Simon Barnes, well-known as the chiefsports writer for The Times, gives us 50portraits of great sportsmen and womenof the second half of the 20th and thebeginning of the 21st century. This collection of short pieces tellshow succeeding decades have witnessedthe arrival of some extraordinary athletes. In the 1960sthere was the American long-jumper Bob Beamon. Then in the 1970s came Muhammad Ali, whosesuccess coincided with moves towards greater freedom inthe USA. The following decade saw the triumph of MartinaNavratilova, who became the predominant figure inwomen's tennis. The most extraordinary sportingpersonality of the 1990s was Eric Cantona, the footballerfrom Marseille who made hearts beat faster in 80OLYMPIC REVIEWManchester. The unforgettable style of virtuoso tennisplayer Roger Federer left an indelible impression on thefirst decade of the new century. Among the Olympic athletes Barnes discusses are, inchronological order, Abebe Bikila, Tommie Smith, FlorenceGriffith-Joyner, Katarina Witt, Steve Redgrave, Usain Boltand Yelena Isinbaeva. Simon Barnes' recollections andinsights make this an unmissable sporting blockbuster. Left Simon Barnes looks at the memorableachievements of several Olympians, such as tennis starRoger FedererDOPING'S NEMESISArne Ljungqvist. Published by:SportsBooks, 2011, ISBN:9781899807994, 264 pages, English"I always regard doping as cancer in sport.Doping has no place in sport," said ArneLjungqvist, the current president of the IOC's MedicalCommission and vice-president of the World Anti-DopingAgency (WADA). In his autobiography, Ljungqvist looks back on 40 years of experience in the fight against the useof drugs in sport. This former athlete, who representedSweden in the high jump at the 1952 Olympic Games inHelsinki, has spent half his life in the anti-doping campaign.In telling his life story, Ljungqvist also recalls some of theenquiries he has led, including the case of Ben Johnson atthe Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 and, more recently, that of Marion Jones. This is not only an autobiography but alsoan account of how the anti-doping campaign has developedsince the 1970s: from the growing awareness of the adverse effects of performance-enhancing drugs on athletes' health, via the creation of WADA in 1999, to thevery latest detection technology. The author concludes by applauding the progress made internationally. He isencouraged by the results of tests carried out at the BeijingGames in 2008, which suggest that doping is in decline. He is also confident in the ability to detect what makes upthe next big threat: gene technology.LE PARCOLYMPIQUE DEMONTRÉAL: LE BÉTON SUBLIMÉAlain Orlandini. Published by:SOMOGY Édition d'art, 2011,ISBN: 9782757204290, 185 pages, FrenchThe sports complex designed for the 1976 Montreal OlympicGames is regarded as a masterpiece of 20th centuryarchitecture. Indeed, the "exemplary application of the mostemblematic scientific and technological developments of theperiod" marked the Olympic Park as an architecturalmilestone. We learn from this book that the project owedmuch to the friendship between the Mayor of Montreal, Jean Drapeau, and the French avant-garde architect, Roger Taillibert. In a series of lavishly illustrated chapters theauthor presents the reader with an overall vision of the park,on which work began on 28 April 1973. One by one heexplores the various features of the Olympic Park: thestadium, the retractable roof, the swimming centre, thevelodrome and, of course, the famous tower - a genuine feat, which was not completed until 11 years after theGames. At a height of 175 metres it has become thearchitectural symbol of the city. Despite being staged in ahalf-built stadium, the Olympic Games were a resoundingsuccess and witnessed some wonderful achievements,including the extraordinary performance of the gymnastNadia Comaneci. Today, the Olympic Park is a definite must-see for the thousands of Canadian and foreign tourists visiting Montreal every year. Its weird and wonderful architecture can best be appreciated from the top of the tower. INTERNATIONALISM IN THE OLYMPICMOVEMENT: IDEA ANDREALITY BETWEENNATIONS, CULTURES, AND PEOPLEHolger Preuss... [et al.]. Published by: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2011, ISBN:9783531180007, 160 pages, EnglishWhen Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern OlympicGames, he believed that "internationalism" in sport couldhelp bring down national barriers and create friendshipsbetween athletes through competition. Today, the modernOlympic Movement prefers the word "universality" to"internationalism". The Olympic Games have now become aworldwide means of communication between very differentcommunities. This book is a compilation of 12 articles, whichprovide a comprehensive analysis of the many and variedaspects of internationalism: cultural, historical, social,professional and institutional. It is a worthwhile aid to thedevelopment of internationalism through Olympic sport or atOlympic youth camps. Articles include The Olympic Rings asa Brand and Symbol for Internationalism -A North AmericanPerspectiveby Benoit Séguin; Internationalism in OlympicEducation? A European Comparisonby Roland Naul; andOlympic Youth and New Media: The Global Olympic Villageby Roy Panagiotopoulou.Selection proposed by the IOC Library, Olympic Studies Centre, 1, Quai d'Ouchy, P.O. Box 1001, Lausanne, Switzerland.Tel. +41 (0)21 621 66 11; Fax +41(0)21 621 67 18. Visit www.olympic.org/library to learn more about our services.SIMON BARNES. PUBLISHED BY: SHORTBOOKS, 2010, ISBN: 9781907595011; 329 PAGES, ENGLISHA BOOK OFHEROES OR A SPORTINGHALF-CENTURY