The Olympic Games Explained

Author : Vassil Girginov
Publisher : Psychology Press
ISBN 13 : 9780415346047
Total Pages : 292 pages
Book Rating : 4.45/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Olympic Games Explained written by Vassil Girginov and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new student textbook explores the history and meaning of the modern Olympic Games, providing a comprehensive overview of 'Olympism' from the Ancient Greeks origins through to the beginnings of the International Olympic Committee.

Author : Vassil Girginov
Publisher : Psychology Press
ISBN 13 : 9780415346030
Total Pages : 296 pages
Book Rating : 4.37/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Olympic Games Explained written by Vassil Girginov and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This student textbook explores the history and meaning of the modern Olympic Games, providing a comprehensive overview of 'Olympism' from the Ancient Greeks origins through to the beginnings of the International Olympic Committee.

Author : Andras Patay-Horvath
Publisher : Archaeolingua
ISBN 13 : 9789639911727
Total Pages : 156 pages
Book Rating : 4.20/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Origins of the Olympic Games written by Andras Patay-Horvath and published by Archaeolingua. This book was released on 2015-08-31 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even in antiquity it was debated when and why the Olympic Games had been established and by whom. Modern scholarship has also advanced a great number of hypotheses on the origins of the games (ranging from funeral games to harvest ceremonies/vegetation magic or even initiation rites), but a truly convincing reconstruction has not yet been formulated. The present volume off ers a new comprehensive explanation for the phenomenon and argues that the Games evolved from hunting and from animal ceremonialism observed among various hunting groups. This explanation is admittedly a hypothetical one, based mainly on the interpretation of the archaeological material and some ethnographic parallels, but conjecture is necessary due to the complete absence of contemporary written evidence. In addition, although it is essentially a simple theory that simultaneously explains many perplexing features of the Games in a coherent way, it must remain without definitive proof, as with all other previous similar explanations. "Anyone who takes issue is allowed a simple remedy: to off er something better, something that is coherent and constructive as an alternative."

Author : Charles River Editors
Publisher : CreateSpace
ISBN 13 : 9781497325869
Total Pages : 40 pages
Book Rating : 4.62/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Ancient Olympic Games written by Charles River Editors and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-03-13 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures. *Includes ancient accounts about the Games. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well."- Epictetus "Many are the sights to be seen in Greece, and many are the wonders to be heard; but on nothing does Heaven bestow more care than on the Eleusinian rites and the Olympic games." - Pausanias While they are still well-known, the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece are more relevant today than most people know, and the ways in which athletic sports pervade contemporary culture is comparable only to the spirit of athleticism in Hellenic Greece. Today, a large section of the media industry is devoted exclusively to sports, and in some nations, sports even figures as a critical component of their identity. In America, the Super Bowl could be considered a holiday of sorts, and of course, today's Olympic Games capture the attention of millions and millions of people around the world for two weeks. The Ancient Olympic Games were all these things and then some. It was a ritualized spectacle of great cultural importance in Greece, as well as an international communion that celebrated both diversity and unity, but most importantly, it was an ode to the strength of the human body and a paean to the vigor of the human spirit. For over a thousand years, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD, competitors and spectators traveled from all over Europe and Asia Minor to attend the legendary contests, bringing with them not only their passion for athletics but also their poetry, music, arts, and ideas. The ancient historian Strabo captured the spirit well when he described the Olympics: ..". the glory of the temple persisted ... on account both of the festal assembly and of the Olympian Games, in which the prize was a crown and which were regarded as sacred, the greatest games in the world. The temple was adorned by its numerous offerings, which were dedicated there from all parts of Greece." Despite their international character, the Ancient Olympic Games belonged exclusively to the Greeks, even though prior to Alexander the Great, Ancient Greece consisted mostly of small city-states that warred constantly with each other. The Olympic Games served to assemble them and allow them to appreciate the commonality of their customs, gods, language, and other cultural characteristics, the very things that made them Greek. The historian Pausanias explained just how important the games were to the Greeks and their sense of pride by discussing one of the Olympics' best athletes: "Sotades at the ninety-ninth Festival was victorious in the long race and proclaimed a Cretan, as in fact he was. But at the next Festival he made himself an Ephesian, being bribed to do so by the Ephesian people. For this act he was banished by the Cretans." The Ancient Olympic Games: The History and Legacy of Antiquity's Most Famous Sports Competitions examines the origins of the games, highlights the competitions, and looks at the history and legacy of the events that spawned today's modern Olympics. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Ancient Olympics like never before, in no time at all.

Author : Ian Brittain
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317404157
Total Pages : 234 pages
Book Rating : 4.56/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Paralympic Games Explained written by Ian Brittain and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-01 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Paralympic Games is the second largest multi-sport festival on earth and an event which poses profound and challenging questions about the nature of sport, disability and society. The Paralympic Games Explained is the first complete introduction to the Paralympic phenomenon, exploring every key aspect and issue, from the history and development of the Paralympic movement to the economic and social impact of the contemporary Games. Now in a fully revised and updated second edition, it includes new material on hosting and legacy, Vancouver 2010 to Rio 2016, sport for development, and case studies of an additional ten Paralympic nations. Drawing on a range of international examples, it discusses key issues such as: • how societal attitudes influence disability sport • the governance of Paralympic and elite disability sport • the relationship between the Paralympics and the Olympics • drugs and technology in disability sport • classification in disability sport. Containing useful features including review questions, study activities, web links and guides to further reading throughout, The Paralympic Games Explained is the most accessible and comprehensive guide to the Paralympics currently available. It is essential reading for all students with an interest in disability sport, sporting mega-events, the politics of sport, or disability in society.

