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How to Watch the Olympics: The Essential Guide to the Rules, Statistics, Heroes, and Zeroes of Every Sport

by David Goldblatt

A guide to the events behind the spectacle

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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A guide to the events behind the spectacle

David Goldblatt’s guide unpacks the rules, strategies, and histories of Olympic sports, from gymnastics and dressage to handball, archery, wrestling, and fencing. It pairs practical details—such as the dimensions of a balance beam—with explanations of specialized regulations and the origins of distinctive routines. Illustrated coverage spans the events of the Summer Olympics, giving the book a reference-friendly scope for viewers who want more context as they watch. First published in connection with the 2012 London Games, its subject is the sports themselves and how they are organized and performed.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Viewers seeking explanations of Olympic rules and event formats
  • Sports fans interested in the history and strategy of multiple Olympic disciplines
  • Readers who prefer an illustrated reference guide to a broad range of sports

Themes

Olympic sportsRules and regulationsSporting strategyHistory of events

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

The must-have guide to the Summer Olympic Games

This summer, millions of Americans will tune into the Olympic Games, the largest and most popular sporting event in the world. Yet while it's easy to be fascinated by agile gymnasts, poised equestrians, and perfectly synchronized swimmers, few of us know the real width of a balance beam, the intricate regulations of dressage, or the origin of those crowd-pleasing legs-in-the-air swimming formations. Luckily, David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton have created this utterly thorough and always fun guide to the rules, strategy, and history of each sport. Originally timed to 2012 London Games, their book is every bit as useful for Rio de Janeiro in 2016. With witty, detailed descriptions and clever illustrations, How to Watch the Olympics will help anyone grasp handball, archery, wrestling, fencing, and every other Olympic event like a true pro.

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