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Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World
An account of the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome reveals the competition's unexpected influence on the modern world, in a narrative synopsis that pays tribute to such athletes as Cassius Clay and Wilma Rudolph while evaluating the roles of Cold War propaganda, civil rights, and politics. 250,000 first printing.
478 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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1,851 people want to read
About the author
David Maraniss
34books360followersDavid Maraniss is an associate editor at The Washington Post and the author of four critically acclaimed and bestselling books, When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi, First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton, They Marched Into Sunlight War and Peace, Vietnam and America October 1967, and Clemente The Passion and Grace of Baseballs Last Hero. He is also the author of The Clinton Enigma and coauthor of The Prince of Tennessee: Al Gore Meets His Fate and "Tell Newt to Shut Up!"
David is a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Pulitzer for national reporting in 1993 for his newspaper coverage of then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton. He has won several other notable awards for achievements in journalism, including the George Polk Award, the Dirksen Prize for Congressional Reporting, the ASNE Laventhol Prize for Deadline Writing, the Hancock Prize for Financial Writing, the Anthony Lukas Book Prize, the Frankfort Book Prize, the Eagleton Book Prize, the Ambassador Book Prize, and Latino Book Prize.
"
David is a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Pulitzer for national reporting in 1993 for his newspaper coverage of then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton. He has won several other notable awards for achievements in journalism, including the George Polk Award, the Dirksen Prize for Congressional Reporting, the ASNE Laventhol Prize for Deadline Writing, the Hancock Prize for Financial Writing, the Anthony Lukas Book Prize, the Frankfort Book Prize, the Eagleton Book Prize, the Ambassador Book Prize, and Latino Book Prize.
"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
March 30, 2021
"The forces of change were everywhere . . . one could see an old order dying and a new one being born . . . [The eighteen days of the XVII Olympiad] brought the first commercially broadcast Summer Games, the first doping scandal, the first runner paid for wearing a certain brand of track shoes. New nations and constituencies were being heard from, with increasing pressure to provide equal rights." -- from the introduction
Much like his later Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story, an excellent 2015 book covering personalities and events during the years 1962-1964 in the metropolis nicknamed 'Motown,' author / journalist Maraniss had earlier attempted a similarly designed tome focusing on the 1960 Summer Olympics. Although he gives a fair amount of attention to participants from the European, African and Asian regions, the lion's share of the text concentrates on the American athletes. And what a line-up of gold medal-winning talent representing the U.S. -- decathlete and ultimate nice guy Rafer Johnson; sprinter Wilma Rudolph, who later so charmed President Kennedy during a White House visit that he canceled appointments to keep speaking with her; basketballers (and future NBA superstars) Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry Lucas; and a hyper-verbose but supremely confident young pugilist named Cassius Clay (so, whatever became of THAT guy? . . . just kidding!). Additionally, author Maraniss delves into a lot of socio-political detail and Cold War tensions with the involved nations - although it can become a little tedious at times, it offered helpful historical exposition - and argues that a number of the people involved and/or incidents during those three weeks in Rome laid the framework, for better or for worse, to the Summer Games as we recognize them today.
Much like his later Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story, an excellent 2015 book covering personalities and events during the years 1962-1964 in the metropolis nicknamed 'Motown,' author / journalist Maraniss had earlier attempted a similarly designed tome focusing on the 1960 Summer Olympics. Although he gives a fair amount of attention to participants from the European, African and Asian regions, the lion's share of the text concentrates on the American athletes. And what a line-up of gold medal-winning talent representing the U.S. -- decathlete and ultimate nice guy Rafer Johnson; sprinter Wilma Rudolph, who later so charmed President Kennedy during a White House visit that he canceled appointments to keep speaking with her; basketballers (and future NBA superstars) Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry Lucas; and a hyper-verbose but supremely confident young pugilist named Cassius Clay (so, whatever became of THAT guy? . . . just kidding!). Additionally, author Maraniss delves into a lot of socio-political detail and Cold War tensions with the involved nations - although it can become a little tedious at times, it offered helpful historical exposition - and argues that a number of the people involved and/or incidents during those three weeks in Rome laid the framework, for better or for worse, to the Summer Games as we recognize them today.
July 21, 2023
It is 1960 and it is clear that the world is changing. The Cold War dominates world politics whereas the continued dichotomy of segregation at home and freedom abroad continues to be a defining theme of United States policy. Women who remember a not to distant past where they worked in factories during World War II begin to clamor for increased equality in all facets of society, although many of these gains will not occur for another decade. It is a year of an election where Americans replace the aging Dwight Eisenhower with John F Kennedy, at the time the youngest president to be elected to office. In this charged environment that sees a new generation beginning to gain power amidst the constant threats of the Cold War, the Olympics took place in Rome, where athletes from around the world were supposed to forget about their political views for a fortnight in favor of the spirit of competitive sports. Pulitzer winner David Maraniss, whose books are a nexus of politics, history, and sports, hypothesizes that these Rome Olympics were a watershed moment in history in terms of sports, television, and a multitude of political questions.
As soon as World War II ended, it appeared that the world lined up behind two new super powers, the United States and the Soviet Union. By 1960 the fear that the entire world could fall to communism or capitalism was ever present. These two countries would dominate the Olympics, and each country sent a team of writers to promote Cold War propaganda under the guise of sports. The Soviets easily won that contest as Premier Nikita Khrushchev sent a letter of encouragement to his athletes on the eve of the games whereas President Eisenhower had no interest in the athletic contests taking place half a world away. The Soviets had the entire eastern bloc behind them and judges from these countries overwhelmingly put their support behind the USSR, manipulating the games� final medal tally. Besides the Soviets, there was the question of whether to allow Taiwan to compete due to the nation’s affiliation with China and if segregated South Africa should be allowed to compete at all. Divided Germany competed under one banner, and many Africans had to compete as members of the European countries that colonized them during an age of independence. American Avery Brundage chaired the International Olympic and believed in amateurism but was also a member of the old boys network and segregationist. He looked the other way about a lot of the politics casting their shadow on the Olympiad as long as amateurism won out and inevitably the United States came out on top.
