An indispensable reference for over 130 years, Whitaker's Almanack is filled with meticulous research and authoritative information on what's-what and who's-who in the world today. It aims to provide everything the reader might conceivably wish to know in a world driven by information.

The Olympic Movement began with the Ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Greece on the Peloponnesus peninsula at Olympia, Greece. It is not clear why the Greeks instituted this quadrennial celebration in the form of an athletic festival. The recorded history of the Ancient Olympic Games begins in 776 B.C., although it is suspected that the Games had been held for several centuries by that time. The Games were conducted as religious celebrations in honor of the god Zeus, and it is known that Olympia was a shrine to Zeus from about 1000 B.C. In modern time The Olympic Movement attempts to bring all the nations of the world together in a series of multisport festivals, the Olympic Games, seeking to use sport as a means to promote internationalism and peace. This fifth edition of Historical Dictionary of The Olympic Movement covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1000 cross-referenced entries on the history, philosophy, and politics of the Olympics, major organizations, the various sports, the participating countries, and especially the athletes. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about The Olympic Movement.

With the sporting world still on a high following the triumphant 2012 Games in London, The Official History of the Olympic Games and the IOC gives an unparalleled account of the Olympic story from its beginnings in Athens 1894 to the present day, including an in-depth account of the London Olympics. This lavishly illustrated story covers the re-creation of the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin, the often controversial fortunes of the governing body, formed in 1894, and the highs and lows of the Olympics themselves since the first Games in 1896. It also tells the stories of the historic competitors – from Spyridon Louis (the inaugural marathon winner) and such heroes as Jim Thorpe, Paavo Nurmi, Sonja Henie, Jesse Owens, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Emil Zátopek, Herb Elliott, Kip Keino, Mark Spitz, Franz Klammer, Sebastian Coe and Carl Lewis through to Hicham El Guerrouj, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Yu-na Kim and Mo Farah. Detailed background is provided to the many crises: the Nazi Games of 1936; the massacre at Mexico City in 1968; the terrorist slaughter of Israelis at the 1972 Munich Games; the boycotts; the advent of professionals from 1988; and the Ben Johnson scandal and the ongoing threat of drug abuse. The mounting million-dollar investment by medal-obsessed nations is also questioned. This elaborate analysis is the definitive account of the world’s foremost sporting spectacle. This, the final volume of three ebooks, covers the modern era (1984-2012), including this year's London Olympics.