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More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:Other titles in the New Press People's Histories series:A People's History of Sports in the United States: 250 Years of Politics, Protest, People, and Play (New Press People's Histories)by Dave Zirin
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:From David Zirin, "The best young sportswriter in America" (says Robert Lipsyte), comes a rollicking, rebellious, myth-busting history of sports in America that puts politics in the ring with pop culture. In this long-awaited book from the rising superstar of sportswriting, whose blog "The Edge of Sports" is read each week by thousands of people across the country, Dave Zirin offers a riotously entertaining chronicle of larger-than-life sporting characters and dramatic contests, and what amounts to an alternative history of the United States as seen through the games its people played. Through Zirin's eyes, sports are never mere games, but a reflection of — and a spur toward — the political conflicts that shape American society. Half a century before Jackie Robinson was born, the black ballplayer Moses Fleetwood Walker brandished a revolver to keep racist fans at bay, then took his regular place in the lineup. In the midst of the Depression, when almost no black athletes were allowed on the U.S. Olympic team, athletes held a Counter Olympics where a third of the participants were African American. A People's History of Sports in the United States is replete with surprises for seasoned sports fans, while anyone interested in history will be amazed by the connections Zirin draws between politics and pop flies. As Jeff Chang, author of Can't Stop Won't Stop, puts it, "After you read him, you'll never see sports the same way again." Review:"Zirin (What's My Name, Fool?), writer of a politically minded online sports column, examines the intersection of sports and politics, chronicling the struggles of America's oppressed, starting with Choctaws playing lacrosse and slaves in the South, and reaching all the way to a critique of Michael Jordan as an apolitical athlete. There are many worthy and deserving stories of courage and conscience in this vast canvas; however, the telling suffers from Zirin's term paper — like prose that relies far too much on overly long quotes from source material. For example, three pages about NFL player Dave Meggyesy has a short introductory paragraph by Zirin and then excerpts Meggyesy's autobiography for the bulk of the section. This book would have been more engaging and logically organized as a reference book with entries on each athlete or group, rather than a linear historical narrative of sports. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"A thought-provoking, contrarian take on American sport." Booklist Synopsis:From author and sportswriter Zirin comes a rollicking, rebellious, myth-busting history of sports in America that puts politics in the ring with pop culture. About the AuthorDave Zirin is the author of three books, including What's My Name, Fool? and Welcome to the Terrordome. He writes the popular weekly online sports column The Edge of Sports and is a regular contributor to The Nation, SLAM, and the Los Angeles Times. He lives in Takoma Park, Maryland. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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