"Not every sports book opens with a tale of combatting cobras in imperial India--but then, not every sports book is as original, informative, and entertaining as this one. Jonathan Gelber deploys medical knowledge and skillful storytelling to examine how the ripples of sporting injuries and tragedies can reach into broader society, prompting a search for solutions and cures that can have unintended and far-reaching consequences." --Kieran Mulvaney, co-host of Showtime Boxing podcast "Dr. Gelber has given us a fascinating read on the far-reaching ripple effects of some of the most notable sports injuries and tragedies in history--the ones that touch you and me and everyone else. Jonathan Gelber's careful, Freakonomics-like approach reveals truths that most of us never knew existed." -- Lars Anderson, New York Times best-selling author and longtime Sports Illustrated writer "A fascinating look at all sorts of big stories throughout the history of sports because it broaches many threads beneath them in ways most that may be familiar with the topic don't realize some of the context. It takes you down a lot of different thought-provoking rabbit holes." --Bruce Feldman, college football reporter for FOX Sports and The Athletic ; author of Meat Market: Inside the Smash-mouth World of College Football Recruiting "Extremely well-researched book written by a qualified orthopedic surgeon who turns to history to show how injuries and tragedies in sports dramatically transformed athletes, their sports, and society.

If you like sports--and care about athletes--it's a must-read." --Eddie Dominguez, author of Baseball Cop: The Dark Side of America's National Pastime.