SPORTS & RECREATION

Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life Through the Games We Love

by Gotham Chopra & Joe Levin
Atria. Dec. 2023. 256p. ISBN 9781501198090. $27.99. SPORTS
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Chopra, an Emmy Award–winning sports documentarian, and writer Levin, hypothesize that the process of becoming a superstar fan or player in a sport is similar to the process of conversion to a faith or religion. This book outlines and describes how nearly all the steps toward improvement and mastery in a sport are those that may also occur in a spiritual-type conversion. The comparison is fascinating, and among the book’s chapters are “Baptism,” “Transcendence,” “Reformation,” and “Afterlife.” As the son of spiritualist Deepak Chopra, Gotham Chopra has many delightful personal experiences to share. He also recounts several interviews that led to personal friendships with some sports stars, including Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant.
VERDICT Fans of most sports and readers of varied interests and levels of spirituality will find humor, insight, and wisdom in Chopra and Levin’s book. It’s very readable and highly recommended.
Reviewed by Steve Dixon , Dec 01, 2023
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