The Games
By David Goldblatt
A Global History of the Olympics. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Summary of The Games book by David Goldblatt
A remarkably comprehensive survey on the impact of the Olympics on human history and society since its revival in 1896, including international politics, cultural change and social justice, sports entertainment, and the global economy.
Chapters in The Games book summary
What do you get from this book? An up-close inspection of the sports phenomenon that captivates people around the world
The original Olympic Games were lost to antiquity for many centuries until some inspired Europeans decided to bring them back
Olympic revivalists established a committee and successfully organized the first modern event in late nineteenth century Athens
It seemed only natural that the Olympics of the early 20th century were associated with the grand world fairs
After the Games of 1912, the world plunged into conflict, instigating another hiatus of the event
Oppressed members of society began to gain some traction in the Olympics of the 1920s, which saw many “firsts”
The decade of the Depression brought a pair of complex Olympics before the world entered war again
Despite various conflicts, many more countries and territories joined the Olympics in 1948 and beyond
There was an entirely different vibe in the next decade, along with a new set of challenges for the IOC
The Mexico and Munich Games had some major hurdles to overcome, being on either side of the start of the ‘70s
Becoming increasingly more expensive to host, different cities tried different organizational tactics
As the Olympics expanded, the IOC began loosening its reins and having less restrictions
Both the Summer and Winter Olympics had issues with waste, as they wondered what to do with facilities afterward
After the Games of the 2010s, who knows what the future will hold for the Olympics
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Games — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Games book
- History buffs
- sports enthusiasts
- budding athletes
- those interested in global politics and economics
- anyone who eagerly tunes in every four years to witness international sports competitions
About the author of The Games
David Goldblatt
David Goldblatt is a British sociologist, author, and broadcaster known for his multiple publications on football, or soccer as it’s known in the United States, including The Game of Our Lives and The Ball Is Round. He has produced The Power and the Passion, a BBC audio documentary and taught the sociology of sport at Pitzer College, Leicester College, and Bristol University, among others.
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A psychoanalytical analysis of the relationships between people with an emphasis on spouses, parents, and children, and the manipulative “games” they play to get what they really want.
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