Customer Reviews

Temples of the Earthbound Gods: Stadiums in the Cultural Landscapes of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires

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I was expecting a tightly focused work addressing soccer stadiums in Brazil. While it was certainly that, it was so much more. I'd recommend this read for anyone headed down to Rio or B.A.; soccer ultimately defines the culture there, so to say this is a book simply about soccer stadiums would be missing the point. It's a book about the culture, evolution, and broader global acceptance of Brazil itself, so entwined with the beautiful game that the two cannot be separated. Dr. Gaffney's captured the essence of this on all fronts, throwing some welcome curveballs and a nicely-original writing style into the mix as well, while also speaking to the casual observer who may simply want a reading companion on their travels. I would give any thoughtful acquaintance (regardless of their interest in soccer) traveling that direction this book, nearly labeling it armchair travel, but with the huge caveat that it will provide much more than that.

This book is very simply eye opening. It completely changed the way I now look at stadiums and sporting events. I have always been interested in urban population patterns but had never considered the significance of sports. Gaffney shows first how important sports can be to defining a people and how the stadium becomes the mechanism through which this happens. He goes onto examine the rituals that take place in these "temples" in a way I had never considered. He uses various famous stadiums to make his point, but readers can't help but apply his principles and ideas to every event they go to for the rest of their lives. Best of all, it's entertaining to read. A must buy.

Wow: a book about sports that moves well beyond the usual obsessions of fame, personality and money. Delving deeply in the substance and subalterns of life, Dr Gaffney's storytelling and arguments sweeps up jocks, travelers, students, academics and visionaries alike. Highly recommended.

Since we have all been to stadiums but have never thought much about them, this book fills an important gap in our collective consciousness about the mundane world we inhabit. Gaffney provides a great introduction to the long trajectory of stadiums in human cultures before explaining the historical, political, cultural, and geographic trajectories of stadiums and their crazy manifestations in South America. Even though it is focused on two cities in Brazil and Argentina, what he talks about is easily applicable to any stadium, anytime, anywhere. A must read for the casual and dedicated sports fan, or for those who want some more insight into an underexamined element of global culture.

Gaffney captures the spirit of sport and place in a lucidly written book. The first chapter draws the reader into the body of the work. As I read, I was taken by the way in which the author explores the layers of complexity with confident analyses that respect the beautiful game and those who watch it. Well worth a look.