This work has everything you might want to know about the 1896 Olympic Games: results, back ground stories, statistics, competitor information. The best part is that all controversies on the results - quite a few - are carefully documented so one can see WHY the authors have listed the results as they did. Also, several contemporary articles on the Games give a good picture of these Olympic Games. Because these texts are original, you can once again read and judge yourself.

This book helped my golf game quite a bit, especially in distance and straightness, simply by trying a few of the exercises from the exercise chapter. I had always known that golfers have back problems from overuse of their back muscles, but I've never known what to do about it, until now. Now, on my recurrent nightmare holes, I'm closer than I've ever been after the drive, and wondering what to do with the hook that's suddenly appeared after years of bannana balls. The author is a prominent orthopaedic surgeon who has also spent a few years on the pro golf circuit, so he knows the subject intimately. I've had my share of down time, and was strongly motivated to understand (and practice!) the many morsels of guidance from this pragmatic and experienced golfing doctor. This is not a book to just read.

Author Mallon gives a textbook account of the 1904 first American Olympic Game. The individual scorings are meticulously done and the bibliography is most complete. Anyone researching this event has an array of sources at his disposal. The only fault here is in the lack of pictures of this event logo, its outstanding competitors, and local color scenes. This work however does fill an important gap in the usual commentary on modern olympic history.

I wasn't a big fan of this book, too little detail and not enough background for me.