Women love playing sport – and writing about it. Here are 6 fascinating and surprising sports books by women
- Written by Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University

Australians love a good sport story, because we love our sport.
While many of us think of sporting narratives playing out on fields and courts, there are some wonderful sporting stories captured in our country’s rich literature. And just as women have always been playing sport, they have also been writing about it.
Here are some books by women and non-binary writers for your summer reading list. They look at sport in a range of ways. Whether you enjoy histories, non-fiction, poetry, crime or even romance, there is a sporting story to suit all readers. These books seek to connect with diverse sports fans, or anyone looking for something a little different.
The first women’s Ashes
Marion Stell’s The Bodyline Fix: How Women Saved Cricket delves into a fascinating yet often overlooked chapter of cricket history. The book explores how Australian women cricketers in the 1930s played a crucial role in restoring the integrity of the sport, following the infamous men’s Bodyline series of 1932-33, which strained relations between Australia and England.