How to Build a Champion: A Companion Reading List (68 books)

Listopia > How to Build a Champion: A Companion Reading List

This is a reading list curated to accompany my debut novel, How to Build a Champion. (Pub. April 9th 2026.)

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1	Roald Dahl Collection: 8 Book Box Set (includes Matilda, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, George's Marvelous Medicine, James and the Giant Peach, The Twits, The BFG by Roald Dahl 4.54 avg rating — 190 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	From Rags to Riches by Harry Molande (Goodreads Author) 4.85 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Swallows and Amazons (Swallows and Amazons, #1) by Arthur Ransome 4.02 avg rating — 32,973 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1) by Gerald Durrell 4.16 avg rating — 64,853 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Wonder (Wonder, #1) by R.J. Palacio 4.35 avg rating — 1,210,327 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Anastasia Krupnik Stories by Lois Lowry (Goodreads Author) 4.38 avg rating — 21 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Politics for Beginners by Alex Frith 4.43 avg rating — 466 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	What is Humanism? How do you live without a god? And Other Big Questions for Kids by Michael Rosen 4.28 avg rating — 79 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 27,595 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Forgotten Women: The Leaders by Zing Tsjeng 3.93 avg rating — 258 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince 4.25 avg rating — 5,743 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 15,458 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Diversify by June Sarpong 3.84 avg rating — 469 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	I Was Born for This (I Was Born for This, #1) by Alice Oseman (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 51,451 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Goodreads Author) 4.45 avg rating — 1,027,292 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Paper Towns by John Green (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 1,505,409 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Eat Up!: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want by Ruby Tandoh (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 3,841 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Flavour: Eat What You Love by Ruby Tandoh (Goodreads Author) 4.36 avg rating — 126 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon – Musings of a Geriatric Starlet by Iris Apfel 4.25 avg rating — 1,577 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	West with the Night by Beryl Markham 4.16 avg rating — 41,629 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 2,022,728 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The People: The Rise and Fall of the Working Class, 1910-2010 by Selina Todd 4.17 avg rating — 475 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 64,867 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Going All City: Struggle and Survival in LA's Graffiti Subculture by Stefano Bloch (Goodreads Author) 4.29 avg rating — 138 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead by Cecile Richards 4.29 avg rating — 3,852 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times by Howard Zinn 4.34 avg rating — 3,749 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Little Big Things: A Young Man's Belief That Every Day Can Be a Good Day by Henry Fraser 4.37 avg rating — 3,928 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are by Jack Kornfield (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 1,113 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris 3.90 avg rating — 51,927 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	How the World Works by Noam Chomsky 4.12 avg rating — 5,386 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky by Noam Chomsky 4.40 avg rating — 9,661 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens 4.13 avg rating — 12,924 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Interviews with History and Conversations with Power by Oriana Fallaci 4.42 avg rating — 270 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Diplomatic Pursuits by Joseph von Westphalen 3.84 avg rating — 38 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age by Daniel J. Levitin 3.76 avg rating — 4,751 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Drugs Without the Hot Air: Minimizing the Harms of Legal and Illegal Drugs by David J. Nutt 4.43 avg rating — 2,164 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Propaganda Blitz: How the Corporate Media Distort Reality by David Edwards (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 185 ratings score: 65, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan 4.03 avg rating — 19,747 ratings score: 64, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life by Robert B. Reich 3.99 avg rating — 1,960 ratings score: 63, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Sex & Lovers: A Practical Guide by Ann-Marlene Henning (2014-09-25) by Ann-Marlene Henning 4.10 avg rating — 106 ratings score: 62, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 82,988 ratings score: 61, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Who Are Refugees and Migrants? What Makes People Leave Their Homes? and Other Big Questions by Michael Rosen 4.42 avg rating — 33 ratings score: 60, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Thinking In Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows 4.18 avg rating — 23,424 ratings score: 59, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid by Jessica Alexander (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 3,125 ratings score: 58, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 227,608 ratings score: 57, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Blood of the Lamb by Peter De Vries 4.04 avg rating — 1,508 ratings score: 56, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The World's Religions by Huston Smith 4.04 avg rating — 14,325 ratings score: 55, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion by Alain de Botton (Goodreads Author) 3.66 avg rating — 11,967 ratings score: 54, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 3,373 ratings score: 53, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 211,803 ratings score: 52, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 121,848 ratings score: 51, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Gratitude by Oliver Sacks 4.17 avg rating — 24,842 ratings score: 50, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Compassionate Mind by Paul A. Gilbert 4.02 avg rating — 1,652 ratings score: 49, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	The Cat by Colette 3.46 avg rating — 2,147 ratings score: 48, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Authority and the Individual by Bertrand Russell 3.89 avg rating — 989 ratings score: 47, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell 4.02 avg rating — 16,386 ratings score: 46, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects by Bertrand Russell really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 22,581 ratings score: 45, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black by Cookie Mueller 4.38 avg rating — 7,111 ratings score: 44, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	The New Peoplemaking by Virginia Satir 4.14 avg rating — 738 ratings score: 43, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy by Carl R. Rogers 4.16 avg rating — 18,906 ratings score: 42, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh 4.09 avg rating — 3,836 ratings score: 41, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	Lartigue: Life in Color by Martine D'Astier 4.51 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 40, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	The Name Above The Title by Frank Capra 4.22 avg rating — 617 ratings score: 39, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	I Shock Myself: The Autobiography of Beatrice Wood by Beatrice Wood 4.18 avg rating — 263 ratings score: 38, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Dialogues With Marcel Duchamp by Pierre Cabanne 4.28 avg rating — 748 ratings score: 37, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	World Outside the Window: Selected Essays by Kenneth Rexroth by Kenneth Rexroth 4.21 avg rating — 34 ratings score: 36, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem by Daniel R. Day 4.39 avg rating — 2,020 ratings score: 35, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	Surf Is Where You Find It by Gerry Lopez 4.29 avg rating — 1,148 ratings score: 34, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars