Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life Through the Games We Love -- Gotham Chopra, Hardcover

From the acclaimed director who has gone behind the scenes with many of the greatest athletes in the world, a memoir-meets-manifesto featuring never-before-heard stories about Tom Brady, Simone Biles, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, and many more.

Sports is religion.

No, really. From pilgrimages and cathedrals, gods and fallen angels, holy wars and holy ghosts, sports has every aspect of an organized faith. In fact, it might be even better: all it takes to believe is to stand and cheer.

Nobody knows this better than the preeminent sports documentarian Gotham Chopra, who just so happens to be the son of world-renowned spiritualist Deepak Chopra. While his father taught him to find faith through prayer, Gotham felt pulled towards the Boston Garden and Larry Bird instead. Tracing his unique path from being a diehard fan to witnessing miracles alongside the gods of sport, Gotham makes a compelling case for sports as a modern-day faith. And like any worthy religious text, he also doles out wisdom, which comes in the form of never-before-heard stories about some of the biggest names in sports.

Rarely has anyone had such an up-close view of greatness as Chopra, and now, he lets you come with him behind the scenes to learn how legendary quarterback Tom Brady managed the end of his career, gold medal gymnast Simone Biles struggled with the pressure of the Tokyo Olympics, Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry developed the greatest three-point shot of all time, and much more. Chopra weaves together stories from Kobe Bryant, Alex Morgan, LeBron James, Michael Strahan, Shaun White, and more into modern-day parables that unlock secrets of competition--and of life.

Passionate and inspiring, the Religion of Sports is not just for diehard sports fans, but for anyone who's ever believed in something greater than themselves.

Author: Gotham Chopra, Joe Levin
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 12/05/2023
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 9.06h x 6.14w x 1.02d
ISBN: 9781501198090

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/09/2023
Booklist 11/01/2023 pg. 16
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2023
Library Journal 12/01/2023 pg. 99