, Mourinho's first title-winning Chelsea team and Leicester City's fairytale championship in 2015/16 and the way the rest of the league adapted to their innovations.

Rugby

'Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji’s Olympic Dream' by Ben Ryan was one rugby book that caught my eye. After being given only 20 minutes to decide if he would coach Fiji's Olympic rugby team, Ryan jumped on a plane to a country he had never been to before. He recounts his time with the team in the lead up to the 2016 Olympics - and on their way to what could be their first gold medal in the sport.

If they're more of a fan of rugby league, Tony Collins' 'Rugby League: A People's History' might be up their street. It tracks the 125 year history of the sport, alongside the social history of the north of England, and the importance of the sport in that region.

Running

'The Lost Art of Running' by Shane Benzie and Tim Major is simultaneously narrative and practical, partly recounting the journey of Shane Benzie - running technique analyst coach - around the world, and partly the techniques he has learnt from the foremost athletes.

Cycling

For fans of cycling, 'The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman: A Bone-shaking Tour Through Cycling’s Flemish Heartlands' by Harry Pearson is a great choice. Using his journey as a springboard, Pearson explores 500 years of Flemish history and how cycling fits into it. It's an informative and entertaining race through the country and the relationship of sport to it's environment.

Swimming

'Why We Swim' by Bonnie Tsui and 'Splash! 10,000 Years of Swimming' by Howard Means are both wonderful books about the history of swimming. 'Splash!' is an informative but humorous dive into the topic, and 'Why We Swim' is a thoughtful meditation on what it is that draws us to take a dip.

Cricket

Cricket might be said to be a quintessentially English sport in the common imagination, the first image springing to mind one of summer afternoons on a village green. But of course it's also one of Britain's biggest colonial cultural exports, with a long history around the commonwealth. 'The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind' by Ramachandra Guha talks about the sport as it's played across India and how it has impacted his own life.

'The Breath of Sadness: On Love, Grief and Cricket' by Ian Ridley stands out too, in the cricket category, for its personal journey through grief set against the backdrop of English county cricket. After losing his wife, the sports reporter Vikki Orvice, and facing the crippling grief that accompanied that loss, Ridley decides to spend the summer watching English county cricket. The book that follows is a meditation on healing through sport and community, and it's definitely one that anyone who finds peace and solace in sport will find moving.