Fab Five: Page turners for the sporty types
Philip Rafshoon, owner of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse, gives us his five favorite books with a sports theme:
1. “Man in the Middle” by John Amaechi. A thoughtful and revealing look inside the world of professional basketball. Amaechi takes us inside the locker rooms as he tells his story of being a gay man in pro sports who struggled to maintain his integrity in the face of homophobia and the fear of being outed.
2. “Breaking the Surface” by Greg Louganis. This is one of the earliest memoirs to honestly tell of being a gay Olympian. Louganis’ struggle with being gay, as well as his HIV status, and his ability to overcome these make for a moving and triumphant story.
3. “For What I Hate to Do” by M.W. Moore. This one is a recent addition to literature about gays in sports. This novel about an Olympics-bound college track star who is seduced into a life of hustling and drugs is the first in a trilogy.
4. Track is the sport in “The Front Runner” by Patricia Nell Warren. It’s the classic gay sports story.
5. “Alone in the Trenches” by Esera Tuaolo, a former Atlanta Falcon. It’s the inspiring story of a young man who overcomes a childhood of poverty to become a professional football player. He is also gay. Tuaolo gives us an insider’s look at the world of the NFL. People who know nothing about sports will find his personal story fascinating, while sports fans will also love the behind the scenes details.
Fab Five is a regular feature that quizzes people about sports-related topics. Got someone you’d like to see featured? E-mail me with ideas.