Sumo: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Japan's National Sport

"The most entertaining and irreverent guide to sumo." -- James Fallows, The Atlantic

Sumo is a fresh and funny introduction to the fascinating world of sumo, Japan's national sport. Author David Benjamin peels away the veneer of sumo as a cultural treasure and reveals it as an action-packed sport populated by superb athletes who employ numerous strategies and techniques to overcome their gargantuan opponents. Sumo provides an engaging, witty, behind-the-scenes look at sumo today.

A complete guide to sumo for both curious novices and long-time fans, you'll learn about:

• The greatest sumo match ever
• The many strategies employed by wrestlers, such as "the Hooker," "the Bulldozer" and "the Matador"
• Sumo's most stunning move
• Why rikishi sometimes throw a match
• The backroom politics that influence who is promoted to the highest ranks
• The "foreign invasion" of sumo and what it means for the sport's future