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blessedbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting material but kept getting bored and putting the book aside.
This is a good account for anyone interested in knowing the origins of the Olympics.
This is a good account for anyone interested in knowing the origins of the Olympics.
drwznder's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
jayshay's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of interesting factoids about the ancient olympic games using the five days of the games as a way of structuring the book. While there was lots of interesting stuff about how the games have always been profession, corrupt and basically gross, I found there wasn't much of a narrative through line (I'm mostly a fiction reader), so I found the book a little too easy to put down and pick up. More bathroom reading than urgent reading. That said, the writing was clear, the facts were interesting. The fuck tents remind me of how prositutes usually stream into modern cities hosting the games to keep up with demand. Either a depressing thought or a reassuring note on the constancy of human existance - probably depressing.
jmeston's review against another edition
4.0
A brisk review of the history of the ancient Greek Olympic games. I was happy to see this author's appreciation of Courtesans and Fishcakes.
grayduck's review against another edition
Reviewed 9/7/2008
I ordered this book about 8 months ago, and cleverly suspended my hold so that I would be at the top of the list a week or so before the Olympics started this summer. I love the Olympics, and I love Greece & Rome (enough to have a completely useless degree in the subject), and I’d heard good things about this book.
Tony Perrottet definitely did his research. His discussion of the Olympics covers not only the naked, oiled champions of the events (of which we know a surprisingly great deal), but the masses of drunken, overstimulated, swarming humanity that made the trek to the games every four years. Prostitutes could make a years’ worth of wages in five days and roam the games freely, while the respectable matrons were sequestered away from the games to cook and keep camp. Vendors set up shop wherever they could. Politicians, philosophers – anyone that utilized the classical version of a soapbox – shouted from every streetcorner.
Of course, he also deals with what the athletes went through as they came from far and wide for the games: the training facilities, the carnage, the thrill of glory and the agony of defeat, et cetera. The beauty of how they suspended all wars and conflict for the games (with a few notable exceptions) and the awesomeness of Hera’s Games – the Olympics for women athletes, most information on which have been regrettably lost. From the officials who traveled from the British Isles to Asia to Africa gathering athletes, to the opening event (the chariot race) to the clean-up (including the burning of the atheletes that didn’t survive the more gory events), it’s a fascinating read and I’d recommend it to anybody to has even a passing interest in the Olympics. For an Olympic and classical junkie like me, this book was the sweetest fix I could have possibly found. Gold medal!
My only gripe? No footnotes, no endnotes. Just a list of sources at the end. Shabbily done, Random House! Make your authors cite their sources!
I ordered this book about 8 months ago, and cleverly suspended my hold so that I would be at the top of the list a week or so before the Olympics started this summer. I love the Olympics, and I love Greece & Rome (enough to have a completely useless degree in the subject), and I’d heard good things about this book.
Tony Perrottet definitely did his research. His discussion of the Olympics covers not only the naked, oiled champions of the events (of which we know a surprisingly great deal), but the masses of drunken, overstimulated, swarming humanity that made the trek to the games every four years. Prostitutes could make a years’ worth of wages in five days and roam the games freely, while the respectable matrons were sequestered away from the games to cook and keep camp. Vendors set up shop wherever they could. Politicians, philosophers – anyone that utilized the classical version of a soapbox – shouted from every streetcorner.
Of course, he also deals with what the athletes went through as they came from far and wide for the games: the training facilities, the carnage, the thrill of glory and the agony of defeat, et cetera. The beauty of how they suspended all wars and conflict for the games (with a few notable exceptions) and the awesomeness of Hera’s Games – the Olympics for women athletes, most information on which have been regrettably lost. From the officials who traveled from the British Isles to Asia to Africa gathering athletes, to the opening event (the chariot race) to the clean-up (including the burning of the atheletes that didn’t survive the more gory events), it’s a fascinating read and I’d recommend it to anybody to has even a passing interest in the Olympics. For an Olympic and classical junkie like me, this book was the sweetest fix I could have possibly found. Gold medal!
My only gripe? No footnotes, no endnotes. Just a list of sources at the end. Shabbily done, Random House! Make your authors cite their sources!
luckylico's review against another edition
3.0
Some interesting tidbits about the Ancient Olympics, a little dry in parts.
ahjmills's review against another edition
4.0
A bit repetitive at times, but for a nonfiction book this was pretty good. I actually enjoyed the time I spent reading it and it was the perfect mix between story and fact. Would recommend, even though I doubt I will ever read it again.
braynard's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
fast-paced
5.0
A very good historical novel. Lots of information presented in an interesting way. It also manages to present the grosser, less acceptable stuff in a way that doesn't put readers off. If you are looking for more information about the Olympics, or are just interested in Ancient Greece in general, give it a go!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia
Relationships between older men and younger men were very common in Ancient Greece, so there are various references to these relationships. Nothing explicit, but it is there. They also discuss sex in general, because it is talking about athletes and Ancient Greeks.