Has the World Cup got you wanting to write the next sporting bestseller? Me too!

If you’re looking to do some reading for inspiration with your half-time oranges, here’s our pick of five of the best sporting stories:

The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro by Joe McGinniss

This story is based on the real events of the football team at Castel Di Sangro, a small town in Abruzzi, Italy. Told in an unpretentious but gripping voice, the adventures of the miracle squad show off the passion that football brings out in so many people.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Though you might not strictly call A Separate Peace a sports novel, the narrative of Gene and Finny hinges on the concept of sportsmanship. Sport, games and competition are vital ways that the boys compare and express themselves, while war threatens in the background.

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby

Fever Pitch is Nick Hornby’s first novel and an autobiographical one; in it he tells the story of his love affair with football and by following memorable matches through formative years of his life, insightfully shows how important the sport is to English family culture.

Derivative Sport in Tornado Alley by David Foster Wallace

One way that David Foster Wallace has ensured the success and the controversy of his work is with his rich and full, terminology-laden prose. This essay, part of the collection A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again which interweaves math and competitive sport, shows off his style at its best.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

The Art of Fielding is often recalled as the definitive baseball book. It’s had a huge amount of hype, but try it with an open mind for its bright, honest and memorable portrayal of America and American sporting characters.

And if you liked this, you might be interested to read our picks for New Releases to Broaden your Reading Horizons on the Towerbabel blog.