In a quest to solve every puzzle imaginable, bestselling author A.J. Jacobs came across a lot of books. Here, he recommends some of his favourites, from logic puzzles to treasure hunts, from codebreaking to the biggest puzzle of them all—why we’re here.

What does it mean to live wild and young and free? We asked the authors of a photography book on surf van culture along the California coast—”a story of youth choosing to follow their dreams, living out of vans, existing for surf and travel and freedom, and always chasing the best waves”—for references that help answer this question. Wanderlust can be a philosophy for life, as these books illustrate beautifully.

South Asia has become the beating heart of cricket, with wild enthusiasm for the game at every level of society. Historian Prashant Kidambi—whose book, Cricket Country, was shortlisted for the 2020 Wolfson History Prize—takes us through the history of cricket in India, from its traditional, colonial roots through to the colourful, frenetic national game of today.

The Olympics are one of the world’s great celebrations of sport. Here Philip Barker, Olympic historian and sports journalist, chooses five books that help you to understand the games, their origins and their traditions—and to relive the sporting drama of past Olympic Games.

The Olympics are big business—but the extent to which they benefit their host cities is increasingly called into question. They’ve also long been enmired in political controversy. Here Helen J Lenskyj, the academic and anti-Olympics activist, discusses the malign influence of big business, and the inseparability of sport and politics, as she chooses her best books on the bad side of the Olympics.

What do you think about when you’re training at the gym, or on the tennis court? And what should you think about, if your goal is maximizing performance and results? Seasoned sports psychologist Bill Cole, coach for numerous Olympic teams and top-level international athletes, reveals that the number one road block to athletic performance often isn’t physical—it’s overthinking.

Contrary to its popularization in Western culture, yoga isn’t just a form of fitness: its history is rooted in a long Hindu tradition shaped by great teachers in India. Here we have the best books for those who want to learn more about yoga, recommended by Liz Derow, a longtime practitioner and teacher of yoga in India and around the world.

As World Cup fever builds to irresistible levels, there is no better time to get kids reading by presenting them with a few books about ‘the beautiful game.’ Award-winning children’s author and self-confessed football fanatic, Dave Cousins, recommends five fantastic football books for kids and young adults.

FT columnist and author Simon Kuper  tells us what it means to be a football fan and why England always seem to lose. He picks the best football books (in English).

Video games have never been more popular – or more intricately designed. But we haven’t yet developed the vocabulary to analyse a game’s impact the way we do a film’s, says professor of computational media Katherine Isbister. Here, she chooses five of the best books that explore the art of video game design, and the subcultures that grow up around them.

Sport can offer insights into philosophy and life in general, argues the philosophy professor and sports enthusiast David Papineau. He chooses the best books on philosophy and sport.

Football is about so much more than just football. Veteran sport journalist Rob Hughes recommends some of his favourite football books.

British writer, comedian and broadcaster David Baddiel with his five football must-reads.

The author and journalist makes his selection of the best books on World Football. Features volumes from Simon Kuper and Alex Bellos, as well as a cracking investigation into FIFA corruption

Sport is central to American culture but there are surprisingly few great novels devoted to it. Chad Harbach, author of the bestselling novel, The Art of Fielding, picks his favourite ‘novels with sporting themes.’

It’s America’s favourite sport – at its best, a wonderful, thrilling spectacle; at its worst, legitimised violence exacting a terrible price on players. The Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter takes us inside the dark heart of American football.

You don’t have to be a genius to play chess, but it helps. The former Sunday Telegraph editor and chess aficionado, Dominic Lawson, chooses the best books on chess.

As the Olympics open, David Runciman looks back at the two previous times that the Games have been staged in London and finds that the thrift of today looks modest compared with austerities of the past

Sports pundit Michael Carlson says baseball reflects an American ideal which is now an American fantasy. It works well as a metaphor for life, which may be why there have been so many good novels written about it

The 11 times gold medal-winning Paralympian athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson, now a peer in Britain’s House of Lords, tells us about the spirit and legacy of the Olympics. She picks books on “the spirit of sport.”

