More Important than Life or Death: Inside the Best of Australian Sport

by Peter FitzSimons, Greg Growden

For years journalists have been eyewitnesses to athletes—from the elite to downtrodden—chasing, achieving, or falling short of their dreams. They have observed, chronicled, and attempted to find the secrets to winning and losing. For some, sport may be a meaningless diversion. For most, it is life's most important punctuation mark. In this book, the formidable Fairfax stable of fine writing thoroughbreds explains why. Roy Masters explores the heart and soul of rugby league. Peter Roebuck and Malcolm Knox provide a fresh look at the confusion of cricket. Richard Hinds focuses on the moment which won the Sydney Swans an AFL premiership. Jacquelin Magnay exposes a grubby cycling world. Jessica Halloran reveals the tense father-daughter relationship in the Dokic tennis family. Michael Cockerill tussles with Harry Kewell. Max Presnell recalls when Amarillo Slim took on those at the City Tatts club. Greg Bearup dissects Khoder Nasser's world and Peter Stone puts Tiger Woods in his place. On the journey to find the reasons why sport is a religion, an obsession to so many, there's revelations, hilarity, triumphs, sadness, excitement, pathos, tribulation, controversy, moments of sheer stupidity, and episodes of bravery. Most importantly, like sport itself, this collection is always entertaining.

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

Peter FitzSimons is one of Australia’s most prominent and successful media and publishing identities. His busy professional life involves co-hosting the breakfast program on Sydney's Radio 2UE, writing weekly columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers, appearing on Foxtel's Back Page television show and, when time permits, authoring best-selling books. A correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph as well, he is also in high demand as a guest speaker and presenter

Reviews

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection about sports people (being British some I knew and some I didn't). As it covers a lot of sports some are of more interest than others. Well written though.