General & Miscellaneous Games, Regional Sports, Sports & Recreation - General & Miscellaneous

Russia

Name: Russia
Author: William Lychack
ISBN: 9780516044415

by William Lychack

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Overview

Surveys the sports and games played in Russia, from centuries ago through the Soviet era but with an emphasis on the present day.

About the Author, William Lychack

William Lychack

William Lychack has worked as a teacher, editor, speechwriter, ghostwriter, journalist, lifeguard, carpenter, bartender, janitor, Mr. Softee Ice Cream Man, and a Judo instructor in New York City. His latest gig: acclaimed author of The Wasp Eater, a poignant fiction debut about a young boy's attempt to bring his parents back together.

Biography

William Lychack received his B.A. (1988) in philosophy from Connecticut College and his M.F.A. (1991) from the University of Michigan. Among other places, his stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories, Ascent, Ploughshares, The Seattle Review, and on Public Radio International's This American Life. He has published children's books, corporate histories, and has worked as a teacher, editor, speechwriter, ghostwriter, journalist, lifeguard, carpenter, bartender, janitor, Mr. Softee Ice Cream Man, and a Judo instructor in New York City.

Biography courtesy of the author's official web site.

Good To Know

Some interesting outtakes from our interview with Lychack:

"For some years I worked as a Judo instructor to learning disabled and autistic kids in New York City. I played and competed in the sport until I was thrown on my head and suffered a fairly serious concussion."

"For a few summers I drove a Mister Softee Ice Cream truck! That alone warrants an exclamation mark, doesn't it?"

"And though this smacks of one of those singles' ads, if I could be anywhere right now I'd probably be in Myanmar (Burma) on Inle Lake. My wife and I have traveled throughout Southeast Asia and have fallen hard for Burma."

"The sad truth is that there's not a lot of free time these days. In the last year I've published my novel, gone on tour for the book, moved out of New York City after almost ten years there, written freelance pieces, finished a new collection of stories, started teaching at two colleges, and had a baby. So any interests and hobbies that are not essential have fallen away, I'm afraid. To be frank, sleep feels like a hobby or indulgence with a year-old boy in the house. I try to run every other day or so, but that's about all I can manage. In my dreams, though, if I had to do it all over again, I'd be a landscape painter."

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Editorials

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7This book contains excellent-quality, full-color and black-and-white photographs of sports and leisure activities in Russia. Historical photos and many action shots of world-class athletes, especially those in Olympic competition, are featured, but children are shown at play as well. Unfortunately, the quality of the text does not always match that of the visuals. The historical background information on Russia and the Soviet Union contains some conspicuous errors. When the text focuses on sport, it has some gripping passages, although mistakes slip in, such as the false statement that "in the Soviet Union, no high school student could have graduated without proving that he or she could cover several kilometers of snow-covered terrain on skis in a certain time limit." Also, in several instances, paragraphs introduce too many disparate subjects. It is unfortunate that this attractive and high-interest presentation is not better written.Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign