James Zug

Updated and with a new afterword from the author, this definitive history of squash by journalist James Zug is a must-read for squash lovers and sports history buffs alike, capturing the evolution of one of America’s greatest games. Step into the fast-paced world of squash with this ultimate deep dive into one of America’s fastest-growing sports. This newly updated edition of Squash packs in fresh stories and insights, charting the racquet sport’s evolution. From its scrappy beginnings in the 1850s, when English schoolboys invented the game in alleys and yards, to its arrival on US soil in 1884, squash has grown into a global phenomenon. Award-winning journalist James Zug takes readers on a fascinating journey, exploring defining moments like the pivotal shift in the 1990s from the one court size to another, a change that propelled the US to international squash dominance. The game has over 1.6 million players in this country, a growing presence in schools and colleges, and is on the brink of its next big milestone—making its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Packed with vibrant profiles of squash legends, Zug’s narrative goes beyond the court. He uncovers the game’s rich cultural roots, tracing its elite origins and its expansion into public and commercial clubs. Along the way, he captures the passion, drama, and camaraderie that make squash so much more than just a sport. In the tradition of iconic sports histories like David Halberstam’s The Amateurs, Squash isn’t just for players—it’s for anyone who loves a great story. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or curious newcomer to the game, this is your definitive guide to the lasting legacy of squash.

In this fascinating history of the "Guardian", South Africa's famous anti-apartheid newspaper, James Zug tells the story of a political publication that not only reported events but also helped to shape them. Between 1937 and 1963, the "Guardian" was the sole voice of dissent in the South African media, and Zug shows us how it played an essential role in the struggle to end apartheid. Combining a scholar's attention to facts with a journalist's sense of the dramatic, Zug recreates a tumultuous and dangerous era. The newspaper's telephones were tapped, articles were censored, and staff members were jailed and deported. The apartheid regime banned the paper three times, charged it with high treason, and could only silence it completely, in 1963, by placing the entire staff under house arrest. As Zug explains, the "Guardian" persisted through the harassment and torment because the paper's staff knew the significance of their work: "We not only record the struggle for freedom, we are actively participating in it." When wages were kept low, when workers went on strikes, and when fascism reared its head in South Africa, the "Guardian" spoke up. At its height, the paper sold more than 50,000 copies a week nationally, with four bureaus across the country. As Nelson Mandela, head of the African National Congress (ANC), led the movement to end apartheid, he issued messages through the paper. Perhaps the newspaper's most significant accomplishment, Zug writes, was uniting the ANC and the South African Communist Party. The "Guardian" translated Marxism into an African idiom for the ANC, bringing together the two factions that propelled the liberation struggle into a mass movement. This highly readable work is more than a perceptive look at an influential paper. It is a testament to the power of the printed word in ending injustice and changing the course of history.

This definitive history of squash by journalist James Zug is a must-read for squash lovers and sports history buffs alike, capturing the evolution of one of America’s greatest games. Step into the fast-paced world of squash with this ultimate deep dive into one of America’s fastest-growing sports. This newly updated edition of Squash packs in fresh stories and insights, charting the racquet sport’s evolution. From its scrappy beginnings in the 1850s, when English schoolboys invented the game in alleys and yards, to its arrival on US soil in 1884, squash has grown into a global phenomenon. Award-winning journalist James Zug takes readers on a fascinating journey, exploring defining moments like the pivotal shift in the 1990s from the one court size to another, a change that propelled the US to international squash dominance. The game has over 1.6 million players in this country, a growing presence in schools and colleges, and is on the brink of its next big milestone—making its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Packed with vibrant profiles of squash legends, Zug’s narrative goes beyond the court. He uncovers the game’s rich cultural roots, tracing its elite origins and its expansion into public and commercial clubs. Along the way, he captures the passion, drama, and camaraderie that make squash so much more than just a sport. In the tradition of iconic sports histories like David Halberstam’s The Amateurs, Squash isn’t just for players—it’s for anyone who loves a great story. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or curious newcomer to the game, this is your definitive guide to the lasting legacy of squash.