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Why Would Anyone Do That?: Lifestyle Sport in the Twenty-First Century

by Stephen C. Poulson

Triathlons, such as the famously arduous Ironman Triathlon, and "extreme" mountain biking--hair-raising events held over exceedingly dangerous terrain--are prime examples of the new "lifestyle sports" that have grown in recent years from oddball pursuits, practiced by a handful of characters, into multi-million-dollar industries. In Why Would Anyone Do That? sociologist Stephen C. Poulson offers a fascinating exploration of these new and physically demanding sports, shedding light on why some people find them so compelling. Drawing on interviews with lifestyle sport competitors, on his own experience as a participant, on advertising for lifestyle sport equipment, and on editorial content of adventure sport magazines, Poulson addresses a wide range of issues. He notes that these sports are often described as "authentic" challenges which help keep athletes sane given the demands they confront in their day-to-day lives. But is it really beneficial to "work" so hard at "play?" Is the discipline required to do these sports really an expression of freedom, or do these sports actually impose extraordinary degrees of conformity upon these athletes? Why Would Anyone Do That? grapples with these questions, and more generally with whether lifestyle sport should always be considered "good" for people. Poulson also looks at what happens when a sport becomes a commodity--even a sport that may have begun as a reaction against corporate and professional sport--arguing that commodification inevitably plays a role in determining who plays, and also how and why the sport is played. It can even help provide the meaning that athletes assign to their participation in the sport. Finally, the book explores the intersections of race, class, and gender with respect to participation in lifestyle and endurance sports, noting in particular that there is a near complete absence of people of color in most of these contests. In addition, Poulson examines how concepts of masculinity in triathlons have changed as women's roles in this sport increase.

Why is Q Always Followed by U?: Word-Perfect Answers to the Most-Asked Questions About Language

by Michael Quinion

Long-time word-detective and bestselling author of Port Out, Starboard Home, Michael Quinion brings us the answers to nearly two hundred of the most intriguing questions he's been asked about language over the years. Sent to him by enquiring readers from all around the globe, Michael's answers about the meanings and histories behind the quirky phrases, slang and language that we all use are set to delight, amuse and enlighten even the most hardened word-obsessive.Did you know that 'Blighty' comes from an ancient Arabic word? Or that Liberace cried his way to the bank so many times people think he came up with the phrase? That 'cloud nine' started out as 'cloud seven' in the speakeasies of '30s America? And that the first person to have their thunder stolen was a dismal playwright from Drury Lane? Michael Quinion's Why is Q Always Followed By U? is full of surprising discoveries, entertaining quotations and memorable information. There are plenty of colourful stories out there, but Michael Quinion will help you discover the truth that lies behind the cock-and-bull stories and make sure you're always linguistically on the ball.

Wichita State Baseball Comes Back: Gene Stephenson and the Making of a Shocker Championship Tradition (Sports)

by John E. Brown

There were no bats or balls on the campus of Wichita State University in the spring of 1977. Five years later, the resurrected varsity baseball program was in the final game of the College World Series, fulfilling the seemingly impossible promise made by Gene Stephenson when he began recruiting players to a place that didn't even have a practice field. Stephenson would lead the Shockers for over three decades, but those first five years with the team set him on the course that put him among the winningest coaches in college baseball history..

Wicked Catch!

by Rob Childs

It's summer and so Bradley, Jagdish, Suresh and Shannon are playing rounders! Who will be the best fielder - could it be Dylan the dog? A Sports Special story from Rob Childs, featuring the characters from Wicked Day!

Wicked Day!

by Rob Childs

What a wicked day!Join in all the fun and games of Sports Day. Bradley and his mates are out to make it a very special day. But why can't Jagdish take part? What's happened to the Cup? And why does the school's grumpy old caretaker think it's a dog's life?On your marks - Get set - Go!

