It's that time of year again. No, not Christmas or Valentine's or a forgotten anniversary. It's time to fill out the brackets for your office pool.

March Madness begins March 19th! Whether you're busy poring over stats and brackets or cursing the networks for playing reruns rather than fight the NCAA ratings bonanza, we've got some books for you.

The Tournament and Its History

The Big Dance - A history of the NCAA tournament, how it rose to prominence and why it takes over your television set every... single... March.

The Perfect Game - The classic Cinderella story of Villanova's upset win over Georgetown in 1985's tournament. This book explores the game itself and how it reflected some of the darker aspects of American culture at the time.

They Shoot Coaches, Don't They? - An exploration of the UCLA dynasty under coach John Wooden.

Pro Basketball History

Great Moments in Basketball History - Sixteen of the all-time great NBA players, their best moments, shots and more.

A History of Basketball for Girls and Women - Follows the rise of women's basketball in the United States.

Mad Seasons - Think the WNBA was first? This book tells you otherwise.

Pickup Artists - Follows the development of street basketball in American inner cities.

Swish - Do you recollect a favorite shot? A buzzer beater for the ages? It might be in this book.

James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball - Explore the sports origins in nailed up peach baskets with this title.

They Cleared the Lane - The men who broke basketball's color barrier, from players up through coaches.

Off the Beaten Path

Dream Team - Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Sir Charles and His Airness together on one team in 1992 made Olympic glory.

Spinning the Globe - The story of the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters and how they changed basketball for the better.

When the Game Was Ours - The two men who formed one of basketball's greatest rivalries tell their story. 

Play Their Hearts Out - A look inside the process that forms today's basketball superstars.

Of course, there's always the innumerable player biographies. Good reading, everyone!