"Impressive... This study is vital reading for parents and educators interested in how the American idea of winners and losers is trickling down to the next generation." Publishers Weekly "If you are interested in after-school activities and the future prospects of the children who participate in them, Playing to Win by Hilary Levey Friedman is a must-read. An astute, well-researched and clearly written account, the book examines the ins and outs of today's competitive youth culture across three different arenas: chess, soccer and dance." Brain, Child "Given the considerable competitive pressure on even young children to prepare for elite colleges and lucrative careers, this study is timely and provocative...Nonspecialists who have read both Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and Lenore Skenazy's Free-Range Kids: How To Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry ) may find it of interest." Library Journal "In leading up to her examination of the characteristics and motivations of modern-day chess families, Friedman delights lovers of of historical and global context by tracking the evolution of competitive chess among young people in the United States." Chess Life "Top 12 Must-Read Education Books ... Harvard sociologist Friedman follows children involved in chess, dance and soccer, showing the differences among these sub-groups, how and why these competitive activities work and the resulting implications for inequality and gender in the educational system."
Alison Krupnick, ParentMap Education Editor ParentMap Magazine "This book is a must-read for scholars interested in family, childhood, and stratification. It would also be a thought-provoking text for undergraduate students, many of whom may have participated in competitive activities throughout their lives." Sociology of Sport Journal "Richly textured... insightful."
Erendira Rueda Contemporary Sociology