The Soviets would win the medal count due to its treatment of athletes. In communist countries the government would recognize a child having athletic talent from a young age and give his/her family an apartment with a monthly stipend and allow the athlete to train for hours a day. Athletes in the USSR, East Germany, China, etc did not have to want for money and were amateurs in name only. The 1960 Olympics also saw its first doping scandal when the Norwegian cycling team was given anabolic steroids to help with their performance. According to conversations between athletes, drug usage was also prevalent in eastern bloc weightlifting, hammer throwing, and wrestling in order to help their athletes get an edge. In the years to come doping would throw an ugly shadow over track sprinters and most famously in East Germany prior to unification as women were given a drug cocktail on a daily basis in order to help them maximize their performance. In 1960 officials like Brundage, a former athlete, were shocked that drugs even existed in sports, so much so that there was no drug testing at the time. He believed in pure amateurism, but the Olympic community had all but passed him by. In the decades to come, even American athletes would receive funding from sponsors in order to train and achieve their dream. This would first be evident in 1968 in Mexico City when Brundage, a relic of the past, was no longer the gatekeeper of the Olympics.
The 1960 American team was comprised of athletes who would make their mark long after the games ended. Cassius Clay already exhibited the behavior that lead him to become the heavyweight champion of the world after he became Muhammad Ali. His counterpart was the soft spoken Rafer Johnson who became the first African American flag bearer and won gold in the decathlon. The basketball team won gold behind the iconic backcourt of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West who would go on to be two of the best players in NBA history; their team was the forerunner of the dream team, professionals who won gold in 1992, when Americans finally allowed their best athletes to participate in the Olympics. The 1960 games were the first games to be televised but in the age before reliable satellites and cable, the games were on tv on a fifteen hour delay. Jim McKay made his marks on the game and would go on to become the voice of the Olympics. This would become apparent in each iteration of the Olympiad as tv comprised most of the games� revenue. In 1960 most Americans would not see the thrilling exploits of the basketball, boxing, and track stars. This would also take place in the future.
Seeds were planted for the women’s movement in 1960 as well. Wilma Rudolph was the belle of the games winning three gold medals and gained an audience with newly elected President Kennedy upon her return from Rome. Women competed in swimming, track, and gymnastics but these sports were not the juggernauts that they are today. Women did not compete in team sports because members of Brundage’s old boy network thought their bodies could not withstand the physical exertion. Upon returning from the Olympics there were no opportunities for women athletes; their careers were over. Rudolph and her Tigerbelle track team influenced future generations of women athletes who sensed future athletic opportunities. It would not be until the dual events of the Battle of the Sexes tennis match and passage of Title IX legislation both more than a decade away that women would slowly begin to gain more opportunities to compete in both individual and team sports. The American women’s party would not take place until 1996 but the seeds of equality had been planted by Rudolph and her Tigerbelles during the 1960 games.
Following the games Khrushchev would travel to speak in front of the United Nations general assembly. The threat of the Cold War continued up until the fall of communism three decades later. For three weeks in steamy Rome, athletes attempted to put their countries� political differences on the back burner. More countries earned medals than ever before including athletes from Taiwan, Ethiopia, and Pakistan. The United States hold on all world sports would be no more until the nation allowed athletes the same luxuries in training as did their communist bloc counterparts. Not to be overlooked was the manipulation of judges to favor the Soviet bloc nations even in events that their athletes did not win. The fear of the Soviets would remain in all facets of society long after the Olympics ended. Even though the athletes might not have agreed with old boy Brundage, they forged friendships with their peers from other nations that would in some instances last a lifetime. David Maraniss brought readers into this politically charged environment. I had previously read his quality biography on Roberto Clemente so I knew that his writing was top notch. Being along for the ride that was the 1960 Rome Olympics only fortified my opinion of Maraniss as one of the best writers who bring sports and politics to a nexus point.
4 plus stars
As soon as World War II ended, it appeared that the world lined up behind two new super powers, the United States and the Soviet Union. By 1960 the fear that the entire world could fall to communism or capitalism was ever present. These two countries would dominate the Olympics, and each country sent a team of writers to promote Cold War propaganda under the guise of sports. The Soviets easily won that contest as Premier Nikita Khrushchev sent a letter of encouragement to his athletes on the eve of the games whereas President Eisenhower had no interest in the athletic contests taking place half a world away. The Soviets had the entire eastern bloc behind them and judges from these countries overwhelmingly put their support behind the USSR, manipulating the games� final medal tally. Besides the Soviets, there was the question of whether to allow Taiwan to compete due to the nation’s affiliation with China and if segregated South Africa should be allowed to compete at all. Divided Germany competed under one banner, and many Africans had to compete as members of the European countries that colonized them during an age of independence. American Avery Brundage chaired the International Olympic and believed in amateurism but was also a member of the old boys network and segregationist. He looked the other way about a lot of the politics casting their shadow on the Olympiad as long as amateurism won out and inevitably the United States came out on top.
The Soviets would win the medal count due to its treatment of athletes. In communist countries the government would recognize a child having athletic talent from a young age and give his/her family an apartment with a monthly stipend and allow the athlete to train for hours a day. Athletes in the USSR, East Germany, China, etc did not have to want for money and were amateurs in name only. The 1960 Olympics also saw its first doping scandal when the Norwegian cycling team was given anabolic steroids to help with their performance. According to conversations between athletes, drug usage was also prevalent in eastern bloc weightlifting, hammer throwing, and wrestling in order to help their athletes get an edge. In the years to come doping would throw an ugly shadow over track sprinters and most famously in East Germany prior to unification as women were given a drug cocktail on a daily basis in order to help them maximize their performance. In 1960 officials like Brundage, a former athlete, were shocked that drugs even existed in sports, so much so that there was no drug testing at the time. He believed in pure amateurism, but the Olympic community had all but passed him by. In the decades to come, even American athletes would receive funding from sponsors in order to train and achieve their dream. This would first be evident in 1968 in Mexico City when Brundage, a relic of the past, was no longer the gatekeeper of the Olympics.
The 1960 American team was comprised of athletes who would make their mark long after the games ended. Cassius Clay already exhibited the behavior that lead him to become the heavyweight champion of the world after he became Muhammad Ali. His counterpart was the soft spoken Rafer Johnson who became the first African American flag bearer and won gold in the decathlon. The basketball team won gold behind the iconic backcourt of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West who would go on to be two of the best players in NBA history; their team was the forerunner of the dream team, professionals who won gold in 1992, when Americans finally allowed their best athletes to participate in the Olympics. The 1960 games were the first games to be televised but in the age before reliable satellites and cable, the games were on tv on a fifteen hour delay. Jim McKay made his marks on the game and would go on to become the voice of the Olympics. This would become apparent in each iteration of the Olympiad as tv comprised most of the games� revenue. In 1960 most Americans would not see the thrilling exploits of the basketball, boxing, and track stars. This would also take place in the future.
