Book Rec of the Day 1/18/2007

Rushin is fascinated by how far people will push themselves in competitions and the wacky things they will do in the name of leisure. His book is a collection of his celebrated Sports Illustrated pieces that have recounted him playing golf in the Arctic, exploring the world of competitive eating, and tailgating with a man who does it for a living. Eloquent ruminations on the things he loves about sports mingle with the absurd and colorful quirky pursuits he has covered for the magazine. It all makes for an ebullient celebration of the burning American desire to win.

THE CADDIE WAS A REINDEER, by Steve Rushin (Grove Press, 2005)