"The Social Significance of Sport: An Introduction to the Sociology of Sport" by Barry D. McPherson, James E. Curtis and John W. Loy.
You are about to embark on a reading journey that is both stimulating and frustrating.
If one were to encounter this statement as the opening sentence of a book, it could realistically be assumed that the subject of said book would be an enthralling issue such as flower arranging, stamp collecting or African weaving.
The authors of this book seem to have an incredibly optimistic view of the limits of human tolerance, because, in most cases, a reasonably normal human being would be at least slightly reluctant to read a book that has the potential to cause frustration.
The preface states that the book, or more specifically textbook, would be useful for those studying physical education, sociology, sport studies and kinesiology.
I will here admit that I have not read the entire book, for I am a reasonably normal human being and have little patience for frustration, especially my own. However, judging by my few glances at the contents page and chapters excitingly titled 'Sport, Socialisation and the Family', 'Social Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Sport', 'Sport, Collective Behaviour, and Social Movements' and other similarly captivating names, I can fairly assume that the book would indeed be useful for those studying the aforementioned disciplines - but only those.
Otherwise, the book would most likely bore a reader to tears. That would almost be preferable, in most circumstances, because crying would render the reader unable to see the words.
To be fair, however, if one reads this book, one can expect to learn interesting new phrases such as BIRG Phenomenon, frustration-aggression hypothesis and melting pot theory.
Successfully using these in everyday situations, though, could prove difficult ...
Good luck with this; and good luck reading the book, because you'll need it.