Seeds were planted for the women’s movement in 1960 as well. Wilma Rudolph was the belle of the games winning three gold medals and gained an audience with newly elected President Kennedy upon her return from Rome. Women competed in swimming, track, and gymnastics but these sports were not the juggernauts that they are today. Women did not compete in team sports because members of Brundage’s old boy network thought their bodies could not withstand the physical exertion. Upon returning from the Olympics there were no opportunities for women athletes; their careers were over. Rudolph and her Tigerbelle track team influenced future generations of women athletes who sensed future athletic opportunities. It would not be until the dual events of the Battle of the Sexes tennis match and passage of Title IX legislation both more than a decade away that women would slowly begin to gain more opportunities to compete in both individual and team sports. The American women’s party would not take place until 1996 but the seeds of equality had been planted by Rudolph and her Tigerbelles during the 1960 games.
Following the games Khrushchev would travel to speak in front of the United Nations general assembly. The threat of the Cold War continued up until the fall of communism three decades later. For three weeks in steamy Rome, athletes attempted to put their countries� political differences on the back burner. More countries earned medals than ever before including athletes from Taiwan, Ethiopia, and Pakistan. The United States hold on all world sports would be no more until the nation allowed athletes the same luxuries in training as did their communist bloc counterparts. Not to be overlooked was the manipulation of judges to favor the Soviet bloc nations even in events that their athletes did not win. The fear of the Soviets would remain in all facets of society long after the Olympics ended. Even though the athletes might not have agreed with old boy Brundage, they forged friendships with their peers from other nations that would in some instances last a lifetime. David Maraniss brought readers into this politically charged environment. I had previously read his quality biography on Roberto Clemente so I knew that his writing was top notch. Being along for the ride that was the 1960 Rome Olympics only fortified my opinion of Maraniss as one of the best writers who bring sports and politics to a nexus point.
4 plus stars
January 15, 2023
It was the Olympics of Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, and Abebe Bikila. It was the Olympics with the first drug scandal and it was the first Olympics to be telecast. Also, it was the first Olympics where an athlete was paid to wear a certain brand of shoes. All played out against the backdrop of the Eternal City and the Cold War.
Do not forbid what you cannot prevent.
1960 saw the beginning of the end of "amateurism" for Olympic athletes. It was already clear that the Soviets and their satellite nations were fully subsidizing their teams, while the West participants were realizing there was a new age to behold for post-Olympic marketing. In many ways, the Rome Olympics were an end of the old and the start of the new. There was still an elite old-boyism flair at play, but the Ethiopian victory in the marathon, run by Bikila in his bare feet, meant new competition from developing countries. Capitalism was rushing in from one side and Communism from the other side.
Prior to reading this book, I knew nothing about the 1960 Olympics and almost nothing about the stars. Muhammad Ali did not exist yet; Clay was just a kid from Louisville who loved attention and glory. Wilma Rudolph exemplified the predicament of most female Olympians in that she was expected to be successful yet still appear feminine. Italy was going through its economic revival and the remnants of WWII were finally disappearing. All in all, it's a fascinating history, especially when one considers how the Olympics are now financial cripplers focused more on opening ceremonies than on catching drug cheats. It's a good book, albeit so full of different names from different countries that I got a bit mixed-up (which I suspect is more my fault than the author's).
It was also a reminder of how much pain and toil each Olympian endures, only to be forgotten by the next event.
That is how most Olympic athletes finish, unknown and unseen, away from the glare of media hype and patriotic hope.
Book Season = Summer (sweltering)
Do not forbid what you cannot prevent.
1960 saw the beginning of the end of "amateurism" for Olympic athletes. It was already clear that the Soviets and their satellite nations were fully subsidizing their teams, while the West participants were realizing there was a new age to behold for post-Olympic marketing. In many ways, the Rome Olympics were an end of the old and the start of the new. There was still an elite old-boyism flair at play, but the Ethiopian victory in the marathon, run by Bikila in his bare feet, meant new competition from developing countries. Capitalism was rushing in from one side and Communism from the other side.
Prior to reading this book, I knew nothing about the 1960 Olympics and almost nothing about the stars. Muhammad Ali did not exist yet; Clay was just a kid from Louisville who loved attention and glory. Wilma Rudolph exemplified the predicament of most female Olympians in that she was expected to be successful yet still appear feminine. Italy was going through its economic revival and the remnants of WWII were finally disappearing. All in all, it's a fascinating history, especially when one considers how the Olympics are now financial cripplers focused more on opening ceremonies than on catching drug cheats. It's a good book, albeit so full of different names from different countries that I got a bit mixed-up (which I suspect is more my fault than the author's).
It was also a reminder of how much pain and toil each Olympian endures, only to be forgotten by the next event.
That is how most Olympic athletes finish, unknown and unseen, away from the glare of media hype and patriotic hope.
Book Season = Summer (sweltering)
July 21, 2008
When David Maraniss finished his much-praised biography of baseball superstar Roberto Clemente (Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero), he was "determined not to write another sports book anytime soon." He had previously written a highly regarded biography of perhaps the greatest football coach of all time, Vince Lombardi (When Pride Still Mattered), so his feeling was: been there, done that.
Besides, during a 30-year career at the Washington Post, Maraniss had developed a reputation as a great observer of the American political scene. In 1993, he won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his series on the early days of Bill Clinton's presidency. (He also shared in the 2008 Pulitzer given to the Washington Post team that covered the Virginia Tech shooting.) He published an astonishing account of the 1960s (They Marched into Sunlight: War and Peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967). He wrote a seminal biography of Bill Clinton (First in His Class). And, as Maraniss finished his work on the Clemente biography, the preliminary jockeying for position in that other great American contact sport—the run for the presidency—was already beginning.
Unfortunately for Maraniss—but not, it turns out, for readers—Roberto Clemente and the Pittsburgh Pirates were on their way to the World Series at the same time that the world was traveling to Rome for the 1960 Olympics.
