Reviews

Gr 7 Up-Well-designed series entries featuring attractive covers and dozens of black-and-white and full-color photographs with captions. Wrestling briefly covers the colorful history of this sport from ancient times to the present day. One chapter is included on wrestling in Japan during the last few years, and some mention is given to wrestling in Europe and Mexico, but the focus is on the United States during the last 20 years. Personal and career highlights are related for many stars including Gorgeous George; Hulk Hogan; Bret Hart; Steve Austin; Andre the Giant; and promoter Vince McMahon, whose outrageous acts and use of marketing propelled pro wrestling to previously unimaginable heights of popularity. Greenberg doesn't shy away from the controversies that surround pro wrestling, including the entertainment versus sport debate, steroid abuse, and the behind-the-scenes deals that affected many athletes' lives. The author also covers the role of women in pro wrestling. Readers interested in the topic will gravitate to this book and learn that what they are watching are finely crafted, physically demanding soap operas, (as admitted by McMahon and others), not pure sport. Basketball covers the history of the sport and discusses how the changes in it over the last 100 years reflect the changes in American society. This fascinating account also provides information on female stars, coaches, officials, and rules and will satisfy fans as well as student researchers; in fact, there is no comparable book available on the subject for this age group.-Michael McCullough, Byron-Bergen Middle School, Bergen, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.