Sports culture has a huge impact on Ann Arbor’s cultural landscape. If you’re ever in the mood to read and learn about this powerful driving force, check out these four local authors!
John U. Bacon
John U. Bacon is a New York Times bestselling author with thirteen books about sports under his belt. His most recent book, “Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America’s Worst High School Hockey Team,” was featured in the New York Times. Dubbed “the real Ted Lasso” by Good Morning America, Bacon writes about everything from hockey to football, and occasionally teaches at the University of Michigan. He often freelances for The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo and others, while also being a popular corporate speaker.
Patrick Barry
Patrick Barry is a non-fiction sports author, best known for his series “The Syntax of Sports.” Initially created to be a course for the University of Michigan’s English Department, the series puts a sporty edge on the idea that “to write good sentences, you need to read good sentences.” He has also written three books on writing since 2019. Barry is the Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Director of Digital Academic Initiatives at the University of Michigan. He has a PhD in English and a degree in law as well as an impressive background in soccer.
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Brian Love
Brian Love is a co-author of the 2019 book “Corked.” “Corked” is a collection of twenty-six short stories about athletes, connected by the idea that things that outside of an individual player can affect a whole team. Love had written these short stories before “Corked” came to fruition, making them the base of what the book eventually became. Love has lived in Ann Arbor since 2008 and has a day job as a Professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.
Liz Crowe
Liz Crowe is an award winning author who lived in Ann Arbor for over 20 years. While most of her books are contemporary-romances, she utilizes her passion for sports to drive much of her work. Her books “Shut Out,” “Red Card,” and “Escalation Clause” (a book in the “Stewart Realty” series) are all built around soccer, allowing for an all around engaging story. Crowe currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina and works as both a digital media marketing consultant and author.
