How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius: What Architects, Stuntwomen, Paleoanthropologists, and Computer Scientists Reveal About the World’s Game

A brilliant and entertaining deconstruction of the most popular sport in the world from the bestselling author of How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius After reading this fun book, you’ll never look at soccer the same way again. In How to Watch Soccer Like a Genius, Nick Greene calls on a turf manager, an expert on color theory, and a landscape historian to understand the field itself, a paleoanthropologist to talk kicking, and an Anglican priest to explain schisms―how American football, soccer, and rugby could all develop from the field games of rowdy 19th-century British schoolboys. Greene delves deep into what defines the game, how it developed, and what happens during a match’s 90 minutes (and then some). His expert commentators include a domino toppler, a developmental neuroscientist, an art historian, a civil engineer, and more. Along the way, Greene reveals how understanding the hidden logic of the game―from the science of a perfect kick to the design of the pitch―can transform the way you watch, making every pass, play, and decision more meaningful. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the sport, this is a book that deepens your appreciation of what’s happening on the field and why it matters. On the surface, soccer seems like the simplest of games: one ball, two teams, two goals, and (preferably) some grass. There’s a reason it’s the first team sport little kids learn to play. But the closer you look, the more you dig into the game’s history, the more infinitely complex and complex the picture becomes.
ASIN: 1419777173
VSKU: DBV.1419777173.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Greene, Nick
Binding: Hardcover
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!