Darwin's Athletes

How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race

Nonfiction, Sports, Reference, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Discrimination & Race Relations, Cultural Studies, African-American Studies
Cover of the book Darwin's Athletes by John Hoberman, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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Author: John Hoberman ISBN: 9780547348544
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication: November 3, 1997
Imprint: Mariner Books Language: English
Author: John Hoberman
ISBN: 9780547348544
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication: November 3, 1997
Imprint: Mariner Books
Language: English

A “provocative, disturbing, important” look at how society’s obsession with athletic achievement undermines African Americans (The New York Times).

Very few pastimes in America cross racial, regional, cultural, and economic boundaries the way sports do. From the near-religious respect for Sunday Night Football to obsessions with stars like Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan, sports are as much a part of our national DNA as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But hidden within this reverence—shared by the media, corporate America, even the athletes themselves—is a dark narrative of division, social pathology, and racism.

In Darwin’s Athletes, John Hoberman takes a controversial look at the profound and disturbing effect that the worship of sports, and specifically of black players, has on national race relations. From exposing the perpetuation of stereotypes of African American violence and criminality to examining the effect that athletic dominance has on perceptions of intelligence to delving into misconceptions of racial biology, Hoberman tackles difficult questions about the sometimes subtle ways that bigotry can be reinforced, and the nature of discrimination.

An important discussion on sports, cultural attitudes, and dangerous prejudices, Darwin’s Athletes is a “provocative book” that serves as required reading in the ongoing debate of America’s racial divide (Publishers Weekly).

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A “provocative, disturbing, important” look at how society’s obsession with athletic achievement undermines African Americans (The New York Times).

Very few pastimes in America cross racial, regional, cultural, and economic boundaries the way sports do. From the near-religious respect for Sunday Night Football to obsessions with stars like Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan, sports are as much a part of our national DNA as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But hidden within this reverence—shared by the media, corporate America, even the athletes themselves—is a dark narrative of division, social pathology, and racism.

In Darwin’s Athletes, John Hoberman takes a controversial look at the profound and disturbing effect that the worship of sports, and specifically of black players, has on national race relations. From exposing the perpetuation of stereotypes of African American violence and criminality to examining the effect that athletic dominance has on perceptions of intelligence to delving into misconceptions of racial biology, Hoberman tackles difficult questions about the sometimes subtle ways that bigotry can be reinforced, and the nature of discrimination.

An important discussion on sports, cultural attitudes, and dangerous prejudices, Darwin’s Athletes is a “provocative book” that serves as required reading in the ongoing debate of America’s racial divide (Publishers Weekly).

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