The Sons of Westwood Named Outstanding Title of 2014

Posted January 6, 2015

John Smith’s first book, The Sons of Westwood, has been selected as one of Choice’s Outstanding Academic Titles of 2014.

The Sons of Westwood: John Wooden, UCLA, and the Dynasty that Changed College Basketball tells the story of the most significant college basketball program at a pivotal period in American cultural history, weaving together a story of sports and politics in an era of social and cultural upheaval. It is the story of America's culture wars played out on the basketball court, at a time when college students and college athletes joined the civil rights movement, demonstrated against the Vietnam War, and rejected the dominant Cold War culture

The prestigious list reflects the best titles reviewed by Choice in 2014 and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community. The designation is reserved for what amounts to one percent of all academic titles published for the year and is awarded based on a series of selection criteria including distinction as a first treatment of a given subject, value to students and library collections, and overall excellence in presentation and scholarship.

John Matthew Smith, assistant professor in the School of History, Technology, and Society, is a historian of the twentieth century United States, specializing in race, sports, and popular culture.  He is also the undergraduate adviser for the new Sports, Society, and Technology (SST) program at Georgia Tech.