The End of the Perfect 10: The Making and Breaking of Gymnastics' Top Score ―from Nadia to Now by Dvora Meyers

Title: The End of the Perfect 10: The Making and Breaking of Gymnastics' Top Score ―from Nadia to Now
Author: Dvora Meyers
Genre: Non-fiction (sports)

A great book highlighting the difference in scores for international elite gymnastics competitions now that they have removed the 10.00 based scoring system. I have been searching out more books about the sports that I love as a way to lead up to my celebration of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan this July and August, and this book truly fit this goal!
A brief history of the sport at the top levels, the politics behind the scenes that helped to lead to the scoring changes, and some wonderful chances to relive some of the most amazing moments in Olympic gymnastics history, entwine to make for a wonderful read!
It's not perfect, and the book doesn't avoid dealing with some of the negative aspects of the sport as well, but as it was published just before the Rio Olympics, in July 2016, it does not touch the more recent scandals that the sport has faced.

- Katrina

Check out The End of the Perfect 10 @ the library!

End of the Perfect 10 by Dvora Meyers

In 1976, Nadia Comaneci did the impossible. She performed on the uneven bars so well, she was awarded a score of 10. This was so revolutionary, the score board did not have the option to show a 10. 40 years later we still remember Nadia's name, yet the "Perfect 10" is no longer a possible Olympic score. In 2016 we see Simone Biles doing impossible routines scoring 15.933, and we wonder it means. What happened in gymnastics that something so iconic was changed, and how do we understand the new scores?

Author Dveora Meyers takes a look at the history of gymnastics through the lens of scoring. From what happened before the 1976 Olympics, to 2016, and what this means for the future. The names of the current Olympians are all mentioned, as well as many international and American gymnasts. The focus is on scoring in woman's gymnastics, however it could easily be read as a primer of Olympic Gymnastics from 1976 to 2016 as well. Beyond Olympic gymnastics, NCAA gymnastics is looked at as well due to the fact that they still use the 10 point scoring system.

From four years fans to full quad followers, The End of the Perfect 10 is something all fans of gymnastics should check out.