Rome 1960: The Summer Olympics That Stirred the World

David Maraniss has jumped from sports to the "real world" during his time as an author, writing books about subjects such as Vince Lombardi, Al Gore, Roberto Clemente and Bill Clinton.In his latest book, Maraniss gets to write about both."Rome 1960" is a masterful look at the Summer Olympics of that year, and the way that world events collided with what was going on in athletics.And there was a lot going on. Maraniss concentrates on a pair of events that dominated American interests at that time -- civil rights (domestic) and the Cold War (foreign).The former is mostly told through the story of the Tennessee State track team, which is something of the Motown Records of American sports -- a small group of African Americans who overcame some racism and other obstacles to become hugely influential. You might have heard of Wilma Rudolph, who was the women's star of the game with three gold medals in sprinting and charmed everyone she contacted. Well, she had teammates, and were almost as good.The men's side of the American team had a rather loud African-American voice in Rome as well. He became pretty familiar, although Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali a few years later. Clay not only was untouchable as a light-heavyweight boxer, but no one could outtalk him, either. No one could have guessed what would become of him.Internationally, the rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union was in full bloom in every possible arena. The two sides kept track of medal counts with feverish intensity. Maraniss tells a story about how U.S. sprinter Dave Sime became friends with Soviet long jumper Igor Ter-Ovanesyan, partly in an effort to see if the Soviet would defect. He didn't, due in part to some clumsy actions by U.S. officials.There are plenty of other stories around as well. It was a time of African nationalism, with new countries seemingly coming into the world by the week. Ethiopia wasn't new, but it was still a bit bitter about losing a one-sided war to Italy less than a quarter-century before the games. So think of the feelings generated when the unknown Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the marathon on the streets of Rome ... barefoot, no less.Plus there was the battle of amateur status, waged between bureaucrats who traveled around the world in first-class surroundings, and the athletes who were trying to earn enough to eat while training for their particular specialty. Avery Brundage comes off particularly badly, a grade-A hypocrite who in 1936 once suspended Olympian Eleanor Holm before the Games because she had turned down his romantic offers, and he then told people he had taken action because of Holm's drinking.Drugs also started to pop up in 1960, as there were whispers about performance-enhancing substances in such sports as cycling and weight-lifting. There would be more of that -- indeed, more than whispers -- to come in the next 53 years, of course.Maraniss obviously put a great deal of effort into the book. That's not easy with language barriers, but he spent time in Rome and Moscow, and tracked down all sorts of sources for information now available because of the fall of the Iron Curtain."Rome 1960" is a wide-ranging, always interesting book without a flaw. It's hard to image a better effort on the subject, and hard to image anyone better than Maraniss to get it all down on paper.

David Maraniss billed the Rome 1960 Olympics as “The Olympics That Stirred The World”, I echo the sentiments of another reviewer who argued that it was in fact the world that changed around an Olympics. That is a rather minor quibble with an otherwise excellent overview of the Rome Olympics. For Olympics nerds like myself, there’s all the sports action that one could want from track and field to swimming and basketball. Yet, one gets the discernible impression that sports itself changed within the context of these Olympics.Sports became a political vehicle in the jousting between the two great Cold War leaders Eisenhower and Khrushchev in a battle between superpowers that proceeded unabated until the end of the Cold War. Sports also became entangled in the conflict between China and Taiwan that became a struggle of national identities, race relations in South Africa, not to mention race relations within our own “United” States. Politics burst through the dam of amateurism that Avery Brundage had tried to erect and for better or worse became a part of the Olympic Games down to present day.I thought some of the most interesting sections were the sections on the evolution of television coverage of the Olympic Games. Having never known an era when the Olympic Games were not the subject of wall to wall coverage, one finds the descriptions of how they got the tapes back to the CBS studios for the half hour or hour recap show fascinating. This would change too, as the IOC would get wise to the television world in the ensuing Olympic Games.While nothing in the victories of Wilma Rudolph and The Tigerbelles or Rafer Johnson by themselves changed the volatile race relations within this country, politics became more pronounced during these seventeen days. Whether in the form of Cold War tensions or race relations, politics was here to stay and the notion of Brundage’s amateurism slowly began to crumble. After 17 days in 1960, these Olympics would never be the same.This is the story Maraniss tells in lively, engaging, prose. A first class read that is my favorite book of 2014 so far.

as described

This is an outstanding book on the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Not only do you learn about the exploits of Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson and Cassius Clay, you also learn about the autocratic and corrupt rule of IOC Head Avery Brundage. Although I wished the book had spent some time on the triumphs of the American Freestyle Wrestling Team with its 3 gold medals, it largely hits the mark. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the political context of the event and the rivalry between the USA and the USSR.

What an interesting story of the Olympics in Rome! There was so much going on in the world socially at this time, and it is fascinating to read about. I love Rome, and always enjoy the Olympics, so this was a no-brainer for me. Even if you are not a sports-nut, this is an easy read (I read it in a day), and is both informative and entertaining.

David Maraniss has been chronicling our world for some time now, and has been especially successful at finding the nexus between politics, values, and sport. "When Pride Still Mattered" and "Clemente" are excellent examples. In "Rome 1960" Maraniss takes on the cold war, civil rights, and the Rome Olympics and illustrate major issues of our time and the way sport figures into the mix. Get to know Wilma Rudolph, Mohammed Ali (as Cassius Clay), and Rafer Johnson as you never have before. See how each one of them played a big role in shaping American culture and values today. And relive the drama of one of the great sporting events of the 20th century.

Incredibly Good Book.Well-Written and Well-Researched.Placed in the context of what was happening in the rapidly changing world of 1960, YOU ARE RIGHT THERE IN ROME. Has precious descriptions of Cassius Clay, Rafer Johnson, and many other athletic champions.

Book shows how truth and life can be just as interesting as fiction. What went on behind the scenes in espionage and politics around the Rome 1960 Olympics. Exciting times if you were involved or was aware of most of it. A lot was happening at the time. It makes today's politics etc look dull and boring in comparison.

How vividly this book brought 1960 to mind. I was a teenage athlete then and in the months leading up to the games I had followed the fortunes of those who were to take part in Sports Illustrated e.g Games favourites in the Men's sprints, Ray Norton and Dave Sime - and can recall how Armin Hary and then Livio Berruti spoiled the party. And those Tennessee Tiger Belles protecting their hair-dos against the rain! Wonderful times and a wonderful book. One minor point of criticism : it could have done with more about 'What they did after the Olympics and in later life'. As well as providing plenty of nostalgia it gave an excellent insight to the political and social mores of the time.

Arrived as scheduled. No complaints about the product.

ace

Très bien, sauf que je suis un peu déçu du contenu, il n' y a pas le palmarès. Heureusement que je l'ai ailleurs. Amicalement.