"With the 2012 summer Olympics in London to begin in late July, Goldblatt (sports columnist, BBC radio) and Acton ("The Man Who Touched the Sky") provide readers with a fine choice for informed viewing. The competitions to be seen in this year's summer Olympics are presented here in chapters arranged alphabetically by sport. Chapters include schedule details for London, counts of athletes and potential medal contenders this time around, Olympic records by event, and counts of past champions by country. The authors explain each sport in clear terms with sections such as "Why Watch Archery?" and "The Finer Points" of fencing. They also provide a brief history of each sport, both as a game and as an Olympic competition. They include a section on discontinued Olympic sports, such as tug of war and cricket. Charming, stick-figure illustrations by Belinda Evans, along with black-and-white photographs, effectively infuse the text and help explain techniques and rules. VERDICT Affordable, portable, and informative, this accessible and fun book is highly recommended for Olympics watchers everywhere. While the focus on the London Olympics will become out of date, the book will remain of future use for explaining rules, histories, and nuances of the competitions." (Library Journal)
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