SKU: 40588942041

Games of deception : the true story of the first U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 1936 Olympic in Hitler's Germany

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Games of deception : the true story of the first U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 1936 Olympic in Hitler's Germany*"Rivaling the nonfiction works of Steve Sheinkin and Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat. Even readers who don't appreciate sports will find this story a page turner." School Library Connection, starred review *"A must for all library collections." Booklist, starred review Winner of the 2020 AJL Sydney Taylor Honor! From the New York Times bestselling author of Strong Inside comes the remarkable true story of the birth of Olympic basketball at

*"Rivaling the nonfiction works of Steve Sheinkin and Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat....Even readers who don't appreciate sports will find this story a page-turner." --School Library Connection, starred review

*"A must for all library collections." --Booklist, starred review

Winner of the 2020 AJL Sydney Taylor Honor!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Strong Inside comes the remarkable true story of the birth of Olympic basketball at the 1936 Summer Games in Hitler's Germany. Perfect for fans of The Boys in the Boat and Unbroken.


On a scorching hot day in July 1936, thousands of people cheered as the U.S. Olympic teams boarded the S.S. Manhattan, bound for Berlin. Among the athletes were the 14 players representing the first-ever U.S. Olympic basketball team. As thousands of supporters waved American flags on the docks, it was easy to miss the one courageous man holding a BOYCOTT NAZI GERMANY sign. But it was too late for a boycott now; the ship had already left the harbor.

1936 was a turbulent time in world history. Adolf Hitler had gained power in Germany three years earlier. Jewish people and political opponents of the Nazis were the targets of vicious mistreatment, yet were unaware of the horrors that awaited them in the coming years. But the Olympians on board the S.S. Manhattan and other international visitors wouldn't see any signs of trouble in Berlin. Streets were swept, storefronts were painted, and every German citizen greeted them with a smile. Like a movie set, it was all just a facade, meant to distract from the terrible things happening behind the scenes.

This is the incredible true story of basketball, from its invention by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891, to the sport's Olympic debut in Berlin and the eclectic mix of people, events and propaganda on both sides of the Atlantic that made it all possible. Includes photos throughout, a Who's-Who of the 1936 Olympics, bibliography, and index.

Praise for Games of Deception:

A 2020 ALA Notable Children's Book!
A 2020 CBC Notable Social Studies Book!

"Maraniss does a great job of blending basketball action with the horror of Hitler's Berlin to bring this fascinating, frightening, you-can't-make-this-stuff-up moment in history to life." -Steve Sheinkin, New York Times bestselling author of Bomb and Undefeated

"I was blown away by Games of Deception....It's a fascinating, fast-paced, well-reasoned, and well-written account of the hidden-in-plain-sight horrors and atrocities that underpinned sports, politics, and propaganda in the United States and Germany. This is an important read." -Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Newbery Honor winning author of Hitler Youth

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SKU: 40588942041

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Vinnae
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Easy to install
Size: 23.6 Inch, Color: White, Size: 23.6 Inch, Color: White
This product exceeded my expectations. The installation process was incredibly straightforward—even for someone with little to no experience—and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Once installed, it feels very sturdy and secure, with no wobbling or shifting at all. You can tell it’s well-designed and made with quality materials. I also appreciated how quickly I was able to set everything up without needing any extra tools or help. Overall, it’s a reliable, user-friendly product that I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for something dependable and easy to install. Drill is required though.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2026
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Mac
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
It holds up weight
Size: 23.6 Inch, Color: White
Nice boards. I will order again
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2026
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Dania La Rosa
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 1
Don't buy
Size: 23.6 Inch, Color: White
The shelf is very flimsy and not sturdy at all. It feels unstable and poorly made. Definitely not worth the money, I wouldn’t recommend wasting your time or money on this product.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2026
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Chris
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Looks Great with a Couple of Modifications
Turned out nice. I would say for the price, it's great quality and took about 45 mins to assemble, but I was also taking my time and using a screw gun. I wouldn't assemble everything by hand. Maybe to get the machined screws started by hand but everything else use a screw gun or drill. 1 thing to look out for: The light strip has a piece of it's stickers that is longer on the one end. I think that's so you can move the light strip over and then the end with the cord on it can be routed threw the top of the wooden side panel, then down on the outside of the shelf. As you can see in my video, I had to route it down on the inside of the shelf because the part that connects the power cord to the led strip landed right where 2 wood panels need to be screwed together. This might seem confusing in this review, but lay down the light strip 1st and then you might understand what I mean. The way mine turned out is still OK, but as you can see the power button control has to be mounted on the inside and you'll see it. Not a big deal for me, but that's not the way I wanted it to begin with. Also, I hated that the cord was white. I just put a couple coats of black spray paint and it looks a lot better.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2025
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Billy Avina
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Just get it don't hesitate
Size: 8.6"D x 23.6"W x 33.8"H, Color: Black
It's really nice and bold looking
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Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2026

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