Golf has been called the greatest of all games, but it has also been derided by none other than Mark Twain as nothing more than a good walk spoiled. Traditional teaching holds that golf originated in Scotland around the 15th century. However, there is historical evidence of games similar to golf being played in the low countries of Europe back in the 13th century. Over the many centuries of golf's evolution, the balls used have changed greatly, as have the clubs, the holes, the courses, and the entire game itself. The Historical Dictionary of Golf presents a comprehensive history of the game through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, photos, and over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on places, teams, terminology, and people, including Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sörenstam, Lorena Ochoa, Phil Mickelson, and, of course, Tiger Woods. Appendixes of the members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, the Major Championships of Golf, the International Team Events, and the Professional Tour Awards are also included.

No game has a richer array of terms than golf. As new golfing terms have accumulated, old ones have changed or faded away. This concise yet informative dictionary provides definitions and the etymologies for the extraordinary vocabulary of golf, built up over its five-hundred-year history. To discover the origins of golf and its special language, Peter Davies combed little-known archives on two continents. As his unique contribution to the game, Davies?s enthusiasm and enjoyment of golf are stamped on every page of this authoritative book.

Once on the margins of European empires, notably those of France, England and Spain, then a focus of international rivalries and wars during the 18th century, Canada is now a nation that is front and center in the world's affairs. Canada's emergence as a modern industrial nation and a key player in the resource, commodities, and financial institutions that make up today's world shows many aspects of what ex-colonial powers have gone through_except that compromise and reform rather than revolution and revolt have been the cardinal historical features. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Canada greatly expands on the first edition through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on important persons, places, events, and institutions, as well as on significant political, economic, social, and cultural aspects. This book is an essential guide to the history of Canada.

The nearly 150-year-old sport of cycling had its first competition in France in 1868. Soon afterward, the need arose for purpose-built cycling tracks because of poor road conditions at the time. Racing on blocked off pieces of street or grass soon evolvedinto racing on special tracks called velodromes. This development marked the split into what are still the two main forms of cycling competition: road racing and track racing. Initially, track cycling was more popular in terms of public attention and money to be earned by racers, but this gradually changed in favor of road racing, which has been the most popular form of cycling since at least the end of World War II. The Historical Dictionary of Cycling takes a closer look at the sport, as well asdiscussing the use of bicycles as a means of fitness, touring, and commuting. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, photos, a bibliography, and over 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on cycling's two main disciplines—road and track—as well as brief overviews of the other forms of cycling. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about cycling.

Historical Dictionary of Competitive Swimming examines the sport since its inception as an athletic event through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and appendixes that detail Olympic and World Championships medal winners. The dictionary section contains more than 500 cross-referenced entries on individuals, major competitions, competitive strokes, and countries that have enjoyed significant success in the sport. --Book Jacket.

Motion pictures were first introduced to China in 1896 and today China has become a major player in the film industry. However, the story of how Chinese cinema became what it is today is an exceptionally turbulent one. It encompasses incursions by foreign powers, warfare among contending rulers, the collapse of the Chinese empire, and the massive setback of the Cultural Revolution. The Historical Dictionary of Chinese Cinema covers the history of Chinese cinema from its very beginning in 1896 to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section contains several hundred cross-referenced dictionary entries on films, directors, and historical figures. This book is an excellent access point for anyone interested in Chinese cinema and for scholars interested in investigating ideas for future research.