Motto of the modern Olympics: Faster, Higher, Stronger. But now add Stranger Stranger, as in the 1908 Olympic marathon, which featured Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a 22-year-old pastry chef, and Champagne (yes, it was the runners' drink of choice). Or the 1948 "austerity games" in London--teams had to bring their own food, female athletes sewed their own uniforms. Or imagine rooting for these one-time Olympic sports: tug of war, firefighting, rope...
Let the games begin! The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris won't get underway for several months, but we're already gearing up. With books! From compelling historical accounts to memoirs from Olympic athletes to sporty novels, get a head start on the excitement with these action-packed reads.