My passion is sport, and as an athlete who has overcome a life-changing medical condition that resulted in becoming an upper-limb amputee, then rebuilding a new life as a para-athlete, I draw great inspiration from reading memoirs from athletes who have successfully returned to sport and are living fulfilling lives after a major life trauma. I have been fortunate enough to meet most of them. These athletes have a similar mindset to my own. They set lofty goals; they are driven to succeed; they adapt, and they never give up. Outside of that, they are kind, generous people who are living their best lives. Something we can all aspire to!
I loved this book as it resonates so closely with my own story.
Like me, Turia was an athlete who suffered a catastrophic injury that changed her life forever. Like me, she survived due to her high level of fitness. Like me, she then went on to achieve some incredible sporting feats. Like me, Turia never gave up. Turia and I have much in common.
Everything to Live For is the story of one young woman's survival against extraordinary odds and is a remarkable testament to the human spirit
In September 2011, Turia Pitt, a beautiful 25-year-old mining engineer working her dream job in the far north of Western Australia, entered an ultra-marathon race that would change her life forever. Trapped by a fire in a gorge in the remote Kimberly region, Turia and five other competitors had nowhere to run. Turia survived with catastrophic burns to 70 per cent of her body. She has already had numerous operations and there are many more to…
I loved this book, as I have met Anna Meares several times, and she is such a different person off the bike than when she raced on it.
When competing for Australia as an Olympic Track Cyclist, she looked so intimidating as she eyeballed her opponents to psych them out, and she was a ruthless competitor. That’s part of the reason for her success.
I was fortunate to meet Anna when I was in hospital recovering from a flesh-eating bacteria. Off the bike, she was generous and kind, with a winning smile. Her story of overcoming a severe injury and competing at the Olympics a short time after inspired me to never give up on my sporting dreams as an amputee.
The Anna Meares Story is the story of the grit and determination of a young woman who overcame major life-threatening trauma to realise what she had barely been able to dream about. Olympic track cyclist Anna experienced a career-stopping heavy fall during a time trial at the World Cup in Los Angeles in January 2008, less than eight months out from the Beijing Olympic Games. Falling on the hard, wooden velodrome floor at a speed of 65 kilometres an hour, she suffered a fractured neck, and a dislocated shoulder, torn ligaments. She was millimetres away from permanent injury.
Big Ideas... For Small Businesses
by
John Lamerton,
Big Ideas… for Small Businesses is a straight-talking, no-nonsense guide to growing a small business without sacrificing your lifestyle. Written by a former civil servant turned entrepreneur, the book challenges hustle culture and instead champions the idea of an "ambitious lifestyle business" - one that provides freedom and financial stability,…
I loved this book as Emma pulls no punches as she describes her triathlon career in detail.
Being a triathlete myself, I could relate to the long, hard training sessions and the highs and lows of competition. I admire her work ethic and the self-belief she had to become the best in the world.
She refused to give up when dealing with some extremely serious medical conditions and injuries. I could relate to her mindset of doing whatever it takes to get the best out of herself. I have much respect for her as an athlete.
Fresh out of school and emerging as one of Australia's future distance running stars, Emma Carney discovered the sport of triathlon. The sport was never the same again. With an unmatched record, she devastated the international circuit. Defined by a relentless pursuit of sporting excellence, Emma was known to detest losing more than she loved to win.
At home in the cutthroat world of professional sport, Emma didn't expect a welcoming party waiting for her when she reached the pinnacle of triathlon. A fiercely independent athlete, fitting in and conforming was never her style. Rules annoyed her. Authority irritated her.…
I loved this book as it's full of funny stories about living with an amputation.
I have spent time with Don over the years, and he writes his book just as he speaks. He is a larger-than-life character, loves a laugh, and lives his life to the full.
As a fellow amputee, he helped me see the lighter side of life and not get too bogged down in being defined as a person with disability. A generous man who tells a great yarn. I laughed out loud often while reading his story!
Born without the lower half of his left leg, young Don Elgin never considered himself disabled until he was in high school – and even then, he had to be convinced. His story, of a boy from the bush who battled the odds and finally stepped onto the podium as a medallist at the Sydney Paralympics, is one of absolute inspiration. Driven by an inherited sense of grit, determination and pure guts, Don overcomes an abundance of obstacles to rise to the top of the sporting heap. His life’s philosophy tells us that success is not a birthright – it’s…
Creativity, Teaching, and Natural Inspiration
by
Mark Doherty,
I have woven numerous delightful and descriptive true life stories, many from my adventures as an outdoorsman and singer songwriter, into my life as a high school English teacher. I think you'll find this work both entertaining as well as informative, and I hope you enjoy the often lighthearted repartee…
I loved this book because Carol is a para-cyclist whom I met early on in my rehabilitation and who helped me feel less isolated.
She is a great example of never giving up on life despite being diagnosed with a disability in her 30’s and being told to get her affairs in order. As a fellow cyclist with a disability, it was fascinating to learn about the bike modifications she had done to compete at the highest level of paracycling.
Her book filled me with ideas of what I could do as an athlete, and gave me hope that I could find a way to achieve my own sporting goals. I admire her tenacity and her ability to keep competing even into her 60’s.
Do you know what your inner gold looks like? Have you looked deep within your heart to know the path you are on is the right one? Do you have goals in place to help find and reach that inner gold?
If you ever had to deal with change in your life, within your personal or you business life, you know that sometimes change can suck! How did you deal with it? Most of us don't deal with change very well. We tend to become complacent and like things as they are, as the old adage goes 'Why change it…
My memoir takes readers on a journey of surviving a flesh-eating bacteria against all odds and having my arm and shoulder amputated to save my life. It’s a story about a long recovery in the hospital, rehabilitation, and then rebuilding a new life as a survivor and amputee.
A new life built on a background of good health and fitness that initially saved my life and then became a catalyst for creating a life full of purpose, fulfillment, joy, and fun. I share stories of my triumphant return to sport as a paratriathlete, following my passions, starting a new career, and giving back as founding director of a charity to support amputees to participate in sport. It’s a story of never giving up.
No Color is My Kind tells the stories of the desegregation of Houston, TX, in 1960, the life of civil rights leader Eldrewey Stearns, and the author's relationship to Stearns.
They met in a psychiatric case conference while Stearns was hospitalized at the University of Texas Medical Branch. After his…
The Village That Betrayed Its Children
by
Karen Elizabeth Lee,
This is the story of a shocking crime committed in the 50s and 60s in a small rural village, and a criminal who was never brought to justice. The Principal in our two-room school was a pedophile who molested nearly all of the young female students. He was protected by…