...more of my interview with Maraniss here:
Besides, during a 30-year career at the Washington Post, Maraniss had developed a reputation as a great observer of the American political scene. In 1993, he won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his series on the early days of Bill Clinton's presidency. (He also shared in the 2008 Pulitzer given to the Washington Post team that covered the Virginia Tech shooting.) He published an astonishing account of the 1960s (They Marched into Sunlight: War and Peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967). He wrote a seminal biography of Bill Clinton (First in His Class). And, as Maraniss finished his work on the Clemente biography, the preliminary jockeying for position in that other great American contact sport—the run for the presidency—was already beginning.
Unfortunately for Maraniss—but not, it turns out, for readers—Roberto Clemente and the Pittsburgh Pirates were on their way to the World Series at the same time that the world was traveling to Rome for the 1960 Olympics.
...more of my interview with Maraniss here:
February 25, 2023
3.5⭐️ We get a little bit of sports, politics, and history in this book. This Olympics featured athletes such as Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, and Cassius Clay before he changed his name and became one of the most well known around the world. There was a lot going on at this Olympics in addition to the athletic performances: first televised Games, first Olympic doping scandal, first athlete paid for wearing a certain brand. There was a Cold War propaganda war and East/West German tensions. There were disputes over the two Chinas and blacks and women fighting for equal rights.
I listened to the audiobook, but I think it would have been better to read the book. I didn’t realize until the end that this was abridged, but this is the only audio version out there. I don’t know how much was left out, but I think it would have been better with the extra detail and information.
I listened to the audiobook, but I think it would have been better to read the book. I didn’t realize until the end that this was abridged, but this is the only audio version out there. I don’t know how much was left out, but I think it would have been better with the extra detail and information.
March 26, 2010
A very interesting, and sometimes very funny, read.
In 1960, the Olympics were at a cusp, between "amateur" and "shamateur," colonialism and the new states of Africa and Asia, assumptions and achievements. The stars of the show? Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, Cassius Clay. Would-be defectors, egomaniac athletes, east-west competition, paranoid ex-spies, and the gross hypocrisy of Avery Brundage.
Track and field gets the most time, but swimming, diving, boxing, cycling, basketball, and weightlifting all get a decent amount of coverage.
I did find it odd that gymnastics were the reason the Soviet Union won the medal race - and yet gymnastics got minor coverage in this book.
In 1960, the Olympics were at a cusp, between "amateur" and "shamateur," colonialism and the new states of Africa and Asia, assumptions and achievements. The stars of the show? Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, Cassius Clay. Would-be defectors, egomaniac athletes, east-west competition, paranoid ex-spies, and the gross hypocrisy of Avery Brundage.
Track and field gets the most time, but swimming, diving, boxing, cycling, basketball, and weightlifting all get a decent amount of coverage.
I did find it odd that gymnastics were the reason the Soviet Union won the medal race - and yet gymnastics got minor coverage in this book.
August 1, 2008
As something of a serious Olympics follower, I really enjoyed this book. The author makes a good case in that the '60 Olympics were something of a watershed in civil rights (at least in bringing the inequalities of the races to light more clearly), the cold war, the beginning of steroid use and doping in a systematic way, as well as the beginning of the recognition by athletes that being amateur in the US was very different than elsewhere. I enjoyed learning about various competitors as well though you might want to be a big fan of track and field as that is where most of the focus lies.
September 25, 2008
Entertaining and informative
I think that this Olympics took place at a time when things were changing in the world but I don't think the author makes a good case that the 1960 Olympics changed the world
still very informative and detailed description of all the people involved in the Rome Olympics including Mohammed Ali/Wilma Rudolph
total TV money paid for rights to broadcast 1960 Rome Olympics
$60K - that's it.
I think that this Olympics took place at a time when things were changing in the world but I don't think the author makes a good case that the 1960 Olympics changed the world
still very informative and detailed description of all the people involved in the Rome Olympics including Mohammed Ali/Wilma Rudolph
total TV money paid for rights to broadcast 1960 Rome Olympics
$60K - that's it.
May 28, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book that covered nearly every sport in this book on a watershed Olympic year. While most remember these games for Cassius Clay, I felt the best writing was on Wilma Rudolph and the U.S. Women's track and field team. Excellent book.
October 11, 2022
David Maraniss thoroughly and engagingly covers the entirety of the Rome 1960 Olympics, from the athletes involved (focus on Americans, of course) to the political wrangling at play (Cold War fun!). Never a dull moment when it comes to high-level athletics, and it helps that some of the characters involved were truly characters. Wilma Rudolf, a young Cassius Clay, and Rafer Johnson are on full display - expect to learn a lot about the decathlon.
I was intrigued to see Avery Brundage again after encountering him in the similarly illuminating Games of Deception. Neither book portrays him in a flattering light. It's actually quite interesting to compare the two books given that they're written by father and son. Games of Deception is a fast, simple read while Rome 1960 offers a bit more complexity and depth. In any case: I'd like this family of authors to write books about every Olympics, summer and winter, please and thank you.
I was intrigued to see Avery Brundage again after encountering him in the similarly illuminating Games of Deception. Neither book portrays him in a flattering light. It's actually quite interesting to compare the two books given that they're written by father and son. Games of Deception is a fast, simple read while Rome 1960 offers a bit more complexity and depth. In any case: I'd like this family of authors to write books about every Olympics, summer and winter, please and thank you.
March 28, 2016
"...by the third round Shatkov realized that he would be unable to penetrate Clay's defenses and did not have the power to mount an attack. 'I lost like a middleweight to an excellent light heavyweight,' he said. 'I shook Clay's hand. It was no disgrace to lose to a fighter like that.'
Here was an athlete who seemed to have a wiser perspective on losing than most sportswriters. Shatkov's defeat was no different than John Thomas' in the high jump, or David Sime's and Ray Norton's in the 100-meter dash. It would be hard for outsiders to accept, but athletes understood. Usually you lose because someone else is better that day." ~ Pg. 199, Chapter 10 - Black Thursday
I am a bit of an Olympics nut. I have been hooked since I was a little girl in the 70's trying to be like Dorothy Hammil, failing miserably at emulating both her skating moves and her hairdo. Then I was awed by the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid - I knew it was more important than just advancing to the medal round - it was our college guys against Russia. Then I was smitten by the gazillion grand pianos performing Rhapsody in Blue at the Los Angeles opening ceremonies of the 1984 summer Olympics. Those same games that gave me Mary Decker's painful result at the bare feet of Zola Budd, along with the amazing dominance of Carl Lewis - specifically in the long jump that I loved more than any other event in my unimpressive high school track and field efforts.
