As France prepares to vibrate to the rhythm of the sporting exploits of athletes from all over the world, here are 3 books to learn everything about the evolution of the place of women in the Olympic Games, the history of Team USA, this year composed of NBA superstars, and to relive the greatest moments of the Summer Olympics.
“Women at the Games”, by Julia Solans and Julien Moreau
If there is one book that everyone should have their hands on, it is that of Julia Solans and Julien Moreau, called “Women at the Games, a winding journey since 1896”. Clear, comprehensive and remarkably well-documented, it traces 128 years of struggle and progress to finally achieve gender equality at the 2024 Olympic Games. This edition is indeed the first to display parity among the approximately 10,000 athletes competing. Enhanced with some forty testimonies from historians, specialists, Olympic medalists and leaders, this book, which took more than a year to complete, sheds valuable light on the changes in society and the evolution of women’s place at the Games – from swimming pools to tennis courts, including athletics and ski slopes – without forgetting to recall the main challenges they still face in their field. Both journalists and sports enthusiasts, the authors have produced an important work populated with inspiring figures.
“Women at the Games, a winding journey since 1896”, by Julia Solans and Julien Moreau, 320 pages, ed. Metvox Publications, €28, July 17 in bookstores and available as an ebook.
«Dream team Legacy», d’Elvis Roquand
American basketball specialist Elvis Roquand is taking advantage of this global event, which will welcome the biggest stars of the NBA, to publish “Dream Team Legacy”, a beautiful work that celebrates the history of Team USA since the legendary “Dream Team”, winner of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Richly illustrated with around forty full-page photos, it also looks back at the careers of the legends of the American selection and paints a portrait of the twelve players who will tread the French packs this summer, including LeBron James, now 39 years old, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker, to name but a few.
“Dream Team Legacy”, by Elvis Roquand, ed. Talent, 128 pages, €19.90, in bookstores on July 3.
“Legends of the Games”, by Gérard and Julien Holtz
To celebrate and tell the story of the Games with meticulous attention to detail, the famous sports journalist Gérard Holtz teamed up with his son Julien, who is also passionate about history and naturally raised on images of major sporting events. Father and son have thus signed “Legends of the Games”, a 200-page book teeming with surprising anecdotes (bad losers, doping, questionable femininity, broken destinies, etc.) and fascinating stories about each edition, since Antiquity. Colette Besson, Teddy Riner, Suzanne Lenglen, Tony Estanguet, Alain Mimoun, Laure Manaudou… The French champions who thrilled us, as well as the disabled sports heroes, are of course largely honored in this large-format book, which offers magnificent photos.
“Game Legends”, by Gérard and Julein Holtz, published by Gründ, 200 pages, €35.
