Gifts for the Geopolitically Curious Sports Fan

We look forward to the holiday season for a few extra days off, perhaps a chance to indulge in some leisure reading by a calming fireplace or in a bustling airport terminal. And, of course, there are gifts to be given, both to loved ones and to one's self. Toward that end, it is the holiday pleasure of the Geopolitics of Sports team to share our holiday recommendations with you. Our list is made up almost entirely of books, but we don't think that's a bad thing. Although these types of lists tend to serve up recent offerings, we've decided to take a slightly different approach, focusing primarily on selections that could become the building blocks of a sports-flavored geopolitical library. If you've enjoyed our columns during this feature's rookie year, we expect you'll find something below that stimulates, enlightens and even entertains....