Since my youth the Olympics have continued to amaze me, impress me, and leave me in awe. No matter how old I become, I still sit on my couch and think that maybe if I just tried hard enough, I could be competing for my country next go-'round. This thought extremely insults the quality of effort, skill and devotion these determined REAL athletes have burning inside them, as strong as that Olympic flame. But hey - a girl can dream.
And so, I learned from Rome 1960, that I owe my dreams to the Tigerbelles. A fleet group of women sprinters from segregated Tennessee, punctuated by the gazelle Wilma Rudolph, who overcame our country's racist reality, sexist barriers, and an economic disadvantage that plagued minorities and amateur athletes in general. The success of the US women sprinters in that Olympics paved the way for future female athletes. They didn't open the door, but they advanced it. And they literally, ran with it. Gold medals have a way of doing that for you.
I also learned about the antiquated and silly struggle that the IOC battled on behalf of amateurism in its games. This vision of purity of sport was unrealistic and unfair. Athletes were being penalized or banned for perceived financial advantages that allowed them to survive while wanting to represent their countries. Some governments subsidized them anyway on the sly. It was the beginning of shoe sponsorships and lucrative endorsements. Television was on the scene for the first time and fame became expedited. (I wonder if the NCAA has ever studied the Olympic evolution???)
And politics in the 1960 games could never truly take a back seat. Even when countries played nice, the propaganda wars waged were fierce. Spies were sent to lure defectors. Boycotts were debated. Human rights and race were swept under the rug. New countries born onto the scene participated for the first time against others who had ravaged their land in the not too distant past. And strikingly, the gap in world dominance was diminishing - the rest of the world was catching up to the US both on the field and in political theory strongholds.
Amidst the story lines of minorities, amateurism and politics, Rome 1960 sprinkles in recaps of some of Olympic history's most impressive competitions. When things were on the verge of exploding positively through advanced technology, and negatively through doping. I knew very little of any of these athletes and their stories. Aside from Cassius Clay and Wilma Rudolph, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, the names were all new to me. I loved learning about them all and author Maraniss did an excellent job covering major and less known stories with equal attention and love.
I do wish more was spent on their stories and less on the major threads of the IOC and politics. I felt the emphasis was on the latter instead of the former. But I appreciate it is hard to mesh it all together in a way that is both interesting and informative.
In the end, I learned a lot, but not in a very entertaining way. The book had more of a text book feel to me than of an engaging historical non-fiction work that informed facts with flair. This lack of literary style makes me less likely to recommend this to someone who is not already infected with the Olympic spirit. I am, and still found it an effort to complete, but find it is certainly something I've learned from. Not all that different from what my imaginary experience in the Olympics' closing marathon event would be.
Here was an athlete who seemed to have a wiser perspective on losing than most sportswriters. Shatkov's defeat was no different than John Thomas' in the high jump, or David Sime's and Ray Norton's in the 100-meter dash. It would be hard for outsiders to accept, but athletes understood. Usually you lose because someone else is better that day." ~ Pg. 199, Chapter 10 - Black Thursday
I am a bit of an Olympics nut. I have been hooked since I was a little girl in the 70's trying to be like Dorothy Hammil, failing miserably at emulating both her skating moves and her hairdo. Then I was awed by the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid - I knew it was more important than just advancing to the medal round - it was our college guys against Russia. Then I was smitten by the gazillion grand pianos performing Rhapsody in Blue at the Los Angeles opening ceremonies of the 1984 summer Olympics. Those same games that gave me Mary Decker's painful result at the bare feet of Zola Budd, along with the amazing dominance of Carl Lewis - specifically in the long jump that I loved more than any other event in my unimpressive high school track and field efforts.
Since my youth the Olympics have continued to amaze me, impress me, and leave me in awe. No matter how old I become, I still sit on my couch and think that maybe if I just tried hard enough, I could be competing for my country next go-'round. This thought extremely insults the quality of effort, skill and devotion these determined REAL athletes have burning inside them, as strong as that Olympic flame. But hey - a girl can dream.
And so, I learned from Rome 1960, that I owe my dreams to the Tigerbelles. A fleet group of women sprinters from segregated Tennessee, punctuated by the gazelle Wilma Rudolph, who overcame our country's racist reality, sexist barriers, and an economic disadvantage that plagued minorities and amateur athletes in general. The success of the US women sprinters in that Olympics paved the way for future female athletes. They didn't open the door, but they advanced it. And they literally, ran with it. Gold medals have a way of doing that for you.
I also learned about the antiquated and silly struggle that the IOC battled on behalf of amateurism in its games. This vision of purity of sport was unrealistic and unfair. Athletes were being penalized or banned for perceived financial advantages that allowed them to survive while wanting to represent their countries. Some governments subsidized them anyway on the sly. It was the beginning of shoe sponsorships and lucrative endorsements. Television was on the scene for the first time and fame became expedited. (I wonder if the NCAA has ever studied the Olympic evolution???)
And politics in the 1960 games could never truly take a back seat. Even when countries played nice, the propaganda wars waged were fierce. Spies were sent to lure defectors. Boycotts were debated. Human rights and race were swept under the rug. New countries born onto the scene participated for the first time against others who had ravaged their land in the not too distant past. And strikingly, the gap in world dominance was diminishing - the rest of the world was catching up to the US both on the field and in political theory strongholds.
Amidst the story lines of minorities, amateurism and politics, Rome 1960 sprinkles in recaps of some of Olympic history's most impressive competitions. When things were on the verge of exploding positively through advanced technology, and negatively through doping. I knew very little of any of these athletes and their stories. Aside from Cassius Clay and Wilma Rudolph, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, the names were all new to me. I loved learning about them all and author Maraniss did an excellent job covering major and less known stories with equal attention and love.
I do wish more was spent on their stories and less on the major threads of the IOC and politics. I felt the emphasis was on the latter instead of the former. But I appreciate it is hard to mesh it all together in a way that is both interesting and informative.
In the end, I learned a lot, but not in a very entertaining way. The book had more of a text book feel to me than of an engaging historical non-fiction work that informed facts with flair. This lack of literary style makes me less likely to recommend this to someone who is not already infected with the Olympic spirit. I am, and still found it an effort to complete, but find it is certainly something I've learned from. Not all that different from what my imaginary experience in the Olympics' closing marathon event would be.
