BOOKS: Rome 1960

The 1960 Olympic Games in Rome were a societal and political watershed. They were the games whose meaning went beyond sports. At least according to David Maraniss who in his recent book, Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World, tries to put the 1960 Games into the wider context of domestic and world politics of that decade. That’s not to say he neglects the sports aspect. After all, 1960 games were the first to see the use of steroids and also the first to introduce to the world sport greats such as Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph, and Rafer Johnson. And the Games had their fair share of inspirational back-stories and great rivalries, but according to Maraniss the games had a deeper meaning, they were a turning point for the world. They foreshadowed world events to come and became a milestone in world culture. These Games became a showcase of Cold War propaganda as the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States reached a fevered and dangerous pitch and as the Soviets and the US fought for a dominance in medals. East West espionage worked its way into the Games. And they were the Games that showcased civil rights as African American athletes called attention to the problem of racial discrimination at home. Maraniss is able to tell this Olympian story in a compelling narrative that keeps the readers attention all through its 500 pages. There is a lot to tell here and it’s all interesting especially to those interested in both sport and history. What Maraniss has done is to find an interesting way to tell history cloaked in a veneer of sports. And he carries it off well. As the 2010 Winter Olympics approach this book might just give you a deeper understanding of just what goes on sometimes behind the scenes.