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Munich 1972: Tragedy, Terror, and Triumph at the Olympic Games
Hardcover, 396 pages
Published
April 2012
by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
(first published January 1st 2012)
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This is really a four-star book, but, with multiple people three-starring it, and one even two-starring it, it needed a bump, so it got it.
Large looks at much more than the Israeli athlete kidnapping and eventual murder.
He discusses how Germans, in an anti-Nazi-appearances reaction to Berlin 1936, had security so low-key as to let this happen. Add in jurisdictional issues between city of Munich, state of Bavaria, and country of West Germany, and you've got a clusterfuck. Add on top of that, that...more
Large looks at much more than the Israeli athlete kidnapping and eventual murder.
He discusses how Germans, in an anti-Nazi-appearances reaction to Berlin 1936, had security so low-key as to let this happen. Add in jurisdictional issues between city of Munich, state of Bavaria, and country of West Germany, and you've got a clusterfuck. Add on top of that, that...more
I thought I was getting a book describing the "Munich Massacre", but this volume is much more. Large starts his story with a short history of the modern Olympics. He next, painstakingly, describes Munich's application process, and then takes us through the fits and starts of planning th "72 games. There's a great cast of characters such as Olympic head Avery Brundage, Frank Shorter, Wiily Brandy, and many more as the "peaceful games" got under way. The book also details political backstabbing, c...more
Outstanding Account of a Tragic, Yet Fascinating, Historical Event …
The 1972 Munich Olympics will forever be identified with the massacre of eleven members of the Israeli team by members of the Black September terrorist group. It is, understandably, the most logical icon of those Games. In fact, other than a few images or video clips of Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut or the masked Black September gunman on the dormitory balcony, there really isn’t enough information available for anything else to be as...more
The 1972 Munich Olympics will forever be identified with the massacre of eleven members of the Israeli team by members of the Black September terrorist group. It is, understandably, the most logical icon of those Games. In fact, other than a few images or video clips of Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut or the masked Black September gunman on the dormitory balcony, there really isn’t enough information available for anything else to be as...more
Although I enjoyed the chronological history of the games I was very disappointed with two areas of the book. First, too much time was spent to with the lead up to the games and too little with the actual tragedy. How did the terrorists get into Germany? Where did they train? Second, I was really quite miffed that there seemed to be more U.S.A. bashing then terrorist bashing.
Not bad. I thought this was a book on the terrorist attacks at the Munich Olympics, but it actually was about the 1972 Olympics as a whole. The attacks only were two chapters in the book. It was an ok read-a tad wordy with a lot of detail on doping charges for a few athletes famous at the time.
I reviewed this book for JEWISH REVIEW OF BOOKS, fall 2012 issue. (Review based on complimentary copy.)
I abandoned this book. It is probably a historical wealth of information, but it is just too dry and life is to short. There are so many great books in my "next" pile that I had to make the tough choice and prioritize.
I could not get past the first 100 pages - for me there was too much background info related to Germany that caused me to lose interest in the book.
Heavy book. A definite one to add to your library
Apr 25, 2013
Amy
marked it as to-read
Apr 24, 2013
Peri Bennett
marked it as to-read
Feb 27, 2013
Callan Camin
marked it as to-read
Jan 30, 2013
Michael
marked it as to-read
Jan 29, 2013
Denise
marked it as to-read
Jan 03, 2013
Misty
marked it as to-read
Dec 20, 2012
Corey
marked it as to-read
Dec 06, 2012
Brian Eshleman
marked it as to-read
Oct 21, 2012
Toryn Green
added it
Sep 28, 2012
Jonathan Freed
marked it as to-read
Sep 26, 2012
Erin
marked it as to-read
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