Wicked Good Year: How the Red Sox, Patriots, & Celtics Turned the Hub of the Universe into the Capital of Sports

by Steve Buckley

From award-winning Boston Herald sports columnist Steve Buckley comes Wicked Good Year, an insightful, celebratory look at Boston’s mega-successful 2007-2008 sports season, during which the Red Sox swept the World Series, the Patriots went undefeated during the regular season, and the Celtics won the NBA Championship. Wicked Good Year looks at the three teams through the eyes of the players, coaches, and team personnel and also a variety of personalities and fans, showing how these teams worked together to shed their city’s “Loserville” image and transform it into the capital of sports.

Wicked Serve: A Novel (Beyond the Play #4)

by Grace Reilly

Pre-order your new obsession from TikTok sensation Grace Reilly, a spicy brother’s rival hockey romance! Perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Liz Tomforde and Elsie Silver.He’s my brother’s biggest hockey rival…but he’s bringing the heat for me.NikolaiHockey is my life, and I need to make this last season count. But when I’m forced to transfer to rival school McKee University for my senior year, I risk pissing off the captain, who happens to be the older brother of Isabelle Callahan: the gorgeous beam of sunshine I messed around with in secret this summer.Rekindling our fling could risk her brother icing me off the team—not to mention the fact that my scarred past makes having a real relationship impossible—and yet the moment I see Isabelle again, all my wild, burning feelings come rushing back.IzzyI have two goals for sophomore year: win back my old volleyball position, and forget I ever knew devilishly handsome hockey defenseman Nikolai Abney-Volkov. As the youngest and only daughter in a family full of athletes, failure isn’t an option.But when Nik crashes back into my life, I can’t stay away from his broody charm. I’m determined to guard my heart this time, but between the furtive hookups and the heartfelt conversations, the lines between friends-with-benefits and more begin to blur.As we fall deeper into a place we can’t come back from unscathed, we’ll have to make a choice: fight for a future together, or watch it go up in flames.Filled with swoons, spice, sports, and koalas, Wicked Serve is a don’t-miss new adult college sports romance.

Wicked Serve: MUST-READ spicy hockey romance from the TikTok sensation! (Beyond the Play #4)

by Grace Reilly

He's my brother's biggest hockey rival . . . but he's bringing the heat for me'Sparkling prose and delicious tension . . . Grace Reilly is the queen of sports romance!' STEPHANIE ARCHER-----Pre-order your new obsession from TikTok sensation Grace Reilly, a SPICY brother's rival hockey romance! Perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Liz Tomforde and Elsie Silver.----- NikolaiHockey is my life, and I need to make this last season count. But when I'm forced to transfer to rival school McKee University for my senior year, I risk pissing off the captain, who happens to be the older brother of Isabelle Callahan: the gorgeous beam of sunshine I messed around with in secret this summer.Rekindling our fling could risk her brother icing me off the team - not to mention the fact that my scarred past makes having a real relationship impossible - and yet the moment I see Isabelle again, all my wild, burning feelings come rushing back . . .IzzyI have two goals for sophomore year: win back my old volleyball position, and forget I ever knew devilishly handsome hockey defenseman Nikolai Abney-Volkov. As the youngest and only daughter in a family full of athletes, failure isn't an option.But when Nik crashes back into my life, I can't stay away from his broody charm. I'm determined to guard my heart this time, but between the furtive hookups and the heartfelt conversations, the lines between friends-with-benefits and more begin to blur.As we fall deeper into a place we can't come back from unscathed, we'll have to make a choice: fight for a future together, or watch it go up in flames.READERS ARE OBSESSED WITH THE BEYOND THE PLAY SERIES: 'THE SPICE!!!!! Top tier' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'There's spice. There's cuteness. There's a man who knows what he's doing' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'If you want spice and two stubborn college students this is it!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This book was EVERYTHING I needed' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Wide Open Fairways: A Journey across the Landscapes of Modern Golf

