The Other Olympians

The Other Olympians is a stunning addition to queer and sports history, an inspiring and cinematic account of perseverance, identity, activism, and, ultimately, joy. Michael Waters has achieved what all great historians aim to do: changing our understanding of the present by illuminating the hidden stories of the past. * Eric Cervini, Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author of The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America *
Waters masterfully puts into focus the long-overlooked, yet remarkable stories of a cadre of Olympians who battled for their right to compete on the world’s biggest stage as their true selves. A crucial read for anyone interested in the intersection of sports, identity, and social justice. * Neal Bascomb, author of The Perfect Mile *
Michael Waters’s account of queer athletes caught up in the global drama of 'Hitler’s Olympics', and its overlapping fanaticisms of racial and gender purity, feels as remote as a folk tale and as familiar as today’s Title IX battles. This is first-rate history — impressively researched and captivatingly told. * Sam Tanenhaus, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography *
Deeply researched and evocatively written, Michael Waters's The Other Olympians impressively interweaves the lives of early 20th century trans and gender non-conforming athletes with the history of the modern Olympics, the rise of European mid-century fascism, and our complicated - and often nonsensical - attempts to define and regulate sex, gender, and the multitudinous human body. The Other Olympians adds crucial prehistory to understanding our modern thinking on gender and athletics. * Hugh Ryan, author of When Brooklyn Was Queer *
A riveting and important work of history. Michael Waters performs an Olympian act of storytelling, using the stories of these extraordinary athletes to explore in brilliant detail the struggle for understanding and equality. The Other Olympians is a book of great originality, deeply researched and beautifully written. * Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life *