Books by Donald McRae
“He’s gone the extra mile on this one. There’s a lot about his relationship with boxing, a sport that often leads to terrible head injuries and even death. He explores that alongside grief in his own life—the death of his parents and his sister—he juxtaposes his grief and the grief of people he knows through boxing, when they’ve seen their loved ones in the ring getting battered. It’s a very moving book, and made all the more moving that this is sort of a life’s reflection, if you like.” Read more...
Alyson Rudd, Journalist
Interviews where books by Donald McRae were recommended
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1
The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me
by Pippa York & David Walsh -
2
Finding the Edge
by Jimmy Anderson, with Felix White -
3
Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport
by Emma Wilkinson & Lily Canter -
4
States of Play: How Sportswashing Took Over Football
by Miguel Delaney -
5
The Last Bell: Life, Death and Boxing
by Donald McRae -
6
Engulfed: How Saudi Arabia Bought Sport, and the World
by James Montague
The Best Sports Books of 2025, recommended by Alyson Rudd
The Best Sports Books of 2025, recommended by Alyson Rudd
Every year, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award—the world’s longest-running sports writing prize—highlights the very best new books in the genre. We asked Alyson Rudd, chair of the judges, to introduce us to this year’s winner—The Escape, by cyclist Pippa York and reporter David Walsh—and the six runners-up.