by Bradley S. Klein

In golf the playing field is also landscape, where nature and the shaping of it conspire to test athletic prowess. As golf courses move away from the &“big business, pristine lawn&” approach of recent times, Bradley S. Klein, a leading expert on golf course design and economics, finds much to contemplate, and much to report, in the way these wide-open spaces function as landscapes that inspire us, stimulate our senses, and reveal the special nature of particular places. A meditation on what makes golf courses compelling landscapes, this is also a personal memoir that follows Klein&’s own unique journey across the golfing terrain, from the Bronx and Long Island suburbia to the American prairie and the Pacific Northwest. Whether discussing Robert Moses and Donald Trump and the making of New York City, or the role of golf in the development of the atomic bomb, or the relevance of Willa Cather to how the game has taken hold in the Nebraska Sandhills, Klein is always looking for the freedom and the meaning of golf&’s wide-open spaces. And as he searches, he offers a deeply informed and absorbing view of golf courses as cultural markers, linking the game to larger issues of land use, ecology, design, and imagination.Purchase the audio edition.

Wide Open: A Life in Supercross

by Chris Palmer Jeremy McGrath

<p>Jeremy McGrath has been called 'the Michael Jordan of Supercross' by the Los Angeles Times, and in this revealing autobiography fans not only get his personal story, but also a detailed guide on how everyone can become a Supercross racer. <p>The No 1 Supercross racer in the world &ndash; who has over 20 sponsors, his own film company, a toy line, Nintendo and Playstation games, and a signature shoe by Vans &ndash; talks about his life and the sport. Supercross started out as a redneck '70s sideshow, but thanks largely to Jeremy McGrath it has become a massive extreme sport. Over the last three years, AMA Supercross attendance has mushroomed from 700,000 spectators a year to 1.5 million. This book will satisfy even the most hardcore fans, as it not only gives you the life and times of Jeremy McGrath, but acts as the calling card to the entire sport by including unique sections on how to become a Supercross racer, the workout regimes, fixing common bike problems, and more. </p>

Wide and Deep: Tales and Recollections from a Master Maine Fishing Guide

by Randy Spencer

A collection of stories from one of Maine's master fishing guides.There is little about the remote town Grand Lake Stream, in eastern Maine, and its surrounding lakes that Randy Spencer doesn't know like the back of his hand. Spencer, a Master Maine Guide, has learned from the best, and has enough experience as a hunting and fishing guide to fill several lifetimes.Wide and Deep transports readers to remote backwoods and crystal clear lakes. At its most remote, rural Maine is truly breathtaking in its natural beauty, and Spencer is unrivaled in his ability to capture like no other the experiences of fishing and hunting in some of the most hidden and undisturbed areas in the world.The relationship between a sport and his guide is an ongoing conversation, one that can last hours, days, and even years. The company you offer is just as valued as the company you keep. Whether they are stories of joy or of pain, there is nothing like listening to Randy Spencer, and Wide and Deep perfectly captures the moments on the water that people wait their entire lives for and spend the rest of their lives remembering.

Wide-Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France

by Jeff Connor

A fast-paced, fly-on-the-wall story of courage, endurance, bungling, rows and cheating in sport's greatest marathonIn 1987, the Tour de France was won by Irishman Stephen Roche. It was the first time the champion had hailed from outside the Continent or the States and the first time in 20 years a British team - ANC Halfords - had competed in the world's toughest and craziest race. Jeff Connor not only stayed with the British team but also found himself an unofficial team member.In this long-awaited new edition of Wide-Eyed and Legless, now widely regarded as a classic, Connor describes what it takes to compete, survive and win during those 26 days of gruelling effort. Alongside the heroism and athleticism, he reveals the extraordinary amounts of chicanery, from pulling riders along to illicit drug use.Time has not dimmed the impact of this eye-opening and entertaining close-up look at the supreme endurance event, and Wide-Eyed and Legless is destined to be acclaimed by a new generation of cycling enthusiasts.Jeff Connor's other books include the definitive story of the Busby Babes, The Lost Babes, and Up and Down Under, an account of the 2001 British Lions tour.

Wiggle Giggle and Shake: 200 Ways to Move and Learn

by Rae Pica

Enhance your classroom with 200 movement-inspiring activities for children ages 4 to 8. Explore 38 popular classroom themes such as holidays, nature, animals, nutrition, and more. This book offers simple, practical, and fun movement activities and ideas grouped according to these popular themes.

