If I had read this book in junior high school, I almost certainly wouldn't be among the few people I know uninterested in sports.The chapter on baseball statistics was thrilling. Who knew that a general manager trying to run a team on the cheap would come up with a different way of measuring talent by discarding the opinion of professional scouts in favor of his own statistic? That's what Billy Beane did to drive the Oakland Athletics to a record-setting 20 game winning streak.Some innovations, like Billy Beane's, are simply a new way of looking at things, others are technological. The development of lighter skis and stronger tennis rackets, for instance, is owed to an aerospace engineer who preferred to redesign his equipment than exert himself as an athlete, for which we can all be grateful. You'll find fascinating stories about advances in high jump, pole vaulting, skateboarding, speed skating, cycling, wheelchair sports, swimming, ski jumping, blade running, and bungy jumping. Even a less laudable innovation – performance enhancing drugs – is given a frank discussion.Abundant sidebars add visual excitement as well as fun sports stories that will appeal to all – with or without an interest in sports. Physical principles are explained clearly with playful illustrations.If you want to know how Michael Jordan can seemingly hang in the air, or don't think you do, you'll be delighted by this book.[Disclosure: This book was given to me by the author and I have worked with the designer.]