If
you are new to reading about fitness, feel free to follow my advice and
work your way down these lists from top to bottom. My favorite book by
topic is listed as number one and then my least favorite is at the
bottom (although that does not necessarily mean it is not a good read).
With the exception of very few books, I think most of them are good if
you are interested in the header topic. The books list are not all
encompassing of every book I have read or reviewed, just hits some of
the major ones off the top of my head. Links on each book title will take you to a place you can order it.
Top Narrative Books about Triathlons
1. Iron War: Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and the Greatest Race Ever Run by Matt Fitzgerald
2. I'm Here to Win: A World Champion's Advice for Peak Performance by Chris McCormack
3. A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey by Chrissie Wellington
4.30 Years of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship (Ironman Edition) by Bob Babbitt and Jim Lampley
5. You Are an Ironman: How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World's Toughest Tr iathlon by Jacques Steinberg
Top Instructional Books about Triathlons
1. Training Plans for Multisport Athletes: Your Essential Guide to Triathlon, Duathlon, Xterra, Ironman & Endurance Racing by Gale Bernhardt
2. Going Long: Training for Triathlon's Ultimate Challenge (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series) by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn
Top Instructional Books about Bodybuilding
1.Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding: The Complete A-Z Book on Muscle Building by Robert Kennedy
2.The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revisedby Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. Men's Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible: A Complete 24-Week Program For Sculpting Muscles That Show by Tyler English
4. Anabolic Primer: Ergogenic Enhancement for Hardcore Bodybuilders by Gerard Thorne
5. Huge & Freaky Muscle Mass and Strength Secrets: Build a Body Fortress Naturally by Dennis Weis and Robert Kenney
6. The Bodybuilding.com Guide to Your Best Body: The Revolutionary 12-Week Plan to Transform Your Body and Stay Fit Forever by Kris Gethin
Top Narrative Books about Bodybuilding
1. Muscle Wars by Rick Wayne
2. Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding by Charles Gaines and George Butler
4. West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era by Dick Tyler
5. Brother Iron, Sister Steel: A Bodybuilder's Book by Dave Draper
Top Instructional Books about Ultra-Running
1. Hal Koerner's Field Guide to Ultrarunning: Training for an Ultramarathon, from 50K to 100 Miles and Beyond by Hal Koerner
2. The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion's 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life by Travis Macy
Top Narrative Books about Ultra-Running
1. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougal
2.Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes
3. The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultrarunning Greatness by Pam Reed
4. Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek
5.Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss, and a Record-Setting Run Across Ameri ca by Marshall Ulrich
6.Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself by Rich Roll
7. Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance by Christopher McDougal
8. Out There: A Story of Ultra Recovery by David Clark
Top Narrative Books about Running
1. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
2. Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom by Cameron Stracher
3. Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine by Tom Jordan
4. Running with the Kenyans: Discovering the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth by Adharanand Finn
5. Marathon Man: My 26.2-Mile Journey from Unknown Grad Student to the Top of the Running World by Bill Rodgers
6. Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream by Meb Keflezighi
7. The Runner's Bucket List: 200 Races to Run Before You Die by Denise Mala
8. Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance by Christopher McDougall
9. More Fire: How to Run the Kenyan Way by Toby Tanser
10. Meb For Mortals: How to Run, Think, and Eat like a Champion Marathoner by Meb Keflezighi
11. Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike's Cofounder by Kenny Moore
12.14 Minutes: A Running Legend's Life and Death and Life by Alberto Salazar
13. 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! by Dean Karnazes
14. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
15. Running with Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon by Hall, Ryan [Paperback(2011/2/1)] by Ryan Hall
16. The Runner's Rule Book: Everything a Runner Needs to Know--And Then Some by Mark Remy
17. Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss by Dean Karnazes
18. Once a Runner: A Novelby John L. Parker
19. Again to Carthage: A Novel by John L. Parker
20. Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside With Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, And The University Of Colorado Men's Cross Country Team by Chris Lear
21. Boston: A Century of Running by Hal Higdon
22. The Little Red Book of Running (Little Red Books) by Amby Burfoot and Scott Douglas
23. The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby Burfoot
Top Instructional Books about Running
1. Road Racing for Serious Runners: Multispeed Training- 5K to Marathon by Pete Pfizinger and Scott Douglas
2. Advanced Marathoning - 2nd Edition by Pete Pfizinger and Scott Douglas
3. Lore of Running, 4th Edition by Tim Noakes
4. Daniels' Running Formula-3rd Edition by Jack Daniels
5. The Science of Running: How to find your limit and train to maximize your performanceby Steve Magness
6. Hansons Marathon Method: A Renegade Path to Your Fastest Marathon by Luke Humphrey and Keith Hanson
7. Runner's World Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Run for Weight Loss, Fitness, and Competition by Amby Burfoot
8. Marathon: You Can Do It! by Jeff Galloway
9. Slow Burn: Burn Fat Faster By Exercising Slower by Stu Mittleman
10. ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer
11. Unbreakable Runner: Unleash the Power of Strength & Conditioning for a Lifetime of Running Strong by TJ Murphy and Brian MacKenzie
12. The Cool Impossible: The Running Coach from Born to Run Shows How to Get the Most from Your Miles-and from Yourself by Eric Orton
13. Dr. Nicholas Romanov's Pose Method of Running (Dr. Romanov's Sport Education)
Top Books about Fitness in General
1. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance by David Epstein
3. Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance (The Racing Weight Series) by Matt Fitzgerald
4. Faster, Higher, Stronger: The New Science of Creating Superathletes, and How You Can Train Like Them by Mark McClusky
5. The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
Top Narrative Books about Cycling
(Hell on Two Wheels is Ultra-Cycling)
1. The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France by Tyler Hamilton
2. Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever by by Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell
3. Pro Cycling on $10 a Day: From Fat Kid to Euro Pro by Phil Gaimon
4. Draft Animals by Phil Gaimon
5. The Loyal Lieutenant: Leading Out Lance and Pushing Through the Pain on the Rocky Road to Paris by George Hincapie
6. Hell on Two Wheels: An Astonishing Story of Suffering, Triumph, and the Most Extreme Endurance Race in the World by Amy Snyder
8. Ask a Pro by Phil Gaimon
9. From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France by David Walsh
10. Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Cycling's Most Controversial Champion by Bill Strickland
Top Instruction Books About Cycling
1.Serious Cycling - 2nd Edition by Edmund R. Burke
2. The Cyclist's Training Bibleby Joe Friel