The Olympic Games, summer and winter, transfix humanity every time the torch is lit. With athletes from every country in the world eligible to compete in up to 300 athletic events in as many as 28 different sports, the potential for human drama is endless. Episodes outside of the competition – the scandals, international incidents, political maneuverings, and the occasional over-the-top costume during the opening ceremony –only add to the richness and lore of this spectacular tradition. With so much information to process, and so many events to track each time the Games are staged, the scale of it all can be overwhelming.

The Olympics For Beginners provides clear, concise and amusing assessments of the key elements of the Games. It travels back in time to look at the original Greek Games, leads the reader on a brisk tour of the modern Olympic movement, simplifies the rules and regulations of the summer and winter competitions, and shines a spotlight on many dazzling high points, such as Jesse Owens’ triumph in the 1936 Berlin Games. The book also replays infamous low points, from the tragic – the 1972 massacre of Israeli athletes in Munich – to the downright pathetic: Tonya Harding.

Author Brandon Toropov and illustrator Joe Lee showcase the Olympics’ remarkable hold on the global imagination in a fun, accessible and memorable illustrated format. Whether you’re one of the billions who is obsessed with this one-of-a-kind spectacle, or you’re simply curious to learn what the fuss is all about, The Olympics For Beginners is for you.