Lou Gehrig | Dale Earnhardt | sports biopics | Jonathan Eig

Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig ($26, Simon & Schuster). Lou Gehrig's tale is the blueprint from which all sports biopics are made. Diagnosed with a degenerative neuromuscular disease, which would soon take his life and later bear his name, the Yankees' "Iron Horse" gracefully bowed out of baseball at the height of his record-setting career.

At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt by Leigh Montville ($15, Broadway). Dale Earnhardt's fearless racing style earned him $41 million and seven NASCAR Winston Cup titles. But just seconds from the finish line of the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt fatally careened into the track wall. The rise of, and legacy left by, the man known as the Intimidator makes for a riveting read. -- K.R.