<p>"There are many things to admire in this book. The opening chapter, for example, provides one of the best summaries of sport and literature I have read in a long time. Bale's close readings of his chosen texts are both sensitive and intelligent, bringing out many new perspectives on the writers. His defence of his subject - the oppositional literature of sport and body culture - is vigorous and persuasive, and set within a wealth of references. "</p><p>"...this is a fascinating book. It has something of the 'showstopper' quality about it."</p><p>Jeffrey Hill, <em>De Montfort University</em></p>

<p>"There are many things to admire in this book. The opening chapter, for example, provides one of the best summaries of sport and literature I have read in a long time. Bale's close readings of his chosen texts are both sensitive and intelligent, bringing out many new perspectives on the writers. His defence of his subject - the oppositional literature of sport and body culture - is vigorous and persuasive, and set within a wealth of references. "</p><p>"...this is a fascinating book. It has something of the 'showstopper' quality about it."</p><p>Jeffrey Hill, <em>De Montfort University</em></p><p>"Bale’s central achievement is to demonstrate the rich potential within</p><p>literature in its broadest sense for the sports historian. Bale takes the</p><p>reader on a journey across time and space, into writers’ imaginations but</p><p>also connected with the real concerns of the age in which they were</p><p>writing."</p><p>"Bale’s willingness to reveal the complexities of his chosen authors, and to</p><p>link their writings directly to their life and times, makes for a fascinating</p><p>read."</p><p>Paul Dimeo, <em>University of Stirling</em></p>