(c) Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
If you’ve listened to Sparta Chicks Radio for any length of time, you probably know this already - but I love reading!
Back in 2016, I put together a list of 9 books by strong women you'll love.
Then earlier this year I was asked for a 'reading list' of books that cover or address the topics we discuss on the podcast; everything from fear, self-doubt, the Imposter Complex, vulnerability and how to lead a braver life.
So I sat down to compile a list of books - and here it is!
This list includes books written guests on the podcast, as well as other books on related topics - all of which I’ve read.
I’ve divided the list into books written by our podcast guests, then I’ve created different categories based on the themes we discuss on the podcast (and no doubt there'll be some crossover between categories).
A few caveats on this list:
- the 'wish list' are books I want to read, but haven’t. So I can’t vouch for them!
- aside from my 'wish list’, I’ve only listed books I've read.
- all links to Book Depository (which is where I get my books) are affiliate links. Should you order a book using those link, I'll receive a small commission.
- as I read books (in my wish list and otherwise), I’ll create a new category called ‘New Editions’.
If you have any recommendations, let me know!
I'd love to read them and I'll add them to this post. Send me an email and let me know the name of the book and how you would explain the book to someone who has never heard of it!
Here we go!
By podcast guests
Siri Lindley - Surfacing: From the Depths of Self-Doubt to Winning Big & Living Fearlessly | Book Depository | Amazon
Janine Shepherd - Defiant: A Broken Body is Not a Broken Person | Book Depository | Amazon
Natalie Cook - Go Girl: An Inspiring Journey from Bronze to Gold | website
Alyssa Azar - The Girl Who Climbed Everest | Book Depository | Amazon
Melissa Browne:
- More Money for Shoes | website
- Fabulous But Broke | website
- Unfuck Your Finances | Book Depository | Amazon
Dr Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson - The Brave Athlete: Calm the Fuck Down and Rise to the Occasion | Book Depository | Amazon
Katee Pedicini - Healing the Grumpy Athlete (use the code SPARTA to get $10 off) | website
Margie Warrell - Make Your Mark | Book Depository | Amazon
Nadine Champion - 10 Seconds of Courage | Book Depository | Amazon
Tara Mohr - Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Vision & Make Things Happen | Book Depository | Amazon
Paul de Gelder - No Time For Fear: How a Shark Attack Survivor Beat the Odds | Book Depository | Amazon
Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness - Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success | Book Depository | Amazon
Sam Lane - Roar | Booktopia
Steph Lowe - The Real Food Athlete: Nutrition for Performance, Recovery, Fat Adaptation & Athletic Longevity | website
Ali Hill - Stand Out: A Real World Guide to Get Clear, Find Purpose & Become the Boss of Busy | Book Depository | Amazon
Lisa Bentley - An Unlikely Champion | website
Heather Hawkins - Adventurous Spirit | Book Depository | Amazon
On the Imposter Complex / Inner Critic
Go Girl: An Inspiring Journey from Bronze to Gold - Natalie Cook | website
Not Just Lucky - Jamila Rizvi | Book Depository | Amazon
Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Vision & Make Things Happen- Tara Mohr | Book Depository | Amazon
The Brave Athlete: Calm the Fuck Down and Rise to the Occasion - Dr Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson | Book Depository | Amazon
Visualisation & other performance strategies
An Unlikely Champion - Lisa Bentley | website
Go Girl: An Inspiring Journey from Bronze to Gold - Natalie Cook | website
The Brave Athlete: Calm the Fuck Down and Rise to the Occasion - Dr Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson | Book Depository | Amazon
Bravery + fear
10 Seconds of Courage - Nadine Champion | Book Depository | Amazon
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear - Elizabeth Gilbert | Book Depository | Amazon
Defiant: A Broken Body is Not a Broken Person - Janine Shepherd | Book Depository | Amazon
The Brave Athlete: Calm the Fuck Down and Rise to the Occasion - Dr Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson | Book Depository | Amazon
The Gift of Asking - Kemi Nekvapil | website
The Obstacle is the Way - Ryan Holiday | Book Depository | Amazon
Vulnerability + fear of not being ‘enough’
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging & the Courage to Stand Alone - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
Rising Strong - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
The Fictional Women - Tara Moss | Book Depository | Amazon
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be & Embrace Who You Are - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
Women's sports / women in sport
Eat. Sweat. Play: How Sport Can Change Our Lives - Anna Kessel | Book Depository | Amazon
Roar - Sam Lane | Booktopia
(Plus all the books here: 9 Books By Strong Women You’ll Love)
My 'wish list'
(Some of it - in reality, it's much longer than this!)
Becoming - Michelle Obama | Book Depository | Amazon
Can You Die of a Broken Heart? A Heart Surgeon's Insight into What Makes Us Tick - Dr Nikki Stamp | Book Depository | Amazon
Daughters of Distance - Vanessa Runs | Book Depository | Amazon
Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent - Ryan Holiday | Book Depository | Amazon
Grit: Why Passion and Resilience Are the Secrets to Success - Angela Duckworth | Book Depository | Amazon
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Wasn't): Making the Journey from 'What Will People Think' to 'I Am Enough' - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory - Deena Kastor | Book Depository | Amazon
Mindset: Changing The Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential - Carol Dweck | Book Depository | Amazon
No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering - Thich Nhat Hanh | Book Depository | Amazon
Sisterhood in Sports: How Female Athletes Collaborate and Compete - Joan Steidinger - | Book Depository | Amazon
The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won't Work and What to Do Instead - Kristen Ulmer | Book Depository | Amazon
The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance - Katty Kae | Book Depository | Amazon
The Confidence Gap - Russ Harris | Book Depository | Amazon
The Fear Cure: Cultivating Courage as Medicine for the Body, Mind and Soul - Lissa Rankin | Book Depository | Amazon
The Hormone Cure by - Sara Gottfried | Book Depository | Amazon
The Good Girl Stripped Bare - Tracey Spicer | Booktopia | Amazon
The Stories We Tell Ourselves: Stop Jumping to Conclusions - R. Scott Gornto | Book Depository | Amazon
The Woman’s Brain Book: How Your Life Shapes Your Brain and Your Brain Shapes Your Life - Dr Sarah McKay | Booktopia | Amazon (Note: this book was published in the UK under the title ‘Demystifying The Female Brain: A neuroscientist explores health, hormones and happiness’ | Book Depository | Amazon
We Should All Be Feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Book Depository | Amazon
Women Kind: Unlocking the Power of Women Supporting Women - Dr Kristin Ferguson and Catherine Fox | Book Depository | Amazon
Women Who Run with the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estes | Book Depository | Amazon
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person - Shonda Rhimes | Book Depository | Amazon
Books I'd add to the list
This are books I've read since I published this post (they aren't included in the download yet so you'll need to make a note of the titles if you're interested):
Just Another Hurdle - Jana Pittman | Book Depository | Amazon
Dare to Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts - Dr Brené Brown | Book Depository | Amazon
Recommendations from the Sparta Chicks community ~
To add your recommendation, click here to send me an email and let me know:
- The name of the book,
- why you think it should be added and
- how you would explain the book to someone who has heard of it.
Happy reading!
Jen x