Today We Die a Little: The Rise and Fall of Emil Zátopek, Olympic Legend. Signed by the Author. First Printing

Askwith, Richard

ISBN 10: 0224100343 / ISBN 13: 9780224100342

Published by London. Yellow Jersey Press/Vintage, 2016

About this Item

London. Yellow Jersey Press/Vintage. 2016. First Edition/First Printing ( full number line including 1 on the copyright page). Hard Cover.  Demy 8vo 8¾" x 5½"(221x 142mm). 233 pp. Scarlet boards with full height dark blue lettering of Zatopek to both boards. White titles to the spine panel. Signed by the author 'with best wishes' direct to the title page. Light bumping to two corners. No other wear. Reverse of jacket is slightly marked and theres is a little creasing along the top edge which is minor. Book and unclipped jacket at £16.99 are near fine. No runner has generated myth like Emil Zátopek, the Czechoslovakian soldier who revolutionised distance running after World War II. The minutiae of his victories and training methods, the poignant details of his generosity and downfall all have been endlessly repeated and reinvented, but the full truth never told. Based on extensive research in the Czech Republic and with unparalleled access to Zátopek's family and friends, particularly his widow, fellow Olympian Dana Zátopková, Today We Die A Little evokes not just an extraordinary man but a glorious age of athletics and a dramatic period in European history. It strips away the myths to tell the complex and deeply moving story of the most inspiring Olympic hero of them all. The dust jacket will be protected with a new inert archival Brodart sleeve which is removable. Please contact us if you would like any more information or additional images. Postage price quoted outside the UK is for a book up to 1kg using UPS or Transglobal Express. For books sent within the UK, there will be no extra charge for books up to 2kg which are sent by Royal Mail. Postage quoted in the UK is the actual cost (£3.45). All books are sent in protective packing and custom book box. If your book is intended as a gift, please let us know and we will gift wrap it free of charge with a card and any message.

Seller Inventory # 25FEB23003

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Today We Die a Little: The Rise and Fall of Emil Zátopek, Olympic Legend. Signed by the Author. First Printing
• Publisher: London. Yellow Jersey Press/Vintage
• Publication Date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0224100343
• ISBN 13: 9780224100342
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Weight: 700 grams
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)

About this title

Synopsis

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDThe definitive biography of one of the greatest, most extraordinary runners and Olympic heroes of all time, from the author of running classic Feet in the Clouds .On the track, his running made him a legend; off it, his charisma and humanity made him a hero. No runner has generated myth like Emil Zátopek, the Czechoslovakian soldier who revolutionised distance running after World War II. The minutiae of his victories and training methods, the poignant details of his generosity and downfall – all have been endlessly repeated and reinvented, but the full truth never told.Zátopek won five Olympic medals, set 18 world records, and went undefeated over 10,000 metres for six years. He redefined the boundaries of endurance, training in Army boots, in snow, in sand, in darkness. But his toughness was matched by a spirit of friendship and a joie de vivre that transcended the darkest days of the Cold War.His triumphs put his country on the map, yet when Soviet tanks moved in to crush Czechoslovakia’s new freedoms in 1968, Zátopek paid a heavy price for his brave stance as a champion of ‘socialism with a human face’. Expelled from the Army, he was condemned to years of degrading manual labour, far from his home and his adored wife. Rehabilitated two decades later, he was a shadow of the man he had been – and the world had all but forgotten him.Based on extensive research in the Czech Republic and with unparalleled access to Zátopek's family and friends, particularly his widow, fellow Olympian Dana Zátopková, Today We Die A Little evokes not just an extraordinary man but a glorious age of athletics and a dramatic period in European history. It strips away the myths to tell the complex and deeply moving story of the most inspiring Olympic hero of them all.

About the Author

Richard Askwith is a journalist for The Independent and author of two books: Running Free and Feet in the Clouds. The latter won Best New Writer at the British Sports Book Awards, was shortlisted for the William Hill Prize, and was named one of the three best running books of all time by Runner's World.