Games People Played is a wonderful compendium of the global history of sports. It explores how sports have been practiced, experienced, and made meaningful by players and fans throughout history. It discusses the development and diffusion of sports across the globe, as well as the emotional, discriminatory, convivial, political, nationalistic and economical elements of this wide-reaching consumer industry. Games People Played examines how sports are sociable and health-giving, and also contribute to charity. It also takes a look at a darker side: sports’ impact on the environment, the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and match-fixing.

Exploring curling to baseball, boxing to motor racing, this book will appeal to anyone who plays, watches, and enjoys sports, and wants to know more about sport history and the global impact.