- ISBN13: 9781595584779
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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… More >>
People’s History of Sports in the United States: 250 Years of Politics, Protest, People, and Play
excellent book for people who care about the dirty, hidden side of sports. writing is excellent. zirin is a pioneer and we need to hear his voice over the maddening sports crowd. hopefully he’ll continue to produce reams of additional spectacular material.
Rating: 4 / 5
Zirin reports on how sport is more than just about winning a game. There’s more at stake than bragging rights and fat paychecks. Like it or not, sport has effected our views about race, gender, sexuality, economics and government. There are no ifs, ands or buts when it comes to rules of game, “but when the playing field is shown to be unlevel, it stings. This sporting reality can wake people up and reveal the hidden inequities in our society that otherwise go unnoticed.”
Before reading this book I had a fuzzy opinion about whether or not athletes should raise their voices on political issues. I can now strongly say that indeed they should. If not for the words and actions provoked by athletes of our nation’s past, then the many inequalities suffered both on and off the field would have continued to endure today.
Rating: 4 / 5
David Zirin’s masterfully researched and well-written “A People’s History of Sports in the United States” is essential reading for anyone interested in sports and its relationship to society. My only gripe with the book is that I wish it were 150 pages longer, with more in-depth analysis of the events described. Nonetheless, this is a compelling read. From the Revolutionary War to the events at Jena, Louisiana (the lynching jokes and fights that got African American students in trouble), “A People’s History” reveals that sports in this country isn’t simply a red, white, and blue, non-political game, but a landscape where revolutionaries have thrived, both in competition and in their attempts at social change. A must read.
Rating: 5 / 5
In case anyone was wondering if the power and promise wunderkind Dave Zirin’s initial offerings were a fluke — this incredible book show’s that Dave is here to stay!!! A People’s History of Sport’s is the product of a relentless and brilliant mind determined to the human side of the ’sports industrial complex.’ As Dave tells this story, the narrative trancends the limits of a sports book — it becomes a testiment to the power of the human spririt to rise above the barriers of oppression and exploitation. Bravo Dave! I plan to by copies for everyone on my holiday gift list!
Rating: 5 / 5
Sports fans will find tales of the true origins of the modern games we hold so dear, and history buffs will discover the connection – sometimes wonderful, sometimes nefarious, sometimes BOTH – between politics and sports. For those who love sports, AND for those who don’t, this book will be an eye-opener. A brisk, page-turning book… and FUN to read!
Rating: 5 / 5