6 Books To Get You Ready For The 2026 Olympic Games

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From February 6 to 22, the 2026 Olympic Games are headed to Italy — to Milan and the neighboring town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, to be precise. For two weeks, international athletes will compete to take home gold, silver, and bronze medals in wintertime sports ranging from hockey, ice dancing, curling, and more.

Even for people who don't usually watch sports, the Olympic games hold a special charm. In part, that has to do with the sheer scale of the games. "It's like the canvas is so much larger to write on and to paint on for these stories that people as fans already love," psychology professor Daniel Wann explained to CNBC. "It's just a perfect scenario." Whether you tune in to events intermittently or you are a devoted viewer every two years, it's never too early to get into Olympic spirit with books that center on snow sports or the historic games themselves.

Skier Lindsey Vonn has returned after five years of retirement with hopes of competing in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, which makes this the perfect time to pick up a copy of her memoir, "Rise: My Story." Vonn, a celebrated American skier, shares her experiences overcoming mental health struggles, sexism in competitive skiing, and injuries in order to reach the pinnacle of her sport. This memoir takes you inside the mind of a world-class athlete and will get you hyped for the skiing events that are the backbone of the Winter Olympics.

But this book doesn't just shed light on Vonn; it's also a great choice for anyone curious about the unique world of professional skiing. "This is a fascinating look into the world of pro ski racing, which in and of itself is worth the read," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Whether or not you ski, you'll come away with new admiration for the courage and commitment of the tremendous athletes who become elite performers in this sport." If you never miss an Olympic skiing event, then this is the wintertime read for you.

Technically, tennis ise a summer sport. Still, few books will stoke your hunger for Olympic human interest stories like this beloved Taylor Jenkins Reid's book, "Carrie Soto Is Back." This powerful novel about an aging athlete who returns for one last round of greatness will immerse you in the headspace of elite competition.

In Carrie, Reid has created yet another complex, powerful female character, who is often unlikable and yet incredibly compelling and sympathetic. "[Carrie] is brash, confident to the point of arrogance, and often rude to all who stands in her way," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "But it really speaks to Reid's strong storytelling abilities that such a character doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the book. In fact, Carrie's flaws make her portrayal and her eventual personal growth that much more compelling." In addition to a central heroine you can't help but root for, this story pulls back the curtain on the motivations of a driven athlete. Reid also offers up an incisive reflection of prevailing sexism in sports, a plot you can't put down, and a compelling father-daughter relationship — perfect for anyone who watches the Olympics for the comeback stories.

The adrenaline of extreme sports threads through the writing of author Amy McCulloch, an accomplished mountaineer-turned-author. In "Breathless," a Himalayan expedition turns into an edge-of-your-seat thriller; a serial killer stalks climbers above the "death zone" — the region 26,000 feet above sea level where climbing becomes more dangerous due to limited oxygen. Mountaineering might not be an Olympic sport, but this novel places readers in the headspace of high-level athletes operating under extreme conditions.

In the vein of good thrillers, McCulloch has produced an unstoppable plot and stomach-churning stakes, while also imbuing her story with both technical and emotional realism. "A killer who stalks their victims in the Death Zone of [the] Himalayan mountains? Written by a female mountaineer? How AMAZING is that concept!" wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "I was so excited about this one from the moment I heard about it. And I finished it in a day, as I just could not stop reading!" If you like watching the Olympics for the nail-biting photo finishes and slo-mo wipeout replays, then pick up this heart-stopping novel.

Winter sports get the romance treatment in "Icebreaker" by Hannah Grace. When college figure skater Anastasia needs a training partner, she finds herself matched with the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins. Grace has given us a relatable female lead, who is navigating competitive pressure, disordered eating, and commitment avoidance. But the story's conflicts are offset with humor and warmth, as well as some seriously hot spice.

This sparkling wintertime love story sidesteps the cliché climactic breakup and presents a healthy relationship while still serving up plenty of tension, which is why it's among the essential hockey romance books. "I'm just amazed at how healthy a fictional relationship can be," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Reading romance taught me that drama, miscommunication, and third-act breakups are necessary to make a book exciting. And then comes Hannah Grace and says, 'Hold my beer.'" It's a perfect book to pick up if your favorite Olympic event is figure skating — or if you just like your sports stories with a side of dirty talk.

There is probably no Olympic account more famous than Daniel James Brown's bestselling 2013 biography of the U.S. team who rowed to victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. "The Boys In the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" is set against the backdrop of pre-WWII political tensions, as the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany, and profiles the nine University of Washington athletes who made history. This book is a sports story, but it's also a portrait of Depression-era America and a historical account of the militarization of Germany.

No matter your interests, this book will capture your imagination, in part thanks to Brown's propulsive writing. "The story of how nine working-class boys overcame obstacles, persevered[,] and eventually succeeded beyond all expectations will take your breath away," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "And even if you think you're not interested in a book about a varsity crew, you will cheer every race on as if you were on the sidelines." It's the perfect story to pick up if you watch the Olympics for the underdog stories.

If you've ever wondered why certain countries tend to dominate some Olympic sports, you'll find an answer in David Epstein's "The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance." This bestselling nonfiction book blends history and science to understand the genetic differences that help send elite athletes to the very top. Epstein unwinds engaging individual stories and broader research to explain how they ended up there, and finally give a satisfying answer to the debate over nature versus nurture.

This is a book that will heighten your appreciation for the feats of human athleticism that the Olympics showcase, even if you're not a big sports fan. "A central theme of the book is that each sport favors a different set of body attributes," observed one Goodreads reviewer. "A good sports coach will recognize when a young athlete is better suited to some other sport than the one he (or she) is presently practicing. The book is full of anecdotes where a good coach steers an athlete in some other direction, with wonderful results." If your favorite part of the Olympic Games is the post-race analysis, then you'll love this smart, genre-spanning book.