Encyclopedia Of Recreation And Leisure In America

Discussed how Americans spend their free time and entertain themselves. Essays present perspectives in the fields of American and cultural studies, sociology, recreation, sports, leisure studies, auctions, bloodsports, shopping malls, and theme parks.

Edited by leading authorities, this key reference reflects the multidisciplinary nature of its subject. It is an essential resource for teaching, an invaluable companion to independent study, and a solid starting point for wider subject exploration.

Discussed how Americans spend their free time and entertain themselves. Essays present perspectives in the fields of American and cultural studies, sociology, recreation, sports, leisure studies, auctions, bloodsports, shopping malls, and theme parks.

Leisure activities undertaken in nature are immensely popular. This book examines the new serious leisure concept of nature challenge activity (NCA), exploring how NCA unfolds in an aesthetically appealing natural environment with implications for consumption and environmental sustainability.

Focusing on new reference sources published since 2008 and reference titles that have retained their relevance, this new edition brings O’Gorman’s complete and authoritative guide to the best reference sources for small and medium-sized academic and public libraries fully up to date.

What do Texans' pastimes and recreations say about their characters? Looking at Texas history from a new angle, David McComb starts from the premise that how people spend their leisure time may well reveal more about their true natures and interests than the work they do or their family connections. In this innovative book, McComb traces the history of various types of recreation in Texas, gathering significant insights into the characters of Texans from the pleasures they have pursued. Reflecting the frontier origins of Texas, McComb starts with the recreations that were most popular with men in a crude, still-developing society—drinking, gambling, and whoring. He goes on to show how, as Texas became more civilized, so did its diversions. He describes how Texans have connected with nature in parks and zoos; watched football and baseball in great stadiums such as the Astrodome and Cotton Bowl; discovered the pleasure of reading in public and university libraries; and enjoyed radio, TV, movies, and live theater in places such as Houston's Alley Theatre. This recreational history reveals that Texans are open-minded and generous; that they respect the land; oppose prostitution but indulge in gambling and drinking; support racial and gender rights; love zoos; champion libraries; take pride in theatrical productions; and adore sports.

In this sweeping social history Dorceta E. Taylor examines the emergence and rise of the multifaceted U.S. conservation movement from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century. She shows how race, class, and gender influenced every aspect of the movement, including the establishment of parks; campaigns to protect wild game, birds, and fish; forest conservation; outdoor recreation; and the movement's links to nineteenth-century ideologies. Initially led by white urban elites—whose early efforts discriminated against the lower class and were often tied up with slavery and the appropriation of Native lands—the movement benefited from contributions to policy making, knowledge about the environment, and activism by the poor and working class, people of color, women, and Native Americans. Far-ranging and nuanced, The Rise of the American Conservation Movement comprehensively documents the movement's competing motivations, conflicts, problematic practices, and achievements in new ways.

True to the spirit of the all-American athlete and our society's seemingly endless pursuit of and passion for leisure activities is Sports & Recreation Fads. This readable and fascinating reference book highlights some of the most notable as well as some long-forgotten pastimes and personalities. Sporting and recreation events have thrived in the United States for more than two centuries. Just about every sport and recreation embraced from Colonial America to the present has had its faddish aspects. The fascinating introduction provides a basic understanding of the importance of fads in the development of sports and recreation. No book on sports fads would be complete without several chapters on baseball, and this exciting volume is no different--Hank Aaron's 715th home run, baseball card collecting, Mark “the Bird” Fidrych's shining season with the Detroit Tigers, Bo Jackson's double career, Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier, and Pete Rose's gambling troubles--a true slice of Americana, the best and the worst of our favorite pastime! From the controversial people and events in professional athletics--Mohammed Ali, Joe Namath, Mike Tyson, the “battle of the sexes” between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, the “Black Sox Scandal,” and the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, to the heroes--Charles Atlas, Joe Louis, and Babe Ruth, Hoffmann and Bailey illustrate the often fickle and sometimes enduring interest that Americans have for sports figures and their games. This informative and entertaining book also examines our personal quest for fitness, our devotion to automobiling, and our love of games, including bridge, charades, crossword puzzles, Monopoly, Dungeons & Dragons, Scrabble, and Trivial Pursuit. Sports &Recreation Fads is a handy guide to our favorite leisure activities of the last 200 years.