Wild Animals and Leisure: Rights and Wellbeing (Routledge Research in the Ethics of Tourism Series)

by Neil Carr Janette Young

Wild animals form an integral component of the human leisure experience. They are a significant part of the leisure industry and are economically valuable entities. However, as sentient beings, animals also have rights and welfare needs, and, like humans, may also have their own leisure desires and requirements. This collection provides an in-depth analysis of the rights and welfare of humans and wild animals as the two relate to one another within the sphere of leisure studies. It examines a wide array of animals, such as wolves, elephants, dolphins and apes, in a diverse range of leisure settings in international locations, from captive wild animals in zoos, hunting, swimming with dolphins and animals used as educators and for tourist entertainment. This book provides a forum for future considerations of wild animals and leisure and a voice for animal welfarist agendas that seek to improve the conditions under which wild animals interact with and are engaged with by humans.

Wild Blue Wonder

by Carlie Sorosiak

Last June, the summer camp Quinn’s family owns in Winship, Maine, was still a magical place. A place where wild blueberries grew no matter the season, a legendary sea monster lurked in the waters, and Quinn fell in love with her best friend, Dylan. Then the accident happened. Now it’s winter, the magic has drained from Quinn’s life, and she knows it’s her fault. But the new boy in town, Alexander, doesn’t see her as the monster she believes herself to be. As Quinn lets herself open up again, she begins to understand the truth about love, loss, and monsters—real and imagined. This wondrous novel about love, loss, and moving on is perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Jenny Han.

Wild Card (Barber Game Time Books)

by Tiki Barber Ronde Barber

From NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber, a story of teamwork and determination—in the classroom as well as on the field.The eighth-grade season couldn’t be going better for the Barbers’ team, the Hidden Valley Egales. Everything is off to a strong start—until one of the key players on the team is benched for academic probation. Without good grades there is no playing time. No exceptions. Ever. Will the team’s hopes for the season be demolished, or can they find a way to help their teammate get his grades up? Fortunately for the Barber brothers, it turns out that the team that plays together can study together too.

Wild Cards (Orca Echoes)

by Jeff Szpirglas

Matt loves Monster Zap cards. No, no, Matt LOVES Monster Zap cards. He has Monster Zap toys, reads Monster Zap books and wears Monster Zap underwear. Matt and his friends like to trade the cards at school, as the schoolyard is so empty and dirty, there isn't much else for them to do at recess. But when kids start fighting over Monster Zap and the cards are banned, Matt realizes that the school has big problems, maybe even bigger problems than the fights the cards caused. With the help of their teacher, and a superhero in disguise, Matt and his classmates set out to save Monster Zap and end up doing a lot more than that. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Wild Cards (Wild Cards)

by Simone Elkeles

<p>After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek's counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else's family drama. <p>Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. So when her older sister comes home after abandoning her ten years earlier, with her hot new stepson in tow, Ashtyn wants nothing to do with either of them. Then she comes up with a plan that would finally give her the chance to leave, but it requires trusting Derek-someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and get the future she wants?</p>

Wild Cards: A Novel about Faith and Baseball

by Ken Berris

A father's impossible quest to return to his family. A son's magical journey. A single mother's heroic efforts to protect her son. And fate's sleight of hand bringing together baseball's past legends and today's major league stars in a game for the ages.

Wild Child: Nature Adventures for Young Explorers—with Amazing Things to Make, Find, and Do

by Dara McAnulty

&“A young naturalist [who] inspires with joy, not doom&” (The New York Times) and the youngest-ever winner of the Wainwright Prize follows his memoir Diary of a Young Naturalist with this gloriously illustrated children&’s book that combines poetry, activities, and knowledge—shared with wonder—to turn young readers into outdoors explorers

Wild Cycling: A pocket guide to 50 great rides off the beaten track in Britain

by Chris Sidwells

Here is plenty of inspiration for anyone who loves to ride off road and get out into the wild and stunning scenery of the British mainland. Each route suggests further routes and the book as a whole introduces the wild cyling potential of a range of different locations. These natural routes to wild places link country lanes, green lanes, bridleways, towpaths, trails and often ancient ways between places. The book is illustrated in colour and each ride includes an annotated route map and ride profile, also OS grid references. And a fact file gives further indispensable details, including an indication of how hard each ride is, and how wild. From Chalk Cliffs and Curious Sound Mirrors in the south-east to Cape Wrath in the north-west, the purity, beauty and essential wildness of these rides will ensure that over the years many of them will become classic, even legendary cycling challenges.

