Amazoncom body politic the great american sports machine 9780803260320 shields david lipsyte robert books. In body politic david shields looks at contemporary america through the lens of professional and college sports the result is an unusually insightful and provocative book about empire in denialthe sporting arena is effectively our national cathedral the place where we gather to study our national mythology. In body politic david shields looks at contemporary america and its mythology through the lens of professional and college sports the result is an unusually insightful and provocative book about an empire in denial shields relentlessly examines the way we tell our sports stories both fictional and nonfictional considers the kinds of athletes we choose as heroes and delineates the . In body politic the great american sports machine critically acclaimed sportswriter essayist and novelist david shields focuses on race and cultural relations as observed in the medias portrayal and myth building of sports particularly professional basketball and baseballalthough no sustaining contention ties the chapters of the book together shields attempts to explain the place in . Body politic the great american sports machine 2004 lucidates superbly the paradox of sports coverage although feats of the body seem to defy language sports is nonetheless imprisoned by its prevailing rhetoric piercing essays