Nike Is a Goddess: The History of Women in Sports

by Lissa Smith (Editor), Mariah Burton Nelson (Introduction), Lissa Smith (Editor)

Recent years have seen a huge explosion in the popularity and commercial viability of women's sports - with new professional leagues for women to play in, new magazines to cover them, and recognition for female athletes that is overtaking that of men. Nike Is a Goddess tells the dramatic story of the rise of women's sports over the last century in a series of original narratives focusing on the great female athletes whose success has changed the game and paved the way for the women and girls of today. From historic boundary breakers like Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Althea Gibson to modern-day superstars like Tara Lipinski, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Rebecca Lobo, from Gertrude Ederle's historic swim across the English Channel to Billie Jean King's victory over Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes, Nike Is a Goddess tells the inspiring stories of women opening up an arena that had been closed to them. Written by top female sportswriters from such publications as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Conde Nast Sports for Women, Women's Sports and Fitness, The Miami Herald, and Sports Illustrated, Nike Is a Goddess pays tribute to the athletes who led the way and serves as inspiration to those who will come after.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some essays in this volume were more engaging than others (my favorite by far was the tennis chapter), but the book overall was successful, particularly in its in introduction and conclusion, in capturing the shared individual and collective power that sports have had in my life and in the lives of many other women.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting history of women in sports, with each sport-specific chapter by a different author. I most enjoyed the equestrian (shocking, I know) and gymnastics sections. Skiing, sailing/rowing, and basketball were either underwritten or offered few new insights. I sensed an attempt at an academic style, but the book still read as a series of detailed magazine articles. The hockey chapter in particular related the early and less-well-known history of the sport, and portraits of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Nancy Lopez and Billie Jean King were well-drawn.
I must mention, however,that the number of typos and factual errors (at least in the hardcover edition) was very disappointing, to the point of distraction in some places (Providence College in NH, anyone? Did they mean Merrimack? Both have hockey programs), especially for a quasi-academic title from Atlantic Monthly Press.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, fascinating topic - not all essays were created equal, some of them a bit of a slog and in the end it feels more like a reference book than somethig you would sit down and read.

[Mays]

Wonderful and useful

[Samreen Sayed]

to read