| November 24th, 2009 |
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I can't believe this is a real review from Library Journal:
Combat Sports: An Encyclopedia of Wrestling, Fighting, and Mixed Martial Arts
by Hudson, David L., Jr.
Getting paid to beat people up? Wow, what a concept! Essentially a biographical dictionary of mostly obscure boxers, brawlers, and chop-socky types, this work includes only a handful of entries that discuss the actual sports alluded to in the title. There is an article on sumo wrestling, for example, a spectacle in which Japanese lard butts attempt to shove each other beyond the bounds of a circle on the floor. This work is of very limited usefulness, as the sketches of various fighters are not much more than a dry recitation of their various matches. To the book's credit, each individual's professional record and list of championships, if any, are included-- certainly a plus as far as statistic-crazed fans are concerned. The wooden writing style and lack of substance are understandable given the credentials of Hudson, who is neither an athlete nor a sports writer but rather a lawyer. Perhaps the most salient point in the title's favor is that it is made from quality materials. A statement appearing beneath the bib record attesting to the durability of the paper employed implies that anyone with more tattoos than teeth who wishes to check up on potential opponents can drool all over this tome with impunity. BOTTOM LINE This book is simply a catalog of people you've never heard of doing things you'd rather not know about. Those wishing to bolster a sports-and-games collection should instead turn to the four-volume Berkshire Encyclopedia of World Sport. Expensive but worth it, the Berkshire set is professionally produced and written by people who really know their stuff. -- Michael F. Bemis, Washington Cty. Lib., Woodbury, MN |
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