Write Knuckler

R.A. Dickey is an accomplished pitcher for the New York Mets whose big-league career has fluttered and progressed as slowly as a knuckleball, his signature pitch. In fact, he didn’t make a regular rotation until 2010 at the baseball-ancient age of 35. He has been nearly unhittable this year, going 44 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run. In that stretch, he threw back-to-back one-hitters, and his hot start earned him his first selection to the Major League All-Star Game.

Dickey’s unlikely rise to prominence in the baseball world would have made for a compelling read alone, but the fact that he’s a humanitarian whose causes include raising awareness and funds for the victims of human trafficking and providing aid for impoverished Latin American communities—issues typically outside of the purview of professional athletes—make his life story that much more intriguing. His empathies are informed, undoubtedly, by his own experiences with sexual abuse as a child, all of which he courageously chronicles in this book. It’s also clear that he’s a man of deep religious conviction, and he credits his faith for his success and with getting him through his darkest moments.

Given all R.A. Dickey has gone through personally and professionally, you can't help but root for him—even if you're a Yankees or non-sports fan.