The Smart Girl’s Guide to Sports / Liz Hartman Musiker (Book)

Author: Liz Hartman Musiker

Published: 2005

A former publicity director at Simon and Schuster, Musiker’s motivation behind writing a book of her own was the revelation that one smartly tossed sports fact is worth as much in a boardroom full of men as a year’s worth of equally smart conversation. A casual, “Jerry Rice was even more amazing than usual,” and Musiker was no longer the invisible woman. “Then the walls came tumbling down,” she writes. Ladies, read the title carefully: this is not a book for smart girls who played sports, love sports, follow sports or have an interest in sports deeper than their lipstick shade. Those with more than a passing interest in the sports she covers-football, baseball, basketball, boxing, hockey, golf and car racing-may take offense to tips like, “Set your sights on a hottie and root for him and his team.” But for the smart girl with a desire to know of what her male counterparts speak, Musiker’s is a book to study prior to the company golf outing. (Don’t know what a dogleg is? You will now.) Women will be comforted by Musiker’s “I’m-learning-along-with-you” writing style, but don’t be fooled: her research and descriptions of the game, as well as useful sections on “Players to Know,” movies to watch, books to read and great moments in sports are top notch. Call it a condensed version of the Sports For Dummies line of books. Only here, Musiker has replaced “Dummies” with “Girls.” Smart girls.