For years, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has been known for recommending books to teammates and others. Now the NFL star has brought some organization to his off-the-field passion and founded the Andrew Luck Book Club.
"I've been called the unofficial librarian of the Colts, which is kind of cheesy," Luck told ESPN. "But the truth is that I love to read both fiction and nonfiction and I feel strongly about the power of reading. So I thought, 'Why not start a real book club?' "
The Andrew Luck Book Club has two tiers: Rookies, which includes books Luck loved to read when he was younger, and Veterans, selections from his adult life.
His first Rookies pick is Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), a Newbery Medal winner about an orphan who becomes an athletic legend. Luck's first Veterans pick is The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (Penguin).
Luck set up the site with his uncle Will Wilson, who's also his agent. He'll do some q&a sessions with readers and is using social media to build a community of readers. In a nice twist, the site provides links to local libraries and bookstores to borrow or buy the book.
The club isn't about making money; Luck explained: "I just want people to experience the joy that I do when I read."
