Thom reviewed Waterman by David Davis
Review of 'Waterman' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
A very good biography and an excellent counterpoint to [b:Jim Thorpe, Original All-American|799553|Jim Thorpe, Original All-American|Joseph Bruchac|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309198519s/799553.jpg|785518]. Both young men were great Olympic athletes bedeviled by amateur status rules, and the color of their skin gave both a greater challenge.
This narrative starts when Hawaii was still independent, her Queen shortly to be overthrown, and ends well after statehood. Primarily the story of Duke, for many the face of Hawaii, this book also touches on history and treatment of the people of the island. It is very well written.
The author states that this book fell together while researching his other book, [b:Showdown at Shepherd's Bush: The 1908 Olympic Marathon and the Three Runners Who Launched a Sporting Craze|13167059|Showdown at Shepherd's Bush The 1908 Olympic Marathon and the Three Runners Who Launched a Sporting Craze|David Davis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1326203738s/13167059.jpg|18346301]. I look forward to reading more from David Davis soon.