{"title":"Irvin Muchnick","description":"\u003cp\u003eIrvin Muchnick's works immerse readers in the dynamic world of sports, blending vivid storytelling with a deep appreciation for athletic endeavour. His narratives often explore the complexities and triumphs found within competitive arenas, offering a compelling look at the human spirit in play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether focusing on individual journeys or the broader cultural impact of sports, Muchnick’s writing captures both the intensity and the nuance of the game. Readers can expect engaging tales that celebrate passion, perseverance, and the unpredictable nature of sport.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"pachinko-man-by-irvin-muchnick-9781770418707","title":"Pachinko Man","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDropping into the world of \u003cem\u003eKPop Demon Hunters\u003c\/em\u003e and the “Korean wave” is the first English biography published in the West of professional wrestling superstar Rikidōzan.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe was Japan’s biggest celebrity — second only to the emperor. But his public image was a lie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePachinko Man\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the man behind the myth, and the forces that shaped him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs he pummeled American bad guys in the ring in the 1950s, Rikidōzan was a cultural phenomenon and a symbol of the defeated Japan’s restoration of postwar pride. But his birth name wasn’t actually Mitsuhiro Momota. In a fiercely guarded secret, he was born Kim Sim-rak, part of the persecuted minority from the former imperial occupied territory of Korea. Moreover, he was from \u003cem\u003eNorth\u003c\/em\u003e Korea, the communist bastion locked in Cold War conflict with U.S.-aligned South Korea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePachinko Man\u003c\/em\u003e is a riveting story of this sport’s manipulations of fact and fiction, along with its deceptively important relationship to larger political and cultural forces. Legendary wrestling historian Irvin Muchnick documents the birth of puroresu (Japanese pro wrestling) and its passionate swap of official storylines with the American brand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRikidōzan’s instinctive genius in his genre, along with his huge appetites and human foibles, made for a titanic impact before his 1963 murder by a fellow traveler in the Yakuza, Japan’s organized crime syndicate. For the first time, North American readers can fully grasp the legacy of a man who didn’t just transform a sport — but helped shape a nation’s identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68068909318380,"sku":"9781770418707","price":46.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781770418707-pachinko-man-1.jpg?v=1793820425"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/irvin-muchnick.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}