Key Reading on Leisure
 
Encyclopedia of leisure and outdoor recreation, ed. by John M. Jenkins and John J. Pigram.  Routledge, 2003.  595p bibl index ISBN 0-415-25226-1, $175.00. Reviewed in 2004oct CHOICE.
42-0645  GV11  2003-58529 CIP

Concentrating on the activities of leisure, recreation, and tourism, and emphasizing the concepts, models and theories that characterize this interdisciplinary field, the authors offer entries on historical origins as well as current developments of more than 500 diverse topics–e.g., gambling, privatization, resource management, off-road vehicles, therapeutic recreation, xenophobia. The encyclopedia has an international focus and would be useful to students and researchers in anthropology, cultural studies, ecology, economics, geography, history, political science, and sociology. Wisely, it does not cover sports, a major topic adequately treated elsewhere. Providing detailed, thoughtful coverage of the field’s theoretical and historical underpinnings and its extensive cross-referencing and current bibliographies, this encyclopedia would be a welcome and unique addition to academic libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Academic and research collections. — C. W. Bruns, California State University–Fullerton

Encyclopedia of recreation and leisure in America, ed. by Gary S. Cross.  Thomson-Gale, 2004.  2v bibl index afp ISBN 0-684-31265-4, $240.00. Reviewed in 2005apr CHOICE.
42-4392  GV53  2004-4617 CIP

Part of the “Scribner American Civilization Series,” this is one of the few encyclopedias in the field of recreation, describing the spare-time activities Americans have engaged in from Colonial times to the present. Cross gives special attention to how leisure activities have varied by region, class, ethnicity, gender, and age. Articles written by specialists reflect shifting social, cultural, political, and economic trends in the US. Each article offers cross-references and bibliographies. The “Systematic Outline of Contents” in volume 2 shows the encyclopedia’s conceptual framework, with entries arranged under seven major categories (“Social Development of Leisure,” “Processes: Impact of Technologies,” “Trends,” “People–Identities, Interactions and Institutions,” “Ceremonial Occasions,” “Leisure Sites,” and “Leisure Activities, Past and Present”) and 26 subcategories. Over 200 illustrations depict recreational personalities, activities, locations, and objects. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; secondary, undergraduate, and graduate students; researchers. — J. Cheng, Southern Connecticut State University

Giordano, Ralph G.  Fun and games in twentieth-century America: a historical guide to leisure.  Greenwood, 2003.  304p bibl index afp ISBN 0-313-32216-3, $49.95. Reviewed in 2004may CHOICE.
41-5352  GV53  2003-45533 CIP

Giordano, an architect and adjunct professor of history (College of Staten Island, CUNY), bases this book primarily on secondary sources, but relies too much on such sources as the volumes in Time-Life’s decadal history of the 20th century, This Fabulous Century, and Eliot Asinof’s 1919: America’s Loss of Innocence (1990). The author divides the book into nine chronological chapters and each of these into topical sections, which include “Public Interest,” “Lifestyles,” “Music and Theater,” “Sports and Games,” and a conclusion. The periodicity is broken up by chapters on WW I and WW II. Giordano examines many individual forms of leisure, but coverage of major subjects like radio, amusement parks, theater, and sports is too brief. The volume includes a lot of information, some contextualization and analysis, and about 50 well-chosen photographs. Overall, the material seems quite accurate, except for some errors on dates of sporting events. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. — S. A. Riess, Northeastern Illinois University

A Handbook of leisure studies, ed. by Chris Rojek, Susan M. Shaw, and A.J. Veal.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.  577p bibl index afp ISBN 1-4039-0278-X, $175.00. Reviewed in 2007feb CHOICE.
44-3345  GV14  2006-43215 CIP

Claiming that leisure studies has now come of age as a “coherent field of study,” the editors of this ambitious collection provide a comprehensive survey of the discipline. The contributors, who are from all over the globe, take a postmodern, poststructuralist stance in response both to the “explosion” of leisure in the developed world and to the recent entrenchment of the discipline in the academy (1,400 institutions in 60 countries offer tertiary education in leisure studies). In examining the central subject of the discipline–the purpose and meaning of free time–the book takes on a wide variety of activities and offers numerous perspectives. Sports, the arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation, tourism, hobbies, and pilgrimages, to name a few leisure-time activities, are examined in relation to the media and economic and political power structures and from the viewpoint of environmental sustainability and of inequities in gender, class, race, and ethnicity. A must read for those seeking insights about a dynamic global phenomenon, this useful, timely, comprehensive book lives up to its promise of breadth and depth. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. — S. A. Mason, Concordia University

Hard at play: leisure in America, 1840-1940, ed. by Kathryn Grover.  Massachusetts, 1992.  262p index afp ISBN 0-87023-792-6, $50.00; ISBN 0-87023-793-4 pbk, $16.95. Reviewed in 1993feb CHOICE.
41-5352  GV53  2003-45533 CIP

This eclectic collection of ten original historical essays about leisure in America between 1840-1940, edited by Grover, follows two other edited works she has completed about this era focusing on dining and fitness. Each essay is well written and presented in a scholarly fashion with extensive notations. The diversity of these works reflects the complexity of this subject matter and the varied interests of students of American leisure. True to the period represented these works address the philosophical underpinnings of the play movement as espoused by Gulick and Hall, the overlooked role and function of play in the country school setting, and a literary critic’s examination of play experiences reported in autobiographical works of that era. Two essays examine the emergence of special leisure pursuits “angling and gun sports” whereas, two others focus on the role that new technological advances (roller skates and photography) were playing in Americans’ pursuit of leisure. Also addressed are amusement and celebration, and the resorts that arose from middle-class Protestants’ desire for respectable use of leisure time. Notably, these essays also include important discussions of social class, gender, and ethnicity. Although the only comparability these contributions have is their description and account of America’s pursuits of leisure/play, this and other works like it are significant insofar as there is not a current scholarly journal dedicated to the antecedents of modern leisure. For collections focusing on American history of this era or leisure studies. — B. E. Wicks, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Harris, David.  Key concepts in leisure studies.  Sage Publications, CA, 2005.  275p bibl ISBN 0-7619-7057-6, $99.95. Reviewed in 2005sep CHOICE.
43-0004  Orig

