King of the Road

King of the Road

Author: Shaul P. Ladany

Publisher: Gefen Books

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 414

ISBN-13:

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This is the autobiography of an Israeli Scientist and a World Record-Holding Race Walker.


The King Never Smiles

The King Never Smiles

Author: Paul M. Handley

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2006-01-01

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 0300130597

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Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and is now the world's longest-serving monarch. This book tells the unexpected story of his life and 60-year rule: how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha; and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political, autocratic, and even brutal. Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king's youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skilful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Blasting apart the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley convincingly portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely-modified feudal dynasty. When at nineteen Bhumibol assumed the throne after the still-unsolved shooting of his brother, the Thai monarchy had been stripped of power and prestige. Over the ensuing decades, Bhumibol became the paramount political actor in the kingdom, crushing critics while attaining high status among his people. The book details this process and depicts Thailand's unique constitutional monarch in the full light of the facts.


The Modern Olympics

The Modern Olympics

Author: David C. Young

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2002-04

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 9780801872075

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Coubertin's main contribution to the founding of the modern Olympics was the zeal he brought to transforming an idea that had evolved over decades into the reality of Olympiad I and all the Olympic Games held thereafter.


What Are the Olympics For?

What Are the Olympics For?

Author: Jules Boykoff

Publisher: Policy Press

Published: 2024-03-26

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 1529230292

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‘Athletes first’ is a slogan the International Olympic Committee often touts, but the reality is very different, as pre-eminent Olympics expert Jules Boykoff shows in this book. While the world’s attention is riveted by the triumphs and tribulations on their screens, there is much that goes on behind the scenes that is deeply troubling: athletes are increasingly voicing concerns over physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and they are collectively expressing grievances around equity and human rights. Outside the stadiums, problems range from the democratic deficit and corruption surrounding the awarding of the Games, to displacement of people and gentrification of neighbourhoods to make way for Olympic venues, to the environmental damage that Olympic construction inflicts and then tries to greenwash away. Boykoff tells us that radical steps are required if the Games are to be fixed and only then will they be truly ‘athletes first’.


The Games: A Global History of the Olympics

The Games: A Global History of the Olympics

Author: David Goldblatt

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2016-07-26

Total Pages: 755

ISBN-13: 0393254119

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“A people’s history of the Olympics.”—New York Times Book Review A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year The Games is best-selling sportswriter David Goldblatt’s sweeping, definitive history of the modern Olympics. Goldblatt brilliantly traces their history from the reinvention of the Games in Athens in 1896 to Rio in 2016, revealing how the Olympics developed into a global colossus and highlighting how they have been buffeted by (and affected by) domestic and international conflicts. Along the way, Goldblatt reveals the origins of beloved Olympic traditions (winners’ medals, the torch relay, the eternal flame) and popular events (gymnastics, alpine skiing, the marathon). And he delivers memorable portraits of Olympic icons from Jesse Owens to Nadia Comaneci, the Dream Team to Usain Bolt.


The King

The King

Author: Christopher Andersen

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2022-11-08

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13: 1501181610

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Andersen comes a vivid and unsparing yet sympathetic portrait of one of the most complex and enigmatic figures of our time: Charles, who has taken his place on the throne after being the oldest and longest-serving heir in British history. Since the day Charles Philip Arthur George was born, he has been groomed to be King. After more than seventy years of waiting, he finally ascends the throne. The King examines the private life of this historically important and controversial figure, set against the grand, thousand-year sweep of the British monarchy. This richly detailed biography covers it all, from his military training to his marriage to Lady Diana, through their separation and her tragic death to his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles. In the process, it provides a balanced but fully honest look into the life of the new monarch. This book will tell you what the King—a man who has remained something of an enigma, shrouded in speculation and intrigue—is really like. The King is the first biography of Charles since he has become monarch and serves as an authoritative chronicle of his life.


The 1912 Stockholm Olympics

The 1912 Stockholm Olympics

Author: Leif Yttergren

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2012-11-14

Total Pages: 293

ISBN-13: 147660066X

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King Gustaf V of Sweden inaugurated the Fifth Olympiad at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm on July 6, 1912. In the following weeks, 2,380 competitors from 27 nations representing six continents participated in well-organized competitions in perfect weather conditions. The largest Olympics yet at the time, the Stockholm Games have thus gone down in history as the Sunshine Olympics, or "the Swedish Masterpiece." Since that achievement, and despite numerous attempts by other Swedish cities, Sweden has not yet managed to host the Olympic Games again. This work examines the 1912 Stockholm Olympics from a variety of perspectives, exploring the preparations, organization, competitions, participants, and spectators, as well as the continuing significance of the 1912 Games to Sweden and to the future of the Olympic movement.


The Olympics

The Olympics

Author: Vassil Girginov

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-05-09

Total Pages: 663

ISBN-13: 1000938611

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The Olympics: A Critical Reader represents a unique, critical guide to the definitive sporting mega-event and the wider phenomenon it represents – Olympism. Combining classic texts and thoughtful editorial discussion with challenging new pieces, including previously unseen material, the book systematically addresses the key questions in modern Olympism, including: what does studying Olympism entail? how do historical accounts create and challenge Olympic myths? how do different theoretical perspectives inform our understanding of Olympism? which socio-political processes influence personal, collective and imagined Olympic identities? how do we experience and make sense of Olympism? who owns Olympism and why does it matter? how do cities compete for and celebrate the Olympics? how are the Olympic values promoted? why is it important to protect the ethical principles and properties of Olympism? what are the grounds for contesting Olympism? how can Olympism be taught? how can the principles and practices of Olympism be sustained in the future? Each thematic part has been designed to include a range of views, including background treatment of an issue as well as critical scholarship, to ensure that students develop a well-rounded understanding of the Olympic phenomenon. The Olympics: A Critical Reader is essential reading for students of the Olympics and Olympism, the sociology of sport, sport management and cultural studies.