Rome 1960: The Summer Olympics that Stirred the World, by David Maraniss, vividly describes the events that took place before, during, and after the Summer Olympic Games of 1960. Taking place in Rome at the height of the Cold War, the supposedly non-political games became a battleground for the propaganda war between the United States and Soviet Union. Throughout the book, Maraniss describes the central events that ended in a face-off between the USSR and US, and how the outcome of these events were used by each nation to either promote or degrade the Communist lifestyle.
While the book primarily focuses on the conflict between the rival nations, it also discusses the planning of the Games, the paths that some American athletes took to the most prestigious athletic competition in the world, and the countless underdog success stories that took place during competition. Maraniss also describes the outcomes of the most popular Olympic events including track and field, swimming, diving, basketball.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone that has any interest in sports, Cold War politics, or both. While it is a bit lengthy, coming in at just under 400 pages, Maraniss' vivid descriptions of each event make the pages fly by. The book is perfectly balanced between explaining the action and politics of the events, keeping the reader very entertained. Rome 1960 is also incredibly well researched, and the reader often feels as though they are sitting in the stadium witnessing the competition first-hand.
-Sacagawea
The title of this book is really captivating. The story behind it sounds equally as interesting! This topic was so controversial when it happened, it sounds like this was a great read on the subject matter.
ReplyDelete~Malcolm X
This book sounds very intriguing in that it combines history and entertainment. Were you surprised at how political the Olympics can be?
ReplyDelete- Betty Crocker
I would especially like to read this book due to its take on the evolution of the Olympics. It is also interesting to think that the Cold War was going on parallel to the Olympics, what is supposed to be a peaceful event between countries.
ReplyDelete-Anastasia Romanov
I also think this book sounds interesting as it reflects the psychological as well as the political aspects of the Cold War.
ReplyDelete-Catherine of Aragon
It sounds like an good read, and it is interesting to note that the outcome of a sports event can influence entire nations.
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