Written by a leading UK theorist in contemporary culture and leisure as an addition to Sage’s “Key Concepts” series, this book provides a readable guide to key debates about the topic. Since the concept of leisure involves a broad range of activities, the book reflects recent developments in leisure studies and encompasses related work in media studies, cultural studies, sports studies, and sociology. Each of the 39 sections consists of a definition, a section outline, guidance for further reading, and cross-references to other concepts in the field (1,500 cross-references in all). This book is essential for all readers interested in leisure studies. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; undergraduates; graduate students. — J. Cheng, Southern Connecticut State University
 
 Ramsay, Hayden.  Reclaiming leisure: art, sport, and philosophy.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.  221p bibl index afp ISBN 1-4039-4703-1, $74.95. Reviewed in 2006nov CHOICE.
44-1462  GV14  2005-42060 CIP

Ramsay (John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne) has written an excellent book on the importance of reflective leisure in a world increasingly dominated by consumer values, making brilliant use of Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophy. Replete with insights about happiness, virtue, sport, reading, television, tourism, the arts, and work, this book is notable for its breadth, depth, and clarity of style. And although postmodernist readers might balk at the idea of assessing consumerist social practices from the perspective of a particular ideal of reflective and moral life (albeit one that is highly playful and filled with joy), these detailed analyses offer readers valuable critical tools. Written with remarkable clarity and succinctness, this book is far more accessible and readable than other works of reclamation such as Charles Taylor’s Sources of the Self (CH, Feb’90, 27-3278), Alisdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue (CH, Feb’82), Linda McQuaig’s All You Can Eat: Lust, Greed, and the Culture of Capitalism (2001), Christopher Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism (CH, May’79), and Jean Baudrillard’s The Consumer Society (1998). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty/researchers. — S. A. Mason, Concordia University

Roberts, Ken.  The leisure industries.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.  230p bibl index ISBN 1-4039-0411-1, $80.00; ISBN 140390412x pbk, $26.95. Reviewed in 2004dec CHOICE.
42-2276  GV188  2003-69647 CIP
 
Roberts (sociology, Univ. of Liverpool, UK) presents a treatise on leisure industries–their origins and development and the pervasive hold they have on contemporary society. Roberts’ previous works–including Leisure (1970), Leisure in Contemporary Society (1999), and Leisure and Life-Style (1989), which he coedited with Anna Olszerska–laid a solid foundation for the present exploration of one of the 21st century’s largest and most rapidly growing industries. The author provides a brief history of the roots of leisure and sport, explores commercial and public-sector leisure services, and delves into government’s special interests and relationship with the industry. Tourism, hospitality, gambling, the arts, the media and popular culture, and the future of the leisure industry and its special partnerships with government are also expertly presented and well referenced. Case studies and discussion of key theoretical concepts that identify the different engines that drive the industry serve to structure the text in a reader-friendly fashion. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Collections supporting leisure studies, leisure and sport management, and sport studies and sociology at the upper-division undergraduate level and above. — M. L. Krotee, North Carolina State University

Rojek, Chris.  Leisure theory: principles and practices.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.  243p bibl  indexes ISBN 140390569X, $85.00; ISBN 1403905703 pbk, $28.95.  Reviewed in 2006jun CHOICE.
43-5957  GV14  CIP

Rojek (sociology and culture, Nottingham Trent Univ., UK) is renowned in the field of leisure studies, and his previous publications include Capitalism and Leisure Theory (CH, Mar’86), Celebrity (2001), and Frank Sinatra (Feb’06, 43-3316).  Intended primarily as a textbook, this volume integrates the study of leisure with a wide variety of theoretical concepts drawn from the social sciences.  The author emphasizes an action approach to leisure analysis that seeks to consolidate motivation, location, and context.  This approach identifies trajectories of behavior that are connected to such factors as gender difference, racial divisions, and economic inequalities.  The context is the axis of power, which is routed in history and conditions location and motivation.  Rojek argues that this theoretical construct is inherently critical, lends itself to empirical testing, and promotes active citizenship by advocating empowerment, inclusion, and justice.  The author is critical of traditional views of leisure as representing freedom and self-determination.  The book examines such topics as life course and generations, power and leisure, regulative mechanisms, location principles, and functions of leisure.  The narrative is unusually engaging, almost conversational in style.  Rojek does a particularly good job of defining terms and concepts.  Summing Up: Highly recommended.  All readers; all levels. — S. A. Riess,  Northeastern Illinois University

 Schor, Juliet B.  The overworked American: the unexpected decline of leisure.  Basic Books, 1992 (c1991).  247p bibl index ISBN 0-465-05433-1, $21.00.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 1992sep CHOICE.
30-0420   HD4904  91-70057   CIP

In The Overworked American, economist Schor presents a lucid argument about the decline of leisure in America. Her argument about the causes and consequences of increasing work hours in America is extremely readable as well as being documented by solid evidence. It is one of those rare volumes that combines the best of the popular and scholarly writing without compromising either. This combination results in a book that is invaluable to graduate and undergraduate students as well as the public at large. A must for all libraries. — T. Juravich, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus
 

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