Author : Mary Pope Osborne
Publisher : Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN 13 : 037589473X
Total Pages : 98 pages
Book Rating : 4.32/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book Hour of the Olympics written by Mary Pope Osborne and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2010-06-15 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! No girls allowed at the Olympic Games! That's the rule when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to ancient Greece. But when Annie tells jack to go to the games without her, he knows she's up to something. Will Annie find a way to see the games? Or will she get herself—and Jack—into Olympic-size trouble? Find out in Hour of the Olympics. Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

Author : David C. Young
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470777753
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.56/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book A Brief History of the Olympic Games written by David C. Young and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For more than a millennium, the ancient Olympics captured the imaginations of the Greeks, until a Christianized Rome terminated the competitions in the fourth century AD. But the Olympic ideal did not die and this book is a succinct history of the ancient Olympics and their modern resurgence. Classics professor David Young, who has researched the subject for over 25 years, reveals how the ancient Olympics evolved from modest beginnings into a grand festival, attracting hundreds of highly trained athletes, tens of thousands of spectators, and the finest artists and poets.

Author : Ian Brittain
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1134023413
Total Pages : 261 pages
Book Rating : 4.17/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Paralympic Games Explained written by Ian Brittain and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-09-11 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Paralympic Games is the second largest multi-sport festival on earth and an event which poses profound and challenging questions about the nature of sport, disability and society. The Paralympic Games Explained is the first complete introduction to the Paralympic phenomenon, exploring every key aspect and issue, from the history and development of the Paralympic movement to the economic and social impact of the contemporary Games. The book introduces the three most important theoretical models of disability (medical, social and bio-social), to enable the reader to fully understand the Paralympics in the context of wider discussions of disability in society. It also offers a straightforward explanation of the importance of language and terminology in shaping our understanding of disability and disability sport. Including international examples and comparative material throughout, the book offers detailed and broad-ranging discussion of key issues such as: how societal attitudes influence disability sport the governance of Paralympic and elite disability sport the relationship between the Paralympics and the Olympics drugs and technology in disability sport classification in disability sport. Containing useful features throughout, such as review questions, study activities, web links and guides to further reading, The Paralympic Games Explained is the most accessible, comprehensive and thoughtful guide to the Paralympics currently available. It is essential reading for all students with an interest in disability sport, sporting mega-events, the politics of sport, or disability in society.

Author : Helen Jefferson Lenskyj
Publisher : Emerald Group Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1838677755
Total Pages : 179 pages
Book Rating : 4.56/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Olympic Games written by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj and published by Emerald Group Publishing. This book was released on 2020-04-15 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do the Olympic Games really live up to their glowing reputation? As the biggest global sport mega-event, the Olympic Games command public and media attention, while Olympic mythology and ritual obscure their underlying function as a profit-making business enterprise.

Author : Monroe Price
Publisher : University of Michigan Press
ISBN 13 : 0472024507
Total Pages : 426 pages
Book Rating : 4.06/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book Owning the Olympics written by Monroe Price and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2009-12-10 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A major contribution to the study of global events in times of global media. Owning the Olympics tests the possibilities and limits of the concept of 'media events' by analyzing the mega-event of the information age: the Beijing Olympics. . . . A good read from cover to cover." —Guobin Yang, Associate Professor, Asian/Middle Eastern Cultures & Sociology, Barnard College, Columbia University From the moment they were announced, the Beijing Games were a major media event and the focus of intense scrutiny and speculation. In contrast to earlier such events, however, the Beijing Games are also unfolding in a newly volatile global media environment that is no longer monopolized by broadcast media. The dramatic expansion of media outlets and the growth of mobile communications technology have changed the nature of media events, making it significantly more difficult to regulate them or control their meaning. This volatility is reflected in the multiple, well-publicized controversies characterizing the run-up to Beijing 2008. According to many Western commentators, the People's Republic of China seized the Olympics as an opportunity to reinvent itself as the "New China"---a global leader in economics, technology, and environmental issues, with an improving human-rights record. But China's maneuverings have also been hotly contested by diverse global voices, including prominent human-rights advocates, all seeking to displace the official story of the Games. Bringing together a distinguished group of scholars from Chinese studies, human rights, media studies, law, and other fields, Owning the Olympics reveals how multiple entities---including the Chinese Communist Party itself---seek to influence and control the narratives through which the Beijing Games will be understood. digitalculturebooks is an imprint of the University of Michigan Press and the Scholarly Publishing Office of the University of Michigan Library dedicated to publishing innovative and accessible work exploring new media and their impact on society, culture, and scholarly communication. Visit the website at www.digitalculture.org.