How to Build a Champion: A Companion Reading List (67 books)

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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	The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Goodreads Author) 4.44 avg rating — 1,046,926 ratings score: 187, and 2 people 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
2	Paper Towns by John Green (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 1,524,199 ratings score: 185, and 2 people 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	All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 2,079,073 ratings score: 179, and 2 people 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	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 4.51 avg rating — 202 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
5	Swallows and Amazons (Swallows and Amazons, #1) by Arthur Ransome 4.02 avg rating — 33,301 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
6	My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1) by Gerald Durrell 4.16 avg rating — 67,196 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
7	Wonder (Wonder, #1) by R.J. Palacio 4.35 avg rating — 1,228,568 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
8	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
9	Politics for Beginners by Alex Frith 4.42 avg rating — 480 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
10	What is Humanism? How do you live without a god? And Other Big Questions for Kids by Michael Rosen 4.28 avg rating — 80 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
11	The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 27,883 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
12	Forgotten Women: The Leaders by Zing Tsjeng 3.92 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
13	Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince 4.25 avg rating — 5,860 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
14	Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 15,743 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
15	Diversify by June Sarpong 3.83 avg rating — 474 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
16	I Was Born for This (I Was Born for This, #1) by Alice Oseman (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 52,747 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
17	Eat Up!: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want by Ruby Tandoh (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 3,864 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 — 127 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 4.26 avg rating — 1,600 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 — 42,520 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	The People: The Rise and Fall of the Working Class, 1910-2010 by Selina Todd 4.16 avg rating — 482 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
22	Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 66,460 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
23	Going All City: Struggle and Survival in LA's Graffiti Subculture by Stefano Bloch (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 141 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
24	Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead by Cecile Richards 4.29 avg rating — 3,889 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
25	You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times by Howard Zinn 4.34 avg rating — 3,794 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
26	The Little Big Things: A Young Man's Belief That Every Day Can Be a Good Day by Henry Fraser 4.37 avg rating — 4,003 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
27	Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are by Jack Kornfield (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 1,139 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
28	Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris 3.90 avg rating — 52,832 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
29	How the World Works by Noam Chomsky 4.12 avg rating — 5,487 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
30	Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky by Noam Chomsky 4.40 avg rating — 9,746 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
31	Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens 4.13 avg rating — 13,063 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
32	Interviews with History and Conversations with Power by Oriana Fallaci 4.42 avg rating — 279 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
33	Diplomatic Pursuits by Joseph von Westphalen 3.79 avg rating — 39 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
34	A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age by Daniel J. Levitin 3.76 avg rating — 4,824 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
35	Drugs Without the Hot Air: Minimizing the Harms of Legal and Illegal Drugs by David J. Nutt 4.43 avg rating — 2,196 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
36	Propaganda Blitz: How the Corporate Media Distort Reality by David Edwards (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 187 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
37	Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan 4.03 avg rating — 19,997 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
38	Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life by Robert B. Reich 3.99 avg rating — 1,969 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
39	Sex & Lovers: A Practical Guide by Ann-Marlene Henning 4.12 avg rating — 108 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
40	Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 86,508 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
41	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
42	Thinking In Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows 4.17 avg rating — 25,081 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
43	Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid by Jessica Alexander (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 3,157 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
44	Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 228,779 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
45	The Blood of the Lamb by Peter De Vries 4.04 avg rating — 1,538 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
46	The World's Religions by Huston Smith 4.04 avg rating — 14,519 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
47	Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion by Alain de Botton (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 12,098 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
48	Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 3,479 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
49	Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 217,946 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
50	Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 123,382 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
51	Gratitude by Oliver Sacks 4.17 avg rating — 25,414 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
52	The Compassionate Mind by Paul A. Gilbert 4.02 avg rating — 1,703 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
53	The Cat by Colette 3.45 avg rating — 2,374 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
54	Authority and the Individual by Bertrand Russell 3.89 avg rating — 1,007 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
55	The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell 4.01 avg rating — 16,735 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
56	Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects by Bertrand Russell really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 22,826 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
57	Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black by Cookie Mueller 4.36 avg rating — 8,447 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
58	The New Peoplemaking by Virginia Satir 4.15 avg rating — 756 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
59	On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy by Carl R. Rogers 4.16 avg rating — 19,376 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
60	Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh 4.09 avg rating — 3,914 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
61	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
62	The Name Above The Title by Frank Capra 4.22 avg rating — 629 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
63	I Shock Myself: The Autobiography of Beatrice Wood by Beatrice Wood 4.19 avg rating — 264 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
64	Dialogues With Marcel Duchamp by Pierre Cabanne 4.27 avg rating — 766 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
65	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
66	Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem by Daniel R. Day 4.39 avg rating — 2,070 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
67	Surf Is Where You Find It by Gerry Lopez 4.28 avg rating — 1,200 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