The world championship winning horse rider Mary King, who has represented Great Britain at six Olympics from 1992 to 2012,  tells us what it takes to succeed in her sport

Fast, violent and with a passionately political history, hockey is the sport that defines Canada. The sports columnist tells us how this came to be, and why hockey, still a thrilling spectacle, has also become more dangerous to play. He picks the best books on ice hockey.

The former international cricketer, author of a book on luck, and England’s national selector tells us about the chance happenings that have helped shape his life, for better or worse

Monty Don OBE, Britain’s most loved gardener and lead presenter of Gardeners World, discusses his favourite books on gardening including one he describes as “the best gardening book ever written.” This is a  strong endorsement, given that his own gardening library extends to over three thousand books.

Trees are the backbone of any garden, says award-winning garden designer, Arabella Lennox-Boyd. She recommends some great books to get you thinking about garden design.

Gardening expert Helen Dillon recommends five books that have influenced her, from 300-year old gardening tips to the difficulty of describing flowers

The President Emeritus of The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, New York tells us about the books that all aspiring gardeners should have on their bookshelves, from reference works to the most fun guide to making the best of your garden

The Sports Illustrated columnist says the best sports books tell human stories – and tells us why nostalgia is intrinsic to baseball

John Thorn, the official historian for Major League Baseball, explains how America’s national pastime has been culturally transformative, even radicalising. He recommends the best books on baseball.

One of the world’s leading garden photographers talks us through the many different styles employed in his field

Rugby fanatic Richard Beard explains the difference between rugby league and rugby union – and says the aggression you need for the game doesn’t always translate well into life

Former BusinessWeek writer recommends five books that deepen our understanding of the science and psychology behind Jeopardy!’s computer champion, Watson

What are the best books about cricket? In 2011 Test Match Special‘s Daniel Norcross gave an interview about his favourite books on cricket. At the time, he was running an irreverent, uncensored and partial cricket commentary service, Test Match Sofa.  

Table tennis champion and author of Bounce: How Champions are Made, Matthew Syed believes that winning is partly the placebo effect of confidence.

When the World Cup comes around, many of us think of our national teams and their chances of winning. But the beauty of football is how international it is, and its ability to cut across borders. John Turnbull of the Global Game blog introduces us to football (or soccer) ‘as a second language.’

The respected horticulturalist says if you plant an oak tree you know you’re never going to see it grow into maturity, but in planting it you are asserting your belief in the future and in future generations.

Internationally known ecologist says plants are grievously overlooked, because no life on earth would exist without them – essential reading on plants

Debanjan Chakrabarti, head of the Intercultural Dialogue Programme of the British Council in India, says good sportsmanship is a 19th-century imperial construct. He walks us through five engaging books on sportsmanship and cheating.

The Professor of Comparative Politics & German Studies at the University of Michigan and avid baseball, basketball, American football and ice-hockey fan gives us his views on Global Sport.

Computer games aren’t just for teenage boys locked in their bedrooms says author and former Prospect senior editor Tom Chatfield – they are vital tools for social development. Here he selects five of the best books on the theory behind games, and the culture that grows up around them.

The author, plantsman and rhododendron expert selects his favourite books on botanical exploration and explains his passion for plant hunting

Historian of garden design Penelope Hobhouse says creating a garden is not about pulling out weeds – it’s about fulfilling man’s need for organisation and security

Discussion of the lesser-known subject of guerilla gardening – the illicit cultivation of someone else’s land. A fascinating and historical topic, and eclectic book selections include a history of Google

What drives people’s passion for birds and birdwatching? For Jeremy Mynott, it’s as much about us as it is about them. He recommends the best books on birds and birdwatching.

European poker champion, author and presenter, Victoria Coren Mitchell, talks us through her library of the best books on poker.

There are a lot of books about football for sale in bookshops these days, but which ones are any good? 11-year-old Alexander, who loves football as well as reading, shares his choices of the best football books for kids as part of our ‘By Children for Children‘ series.