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Playing to the end
Hardback
€118.90
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- Book Synopsis
- In Playing to the End, Steve Bialostok immerses readers in the vibrant world of the card room at Denver's Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center, where a group of older Black men gather to play dominoes, exchange playful banter known as "talking shit," and cultivate a space of belonging. More than just a game, their gatherings are acts of Black placemaking-resisting cultural erasure, gentrification, and societal marginalization while fostering joy, resilience, and community. Through five years of ethnographic study, Bialostok reveals how these men transform the card room into a sanctuary of identity and defiance, where humor and camaraderie become tools of self-determination. As they navigate the pressures of a changing neighborhood, their interactions affirm the power of play, talk, and collective memory in sustaining Black spaces. Playing to the End is a compelling testament to the significance of these gatherings and the ongoing struggle for autonomy, cultural affirmation, and social connection in an inequitable world.
- About The Author
- Steve Bialostok is a professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming. He is the coeditor of Education and the Risk Society: Theories, Discourse, and Risk Identities in Education Contexts.
- Product Details
-
- ISBN
- 9781496244710
- Format
- Hardback
- Publisher
- University of Nebraska Press, (01 January 2026)
- Number of Pages
- 246
- Language
- English
- Dimensions
- 229 x 152 mm
- Series:
- See all books in this series
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