Wild Cycling: A pocket guide to 50 great rides off the beaten track in Britain (Wild Cycling)

by Chris Sidwells

'A wildly inspiring adventure - from armchair to saddle.'Nichiless'A lovely concise guide.'A. W. BairdHere is plenty of inspiration for anyone who loves to ride off road and get out into the wild and stunning scenery of the British mainland. Each route suggests further routes and the book as a whole introduces the wild cyling potential of a range of different locations. These natural routes to wild places link country lanes, green lanes, bridleways, towpaths, trails and often ancient ways between places. The book is illustrated in colour and each ride includes an annotated route map and ride profile, also OS grid references. And a fact file gives further indispensable details, including an indication of how hard each ride is, and how wild. From Chalk Cliffs and Curious Sound Mirrors in the south-east to Cape Wrath in the north-west, the purity, beauty and essential wildness of these rides will ensure that over the years many of them will become classic, even legendary cycling challenges.

Wild Heart of Tasmania: A living history of Lake Malbena and the Western Lakes

by Greg French

Wild Heart of Tasmania is a lively collection of stories centred around a highland wilderness. It portrays bushwalking and backcountry fishing as a way of life, and historic bush huts as social fabric.In the early 2000s, Greg French was approached by a talented young fly fisher to write a foreword to a proposed book. Greg helped the aspiring author and shared his most treasured backcountry destinations. Then bewildering events surrounding a quaint hut on a remote island turned everything on its head.The application for a commercial development in the middle of one of Tasmania's most treasured wilderness zones blindsided traditional users. Subsequent events blindsided the State Government and the developer. No one could have guessed how much national media coverage would be generated by the ostensibly tiny Lake Malbena proposal.What is it about the Western Lakes that fuels such passion? Where does lifelong and multi-generational attachment to the land fit into the narrative? What are the ramifications for ecotourism in Tasmania? And why should any of this matter to the rest of Australia?Wild Heart of Tasmania is an inspirational tale for those who love wild places and wildlife, and a cautionary one for those who believe Australia's national parks to be well protected and its democracy sacrosanct. Quirky communities and quirky people never seemed so important.

Wild Hunger

by Charlotte Lamb

SinsYou can never be too rich, or too thin....When Gerard Findlay looked at Keira, he saw a tall, willowy beauty who took his breath away....When Keira looked at herself in the mirror, she saw an unattractive girl who wasn't quite thin enough to deserve her fame as a supermodel. And now Gerard had discovered the secret she had kept hidden from the world.So why did he still pursue her? The closer Gerard got, the more Keira hungered over his love, but instinct fold her that her need would never be satisfied. After all, Gerard was a hardened journalist, and seduction could just be the means to a story....Love can conquer the deadliest of Sins.

Wild LA: Explore the Amazing Nature in and Around Los Angeles

by Jason G. Goldman Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Lila M. Higgins Gregory B. Pauly Charles Hood

“Put on your hiking shoes, pack your binoculars, and rediscover the City of Angels.” —Westways Magazine Los Angeles may have a reputation as a concrete jungle, but in reality, it's full of amazing wildlife. You just need to know where to find it! Equal parts natural history, field guide, and trip planner, Wild LA has something for everyone. It looks at the factors that shape local nature—including fire, floods, and climate—and profiles over 100 local species, from easy-to-spot squirrels and praying mantids to more elusive green sea turtles, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions. Also included are descriptions of day trips that help you explore natural wonders on hiking trails, in public parks, and in your own backyard.

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