Sports Center

Diane Roberts is Professor of English at Florida State University in Tallahassee. She is the author of Dream State: Eight Generations of Swamp Lawyers, Conquistadors, Confederate Daughters, Banana Republicans, and other Florida Wildlife; Faulkner and Southern Womanhood; and The Myth of Aunt Jemima. She is also a journalist, writing op-ed pieces for the New York Times, the New Republic, and the Times of London. She is a political columnist for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida and makes documentaries for BBC Radio in London. She has been a commentator for NPR since 1993 and she writes for the Washington Post. Her newest book, Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America (Harper), tackles the controversies plaguing college athletics, tracing the dubious historical underpinnings of Americans’ most popular sport. Florida State’s football team is always in the headlines, producing Heisman Trophy candidates, winning championships, and, at the same time, dealing with federal investigations into corruption and rape. Writer, professor and conflicted Seminole,  Roberts looks at the problems plaguing her campus in Tallahassee, examining them within the context of college football itself and its significance in American life, and explores how the game shapes our culture.

Doug Merlino is a veteran journalist who has written for Wired, Men's Journal, Legal Affairs, and many other publications. He is author of The Hustle. His latest book, Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts (Bloomsbury USA) brings us a blunt examination of the history, culture, business, and meaning of professional cage fighting. Mixed martial arts is the fastest-growing sport in America; all over the country new gyms are popping up and new viewers are tuning in to UFC matches. Although some dismiss it as brutal combat, its fighters are among the most dedicated athletes in any arena. But MMA also takes a heavy toll on the body, and it's a rare fighter who can earn a living in the sport's top ranks. Beast follows four high-level fighters at the gym American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Author Doug Merlino had unprecedented access, training alongside the men for two years, traveling to their matches, and eating in their homes. Beast is a book for both the uninitiated and the hard-core fan, a fascinating journey into an often misunderstood world.