January 16, 2025
I’ve been reading a lot of similar books lately. This one was not nearly as compelling or as story-driven as boys in the boat or the unbroken, but I found it much more relevant to modern day. Also, it is a FASCINATING Olympics politically. Right in the heat of the Cold War and the civil rights movement, plus super recent from Mussolini invading Ethiopia. I was really glad that I read “How to Say Babylon� and had a little bit of context for Haile Selassie and his cultural and religious significance. I was super impressed by the grace of the ethiopian athletes in the face of so many insults, particularly Abebe Bikila. So many firsts too. It was the first Olympics that was televised and the first Olympics with a death from doping, leading to drug testing for all athletes. The first Olympics where female athletes and African Americans were really considered�. Avery Brundage’s quote about Americans being too soft during this Olympics led directly to Eisenhower and Kennedy implementing the presidential physical fitness program, which we all know and love from PE class. So we have the 1960 Olympics to thank for pacers. My main takeaway from the book though, was that I MUST know more about Wilma Rudolph and the tiger belles. I put a couple books about them on hold that I’m excited to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2018
David Maraniss is a great writer. He keeps things moving on every page. He is able to make you care about people you never heard of and those you have. I'll say this, the Olympics were more interesting during the Cold War to this partisan reviewer. Even if you were not around in 1960 as I wasn't, you'll be enthralled with sports, politics, race, individual stories and so many more topics Maraniss writes so skillfully about.
August 3, 2009
I must still have lingering Olympic fever from this summer. The author goes through the Rome Olympics, pretty much day by day, and highlights the significant events and puts them in the context of what was going on in the world at large ... so for the most part, the Cold War. Headlines include , the first African-American athlete to be the flagbearer during the opening ceremonies and getting gold medals; the first big Olympic drug scandal when Danish cyclist dies after heat exhaustion is escalated by drug use; the Republic of China for the first time (and I'm not really clear why they still compete as Formosa and not Taiwan), and Ethiopian Abebe Bikila wins the mens' marathon And more!
The funny thing about this book was that it wasn't ... great sportswriting, and if you are a sports fan, you are hoping, of course, that a book about the Rome Olympics is going to be so full of awesome sports that you choke on your own enthusiasm. Because so much of the book is spent explaining the nuances of the political climate, particularly the Cold War but also apartheid, civil rights in the US, and the role of women in athletics, you are trading some of the edgy excitement for fairly substantial insight. Which seems fine in the end, you can always go google up a storm later and cry your sporty tears while watching poor quality youtube clips of Rafer Johnson lighting the torch at Los Angeles. Did you know that Johnson was one of the guys that tackled Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel?
Also, I am one of those people who has mixed feelings about gymnastics as an Olympic sport, in part because the age of the girls in particular somewhat unsettling, but mostly because I'm not crazy about judged competitions, but whatever, I'm not rabid about the issue or anything. It seems that in Rome, the organizers held two events at landmark sites, gymnastics at and wrestling at . I think this is such a fabulous idea that I would be completely on board with a requirement that all Olympic cities must hold gymnastics and wrestling at out-of-doors ancient landmarks.
Grade: Very strong B+
Recommended: Anyone who enjoys sports and the Olympics would enjoy this, even if only to browse though it. People who don't care for sports won't have much interest unless they have a particular interest in Cold War social history.
The funny thing about this book was that it wasn't ... great sportswriting, and if you are a sports fan, you are hoping, of course, that a book about the Rome Olympics is going to be so full of awesome sports that you choke on your own enthusiasm. Because so much of the book is spent explaining the nuances of the political climate, particularly the Cold War but also apartheid, civil rights in the US, and the role of women in athletics, you are trading some of the edgy excitement for fairly substantial insight. Which seems fine in the end, you can always go google up a storm later and cry your sporty tears while watching poor quality youtube clips of Rafer Johnson lighting the torch at Los Angeles. Did you know that Johnson was one of the guys that tackled Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel?
Also, I am one of those people who has mixed feelings about gymnastics as an Olympic sport, in part because the age of the girls in particular somewhat unsettling, but mostly because I'm not crazy about judged competitions, but whatever, I'm not rabid about the issue or anything. It seems that in Rome, the organizers held two events at landmark sites, gymnastics at and wrestling at . I think this is such a fabulous idea that I would be completely on board with a requirement that all Olympic cities must hold gymnastics and wrestling at out-of-doors ancient landmarks.
Grade: Very strong B+
Recommended: Anyone who enjoys sports and the Olympics would enjoy this, even if only to browse though it. People who don't care for sports won't have much interest unless they have a particular interest in Cold War social history.
January 20, 2014
I may come back and re-rate this book if, after the passage of time, 2 stars seems a little harsh. However the categorization of 2 stars: "It was OK" seems to sum this up for me. There is nothing offensive about the book, I just found it a little ho-hum and so I had better explain what I mean. I was still glad I read it, but overall I was disappointed.
First of all, the overall tenet of the book seems to me, to be something of a reach. I don't think that the case for this Olympics necessarily changing the world is really made. I certainly think that, as a whole, it can be argued that these Olympics were the first truly modern games (with TV coverage, the cold war getting going, the end of innocence as it relates to drugs and politics in sport etc.) but I am not sure they were pivotal. I think the case could also be made for Mexico City in 68 and Munich in 72 (for all the wrong reasons).
Having said that, the games of 1960 had memorable performances including Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson and many others and these are well described. However the narrative reads more like a detailed reportage on the games themselves and the opportunities to truly relate them to the world changing aspects that are mentioned in the title don't quite work for me. For example, the tragic death of Danish cyclist Knud Jensen is not developed as much from a PED standpoint as I would have thought it demanded. I would argue that this, if truly a drug induced death was the start of what we see today. However if we are talking about pivotal, world changing moments, then Ben Johnson in 88 was much the more impactful in terms of the drug issue.
The issue of racism in sports and society is well covered, as is the propaganda war between the East and West in these games. However, again, I didn't feel that the case was made for the two weeks of these games being the watershed after which things changed. The book covers the reign of IOC president Avery Brundage and it seems to me that, his stance on amateurism was unchanged to the extent that he was still excluding athletes on this basis in 1972.
