theseventhl's review

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5.0

Content warning: this review discusses a book which covers the topic of rape and rape culture in a collegiate setting and could be potentially triggering to some readers. This article will avoid any explicit descriptions of events and acts in the text, but the book itself does not have the same discretion for details.

A young woman is assaulted by a football player at a campus party. She goes to the police. She goes to the administration. She goes to the coaches. The police stall, the administration wring their hands, and the coaches suggest that the woman forget the entire event happened. After all, that football player is a rising star on the team. He is an NFL prospect in the making. Does she not see how her accusation will ruin lives? She is threatened by the player’s friends. She withdraws from classes, loses her scholarship, and transfers to another school. The assailant wins.

This is not uncommon in 2016; a woman goes up against a college-level athlete with an accusation of rape and is torn down in the process. The details are not always exactly the same every time, but they should be. This is the focal point of Jessica Luther’s new investigative book, which drags college sports down from the pedestal on which society has put it, and reveals all of the cracks and flaws that threaten its legacy and, most importantly, put the lives of women in danger every year.

You can read my full review of UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT at the Current independent student newspaper website. A reviewer copy of the paperback was provided for free by Akashic Books/Edge of Sports; no other compensation was offered for this review, nor was a review required to receive the book.

bartvick's review against another edition

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5.0

I knew I would like this book, but I did not realize how much I would. Luther does a comprehensive look at the issue of sexual violence and its intersection with race, gender and athletics. She sets out the existing issues and problems across the spectrum: athletes, coaches, Universities, fans, and the media. What really made me love this book was Part II, where Luther sets out common sense, approachable and meaningful changes each group can implement to make change. I have loved Luther's work since the first days of following her on Twitter and am here for any of her future work as well!

bwileymore's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is so Informative and really opens your eyes to an ever present issue. I never fully comprehended how toxic football culture is especially when it comes to rape. It is a hard read to go through especially if this is a triggering topic, but if you can get through it I highly recommend.

bookslifeandeverythingnice's review

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4.0

Unsportsmanlike Conduct addresses so many critical issues within college football including sexual assault, rape culture, sexism, racism, money made for colleges by athletes, recruiting processes, students athletes, our culture in general, and the guidelines regarding reporting and punishment of offenders. There are obviously difficult issues being discusses, so this might be a book that takes time to read. The author uses the format of a playbook to address the topics. It's clever using the terms and formats that football fans are familiar with to bridge the gap between their beloved sports and the politics of sexual assault in college football. There were numerous cases over several decades in which police, prosecutors, universities, coaches, other students, and fans failed the women who were assaulted. A lot of people dropped the ball. Many people in positions of authority didn't protect, and in some cases hurt, the women. It was mainly about protecting the athletes, their status, the money to be made off of them, and the reputation of the university. The information discussed in this book is horrifying, but not surprising for someone even a little bit familiar with the epidemic of sexual violence in this country.

mdodds11's review

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5.0

Very powerful and eye-opening read.

moogen's review against another edition

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2.0

I prefer books like Scoreboard, Baby that focus on a single story or place to illuminate a greater problem. This was too broad. Names and events muddled for me. And it tended toward preachy. Also the device of dividing the book into "plays" felt gimmicky.
That said, the reporting is strong (if very dry) and the issue important.

linebacklund's review

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challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

hillarynicole's review

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5.0

This should be required reading for sports fans. 

lberestecki's review

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4.0

This wasn't a perfect book, but I think it's an important read for sports fans. It's definitely tough to get through at times, but I think Luther did a good job of balancing everything. My one major complaint was that some sections were a lot more detailed and felt better thought out than others. In some ways it seemed like Luther was trying to write a book that would appeal to too many different audiences, which is tricky with such an emotional subject. I did think Luther did a good job of presenting facts and stories without too much bias and any media that sheds more light on the problem of toxic masculinity and rape culture in sports is important.

Received from Edelweiss in exchange for review.

heykellyjensen's review against another edition

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An excellent, well-written, and well-researched book about the intersections of rape culture and college football. Luther is a sports fan, and her work focuses not on condemning the sport nor fans, but rather, it raises questions about why and how so many sexual assault cases in college football go the way they do -- that is, the athletes who are accused continue to be able to play the sport while the victims continue to be diminished and harmed.

After looking at how things work (or rather, don't work) now, Luther then proposes possible solutions for this culture and ends the book with what drew her to write the book in the first place. When you care about an issue deeply and the entertainment you love doesn't, how do you rectify the disconnects?