false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175618804m/536178.jpg 536178 2 In <I>Body Politic: The Great American Sports Machine</I>, critically acclaimed sportswriter, essayist, and novelist David Shields focuses on race and cultural relations, as observed in the media's portrayal and myth-building of sports, particularly professional basketball and baseball. Although no sustaining contention ties the chapters of the book together, Shields attempts to explain the place in popular American culture, as created and influenced by TV commentators and the figures themselves, of such known iconic quantities as: Howard Cosell, Phil Jackson, Charles Barkley, and Japanese baseball imports Ichiro Suzuki and Hideke Matsui. Also included are chapters on Howard Schultz, Chairman of Starbucks and a principal owner of the Seattle SuperSonics; the perceived dichotomy between East Coast (hard) vs. West Coast (soft) athletes and teams; baseball players whose careers have ended because of tics that cause them to suddenly flub routine throws; a brief analysis of the most popular American sports films; and the tattoo culture of basketball and racial themes in its advertising. <p> The book mainly consists of Shields's musings on quotes from and about sports figures, which do not always support the matter-of-fact interpretations he would like us to believe. He (wisely) decrees: "whoever owns the story tells its meaning"--which leaves room for your own judgment and speculation on what was said, and meant, by the sources. Somewhat thin but entertaining nonetheless, <I>Body Politic</I> provides interesting, evocative material and food for thought on what professional sports, and star athletes, are all about. <I>--Michael Ferch</I> 2434692 27 4 2004 Body Politic: The Great American Sports Machine total:9|5:2|4:1|3:3|2:2|1:1| 9 28 13 1 3 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Sun Mar 02 20:47:50 -0800 2008 Sun Mar 02 20:47:50 -0800 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Tue Dec 30 11:30:02 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 11:30:02 -0800 2008 2 0 false false Tue Sep 23 07:40:12 -0700 2008 Tue Sep 23 07:40:12 -0700 2008 1 0 false false Thu Jul 03 00:01:30 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 03 00:01:30 -0700 2008 2 0 false false Tue Jun 10 10:22:46 -0700 2008 Tue Jun 10 10:22:46 -0700 2008 5 0 false false Fri Apr 25 08:20:46 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 25 08:20:46 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sun Feb 10 14:38:24 -0800 2008 Sun Feb 10 14:38:24 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Wed Jan 30 15:35:43 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 15:35:49 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Fri Jan 25 19:27:56 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 25 19:27:56 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Tue Jan 08 16:32:05 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 08 16:32:05 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Mon Nov 26 12:38:04 -0800 2007 Mon Nov 26 12:38:04 -0800 2007 3 0 false false Sun Jun 17 21:08:43 -0700 2007 Sun Jun 17 21:08:43 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Wed Jun 13 18:58:40 -0700 2007 Wed Jun 13 18:58:40 -0700 2007 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=536178