Books by Dave Zirin

In the spirit of Howard Zinn's masterful A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, Dave Zirin provides an alternative, political history of American sports. His incisive analysis of the careers of some of America's most beloved athletes, including Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan, Roberto Clemente, and Jesse Owens, clearly show how their achievements are in the political arena are as significant as their athletic championships. He demonstrates how the historical battles of women and minorities to be allowed to participate in sports serves as a prism for those equal rights movements, and argues that sports teams and organizations have routinely suppressed the political views of the athletes affiliated with them.

A myth-challenging history of sports in America offers insight into the role of politics, pop culture, and other influences on the nation's athletics, in a narrative account by the creator of "The Edge of Sports" blog that places an emphasis on how race-related conflicts made a significant impact on sporting events.