So, apart from the case not being convincingly made that things changed after Rome (in my opinion) I found that the book was heavily US centered. Not a problem in itself but I would have liked to see more unbiased reporting on other countries, rather than the somewhat cursory coverage given to most others outside the cold war narrative. The rise of the African nations is certainly covered, in reference to Abebe Bikila, but again, lacks depth and context to me.
As I say, I am glad I read it as I am a great fan of the Olympics in general, and there were many performances and characters in this games that made them noteworthy - however that is true of any Olympic games that one cares to study.
First of all, the overall tenet of the book seems to me, to be something of a reach. I don't think that the case for this Olympics necessarily changing the world is really made. I certainly think that, as a whole, it can be argued that these Olympics were the first truly modern games (with TV coverage, the cold war getting going, the end of innocence as it relates to drugs and politics in sport etc.) but I am not sure they were pivotal. I think the case could also be made for Mexico City in 68 and Munich in 72 (for all the wrong reasons).
Having said that, the games of 1960 had memorable performances including Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson and many others and these are well described. However the narrative reads more like a detailed reportage on the games themselves and the opportunities to truly relate them to the world changing aspects that are mentioned in the title don't quite work for me. For example, the tragic death of Danish cyclist Knud Jensen is not developed as much from a PED standpoint as I would have thought it demanded. I would argue that this, if truly a drug induced death was the start of what we see today. However if we are talking about pivotal, world changing moments, then Ben Johnson in 88 was much the more impactful in terms of the drug issue.
The issue of racism in sports and society is well covered, as is the propaganda war between the East and West in these games. However, again, I didn't feel that the case was made for the two weeks of these games being the watershed after which things changed. The book covers the reign of IOC president Avery Brundage and it seems to me that, his stance on amateurism was unchanged to the extent that he was still excluding athletes on this basis in 1972.
So, apart from the case not being convincingly made that things changed after Rome (in my opinion) I found that the book was heavily US centered. Not a problem in itself but I would have liked to see more unbiased reporting on other countries, rather than the somewhat cursory coverage given to most others outside the cold war narrative. The rise of the African nations is certainly covered, in reference to Abebe Bikila, but again, lacks depth and context to me.
As I say, I am glad I read it as I am a great fan of the Olympics in general, and there were many performances and characters in this games that made them noteworthy - however that is true of any Olympic games that one cares to study.
May 23, 2014
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.
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.
August 6, 2010
Synopsis: The Rome Olympics of 1960 were held when the world was in a transitory state. The Cold War was at its height, it was the first time that many of the Olympic competitions allowed women to compete and the United States (and much of the world) was in the midst of a racial revolution. While many of the athletes representing the United States were African Americans who were celebrated when they won, there were many restaurants and other places where they were prohibited due to the color of their skin. In addition, the 1960 Olympics were the first Olympics that were really televised and broadcast throughout the world. Clips had been shown during previous Olympics, but this was the first time that prime-time viewers were able to watch much of the competitions. These were the Olympics of sprinter Wilma Rudolph, decathlete Rafer Johnson and boxer Cassius Clay.
My Review: I loved reading the stories of the competitions. There always seemed to be an underlying political theme during every event. The Americans vs. the Soviets, the West Germans and the East Germans competing on a unified German team. The South Africans swearing that no racism was involved in selecting their team yet not a single black was good enough to compete. The inspiring stories of the decathlon, the track events and many others were also very enjoyable. The book did get a little wordy, but all in all was quite an interesting read.
My Review: I loved reading the stories of the competitions. There always seemed to be an underlying political theme during every event. The Americans vs. the Soviets, the West Germans and the East Germans competing on a unified German team. The South Africans swearing that no racism was involved in selecting their team yet not a single black was good enough to compete. The inspiring stories of the decathlon, the track events and many others were also very enjoyable. The book did get a little wordy, but all in all was quite an interesting read.
October 15, 2015
Though I am not familiar and regular follower of sports, I liked this book very much. It is a detailed narrative account of the Olympic events and participants and all those connected with the Games. The narration is very fluid and lucid. The coverage easily arouses the interest of the readers. It details about how the participants struggled to reach the Olympic stage, their expectations and actual performance at the Olympics as well the lives of many of the medallists after the conclusion of the games.
Great names like Wilma Rudolph, Armin Hary, Lance Larson. Otis Davis, Herb Elliott, Cassius Clay, Rafer Johnson, C.K. Yang, Abebe Bikila, Al Oerter, the Tigerbelles and their coach Ed Temple appear in the various chapters of the book giving an insight into their efforts and feats. The author has also deftly handled the political climate prevailing at the time of the games. A lot of firsts in the Olympian history like Rafer Johnson being the first black flag bearer for USA at the Opening Ceremony, first African conquest in the marathon, substantial participation of the women in the Olympics, the television coverage etc. have been highlighted.
The inclusion of a special segment of rare photographs from the Rome Olympics, medal tally and a list of Host Cities of Olympics from 1896 to 2008 give an impressive authentication for the narration.
July 24, 2012
A very good book about this Olympics. With so much to cover.
The hypocrisy of Avery Brundage, first on display toward overlooking the Nazis' anti-Semitism at Berlin in 1936, now overlooks question about whether Soviet-bloc state-sponsored sport violates the spirit, or even the letter, of amateurism.
First, and already known to me ...
Ethopian Abebe Bikela winning the marathon in the capital city of the nation that conquered his 25 years before.
One of the greatest decathlon duels ever.
The atmosphere in la dolce vita.
Second, and not known to me before ...
The first "doping scandal" � a Danish cyclist died, apparently in part due to the heat, but primarily to taking a blood circulation drug, already rumored to be fairly common among top cyclists.
Other doping rumors, most notably of steroids by Soviet weight lifters and a few others.
The first shoe switch-a-roo, with 100m champ Armin Hary playing Puma and Adidas (started by brothers, which I didn't know) off against each other.
The rise in sports prowess of the USSR.
Anyway, I've not given away everything in this book by any means.
It's a legitimate 4.5 stars, and I gave it the bump because of the number of low reviews.
The hypocrisy of Avery Brundage, first on display toward overlooking the Nazis' anti-Semitism at Berlin in 1936, now overlooks question about whether Soviet-bloc state-sponsored sport violates the spirit, or even the letter, of amateurism.
First, and already known to me ...
Ethopian Abebe Bikela winning the marathon in the capital city of the nation that conquered his 25 years before.
One of the greatest decathlon duels ever.
