Many coaches are bookworms, notably Coach George Raveling, Mike Neighbors, Gregg Popovich, and Steve Kerr. A couple of points on reading - it's better to read great books multiple times than mediocre books once. And it's okay to abandon a bad book.
Electronic books allow portability and save space but have a different feel from reading physical books.
Here's a brief list of books and authors to consider and why.
Legacy, James Kerr
- Kerr lays out the ethos of the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team. They "sweep the sheds" and "leave the jersey in a better place." I've read Legacy three times (it's short).
Game Changer, Dr. Fergus Connolly
- Connolly is a "human performance expert." He analyzes game structure from both a top down (bird's eye) view and bottom up (attention to detail). Better understand of the sport, coaching, and player offer chance for higher performance.
The Boys in the Boat, Dan Brown
- Brown weaves a narrative of the Great Depression, the rise of the US collegiate crew team, and the origins of fascism in the early 1930s. Brilliantly written, he probes the depth of the tragedies on both sides of the Atlantic, setting the stage for the '36 Olympics.
Basketball, Multiple Offense and Defense, Dean Smith and Bob Spear
- Smith and Spear examine the nitty gritty of the processes that got and kept the Tarheels on top. It's not a celebration of Self (pun intended) or self-congratulatory biography. It's full of details about the UNC system.
How Good Do You Want to Be?, Nick Saban
- Saban may be a polarizing figure but he knows how to recruit and coach up talent. I can always pick it up and find something useful. "But I never could focus 100 percent on the family or 100 percent on coaching. I think my family and our players suffered because of it. I lacked focus...I wasn't able to do what I preach."
The Smart Take from the Strong, Pete Carril
- "Smart" is another basketball book loaded with insight on getting more from yourself and players. Most of us aren't going to get the 'great' players so should focus on getting the best from what we have.
Toughness, Jay Bilas
- Toughness evolved from an article Bilas wrote about toughness. It's a great book to read with your team, even if not your basketball team. He shares personal foundations of toughness and whom he considers the toughest person he's met (a cancer patient).
Practical Modern Basketball, John Wooden
- Wooden wrote a tome on basketball coaching. He has three pages on the role of managers. It's encyclopedic, a reference book that belongs on your bookshelf, but it's not light reading.
Basketball: Preparing for Special Situations, Herb Brown
- Brown's book reminds me of Sapiens. It's dense with beyond a wealth of information of coaching for the hardcore basketball coach. It's the Joe Friday, "just the facts, Ma'm" basketball coaching book.
The Score Takes Care of Itself, Bill Walsh
- Legendary coach writes legendary book on leadership and management. You'll read it twice...at least.
This short list will keep us more than busy. Here are some others:
Leadership in Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin (It's not about sport but presidential leadership of the Roosevelts, Lincoln, and LBJ. Coaching is leadership.)
Coaching The Mental Game, H.A. Dorfman
Gridiron Genius, Mike Lombardi
Basketball Methods, Pete Newell
The Power of Negative Thinking, Bob Knight
In These Girls Hope Is a Muscle, Madeleine Blais
The Coach's Guide to Teaching, Doug Lemov
The Captain Class, Sam Walker
Great Teams, Don Yaeger
Yes, I'm leaving out many others (Ball Four, 1964, Eleven Rings, etc.) but who has the time?