Writings
Dr. Wallace is an author as well as a psychologist and educator. Explore his published works here.
Wordsmithing
In 2016, Dr. Wallace published a non-fiction book entitled On Target: Comparative Challenges of Sports & Games. The book describes a wide variety of athletic and recreational endeavors from the perspective of their having targets at which to aim. In addition, it considers which sports are most difficult and satisfying to play and watch. This includes major league, mid-major, summer Olympic, winter Olympic, and less widespread sports, along with a host of games people play. Rules and records are cited and compared. A chapter on sport psychology may be useful to athletes of every level of expertise. Also included is a chapter citing various idiosyncratic factors which influence sports and games. On Target is intended for youthful audiences as well as veteran athletes. This book has been re-released in 2025 by Citi of Books; it is available in paperback and electronic editions at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and perhaps bookstores near you.
​
A reviewer of the New York Times has this to say about my book, On Target:
James I. Wallace, Ph.D., delivers a masterful and thought-provoking exploration in On Target: Comparative Challenges of Sports & Games, a work that elevates the discussion of athletics beyond competition and into the realm of culture, psychology, and philosophy. With scholarly precision balanced by an engaging narrative style, Wallace examines how sports and games not only reflect human behavior but also shape identity, community, and our collective sense of achievement.
What makes this book especially timely-and deserving of a place in The New York Times spotlight-is its ability to bridge intellectual rigor with universal accessibility. Wallace draws connections across disciplines, comparing the mental and physical demands of varied sports and games, while weaving in insights from sociology, neuroscience, and history. The result is a text that appeals not only to academics and sports professionals, but also to casual readers seeking to understand why humanity remains so captivated by competition and play.
The brilliance of Wallace's work lies in his ability to make the familiar unfamiliar again. From the chessboard to the football field, from playground games to Olympic arenas, he reveals the shared strategies, mental resilience, and ethical dilemmas that define competition. By doing so, he challenges readers to reconsider the role of sports and games in personal growth, social bonding, and even global cooperation.
In an era where sports dominate headlines and shape economies, On Target stands out as a definitive guide to understanding their deeper meaning. It is a book of rare balance-equal parts analysis and storytelling, academic depth and human relatability.
Wallace has given us more than a book about sports; he has given us a mirror through which we can see ourselves as players in life's broader game. For its intellectual richness, cultural relevance, and universal appeal, On Target: Comparative Challenges of Sports & Games deserves recognition among the very best in contemporary nonfiction.
​
Several years ago, Dr. Wallace began to write a blog, Dr. Jim's Whims, containing short articles about various topics. Entries vary in length, frequency, and prose vs. poetry; they include social commentary, newsworthy items, self-help psychology, and whatever subjects struck Dr. Jim at the time he felt like sharing his creative impulses with the public. You may find it at http://drjimswhims.home.blog. Dr. Wallace is also available on LinkedIn and Facebook.
​
Dr. Jim’s writing took off again in 2020, this time in the form of his first novel, Holy Rollers. Its genre is crime fiction but the story is liberally sprinkled with elements of golf, psychology, aikido, action, romance, and humor. The book, officially published on 1/5/21 by Mascot Books, is intended to educate as well as entertain. Feedback from various sources has been uniformly positive. Citi of Books has re-published Holy Rollers, making it available for purchase (in paperback or electronic form) at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and elsewhere. It has been featured at the 2025 "East Literary Gathering" (in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai) as well as the American Library Association meeting in Philadelphia. Dr. Wallace also has numerous copies of the paperback edition available to buy. Might there be a sequel eventually? That is a mystery yet to take shape . . .