The atmosphere in la dolce vita.
Second, and not known to me before ...
The first "doping scandal" � a Danish cyclist died, apparently in part due to the heat, but primarily to taking a blood circulation drug, already rumored to be fairly common among top cyclists.
Other doping rumors, most notably of steroids by Soviet weight lifters and a few others.
The first shoe switch-a-roo, with 100m champ Armin Hary playing Puma and Adidas (started by brothers, which I didn't know) off against each other.
The rise in sports prowess of the USSR.
Anyway, I've not given away everything in this book by any means.
It's a legitimate 4.5 stars, and I gave it the bump because of the number of low reviews.
Read
July 7, 2016Maraniss has illuminated an era of the Olympics and of world history that I could always stand to read about: the Cold War, race relations in the United States, WW2 European recovery, and the rise of African long-distance runners as ushered in by a barefoot Ethiopian Abebe Bikila.
Maraniss has structured the book into a chronological telling of the Rome 1960 Games, from the top brass to the sprinters and shot putters, with a young, brash Cassius Clay leading the way along with Rafer Johnson and Wilma Rudolph burning it up on the track. The interviews and the research done on this first televised Olympics is staggering, and as a wide scope, it works for this book. My only criticism is that its focus is so scattered and shifting that it feels like we could use more time with everyone: Clay, Rudolph, Johnson, Rime, etc...
In short, a book I recommend for historians, anyone who loves Track and Field as we gear up for Rio later this summer, and a nice view into a world that has radically changed.
Maraniss has structured the book into a chronological telling of the Rome 1960 Games, from the top brass to the sprinters and shot putters, with a young, brash Cassius Clay leading the way along with Rafer Johnson and Wilma Rudolph burning it up on the track. The interviews and the research done on this first televised Olympics is staggering, and as a wide scope, it works for this book. My only criticism is that its focus is so scattered and shifting that it feels like we could use more time with everyone: Clay, Rudolph, Johnson, Rime, etc...
In short, a book I recommend for historians, anyone who loves Track and Field as we gear up for Rio later this summer, and a nice view into a world that has radically changed.
November 14, 2013
A whole book on one Olympics? An one that wasn't memorable? Excuse my ignorance, as this beautifully written book delves into what was truly the first "modern" Olympics. It was the first one televised in the USA, even if it was videotape sent overnight on commercial airliners. Jim McKay's first one also, who sat typing his own script in NYC to accompany those videotapes. The first one where doping was a major concern. It mostly, however iwas a product of its time. The Cold War was at its height and the constant intrigue between the USA and the USSR put supreme importance on the "medal count". Who were the heroes for the USA? The team captain was the ultimate athlete, the dignified Rafer Johnson (the first black captain). Other stars were Wilma Rudolph and a 18 year old Cassius Clay. Also a product of the times, and a disgrace to our country, was that these heroes hailed in the press couldn't eat or stay at many places in their own hometowns in the South. Ultimately, an interesting look not only at the Olympics, but the world as it was in 1960.
Read
February 5, 2009David Maraniss has demonstrated great range throughout his writing career. His latest effort is a timely and, for the most part, a well executed look at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Although the book's subtitle may be a bit of a reach, Maraniss has much to say about the implications of the Rome Games as a microcosm of the political, financial, and humanitarian forces shaping the world at the time. Only the New York Times Book Review opined that the event's obscurity today suggests that nothing was, in fact, world-changing about it. Rome 1960 combines the author's passion for sports with his keen eye for sociopolitical connections to offer a compelling portrait of the "Olympics that changed the world."
This is an excerpt from a review published in .
May 14, 2009
I was really into track & field in 1960 and still somewhat in to swimming (having been bounced out of the Santa Clara Swim Club at age 10 for insubordination), so I knew many of the players here and thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the events. Maraniss recounts these well, and I was caught up in the drama of cliff-hanging competition even when I already knew the results. He is far less successful with the historical context (pop history of the Cold War, ponderous history of the Olympic Movement) and the individual athletes' backstories (wooden versions of TV's "up close and personal"). But just having the chance to spend a few hours with Wilma Rudolph and Rafer Johnson is worth the price of admission. They were gods to me then, and this book reminds me why.
October 1, 2009
The author sees the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as the games that provided the transition to the modern games with their multitude of problems--doping, political tensions reflected in the scoring, corporate sponsorship, and the debate about what being an amateur athlete really means. At its best, the book profiles the leading athletes from around the world and vividly recreates the tensions of a variety of events. At the other end of the spectrum, the book drags somewhat when discussing the politics of the International Olympic Committee. I highly recommend this book especially when it places the Olympic experience into the political context of the period and reminds the reader that athletes do not compete in a vacuum. A fascinating read.
October 1, 2010
Exhaustive book about every facet relating to the 1960 Rome Olympics--almost too exhaustive with detail after detail on athletes, sporting events, politicians, national history, Olympic history, administrators. I would have loved reading more about the actual athletes and sports rather than the endless (at least it felt endless at times) political machinations connected to behind the scenes Olympic workings. Maraniss gets way too carried away with that element versus some of the actual matches. If you want to read about the Rome Olympics...this is the place.
October 15, 2023
Maraniss again strikes gold with this one as he had with Clemente, Lombardi, Clinton and Vietnam...Maraniss' premise holds the 60 Olympics was the watershed point between the old and new worlds...the emergence of post-colonial Asia & Africa...the emergence of PEDs in sports....professionalism in amateur sports etc....really an interesting and compelling read...LOVED IT!!!
November 17, 2014
Well put together book detailing the athletics wart between the USA and USSR from 1958 to the 1960 Olympics. Really interesting to remember how much the cold war was influencing every aspect of life for people, to remember how prevalent racism was and the losing battle to keep the games amateur.
March 19, 2023
I grew up watching the Olympics and so I was excited to read this book. I feel like the author did a great job of balancing the breadth of the political nature of the Olympics and the depth of individual competitors. This would have been a fun required reading for my History of Sports class during my undergrad.
July 20, 2024
Very interesting book about the 1960 Olympics in Rome. I learned quite a bit of fascinating info, particularly about decathlon gold medal winner Rafer Johnson, and much more about Wilma Rudolph. A great way to get psyched for the 2024 Paris Olympics starting in a week!
June 22, 2019
It got bogged down in details at times, but the book included many great narratives of individual athletes, as well as shedding light on the global sociopolitical situation.
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