The First London Olympics: 1908

In the summer that saw the first successful flight of the Zeppelin, a 140 acre site of scrubland in West London was transformed into the White City and a state-of-the-art stadium built to house the first London Olympics. The Olympics were organised by volunteers in just 18 months and at a fraction of the cost of the modern Olympics and yet, just as today, the sport was overshadowed by doping scandals and caused international uproar.

Coinciding with the 100th Anniversary of the first London Olympics, this delightful social and sporting history provides a thought-provoking contrast to the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games.

Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

Publisher: Piatkus Books