Sports are, in essence, about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Somebody wins and somebody loses. It’s this simplicity that makes them so appealing to so many people. But sometimes sports are about more than the final tally on the scoreboard. Sometimes their outcomes have implications for things like politics, racial equality, gender equality or national pride. These moments are important to everyone, not just those who live and die with their teams’ success. So for those of you who care nothing for sports, here are a few sports books you might like.
- “Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink” by David Margolick. The extraordinary story of two men who found themselves in the middle of one of the greatest political conflicts of all time. Louis and Schmeling fought twice in the late 1930s and the hype surrounding their bouts perfectly encapsulates the racial and political tensions of the period.
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