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Read up on the Olympics

Posted by Anne M on Monday, Jun 25, 2012

Next month, athletes from around the globe will gather in London to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.  Now's the time to start reading up on the Olympics with a few new library books.

How to watch the Olympics: the essential guide to the rules, statistics, heroes, and zeroes of every sport by David Goldblatt and Johnny Action

Excited about the Olympics but looking for a good introduction? Goldblatt and Action have compiled a great guide to every sport in the games.  A four to five page summary is given to sports from badminton to equestrianism, including a short history, how scoring/judging works, and the athletes to watch.

Showdown at Shepherd's Bush: the 1908 Olympic marathon and the three runners who launched a sporting craze by David Davis

Davis's book provides an account of three runners (Johnny Hayes, Dorando Pietri, and Tom Longboat) and their participation in the marathon at the first Olympic games held in London (1908). Pietri, the lead runner collapsed and was assisted over the finish line, creating controversy and dismay the world over by his disqualification.

  Mathletics: a scientist explains 100 amazing things about the world of sports by John D. Barrow

Barrow does not exclusively discuss the Olympics in Mathletics, but he explains how math and physics play into different aspects of sports, including many Olympic events.  He provides brief explanations on the frictional forces at work in a high-diver's foot or how soccer players can best float a free kick.

Find these and other new nonfiction books upstairs on the second floor.  For a complete list of what's new in nonfiction at ICPL, check out this week's list.

About the Author

Anne M's picture

Anne Mangano has worked for the Iowa City Public Library since 2007, serving as the Collection Services Coordinator since 2013. In this position, she oversees the Library’s collection, including the selection, cataloging, processing, repair, and removal of materials. She also plans and directs ICPL’s digital collections, including the Local...

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