Gold medalist to author

Olympic gold medalist, author and world wrestling champion Rulon Gardner didn't have a lot of time for books when he was a child.

The North Salt Lake resident was raised in Afton, Wyo., on a dairy farm and is the youngest of nine children. So most of his time outside of school was spent doing farm work outside.

"We were taught instead of just reading about life we needed to go out and live it," Gardner said.

But he said some of his favorites that he was able to read in school were "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury and "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson.

Gardner, who now spends around 90 percent of his time doing motivational speaking and traveling, said even though he is finished with college, he still enjoys reading textbooks in subjects like sports psychology — learning how people deal with certain situations and how they use mind over matter.

Currently he is also reading textbooks and studying to be a pilot, with hopes to get a private license by this summer.

He said if he had to name a fiction favorite it would probably something by Tom Clancy.

"There is enough reality in my life, so I try not to read things that have too much stress," Gardner said.

He also likes self-reflection books as well as LDS and spiritual books.

After writing his own book, "Never Stop Pushing: My Life from a Wyoming Farm to the Olympic Medals Stand," Gardner formed his own book club for those with questions or comments at www.rulongardner.com.